Author's Note: Okay, I'm going to try this again. I want to write something all of my WIPs at least once from now to midnight tomorrow and since I can't sleep (yet again), it's a good time to start.
Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"
The team was going out on the town.
They did it every couple of weeks but what was different was that Sara was coming too, a first in God knew how long. She had begged off after the Explosion, citing paperwork or that she was reading or cleaning, all were true but used as an excuse too. After everything with Lady Heather, she had shut down and become the sad, bitter person that they had grown used to, that she had grown used to being. But, now things were different.
She was in regular contact with her brother and there was a picture of her niece in her wallet, front and center.
She blasted and belted out rock with Greg in the lab and on the road.
She tossed a football around with Nick, perfecting her spiral and tackling him into the mud.
She hung around the piano store with Warrick, learning the basics of the instrument.
She went to the shooting range with Brass, blasting holes through Bozo or Chuck Norris with a grin.
She had gotten her nails done with Catherine and let her slowly but surely upgrade her wardrobe to something more fun and feminine.
And she had coffee with Grissom at the beginning of each shift. Sometimes they talked but most of the time, the silence was comforting and spoke of progress. She even let him hold her hand.
Sara was slowly but surely chipping away at her new cocoon, reopening up to her friends and family. Her impulsive flight had restored much of the fight in her and made her realize just how much she had shut people out, how alone she was.
She didn't want to be alone anymore.
"Hey.", Grissom greeted as he came into the locker room.
She smiled at him and continued brushing out her hair, detangling it. She had kept the length and had put away the straightening comb. Now, it was curly and free. Well, not now. She pulled it back into a bun and put a large clip in it with a fake sunflower on it.
The purple tank top she had on hugged her like a second skin and she actually had a skirt on. It was a black Gypsy skirt but still…a skirt! She slid her feet into her airwalks and turned around to face him as she pulled on her light green cardigan.
His gaze was hard and appreciative.
"You look beautiful. You'll knock them dead." he said shyly.
He really was trying…
"Nah, I'll leave that to Catherine. I'm going to dance…and hustle Greg out of his paycheck at the pool tables. You could watch if you want." she offered.
"I can't. Ecklie's on my ass about evals and Catherine said that if I left them for her again, she'd burn my house down… with me in it."
"That sounds like her. Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."
He nodded and looked back into his locker as she retreated.
Sara smiled as she felt his gaze on her behind and she put a little extra sway in for him.
This had been a great idea.
/
It had been an awesome time.
Not only had she gotten to hustle Greg but she had cleaned out some of Brass' boys too. She had been absolutely ruthless and instead of getting pissed, they had given her numbers. Of course, she wouldn't call any of them but still…
The music had been 80s, 90s retro and she had been on the floor until 1AM when they called it a night. Sara had come home happy, not broken down nor weary.
Now, she was showered and curled up on her couch, her journal in her hand…
…more progress. He actually noticed how I looked. He said that I looked beautiful!
It's funny. Other men have said that I was beautiful but none of them have ever made me see that they meant it like him. I'm trying not to get my hopes up but I can't help it. Grissom's really making an effort to figure out what "this" is and everyone can see it.
I got teased by Greg. You know, the K-I-S-S-I-N-G chant from elementary school (well, the F-U-C-K-I-N-G chant from 5th grade up)? Yeah, he went there. I guess he wouldn't be Greggo if he didn't bust left sometimes but it hadn't been nearly as hilarious as the others obviously found it…
Okay, yeah, it was. I damn near snorted the single beer I had out of my nose. Gotta love the little weirdo…
Anyway, I think it's time that I try to add some physical into the equation. I want him. And I know he wants me. The way he looked at me tonight proves that. But, I don't want to scare him off. This isn't some guy that I could just come up and kiss, it's Grissom…Grissom! The fact that he's bold enough to hold my hand in the Lab is the equivalent of him taking me on top of the Stratosphere…mmm…what was I writing about again?
Oh, yeah. Grissom. Physical stuff. Physical stuff that we should've been doing years ago…how am I going to do this?
Maybe the just come up and kiss him idea isn't such a bad one after all…