Chapter Twenty-Two
Jim Brass stared at the tiled ceiling of his hospital room. The doctors had moved him out of ICU and into a regular room. His pain was less but it was enough that he still needed the heavy stuff to fall asleep and rest. So, he took advantage of the offer and tried to sleep. He would probably need to spend a few more days before he could return home, so he might as well give in and try to heal.
Home. That was a word that was supposed to bring comfort, right? His mind whirled about all that had conspired over the past week. The shooting, almost dying, his daughter showing up and then abandoning him when he was finally on the road to recovery. But he had his friends.
He had formed a bond with the members of the CSI night shift, especially Gil Grissom. He was the most trustworthy, smart and unwavering person he knew. Sure they didn't really spend a lot of time together, but they had an understanding, a trust. Then there was Sara. She was more of a daughter to him now than Ellie ever would be. Jim yawned trying to fight off the sleep.
Once their leader, now their friend. He liked it being the team's friend. He smiled as he remembered the looks of joy and the hugs they all gave when he first woke up. He closed his eyes, giving in, and let the pain medicine take him adrift to the shores of sleep.
A while later, he didn't know just how long, he heard hushed tones. He recognized Sara's voice. He willed his eyes to open but they just fluttered and shut again. Later, he tried to open his eyes. He felt the presence of people in his room but heard nothing. He turned his head, willing his eyes to cooperate. He fluttered once then twice, then drifted off again. A while later, he thought he heard Sara again. He opened his eyes but she was not there. He turned his head slightly, witnessing a truth he had suspected existed a long time ago. As he drifted off to sleep, he heard Gil's voice in the distance saying "he'll wake up soon".
"Did he just open his eyes?" Sara unwound her hands from Gil's and got up to stand next to Jim's bed. "Hey! Jim?" She whispered gently. "Guess not." She shrugged her shoulders and resumed her position next to Gil. He took her hand into his left one and wrapped his right arm around her shoulders. Sara leaned in and gave Gil a gentle kiss and smiled.
"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'm sure its just the pain medicine working. He'll wake up soon." Gil rubbed her shoulder in gentle circles, comforting her. This had been hard on Sara, more than she let on even to him. She looked up to Jim. He had always been there for her, looking out for her. What more could some one ask of in a friend? Sure they didn't go to movies or dinners like Greg had assumed, but they were good friends nonetheless.
"Hey, lovebirds." A raspy voiced Jim stated a few minutes later. Sara smiled and got up and pulled her chair closer to Jim. She took his hand in hers and smiled at him.
"You're awake."
"Yeah, looks that way. Sorry to interrupt." He lightly chuckled at the look on her face.
"What? What would you be interrupting?" Sara looked over at Gil who just shrugged his shoulders.
Two nurses entered the room, checking Jim's vitals and getting him some water and asking about his pain. They were soon gone, leaving Jim more alert and awake. He looked over to Gil and Sara who sat in chairs next to one another. They had been holding hands earlier. He swore he saw Sara kiss Gil. But now, they sat a couple feet apart, not touching, just the same as always.
"You know, I don't bite." Jim waved his hand in indication that they move closer to his bed.
Sara smiled at him and got up to move closer. Gil followed right behind her. Sara took Jim's hand in her grasp and smiled at him.
"Im glad you didn't lose your sense of humor." Sara chuckled.
They sat with Jim for a while, talking about sports, weather and work. When Jim winced in pain, Sara knew he needed his rest and probably some more pain medication. They called in the nurse who promptly gave him his dose of pain medicine.
"Well, before you drift off to never land. We are gonna go." Sara squeezed Jim's hand and motioned to Gil with a wave of her hand.
"Your place or his?" Jim stated sarcastically as he drifted off to sleep.
Several months later, Jim Brass sat in his office staring at the plaque he'd been awarded. Hero. Far from it in his opinion. It was a reminder of one the stupidest days of his life. That's what he had told Warrick when he stopped by. He took a swig of his coffee and put the plaque back in his drawer.
"Hey." Sara Sidle leaned against the doorframe of Jim's ofice.
"Hey, kiddo. What's up?"
"Well, I came to congratulate my favorite hero."
"Enh! You know I am no such thing." He waved her off as he spoke.
"Well, you'll always be my hero." She smiled at him. "Hey, uh, you wanna join us tomorrow? We try to get together a couple times a month to unwind. Its my turn to pick the place. Greg and Warrick are on duty, but me, Catherine, Nick and Gil will be there. It would be great if you'd join us."
"Gil, huh?" He eyed her suspiciously.
"Yeah, I know it seems out of character for him, but he's made an effort to join us more often. He even showed up at a country bar in his straw hat!"
"Well, that's all well and good but, uh, I was referring to you calling him Gil, not Grissom." Jim just stared at her, eyebrows raised in question.
