PART 3: Back and forth
Chapter 8
Brian came out of his flat to start his morning run, he instantly recognized the blue and white bike standing on the parking lot and his face lit up in a big smile. It hadn't been before Sara came back for the seminar, he had realized how much he'd missed her. He was happy about her being back, but at the same time he couldn't stop wondering why. She had called to notify him that she was coming back, but typical to Sara there had been no explanation to why. On his way back he decided to pick up breakfast to them both; it had to be late last night when she got in, so she probably didn't have any food in her home.
Sara woke up to the smell of fresh coffee. At first, she almost panic, until she remembered where she was, she couldn't stop smiling she knew Brian was in the kitchen, they both had a key to each other home. She got out of bed and put on some more cloths and went down to the kitchen.
"Morning, something smells good in here," Sara yawned.
"Morning, thought I'd bring you breakfast, since you probably don't have any food in the house. When did you get here?"
"You're right, I think around 10pm. You were still up, but I was just too tired to come in" she said warmly.
Brian smiled, "its okay, I don't think I was awake anyway, I felt asleep in front of the TV, so ready to eat?"
"I'm starving," Sara said as she sat down.
"Good," Brian said sitting down, opposite of Sara. "Got any plans for today?"
"I have to go to the store for some groceries, but except for that, nope no plans."
"Great, I'm off tomorrow, so tonight we are going out celebrating your back. How is it to be back anyway?" He asked her.
Sara started laughing, "Brian I have been here for ten hours; slept for nine of them, don't you think it's a bit early to ask me that? But I have to admit, I missed my tub!"
"Okay," Brian grin, "I'll give you a day or two before asking again. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you're back, but why are you back and are it for good?"
Sara stopped laughing, "I don't know Brian, for now I'm on a six months leave to figuring out what to do with my life." Sofia immediately filling her thoughts, "I just don't know what to do, anymore!" Tears was slowly falling down Sara's cheeks, "I just feel so tired, -so lost, -so alone, all I know is, I had to get away from Vegas!" Sara said, letting her voice drift off.
Brian got up and walked over to Sara and bent down beside her and embraced her; Sara leaned in against him, resting her head on his shoulder letting the tears flow. For a long time none of them spoke; finally Sara sat up giving Brian a little smile.
"Sorry, didn't mean to ruin your morning; I don't know what's wrong with me" Sara sighed.
Brian smiled back, "I don't think there is anything wrong with you, and it's still a beautiful morning." he said emphatically. "So are we on tonight?"
"Sounds good, are you off so we can go get dinner first?"
"Yeah, I'm off around 5pm, but I have to go now, or I'll be late, will you be alright?"
"Yep I'll be fine; we'll meet at your place around 7pm. Now go and have a nice day, and be careful," Sara admonished.
Brian walked towards the door," see you later Sidle!"
"Later Brian, and thanks for breakfast."
"Anytime," he said closing the door behind him.
Sara got up, lit up a cigarette and went outside; the terrace was five yard wide and went all around the flat. From the west side of the terrace Sara had a view over the city, from east and north she could hear see and smell San Francisco Bay, looking to the south was Coit Tower surrounded by Pioneer Park, well, the park actually started at the end of her parking lot. At a very clear night, she could see the light from the Golden Gate Bridge, if she looked north/west. But the most magnificent view was at night looking south/west; there she could see the light in the two church tower of St. Peter & Paul Church. It was one of the most beautiful sights she'd ever seen!
Different kind of garden furniture was standing around the terrace; in front of the kitchen area, was a dinner table with some chairs a parasol and an outdoor grill. By the living room area, was some other chairs and a smaller table and a couple of deck chairs. On the other side in front of the "party room" were another table, and some five step relaxing chairs and a hammock. In the space between the terrace and the guard rail was standing a pavilion, which made it possible to sit outside, even after the dew was falling or on nights when the fog came in from the bay. Flowerpots, in all different sizes was standing all over the roof, and flower boxes was hanging on the guard rail, but a lot of the pots could really use some new flowers.
