I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I meant to get this up sooner. Anyway, here it is now, the next part of the Home Series.

Dating Home
bahocean

Note: This one and the next part take place AT THE SAME TIME. Just to confuse you. Also, I have no idea if Rome HAS dinner cruises. For the sake of this story, we'll say it does.

"This one?"
"Nah, too old-looking."

"This one?"
"Not a chance."

"What about...?"
"You are so not a pimp-daddy, Grissom. Now quit it!"

Grissom looked over his glasses at the young brunette who didn't like his wardrobe. "I'm trying to find something Sara would like."

Dawn Summers, younger sister of Buffy, snorted. "She'd like you in anything...or no-"

"Dawn!" Giles had walked into the room, wearing the clothes that Dawn had finally deemed appropriate for him. He glared at her, and the littlest Summers subsided. Dawn smiled at her surrogate father, then at Grissom. "The beards look good on you."

"Thanks," both men chorused. Dawn giggled. She went to the closet and picked out a tie for Gil to wear. "This one will go best with your outfit. So where are you taking them?"

"Buffy and I are going out for dinner and a nightclub."

"Sara and I are going on a dinner cruise."

"Do you think she'll like it?" They again chorused. Dawn laughed at how much alike they sounded.

"And how long have you known them? They're with you. They'll have a blast. But they'll also enjoy the activities."

The two men relaxed. Giles had known Dawn since her inception into the world. Grissom had just met her, but Rupert had assured him that the Slayer's baby sister wouldn't steer them wrong.

He hoped.

Grissom and Sara walked to the boat, ready for dinner. Grissom gave his name to the host, and they were shown to their table.

They started talking, reminiscing about cases and their co-workers and other things in Las Vegas. They were interrupted by the waitress, bringing them a bottle of red wine and offering them a choice of meals.

Grissom had one glass, Sara two. "Don't you want more?" she asked.

"You're intoxicating enough for me."

Sara blushed, and finished her glass, before putting it aside for the water also present.

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"It's only flattery if it's not true."

"You're rapidly becoming good at this, Casanova."

Grissom and Sara left the boat after dinner, having shared a wonderful dinner. Sara had caused Grissom's blood pressure to rise wearing a Chinese-style red tunic and black silk slacks. She had pulled her hair back with chopsticks and looked delectable.

Gil had also wowed Sara with his black suit and tie and sharp red shirt, possibly inspired by the sneaky Dawn. His hair had some curl in it thanks to the wind and his beard tempted her to touch it.

So she did. He almost jumped out of his skin as he felt her hand on his skin. She smoothed her thumb against his whiskers. "It suits you," she said softly.

The words out of his mouth surprised both of them. "You suit me."

Sara was flattered...and flustered. Words and actions like this made it harder for her to resist him.

Not that she wanted to.

He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the palm, then the back.

"Care to dance?"

Buffy slipped into Sara's room after their respective dates had ended. It was three in the morning, but the Slayer and the graveyard-shift CSI weren't really tired.

"So? How was it?" Buffy asked eagerly.

Sara smiled. Buffy sounded like the high-schooler she had been when they first met. "Well..."

"Well?" Buffy was impatient.

"It was nice. Like I always hoped. That's the problem."

"Huh?"

"Gil Grissom is the only man I've wanted for so long, and now that I've finally given up, he's chasing me. It's like a dream."

"And you're afraid you're gonna wake up."

"Yup."

Buffy sighed. "Me too. After wanting Rupert, after everything we've been to each other, everything we've done to each other, we're dating. It's nice."

"We haven't had a lot of nice, have we?"

"No, we haven't."

Sara sighed. "I'm gonna enjoy it, though. I deserve it. So do you."

"Yep."

Both women smiled. "Did you enjoy the club?"

"Very much. Running into you guys was fun, too."

"Everyone was surprised by that one."

They laughed. Sara smiled. "So we had fun?"

"We had fun."

"Good."

End Dating Home

End Note: I prefer glimpses of the date, because to me, the WORDS are more important than where they went! Besides, we don't need a play-by-play. (ducks fruit)