"Oh, uh. Did I call him Gil? HUH!"
"Yeah, you did." Jim chuckled.
"Well, it is his name." Sara had no idea how to respond to this line of questioning. She couldn't very well tell him that it made Gil hot to hear her call him by his given name, especially in moments of passion. She unknowingly smiled.
"Well, uh, tell GIL I will be there. Where we going?"
"Oh, uh. There's a new place I thought we would try." She handed him the address she had written on a piece of paper. "We're meeting up around 9pm. They have good food and a dance floor and DJ. It's a retro 80's night. Not like the techno places Greg always wants to pick."
"Well, sounds good. I'll see you there."
After shift, Grissom decided to stop by Jim's office. He brought him a bottle of his favorite Scotch to congratulate him. As he approached his office, Grissom noticed Jim staring off into space, a glass of scotch already in his hand.
"Hey. Need a refill?" Gil held up the bottle for Jim to see and smiled at him.
"OOH! The good stuff!" He took the bottle from Gil's grasp and smiled. "You partaking with me?"
"Yeah. Congratulations." Gil sat down in a chair opposite Brass.
"Engh!" He shrugged his shoulders and poured himself and Gil a hearty glass full. Gil took the glass from Jim and gulped down a large portion.
"So, uh, I hear you decided to not display your trophy." Gil eyed him speculatively.
"Well, word gets around, huh?" He just smiled and took a swig of his scotch.
"People just care."
"Wow. That's kinda deep coming from a guy who gets excited about bugs crawling all over a severed head." Jim smiled at him. Gil nodded and downed the last of his scotch. Jim immediately refilled his glass. If he got Gil drunk enough, maybe he'd loosen up and fill him in on what was really going on with him and Sara.
"Look, Jim, I know I'm not good with people." He paused for a moment, sipping his drink. "But I have been trying to be better at the personal stuff. Relating to people on a deeper level."
"Yeah, that's good. So, uh, does this have to do with a certain leggy brunette we all know and love?" Jim chuckled at the look of shock on Gil's face. He wished he'd had a camera right then.
Grissom sat up in his chair leaning into Jim's desk. "Ever since our team was broken up and Nick was abducted...I've just felt that they don't realize how much they do mean to me. Then when Sara was held at the mercy of that psycho." He got a far off look on his face. It was a look that Jim had seen before. The time Gil came out from his hour long walk through of a crime scene. He stepped outside and had this expression that was so intense, and it was focused on Sara. When Jim finally got a glimpse of Debbie Marlin, he understood that look.
"Look, Gil. You're human. We all know that. But it's good you're making an effort to connect with the team. And I am equally glad I am invited along." Jim raised his glass and took a swig.
"Oh! Uh, did Warrick invite you?"
"Oh, come on, GIL! Sara did. But you probably already know that." He laughed out at Gil.
"Well, then.." Gil downed the last of his scotch and stood. "Guess I will see you tomorrow night."
"You can count on it!" Jim called after him. So much for getting the truth. But there's always tomorrow!
Gil walked into the establishment that Sara had picked for their monthly get together. It seemed like a nice place. There was a restaurant area and a lounge/bar area. They were to meet up in the lounge. Sara had left his house early to get ready at her place and wanted to meet him here, so as to not stir up any rumors. They decided a while ago, that it was best to keep their relationship a secret, and so far, they had avoided any major issues.
"HEY GRISS!!" Nick called to Gil from a table on the far end of the room, near the dancefloor. Nick smiled and waved him over. The room was filled with music, but not so loud you couldn't hear. He noticed Catherine talking to the DJ, flirting with him. There weren't many patrons, but this being Vegas, Gil was sure that it would be crowded within the next hour or so. As he approached the table, he noticed that Sara was talking to a gentlemen at the bar. As he walked by her, he smiled politely but kept going towards Nick.
"Hey, Gil! Glad you made it!" Catherine walked towards him and followed him over to sit with Nick at the table.
"So, I hear Jim's going to be joining us." Nick commented.
"Yeah. He never does anything withus anymore. When he was the boss, he'd meet up at Franks
with us every now and then. Now, NADA!" Catherine commented as she eyed Sara and the tall, dark and handsome suit that was chatting her up.
"Well, I'm glad Sara invited him." Nick sipped his beer and eyed Grissom. He was sitting there silently, his back to the bar and the scene that was unfolding.
"Hey, kids!" Jim Brass slapped Gil on his shoulder and took a chair next to him. "How is everyone this fine night?"
They all greeted one another and ordered a round of drinks. As they sat silently, listening to the 80's music that was playing, Grissom glanced over at Jim as he was taking off his tie and undoing the top button of his shirt. It had him thinking about his conversation with Greg at the hospital when Jim was in surgery.
"Do you always wear suits, Jim?" Brass just stared at Gil and shoved his tie into his jacket pocket. Why in the world would he ask such an off the wall question? He most likely had a reason, so, why not have some fun?