Sara went back inside, cleaned the morning table and went for a shower, after getting dressed she sat down and wrote down what she needed, and then she went shopping. She came down and went over to her bike, but with all the things she had to purchase, the bike wouldn't be the smartest thing to be driving, so she drove it down to the underground garage and went for her car instead. It was an old Ford, she had been about to replace it with a newer model, even before she went to Vegas. So she decided to go looking for a new one.
Sara first stop was in china town, she knew there would be a big flower emporium there, and there were a lot of other stores down there she wanted to visit. After being through most of china town Sara decided it was time for lunch. After eating she drove home to unload all her groceries, before going out looking for a new car.
Two hours and four car dealers later she was about to give up, maybe it would be easier finding one on the internet. She didn't know exactly what she wanted, only that it didn't have to be a large car, and she wouldn't mind if it could go off-road.
Before she left, Sara had frequently gone out hiking or rock climbing in one of the national parks surrounding Frisco. On her way home she drove by another car dealer.
Okay, absolutely last stop before I give up.
She went into the parking lot and stopped her car. As she exit the car a young man approached her.
"Hello and welcome, can I help you?" the young man asked.
"I don't know," Sara said. "I'm looking for a new car, but I haven't decided yet, what I want."
The young man smiled, "well, if you could tell me a little bit about, what you need the car to do for you, and if there is a price limit, then maybe, I can come up with some suggestions."
Sara told him her requirement to the car, and that the price wouldn't be the thing holding her back if it was the right car, but she did have her limit to how much a car could be worth. The young man kept smiling, mostly because he was sure about; they had the right car for her. But also because he was pretty impressed by her knowledge about cars, there was no way he would be fooling her around, hell he had no doubts she knew more about cars than he did.
"You know, I think, we have just the right car for you," he said, "if you will follow me?"
"Sure," Sara said, following the man inside to the showroom, hoping he was right.
"Well here it is," the young man said smiling.
Sara was now looking at a Red Rock Crystal Pearl Coat WRANGLER 2.8 CRD SPORT JEEP.
"It has Command-Trac 4 WD, which you can switch on an off, depending on you're driving road or off-road. It also have a built-in Rubicon which means, when you go off-road you can lock the front and back wheel axle, you can also disconnect the kraening`s-stabilizer electronic, and after that," the young man said with sparkling eyes. "Well, it's all about having fun!"
Sara was trying to keep a straight face but she was sold it was really a cool car; she looked at the young man. "Guess we better take it for a test drive to see if you're right," she said.
The young man went to get the key and off they went. After forty-five minutes they came back. Both of them went inside and Sara put down her signature and left the shop in her brand-new car.
Sara considered, whether she should take the car for a serious off-road trip, but decided that it had to wait, with the small fortune she had used on plants she'd better go home and get them planted out.
It was late afternoon before Sara was finished with her garden project, and she really needed a bath, and if she was to meet Brian at 7pm she might as well forget the drive today. On the other hand, Brian was off the next day so it could be they could take a trip together.
After showering, Sara put on a tank top and a pair of shorts; it was still too hot to have more on. She went into the office and turned on the laptop, she sat down and wrote an msn to Greg, just to let him know that she was okay, and explain why she had left without saying anything. She promised that she would write on a regular basis, and hoped he would answer back, which he did ten minutes later. After talking to Greg for awhile Sara closed the laptop and got up, it was about time to get dressed and go meet Brian.
When Sara entered Brian's condo she could hear the shower running, a beer was standing on the kitchen table, so she went to the fridge and got one herself. Sara was sitting on the couch reading in a magazine, when Brian came out.
Sara looked up from the magazine; "hi, did you have a nice day?"
"Yep, it has actually been quite a slow day, I guess, the heat has made people lethargy. How has your day been?"
"Expensive," Sara groan, "I've spend a small fortune on plants, oh, and I bought a new car!"
