The night shift was back into the swing of things. They were working on a DB, female. Husband was suspect and so was her friend. Sara had just popped the trunk of the Bently when Greg walked in.

"Starting without me?"

"Finished without you. Take a look"

They were looking for a red interior and this one was black.

Sara was surprised when Greg asked her about her ordeal with Ecklie. But she was thoroughly amused when he whispered to her "I don't know if you know this about me, but Im a good listener." She had to throw him a bone. Plus she was touched by his concern.

"I blew up at Ecklie. It was VERY unprofessional and...very satisfying. And now we're moving on." Greg just nodded his head in satisfaction. "Thanks for asking."

Sara was walking towards Grissoms office with his trace results from the baby powder and some case info, when she noticed he was sitting at the conference table with Sophia. She was laughing about something. Sophia grated on her last nerve. She was a fine criminalist, but her constant flirting with Grissom just angered her. "Calm down, Sara" She told herself. "He wants to be with you. Who did he kiss just a day and a half ago? Not HER!"

Sara approached with a good attitude and her head held high. "HEY" She called to them as she entered the room. Gil turned towards her fully, but Sophia just turned her head.

"DNA Came back"...

Well, that went ok. Sara told herself a few minutes later after they had discussed the case.

A while later she noticed Sophia wasn't around, so she took the opportunity to go see Grissom.

"Hey" She knocked and entered his office. "Filling out reports I see" She said as she sat down.

"They tell me its my job"

Sara just settled into the chair giving him a coy smile.

"You doing Ok?" Concern on his face. They hadn't had time to "talk" as of yet.

"Yeah, Thanks for asking." She held his gaze for a few moments before continuing on about the case. They were at work. What she wanted to say would have to wait until they had more time and in a more appropriate place than the office.

The rest of the case went as expected. Sara, Greg and Sophia processed the red Bently they found registered to a rental place and that had been rented by the step mother. Sophia's comment to Greg about his apartment intrigued her.

"So, you've been to Greg's apartment?"

"Who hasnt?" Was her smart ass reply.

After the case wrapped, Greg made a comment about Sophia fitting in well. All she could do was give him an uninterested look and walk away. It appeared she had all the night shift men under her spell. Plus, it irked her that Sophia was headed towards Grissom's office. So, she just went home. She would call him later.

Grissom was lost in thought as he and Sophia drove to a café he had heard about from Brass. He hadn't planned on asking Sophia to dinner, but he had to do something. He couldn't lose another team member.

The silence was broken by the ringing of a phone. Sophia and Grissom both pulled their phones off their belts to check.

"Mine." Said Grissom. "Grissom"

"Hey." It was Sara.

"Oh, hi. What's up?" He was being purposefully vague.

"What? What's up? Since when do you say that." She chuckled at him. "You coming over?"

"Im afraid I am not going to be able to that today. Im on my way to a business dinner right now."

Sophia cringed at what he said. WHO was he talking to anyway? Did he have a girlfriend?

Sara was a bit taken back by his tone. "Who you going to dinner with?"

"So, I'll call you back later, ok?" He knew he would pay for the way he cut her off.

"Gil, who are you with?" She was getting impatient. "Is it Sophia?"

Silence.

"It is isn't it. God Grissom! I wouldn't hop into bed with you the other night so now you are done with me so quickly? I cant BELIEVE you!"

"NO!" He glanced at Sophia, who was thoroughly enjoying this cryptic conversation. "I will call you later and we can discuss that, ok. Just please don't assume anything about that situation, ok, and I think we will be able to settle it." He hoped she could read through what he was saying.

Silence on her end.

"Hello? You still there?" Grissom looked at his phone to make sure he was still connected.

"Grissom. I do trust you" she sighed. "We will DEFINITELY need to talk, ok?"

"Ok, great. I will get back with you." He smiled and hung up.

"Who was that? Your mom? Girlfriend?" She was throwing him a sarcastic smile.

"Yeah, something like that" Was his curt reply.

"Always mysterious, aren't you Grissom?"

He just shot her a look that said "DROP IT NOW".

Sara was restless.

Why was Grissom taking HER to dinner? She was trying to be calm but it had been two hours since she hung up with Grissom, and she was getting very irritated. She plopped down on her sofa and tried to relax.

Her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID. Grissom. She let it ring a couple more times and then answered.

