Chapter Sixteen: The Secret of Catherine Willows and Warrrick Brown
"Everyone satisfied with who they got?" Grissom asked. Everyone nodded. "Great. Good. Now. I guess we should go shopping.
Catherine and Sara took off together to begin searching for their gifts. There were cute little shops everywhere. They had little wooden contraptions and wooden ducks. "Come here," Catherine squeaked. She attacked Sara's hair with force. "Ow, ow! What are you doing?" She asked in pain. "Making you cute for shopping." Catherine replied. Sara's hair was pulled into two braids on either sides of her head. They fell over her shoulders. "Cute." She finalized, stepping back and inspecting her work.
They walked briskly into a small store that was decorated with mistletoe and red ribbons on the inside and outside. Inside the smell of pine and oak drifted toward them. There were scented candles and wooden ducks and toys everywhere. A pudgy woman sat behind a wooden desk reading the newspaper and smoking a cigarette. "Now. This is what I need for Linsdey's room." She picked up a light pink candle that smelled of rosemary. "Pink can go with Tink." Sara looked puzzled. "Pink with Tink?" Catherine nodded. "Ya, her new theme for her room is Tinkerbell."
They walked gently around the shop, the wood creaking under their feet. "Oh, kay," Catherine began. "What do you think I should get him for Christmas?" She pondered it and stared off at Sara. "So, Miss Sidle, what do you plan on getting him for Christmas?"
They exited the tiny shop together and found themselves in an apparel shop. "I odn't know. I mean I have to get him SOMETHING. And...I don't know..."
Catherine picked up some lingerie from a nearby stand, "I know what you can get him." She motioned the clothing in front of Sara's face waving it around. Sara pushed her hand down.
"Catherine!"
"What?"
"I can't. It's not like that between he and me.." She sighed and took a blue shirt that read 'Cowgal' with dark blue letters off the stand.
"What do you mean, it's not like that between you and him?"
Sara shook her head.
"I mean, he and I aren't like that. He's got a job, and he doesn't love me."
Catherine shook her head this time and took the shirt out of Sara's hands and thrust it back on the rack. "What do you mean, Sara? He's in love with you. He loves the way you smell, he loves your hair, he loves that gap you have when you smile..."
Sara gazed at her appearance. "A gap? Oh. That's so terrible, I..."
"Don't worry. From what I heard. He thinks it's sexy. They left the store, not finding anything worth getting for their Secret Santa people. Catherine put her hair up in a ponytail and then clipped it up with a blue clip.
"I don't know what I need to do. I mean,"
"You love the man?" Catherine asked in a southern twang.
She caught Sara off guard. "What?" Catherine gave her a hard stare. "Do you love HIM?"
Sara took a moment staring off into space as they cut between two shops, surrounded by a magnificent garden. "I...dunno." She trailed off and sat on a wooden bench. It seemed as if the people here built everything out of wood. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I...One minute I'm in love, the other- It's like I have the flu."
Catherine sat next to her and placed a hand on Sara's knee. "Honey, it's love, trust me, I've HAD the flu."
"You really think it's love?" Sara asked mopping up her face.
"Honey, I don't think. That's what my problem is. But you, you think all the time. Your problem is, you need to stop thinkin' so much., let your heart do all the talkin'."
Sara nodded in reply.
Catherine glanced around. There was silence. A bush rustled. "Hear that?" Catherine stood up and walked around. "Hear what?" Sara asked standing up. Catherine walked around on the brick pathway. "I swear I heard-
But before Catherine could finish, she was swept off her feet by a shadowy figure.
Warrick.
He wrapped a muscular arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground. Resulting in Catherine giving out a yelp.
"Gotchya!" He said. He nuzzled her neck. "Been lookin' for ya. Now, that we're alone, we can go over to this little place I saw back there and..."
"Warrick?" Catherine interrupter him.
"There's a lot of privacy and..."
"Warrick sweetie?" His eyes got big.
"Yes Cath?"
She pointed to the lanky frame behind them, Sara.
Warrick caught sight of her and jumped. "Oh, Sara, hi. Ummm, I didn't know that you-
Sara burst out in laughter. "I can't believe this, you two are a couple!"
They hushed her. "That's all we need," Sara whispered. "Ya, Grissom seperating us on cases is the LAST thing WE want." Catherine finished.
Sara stopped laughing and more tears rolled down her cheeks. "Oh, honey, you'll get him. Trust me, you'll break that ice over his heart." Catherine twitched a smile. "Ya, there's a warm heart under there somewhere." He watched her wipe away tears.
"Come here Sar, I know what will make you feel better. He led them to a quaint little shop
Sara opened the door to discover what she valued most as a pick-me-up.
Fudge.
Chapter Seventeen: Romantic Confections
Sara was in awe at the sight that lay before her. Never in her life had she witnessed so much sugar in one place. It was a candy shop. Before her on not only white washed shelves, but wooden barrels, sat tons and tons of any tiny or large confections you could think of. They weren't the usual Reeses or Milky Ways, they were the old fashioned candies.
