"Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard flight 676 to Chicago. My name is Brent Johnson and next to me sits your co-pilot Frank Kensington. We're waiting for runway clearance and then we'll soon be on our way towards O'Hare International Airport. Flight-time will be approximately four hours and forty-five minutes.
"The weather is clear in Chicago, with temperatures around eighty degrees Fahrenheit. On behalf of the crew, I wish you a comfortable flight."
Sara sighed, "They never change it, I can almost dream it by now and I don't even fly that often."
Grissom's eyes twinkled, knowing very well that this was just Sara's way of coping with the anxiety of traveling.
"You should wait until they start with the safety speech," Grissom winked, "besides, what could they change?"
"Well, they could start off with a joke and not sound so depressed."
"And you would feel more comfortable with a less serious pilot? Nice to know."
Sara glared at Grissom, knowing he had a point. She still couldn't get over the fact that they were going to Paris, the city of lights, the city of romance, the city of... well, pretty much everything.
When the stewardesses started to show how to use a life vest, where to find the exit and what to do -or not to do- with luggage, Sara had to admit that it had in fact not changed, not even a syllable, from the previous 'version'.
She leaned her head comfortably against Grissom's shoulder, whom in turn, laid his arm around her shoulders.
"This is nice," she whispered.
The flight to Chicago was a smooth one and they landed exactly at the estimated arrival time, which gave them one and a half hours until their next boarding time. They walked around the airport definitely more bored than the first time.
"These places all look alike," Grissom commented.
"Still, I'm having a pretty good time."
The fact that they were no longer in Vegas caused them to become slightly more intimate towards each other. They exchanged loving glances, touches. They were holding hands and they even shared a kiss now and then.
"I can't wait to get to Paris," Grissom whispered in Sara's ear, "there is absolutely no one there who knows us. I can finally treat you the way I should have treated you the last few years without anybody telling me it's not appropriate."
"That's good because I have more than one inappropriate thing in mind Gris," Sara winked.
"What happened to taking it slowly?" he asked softly.
"You are taking me to Paris and you expect me to still take it slowly?" She kissed his lips. "I know I said I needed time. I guess I've taken that time. Don't expect any promiscuous behavior from me on our way there though. I know I told you once that I was a member of the mile high club, but I think that is all behind me now."
Grissom laughed at her comment.
"I don't expect you to do anything you don't want to honey. You take the lead in this and I'll follow."
"Thanks." She kissed him softly and inhaled his scent. "God I've missed the smell of you."
"What smell?"
"The cologne, the sheer masculinity."
Grissom wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I've missed you... Everything about you."
Boarding started and Grissom and Sara made their way to the plane.
"Say goodbye to the US honey, because you won't get to see it for at least a week," Grissom joked.
They took their places on the left-hand side of the aircraft. Sara at the window and Grissom at the aisle. During taxiing Grissom explained why they would first fly north, then east, and then south in stead of flying directly to Paris.
"That way, in case of an emergency, there is always an airport in close by. We have to be able to land within thirty minutes. That's why we fly over Greenland and Iceland."
Sara, who already knew that but loved to hear Grissom talk, took in his every word while studying his face.
He looks sincerely happy to be here with me. I haven't seen this side of him yet. Not even that night we shared. I guess there was love there, but it was mainly about five years of built-up tension finally finding a release, about lust. This is different.
Grissom's eyes lit up when he spoke passionately about airplanes and Paris. Sara decided it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She could look in those eyes forever and she would if she was given the chance.
The jolt in her stomach told her the plane was taking off and she turned towards the window. Grissom held her hand as they watched Chicago grow smaller and smaller beneath them. It felt like a miracle to her that such a large and heavy thing could just lift off like it was no heavier than a feather.
Of course, as a physics major she knew there was a very logical explanation to all of it, but as a person, it kept her wondering.
She felt her eyes go heavy as she reclined in her chair.
Paris... He's taking me to Paris...