Title: The truth behind the music
Author: Joyce
Disclaimer: I still don't own Warrick. I'm working on it though, lol.
Note; I wrote this as fast as I could you guys! I'm not a machine! Have a little mercy...
No seriously, thank you all so much for reading this story and commenting on it. It means a whole lot to me. Now, before I get all emotional, on with the story.
Chapter five.
Sara came home that night feeling like a different woman. She and Warrick had danced for a couple of hours. Swaying to the music while talking and laughing. Every minute she had fallen more and more in love with him. Eventually he brought her to her car and told her that she needed her sleep. She stood there, wondering what he would do now. And when he leaned down her heart had stopped for a second. Giving her a kiss on the cheek he had whispered.
"I've had so much fun today, Sara."
Now she was home, her heart and mind still racing. She still felt him around her. His scent lingered on her, he was everywhere. Sitting on the couch she took some time to process that she was in love. She was in love with Warrick. And then the mind numbing fear took over. She was in love with Warrick...What was she going to do now?
A couple of hours later she woke up, ready to go to work. A bit afraid of seeing Warrick. She didn't know what she was going to do with these new feelings. What if he didn't feel the same way? And what about Grissom? Where did he fit into all of this? She always thought that Grissom was the one for her. She remembered the first time she saw him, giving a lecture to her and a hundred other students. Her mind had made a connection. This man was just as dedicated to the job as she was, he was just like her. Over the years he had become this model of perfection to her that no other man had been able to live up to. And then Warrick showed up. Reckless, a bit cocky, a man with a gambling problem. And she had to investigate him. There was no connection there when she first saw him, just contempt. He was responsible for the dead of a CSI and he got away with it. Slowly she saw that he was a good person, a damn good CSI. And she understood why Grissom refused to let him go. He recognized himself in Warrick. They both had a passion for the job. Next to that Warrick didn't seek approval like she or Nicky did. He respected Grissom but he didn't come to work every day looking for his appreciation. He just knew that he needed to do his job well, not for Grissom, for himself. And slowly she had come to respect him. She had seen that he had a big heart under the cool image he projected. He had become a friend to her and she had build a connection with him too. The problem was, he had not only touched her mind but also her heart. Something that no other man had ever done before and Sara had no idea how to cope with that. Her feelings for Grissom were idealized and she knew that they could never lead anywhere. This was real, scary real.
Walking into the locker room she was relieved to see that he wasn't there. She did find a note, taped to her locker.
Hey girl, hope you slept well. I'm off to pull my double, the things I wouldn't do for you...But spending time with you was worth it. Seeing you in that red dress... Damn...You looked fine, Sidle. Take care of yourself tonight. Be seeing you. –x- Warrick
She had to fight back her tears and in that moment she knew that she had to find a way to overcome her fears. Because it was really very simple, he was worth fighting for. She left the locker room feeling a little more hopeful. Walking into Grissom's office she saw him talking to Catherine and she realized that she didn't feel jealous. When he looked up and smiled her heart didn't beat faster. It hadn't done that for a while now. Sure, he would always be important to her. He was her mentor, her friend, her first love. But she had fallen out of love with him, she was just to ignorant to realize that. Until that moment yesterday when Warrick had held her in his arms. That had felt so good and in that second she finally knew what her heart had known for months now. She had moved on.
"Hey Grissom, Cath," she said.
They both smiled at her and she learned that she had to work her homicide case with Nicky tonight. The night flew by, although she was a bit distracted. She never saw Warrick, who was working a case in the dessert where a car had driven of a cliff. Apparently he had a lot of evidence to process on the scene. After her shift was over she decided to grab some coffee in the break room, finding Nick there.
"Hey Sara. I thought you were heading home?"
She nodded. "I was, but I decided to steal some of Greg's coffee first."
Nick gave her a glare.
"Please, you know that you can touch his coffee anytime. In fact, you can touch anything you want concerning Greg."
She just smiled, sitting down next to him. Enjoying the silence after a long shift. Finally she noticed Nick looking at her.
"What?"
He worked up his courage to ask her this. Sometimes Sara did not like it when you talked about her personal life.
"Are you ok? You seem a bit...I don't know...preoccupied. I saw you zoning out a couple of times today. That's not like you."
She squeezed his hand.
"I'm fine, thank you. I just have a lot on my mind."
Nick nodded, getting back to reading his paper, while mumbling.
"Something tells me there is only one thing on your mind...Warrick."
Her eyes widened and she forced him to put down his paper.
"How do you know that?"
Nick shook his head.
"You guys must really think I'm stupid. Why is everybody so surprised if I know something?"