Rock candies of lemon, grape, blueberry, and cherry, mouth watering giant sized lollipops, larger than life, and smaller than life jawbreakers, tiny caramels and chocolates wrapped up in cellophane and millions upon millions of other confections. But Sara spotted what she valued most of all. Ever since she was little. Candy corn.
Meanwhile, Gil Grissom was at a large counter examining large slabs of fudge of all flavors and combinations. He was still unaware of Sara's presence...
Sara turned to Catherine who was still in awe herself, "Oh, my gosh. They have candy corn!"
Grissom turned around toward her startled. "Jim!" He shouted startling everyone this time.
The detective was once again, asleep against the wall sitting on a stool. "And to think, I trust this man with my life almost everyday." She jumped a little as he walked toward her.
Touching her arms with force he pushed her out of the shop by force. "Gris...Grissom what are you doing?" She was thrust outside. "You have to leave." Was all he said before slamming the door in her face. She was stunned. Catherine joined her. She turned toward Sara and swung her bag of candies. Warrick joined them. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "He totally digs you Sar." He stated firmly. Catherine swung her bag as she walked down the brick sidewalk to another shop. "Ya, at least that wasn't inconspicuous..."
All Sara could simply say as she watched the 'We're Open' sign swinging on the door was, "What the hell?"
Grissom wiped his face and collected his prize in a "Chocolate and Other Confections" bag. "You know, that isn't what I meant by inconspicuous, Grissom." Greg commented.
"Where they goin' now?" Grissom asked. Greg picked up a walkie-talkie, "Nicky, were are you and the gang going now?"
Grissom was not at all stunned that Greg and Nick had brought walkie talkies on the trip and was using them to find out Sara's current position.
Nick walked into the candy shop. "Grissom, can I have a moment with you?"
Grissom thanked the lady at the counter for the fudge and followed Nick outside. Greg was still buying some Hershey's Kisses when Grissom told him to meet him outside in a few minutes. And to drag Brass too. Nick led Grissom under a tree to a bench.
"We, need to talk." He stated firmly, taking a seat and making Grissom sit too.
"What is it Nicky?" He asked sounding annoyed.
"Why the hell did you just do that?"
"Do what?" Grissom's voice had gone up a few octaves now.
"You just blew off Sara like she was a worthless person."
"No, I did not!"
"Grissom, you just slammed the door in her face and made her leave a public shop, where she had the freedom to walk around wherever she wanted. Do you think she's worthless?"
Grissom's mouth was gaping open. "I did NOT blow her off! I wanted her to leave cause I...I..."
"You love her..." Nick trailed off.
Grissom stared on. Drooping his head, he opened a the bag. "Fudge?" He asked Nick.
"Uh- uh. Sorry, no. That's for your Secret Santa person."
Grissom tucked the bag away.
"Grissom, you're in love with her?"
He got up from the chair. "I'm going to find Sara." Grissom said. "No. No. You can't walk away from this Grissom. It's just goin' to keep on haunting you until you just can't bear it anymore."
Grissom was ignoring Nick now and walked up the road to where he saw Warrick disappear to. "I think they went in here." Grissom called.
"Holding off the inevitable again I see." Nick called to him. But Grissom didn't hear, he was already in the store.
When Grissom entered the shop, he discovered it to be covered in paintings. Paintings of all the mountain life you could think of. Warrick, Greg, and Catherine were bunched up together sitting on a couch sipping coffee, looking pooped. Sara, though, had her attention on a painting in the far back of the store. Grissom smiled at them as Nick joined the group on the couch. "Room for one more?" He asked before squeezing in on the couch between Greg and Catherine.
The wood creaked under Grissom's weight as he walked toward Sara. She was staring at a painting of a woman bathing in a spring. She was washing with only what the earth provided. Her beauty was noticeable. She had elegant blond hair that cascaded down her body and floated on top of the water. Beyond, among the trees, a man stood watching. His features were older. But handsome. He had thick, curly brown hair that hid most of his face. He looked at peace. The features of the setting were dark and mysterious.
Sara cocked her head as she studied the man. He resembled a certain someone. He sort of looked like...
"Peaceful. Beautiful." He made her jump with his voice.
"Pervert." She joked back, knowing that he wasn't admiring the painting, but the nude woman bathing.
"I'm not a pervert." He replied softly. She let out a small laugh. "I'm not. The sheer elegance of the colors is-
"You're looking at her breasts." She boldly said.
He sighed as she moved to the next painting. "What are you doing here? Don't you have more girls to buy fudge for and shoo out of a public store for no reason at all?"