"Hey."

"Hey, Sara. Can I come over?"

"Im tired Grissom. Can we just talk on the phone?"

"Well, actually, I'm outside in your parking lot. Can I come up? Please, Sara. I want to explain about Sophia."

"Fine. The door will be unlocked" She hung up and walked over to the door to unlock it. She went into the kitchen area and began to make a pot of coffee. She wanted to keep this as "unsensual" as possible. They still had a LOT to discuss before she was ready to take the next step with Grissom.

Sara jumped when she felt a hand on her back.

"God, Grissom. What are you? A stealth CSI? You scared me to death!"

"Sorry. You said to just come in." He smiled at her a crooked innocent grin.

She returned the smile. "I've got coffee on."

"Oh, that sounds good." He just stood there, not knowing what to do next.

Sara walked up to him and put her hand on his face. He looked tired and worried. She wanted to reassure him. So, she stepped closer and pulled his head in for a gentle kiss. Grissom wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as he took over the kiss and began to suck on her bottom lip.

"Gil? We do need to talk." He continued to coax her with his lips. She gave in, opening up to him. They stood there for a few minutes, wrapped in each others arms, tongues dueling.

"Mmmmmm, Sara" He moved his lips to her neck and nipped his way down to her shoulder. Sara had her hands in his hair, loving the feel of his hair across her fingers.

"God, Gil. Thats so nice." He affected her in a way no one else ever had. She had to get him to stop this or they would never talk. So, she pulled away from him gently, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Sit." she commanded him, pointing to the sofa.

"Grrrrr. Ok." He reluctantly did as she requested.Sara sat down next to him, handing him one of the two cups of coffee in her hands.

"So, dinner. Sophia. Explain." She sipped her coffee, glancing over the edge of the cup at him.

Gil sat there nervous, thinking of what words to say to explain this to Sara so she wouldn't let jealousy get the better of her.

"Well, she came into my office and said she had enjoyed working with me and that she was going to move on." He took a sip of his coffee. "How'd you know how sweet I like this?"

"I know a lot about you, Gil" She gave him a coy smile. "Continue."

"Well, we already have a fractured team. I didn't want to lose anyone else. So, it just kinda popped out of my mouth about dinner. I thought if I got her in a less intimidating space than the lab, she might reconsider." He took another sip.

"And?" Sara raised her eyebrows at him.

"She decided to stay." He sipped his coffee again. "Look, Sara. There's nothing between me and Sophia. She can be a bit flirtatious, but she's just that way I think. I've heard being that way with GREG even!" He put his hand on her arm reassuringly.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. She said something today when we were processing the car that was that way about Greg."

"So, are you okay about her? We have to all work together, you know."

"Yeah, I will be fine, Griss." She put her hand over his where it was on her arm. "About Sophia anyway. I will try to be nicer to her and give her a chance. But it will take some time. I still think she wants you." She smiled at him weakly. "Plus, I think I just miss working with Nick and Warrick. I'm even beginning to miss Catherine." She smiled at that.

"Really? Well, I won't tell her. Don't want her to get too big of a head." He smiled at her.

"So, Gil...what about us?" She put her hand on his thigh. He looked down at her hand and then took it into his, lacing his fingers with hers.

"I wasted so many years, Sara. I don't want to waste any more." he paused. "I wanna make this work. We can go as slow or fast as you want. But there is only one thing that we MUST BOTH agree on."

"What's that, Gil?" She was considering what he might say.

"We have to keep this between us. Even from the rest of the team. I'm your supervisor. Ecklie would have a field day with this. And you know how lab gossip spreads like wildfire."

"OK. Yeah. Not a problem. It will give us time to just be together without worrying about what people think. I know it must have been hard on you back when we first met." She sipped on her coffee. "Besides, I think that Catherine has given up on thinking that we were ever really involved or will be. She used to ask me about you and San Francisco and such, but when I started to date Hank, she let it go."

"Yeah, she can be nosy." He put his coffee down, thinking back to the time when he came into work sporting a hickey. He then leaned over and took the cup out of Sara's hand and placed on the table next to his. She flashed him a questioning smile. He took her hands and pulled her closer to him.

"Sara, I", he placed a gentle kiss on her lips and smiled. "I wanna make love to you, Sara. But I need to know that you are ok with everything and where you're at on this."

