Chapter Twelve
Catherine took her seat on the aisle. She was sitting next to Grissom, who was seated next to Sara. Davis from the Day Shift sat in front of them. She looked over at Sara, then Grissom. Sara stared out the window. Gil smiled at Catherine and buckled his seat belt as they waited for the plane to take off.
"So, this should be fun. Getting out of Vegas for a few days." Catherine looked to Gil and Sara.
"Yeah. I think so." Grissom fidgeted in his seat.
"Yeah. Never can tell what will happen at these Conferences." Sara said with a sarcastic grin. Grissom tried to hide his smile, but catherine noticed his slight grin.
"Hey, Davis!" Catherine leaned forward so he could hear her.
"Yeah?" His face peered over the top of the seat.
"Looking forward to this?"
"Yeah! I've never been to a Forensics Conference. Is it fun?"
"Yeah, Davis. It can be." Catherine leaned closer and whispered, "Just be careful who you hook up with. If you're into that."
He smiled at her and chuckled. "Nah. Got a wife and two year old at home. I'm in this purely for the science."
"Well, that's good." Davis turned back around and put his headphones on.
"I can't wait to see Linda." Catherine laid her head back against the seat and sighed.
"Linda?" Gil looked over at her, eyes wide.
"Yeah, Linda Hanson, well not Hanson anymore. It's now Emerson."
"Oh." Gil stared off into space. Sara eyed him suspiciously.
"You DID know she's one of the main presenters, right?" Catherine was grinning wide.
"No! I mean, Yes, I saw Linda Emerson, but I failed to make the connection."
"Ah, I see." Catherine looked over at Sara. She was flipping through a magazine, acting totally uninterested in the conversation. RIGHT! "Is that going to be a problem for you, Gil?"
"No. No. That's old news, Catherine."
"Yeah." Catherine smiled to herself and closed her eyes as the plane took off.
Sara sat silently next to Grissom, listening to his conversation with Catherine. Gil looked over at her, knowing she would have questions. He looked sideways at Catherine to make sure she was sleeping then slowly slid his hand over to Sara's knee. He smiled at her as she held his gaze. He leaned in close to her ear. "I'll explain later."
Sara just looked at him and gently smiled. "There's no need to explain." Sara had gotten a blanket from the Flight Attendant and now covered herself with it. Gil grinned at her and leaned closer, pulling the blanket over both of them, covering their joined hands. Sara gently squeezed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. Gil sighed as he closed his eyes, letting sleep overtake him.
"Hey! Sleeping Beauty! Our flights landing in a few minutes." Catherine shook Grissom gently. Gil opened his eyes to a smiling Catherine. Sara was leaning her head against his shoulder. She woke slowly when Gil stirred.
"Are we landing?" Sara sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Yeah, soon. Did you sleep well?" Catherine was smiling coyly at her.
"Yeah. Sorry, Griss." She looked apologetically at Gil.
"Oh, uh. No problem." He folded the blanket and sat up straight.
Once they landed and grabbed their luggage, they called for a hotel shuttle. Twenty minutes later they were checking in to their hotel.
"Four rooms under Gil Grissom, Las Vegas Crime Lab."
"Yes, sir. Here we are. We have one room on the 4th floor and three on the 5th floor. Two of those are adjoining."
"That's fine." He handed her his credit card and leaned in so no one would hear. "Which two are adjoining?"
"That would be rooms 515 and 517, Sir." She handed him his card and receipt and room cards. He kept the two adjoining room keys for himself and Sara, handing room 514 to Davis.
"And Cath, your by yourself on 4." He handed her the room card.
"Fine with me." She took the key and headed for the elevators. Davis followed her close behind.
Gil waited until they were out of voice range and whispered to Sara.
"Your room key, my Dear." He smiled mischievously at her.
"Thanks." She furrowed her brow at him, wondering what he was up to.
Sara opened her room door, noticing Davis entered the room across from hers and Gil had the one next to hers. Well, at least Catherine's on a different floor.
Sara put her suitcase on her bed and began to hang up her clothes when she heard a knocking sound. She went to the door. No one was there. She realized that the knocking was from the door inside her room. She opened the adjoining room door to a smiling Gil Grissom.
"Well, you are a sneaky one, Dr. Grissom." Sara wrapped her arms around his neck, placing a wet opened mouth kiss on his lips.
"Hmmmm." Gil moaned and pulled her into his room, spinning her around towards the bed.
"Gil. Gil." She managed between kisses. "Don't - Have - Time." He let her go reluctantly. They had to go to the Meet N Greet at 6pm. It was now 5:50pm. Gil looked at his watch and sighed.
"Ok. Well, freshen up so we can get this over with."
"Not looking forward to seeing Linda?" She pursed her lips at him jokingly.
"Sara. Look. It was a long time ago."
"Gil, it's fine. I'm just giving you a hard time" She wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him close. They stood there that way for a few minutes, enjoying their moment alone. "I better go get ready." She smiled up at him and placed a quick kiss on his lips.
Sara entered meeting room C alone. They thought it would be better to enter alone. Davis sat with Catherine and another woman about Catherine's age at a table off to the side near the back of the room. Davis saw her and waved. He stood up and pulled out her seat for her.
"Such a gentleman, Davis. Thanks." Sara sat down, laughing at his galantry.
"Hey, Sara. This is Linda Emerson. Grissom's old flame." Catherine laughed.
"Nice to meet you, Linda." Sara shook her hand across the table.
