Merci beaucoup to... Marlou, more commonly known as Mr. Cheesefires. And by commonly, I mean not at all.

Autumn rolled around quickly, teasing the tail ends of summer with only the slightest hint at falling temperature. Sara found herself longing for New England and apple cider and the sharp bite of a chill wind.

September 17 rolled around and a deluge of long awaited rain poured over the parched earth of Las Vegas. She awoke to the foreign sound of the rain spattering against her window. So, she lay in bed and listened, finding comfort in the sound. She'd only been asleep for a few hours and could have used a few more but for the moment, she was content to stay awake and listen.

She nearly drifted back off to sleep but a gentle rapping at her door snapped her from the gentle lull of slumber.

Looking through the peephole she smiled, looked at her toes, and opened the door. She smiled, looked at her toes, and opened the door. He stood before her, little droplets of water clinging to his curls. "It's raining." Grissom said dejectedly and brushed the precipitation from his hair. "It's raining and your birthday is ruined."

He pushed forward into her apartment and she watched him walk by and then shut the door. "Uh, okay."

He was irritated, she knew it. She knew his heart rate was above average, the extra creases in his forehead the evidence of that. "I had planned an adorable little thing and-"

Sara chuckled. "Adorable? I never thought I'd hear you-"

"Oh leave it be. It was adorable. It would have been but..." Grissom trailed off and looked around the living room. His eyes squinted a bit and he regarded the scene thoughtfully. "Go back into your room and don't come back until I tell you."

"Wha- why?"

"Just please, humor me."

Sara glared at him, but spun on her heel and retreated to the bedroom quickly. Grissom then went back out through the rain to his car and grabbed a large duffel bag out of the backseat.

It took him a few moments, several curses and one trip to the refrigerator to complete his vision. Standing back for a moment to survey his handiwork, he was satisfied with what he saw and called her out.

Sara walked into her living room, having thrown on a sweater and slippers, and gasped, but just a little.

A large, blue sheet was laid out on the floor. On it were fruit and vegetables and some sort of Italian concoction that she was unsure of.

"So?" He prompted, hands in his pockets, water droplets drying on his shoulders.

Sara smiled adoringly at him and walked over, sitting Indian style on the makeshift picnic blanket. "This is cute, this is good."

Grissom smiled and moved to sit next to her on the floor. They smiled at each other for a moment before Sara's face fell into an expression of thought. "Something's missing..."

In an inspired moment she hopped up quickly and went to boot up her computer. She sat back, legs bouncing, until she'd located what she was looking for on the internet. Sara enlarged it and went to sit back down on the blanket. A picture of a forest. Grissom laughed and wanted so badly to reach over and take her into his arms.

"You know, ambiance," Sara said, winked and began digging into the food.

They ate slowly, leaving themselves time to digest and actually enjoy their food.

He pulled out a cheesecake and stuck a lone stick of wax in it and let her blow it out. There was no singing... thank god.

Standing up they went to sit on the couch with cups of tea, in silence, Sara with her legs pulled up underneath her, Grissom hugging the right hand armrest. It was quiet and the best birthday she'd had in... well, as long as she could remember.

Sara closed her eyes for a moment and sunk back. She sighed, completely content. When she opened her eyes, she was thrown off by his outstretched hand offering her something.

He held out a moderately large, brightly wrapped box to her. It was covered in orange and blue striped paper with a large yellow bow on top. For a moment she toyed with the thought that he was colorblind, though she knew he wasn't.

Reaching out, she grabbed the box and held it in her lap. "You know, I really told you not to get me anything."

"I know you didn't."

"See, when people say that, they generally don't mean it. But I mean it, I really don't like getting gifts."

"I know."

"So then why-"

"Open it." He prompted softly.

Sara looked at him, for some reason, incredibly sadly, but pulled back the paper slowly, meticulously. Once the box was naked to the eye, she peeled off the top and was faced with a plethora full of colorful tissue paper. Delicately, she pawed through the rainbow jungle until she was sure that there wasn't anything in the box.

Her brow creased as she continued to look down, trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

"Sara, honey. Look at me."

But she continued to stare into the box, honestly attempting to put the pieces in place, wondering at the silent message he was attempting to convey. But the message had to be spoken. It had to be.

"Honey, please." Her eyes dragged up to meet his, the confusion still palpable between them. Her hopeless, deer in the headlights gaze made him smile softly, reverently, holding the snapshot in his heart.

"I love you." It was said with a low shrug, an attempt to show her that he couldn't help it, that it was just too hard to ignore. He loved her because he loved her and... well, that was it. It just was.

Sara's expression held, lips slightly parted, hands still clutching the empty box. "Well..." She began, breathy and utterly surprised.

Then her face bloomed into a shy smile; ducking her head, she gazed up at him through her eyelashes, knocking the breath from his lungs.

"Happy birthday to me."

Grissom smiled and watched as she stood and backed away from the couch, as if attempting to gather her thoughts.

He was sarcastic and flippant when he spoke. "Don't you have something to say to me?" He asked because he knew she loved him, and she knew she loved him, she'd just been waiting for him to say it first.

She pretended to wrack her brain for an answer. "Uh, thanks?" A smile possessed her cheeks and he huffed a laugh, standing and advancing on her. He too was grinning.

"That's all?"

"Uh huh. Besides, you already had your birthday." She pouted as he continued to advance on her.

Slowly, slowly he moved. "Sara Jane Sidle..."

"You know my middle name?"

His grin was akin to that of a cat who'd just set his eyes on a mouse, ready for the chase. Utterly and totally ready. "I know a lot about you, honey..."

"Okay..."

"Sara Jane Sidle, I'm going to kiss you now."

"Oh. Okay."

Grissom placed an open mouthed kiss on her neck and it was impossible for her to hold back a moan. He did it again, slower, lower, dipping just above her collarbone, licking her there before he stood back to peer into her eyes, a delighted grin plastered on his lips.

"I think... it's time for me to leave."

"What!"

"It's 12:01." He showed her the time on his watch and stepped away from her and made his way to the door. Once he was there, grasping the doorknob, he turned to face her, the only noise in the apartment the ticking of her kitchen clock and the still-erratic breathing coming from her lungs. "Unless, well, Sara... Unless I can take the birthday girl to her bed and kiss her properly and help her to... sleep?"

Sara looked at him, her gaze softening. Then, brashly, she turned and rushed into the bedroom. Grissom was stunned, standing at her door in silence.

Until she shouted out...

"What are you waiting for? Take off your pants! Unless you sleep in 'em..."

Grissom laughed and trailed behind her into the bedroom, intentions as base as he could keep them.