A/N: This is a sort of prequel to Merry Christmas, Sara. Hope you like it! Thanks to Sams for the quick beta! Love ya gal!
Disclaimer: Still no rights to CSI under the X-mas tree this year. I blame Anthony Zuiker, CBS and Alliance Atlantis for not giving them to me but keeping them to themselves!
A soft knock on my door alerted me to her presence. She was leaning against the doorway, a mysterious smile on her face, clutching a bottle and two glasses.
"Come on," she said.
I stared at her, mouth open, then back at my desk.
"I have paperwork..." I started, but she wouldn't hear it.
"It'll be here in half an hour, it's a slow night, now come on!"
I clicked my pen and put it down, pushed my chair back and stood up.
"Where are we going?"
"Grab your jacket."
I did as I was told and followed her through the halls to the back of the building. She was wearing her own warm jacket, which was too large for her. She should have gotten the same size as Catherine, but she was tall so they gave her a medium. I don't mind, it looks good on her anyway.
She sat down on the bench next to the back exit, her breath forming small clouds. People don't normally think it gets cold in the desert, but it does, especially in wintertime.
"I think it's generous of you to give everybody the night off," she said, looking at me while I sat down next to her.
"How could I not, everybody has the right to be with their family on New Year's Eve."
"Yeah," she said, staring in the distance.
I regret my thoughtless comment, seeing that she doesn't have a family anymore. Her co-workers are her family. In a strange way, I'm her family. I'm here, she has me.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Looking at me, a smile breaks her face, "it's okay, I just get sentimental this time of year."
Sentimental is now how I'd describe MY state of mind during the holidays, but I can understand her feelings. I remember Christmas and New Year's when I was young. Even after my father died it had always been happy, family occasions. Now it's only loneliness. But this time, I'm with family like she is. I have her.
She glances at her watch. "Two minutes left, will you do the honors?"
"Sure," I answered while taking the small bottle of champagne from her.
"So," she asked, "you have any resolutions?"
I shake my head while peeling the tin foil off of the cork.
"I don't make new year's resolutions, and if I do I don't tell anyone."
"Why not?"
"That way, people can't tell me I failed."
She nodded in understanding.
"So... What about you?"
"I do have them. Two of them."
"What are they?"
"First one is, to get a life outside of work. Pick up painting, something like that."
"And the second one?"
She was silent for a while then, not meeting my gaze, answered, "not to be afraid of you anymore."
I stare at her, then at the bottle.
She once again looked at her watch..
"Ten.." she whispered with a frown.
I looked at her dark eyes.
"Nine.."
"Sara."
"Eight... Seven..."
"I don't want you to be afraid."
"Six... Five..."
"Please, don't be afraid."
"Four... Three..."
"Look at me." She didn't.
"Two..."
In that final second I made a decision.
"One."
I popped the cork and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Happy New Year."
She smiled. "Happy New Year, Gil."
"Gil?"
I poured the bubbling liquid in our glasses.
"I forgot, another resolution, I'm gonna call you Gil outside of work."
I smiled at her and we clinked our glasses.
"I can tell you one of my resolutions, because it already happened."
She took a sip of champagne and looked at me questioningly.
"One of my resolutions was to kiss you this year."
She smirked. "You call that a kiss? THIS is a kiss!"
She slowly placed her hand in my neck and pulled me towards her. I might have pulled away at a moment like this in the past, but this was a new year, a new start, so why would I, this time?
Her lips softly touched mine as the fireworks started. Our kiss lingered and intensified, mouths opened, tonuges met. I hadn't kissed in ages, but with her it felt so natural.
She tasted of champagne, of Sara.
After a few minutes we parted and we stood up to look at the fireworks. One casino outbidding the other, all trying out for the biggest show.
She shuddered beside me and I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against my chest and into my jacket.
I kissed her hair, her neck, until I heard her moan and I thought to myself, 'Happy New Year, Gil.'
A/N: If you can, please take the time to review. Lynn