Disclaimer: I don't own the main characters

Summary: Celebrating her 21st birthday in Vegas with three of her friends, Sara accepts a bet from them, but what she didn't know was that the bet would cause a ripple effect that will not only change her life, but other's as well. Pre-series. A little A/U.

AN: Hey everyone, sorry about the long delay, but I really did need a break, as some of you might remember, I had lost my father two years ago in the month of August,
which his birthday was also in that month, along with some other personal stuff that happened unexpectedly, it was a very draining month for me. But now I'm back with a new story, and as of right now I would classify it is a work in progress, but I do have a few chapters ready to go if you're interested.

Title: Started with a bet
Genre: Romance, Hurt/comfort, Family, Friendship, Drama
Rating: T
Spoilers: None
Timeline: Starts Pre-Series
Warnings: Implied/suggestive adult behavior
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: Nick/OC, OC/OC, YoBling (Warrick/Catherine)
Other Characters: OC's, Nick, (Catherine, Warrick and Greg with a few appearances)

Chapter 1: The Bet

Present

October 12, 1998

Sam Francisco

27-year-old, CSI level 2, Sara Sidle walked into the classroom where the seminar was being held in, wanting to be a part of it the minute she heard about it a few weeks ago, not only because she was here to learn, which she undoubtedly loved, especially when it will help improve her skills in the CSI world, but because it would also give her a chance to be in the same room with the person who was teaching it.

Right as she thought that 42-year-old, CSI level 3, Dr. Gilbert Grissom looked up from his notes then towards the door, his heart skipping a beat as he saw her standing there.

Both eyes were locked in as they thought back to another time, that honestly almost felt like another life.

Flashback

September 16, 1992

21-year-old Sara Sidle walked into a Vegas bar with her three friends, Josephine Hudson, or Jo/Joey for short, which she preferred either of those better than her actual name, who had been Sara's roommate all four years at Harvard, Quinn Linley and Ashley Gardner, both of whom are going to Berkley with her, where she is currently going for her master's degree.

They wanted to do something special for Sara's 21st birthday and instead of celebrating around their apartment or town for that matter, they decided to take a 4-day trip to Vegas, and while Sara was getting the drinks, proudly showing her ID, the other girls were at the table talking and laughing.

As Sara was walking to the table with the drinks once she had them, she hears Joey, who had shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes, a slim build and about the same height as Sara, say. "No way Sara would do that."

Sara spoke with a smile as she sat down. "I wouldn't do what?"

"The girls wanted to make a bet with you."

Sara raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and what would that be?"

Quinn, who had shoulder length blond hair, green eyes, slightly shorter than Sara, and slim build, smiled. "We bet you won't kiss the next man who walks into the bar."

Seeing that as a challenge, which she was known to thrive for, Sara asked. "How much?"

The three friends looked at one another before Ashley, who had long black hair, brown eyes, slightly above average build, and the shortest one of the group, replied with a smile. "20 bucks each."

Sara thought about it for a few seconds, and while she wasn't known to be spontaneous like this, she thought she would accept this challenge, so she nodded with a smile. "Ok, so the next guy that comes in, and I have until he leaves, right?"

The girls pulled out their 20 dollars and sets them on the middle of the table with smiles before Quinn replied with a head nod. "Deal."

As they took their first sips of beer that night they watched the entrance door like a hawk, and for a few minutes no one came through.

Then they saw a mid-20's, attractive, jock type of man walking by the window, stopped at the door and opened it, but before he walked through, two women, and another man, who still looked attractive with light brown hair, but was older than them by at least 10 years, if not a little more, walked in first, and as Sara was watching the older man sit down at the far left of the bar counter so he could exclude himself from everybody the best he could, Quinn said with a smile. "Aw man, sorry Sara, so close on getting the jackpot."

Before Sara could speak, Ashley spoke. "I'm sure we can let her switch, right girls?"

Sara shook her head as her eyes remained on the older man and spoke before the other girls could. "No, it's ok, a deal is a deal, he walked through first."

Jo spoke with sincerity. "Are you sure, Sara? You don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Sara took a few more seconds on watching him before she looked at her friends with a smile. "I'm good." Then she smirked. "I'm not letting sixty bucks get away, someone has to eat." They chuckled while Sara turned her head to watch the man again.

After watching him finish a second round 20 minutes later, the girls saw him grab his wallet, so Quinn spoke up. "Alright Sara, you're running out of time, so what's it going to be?"

Sara took a breath, took one more sip of her beer before standing up with a smile. "It's all mine ladies." She then turned and headed towards the man with her heart racing while she almost second guessed herself on doing this.