Brian withdrew his eyebrows, "it wouldn't happen to be, the red Jeep which is parked outside?"
Sara smiled, "Er… yeah it is."
Brian started laughing, "How many plants did you buy?"
"Huh?" Sara said totally confused.
Brian could hardly speak from laughing, "I know that car isn't cheap, but it's the plants what cost a fortune, so I just thought, exactly, how many plants you bought?"
Sara just rolled her eyes, "glad to see you find the whole thing so funny, keep that up, and I'll never let you borrow the car," she smirked.
"Sorry," Brian said, really trying to stop laughing. "Have you thought about where you'd like to eat?"
"I thought we could take the cable car down town, and just see what we can find."
"Sounds like a plan, are you ready to go?"
Sara got up, "sure lets go."
When they were seated in the cable car Sara turned to Brian.
"What about eating at Pat's Café down on Taylor Street? They always made great food, and it could be nice sitting outside. Well, if it still exists?"
"It does, we could take a table in the courtyard, since the weather is still fine" Brian suggested.
They were lucky as they arrived at the café; there were still a few vacant tables outside. After ordering food and white wine, Sara looked at Brian.
"So Brian, what have you been up too, while I've been gone?"
"Not much," but he nevertheless, began to talk about work, family, his hiking trips, and what he had been veins to go with. When he stopped talking, Sara frowns.
"What..! No love life," she said, "whatever, happen with David?"
Brian sighed, "cheating, I found him, in my bed, yeah well… with someone else, than me. After that I kind of lost faith in relationships, so from there on, it have only been one night stands" he explained.
"Sorry to hear that Brian, but don't give up," Sara started chuckling, "I'm sure that there is one for you somewhere out there, and since we're done eating, maybe, we should start looking," Sara said wriggling her eyebrows.
Brian started laughing, "Sidle don't you even think of helping, I still have nightmares over Leroy!"
Sara put on a stone face, looking very innocent. "What..? How was I to know, he was lightly body fixated… even if he didn't drink, smoked and only ate organic health products, and liked looking a lot at himself in the mirror. I just thought, it was a gay thing," Sara said eyes almost wet, from trying holding back the laughter.
Brian snort, "yeah right Sidle, keep trying, no, do me a favor, stay the hell away from my love life, I'm getting to old for your help!"
Sara threw herself back into the chair clutching her stomach, and burst into laughter remembering Leroy, she wasn't sure if there existed a word that quite could describe him. When Sara caught her breath again, she looked at Brian. "Okay okay I'll stay out" she said, "so, wanna go somewhere else?"
"I thought we could go down to the Crow Bar, I kind of promised Diana that I would bring you by."
"Whoa… does she still work there?" Sara asked surprised.
"Yes and no, she's the co-owner; her and Erick got married a few years ago."
"Good for her, he's a sweet guy. Let's go then" Sara said getting up.
They'd hardly made it through the door, before a voice sounded across the room. "Sara you're back!" Diana almost came running towards them, pulling Sara into a big hug. Diana took a step back, "I'm so mad at you, taking off without saying anything!" But before Sara could say anything she was pulled into another hug. "God, it's good to see you girl," Diana said, finally letting go of Sara.
"Good to see you to Diana, and I hear a congratulations is in order. Guess you finally got his attention!" Sara chuckled.
"Oh yeah, it took four years, but boy, is he worth it. So, how was Vegas Miss Investigator?"
"Interesting, I'd learned a lot, but unfortunately there's a lot more crime in Vegas than here, so all I did was work" Sara complained with a laugh.
"So no fun," Diana smirked, "what about… what was his name, the one you had the school crush on, the reason you left?"
Sara rolled her eyes, "you mean Grissom, well, guess he was the reason I left. But as I got to know him better, I realized we never would be good for each other so nothing ever happened. But we are very good friends, and I think the world of him."
"Oh… I see," Diana said arching an eyebrow, "and he was the only living human being in Vegas?"
Sara scowled, "You're still impossible." She let out a chortle and shook her head self-deprecatingly. "So what does a girl have to do, to get a drink?"
