She had handed in her resignation two weeks ago, and was leaving for San Fransisco the day after tomorrow. Seeing that pink slip on his desk and broken Grissom's heart. It had taken him 5 years to realize his feelings for her, and he didn't want to lose her.
Catherine and Grissom were just finishing up on a case, when Catherine noticed Sara outside in the hall talking to Nick. "You know Gil, we've al said things that we regret, and we've all left things unsaid that we regret. Sara's leaving in two days Gil. Don't let her leave behind regrets."
Grissom looked up from his papers, and sighed.
"Please Gil. Tell her how you feel before she leaves."
"It won't change anything. She'll still leave me in Vegas."
"You don't know that." She stood up and patted him on the shoulder. "It's her going away party tomorrow, and she leaves the day after that. Make sure you talk to her." She gathered up her papers then left Grissom alone to dwell in his thoughts.
She was bent over the desk, when he walked in on her. She smiled brightly, but her eyes betrayed the truth. Sadness and bitterness ruled the depths of her beautiful brown eyes. "Hey."
"Hi………. Two more days huh?"
Her smile faded slightly. "Yeah…"
"Sara?"
"Yeah?"
"We …uh…. Need to talk."
"Ummm sure. What about?"
He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Can we go for a walk or something?"
Her eyes flared opened in surprise. "A walk?"
"uhhh yeah. So that we can talk….uh more privately."
"Oh, ok. I need to talk to you too."
He let out the breath that he had been holding. "Ok, so does half an hour in the park round the corner sound good?"
"Yeah sure. Ummmm I have some stuff to finish…"
He got the hint. "Oh yeah, I better get going. See you then." He gave her a quick smile, then left the room.
What is he doing? He's made it clear over the past five years that he isn't interested. Why does he want to talk now? Get a grip Sara. You're leaving for a new life in two days. You can finally move on. Despite what your feeling now you HAVE to tell Grissom that you've put your feelings behind you.
Sara took a deep breath in, and let it out slowly. Half an hour. 30 minutes.
It was 45 minutes later that the two of them were walking leisurly through the park watching the kids run around. Attempting to break the uncomfortable silence, they both spoke out. "Soooooo…." They laughed lightly at the unison.
Sara blushed slightly. "Sorry. Go ahead."
"It's alright, you go first."
"Thanks. Ummmm I leave on Friday for Miami, and… uh I just wanted to say…. I know that things between us haven't been great. And well, at times far from it." She swallowed. "And at one point, I thought that there really could be something between us, but not any more. But I've jumped off that bandwagon. I've moved on. I'm over you. But I want to thank you for being a friend. You were always there for advice and … uh comfort when I needed it. And I'm umm….." she could feel tears starting in her eyes, but she managed to take her eyes off of her feet and look into his gorgeous eyes. "I'm really gonna miss you."
Grissom was taken back by her words. Catherine had insisted that she felt something about him, and he had started to believe her. Not only that, but he himself had seen her looking at him from the corner of his eye, and had thought about all the times that she stopped by his office just to talk. And he too had begun to realize what he felt for her. What races through his mind at the sight of her, and what made his heart race when they touched. She's moved on! I'm too late!
"Uhhh Griss?"
He shook his head ridding himself of those thoughts. "I'm uhhh gonna miss you too. You're a great CSI Sara, you really are. One of the best I've ever had….. And I feel honoured to have been your supervisor. But you've been a great co-worker and an even greater friend." His voice was starting to fail him, as he fought to keep control. "You've showed me what I've been missing for years. Thank you……. I am gonna miss you so much Sara Sidle" he whispered.
He wanted so much to tell her the secrets of his heart, and kiss her senseless. But she had made her feelings clear, and he had hid his. Awkwardly they shook hands, but just as Sara was about to pull hers away, he put his other hand on top, caressing her soft skin. When he spoke, he found his voice quiet and husky, "goodbye……Sara Sidle." Then despite what his heart was screaming, Grissom turned and walked away, heading back towards the lab.
It was the end of shift, and the others had all left hours ago, but Grissom was still sitting in his office. Suddenly there was a soft knock at the door. Looking up, Grissom saw a slightly out-of-breath Catherine standing in the doorway.
"I have to talk to you Gil."
"Yeah, I can kind of tell."
