RATING: M - Mature (for later chapter)
PAIRINGS: GSR
SPOILERS: Post Ep for "Gum Drops" through "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" (specifically relating to events in "Secrets & Flies")
SUMMARY: What was it that made Grissom finally see the light? Could it really have been so simple?
A/N: I think my life depends on getting this chapter up fast, since it would seem I unintentionally left the last one with a cliffhanger. I swear, that's not how I intended it, since one of my betas actually thought that was the end when I first sent it to her. I now understand that if it had been the ending, at least one person would have scalped me. ;)
REVIEWS: Reviews are the way I know if people are enjoying the work or not. So, if you leave one, THANKS! And if not, I hope you found at least a little something to brighten your day, and thanks for taking the time to read.
Chapter 4It was one of those shifts. An early rollout on a high profile case that was an hour out of town, and Grissom was personally tapped by the sheriff to take the call. Warrick and Nick were still on a hot home invasion case, so they were not going to be able to leave. Catherine was going to have to run the shift and she would need at least one body, so that left him with taking Sara, since he still was not sure about her working with Catherine yet. When he had called her, she was still in bed, so to save time he told her he would pick her up on the way out of town.
The scene was a nightmare. It was an old, abandoned mine out in the hills, and after the highway patrol spotted a car where there should not have been one, they went to investigate. What they found was what prompted the call to the Clark County Sheriff's office. The car was registered to the sheriff's administrative assistant, and the body of her husband was found beside it. But the real fun came when one of the patrolman nearly fell through the ground in front of the car. When he shone his maglite into the hole, he found that they were parked over what appeared to be an old mine, and another body. Since the hole was created by the patrolman's heavy feet, they knew there had to be another way that body got in there, so they went looking around and found the entrance to the mine
The sun had risen several hours prior, and while they had processed the scene by the car, they were still working the mine and its exterior. The mine entrance had seriously cramped quarters and Grissom had been forced to defer to Sara processing the inside of it, while he documented the exterior.
Normally, that would not have been a problem, but Sara had brought one of those new digital cameras that she was so fond of, and he had no idea how to work it. Several times he had been forced to call into the interior of the mine to get Sara's help in figuring it out. Each time he felt more and more like a doddering old fool for having to ask her how to operate the new piece of equipment. It could not have come at a worse time, just when he was trying to show her he was ready to commit himself to a life with her, he was becoming an aged moron.
He had been so proud of his accomplishments at the art show recently, that his confidence had been growing by leaps and bounds. This was a setback and he was not interested it dealing with it, which only led to more frustration with the camera. When he heard Sara's voice coming from the mine, he turned just in time to see her arm extend out of the opening with an evidence bag dangling from it. "Can you get this please?"
He practically tripped over himself rushing to reach out for the bag. "Of course… Do you need any help?" When he took the bag from her grasp, their hands grazed each other for a single moment, but it was enough to ignite something within him.
"Nah… I'll be back in a minute with the other bag. They just lifted the body and my kit through the hole up top, so this should be the last of it." Her voice grew distant as she spoke, so he knew she was walking back to the scene.
He was standing there, leaning against the rocks when a bag was suddenly thrust through the opening, which startled him. "Sorry," came her voice again, tinged with a hint of her amusement at surprising him.
"Yeah…" he took the bag from her and tried to move out of the way. "Do you need any help getting out?"
"You got some butter on ya?" His mind instantly twisted the meaning of her glib question into something that made him glad she could not see the blush rising in his cheeks. "Just stay back and be ready to catch me if I get suddenly un-stuck."
A wry smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he said, "Un-stuck, catch, got it."
When she finally wiggled her way through the tight spot, his mind had gone to a million places that were entirely inappropriate for a crime scene. I've got to get this thing resolved before I make a serious fool of myself.
Huffing a little from the exertion, Sara leaned over, with her hands on her knees as she recovered from the feat. Looking up, she shielded her eyes from the sun. "Huh… I don't remember seeing that when I went in there."
"Yes, well, you did take a long time." The quirk of his eyebrow was his way of telling her he was only joking.
"Yeah, whatever, Mr. Kodak… How bad did you mess up my camera?" She walked up to him and took the camera from his grasp, turning it over to check on its status. "Gris?"
He cringed, convinced that he probably did mess up the camera with all his fumbling. "Yes?" And then he was completely blinded by flash of bright light. Stumbling back into the rocks, he lost his footing and planted himself down on his butt.
"That was for the slow comment."
Her laughter was his guide, since he was still a little flash blind as he struggled to stand up again. He found her hands wrapping themselves around his forearms and she pulled to help him back to his feet. He marveled at the strength in those remarkable, slender hands.