"As a matter of fact, yes. But not to bed." Nick and Catherine chuckled. Grissom just laughed and told them about the conversation he and Greg had months earlier. A few minutes later, Jim grinned wickedly at Gil, leaned in to his ear and whispered, "Do you always ignore the fact that your girlfriend is being hit on?"
Gil turned his head so fast, Jim thought he must surely have suffered whiplash. His eyes were wide and he raised his eyebrows. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.
"Well, that answers my question." Jim chuckled and sipped his scotch.
"Jim." Gil warned him. "You're way off on this."
"OOH! Come on Nicky!" Catherine jumped up and grabbed Nick. They headed out to the dance floor with the few other couples dancing. Gil smiled at the duo who were trying to do their best impression of some 80's dance moves.
"Hey, guys!!" Greg sat down next to Jim. He looked him up and down then smiled at Grissom.
"Yes, but not to bed." Grissom stated matter of factly.
"Huh? You asked him?" Greg laughed and looked around the room.
"Greg, aren't you on call tonight?" Gil knew he was.
"Yeah, but its only 9:30. I'm not on for another 2 and a half hours." He shrugged his shoulders. "But don't worry. I'm not drinking anything but soda."
"GREG! Hey!" Sara went up to Greg and he stood to wrap her up into a warm hug. "Aren't you on call, Greggo?"
"Yes, but, uh, apparently he's only drinking soda for the next 2 and a half hours." Gil's mocking tone was not lost on Sara. She just chuckled and walked over to Jim and placed a hand on his shoulder, then sat in the chair next to him, across from Gil.
"I am so glad you made it, Jim!" Sara gave him a wide smile.
"Thanks for inviting me. So far it's been. Well, it's been educational." He grinned at her. Sara just raised her brow in question.
"Apparently Greg and Gil like to discuss my wardrobe." He just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
"Really?" Sara looked over at Greg. He just laughed and said "long story".
Nick and Catherine joined the group at the table after a few dances. They were sweaty and out of breath as they downed the remainder of their drinks. "REFILL!" Nick yelled as he headed to the bar.
"Only soda for Greg, Nick!" Sara yelled after him.
"Thanks, Sara." Sara smiled at him. The DJ announced the next song and Sara jumped up! "OH! I LOVE this song! Who's dancing with me?" She immediately looked to Gil. But he just sipped his scotch with a scowl on his face.
"Not me!" Jim held up his hands in protest.
"Greggo?" Sara turned to Greg, who was already up and smiling wide at her.
Sara and Greg made their way to the dance floor. They were both good dancers and had a love of 80's music. Nick smiled as he approached the table with three beers and a coke. He set them down and pulled Catherine up towards the dance floor.
"So, Gil, you wanna?" Jim motioned towards the dance floor, smiling.
"Ha ha, Jim." Gil was NOT amused.
Jim ordered He and Gil another round of drinks and sat beside each other silently sipping their drinks and watching the other members of the team as they danced. Well, Gil watched Sara, and Jim watched Gil watch Sara. Who was Gil kidding? The look on his face was of a man in love. What Jim didn't understand, was why he chose to hide it from the rest of the team. Or Sara for that matter. He knew they were getting closer, but how close he wasn't really sure. But after Gil's reactions tonight, he had a feeling that it was way past the just sleeping together phase. And judging by the way that Sara was looking at Gil, it wasn't a one sided thing. So, that only left the logical conclusion of a somewhat involved relationship.
"Hey, Bugman! Dance with me!" Sara was there suddenly at Grissom's side, pulling him out of his seat. A slow song was playing and Gil begrudgingly followed her onto the floor. But as soon as they hit the floor and started to fade in among the bodies of the other couples Gil smiled and pulled her close as she threw her head back and laughed. Jim smiled. They really did fit well together. When they were ready, they would tell the group about their relationship. Jim had a feeling that it wouldn't be that big of a shocker to the rest of the team. Well, maybe Greg. He did always have eyes for Sara.
Catherine sat down next to Jim and followed his line of vision. She smiled. Ah, yes. The geek duo. They were perfectly suited for one another and everyone knew it - except for them. Jim looked at Catherine and smiled. She smiled back knowingly.
Yeah, Jim Thought, they all knew it too.
A/N: So, im sitting here at a picnic table at a campground writing the rest of this story. My family thinks Im a little too obsessed with CSI, but I don't think so. I mean, what's better than the gentle lapping of waves and a campfire to ignite your imagination about Gil and Sara? Hehehee. Well, this chapter was hard to write. I felt I was going in too many directions, so I just ended it. But I wanted to get in what Brass was thinking and maybe had seen. So, please leave a review not that you read it. Hopefully will have a new and exciting and funny chapter within the next week! LOVE YA!! Wendy