Catherine was abviously not amused. "I was on my way home, just a couple blocks from my house when I realized that I couldn't sleep let alone even go home without talking to you." She took a big breath before continuing. "We've all noticed it Gil. The rest have us all noticed the way you two interact with each other, even if you two yourselves don't. You two are perfect for each other. We've all known it for years. Everyone knows it, except for you and Sara, and over the past year or two I have a feeling that Sara has caught on. And I even understand that she made some advances and was turned down? Turned down by the person who loves her… Anyways, I couldn't leave today without telling you, and knowing that Sara is leaving in one day. I hope that you talked to her already?"
"Talked?"
She crossed her arms and frowned at him. "Did you talk to her Gil?"
"Well….."
"Yes?"
"We talked." He tried not to meet her gaze.
"And?"
He sighed and dropped his papers. "What do you want from me Catherine? I took her for a walk alright! I planned on telling her how I felt, before she left Las Vegas….before she left me."
"Well did you tell her?"
His voice dropped barely above a whisper, and his head drooped. "She no longer has feelings for me Cath."
"That's crazy. How do you know? Did she tell you this?"
He sighed and nodded cradling his head in his hands.
"Did you tell her how you felt?"
"How could I? She had just told me that she doesn't care for me, how could I tell her that I loved her?"
"This doesn't make any sense. This is not like Sara." Catherine was quiet as she thought for a couple minutes. "Wait….did you talk first?"
He looked up at her confused. "No she did."
She smiled triumphantly. "Well there's your answer! Gil, she loves you. I know she does. The rest of us know that she does. Gil go to her and tell her how you feel."
"What? I told you Cath, she already told me that she doesn't have any feelings for me."
"Are all men this stupid? Gil you've hurt her. And whether you did it intentionally, which I highly doubt, or accidentally, you still hurt her, and badly. By turning her down, and rejecting her for the past few months, and ignoring her since she's handed in her resignation slip you've cut deep into her heart. By speaking first, she was able to lie about her feelings and protect herself from more pain."
"You mean that –"
"Yes, if you had smartened up and just told her how you felt right away, then she would have confessed her undying love."
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Oh Cath what have I done?"
"You were you, blind and stupid." This comment received Catherine a death glare from Grissom. "But it can be fixed. Go to her Gil, and tell her how you feel. Do it now before it's too late."
After Catherine had left, Grissom sat contemplating her words in his office. Tomorrow was Sara's going away party, and a day that could potentially change his relationship with Sara forever.
Everyone had showed up. Some she had expected; Nick, Catherine, Warrick, Greg, David, Doc Robbins, and Brass, but others she hadn't; Archie, the new lab girl … and Grissom. It wasn't a fancy dress party, but they were dressed a little more than just casual. Catherine as always looked stunning, dressed in some flowery summer dress. It was short, low-cut, and flirty. The guys, slightly more simple. Greg wore jeans and some rock-band shirt. Nick and Warrick were also in jeans, though their shirts varied. Nick was in some tighter muscle shirt and cowboy hat, whereas Warrick sported a looser fitting shirt that revealed a little chest. Not one for jeans, Grissom was in a pair of casual khaki's and a black polo shirt. Never really a girly-girl, but not really wanting to stand out, Sara had opted for a pair of cute, low-cut white khaki capris, and tight black halter top, with her hair done up, save a few curls that hung loosely about her face.
They had brought her a few small gifts. Catherine had bought her a journal "for your frustrations and fanstasies" and a day-spa certificate…. for the Las Vegas spa. "You'll just have to come back and relax .. with me", she had said smiling softly.
"Thanks Cath." She had given her friend a smile, not really being a huggy kind of person.
Next had been Greg's gift. A picture of himself, "so you won't forget me", and a CD of one of his favourite bands. Surprise, surprise.
"Thanks Greg." Sara had leaned over and given him a small hug, and Greg looked as if he might faint.
Warrick had given her a CD of classical piano music to sooth her after hard cases, and she had thanked him dearly.
With a mystery novel and scented candles from Doc Robbins and David, Nick's gift had been last. Nick had been her one true and best friend since the very beginning of her time in Las Vegas, and saying goodbye to him had almost torn her apart.
His gift came in a medium size round box. Opening it, Sara found a pretty straw cowboy hat, with a blank band around it, and a few feathers sticking out. A note on the side of the hat said: For My Best Cowgirl. Have fun in 'frisco, but remember all of us back here in Vegas. Sorry that things never worked out for you here. Some people are just to stupid to realize their feelings for others, and they'll regret it. Grissom will miss you despite everything. I'll miss you too. From your best friend Nick Stokes.