"Care to help a blind man to his car?"
Her stifled laughter was his reward, "C'mon…" She wrapped her arms through the crook of his elbow and proceeded to guide him to the Denali. "And there's no use trying to make me feel guilty, because I still owe you for that business at the museum."
He searched his brain trying to recall what she was referring to, because he had been trying so hard to impress her that night at the gallery showing. He supposed his puzzlement was showing on his face, because she cleared her throat and did her best impression of his voice, "'When I first saw this series, I immediately thought of you.' That was really weird, Grissom. Even for you."
A confused frown immediately pressed into his face. He had made an honest admission about the pieces. While Keith Mallett's work normally depicted scenes of African-American life, his series of female figures from a supper club setting had instantly brought Sara to his mind. Their lithe forms and elegant features, but mostly it was the legs; long and beautiful, just like Sara. "What was wrong with that?"
Sara grinned at his confusion and shook her head as she left him standing in front of the SUV. While she went to stow the evidence the back of the vehicle, Grissom stood there replaying the whole thing in his head.
Walking through the gallery, stopping at each new piece, she seems much more interested in the pieces than he ever imagine she would be. He never pictured Sara as an art aficionado, and it was making it that much harder for him to figure out a way to actually discuss what he had decided.
"Oh wow… I never knew Mallett did a series like this." He turns to see the female figure series that had always captivated him. It was a series depicting women in a supper club setting which reminded him of the vintage French café art he had always enjoyed. This was his moment.
"Oh yes, I actually have some prints of this series. It's reminiscent of the works late in the Expressionist movement that I enjoy. It-"
"Expressionist? Really?" Sara interrupts his schpeel with the odd question.
Once he regains his composure he feels challenged by her question. "Why? What's wrong with that?"
Sara shrugs him off and answers, "Nothing wrong, really… I guess just never pictured you as a fan of the Expressionists."
"What does that mean?" With his words he realizes that he is now pouting at her assumption.
Her casual laughter helps to warm his heart as she answers, "I'm sorry, but Expressionism is so much about open and passionate and colorful depictions of life, and it's such a stark contrast to your whole life…" There was a far away look in her eyes as she paused, and he found himself wanting to know why. "You aren't exactly an open and expressive person, Grissom."
A sudden panic struck his soul, because he knows, without a doubt, that she is right. It is his biggest regret in regards to their friendship and his biggest hurdle in attempting to start a relationship with her. In his panic, he forges ahead without thinking. "Perhaps, but I still enjoy it." He turns back to the paintings and says, "This series particularly intrigued me, with the long angular features, the elegance of the lithe forms, the subtle use of light…" He pauses, hoping to gauge her reactions to his description, and seeing her looking at the pieces he takes the plunge. "When I first saw this series, I immediately thought of you." Hearing her nearly choke on the wine she had been sipping caused him to panic further. "Because of their shape, or more because of their lines… Well, the way they present themsel-… You know what I mean."
Thinking back, he suddenly realized what an idiot he had been: a fumbling, stuttering, love-sick moron. It was one of the many things that had frightened him about letting Sara into his heart; her undeniable affect on his mind. He was saved from further humiliation by the fact that Sara walked straight up to the passenger door and climbed into the Denali. Surprised by the move, he fumbled with the keys and then got in on the driver's side.
As he put the key into the ignition she leaned against the door, pulled the brim of her ball cap down and said, "Drive, Jeeves."
Deciding to go along with the joke he simply said, "As you wish, madame."
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The drive back into town was relatively quiet, since Sara pretty much slept the whole way. The "relatively quiet" came from the fact that Sara seemed to have the odd habit of whimpering and moaning in her sleep. It was an oddly comforting sound as they drove along the highway. He was also glad for the time as he tried to figure out exactly what he should say once they arrived back at the lab.
His mind was working feverishly to flesh out the perfect words. In his mind, it all sounded perfect, but when he mumbled them under his breath, they were all hopelessly desperate. He also realized that no matter how he tried, everything was likely to fall short. There had been far too much pain passed between them to make this idea of his an easy feat.
In the light of his new realization, Grissom knew that it was going to take a lot longer to build up Sara's trust before he should even attempt to broach the subject of his ideas of their relationship. But no matter how much time it took, he was going to afford her that… It was the least he could do.
As they pulled up to the lab, Sara took in a sharp breath without lifting up the cap, and said, "I'll log the evidence, if you want to file the report."
"Ah, yeah, that works for me."
Grissom put the SUV into park and went to step out of the vehicle when she added, "And I'll grab that digital camera user's guide for you when you take me home."
Busted!