Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Spoilers: anything and everything.
Authors: Jacquie and SassySaraSidle
Beta: SidleChick (aka KC) Thanks girl! good job!
Chapter 5
Grissom's eyes widened a little at the question. Then his face relaxed as he said softly, "Wherever you want it to go. I just want to be with you, Sar...I want to marry you when you're ready for me."
"What if I said now as in right now, today? Would you still be that eager?" Sara asked and looked away.
Grissom gently turned her face toward him again. "I wouldn't have a problem with that. If that's what you really wanted."
"No. I just wanted to be sure that we were on the same path. I want to take this slow. I want to go out to eat, to the movies, clubs, dancing. I want the whole "wooing the woman" thing. I never thought I would like that kind of stuff, but you bring out the romantic in me, Griss."
Grissom kissed Sara's hair. "Whatever you want, sweetheart."
"Ok. Next night we both have off. Dinner and a movie. Dinner your choice, movie mine. Is it a date?" Sara asked him sweetly.
"It's a date."
"Good. Now can we take a nap? I am really tired. And did I mention sore?"
Grissom gently rested Sara against his chest. He stroked her hair. "I've got you, Sara."
"I know, but do you know that I have you? I am here for you too, Gil. This isn't a one way street. Give a little, take a little. Fifty-fifty. That is the only way this will turn out good." She paused to let her words sink in. "I want to be your rock, you soft place to land. Just like you are mine. I hope you see that. I won't take my love from you and give it to someone else. I belong to you."
Grissom caressed Sara's face for a moment as he put his thoughts together. This wasn't something that he commonly did.
"I will never judge you. It isn't my place. We all have flaws. It is how we use those flaws to better ourselves that matter."
"Sara, you are my rock already," he said softly.
The ringing of the phone interrupted their thoughts and words. "You had better get it this time. Could be work?" Sara said with a sigh.
It was Grissom's mother. Grissom began typing. "Hi, Mom."
"Hello, Gilbert."
"Are you feeling alright today?"
"I feel fine, don't worry. I was just going to tell you don't have to come down and see me. Remember Mrs. Cuthbert from down the block?"
Sara sat there in amazement watching him interact with his mother. She hadn't known that she was deaf. Sara dozed off while Grissom's was chatting with his mom.
He got off with her five minutes later. Turning over to see that Sara was asleep, Grissom lay down beside Sara and put his arm around her.
LATER AT WORK
Sara had arrived at work at nearly 7. She knew that everyone would notice her being almost late. She was always early. Grissom was already in the break room doing the crossword puzzle, waiting for everyone to arrive. They had agreed to act like nothing was different. So Sara walked in and went straight to the coffee pot not even acknowledging him.
Grissom however, secretly did not like this arrangement. He kept his eyes on his puzzle.
Greg walked in and said to Sara, "Girl, you are late. Did you have a hot date?"
Sara replied calmly, "Yes, I did. I finally got the life someone told me to get awhile back." She glanced at Grissom to gauge his reaction.
Grissom's expression was unreadable. "Slow night in DNA, Greg?" Grissom forgot that Greg was in the field. He had put him there. All this with Sara and him had his mind spinning.
"Earth to Grissom. I haven't been in DNA in nearly 9 months. Some criminalist you make. And to think. You put me in the field." Greg scoffed while walking out and straight to the locker room.
Never mind, he thought. He took a sip of coffee and went back to his puzzle.
Sara wanted him to talk to her so she decided that since no one was here yet she could do it safely. "Gil, what's the matter? You seem distracted or upset even."
"I'm that obvious huh?"
"I can read you like an open book, Griss. You know that. So what's eating you?" Sara kissed his cheek quickly.
Grissom sighed. "Now that I've decided to stay...I feel like I'm out of the loop with what's going on even though I haven't missed a day. And I don't know how to fix it."
"Come on, Love. The gang all loves you and you'll slide back in easily like you do with everything else. You can do this. I love you," she whispered in his ear. She noticed Catherine and Warrick heading down the hall toward the break room.
"That is the only reason why I haven't gone to the nuthouse," Grissom whispered back, briefly caressing her cheek before he straightened in his chair. He adopted his usual posture.
"Hey, Cath. Hey, Rick. How was your day?" Sara said a little too brightly. Oh great she thought now they will know that something is up.
Warrick and Catherine exchanged looks as they sat down at the table. "It was fine," Catherine finally said. "Got to spend some time with Lindsey."
"I don't know how you do it, Cath. How do you stay on this job where you can't see your own kid? I don't think I could." Sara said out loud. She hadn't realized that her thoughts were said out loud.
Grissom looked over at Sara with serious blue eyes. He had never really listened to her up till now...and he was still kicking himself for it. He promised himself he would listen to her from now on...would pay attention to whatever was going on around him.
Nick picked that moment to breeze into the room breathless. "Sorry i am late, Boss. I overslept. Nightmares kept me up this morning when I finally got home. They are always the same. I'm not rescued and die in the Plexiglas coffin." Nick shuddered as he remembered the events of a few months ago. He glanced around the table. All eyes were on him. "Anyway, what do we have tonight?"
To everyone's surprise, Grissom looked sympathetically toward Nick "Have you thought about counseling?"