There was silence as she inspected a painting of a woman standing to the left of the painting. The woman in the portrait resembled Sara. It was uncanny. Her body was wrapped in dark burgundy silk and her arm was held out before her as her body was turned toward the side. The man, across from her was also turned to the side. He oddly, resembled Gil Grissom. It was creepy. His finger was extended out just as the woman's was and between each of their extended fingers, was a brilliant butterfly, that was flying from her finger to his. The back round was decorated as a dark evergreen forest. Vines strung everywhere. The man wore nothing from what Grissom and Sara could see. Although the paintings went down to their waists.
"Now isn't that sweet." Grissom surprisingly said. "What?" Sara asked.
"She is showing him a romantic gesture. This is shown by the butterfly flying from her hand to his. And he, in turn, is accepting the gift of affection gratefully."
"Must be nice."
Grissom turned toward her. And as she turned to him. He noticed her eyes to be glassy.
"You're crying."
She used her right finger to wipe away an escaping tear from her right eyelid.
"No...I mean...Grissom I..."
He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sara, honey, not now. Right now, isn't the time or the place."
Sara gazed at him stunned. What? Was he accepting her finally? Was this it? Was he throwing himself out there finally?
"I...I mean. I don't know if it will ever be the time but-
She held a slender finger to his lips. "Shhhhhhhh..." Her words caressed him dearly.
His lips were soft and silky.
Suddenly, the urge to kiss him never looked so bliss. Her words entered in a whisper and her voice made him shudder. "Don't ruin the moment Griss. I want this to happen...later."
At the moment, the whole CSI gang was staring at the pair, their mouths agape. A groggy Jim Brass entered the store. He stopped to stare.
Sara's lips were ever so close to his. But she was not intending to kiss him. Grissom although...
"I miss anything important?" Brass asked.
Sara and Grissom broke apart.
"Gosh, and they were just about to kiss to!" Nick complained.
"Show's over boys." said Grissom as he ushered everyone out the door. "What? No! No! I don't wanna leave!" Greg pleaded trying to get Sara and Grissom to kiss.
Everyone groaned.
"Greeeeeeeeaat! You know what I want for Christmas?" Catherine asked. "What is that?" Grissom asked. "For ya'll to kiss. On the lips!"
Tears fell from Sara's face as Grissom surprisingly wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Grissom was blushing from Catherine's comment when Catherine hooked arms with Warrick. "Kay boys! We all are goin' for some food now!"
"I'll catch up with you!" Grissom shouted toward them. But before they were out of sight, Catherine gave the teary eyed Sara a thumbs up and a wink.
Grissom apparently had his heart go out for Sara.
He took her not by the hand but by the wrist over to the creek under a tree.
"Sara. What I meant was, it's not right at the moment, for us..."
Sara shuddered at the word. Was there an us? Or had she imagined it?
He turned toward her and ever so gently placed both of his hands on her face.
God she was freezing. Her face was blushed red from the wind.
His lips only inches from hers. She could feel his breath pass over her lips.
"What I mean, honey, is...I'm still finding myself, where I belong. And if...dammit! If God intends us, if nature intends us to...be...together..." the words seemed almost painful to him.
"...then that's what will happen."
More tears fell down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. "There is a chance that...That I will find myself here. Because I'm starting to...to...develop these feelings..."
"Feelings?" Sara called out. Something freezing and wet hit her face.
"Yes, honey. I-
Something hit him that was cold too.
His blue pools penetrated hers. Oh, how she wanted him to kiss her. He looked upset.
"Please." She pleaded tears falling. The trees around them rustled.
"Please what?" He asked.
"Kiss me. Please!" Her head fell to his chest.
He became uncomfortable and pushed her off of him. "I can't. At least not yet." He told her without emotion.
"When? Whe- What the hell?" She shouted as more freezing droplets fell on her from the heavens above.
He threw his jacket over her. God he smelled so good. "Please. Give me more time." He shouted toward the sky.
They jumped in the Tahoe. A freezing rain began and didn't stop. Even after they hung up their coats in the restaranut named "Grandma's Barn." Sara was happy when the whole group sat together at a large table. Grissom, though, kept his distance from her. Was he applying even more space between them? Or was he just trying to analyze his feelings?
Catherine Willows eyed the both of them, knowing that nothing had happened between the two.
Raising her eyebrows she picked up a menu. "Time to order." She directed. And with that, without question, everyone picked up their menus.
Little did the rest of the team know, there was more romance going on besides just Grissom and Sara and Warrick and Catherine.
Greg was staring dreamily out the freezing downpour outside, his eyes glass and his features looking older. He seemed more mature. His thoughts were on a woman indeed. And everyone hinted this. He held a fist to his mouth. As his thoughts drifted to the woman in the forest. The woman that had fixed his wounds. She'd shown him affection and he wasn't accepting her advances. Was he becoming just as bad as Grissom and Sara?
But he soon came to the conclusion that there was something between he and that woman.
And that his feelings of fear, were fading into affection.
Do I love her? He thought. This question glided over his thoughts as the group ordered their drinks. Greg Sanders was finally a man.