But she didn't back out, she didn't want her friends to see her fail, which was a lot of the reason why she even accepted the bet, and before she knew it, she was standing behind him and had cleared her throat before speaking. "Excuse me, but..."

Whatever she was going to say next got lost in her throat when he had turned around and their eyes met for the first time and it was almost like the world had stopped, because not only was she staring into the prettiest blue eyes she's ever seen, but it looked like he had sadness, and/or maybe even a little loneliness in them, so in that moment they really spoke to her.

That look however was there for only a split second before it became unreadable, and now, well, she didn't know exactly know how to explain it, except that it felt really wrong for her to do this, the sixty bucks and the bet no longer meant anything to her.

She cleared her throat again before shaking her head with a smile. "Um, nevermind, sorry to bother you."

She turned around but before she could walk away, he spoke, and if his blue eyes hadn't done her in, then his comforting tone would have done the job just as well. "Wait, what is it? I'll be happy to help if I can."

She took a breath before turning back around with another smile and shaking her head, now a little embarrassed. "No, it's ok. It's stupid really."

Then he smiled, only causing more havoc inside of her, as he replied. "Try me."

With the comforting/soft look staring right at her, she couldn't do anything but tell him. "Ok, well, you see my friends, they uh, they gave me a bet, that I uh, that I had to kiss the next guy that came into the bar."

"I see, and I became the lucky participant?"

"Yeah, but..."

He cuts her off, almost in a sad tone, as he looked towards the right of him where the 10 years younger, attractive, jock guy was chatting it up with a few women about eight stools down from his. "And I'm guessing it was too bad it wasn't that guy that walked through the door first, huh?"

Sara didn't follow his line of sight and replied softly with no embarrassment or hesitation at all. "No, I didn't think that at all, not once."

He turned his head to look at her again after she said that with honesty, and it was as if they were both now in a trance, then he cleared his throat a few seconds later and asked softly. "So, how much is this kiss worth?"

"Sixty bucks."

He looked a little shocked before he replied with a smile. "Wow, that could be a good meal." Sara couldn't help but mentally chuckle at that because she had thought the same thing, then gets a little surprised at his next words as he stood up from the stool, putting them at eye-level. "I just hope I'm not a disappointment to you then."

Sara's throat suddenly went dry as her heart raced even more, in a very good/exciting kind of way, as she whispered. "Honestly, you really don't have..."

He cuts her off. "And let your friends see you fail a challenge, and you lose out on a good meal. I wouldn't feel right about that." He took a step towards her and cupped her cheek, both feeling the instant sparks, which they tried to ignore the best they could, as he whispered. "Is this, ok?"

She nodded with a smile, whispering in return. "Yes."

He smiled in return before they leaned toward one another until their lips touched, and if they had been anywhere other than the middle of the bar, both of them wouldn't have hesitated on taking the kiss deeper, making it more passionate.
But it didn't matter how short it was, it was still enough to feel the shock go right through their bodies.

They reluctantly pulled back and opened their eyes, seeing so many emotions in them, then he cleared his throat and took another step back. "I really do hope you have a good meal." And without another word, he had walked past her and out the door as Sara stood there shocked for several seconds, still feeling the tingling of the kiss, which she hated to admit this, but that one tiny kiss was better than the first deep one she ever experienced, even her first one ever.

She slowly smiled and shook her head before she took a breath and walked back to the table to see her friends looking a little shocked at first, then they smiled as Quinn spoke. "I got to admit it, Sidle, I wasn't sure if you would have really gone through with it."

The rest of them shyly admitted the same thing as Jo gathered the money from the middle of the table and handed it to her, but Sara shook her head a second later. "I don't want it."

They looked a little shocked again while Ashley spoke. "But a bet is a bet."

"Yeah, but I'll pass this time."

In her mind that kiss was priceless, and she didn't want to feel like she cheapened it, despite the reason on why it happened in the first place.

After another reassurance, the 20-dollar bills went back to their rightful owners, and while they, particularly Quinn and Ashley, couldn't stop talking about the handsome, jock guy, Sara couldn't stop thinking about the encounter she just had, especially those blue eyes and that kiss.

September 17, 1992

Getting up earlier than her friends, Sara changes into her running clothes, and after writing them a note so they don't worry, she grabbed her key to the room, the rented vehicle keys and walked out of the room, then after getting directions on how to get to the nearest park from the receptionist, she drove there and stretched before starting her jog on the walk/bike path, a daily ritual she likes to keep intact, no matter where she was.

