Bear Witness
Summary: I'm going to have to end this story eventually… Unbound Improv Challenge entry – the first and last lines are provided, with 1,000 words to fill in the rest.
A/N: Thanks to Ann and Marlou for the beta.
Disclaimer: No bears, ducks or assorted wildlife were injured in the making of this story.

Chapter 13

"Any chance this is a drug-induced hallucination?"

"No, Greg," Catherine said shortly, taking a long draw of her drink. "Grissom and Sara were there. Together."

"But the road washed out," Greg said. "They didn't have any choice about staying there. They were stuck."

"Yeah, and that's why they were sleeping together."

"So? It's innocent," he insisted, his hands gripping his drink tightly.

She snorted dismissively. "Yeah. Right. You couldn't find innocent in that motel with a dictionary and seven Vestal Virgins."

"Vixens."

"What?" Catherine demanded coolly.

"Seven Vestal Vixens. It's one of the rooms at the motel. I wonder if that's the one they had. The whole room was done in a foxes in togas with …"

"I don't want to know about it!"

Warrick chortled loudly as he sank into the empty chair beside Catherine. She slowly fixed him with a cold stare, but that only made him laugh harder. With an indignant sigh, she threw back her head as she drained her drink.

"Take it easy with that root beer. Goes straight to your head," he warned with mock-severity, popping the top on his own can of soda. Looking at the moping faces around the break room table, he had to contain his own mirth. Who knew the prospect of Sara and Grissom being a couple could be this much fun?

"I can't believe the two of them are together," she groused. "And in a place like that."

Warrick grinned at Greg, who was whimpering softly as he put his head on the table. "Hey, I gotta agree with Nick. I underestimated Grissom. I never realized he was such a player before."

"Ugh!"

The vehemence of that chorus made Warrick pull his head back. "Come on guys," he said. "What's the problem? Okay, Greg. You never had a chance with Sara. You know that. Don't pout. Cath, you were never interested in Griss. Why do you care who he ends up with? Chill."

"Hey," Greg said, lifting his head up indignantly. "Sara and me were real close lately. We were clicking. I was going to ask her out."

"You could ask all you want, it doesn't change what the answer was going to be," Catherine snarked, draining the last of her soda. "I need a real drink."

"Oh, yeah, that'll really help your mood," Greg muttered under his breath.

"Guys," Nick said excitedly, popping his head into the break room. "Judy just said they pulled into the parking lot."

"Smooth, guys. Real smooth." Warrick stayed in his chair, shaking his head as the others tumbled out of their chairs and hurried to the reception area. Initially, he thought it would be fun to tease Sara and Grissom about their mountain adventure, knowing that neither of them would find such a place enjoyable. But the reactions of their other coworkers confused him. They seemed to think something really was going on between the two of them.

Standing up, he strolled to join the others. If something was going on, then those two didn't need any ribbing; they'd both be too uncomfortable to openly admit their relationship. It'd taken them too long to get together. Being grilled about it by the entire lab could be disastrous. He found Nick first, chuckling openly in the reception area. Quickly explaining the situation to him, they forcefully carried Greg to fingerprinting where Jacqui could keep him under wraps.

When they returned, Catherine was out of sight.

Nick and Warrick exchanged a worried look when they spotted her marching across the parking lot to the Denali.

"Should we stop her?" Nick asked quietly.

"Do you want to go back on sick leave?"

"No."

"They're on their own," Warrick said with a sigh.

Turning around in the driver's seat, Sara smiled at her slowly awakening passenger. "How do you feel?" she asked softly, rubbing her hand lovingly over his.

"Like I have a bad cold, spent the night on a bad mattress and then tried to sleep on a ride over a bumpy road," Grissom answered in between deep yawns. Sitting up straight, he stretched and worked out tight muscles.

"You're not …worried?"

"About what? We're going to be teased. There's no escaping that. You show them the photos; that'll convince them nothing happened that you don't want them to know about. I'll glare at them when they try to joke with me. That'll take care of everything."

"I hope you're right. We're about to get mobbed."

"What?" Grissom snapped open his eyes and stared as Catherine stormed towards them.

"Warrick. He knew what type of motel that was. He told all the others."

"Oh, she's probably upset that I never returned her calls. She doesn't like working with bugs."

"No one does, besides you," Sara told him, smiling at his startled look. "Sorry."

"Remember our plan," he said, ignoring her bug comment and starting to climb out of the SUV.

"Right." Sara's eyes opened wide when she closed the door. There in the side view mirror was the evidence of what really happened at the motel.

"Cough!" she said in an urgent stage whisper.

"Why?"

"Just do it! Hey, Cath! You better stay back. Grissom's still contagious. I'm going to drop him home, and I'll be in later."

"Right," Catherine said sarcastically. "And you're already infected. So, what condition causes whisker burns?"

Grissom jerked his eyes around; in the early morning light, the marks on Sara's neck stood out plainly. He had no idea he'd branded her so much. There was no denying what happened. Before he could react, a real coughing spell erupted, causing him to bend over.

"Gil?"

"I told you he was sick," Sara said shortly.

"Right. He needs to be at home and in bed. Resting," she added pointedly.

"I'm driving him there, and then I'm going to get him to call a doctor."

Catherine barked out a short laugh. "You'll have to do that. He goes to Dr. Krauss in Henderson."

Grissom, trying to catch his breath from his coughing spell, watched as the two women put aside their disagreement long enough to herd him into Sara's car. The parting look from Catherine made it clear he hadn't heard the last of this, and he closed his eyes painfully as they headed to his townhouse.

Driving silently, she darted her eyes to him nervously. She hoped Catherine would be discreet, but mentally wondered if she knew the meaning of the word. Grissom was her friend; no matter their own disagreements, Sara hoped she wouldn't betray him.

When she parked in front of his home, she let out a silent sigh. He hadn't said a thing since they left the lab. Sara stared off into space, wondering which one of them would be the first to pretend this never happened.