Disclaimer: As much as I'd love to, I do not own CSI.
Note: This is the last chapter of this story. Thank you so very much to those of you who have stuck with The Right Words since the beginning. Writing my first story was enjoyable, most especially because of the very kind reviews! This chapter is written from Sara's perspective. Please read and review!
CSICSICSICSICSI
Sara watched him leave. Grissom was gone. He said he was coming back, and had even made her promise to let him back in, so she was certain he would indeed come back, but right now, he was gone. She buried her head in her lap again and sighed. Everything hurt. Not only was she officially hung over now, but her head ached, her eyes ached, and worst of all, her heart ached. How was she going to show her face in the lab tomorrow? She worked so hard and for so long to keep her past to herself, and she blew it. Betcha anything next time we see an abuse case, Grissom'll pull me off it. So much for being an equal CSI. I guess that should be the least of my worries now, though. Will he tell Catherine what I said? Will he tell her that I love him? God, I hope not. That's probably why he left; he probably had to go talk to Catherine and get her to get him out of this mess. Great, just freaking great. Gossip queen will tell the whole office everything! I'm ruined.
Knowing she needed to get the morbid thoughts out of her head, Sara heaved herself up and plodded to the kitchen to make coffee. As the pot brewed, she grabbed an apple, washed it, sliced it, and then let the slices sit and get brown on the plate in front of her. When the coffee was ready, she poured some into her largest mug, added cream and sugar, and took it to the couch. She popped Pride and Prejudice into her Blue Ray player and settled down under a blanket to watch. It struck her as cruel that the heroine, Elizabeth, was able to get the man she wanted, even though he was wealthier and older all because she was able to get the stubborn man to overcome his reservations. True, the tale was just a tale, and an old one at that, but it paralleled her situation so much that even though Pride and Prejudice's strong female lead usually picked her up when she was down, today, it just made Sara feel even more distressed. Jabbing the off button on the remote, Sara stared at the blank screen for a few moments, then fell back into the couch's pillow, wrapped her blanket more snugly around herself, and fell into a fitful sleep.
Sara didn't hear the knock at first. It was soft and gentle, and she was still asleep. After the knocking became more persistent, Sara opened her eyes and wondered where the noise was coming from. It took hearing Grissom's voice calling, "Sara, are you in there? You promised to let me in?" to make Sara realize that he had actually come back. Rubbing her eyes and preparing herself for more disappointment, Sara slowly walked to the door and opened it.
Grissom was standing on her doormat, dressed to the nines and carrying a beautiful bouquet of Asiatic lilies. Sara simply stared at him, her brows furrowed in wonder. "Good afternoon, Sara. I came here to tell you that even though it's against office policy, I've been falling in love with you. In San Francisco when we met, I fell in love with your loquaciousness, your intellect, and your body. When you came to work for me, I fell in love with your dedication and passion. I fell in love with your smile, your bold, bright eyes, and your laugh. I fell in love with your friendliness and devotion to the team. When I even fell in love with your moodiness, I knew there was no turning back. When Debbie Marlin was murdered and I saw her body, lifeless and looking just like you, a part of me died, and I knew I needed you. Sara, from this moment onward, I promise to never again put my job and its rules ahead of you. So," Grissom paused and looked about as awkward as a teenager, "Would you like to go to dinner with me?"
Sara had never heard such beautiful words and she knew that he meant each and every one, and she had to smile at the fact that no one else could get away with talking about a dead body in a confession of love. She had been heartbroken when he had walked out the door earlier that morning, but realized now that he had actually had a plan. He had only made simple arrangements for a dinner date, but the gesture meant the world to her. She grabbed the lilies, tossed them softly behind her onto the coffee table, reached for Grissom's hand, pulled him inside, shut the door behind him, pulled him into a gentle hug, and said, "Yes" as she laid her head on Grissom's shoulder. Both of them were grinning.