"I want that too." She pursed her lips in a grin. "But I think we should slow this down." His dissapointment was evident by the look on his face. "Gil, I love kissing you, touching you. But I want to be close to you emotionally as well. I don't want this to turn into an affair. I don't ever want to be without you in my life. Im playing for keeps here." She looked into his eyes, trying to read what he was thinking. "So, if that's not what this is to you...?"

"Sara...I want the same thing. I just happen to think we can get closer emotionally AND physically at the same time." He flashed a sexy grin at her.

"Griss!"

"What? Can't blame a man for trying."

She settled down next to him, nestling into his side, his arm around her.

"There is something else I need to know, Gil."

"What's that, dear." The pet name slipped out easily.

"Vincent Lurie."

"What? What about him?" He pulled back from her and she sat up.

"I heard what you said to him that day. About how you couldn't give up all you've worked for like he did." She sat looking him in the eye, trying to read his thoughts.

"Sara, I had no idea you heard that." He opened his mouth again to speak, but nothing came out.

"Gil, I need to know what changed. Jim and I had a discussion about it soon after that and he told me I was reading too much into it. Am I?"

"Sara...I was trying to identify with a suspect...and yes, I guess there was some truth to it. It wasn't able to give in to my feelings then. I didn't trust what I was feeling. What I've always felt for you." He sighed heavily.

"So, you aren't unsure anymore?"

"No, Sara, im not. As I sat here last week listening to you tell me about your parents, I realized how much trust you had in me, and...I lost the will to fight the doubts I had about us." He reached for her hands again, she didn't pull away.

"Im glad I told you. I had wanted to tell you for so long. Its not something I've ever told anyone before. People judge you by your past...but you never have."

"I don't judge you Sara. I care about you." He smiled softly at her.

She moved back to his side and put her arms around his middle. He pulled her close to his side and put his head on her hair, inhaling deeply. They sat there for a while, each lost in thought. Sara was starting to fall asleep, so Grissom made a decision.

"Sara, you need your sleep. Let me tuck you in. And if you want, I can stay." She gave him a worried look. "Just to hold you. I need to be near you. Please?"

"Ok. I'd like that." She smiled at him as she rose, taking his hand in hers. She led him into the bedroom. He kicked off his shoes and pulled the covers back, and removed his shirt and pants, leaving him in his boxers and undershirt. Sara, already in sweats and a tank top, sat down on the bed, watching him. He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She pulled him down next to her on the bed.

Sara stared into his blue eyes, still in a bit of unbelief in how fast all this was happening.

Gil interrupted her thoughts. "What did you say to Jim?"

Sara laughed and gave him a wide toothy smile. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Come on...what did you say about me?"

"Drop it Grissom...it was nothing really. He's always been the closest thing to a father for me. He looks out for me. He was the only one that noticed I had been turning to beer for support."

Grissom frowned at that. He hadn't been paying attention to her then, and had no idea what was going on with her until she got pulled over that night. Had he caused that pain? They had so much more to discuss. But he was tired. They had time to talk later.

"Gil? What are you thinking about?" She put her hand on his cheek. He looked up at her.

"Sorry, I was thinking..." He smiled. "I think we need sleep. We can talk some more later. Crawl in." He commanded as he patted the bed.

Sara obeyed and crawled into bed moving all the way to the other side giving Grissom room. He crawled in after her pulling up the covers over them both. They both moved closer to the middle, facing each other, their heads on their own pillow.

Sara put her hand on his bearded cheek. "Good night, Gil."

He put his hand on hers and brought it to his lips and kissed her palm. He rolled towards her and put his arm over her and pulled her closer to him. They were only a few inches apart now. He leaned in and kissed her softly, slowly.

"I cant believe Im allowed to do this now." He said between kisses down her neck.

Sara chuckled. "It is all a bit surreal. But nice. Mmmmmm" She laughed again.

"What is so funny?" He looked up at her.

"Your beard was tickling me." She gave him a sexy smirk. "Guess I'll have to get used to that."

"Guess so" He smiled and stroked her cheek. He laid his head back down on his pillow. "Good night, Sara. Sleep."

She did, her hands entwined with his.

This had been one eventful Monday.

A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!! Keep em coming!! :O) Hope this isn't too fluffy! They had to have had these types of conversations at some point, right? So, Please R&R!!