Due to the awesome feedback on Love, Laughter, and Life, I've decided to write a sequel. If anyone hasn't read that, I suggest/encourage you to read it first (reviews don't hurt either). Thanks to everyone that does review, it really makes my day. And though I personally think I have no sense of humor, some people have suggested to label my stories Romance/Humor instead of General/Romance...so I guess I'll give it a shot. Anyway, I wish this would happen on CSI, but since there is no chance of that happening, I might as well make it a fic right?
Summary:Sequel to Love, Laughter, and Life. The CSIs are noticing a change in Grissom's behavior. Who will be the first to discover the reason for his happiness?
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own CSI.
Promise Not To Tell
The entire gang was in the break room, everyone except one certain entomologist. Sara, Warrick, and Nick were seated around the table—the boys playing imitation football with a paper triangle while Sara attempted to read a magazine. Greg was busying himself with a fresh pot of coffee as Catherine was sprawled out rather gracefully on the couch, muttering into her phone. "I know Lindsey…and we will go. Just not this week."
Sara looked up in time to see Catherine scowl and snap her phone shut. "Trouble with the daughter?"
Catherine glared and shook her head, "I don't know were she inherited her stubbornness from."
"Oh…I can imagine…" Sara murmured, eyes trained on the magazine in front of her, and mouth forming a tight smirk.
Catherine stared at her with a look of distaste, "I can't imagine what your children will be like, Sara." She smirked as Sara's own disappeared.
She looked up from her magazine and raised her eyebrows. "Even if I wanted children—which I obviously don't—I'd make sure they wouldn't make the same mistakes I did," Sara mused. "They'd be smart, as well as funny and social."
Nick and Warrick suppressed grins as their game continued. Nick flicked the "football" lightly. It slid a few inches, part of it sticking past the edge of the table. "Touchdown! What's that now? 20-6? Come on bro, you can do better than that."
Warrick shook his head as he held up his hands, forming a makeshift field goal post. Just as Nick aimed and prepared to take his shot, Catherine added, "The smart part I get. But between you and Grissom…good luck with funny and social."
Warrick lowered his hands in shock just as Nick let the paper football fly. It hit him dead on in between the eyes. Both the boys paid no attention to it whatsoever though, as their mouths hung open and their eyes twinkled with humor.
Sara could feel the heat rising to her face. Warrick and Nick were both staring at Catherine, obviously in shock, but suppressing their laughter. Catherine stared at Sara, completely amused with her eyebrows raised, chewing slightly on the end of her pen. And poor Greg didn't know how to react as he fumbled with the coffee machine, a hint of a smirk also trying to be hidden. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," she remarked.
"Hear what?"
All eyes turned to the door to see Grissom walk in, glasses low on the bridge of his nose, his field hat perched on top of his head, and an assignment sheet in hand.
That did it.
Nick and Warrick both started to chuckle as Grissom stared at them, bemused. His head whipped around to the former DNA tech as Greg wheezed. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, just talking about genetics," Catherine replied. She flopped into the seat next to Sara, throwing her pen down and tinkering with her phone in the process. Sara shot her a warning glance as she stood up. Catherine watched as she headed for the refrigerator, swiftly adding, "Sara wants her children to be smart, as well as funny and social."
Grissom glanced at Sara—who paused in the middle of retrieving an apple, looking either avoidant or dangerously pissed. She had never mentioned the prospect of having children in her future in the time they've been together, and he had never assumed she wanted any. Grissom was obviously at an age when fatherhood is an unlikely option, but Sara's chances and hopes of becoming a mother were still there. His right eyebrow jerked up in question.
Sara gave her head a quick shake, semi-slammed the fridge door, and fumed in Catherine's direction, "I said I'd want my children to be smart, funny, and social…IF I wanted children!" She frowned as she reclaimed her chair next to Catherine's—easing her nerves by taking a bite out of her apple.
"And I told her if that was the case—good luck." Catherine smirked at Grissom. She was in a good mood today, unfortunately for Grissom and Sara. "Because if genetics play a factor, funny and social is hard to come by between the two of you.
Sara flushed again, desperately trying to avoid looking anywhere near Grissom's face—so she settled on sending Catherine an infuriating look while she continued to munch on her apple ravenously. The three younger CSI boys watched her squirm in amusement, and Grissom couldn't help but love how adorable she looked when she was embarrassed. Catherine stared at him expectedly, mouth partially open, and tongue peeking out the corner— waiting for his discomfort. He grinned as he decided to give her something unexpected, "Well, at least our children would be smart." He flashed his grin at Sara, whose head snapped up at his reply. "They could always learn to be funny and social," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Everyone gaped at him including Sara, who paused in mid-bite of her apple. Catherine even blinked for good effect. "Since when did you get a sense of humor?" she demanded sarcastically at the same time Sara decided to swallow a piece of the fruit. She coughed and pounded her chest, hearing the familiar question and remembering his response to it. Surely, he wouldn't say the same thing this time.
Grissom pondered for a moment, before deciding on an answer. "About the same time I got this hat," he replied, pointing to the offending object resting on his head. 'Slick…' Sara mused, but still stared at him in shock, remembering their conversation a week ago. Was he insane? Did he want them to be suspicious of their relationship?
Warrick and Nick chuckled as Catherine continued to stare at him like he was an alien. Greg shook his head, "Well, that makes sense—wearing that thing will definitely draw laughs. Sorry boss, but that hat is fugly…with a capital F."
"Fugly?"
Greg grinned and nodded, "Yeah…you know…fuc—"
"—Ah. I get it," Grissom nodded back.
"Seriously Gil, why would you even spend a penny on that monstrosity?" Catherine asked, giving his head a look of disgust.
Sara blushed as she knew full-well that she was the one who bought it for Grissom. It was sort of a one week anniversary gift. Through the first week of their relationship, they talked. And talked. And talked. Sara remembered practically banging her head on her dining table one night after he left, annoyed with the lack of physical progress. But through those talks, they learned more about each other—and Sara in turn learned about their mutual distaste for the sun.
"Really? You?" He nodded. "But you tan so well."
Grissom blushed, "Doesn't mean I like it."
"I'll think of something," Sara grinned as he raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky. Hours in the sun with the only consequence being a tan. Just thirty minutes in the sun, and I get burned.
He smirked, "I'll think of something."
Feeling Sara's eyes on him, he smiled. "I didn't. It was a gift."
"Stay here," Sara demanded as she retreated to her bedroom. Grissom watched her saunter down the hall and smirked. He put his back to her bedroom as he pulled a small bag from under his coat. Suddenly, he felt something land on his head, causing him to flinch and jerk up awkwardly.
"Call it a one-week anniversary gift," Sara's voice came from behind him.
Grissom turned to face her and frowned as he plucked the object from his head. Looking at it as if he smelled something rotten, he asked, "What's it for?"
"You to wear," Sara said with a 'duh' tone.
He glared at her playfully.
"For the sun," she laughed.
Grissom grinned. "In that case…" he said, handing her the little bag.
"What's this?"
"Call it a one-week anniversary gift."
Pursing her lips at him, she pulled out a bottle from the bag. Mimicking his look of distaste, she repeated his previous question, "What's it for?"
"You to wear," he mimed dutifully.
She returned his playful glare.
Snatching the bottle of sun-block from her, he laughed. "For the sun."
Catherine snorted, "And I thought you were the only one with no fashion." Grissom frowned. "But I guess it rubs off on your friends, too."
"What friends?" Nick blurted. Warrick laughed; Greg brought his coffee mug to his mouth to hide the smile. "Well, I mean…" Nick looked around helplessly at Grissom's glare, "…I thought all your friends were in this room."
Grissom glared harder.
Sara shook her head and smirked at her co-workers impotence, "Stop talking, Nick. You're making things worse."
Grissom held up a hand, "Enough. No offense taken, Nick—but this hat was a gift from someone very special." He purposefully avoided looking at Sara. "Now can we get to assignments?"
Nick and Warrick questioned at the same time Catherine firmly stated, "Your mother."
He frowned and effectively changed the subject. "One case so far: double homicide at the Tangiers. All hands except me, but as soon as anything new comes in, I'll be splitting you up. Catherine, you're primary."
"Let me guess? Paperwork?" she said as she snatched the slip from his hands.
Grissom nodded, "Unfortunately."
As he turned to leave, Catherine remarked, "At least take that ridiculous hat off if you aren't going out in the field."
"Sorry, New Year's resolution…improve my wardrobe," he replied with an unseen smirk as he trekked down the corridor. Sara smiled at the real reason he chose to wear the 'fugly' hat. He did it for her—rather for her to stop complaining about the fact he never wears the Hawaiian-ish shirt she bought him.
Rolling her eyes, Catherine addressed the rest of the CSIs, "Something's up with him lately."
"Like what?" Sara asked innocently. She took a final chomp out of her apple. Standing up, she flung the core over Catherine and into the trashcan.
Warrick grinned at her, "Ever thought of becoming a basketball player?"
Sara merely shrugged in reply.
"I think that Grissom's finally getting some action," Greg said with a wink. "If you know what I mean…"
The red began to creep up Sara's neck again as Nick and Warrick's noses scrunched up in disgust. Her mind wandered to what took place at their house before shift. As the blush reached her cheeks, Catherine noted, "He has been in a much better mood this year."
Warrick scoffed, "At least someone's getting laid."
"Trouble in paradise?" Nick jabbed playfully. Catherine's ears perked up slightly as she stood to leave.
"What'cha talking about? I was referring to you," he replied, elbowing his friend as they got up and exited the room.
Greg lingered behind and observed Sara's sheepish look, "What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing."
"Picturing Grissom getting busy with some chick?" he quipped.
At that, Sara couldn't help but smirk. Walking toward the parking lot with Greg on her tail, she decided against responding to his playful question. 'I don't need to picture it. I'm experiencing it,' she mused inwardly.
Greg squinted in confusion at the smirk playing on her lips. "What's on your mind, Sara?"
Her smirk only grew, "If you only knew, Greggo."
TBC...