"I have been going since I got out of the hospital. It helps. That is why I can be open with all of you. Dr. Enid said to voice my feelings. So I do. You people matter to me so I talk to you, and it helps. Ok, enough about me. We're here, we're alive, and we have crimes to solve. Bad guys to put away. So what do I pull for being late?" Nick said glancing at Sara who had held his hand sympathetically since he had opened up about his nightmares.
Grissom blinked twice rapidly before looking down at the assignment sheets. "I'll let it go this time," he muttered so softly that the group almost didn't hear him. "I know what you mean about the nightmares."
"Nightmares are a part of this job. Doesn't everyone agree? I have them all the time. I can't get the screams out of my head sometimes, and I have to go for a run. But doesn't that mean that we all are still affected by our job?" Sara asked looking from one member of the team to the other.
They were all looking at Grissom though. They were surprised that he had actually said something along the emotional lines, but none of them wanted to comment first.
"What are your nightmares, Grissom?" Sara asked quietly. She knew that he might blast her later for asking him personal things at work but took a chance. They were all family after all. This group of people. She had to take a chance. She held his hand under the table and squeezed it gently to coax him to answer.
Grissom sighed. "How about we do this? After shift, for whoever wants to, we'll have breakfast and we can talk about whatever's been on our minds."
"Really?" Greg asked meekly from the doorway. He had had a lot on his mind since becoming a CSI level 1. The case a few months back where the lady burned herself on purpose was very much etched into his brain errantly.
"Mark it down on your calendars as an historic event, kids. I'm turning over a new leaf." Grissom put on his glasses and took up the assignment sheets.
The room was in complete silence. You could've heard a pin drop. Sara was the first to break that silence. "I'm game. I'll be there for breakfast. Who else?"
Soon, everyone had agreed to breakfast. They all things they wanted to discuss.
Grissom managed a small smile. He said softly, "Okay then. It's a date." Almost reluctantly he began giving out assignments.
Sara glanced at Grissom and caught his eye. She winked at him. It was as if to say "seeing I told you."
"Warrick, you and Catherine have a 419. Apartment building." He handed them the slip. "Nick and Sara, an officer involved shooting."
"Oh man. I hate those. Those cops think we owe them something even if they did nothing wrong." Nick muttered to Sara.
Sara told him, "Yeah but it's the job. So deal with it." she ribbed Nick. They grabbed their coffee and split.
"Just do the best you can. Call me if you have any problems." Grissom called after him.
Grissom looked at Greg. "We got a missing woman."
"Ok. Let me grab my kit and I'm ready." Greg said nervously. He hadn't worked with Grissom in a long time and was worried about screwing up big time. He didn't want Grissom to know, but he looked up to him the way a son does to a father. His father was great, but didn't understand Greg's career choice.
"Greg...relax," Grissom tried to grin.
"I know you're a good CSI."
"Thanks" Greg said and went to fetch his kit. A minute later, he returned kit in hand.
"Ready to roll? I'll flip you to see who drives?"
"You can drive, Greg."
"You are changing. You usually don't let anyone else drive unless you are getting a migraine, been up to long, or been out with a pretty woman. Come on boss, which is? Not a migraine, I hope."
"Can I say all three?"
"Oh man. A pretty lady, huh? Come on, Griss. Tell me about her." Greg said and switched the radio station in the Denali off. He wanted to let him know that he had his full attention. He liked this new Grissom. Open and honest and talking.
"It's Sara."
"Huh? What's Sara?" Greg was momentarily confused. He looked all around the parking lot looking for Sara. Then it hit him. The pretty lady was Sara. His Sara. Well, not his Sara. Obviously, she was Grissom's Sara. "When did that happen?"
"I know you like her, Greg." Grissom was being sincere about this. The doe-eyed looks hadn't escaped his notice.
"Yeah. But she never even looked twice at me that way...not even once to be exact. I am a kid brother to her. nothing more. We all know there is something between you two. Now, you know too." Greg said and put the Denali in gear to start toward their scene. "I hope you are both very happy."
"I am," Grissom admitted softly as he looked out the window. He shook his head, "I mean...I'm going to do my best to make sure Sara is."
"You'd better. Nick and Warrick would kick your can if you hurt her. They take care of her, you know?" Greg asked cautiously.
Grissom arched an eyebrow before his face turned into a soft smile. "I know they do."
"Someone had to look out for her while you were to busy being a dope to see how much she cares, no make that loves you." Greg stated honestly no longer afraid of being berated by him.
Grissom fell silent.
It felt good to be blunt with grissom and not be afraid. he should do it more often he thought.
"It's the next right," Grissom said out of nowhere.
"Back to work mode, huh?" Greg asked with a grin. "Good to much of this new 'tude and I might take you to Desert Palm for a psych evaluation."
"Let's go, Greg. They're waiting," Grissom told him in his best supervisor tone.
Greg hit the gas, made the turn, and pulled up to the crime scene without another word.
A/N: That is all for tonight people. I hope that you all enjoying. We are not exactly sure where this all is leading to but just bear with us ok? We got some good stuff ahead so stay tuned.--Sassy and Jacquie