Sara grinned.
"Don't be an idiot, we don't think you're stupid. Now answer my question."
He was already sorry for bringing this up. Warrick would kill him if he told her about his feelings.
"Look, I think you should be talking to Warrick about this. Let's just say it's obvious that something is going on."
Sara studied her fingers.
"I'm afraid to talk to Warrick about this."
Nick didn't get that.
"Why?"
She stood up, pacing back an forth.
"I just am. I can't really explain it."
He sighed, deciding to state the obvious.
"Look Sara, he cares about you. A lot. He's not going to hurt you."
She stopped pacing.
"But what if he does?"
Nick stood up, forcing her to look at him.
"He won't. It will work out. Trust me"
She had tears in her eyes.
"I'm so afraid, Nick. I don't know what to do."
He reached down to hug her.
"Don't be afraid. It's gonna be ok. C'mon, you were never afraid when you were hung up on Grissom."
"That's because he was safe," she whispered.
"Safe?"
She stepped out of his embrace, giving him a smile to thank him.
"He was unattainable and I could handle that. It was part of the attraction. I don't think I could handle it if Warrick turned out to be unattainable too. Seeing him everyday and not being able to show him how I feel. I couldn't do that again. Not with him, he's to important to me."
Nick sat back down on the couch, looking up at her.
"Have a little faith, Sara. And just take it slow, one step at a time. That way you can face your fears one step at a time."
She mused that maybe he was right. She was over thinking this. She was in love. Really in love, for the first time in her life. Running from it would not solve anything. Maybe the right way to approach it was by taking little steps towards it. She saw Warrick in her mind, smiling at her. Yeah, she could do this. She turned to go, smiling at Nicky one last time.
"Thanks. And Nick, we really don't think you're stupid."
He nodded.
"I know. Just remember, one step at a time."
She repeated it, like a mantra.
"Yeah, one step at a time."
She left Nick in the break room, shaking his head.
"When are these two idiots going to see that they're perfect for each other..."
Sarah walked into the locker room, ready to go home. She found Warrick there, covered in dust.
"What happened to you?"
He turned around, a smile on his face once he saw her.
"Walking around in the desert all day can do this to you. And to think that I still have seven hours to go."
She had to laugh.
"Yeah, life's a bitch sometimes."
She watched him change, fascinated by his movements. A couple of seconds later he looked presentable again. Although to her covered in dust he looked good too.
"Don't laugh, Sidle. I'm in this mess because of you."
She batted her eyelashes at him.
"Yeah, but I'm worth it. Aren't I?"
His expression softened and she saw something in his eyes that made her heart flutter.
"Yeah, you are."
Walking over to her locker she grabbed her coat.
"Hey Warrick, why don't you come over after shift ends. I'll make you breakfast."
He was surprised by the invitation.
"Sure, I'd like that." Sleep would come later he figured, she was more important.
She smiled.
"Good, I'll see you in a couple of hours then."
Walking over to him she acted on impulse, pinching his butt. He was startled to say the least.
"What the hell was that for?"
The smile she gave him was beautiful.
"Hey, you're wearing those baggy jeans again. I had to see if the merchandise was still there."
His eyes darkened and for a moment she was lost in them.
"Don't start something we can't finish in a locker room, Sara."
She stepped closer to him, a challenge in her eyes.
"Like what?"
He saw something in her eyes. Desire, but there was something else there.
Something that made his heart beat faster. He reached up to brush some hair out of her face and her eyes closed while she leaned into his caress. His voice was husky and he decided to ignore her question.
"Do you know how beautiful you are?"
She opened her eyes, seeing that he had moved even closer to her.
"You think I'm beautiful?"
He just nodded and he saw a playful sparkle in her eyes.
"You have some pretty good qualities too." Then she pinched his butt again.
This time he laughed, warning her.
"Remember, Sidle. Don't start something we can't finish."
She pinched him again.
"What are you going to do about it?"
"This," he whispered. Leaning into her and her heart stopped because she knew he was going to kiss her. Her eyes closed and therefore she didn't see him change course at the last second. His lips on her cheek, his voice in her ears.
"Just another seven hours and then we have all the time in the world to finish this."
He stepped away from her, watching her opening her eyes. Desire burning in them and he laughed.
"Payback is a bitch, isn't it?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"I'm so going to get you for this."
He stepped closer once again. This time giving her a small part of what she wanted. A short kiss on her lips. One that left her breathless.
"Be seeing you."
Then he was gone, leaving her with a huge smile on her face. Only seven hours to go until she saw him again. She was ready for this, ready for them. One step at a time...
Tbc...