Diana started laughing, "Follow me to the bar. Bet I can come up with something."
Brian and Sara sat down at the bar, and kept talking with Diana for a while. After a couple of hours Diana was so busy they decided to move on.
Brian looked at Sara, "Your turn to decide where we are going."
Sara thought about it for a moment, "I don't know where people hang out now a day, or if the places we used to go still exist?"
"Fuse and Mix are still up and running," Brian said.
"I don't care, but I guess you prefer Mix, so let's go there."
Brian nodded; they said their goodbyes to Diana promising to come back again and left.
After entering the Mix, Sara turned to Brian. "A booth or the bar?" She asked.
"Booth, that way, I don't have to wash drinks off my shirt when I come home," Brian grinned.
After sitting down and ordering their drinks, Sara asked Brian, "still seeing anyone I know?"
"Yeah, pretty much everyone, I think, you're the only one who disappeared. Oh, and just so you know it, many of your friends are still disappointed and surprised over the way you disappeared, without saying goodbye. But I think they'll forgive you in time," Brian's innocent look didn't cover his obvious teasing.
Sara looked down on her drink; "guess it wasn't the smartest way of leaving ...huh!"
Brian shook his head, "nay… But I think everyone knew why you left."
They locked gaze, and as in one voice they both said Grissom before bursting into laugher, therefore none of them ever saw her coming!
Jodie almost choked on her drink when her eyes spotted Sara Sidle sitting in a booth; she had to blink a few times before actually believing her own eyes. It was Sidle alright, sitting and talking to Brian; Jodie put her drink down on the bar and went over to the booth.
Before Sara knew what had happened, her upper body was lying on the bench, with a woman on top of her!
"Crazy geek" you're back, why haven't you called me? When did you come back? How were Vegas?" Bla bla… Jodie didn't stop asking questions before she had to breathe.
Sara quickly restored from the shock Jodie had given her, and she started laughing again.
"Well, if you get off me and let me get some air, then maybe I will answer some of your questions." Sara said with a wicked grin.
Jodie started grinning, "Get off you? No I don't think so, you probably just ran out on me again," but she got up anyway.
Sara got back in a sitting position. "Great to see you too, I just got back yesterday, Vegas was fine, hot as hell but fine. What have you been up to?"
"Nothing, just sitting home missing you terribly," Jodie said, trying to keep a straight face but failing big time.
Sara just rolled her eyes, "yeah right… And snow is green… try again!" She said expectantly, a playful grin spreading across her features.
Jodie shrugged, "still have the same job, living in the same flat, and feasts the same places, but it's true I have missed you, it hurt the way you just left without saying a word."
"Yeah, sorry about that, everything just happened so fast and before I knew it, so much time had passed, it just felt stupid trying to contact you," Sara said, dropping her eyes quickly.
Jodie flashed a full smile at her. "Guess, we all knew why you left, so was he worth it?"
"If we're talking work definitely, I don't think I could have learned so much anywhere else. But relationship material, no, we are way too similar. We would never be good for each other; it just took me a long time realizing it."
"Yooh… Sidle, when did you come back? Brian, have you been holding out on us?" Leo pulled Sara to her feet and gave her a big hug. "God, I'd missed you girl, it so good to see you again," he said, smiling when he gave her a puzzled look.
Sara hugged him right back, "missed you too Leo," and she had, in so many ways he reminded her so much of Greg. Leo, just like Greg, still had that innocence thing around him, and he was always in a good mood. They released each other and both sat down.
The booth was quietly being filled up with old friends, there was Anna, and old work colleague, Mary, one of Jodie's friends, Steven, Brian's kid brother, Helen, one of Sara's hiking friends, and Robert, Brian's oldest friend, they went all the way back to high-school. And two new faces, well at least, Sara didn't knew them, but everyone was having fun, drinking, -laughing, -dancing and some more drinking.
