Chapter 15

Old Friend

Gil sent a text message to Sara's phone after work instructing her where to meet him after work for breakfast. He'd chosen an out of the way 24-hour diner out of random. It wasn't the most romantic place to take someone you cared about for breakfast, but it seemed the most convenient at the time.

He chose an out of the way booth that hid him from view through the windows, he ordered coffee and sat patiently waiting.

There were only two other people in the diner, and one of them was a rather tired looking waitress who was in her late thirties, she staggered about as if in a daze, her hair a tangled mess poking out from under her cap.

Sara is late, he realised as he looked at his watch. He now pondered if perhaps she intended not to show up at all. She's probably going to punish me for what I did during break by not standing me up, he thought sourly.

He ordered a second cup of coffee, and was halfway through drinking it and had begun to think about leaving when he heard Sara's car pulling up outside in the parking lot outside the diner. The street was silent and the diner was quiet, it made any sound from outside seem extreme, and Sara's car had several problems – including the engine being rather louder than it should have been.

Gil had to lean up and glance over the back of his bench to see her coming through the doors. She spotted him at once.

She took her seat opposite him, "sorry I'm late, I got lost trying to find this place, I had to circle the area four times before I saw it."

"I thought you weren't coming," Gil admitted, he blushed momentarily, then tried to compose himself, he gestured for the waitress to come over, and they ordered their breakfast without saying a word to each other.

"Do you think I'd really stand you up?" Sara queried once the waitress finally left to get their orders.

Gil picked up a small paper packet of sugar and examined it, just to give him something to do, "well…I don't know, I guess I thought you might do it to get back at me for earlier today."

Sara drew her breath, "don't think that the thought never crossed my mind," she said, but then she smiled to indicate it were a joke. "We've had much worse arguments – work related of course – and we've survived them. We can get over this no problem."

Gil sighed, "I don't know, though," he shrugged, "this…is different."

"How is it different?" Sara asked.

The conversation went on hold as a waitress came with coffee for Sara and a refill for Gil, when the waitress disappeared again, Gil spoke.

"Because we're 'dating'," he stated, he realised it might have been wrong to put so much emphasis on the word 'dating', because Sara seemed to immediately pick it up.

"You say 'dating' as if it's a questionable thing," Sara took a sip of her fresh coffee, and winced at how hot it was.

"Sorry," Gil stared down into his cup, he ripped the packet of sugar open and poured it into his coffee, although he was unsure why as he didn't even take sugar in his coffee in the first place. "I just never know what to call it," he said, "dating sounds like a temporary thing, you know, which I don't think this intended to be," he explained. "But…I find it hard to try and call the relationship anything else because…we're not exactly lovers or anything," he felt incredibly stupid trying to explain it to her.

"We could be," Sara said, "we've been technically seeing each other since February fifteenth. It's not too soon to start thinking about taking the relationship further, Gil," Sara took another sip of her coffee.

"I know that," Gil responded, he sighed. Truthfully, he wished he could just let go of his inhibitions and take the relationship as far as it could go right there and then – or perhaps at least wait until they had left the diner. But he knew there was no chance he could, it was too soon, he still wasn't particularly comfortable with her touching him in the way she did, even the morning before when she'd put her hands on his face and kissed him in that soft tender way.

Honestly, he didn't want to be used to it either, he was afraid that she might just suddenly take it away once she tired of his company. If this happened, it might break his heart, especially if he was too close to her already.

Sara reached over and took his hand boldly, "but…" she trailed off, finishing her thought, "we need to get you over this shyness of yours first…before we think about taking the relationship to any other level," she stroked the top of his hand with the tips of her fingers.

"Okay," he nodded, looking down at their hands, fascinated, he adored the strange tingles that came with her touch.

"It still stuns me that…you find it so hard even saying things to me when you kissed me like you did that time in your car," Sara admitted.

Gil laughed nervously, "I know…it stuns me too."

"I think that was the biggest surprise you ever gave me right then," Sara admitted, "I just never expected you to do that…never in a million years. It was so…I don't know un-Grissom-like."

He laughed, "is there such a word as 'un-Grissom-like?" he asked.

"There should be," Sara grinned. "Y'know in the team when any of us get this…thoughtful pensive look in a certain way, we call it the 'Grissom look'," Sara said.

"Interesting," Gil responded.

Sara smirked, "yes, it is."

"Sara!"

Sara spun hearing her name, her hand left Gil's instantly.

Gil turned to see who had spoken, there was a tall rather good looking gentleman standing there, his long blonde hair swept back from his face, his eyes an indescribable shade of blue. He seemed ages with Sara, if not maybe just a little older.

"Jeremy…" Sara blinked, "Hi…what are you doing here in Vegas?"

"I moved here six years ago for my job," the man known as Jeremy explained. "And you?"

"Same, really," Sara said, she seemed to almost forget about Gil's presence completely.

Who is this guy? Why is he here and why doesn't he just leave? Gil thought angrily.

"Your dad taking you out to dinner?" Jeremy gestured to Gil.

Gil's mouth dropped, he tried to think of something very smarmy to say to the young man, but nothing came to mind.

"Uh…no, he's not my father," Sara responded.

Gil looked towards Sara, was she going to tell this stranger his real connection to her. He wanted to hear her say it – although he wasn't sure how she'd explain it.

"This is Gil Grissom…" Sara gestured towards Gil. "My boss."

Gil blinked. Is that all I am now, her boss?

"Gil Grissom – THE Gil Grissom?" Jeremy said, he seemed stunned, "of the crime lab? He doesn't look anything like he does on TV."

"It's the beard," Gil uttered.

"We're just about to have breakfast," Sara said, trying to hint for the man to leave.

"Actually I was just heading out, only came in for coffee to go. But anyway…if you ever want to go out for drinks some time or something…give me a call…" Jeremy suggested, he took a card out of the pocket of his suit jacket, and handed it to her.

Gil wanted to snatch the card from Sara and rip it up and tell Jeremy not to hold his breath.

"Thanks…" Sara trailed off, "But…y'know…" she began.

"I really have to go," Jeremy said. "Call me," he added, and then sped off with his cup of coffee.

Sara rolled her eyes, "He hasn't changed."

"Who was that?" Gil asked, trying to hide the detest in his voice.

"Uh…an old friend…we dated in college. He's a lawyer," Sara gestured to the business card.

Gil couldn't find anything else to say after this. He fell completely silent, brooding about his age. Sara seemed none the wiser. Which, he somewhat, was thankful for.

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