Hey! One more chapter. For a moment, I forgot how much I wanted to see some mention of Greg on CSI Vegas. They were always a good duo, with a fun friendship, and it was kind of disappointing. But it's ok, you can't have everything. For that, we can count on fanfics! Thanks so much to everyone who has read, it means the world to me. See you soon =)

BTW, the characters are not mine.

Chapter 5

As Sara turned the spoon around in her coffee cup, lost in her last memories, Greg was anxious. Even without looking directly at her friend, Sara could feel Greg drumming his thumbs against the table in an offbeat rhythm.

"What is it, Greg?"

And with the question, the weird dance he was doing with his fingers stopped. He looked at her with a slow-motion, squared smile, a trait that Sara already knew well and that meant only one thing.

"Can I ask one more question?" he said so quickly, as if he feared she would deny it mid-sentence if he spoke in a normal tone.

Bingo!

"Is this breakfast going to cost me all my patience?"

He laughed.

"No, of course not! You can stop whenever you want, but you have to understand. You guys were always very private, you weren't the Facebook couple, you didn't give out invitations to dinner parties…" - Greg took a deep breath before adding, "I wish I had been more of your friend back then–"

"You've always been my friend," Sara felt like she should interrupt.

Keeping the relationship a secret, for lack of a better term, wasn't really a decision. It was something "that ended up happening" much more than something "that was arranged". Both she and Grissom had always been very secretive, and certainly neither of them would broadcast to say they were dating someone. Much less with each other.

"But if someone finds out and comes to confront me about it, I won't deny it, much less lie about us, Sara" - Gil once said.

"It was a tricky situation, Greg… I really liked the people in the lab, I finally felt like I had friends. So, it was hard to face a possible disappointment, that's all" - she assured.

"I understand, I swear I understand. I understand now, and I understood then. What you told me right after I found out was enough for me. It was all that mattered."

"I won't go into details, but I'm very happy, Greg" - she had told him, with a truthful and beautiful smile that had made his heart melt.

"But that doesn't stop me from being curious," he added, laughing. "I promise the questions are light, I just want the good parts. Well, not all the good parts."

She laughed, shaking her head no.

"C'mon, if you have any sad questions or questions that have crossed a line, you can keep quiet. Deal?"

Sarah took a deep breath.

"OK, but you'll pay the bill. What else do you want to know?"

Greg snapped the fingers of both hands close to his chest, as if warming up his fingers for a grand piano concert.

"First fight"

"I thought the questions were light!"

"First fights are always silly" - he defended before leaning his arms crossed on the table.

She looked out the window. They didn't have that many disagreements, to be honest. Over the course of their relationship, Sara learned to be more patient; and Grissom learned to be more open and share more, two things that greatly lessened the frustrations they might have with each other. Still…

"It wasn't a fight, but it was something I said and it made Gil upset..."

"Who knew you were to blame!", Greg said laughing.

Sara rolled her eyes.

It was another normal day in the newly established routine between Sara and Grissom. Everything was fine, more than fine. It was two or three weeks before they were three months into what appeared to be a serious relationship. Sleepovers, shared meals, long talks and sex.

"Grissom, can you get me a dry towel, please?" - Sara yelled from the bathroom, "It's in the top closet in my room"

"Yes, dear" - she heard him reply.

It was when she emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later, practically all dressed and ready to go to work, that misfortune struck.

"You know, you can call me Gil," he said.

She continued tying her shoes, silent, and taking longer than usual. Why was she so nervous in those moments? When she lifted her back, she looked at him.

"I find it weird to call you by your first name when others don't, well, except for Cath, Brass and Doc... And Ecklie, of course."

He made a face.

"Don't put yourself on the same level as Conrad, please"

She laughed.

"No, but… At least when we are alone, you can call me Gil. Otherwise, it feels like that you are having sex with your boss"

She didn't even blink before answering.

"But I am having sex with my boss"

His face fell and his boyish smile faded.

Oh, boy! Who'd said Gil Grissom would be this sensitive? Who'd said she would be the one to say things that could hurt someone?

C'mon, he heard her joking tone, right?

She felt her face burn and time suddenly stopped. He coughed and reached out for his car keys on the balcony.

Sara Idiot Sidle, congrats. Not even three months and it's already ruined.

"Well, we are a little late, so… I'll see you soon, right?"

"Right, right.", she replied quickly as he turned his back on his way to the door. "I…-"

"Yes?", he asked, already in the hallway.

"Nothing, I got distracted. I see you soon, drive safely", she added with a smile to try and lighten the mood.

"You too, bye".

And closed the door, without her goodbye kiss.

TBC