Once she ran her normal time, she stretched some more before she started walking towards the exit of the park, but as she was walking by one of the benches towards the exit, she smiled when she noticed the blue-eyed man that she kissed last night was sitting there doing a crossword puzzle from the morning paper, which she almost didn't stop, but she couldn't help it, the feeling was just too great not to.

She stopped when she got closer and cleared her throat before greeting him. "Hi."

He looked up from his crossword puzzle with a shocked look at first, then he gave her a small smile in return. "Hi."

She smiled before speaking again. "I uh, I promise I'm not stalking you. I just wanted to do a little running before I start my day."

He chuckled a little, then with the smile still on his face, he commented with curiosity. "I haven't seen you out here before."

Not that he knew everybody that comes here, but he's been here enough to recognize the regular runners/walkers/bikers.

"That's because I'm just visiting through the weekend. I live in California, I uh..."

Before she could continue, his beeper goes off, so he gave her an apologetic look before looking down, seeing he had to get back to work because there was a break in the case, so he made sure he had everything before standing up from the bench. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I have a case to get back to."

Now Sara looked at him with curiosity. "Case? What do you do?"

"I'm a CSI." He then held out his hand. "Gilbert Grissom."

Sara smiled as she took his hand, the sparks ever so present. "Sara Sidle."

They release hands, and he cleared his throat. "It was nice meeting you."

She nodded in agreement before she watched him walk away, now she knew four more things about that handsome blue-eyed man, a name, a profession, he wears glasses sometimes, and that he likes crossword puzzles, which only made her more intrigued about him.

September 18, 1992

Yesterday and for most of today was spent shopping a little and sight-seeing, and as the group of friends walked into the lobby of their hotel that evening, Jo spoke as she saw someone sitting down in a chair a few feet from them. "Hey Sara, isn't that the guy that you kissed the other night?"

Sara immediately stopped talking to Ashley before looking in the direction Jo was, and their eyes instantly met as he stood up from his chair, but he didn't move forward, and Quinn smirked quietly. "So, is he stalking you now?"

Sara looked at her and glared before turning her head back to look at Grissom, who now seemed to be embarrassed to be standing there, even without hearing what Quinn had said, so he cleared his throat before speaking. "I uh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here. Just forget I was even here."

He then started walking towards the door, and Sara had the strong urge to follow him, so she turned to Jo and handed her two small shopping bags to her. "Can you take these up to the room?"

Jo took the bags but before Sara could walk away, Quinn took a hold of her arm. "Sara, are you crazy? You don't even know him."

Sara took her arm out of the other woman's grasp. "I know, but there is a reason why he came here."

Quinn gave her a sarcastic smirk. "Yeah, I can think about 5 on the top of my head, and those are just the sick ones."

"He isn't like that."

"How do you know that?"

She couldn't even explain all that she was feeling herself, so there was no way she could really explain it to her friends that would make any sense, but she spoke after a sigh. "I don't know, exactly. Except for this feeling that I have. I have to do this." Quinn sighed and looked away as Sara looked at Joey. "Jo?"

Jo spoke with a smile. "You know me, I'm a romantic. I read these types of stories all the time, and I'll support you on whatever you feel you have to do, I just want you to be careful, this is the real world after all."

Sara nodded before looking at Ashley. "Ash?"

Ashley nodded with a smile in return. "I'll always say follow your heart, but I also want you to be careful."

After looking at Quinn, who just gave her a sigh and started walking towards the elevators, Sara looked at her other two friend's smiling faces one more time before running out of the lobby, then she ran to the left, where the parking lot was and when she didn't see him, she shouted "Gilbert!"

She said his name a few more times while running past the front row of vehicles, hoping she didn't miss him, then sighed in relief when she saw him come in view.

He stopped where he was and let her come to him, and once she was and had caught her breath, she asked softly. "Why did you come here?"

He shook his head. "I uh, I don't know."

"I think you do, you're just too afraid to admit it, and as scary as it is to admit it, I felt it too. That ki..."

Grissom cuts her off while shaking his head again. "Sara, don't say it."

"Why? It's the truth, isn't it?" She could see a ray of emotions going through his eyes, it was like he was fighting with himself on what do or say in this moment, so she asked. "If you let your heart speak for one night, for one moment even, what would it say right now?"

Not able to hold back, he whispered. "I would ask you to dinner."

"Where?"

"Anywhere you would like to go."

"Is your place an option?"

"You sure?"

She gives him another smile. "It's the only place we can truly get to know each other without any interruptions."