"So seeing anyone crazy geek?" Jodie asked, her fingers slowly making small circles up and down Sara's thigh.
Sara closed her eyes. An image of Sofia immediately flashed around Sara's retina, she shook her head and opened her eyes and looked into Jodie's very green eyes. "Nope, not seeing anyone, you?"
Jodie cleared her throat, taking a long sip of beer. "Nope, can't say I am."
Their eyes locked neither of them needed to speak; both of them knew what was going to happen there was nothing new to it. They both knew they would never be in a relationship together. But that had never prevented them for enjoying each other, whenever they both were available. The sex had always been good, and it had never interfered with their friendship, so none of them had ever found a reason not to do it.
When the club closed Brian was nowhere to be found, so Sara and Jodie took a cab back to Sara's condo. Well inside the apartment Jodie went straight to the bathroom, Sara just started laughing, she knew exactly what was going on; Jodie had always been crazy about the bathtub. Sara just stood waiting, and sure enough it didn't take long before a voice called out.
"Crazy geek, are you coming? I want some company in the tub."
Sara went down to the bathroom, the only light on was the ones in the tub, she slowly began to undress, Jodie following her every move.
"You are still a very beautiful woman Ms. Sidle," Jodie said, "but you have lost weight while being in Vegas!"
Sara didn't replied, she just bent down and kissed Jodie while lowering herself into the tub, they pulled back from the kiss to suck in a lungful of oxygen, as they opened their eyes Sara locked gaze with Jodie.
"I'm sorry I left without letting you know," Sara said, "You deserved better than that!"
Jodie smirked, "it's okay crazy geek, think I'd always known that if you ever left, that would be the way you do it, isn't it -what make us, -this work, no strings attached?"
"Yes, but you deserved better, as a friend," Sara sighed.
"Yeah, yeah whatever, but you're here now, and my lips are starting to get very dry," Jodie growled impatiently.
A devilish smile formed around Sara's lips, she lowered her head and momentarily sucked on Jodie's lips, before she began to nibble a trail from Jodie's earlobe and down along the side of her neck. The sensation of Sara's lips wrapping around one of Jodie's nipples almost made her jump out of the tub; Sara slowly kissed her way across the chest to the other nipple, before kissing her way back up to Jodie's mouth.
Sara finally broke the kiss and leaned back, "wanna get out of here?"
Jodie just murmured something, but followed Sara out of the tub. Sara wrapped a towel around herself; afterwards she wrapped on around Jodie and began to dry her off while guiding her towards the bedroom.
As they reached the bed, Sara let both towels fall to the floor, and let her hands roam down Jodie's back and further down to caress her firm ass, while her mouth was kissing its way down Jodie's neck over the collarbone and further down, until her mouth closed over one nibble. Sucking lightly, earned her a deep moan from Jodie. Sara released the nibble only to pay attention to the other one, before kissing her way back up capturing Jodie's lips in a deep hungry kiss.
Sara slowly pulled back and pushed Jodie down on the bed, she lowered herself on top of her. Their thighs intermingled, and their hands finally touched one another simultaneously where they craved them the most. Trusting and gasping in desperate unison, they finally pushed each other over the edge. Sara rolled off Jodie and cuddled up beside her, and soon after both women was deep asleep.
Sara was the first to wake up; she eased herself out from under the covers, put some clothes on and went to the kitchen to make some coffee, soon after she could hear the shower running. Jodie entered the kitchen, poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down beside Sara.
"Morning" Jodie mumbled softly.
"Morning, slept well?" Sara asked smiling.
"Lovely, how long have you been up?"
Sara shrugged pleasantly. "Not long, still at my first cup. So are you working today?"
"Yeah, have to go when I finish my coffee, better go home and changes clothes first."
Jodie got up, put her mug into the sink, went over and gave Sara a light kiss.
"Guess, I'll see you later," she said walking towards the door.
"Sure later," Sara replied with a smile and a little hand wave.
Sara poured herself another cup of coffee, before she went outside to enjoy the sun.
Tbc…