GSR
Rated PG
Summary: Grissom thinks Sara needs someone to count on.
Disclaimer: Don't own CSI or the lyrics that Sara is singing. They come from a Mary Chapin-Carpenter song.
Grissom walked the halls of the crime lab in search of Sara Sidle. The tox results on their drowning victim had returned. The victim 's blood alcohol level was extremely elevated. A fact that Sara had anticipated due to the preponderance of Coors cans at the scene. Grissom knew she had probably been correct in her assumption but had been quick to remind her that assumptions could often be wrong and lead an otherwise good investigator down the wrong path. Fortunately this case was looking like it was going to be open and shut, something that neither of them had been fortunate enough to work in quite a while. He couldn't wait to give her the good news. Really he was just excited to have a reason to talk to her but he didn't want to examine those thoughts just yet.
When Grissom finally found Sara she was bent over a microscope.
He started to announce his presence but then he heard her singing and stopped at the door's entrance. Sara had a lovely voice and he didn't get to hear it much anymore. He strained to hear what she was singing.
Your room was no longer next door to mine And this kid sister thing was old by that time
But oh how our dreams went bump in the night And the voices downstairs getting into a fight And the next day a silence you could cut with a knife And feel like a blade at your throat
Twirl me about and twirl me around Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground When i look up at you looking down Say it as only a dream
As Sara sang, Grissom's heart was breaking. He found himself wondering if she had written the song. He backed out into the hallway and decided to page her instead. He couldn't risk her looking into his eyes and seeing how much he wanted to hold her and comfort her. Especially when they both knew he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it.
THE NEXT AFTERNOON
Sara eased her nude body into the scorching bath water. It was her night off and she had every intent on trying to relax. Since her run in with Catherine and Ecklie, Sara had tried not to work too many overtime hours. She felt it was best if she spent most of her time on the nightshift. Just as she dropped some bath beads into her water, her doorbell rang. "Who could that be? I didn't order pizza"
Maybe they'll go away she thought. After a few seconds the bell rang again. "Must be Jehovah's Witnesses." Sara continued with her bath. The bell rang once again followed by a knock and then a,
"Sara, It's Grissom, You're car is out front, I am assuming you are home"
'What in the hell is he doing here? I hope I haven't done anything stupid that I don't recall. It can't be work, he left before I did and he isn't due in tonight. How pathetic is it that I know his schedule?
Unless, he got called in. Could be a high profile case or maybe an mass murder, Shit, I'd better answer the door,' Sara's mind raced.
She grabbed a towel, dried of quickly, and gathered her robe around her.
"Coming, Griss, give me a minitue, kay?"
As Grissom waited for Sara to come to the door, he realized that she had probably still been sleeping. Damn, he hadn't meant to wake her up. Maybe she wouldn't be too upset once she saw the reason for his visit. Grissom prepared himself for a touseled haired sleepy eyed Sara but the Sara that opened the door caused his thoughts to take a downward spiral and his crotch to reach for the moon.
Sara stood before him wrapped in a pink silk robe that stopped before it ever reached mid-thigh on those sinfully long legs of hers. The ends of her hair were wet and her eyes were wide awake and staring at him waiting for him to say something.
"Good afternoon," was all he said.
"To you to Griss, Did you need something"
"No actually you do. I have brought you a gift"
"A gift?" Sara asked.
"Yes, may I come in"
It was then that Sara took notice of the brown box he was holding.
This was going to be interesting.
"Yeah, sure, you want something to drink"
"Water"
"Okay," Sara said as she headed for the fridge. "Make yourself comfortable"
Sara grabbed a water for Grissom and a grape juice for herself and joined him in the living room. He was seated on the couch and had placed the box on the table. It was about the size of men's tennis shoe box and had gotten the investigator in Sara all cranked up.
Grissom noticed Sara eyeing the box and put it beneath the table.
"No guessing. I have something I want to say to you first"
'Oh! He wants to talk,' Sara thought.
"Okay, shoot," she said.
"Sara, you know that I am not good at this. I don't mean to be an insufferable ass but sometimes I am. I do care greatly about you. And, I have been thinking about all that you told me. It means a lot to me that you would share something so intimate with me, even after I have been an emotional desert. Anyway the point I am trying to get at, is that I think there is something missing in your life. Your life got turned upside down at an early age. You lost both parents and then not long after that your brother moved off. You were in and out of foster care and from what I can tell you have never really had a live-in boyfriend. So I think what is missing in your life is a constant"
"A constant?" Sara asked.
"Yeah, you know someone or something you can count on. And don't say work because it has been my constant and I know first hand how unfulfilling it can be emotionally. So, I took it upon my self to change this for you"
"You did"
"Yes," Grissom said reaching under the table. Taking the lid off the box he revealed to Sara her gift.
"A turtle, Grissom"
"Yes, it is a box turtle. They live to be a hundred years old and he is only two. so he should outlive you"
"Grissom, that's depressing"
At Grissom's frown Sara added, "that was a joke, Griss. This is the sweetest thing you have ever done"
"Hey, I sent you a plant once"
"Doesn't even compare. This is way higher on you emotionally available progress report"
"I'm being graded"
"Yes, you are and this is a good semester for you"
They laughed together and the silence that followed was not awkward.
"So, does he have a name"
"He does but he'll never know if you change it"
"What's his name"
"Blur"
"Blur"
"The reptile store had a sense of humor"
"Yeah, well I like it. I think I'll keep it"
Grissom took a drink from the bottled water and looked as Sara picked Blur up out of his box. "Sara, I have his stuff out in the Denali, we can bring it up after we have lunch"
"Lunch?" Sara didn't dare to hope he was suggesting they eat lunch together.
"If you'll do me the honor of going to Carlito's with me for a cheese pizza"
"Is it a date?" Sara wanted a definitive answer.
"It's a-uh ---," Grissom struggled with the right word.
Finding it he said, "It's a start"
"That's good enough for now," Sara said. It was Grissom after all. "Will he be okay til we get back"
"Yeah, Sure, the box has holes and they fed him this morining. So, shall we?" Grissom asked and offered her his hand.
"Sure but don't you think I should get dressed first"
"Okay, but I really like this look for you"
Sara grinned her only for Grissom grin and headed for her bedroom, "Give me five minutes," she promised before disappearing into her room.
"That was quick," Grissom deadpanned as she poked her head around the door. Sara rolled her eyes. "Grissom, this was a beautiful thing you did but I already have a constant"
"You do?"
"Yeah, You."
"I told you work doesn't count," he answered.
"You've always been more than a boss to me."
End