Author: Joyce
Title: The truth behind the music
Disclaimer: If Warrick was mine would I be writing about him?
Note: This story is almost finished. There is one more chapter and an epilogue to go. I want to thank anybody who took the time to read this and is still reading this. After all, it's not finished yet! Thank you all for the kind reviews. This part is dedicated to anybody who took the time to comment on this story but especially to Juliette7179. Thank you for inspiring me to write this chapter!
Chapter 7Warrick woke up a couple of hours later. Feeling better then he had in a long time. He had slept like a baby, which wasn't all that surprising considering the fact that Sara had given him the best blanket ever. She was gone now he realized, her weight was no longer upon him and he already missed the feeling of holding her. He grinned to himself, one night of sleeping with her and he was already addicted. He got up, stretching in an effort to release some of the pain that sleeping on a tiny couch had caused him. It had been worth it though. Looking around him he sensed that she was not in the house anymore. She had cleaned, all evidence of the breakfast that she had served him was gone. The place looked empty, with almost no evidence that somebody actually lived here. He couldn't feel Sara's spirit in this house she lived in, just knew that this place didn't feel like a home to her. He hoped that maybe tonight the place had felt like home to her. Because to him, whenever she was around, every place in the world could be home. Laughing yet again at the sensitive sap he was becoming now that he was in love he noticed a note lying on the coffee table.
Hey Warrick,
You were still sleeping and I didn't have the heart to wake you. I've already left to go to work. I still had a lot of paperwork to finish. I've set the alarm clock for you, I don't want you to oversleep. Thank you for staying with me today. Sleeping has never been better. Now move your ass and get to work! See you there.
Kisses,
Sara
He smiled, reading her message again before he was startled by the alarm going of. His Sara was telling him to go to work. He was still grinning when he left five minutes later.
At the lab, Sara was busy filling out her paperwork. She had company in the form of Nick. Who was busy filling out his own paperwork. Both hated this part of their job with a passion which is why they often ended up doing it together. This way they could keep each other motivated to finish their work. Finally Sara looked up, a satisfied grin on her face. One she had been wearing al morning.
"Done. How about you?"
Nick grumbled.
"Five more minutes. Could you get me some coffee in the meantime?"
He had expected some form of protest from her. She hated it when her co-workers ordered her around but today she just nodded happily and got up to get his coffee. He laughed, knowing that Warrick was probably the reason why she couldn't stop smiling. Good for them he figured before he mentally prepared himself for five more minutes of paperwork. He nodded to Catherine who just walked in and her nod was his greeting back. She walked over to Sara, who was standing by the coffee machine.
"Hey Sara. Ready for another shift?"
The younger woman nodded. Walking over to Nick to give him his coffee while taking a seat next to him.
"Ready as ever. You?"
Catherine sighed, joining them on the couch in the break room.
"Lindsey's not feeling so well. I always hate it to leave her when she's sick."
Sara nodded in compassion when the door opened again, revealing a smiling Warrick. Looking refreshed and utterly relaxed. Something that even Catherine, who had her mind in other places, noticed.
"Swallowed a happy pill today, Warrick?"
Nick looked up after finishing his work, a knowing grin on his face. Meanwhile Warrick gave them all the perfect innocent look he could do so well.
"Me? No, I just slept well."
Catherine raised her eyebrows.
"You just slept well?"
"Yep," he said, walking over to the coffee machine himself. His back to the people on the couch. "I got myself the perfect blanket."
Catherine looked confused, Nick amused and Sara was trying to hide the fact that her face felt very red all of a sudden. Teasing, Nick spoke up.
"A perfect blanket, huh? I would love to know which kind. Since I have some trouble sleeping myself, you know."
Warrick turned around, knowing that Nick was playing with him. He didn't mind though, deciding that nothing could kill his mood today. Especially not with Sara sitting on the couch looking all cute and flustered.
"Sorry bro. This is a one of a kind blanket. Made especially for me."
The other man didn't give up though.
"Maybe you could lend it to me sometime. I would love to get my hands on your blanket."
Catherine had some real trouble understanding the conversation at this point. She turned to Warrick, therefore missing the fact that Sara poked Nick in the ribs, hard.
"Why are you guys talking about blankets? Did I miss something?"
Warrick shook his head.
"Nick's just being silly, Cath. He knows that he could never, ever, touch my blanket. I wouldn't trade it for the world."