"Catherine refuses to let the whole Grissom thing go. It was so long ago. We went on, what, four dates?" She laughed. "And I am not sure if collecting butterflies really constitutes a date anyway."
"Well, you know, Gil. If bugs are involved, he thinks it's the best thing in the world." Catherine laughed then quickly stopped as Gil approached.
"Were you laughing at me?" Gil pulled out the chair next to Sara and sat down. "Hello, Linda."
"Hello, Gil. You're looking well." She smiled sweetly at him. "Like the scruff."
"Oh, yeah. Had this for a few years now." He rubbed his beard. Sara gently smiled.
"Wow, Dr. Grissom without a beard. I cant imagine that!" Davis commented.
"Yeah, well, he has a somewhat handsome face under there." Linda smiled at him. Gil just shifted nervously in his seat.
They ate, drank and talked for hours. Gil, Linda and Catherine telling stories from their early days of working together.
"So, Gil. Whatever happened between you and that woman you met at a conference? Where was it? San Diego? San Francisco?" Linda waited for his answer. Sara took a drink to hide her smile.
"What?"
"Yeah, I remember you came back from some conference. It was my last week at the lab, but everyone was talking about a hickey on your neck." Catherine laughed out loud while Sara tried to not choke on her drink.
"Whoa! Dr. Grissom!" Davis smiled at him. "Who was she? Is she here?"
"Uh, well...lets not go there, ok?" Gil turned red and got up to get another drink from the bar.
"What's that all about?" Linda asked Catherine.
"Well, you know, Gil. Privacy and all."
"So, it didn't end well?" Linda was intrigued. She was especially intrigued at Sara's reaction. She had turned a shade of red darker than Gil. Was she the one?
"Well, He never really said who it was. But, uh, Sara? Wasn't that when you first met Gil?"
"Uh, yeah. I think so." Sara looked at her empty glass. "Im, uh, going to get another drink."
Once Sara had left, Catherine motioned for Davis and Linda to lean in closer to hear. "Now, they have never said, but I KNOW it was Sara."
"Really?" Davis was in shock. "I mean, up until recently, it seemed they didn't even get along that well. But, then again, I've only been in Vegas for three years."
"Yeah, well. He brought her here to investigate Warrick after a fellow CSI was shot. And she stayed. I think they had a little fling. But that was seven years ago. And like you said, Davis, they weren't on the best of terms after a short while. And both of them have dated. So, who knows with those two."
"Well, that's very interesting." Linda smiled and sat back.
"What's interesting?" Gil sat down with his drink.
"Oh, uh, nothing."
"Right. I know you, Catherine. It's never nothing." She just smiled at him, not saying a word.
"Well, kids, I think it's time this old woman got some sleep." Linda got up and pushed her chair in just as Sara sat back down at the table. "It was nice to meet you Mr. Davis, Sara."
"Good Night." They all chanted as she walked away.
"Well, Im off too. I'm not used to the late hours like you guys." Davis walked behind Grissom and leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Don't let the women get to you."
"Thanks." He smiled at Davis, then at Sara and Catherine.
"Well, that was nice, huh? Seeing Linda again?" Catherine asked of Gil.
"Yeah. She looks good. I guess marriage agrees with her." Gil sipped his drink, casting sideways glances at Sara.
"Well, except she's now divorced."
"Oh, well. That's too bad."
"Well, she seems nice. I can't wait to hear her lecture tomorrow." Sara said as she smiled at Gil.
"Speaking of - I think it is about time I tried to get some sleep too. 8am Comes too early." Catherine said her Good Night and left.
"Well, Ms. Sidle. I think its about time we turned in as well."
"Yeah? Well, ok. I think my boyfriend is expecting to hear from me soon anyway."
"He is, huh?"
"Yeah. He can be a bit needy sometimes." She smiled at him.
"Needy? That doesn't sound like someone you would be involved with. Maybe he just can't keep his hands off of you."
"Hmmm. Maybe." They stared at each other for a few more moments before silently making their way to the elevators.
Once on their floor, Sara and Gil entered their respective rooms from the hallway. After changing into her favorite sweats and t-shirt, Sara joined Gil in his room, leaving the adjoining door open. She crawled up onto the King Size bed next to him and hugged his side.
"So. That was Linda." She was making idle patterns on his chest with her fingertips.
"Yeah." He hugged her closer to his side.
"She seems nice."
"Sara. You have nothing to worry about."
"I know. But, uh, you didn't hear what comments were made once you left."
"What did Catherine say about me?"
"Well, she didn't really say it, but she IMPLIED that I was the women you met in San Francisco that gave you the hickey."
Gil laughed. "Well, Honey, you were!"
"Well, I KNOW THAT! And YOU know that. But how does SHE know that?" Sara sat up next to him on the bed waiting for an answer.
"Look, you know how news travels around the lab. Warrick saw my little love bite and the word spread within minutes."
"Do you think they suspect something now?"
"No. I know Catherine. She loves to see me squirm. She's probably been waiting seven years to use that incident against me."
"So, uh, now I'm and incident?"
"Sara..."
"Gil, I'm joking. Besides...we don't need Catherine's approval."
"No. We definitely DO NOT!" He tugged her down next to him on the bed. "Let's forget about her and all the others and just enjoy this time."
"Mmmmmm." Gil was placing light kisses down her neck. "I think that's the best idea you've had all day."
"Yeah?" He smiled as he kissed his way up to her ear. "I have a few more..."
A/N: Hope you liked the chapter. I'm trying to keep this story light and angst free, so sorry if that disappoints anyone. Hehehe. Please leave a review! I love reviews!