"Isn't that just incredible?" Sara breathed watching the swinging pair on the trapeze.
"Hmm…" Grissom replied, glancing in the general direction of center ring.
"Gris, you're not even watching." She chided prying her gaze away to meet his.
"Simple aerodynamics, physics allows the human body to-" he stopped mid sentence as Sara's face fell. "What?"
She sighed and turned back to the ring. The routine had finished and the clowns had made their entrance before she bothered to try and formulate a response.
"Gris," she said reaching over to take his hand in both of hers. She rubbed small circles across his wrist and swallowed before continuing, "can't you take the science out of it just this once? This isn't about aerodynamics, or physics Grissom."
He sighed and dropped his gaze to the half eaten box of popcorn under the bleachers. He wasn't sure why but he could tell she was rather upset.
"This isn't just about the show." He responded bringing an acknowledging smile to her face. He'd learned rather quickly in their relationship that simplification of an event was sure to anger her more quickly than his bumbling social skills. "Sara," he sighed, "I don't understand."
She brushed her hand against his face and he leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "This isn't a crime scene Gil; it doesn't need to be analyzed."
He nodded still not any closer to understanding what she was trying to get at. "If you're not having a good time, we don't have to stay."
She ran her fingers through her hair and glanced in his direction to gauge his reaction. "This isn't about me," she said slowly raising her voice above the now roaring crowd, "I'm having a great time, I'm wondering about you."
"It's fascinating," he started as she nodded in agreement, "and…"
"And," she prodded, but he fell silent unsure of what to say.
He took a deep breath to steady his racing mind, he was overanalyzing this, and he didn't like where it was going. "And I don't know. What do you want me to say Sara?" he finished sounding more annoyed than he had intended.
She closed her eyes for a second reminding herself he didn't mean to sound so impatient. "Do you remember that time at the ice rink?"
He nodded, how could he forget that night? It'd been the first time he'd done anything that really surprised her. The first time he'd stepped past that invisible line in the sand and dared to express what he was really feeling.
"You said you believed in beauty."
Another nod on his behalf, "since I met you".
She smiled and turned back to the ring. He watched the ants beneath their seats begin scurry through a freshly dropped snow cone waiting for an answer. When he realized one wasn't coming he glanced up. Sara was contently watching the silent duet, two women hanging from ribbon wrapped around their ankles.
He tried drawing her attention, "Sara," but her only response was a gentle pat on his knee. He frowned and began to watch more intently; at the very least he could figure out what was so captivating.
Next, came the fire eaters, then the elephants, and before he'd realized it Sara was grasping his hands with her eyes squeezed shut as the human cannonball was shot into the waiting net.
Walking back to the car, several cotton candies, and a box of popcorn later, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Even through her exhaustion she looked totally content. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" he asked.
She glanced up him with a tired grin and then went back to watching the cloud of dust her shuffling feet were producing.
"You know what never mind," he said a moment later, "I don't care."
The smile faded from her lips, replaced by a thin line. Her sparkling eyes beginning to cloud over.
"All I care about is you," he whispered and she relaxed, her eyes glimmering once more.
A small laugh escaped her still pursed lips, "but you really want to know don't you?"
"No" he said
"Yes you do."
"Nope," he laughed shaking head
"Come on I know you're curious," she teased. Their eyes meeting, they stopped and stood face to face.
The teasing look dissolved from his face replaced by one she could never misjudge. It was the look that caused her stomach to drop and her pulse race.
"Okay alright maybe I am," he conceded.
She faltered a couple of times, suddenly nervous, "Up there their lives are in each others hands, Gris. I want that, I want to know that if I trust you like that, you're not going to drop me the second something more interesting comes along. And I want you to know that you can let go, loose yourself, and trust me enough not to worry about what's going to happen"
"Sara," he leaned to brush her frizzing hair from her face, "you're the most incredible, most beautiful, being to ever walk this earth. And," he swallowed, his palms growing clammy and damp as she reached to take his hands. "I do trust you like that, I do."
"Ok" she said slowly taking in what he'd just said, "I'm glad we cleared that up."
"Sara?" he asked softly looking confused.
She grinned and before he could say anything else, she was off running. "I'll race you to the car! Last one back pays for tickets to the amusement park next weekend."