Tears filled Sara's eyes as she hugged Nick. Not being able to take it much more, Sara fled the room.
The warm air, with a cooling breeze was a relief for Sara. Being out there on the roof, allowed her to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, and to be free from all of her worries if just for a little while.
She stood peering over the railing at the busy world below when Grissom came up. Quietly and softly he placed his stereo on the concrete floor and walked up behind her.
"Sara?"
His voice startled her. She spun around and her eyes locked with his for a couple of seconds. It was easy for his to see that she had been crying, with the redness that surrounded her eyes. "Are you ok?"
Nodding slightly she turned her back to him and again looked at the lights of Vegas. "Sara, why are you leaving the lab, your friends, … and me?"
Still not turning to look at him she replied, "I need a something new Grissom. A fresh start. Things here are great …. But I'm stuck. My position as a CSI is stuck without promotion here, and certain relationships are frozen in ice. Moving will grant me a new job, with opportunity to move up, and move on."
Here harshness surprised him, and for a long time he stood there, speechless, staring out at the night life of Las Vegas. After an eternity of silence, Sara felt his hand on her bare shoulder. "Dance with me."
"What?" She looked at him completely confused.
"Dance with me." He said it so casually, as if it meant nothing.
"Out here? .. On the roof?"
He shrugged lightly. "Why not?" He leant down pressing the play button on his stereo, before offering his hand to her. "Sara Sidle … will you give me the honour of dancing with you?"
Pausing a second she took his hand and followed him out to the center of the roof. With a bit of hesitance, Sara placed her other hand on his shoulder, as he wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.
The soft music of the introduction had faded away, and Sara could start to make out some of the words to the familiar song.
Last night I had a crazy dream,
A wish was granted ust for me,
It could be for anything.
I didn't ask for money,
Or a mansion in Malibu,
I simply wished for one more day with you.
One more day,
One more time,
On more sunset baby I'd be satisfied.
But then again, I know what it would do,
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you.
The first thing I'd do is pray for time to crawl.
I'd unplug the telephone, keep the TV off.
I'd hold you every second,
Say a million I love you's
That's what I'd do with one more day with you.
One more day,
One more time,
On more sunset baby I'd be satisfied.
But then again, I know what it would do,
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you.
Leave me wishing still for one more day … with you
The end of the song, found Sara's head nestled on Grissom's shoulder, and their bodies much closer than they were before.
He let go of her, and looked deep into her beautiful brown eyes. "Don't leave me Sara. I want one more day, one more week, one more month, one more year … forever. I love you Sara Sidle."
Taken back by his sudden admission Sara almost did a double take. "I … I … I love you too Grissom."
With grins on their faces, the space between them closed slowly, as they hesitantly leant in towards each other. The kiss was soft and beautiful. Kissing Sara was like kissing silk. Years of pent up desire and electricity surged through the two of them as their lips parted, and their tongues danced.
Breaking for air, Grissom leant his forehead against Sara's. "Please don't leave Vegas, I don't know what I'd do without you. I've shown you what I want to do with this … don't leave me."
"But what about my new life Grissom?"
"What about your old one … your one with me?" He took his hands in hers. "Please Sara, we can make this work, I know we can."
"Do you know how long I've waited for you Grissom… for this? Too long. And now that I finally have it, there's no way I'm giving it up."
Relief flooding his face he rubbed her hands softly with this. "Oh wait!" As if suddenly remembering something he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "You forgot to open your gift."
With raised, questioning eye brows, Sara took the small box in her hands. Unwrapping it carefully she opened the box to find a small, but beautiful diamond ring.
"Marry me Sara. Marry me and make me the happiest man on the planet."
Not for the first time that evening tears trickled down Sara's face. But these were not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. "Of course I will!"
With a soft smile on her face, she held out her hand, as he gently placed the ring on her finger. Then scooping her up in his arms, he planted another kiss on her silky lips and Sara's hands snaked up around Grissom's neck. Pulling back to look at his beautiful fiancé, a huge smile spread across his face. "I love you Sara."
Sara smiled her famous, heart-melting, gap-toothed Sara-smile and replied. "I know."
THE END
The song in this story is called "One more Day" by Diamond Rio. And yeah i know the ending was pretty cheesy, but i figured, hey, the two have known each other for like 5-6 years now, so marriage isn't such a big thing. If you like it reply!