The smile that Sara gave him was radiant and for a while he was lost in her. After seeing the looks between her co-workers Catherine began to understand what she had been missing. She quickly glanced at Nick, who was still looking at the two with barely contained amusement and her suspicions were confirmed. Warrick and Sara she mused, who would have thought? But when she looked at them again she figured that in an odd way it made sense. Warrick could give Sara some of the fun she so desperately needed, he would give her an outlet to relax. She in turn was exactly what he needed. Sara was steady, smart and she wouldn't take any crap from him. She was the challenge that Warrick had always searched for, the final bet.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Grissom walking in and she briefly wondered how her friend would feel about these turn of events. She had a feeling he wouldn't be to happy about it.
"Morning guys," Grissom said to them all. His co-workers greeted him back and soon any talk of blankets was forgotten, replaced by the grim reality of work. There were crimes that needed to be solved.
Half an hour later Warrick was waiting outside the lab for his partner to show up. Grinning when he saw her approach him.
"Hey there, slept well today?"
Sara smiled back.
"Nah, I've had better."
He glared at her before he got into the car but said nothing.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
Driving the car out of the parking lot he answered.
"There was a murder in one of the casino's. Grissom wants us to check it out. It's probably a professional hit, which makes it almost impossible to solve but he wants us to go anyway. It's still part of my punishment I think. Although pairing me with you is a big plus so I'm not complaining. But why are you asking me where we're going? You were there when we got the assignment."
She blushed.
"I was preoccupied."
He had a proud grin on his face.
"You had better, huh? In your dreams, Sidle."
She didn't even bother replying, especially since she knew he was right.
It was a short trip to their crime scene and she got out early while he parked their car. He entered the scene five minutes later, finding her visibly upset.
"Sara, sweetie, what's wrong?"
She looked at him, in a strange combination of relief and despair.
"The victim..."she whispered.
Walking over to the body lying on the ground he was shocked to see that guy could have been his twin brother. Sure, there were some differences once you got a good look, but at first sight he could have sworn it was him lying there. He could only imagine what Sara must have felt once she saw the victim. Walking back to her he saw that she was slowly getting her composure back.
"That's not me, sweetie. You know that, I'm right here."
She nodded.
"I know." Looking up at him she acted on impulse. Hugging him hard, not caring who might be watching. "I could have been you," she whispered while tightening her already strong hold on him. He felt her clinging to him, heard the desperation and came to a decision. They had played enough games, it was time for him to stop playing. He was ready and, more importantly, he finally believed that she was ready too. Slowly pulling back from her he brushed some hair out of her face.
"Once this shift is over we need to talk. Just you and me. My place?"
She nodded before taking a deep breath and turning around to face the victim. It was not him she told herself. Just another body. But every time she looked at the victim it stared her in the face. It could have been him and he would have been clueless. She came to a decision. Taking it one step at a time was fine but she was ready for a big leap. After shift, she told herself. Once she got to his place she would jump.
Shift flew by, with them working hard but not finding one shred of evidence that would break this case. This one would go in the unsolved pile and it always got to Sara to know that somebody could take another life and never pay for it. Because they weren't good enough to catch the bastard. She was startled by a voice behind her.
"Stop that," Warrick said.
She turned around.
"Stop what?"
His hand grabbed her much smaller one.
"Stop blaming yourself for not solving this case. We can't work miracles, you know that. Sometimes the evidence can tell us the whole story and sometimes it tells us nothing. That's just the way it works."
She grinned and his look turned from worried to confused.
"What?"
"Oh nothing," she said. "But you have become quite the Grissom in your old days."
She walked away from him to go change and she heard him follow her into the locker room.
"Hey, I resent that remark. I'm not Grissom!"
She turned around to face him, completely serious now.
"No, you're not," she said. "You're Warrick."
It was the way she said his name that made him understand the hidden message. She was telling him that it was ok. That he would be enough and never a substitute. Now more resolved then ever he quickly changed into a clean shirt.
"Let's go home," he said.
She followed him, not even realizing that she also thought of his place as home. The drive to his house was quick and the closer they got the more nervous they became. It was easy telling yourself that you were in love but quite another thing to tell that person how you felt about them. Walking into his home both were relieved to see Rocky, who greeted them like he hadn't seen them in a thousand years. They petted him, hoping that they could avoid their talk somewhat longer. Eventually Warrick looked at her.
"So..."he said. Not sure how to continue.
She had some trouble herself.
"So..." She stopped, wishing she could find the words. There was an awkward silence until it suddenly came to Warrick. It would be perfect, now he just hoped she would understand.
"Sara," he said. She looked at him. A mixture of fear and hope in her eyes and he continued.
"I want to play my song for you..."
Tbc...