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Chapter 9: Silver and Gold
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Although the glittering lights and noisy crowds of the Las Vegas Strip meant frolic and freedom for others, it held no joy tonight for Aidia. As she wandered through the millions of tourists down the sidewalks of Las Vegas Boulevard, her mind was racing down another path: Memory Lane.
She thought back on the past ten years after Harvard; how she'd at first reveled in her newfound freedom, and later, almost wished for the darkness to consume her once again. Just as Grissom had warned Sara, her supervisor had warned her: if she became too emotionally involved, soon all the victims would become special and she'd burn out. Now, as thrilled as she was to be a part of this closely knit Las Vegas team, some things were just too close for comfort and she couldn't help wondering if this was what she wanted anymore.
Aidia stopped walking and looked up to find herself in front of the strip club that they'd investigated just last week. Somehow, it looked different in the "dark" of nighttime Las Vegas. She walked a little further toward the side of the building and noted the many drastic changes since she'd last seen the place. The yellow crime scene tape had been torn down; the cleanup crews were gone; the alleyway where the once beautiful young dancer had been dumped was once again filled with the shadows and darkness that accompanied the lifestyle. Though it was a warm night, Aidia shivered as her brain flooded with memories of her tainted past. She turned to walk away but was suddenly startled as a figure crept out from the shadows.
"Hello, Aidia." It was Catherine. "I thought I might find you here."
"What are you doing here?"
Catherine shrugged. "Nick and I finished our case. B&E gone bad… Homeowner should get off with self-defense, but you know how the system is…" When Aidia nodded silently, Catherine continued. "Anyways, when Nick couldn't find you, I figured I knew where to look."
"But how? I didn't even know I'd end up here."
"Because I do the same thing," Catherine cut her off. She sighed and looked up at the tacky neon sign that had glittered to life since they'd been here. "Staring my old life in the face every time another showgirl ends up dead… knowing that if I'd stayed, it could've been me." She looked Aidia in the eye. "That's why I thank God I have Lindsey. After getting out of that whorehouse and into this job, I've seen the worst in people. But at the end of the day, I get to go home to a beautiful little girl, and I know… She's the best thing that ever happened to me… You have to find that, Aidia. That one thing that makes it all worthwhile."
Aidia looked down and nodded. A moment later, she glanced up at Catherine with a sparkle in her eye and asked, "You were a dancer, too?"
She chuckled. "If that's all you got out of that whole shpeal, I am clearly not doing my job!"
Laughing together, the two walked back down Las Vegas Blvd, unphased by the lightshow that held the crowd in awe, captivated instead by the many odd similarities in their lives which now formed an unbreakable bond.
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Fayre stopped at the bottom of a small hill. Getting out of the car, she took a moment to gather her strength before facing the demons that lay ahead.
When she was ready, Warrick followed her up the hill, taken aback by the view at the top. Sitting to the left was a small chapel overlooking the river, a bell tower gracing the top of the slanted roof. A gated cemetery sat to the side under the shadow and protection of a large cross, giving the entire setting a sense of peace. He turned to see Fayre kneeling under a large oak, a somber look on her face as she looked out over the river.
"This is where I come when things get overwhelming." As she spoke, her eyes never left the river's gentle flow. "Gwynneth loved it here, too. When she… died… the chapel performed the service, and I had her buried here."
Only then did Warrick notice the headstone in the shape of a Celtic cross sitting beside her, the words "Beloved Sister" carved above the phrase, "Make New Friends and Keep the Old, One is Silver and the other Gold."
"Words to live by."
His soulful voce broke her trance and she turned to face him. Following his gaze, she nodded in understanding.
"She certainly did. It was one of her mottos… Warrick, how am I going to leave her?"
Wiping a tear from her cheek, he replied, "By following her advice. You'll always have gold, but Vegas is full of silver just waiting for discovery." Standing, he held out his hand. "Come back with me."
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A week later, Sara opened the front door and immediately, her sense of smell went into overdrive.
"Oh my gosh, Grissom, what is that smell?"
"Vegetarian pizza in the oven," he said, smiling as he closed the door to his townhouse behind her. "In honor of the new additions to the team, I thought we would celebrate."
