January 2006

Three months later and things between Sara and Grissom were still a little rocky. He was distant and emotionally unavailable and while Sara was doing everything in her power to maintain her patience and understanding, it was wearing thin.

She was spending a lot of time with Greg which was nice. She was unofficially charged with mentoring the green CSI and keeping an eye on him at crime scenes. A task she didn't much mind. She and Greg had a great working relationship that often bled outside of work. The two were often seen sharing breakfasts together after shift.

That night they were investigating the murder of a motocross racer who was stabbed in the garage of his girlfriends house. Sara and greg took the upstairs, inspecting the bathroom and bedroom. Even when she was on cases with Grissom, she didn't seem him often. Only when relaying evidence and findings or working a theory.

At this moment, Sara relayed her findings from the ink on the work order.

"It's like thermite." Grissom spoke.

"Thermite?"

"When you combine two seemingly harmless elements—Aluminum and rust. Press them together, add heat, it creates an explosion so hot it can burn through steel. Powerful but uncontrollable. It burns and burns until it burns itself out. Finally consuming both elements." He shrugged modestly.

"I guess some people just shouldn't be together." Her voice was even keeled and directly aimed at him. His eyes darting back to her to see that he heard her correctly. A look of fear seemed to wash over his face.

Later that night Grissom watched as Sara made her way out of the lab. He followed after her.

"Sara!"

She turned to see Grissom walking toward her and stopped.

"You heading out?"

"I am."

"I'll walk with you." She nodded in agreement as they walked out the lab together.

He took a look around before talking, "Are we good?"

"Of course." She smiled.

He placed his fingers together awkwardly. "Okay, good. good. So... that comment earlier, in layout...that wasn't directed at me?"

"About people who shouldn't be together?"

"Yeah..."

"Was your comment on thermite about us?"

"No."

"Then no." She smiled. She watched as relief washed over his face.

"You hungry?"

"I could eat."

He placed his hand on the small of her back as they walked through the garage to their cars. She leaned into him slightly, feeling his warmth comfort her. They arrived at her and he reached around her to open the drivers door. She slipped inside as he gently closed it behind her.

"Coming over?"

She thought a moment, "Okay, I just need to grab some things from my place. I never have enough time before work to stop back."

He nodded, "I'll see you in a bit."

In her apartment she stuffed an overnight bag with a change of clothes and toiletries. Quickly watered the plants and checked the mail before locking up and leaving again to make her way to Grissom's town house.

She knocked on the door.

"It's open!" She heard him call from inside.

Sara turned the knob and let herself in. Immediately her senses were overwhelmed by the smell of sautéing vegetables. She closed the door behind her, dropped her bag and took off her shoes. Then, she made her way to the kitchen to find Grissom stirring something on the stove. He had already changed into something more comfortable, jeans and an old sweater. A white apron tied loosely around his waist.

"Something smells amazing." She breathed as she leaned into him from behind, peering over his shoulder at the stove.

"Wine?"

"Sure. I can get it, where is it?"

He gestured with his head toward the wine cabinet. She returned with two glasses of Merlot.

She leaned against the counter, taking small sips of wine as she watched him cook. Feeling her eyes on him he looked up and gave her a small smile before returning to his task.

"I can't remember the last time someone made me dinner." She smiled.

Grissom platted their food and placed them on the set table. She followed him there.

"Thank you." She smiled and held her glass up to him before taking another sip.

"The pleasure is all mine."

They enjoyed their meal together as they bounced theories around about a particularly complex case that had gone cold last week.

"You know," she took another sip of wine, "It almost reminds me of that case where the doctor killed his ex-girlfriend the nurse and her surgeon boyfriend."

Grissom stopped in his tracks. That case. That case still haunted him sometimes.

"How so?"

"Crime of passion, skilled and detail-oriented killer. Personal. Couldn't nail the guy even though we knew we had him" She continued. She looked up at Grissom, noticing his face had turned a shade white.

"You okay?"

"Hm? Yeah, yes." He recovered, "That case just got under my skin a bit."

"I know." She replied.

He looked up with a start, "You know?"

She shrugged, "I did see the whole interrogation."

Grissom's eyes went wide in response, "You did?"

She nodded, getting up to clear their plates. He did the same.

"It helped me not give up on us." She offered finally, "Helped me ensure that this wasn't just one sided."

He placed the the dishes in the sink and turned to her. His hand made its way to the side of her face. He leaned in, brushing his lips to hers softly. She abandoned her glass of wine on the counter as her hands raised to the back of his head, curling his hair between her fingers. She breathed in, filling her senses with his scent.

She deepened this kiss as he pulled her closer to him, feeling her warmth against him. They left the dishes as they were and stumbled their way to his bedroom. It had been weeks since they were able to be intimate. One of them always getting called in just as things started to heat up.

The back of her legs hit the side of the bed and she fell back onto it, pulling him down with her. She kissed him deeply and passionately as she pulled his sweater over his head and discarded it to the floor. His soft hands grazed the sides of her mid-region, slowly working his way up to her chest. He could feel her arch her back upward little by little. He could feel her moan against him. Feel her stomach muscles tighten at his touch.

Having sex with Sara was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. No woman had ever caused his body to react the way that Sara caused him to. His mind was a haze, and his body on autopilot. Everything she did caused him to loose control. Her slightest touch was almost too much.

He pinned her wrists up above her head as his body took over. He looked deep into her eyes as he entered her. Her eyes always turned a few shades darker and more intense in that moment. It was something he just couldn't look away from. Something that caused him a great deal of satisfaction.

Her hands pinned up the way they were caused him to remember that moment in the lab when she asked him to 'pin her down' all those years ago. He remembered doing as she asked, standing centimeters from her, breathing in her sent. He remembered fantasizing about her that night, what it would have been like to take her then and there.

Sara pulled her wrists from his grasp and rolled him over to be on top, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck as they moved together.

She wanted so badly to whisper the words that danced on her tongue into his ear. But she knew he wasn't ready to hear them yet.

Afterward, she laid there with nothing but the thin sheet covering her. His fingers continued to stroke her softly, up and down her stomach, her pelvic region, her thighs.

Her hand made its way to his hair again, brushing it softly wit her fingers. He was completely and utterly content in that moment. That is until the phone rang.

He rolled over reluctantly to quiet the shrilling noise,

"Grissom." His breath still slightly ragged.

"Gil, It's Brass. I've got a 419 at 228 North Palm Rd... It's about six blocks west of you. You free?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll meet you there."

He turned to Sara, who was now sitting up in bed, having pulled the sheet around her.

"There's a 419 close by Brass called me in for," he began, "We've got two options here. You come work the scene with me or head home... if he drives by the house and see's your car here..."

"Got it. I'll come with."

The two quickly got dressed and made there way to leave. Grissom left first and arrived at the scene to see Brass.

"I called in Sara to help out, she'll be here soon."

"Does that girl ever turn down a crime scene?" He joked.

Shortly after Sara arrived.

"Well that was quick." Brass smiled. The three made their way inside.