Disclaimer: Still can't afford them; they're only mine in my dreams. "But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under you feet; tread softly because you tread on my dreams." W.B. Yeats

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12

The next three days were a whirlwind of rough cases and long nights. They had both worked two doubles straight and it was beginning to look as though they were headed for their third. She had to admit that it was nice to spend all of this time with him, but she was really looking forward to her day off tomorrow. Grissom didn't share the same night off as her, but instead had the next night off, and she tried to convince herself that she was glad that they would have personal time apart from one another. She knew they each needed their own space, and she was the first to admit that she didn't want to be in a smothering relationship, but all she could think about spending time with him.

True to his word, Grissom had kept their relationship on the same track. As each day went by she became more and more secure in the fact that they would not lose the strong bond they'd formed in the past couple weeks. In fact, she felt like they grew closer together with each passing day. With that thought, she glanced up from her work and across the room to the man she was madly in love with. Just seeing him made her heart skip a beat. She couldn't believe how far they'd come. It was like all her dreams were coming true all at once. The emptiness she felt in her heart was now beginning to fill with love again and the anguish she felt every time she looked at him had now turned into utter joy and deep satisfaction.

From across the room, without even looking up, "Something you wanted, Dear?"

She blushed, caught in the act, "Yes, actually." He looked up with a raised eyebrow. Without any further response, she went back to work and left him with the smoky look in his eyes to think about her answer. She could feel his eyes burning holes in her skin from across the room and forced herself not to look at him. Eventually, she heard the click of the latches of his kit and realized he'd gone back to work.

Later in the night, well into their second shift, they pulled on jumpsuits to process the car in the garage. Her fatigue was as obvious to him as his own. She'd lost her usual bounce a few hours earlier and the bags under her eyes were almost as large as his. She needed to get some sleep. "After this, we're leaving. We both need some sleep."

"I'm fine, Gris. You're the one that needs sleep. I don't have to work tomorrow…well…today. You're the one that has to be back here in less that 12 hours."

"I said 'we.' We're both leaving. And you're not fine; you're tired."

"I know." A few minutes later, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Knowing me." The only response she got was a smile.

They both left the lab once the car was processed, just as Grissom had said. Within twenty minutes of getting home, she was curled up in bed under the covers and had fallen fast asleep into dreamland. Dreams were sweet, now. Sleep was welcomed, not avoided. She used to dread going to sleep, knowing that her mind would be flooded with nightmares that would make her even more tired upon waking than when she'd gone to sleep. But now, when she closed her eyes, she drifted into a land where all her wishes came true. Visions of Grissom were now welcomed as her mind realized that her dreams might become a reality.

The sound of her cell phone woke her from her blissful sleep and, with a quick glance at the clock on her nightstand, she realized she'd slept for over eight hours. She silently cursed the person on the other end of the phone for interrupting her dream before it ended and without looking at the caller ID, "Sidle."

She smiled when she heard Grissom's voice. "I'm sorry for waking you, but I need you."

With a smirk, "My place or yours?"

Even without seeing him, she knew he was blushing. He cleared his throat, "Um, as much as I'd like to say, 'I'll be right there', I need you here, at the lab. I know it's your night off, but I need your help. We're tapped. Warrick and Nick are on a triple and Cath is busy with a sleepover for Lindsey."

She got out of bed and started to get ready, but was not going to let him off that easy, "Rain check?"

"Work doesn't wait, Sara."

"That's not what I was talking about."

He was blushing again, "Oh!" After a few seconds of silence, in a husky tone, "Good things come to those who wait."

She chuckled, "Am I meeting you at the lab or a scene?"

"I'll pick you up. When can you be ready?"

"I'll leave the door unlocked, just come over."

She stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed and ready to go, and the smell of coffee filled her senses. When she walked out of her bedroom, her heart jumped in her throat when she saw Grissom leaning against her breakfast bar reading the paper with a coffee cup beside him. She could definitely get used to him being the first person she saw when she woke up.

"Hi."

He turned to her, "Hello. I made coffee."

"I see that." He walked around the bar and poured her a cup in a travel mug she left on the counter. She walked toward him and when he handed it to her, "Thank you."

He brushed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear, "You're welcome." Shivers ran down her spine with the whisper of his words and the heat of his hand on her cheek. She looked deep into his eyes and saw a passion that she'd never seen before. She thought she was dreaming when she saw his face move toward hers, but after the gentle scratch of his beard against her chin she new it was real. His lips were softer than she'd ever dreamt and the sparks that ignited inside her were far better than any fantasy she'd ever had. The kiss was brief, but magical, and well worth the wait.

When he pulled back from her, with his head tilted to the side and a self-satisfied smile on his face, "Uh, maybe we should get going."

She turned to grab a breakfast bar from her cupboard, "What do we got?"