Thank you all, for your lovely comments so far. We're onto the next chapter. I don't have much to say here, only that I hope you enjoy.
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Chapter 7
Sara led Grissom through the main camp. Julian called out to the various members of the expedition, a mixture of undergraduates, postgraduates, and academics. He introduced Grissom and everyone welcomed him with a friendly handshake or comment on his latest paper.
Gil Grissom was well known in the field of entomology, and in many others. Most of the academics had either read one of his papers, of attended one of his seminars. Sara couldn't help the pride blossoming in her chest. Grissom was a world leading, well-respected, much-admired scientist. And he was all hers.
She didn't really listen too carefully to the conversations, content to just hear the sound of his voice and watch him interact with the people who had become her friends. It wasn't until Jake Mullins, one of Julian's graduate students came up, did she pay attention to what was being said.
"You must be Sara's bug guy," he said as he shook Grissom's hand. Grissom turned to her with a raised eyebrow and Sara blushed once more. She hadn't mentioned her relationship to Grissom to anyone, save Julian and Helen. As far as the rest of the team were concerned, Grissom was her ex-supervisor, nothing more. "Her boss, from Vegas?" Jake said when Grissom didn't respond.
"Yes, I am," Grissom replied.
"Wow, how did she swing this?" Jake asked. "Last I heard, you were very much in demand at Sin City."
"Well, there are certain things here, that Vegas doesn't have," Grissom replied, with a slight smirk in her direction. "Besides, there are plenty of other capable CSIs to take over where I left of."
"Well, their loss is our gain," Jake said with a boyish grin. "Oh, Sidle, you owe me a rematch, by the way." He turned to Sara, raising a finger at her. "I need a chance to earn back my money."
"I can't do that, Jake," Sara said with a smile. "You won't have anything left by the time we get back home."
Jake gave Grissom a long-suffering sigh. "I suppose that would teach me to play poker with a chick whose been living in Vegas."
"I had a good teacher," Sara said. She could practically feel the pride radiating from Grissom on her words.
"What about you, bug man? Fancy a game?"
"Oh, no," Sara said, quickly. "Trust me, Jake. If you can't win against me, you definitely won't win against Grissom."
Jake sighed again, holding a hand, dramatically, against his heart. "I guess I'll have to find another way to win my fortune." He threw them one more rugged smile and walked off, leaving them, for the moment, alone.
"He's a character," Grissom said on a chuckle.
"Yeah, kinda reminds me of Greg."
"No wonder you two get along." Grissom smiled down at her. Now that the surprise of his entrance was wearing off, Sara was starting to really look at him. He was, without a doubt, the best-looking man she had ever known. The memory of their last night together in Vegas popped in her mind.
It was passionate, desperate. Both of them seeking comfort in the others bodies. She had missed the feel of his skin against hers, and it wasn't long before they were tangled in the bed sheets. Seeking that release they could only find with each other. Sara's eyes flicked to his lips, remembering the feel of them on her most intimate area. When she looked back up, his eyes were darker, more intense than they had been moments before.
Something started pulling at her core and, if she didn't look away, she wasn't sure if she would have been able to control herself. When was the last time he had looked at her like that? It had been too long. Far too long.
His thumb brushed over her knuckles, where their hands were still entwined. Warmth spread through her again, deeper. Forceful.
"Sara, Gil," Julian called, giving Sara the excuse to look away, wrenching her eyes from the blue ones almost penetrating her. Julian was stood next to Helen, waving them over. Sara took a few breaths to steady her racing heart and went to meet them. Grissom beside her, his arm brushing against hers. Goosebumps rose over the exposed skin he touched.
"Gil, this is my wife. Helen," Julian said, gesturing between them. Grissom raised his right hand to shake hers, his left still glued to Sara's.
"It's nice to finally meet you. We've heard a lot about you," Helen said as she took Grissom's offered hand.
"Not too bad, I hope," Grissom joked. Once more, Sara was struck. Whatever she had expected from Grissom, it wasn't this. This easy going, joking-with-strangers, man was something she wasn't yet used too. Sure, she had heard him banter around with the guys, tease Catherine, even pull out a few jokes at Ecklie's expense. But she had never seen him so relaxed with people he didn't know.
"Not at all," Helen said with a smile. Her eyes flicked to Sara and Grissom's woven fingers and back up to Sara. There was a question in the older woman's eyes. Sara only nodded, slightly. If Grissom noticed the silent communication, he didn't let on.