After setting her purse on the couch, Sara was startled when she turned to see the table set for a few more than two.
"Why are there so many table settings? … Grissom?"
As if in answer, the doorbell rang.
"Sara, could you get that please?" came his voice from the kitchen.
But before she could answer, the door opened and a confident Catherine walked in, followed by Nick and Aidia.
"Griss, your door was open… Oh, hello Sara." Catherine seemed surprised to see her. "Didn't think anyone else was here yet."
Giving hugs to Nick and Aidia, Sara asked, "How many are we expecting?"
Once again, the doorbell rang in answer. She opened the door to let in the nightshift's secret weapon, Dr. Al Robbins, trailed by Jim Brass and Sofia Curtis. Greg wasn't far behind, and Mia Dickerson brought up the rear. Greetings were called from across the apartment, and soon the living room was filled with the sounds of laughter and friendly conversation. A few moments later, Fayre and Warrick joined the crowd, a sparkle in their eyes and smiles on their faces.
Sara was mesmerized. Not since the Strip Strangler case had Grissom allowed this many people into his home, and yet now, as they all laughed and simply enjoyed each other's company, it seemed as if they all belonged there.
His voice came in a whisper behind her. "I'm sorry, Sara." Pulling her into the kitchen, he continued. "I didn't mean to spring this on you, but-"
She smiled. "Don't apologize. I was surprised, that's all… Besides, I think this was just what everybody needed: a chance to celebrate something unrelated to death."
That wasn't what I was talking about…"
"Oh." She looked down and blushed in embarrassment. When she looked up again, she realized that his cheeks were just as flushed as her own as he fought to find the words. "What were you talking about?" she prompted.
Grissom hesitated, fear locking the words in his throat. Looking down at her, he realized: God, he loved her… He couldn't risk losing her to his fear once again.
Sara stood and watched the inner battle raging in him. What could he want to say that could cause such torment? She'd never seen him so flustered… Okay, well maybe she had, but that situation hadn't turned out quite liked she'd planned it, and only afterwards did she realize that asking your boss out to dinner was not the smartest move you could make. But now he was battling his own emotions, his own advances, and she watched with the eyes of a scientist.
Her eyes held him captive, the brown orbs boring into his soul, purging him of his fear and pulling out the words.
"Will you stay here with me?"
Those same brown eyes that had scrutinized him a moment before now opened wide in surprise and turned away, a shy smile spreading to her lips.
"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head and grabbing two wine glasses to take out to the group. "That was stupid. I sound like a five-year-old asking his crush to hold hands…" He started walking toward the living room.
"Grissom, wait." Sara stopped him outside the kitchen entrance, turning him from the clear view of the living room. She threw her arms around his neck and whispered, "I'd love to."
Looking into his own captivating blue eyes for a split second, she kissed him with more love and adoration than ever thought possible, making everything around them melt away. In that moment, he knew that he'd been put on this earth to love her. He drank in the feel of her against him, the feel of her, and the sound of her soft whimper as she too reveled in this ecstasy.
The need to breathe drove them apart but it was the silence that broke the spell. Both slowly turned to see their ten guests staring in disbelief and pure joy at the scene before them. It wasn't until Catherine reached over and closed Greg's jaw that sound found its way back to the room.
"Well, I see that you two have finally talked things out," Aidia said brightly as she walked over and took the wine glasses from Grissom's hand. Looking at Sara, she smiled darkly. "But by the looks of things, you've also figured out that talking is overrated."
While Sara and Grissom blushed and Catherine poured the wine, Aidia pulled the embarrassed couple over to join the group. As they ate and talked, it was clear that the graveyard group had not only grown larger, it had grown closer. Looking around at the smiles and laughter, they could see that their silver had indeed turned to gold.
Passing around their chosen poison for the night, Catherine lifted her glass. "To Aidia and Fayre, now officially graveyard family," she toasted.
Glasses clinked as the group joined in the toast.
"To new friends," Aidia laughed, looking at the smiling faces around her.
"To new love," Warrick added.
Sara smiled at Grissom. To new life."
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THE END
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A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews! This story has been so much fun to write, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I look forward to whatever comes next! A/N: