Sorry for the huge time gap between updates. I've had a variety of different reasons for this, ranging from exams and assignments, to starting a Harry Potter slave fic (see my profile if you're interested), to lack of inspiration (mainly caused by lack of new CSI on UK TV, a problem now solved by the start of season 6) to the not-so-great excuse of 'I wasn't in the mood'.
This is actually the final chapter. I hope you've enjoyed the story and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write! I don't at present have any ideas for further CSI fics, but you never know I might have some in the future…
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He sighed, and then said quietly, "These last few days have been a real role reversal for us haven't they?"
Her eyebrows rose. "My being supervisor?"
"You being the rational one. Calm and controlled, dealing with everything, while I lose my temper and jump to conclusions with no evidence to base them on."
A quiet snort of laughter came from her. "Calm? I'd hardly describe how I've felt this week as calm. But I understand what you mean. Grissom, everyone's allowed to lose it occasionally. Even you."
He sighed again, looked down for a moment, and then back up, gazing into her eyes. "I've been unfair to you, Sara. I don't just mean with Ecklie, I mean… the last few years. I've known what you wanted, you made it perfectly clear, but I never gave it to you… and I didn't give you the chance to move on, either. I didn't have any right to be jealous, because if you did find someone else… you'd deserve it. Someone better."
"Grissom, have you ever stopped to think maybe I wouldn't want anyone better? That there is noone I'd consider to be better?" She looked at him searchingly and then asked quietly, "And now that you've decided you were unfair, what do you intend to do Griss? Be with me? Or let me go?"
It was a long time before he answered, the two of them just looking at each other, neither really sure what he would say. "What do you want me to do?"
"I want what I've always wanted, Grissom."
He nodded, and thought back to a conversation the two of them had had months ago in his office. "You really moved to Vegas for me?"
"I didn't do it for the gambling."
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"DNA results are back, Ecklie."
The man looked back at her hopefully. Surely if she was telling him something about the case, it meant that there was good news. As family of the victim, even working at CSI, she couldn't tell him details of the case unless…
"There was a match. And with some evidence that Grissom gathered… the police arrested somebody two hours ago. Your nephew's next-door neighbour."
He breathed in, then out slowly, trying to take this in. He had expected that the news of finding his nephew's murderer would make him feel better, but instead he just felt numb.
"Ecklie," she said quietly. "I'm sure the police will be going round to your sister's soon to inform her. Why don't you go be there for her? I'll take your shift."
He held her eyes for a moment, and then nodded. "Thank you, Sara. Really… thank you. For everything."
"You're welcome. But I was just doing my job."
"You did more than that. Um… if there's ever anything I can do for you…"
"Actually, there is now." She gave him a pleading look. "Give Grissom his job back, please?"
A slight smile emerged through the numbness. "You hate it that much?"
"You have no idea."
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Grissom glanced up from where he was bent over the table looking through a microscope. "You should be going home."
"I was just about to say the same thing to you. I'm covering Ecklie's shift."
He sat back. "How did he take the news?"
She sighed. "I don't know. I don't think it made much difference. His nephew is still dead."
He nodded, and regarded her as she slipped onto the stool next to him. "How are you doing?"
She smiled, genuinely. "Tired. And happy. I just got you your job back."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh. I have to do one more night of supervision apparently, and then it's all yours."
"Thank you." He shook his head as he realised something. "I think I took this demotion the wrong way. I think if I'd let it, it could have been nice. Giving up some responsibilities for a while."
She just smiled at him, remaining quiet for a while before saying, "I think having this job for a while has taught me some things. Made me appreciate even more everything you and Catherine do – and even Ecklie."
"Would you want to do it again? Permanently, in better circumstances?"
She paused while she thought about it. "I don't think so. Not now, definitely. In the future maybe. There were things about it I could like. Getting to decide priorities and how to do things. And I've always liked training Greg; I could do more of that as a supervisor. But I hated having to write up Nick and the others for insubordination, disciplining my friends. I don't want to have to do that again."
"It's always hard." Looking at her, he wanted desperately to touch her… and for the first time, he could permit himself to do so. He stretched out, and gently stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand. She leaned into the caress.
"Are you really going to do this, Grissom?" she asked, almost whispering her desperate plea. "You're not going to back out? Because if you are, then end it now because I don't think I could cope with it if you did."
"I'm not going to, Sara. I know I've done nothing to earn your trust, but please, believe me when I say that I am going to try. I'm going to try to be all that you want me to be, give you everything that you deserve. Everything you should have had years ago."
She reached out and touched his face, the mirroring gestures comforting them both. "Just start small, Grissom. You don't need to give me the world just yet. I simply want a chance to get to know you, and as more than just a friend or a supervisor. I want to sit in a restaurant, eat food, drink wine, and talk to each other. And then I just want to see where it goes from there."
He turned his head slightly, and very gently kissed the palm of her hand. "I can do that, Sara. Thank you… thank you for giving me a chance. Thank you for waiting for me."
She returned the kiss softly, and then lowered her hand from his face, moving forward to lean over his microscope, and then asking quietly how his case was going.