"Here, Gil," Julian said, moving behind Helen to the other table. "I want to show some of the things we've been working on. I'm sure you'll find it fascinating." Grissom looked over at the table, intrigued, she could see that he was itching to go and investigate, and Sara gave his hand a small squeeze. Letting him know he could go. He squeezed back, gently and let go, heading over to where Julian was now taking out the various vegetation they had collected by the river.
Sara watched him, smiling at the joy lighting his face as he listened to Julian explain what they were doing. She could already see his brain working, churning over the information he received and figuring out the best way and methods in which he could help. Watching Grissom think was something Sara would never get bored of. She looked back to Helen to find her friend watching her, a slight sheepish look on her face.
"Do I need to apologise?" Helen asked. Sara let out a breath through her nose.
"You could have given me a heads up," she said. "I was staring at the poor man like a fool for a full thirty seconds before I could move."
Helen chuckled, not seeming at all sorry for what she did.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sara asked, seriously. Helen thought for a second before responding.
"We weren't sure when he'd be able to get here," she said, slowly. "There was a lot he had to organise before he came, and I didn't want to put you through that. The waiting, then the disappointment if it turned out he wasn't able to come."
"Was that the only reason?" Sara asked.
"I'll admit, the romantic in me thought it would be nice if he surprised you. But that was why I pushed you so hard on it, on if you wanted him here or not." Helen moved round the table to stand next to Sara, she took her hand and squeezed it gently. "As much as I know he'll be an invaluable asset to our team, I would never have agreed to bring him in if I didn't think you wanted it. If you had said no, I would have told him. Made some excuse, so he wouldn't arrive."
"Don't you think it would have been a little late by then?" Sara asked, Grissom was already in Costa Rica, already walking to them when she and Helen had their conversation.
"Possibly, but in my defence, I didn't know he had already arrived then." Helen shot Sara a small smirk and Sara could only shake her head, a small smile gracing her lips. "We didn't know when he would be coming," Helen continued. "I've been trying to talk to you about it ever since he contacted us, but I couldn't work up the nerve. You're such a private person Sara, and I didn't want to invade that."
"He contacted you?" Sara asked, not knowing that little detail.
"Yes, a few weeks ago. He asked if we have any space on our trip. Julian jumped at it. You've spoken so highly of him, it was the only logical thing for Jules to do."
When Sara didn't answer, Helen said; "I'm sorry, Sara."
But Sara stopped her with a shake of her head. "Don't be," she said, sincerely. "It was a surprise, but a good one. The best surprise I've had in a very long time." Helen gave her hand another squeeze before turning to her husband.
"Honey, why don't you let Dr Grissom settle in? He's had a long trip and I'm sure he's tired."
Julian grinned, guiltily, over at them. He was so much like Grissom in the way he got over excited on his projects, completely forgetting that most people would need rest at some point in the day. The two men headed back to them, Julian going straight for his wife and placing an apologetic kiss to her brow. Helen smacked him playfully on the chest.
Grissom went to Sara, instantly taking her hand again.
"Now, you go get settled, we'll see you both at dinner," Hele said.
"Don't you need me to help with the new samples?" Sara asked. It was part of her job, and she could see the student's had brought back the mother load.
"No," Helen said before Julian could jump in. Probably about to spout out various tasks that needed to be completed. "They'll still be here later. You deserve a bit of a break." Helen gave Sara a warm smile and pulled Julian away.
Grissom turned to Sara with an expectant look. She knew he was waiting for her lead, so she tugged at his hand and led him back to her little clearing. His bag was still where he dropped it, so Sara picked it up and slung it over her shoulder.
"Is this all you brought?" She asked.
"I asked Catherine to send the rest of my things on," he said, blushing a little. Sara's heart was beating wildly in her chest. He was really staying.
"Come one," she said, pulling him towards her tent.
The tent wasn't too small, not as big as Julian and Helen's but big enough for two. It was split into two rooms: a kitchen/dining/living area and a bedroom. She had no cooker in her tent, thanks to the food tent they had erected in the main camp, but there was a small cupboard which housed some non-perishables. Ready for when Sara got peckish in the middle of the night. A table, with two chairs in one corner. Along one side of the tent stood a collapsible wardrobe, for her clothing, not even half full. Two trunks, one full of books, the other for her equipment. Along the opposite wall was another table, littered with various scribblings and calculations.
At night, or when she was off collecting samples, Sara would keep her other two tables in here. But there wasn't enough room if she was home. The bedroom was separated by a thin sheet of fabric, opened by a zip that travelled round in a D shape. There was a mesh curtain which she kept zipped up at all times to stop any insects from entering.
There were only three photographs in her tent. One was of the team in Vegas, Nick, Warrick, Greg, Catherine, Grissom, and Sara. They all had their arms over each other shoulders, except for Grissom and Sara. His was around her waist. It was taken before Natalie Davies, before everything went to hell. One was of her new team, just as they arrived in Costa Rica. Sara was knelt at the front next to Jake, she didn't have her arms around anyone in this photo.
The last was of Grissom and Sara. It was taken in San Francisco, at the Forensic Academy Conference. They were in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, Grissom had stopped a tourist to ask them to take it. Sara was looking into the camera, beaming, but Grissom was looking at her. A soft smile on his lips as he gazed at her face.
Sara put Grissom's bag in the wardrobe, leaving it for him to organise as he wished. When she turned, she saw him holding the photo of the two of them. Smiling fondly at it.
"Do you remember when that was taken?" She asked, stepping towards him. Suddenly nervous.
"The last day of the conference. If I remember correctly, a certain young woman convinced me to play hooky with her." He looked at her, grinning. "I missed the seminar on the new techniques for analysing blood splatter. Catherine wasn't pleased to hear I missed it; I was supposed to go for her."
Sara laughed and Grissom pursed his lips together in amusement.
"Well, you couldn't go to Frisco and not do a little bit of sightseeing," she said as she took the photo, lovingly, in her hand. She smiled down at it, they were so young then. So full of ideas and dreams. Grissom had kissed her for the first time after that photo was taken. It was gentle kiss. One to say goodbye. They had agreed to stay in touch, and they did, but Sara didn't expect anything more to happen. Least of all that he would call her up a few years later to ask her to work for him.
"Do you know what my biggest regret is?" Grissom asked her, suddenly. She looked up at him, but he was no longer looking at the photo. "That I didn't take the chance then and there. I wanted too, but you were so young, and I was sure that, after a few years, you would get tired of me. A middle-aged, workaholic doesn't have much to offer a young, vibrant, CSI with her whole life ahead of her."
He gave her a small, sad smile and Sara place the photograph back on the table before cupping his cheek.
"Gil," she said, softly. "Let's stop dwelling on the past. We've both made mistakes but we're here now. Let's just focus on the now, and dream for the future. Leave the past where it is." She rubbed her thumb across his cheek and Grissom let out a small breath.
"And the future… What if…" he stopped, and Sara knew that he was battling with his most incarnate fear.
"The only future I want, Gil Grissom, the only future I've ever wanted, is one with you." She kissed him them, showing him just how much she meant it. Grissom's arms encircled her, pressing her against his body. His tongue licked the seam of her mouth, asking for entrance. She didn't hesitate.
Tongues clashing, the kiss grew deeper and deeper until Sara grew lightheaded. Her hands were fisted in his hair, pulling at the strands, keeping his face in place. Grissom's roamed over her body. They started at her waist, caressing it as she moved against his body. One slipped beneath her shirt, his calloused fingers scraping against the sensitive skin. It rose up, taking her shirt with it, until it reached the underside of her breasts. His thumb swept across her ribs, just below her bra.
The other move down, cupping her bum and pulling it further against him. She could feel every inch of him.
Sara moaned, the sound reverberating from her throat to his lips and Grissom smiled. He pulled her harder and Sara gasped. Breaking the kiss, to get some much-needed air, she arched her neck giving Grissom access. Something he did not waste.
His thumb had poked under her bra, now skimming the skin underneath. Sara could feel her core melting, then tightening all at once.
God, she had missed this man.
"Gil," she said, breathless. He murmured against her throat. "Are you tired?" She had to remind herself that he had just gotten off a plane, he had just arrived. There was plenty of time later if… oh god! Grissom had slipped his hand between her thighs, fingers seeking and probing for her most sensitive area.
Sara couldn't stop her hips as they ground against him. Grissom growled in appreciation.
"No," he said. His voice deep and husky. She wanted him now. Right there on that table, but the logical side of Sara's brain reminded her that it probably wasn't the best idea. The table wasn't made for the sort of activities she had planned right then.
Sara stepped back and Grissom moaned from the loss of contact. She looked him up and down, smirking as her eyes travelled his body. Sara took one of his hands and led him to the bedroom.