There was a pause before he nodded slowly. "Ok, let's go."

She nodded before following him to his vehicle with her heart racing, but once again in a very good way.

After arriving at his townhouse, they get out of his vehicle and she followed him inside, then after placing her shoulder bag on the couch, she followed him to his kitchen, where he cooked their meal as she sat at the island and watched his every move while they learned a little bit about one another.

Once dinner was cooked and they had eaten every last bite with more small talk, Grissom told her he would do the dishes while she could relax in the living room, and once she was in there, she looked around, seeing the multiple butterfly cases hanging on the walls, his taste in books was a heavy dose of forensic/entomology magazines and textbooks, a good quantity of poetry and a dash of mystery. His small collection of movies was more in the silent variety with a few documentaries, and she even noticed he had a couple of advanced difficulty crossword puzzle books sitting on the coffee table, making her smile, which caught Grissom's eye as he was walking back into the living room. "What?"

She shook her head and replied. "This is you, I mean really you."

He raised an eyebrow as he slowly spoke. "Yeah..."

Sara took a breath as she tried to explain. "When I was observing you the other night, while I didn't exactly picture all of this, I did get the impression that you rather be in a quiet place than some crowded room, so all of this suits you from what I thought."

He nodded in understanding before he took a breath before speaking softly. "Yeah, I really only go to the bar when I have a rough case and need to have a couple of drinks to unwind."

She frowned as she asked in a comforting tone. "Speaking of your case, how did it go?"

One of the hardest cases that Grissom had ever done in his career came flashing back to him, and he closed his eyes and shook his head. "I uh, I don't want to involve you with the details of..."

Sara cuts him off as she placed a hand on his arm for comfort, both feeling the sparks instantly which caused him to open his eyes, then they looked at his arm before looking into each other's eyes while she whispered softly. "I can handle more than you realize, believe me."

While still looking into her eyes, he really got that sense, so he softly responded. "I don't doubt that."

In the next moment his head was shooting warning signs that he was coming into some dangerous territory, so listening to it before things went too far, he cleared his throat while moving his arm away and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I shouldn't have brought you here. I should take you back to your hotel."

He started to walk by her, but she took a hold of his wrist lightly. "You can deny it all you want, but if you feel even an ounce of what I feel after that kiss, you won't be able shake it off. I know I can't, it's still running through my mind." He turned around so their eyes were connected again, and she smiled slightly as she moved her hand slowly to cup his cheek just in case he wanted to back away, but when he didn't, the palm of her hand finally touched his skin, making them both feel warm as she finished with tears in her eyes. "And it's taking everything in me not to..."

He cuts her off in a whisper as he took a step towards her. "Kiss you again."

She nodded as he moved his hand slowly just in case she wanted to back away, but when she didn't, his palm touched her skin and he wiped her tears away with his thumb, then with their hearts racing, while ignoring the warning signs their brains were giving them, they started to lean toward one another, stopping for a few seconds when they were only a breath away just in case, before the gap was finally closed and their lips touched.

They held still for several more seconds before the feeling became too bearable to ignore, so they started moving their lips in rhythm, getting deeper and more passionate each second that passed them by, and before they knew it, he was carrying her to his bedroom then bed with her legs wrapped around his waist.

He laid her down softly with more passionate kissing until they were ready to take things further, but before any clothing was removed, he pulled back so his knees were on each side of her on the mattress and he was looking down at her, breathing hard.

She looked up at him breathing hard too before she moved to sit up and place her hands on the hem of his shirt, but before she could pull it up too far, his hand took a hold of her wrist tenderly as he asked softly. "Are you really sure? Because we don't have to..."

She cuts him off with a smile. "I am, I don't want to pass this moment up."

Once again ignoring the warning signs his brain was giving him, he removed his hand from her wrist so she could take his shirt off, and after sliding her hands up his smooth chest, she cupped his cheek before kissing him again, igniting the passion in them once again as she started leaning back, taking him with her.

Afterward, wearing one of his t-shirts with the sheet up to her waist, she was laying on her side, and after Grissom, who was now in just his sweatpants, came out of the bathroom, he slipped under the covers and moved closer to her before whispering as he slipped his arm around her waist from behind. "Is this, ok?"

She nodded, even lifting her head up so she could lay it on his other arm before he pulled her closer to him, and once they were settled, Sara closed her eyes as a few tears went down her cheek, not able to hold all the emotions she felt inside.

Much like her first kiss experience, it never felt this way before. No man she had been with before tonight, which wasn't many, made her feel the way Grissom made her feel. He was everything she could ever hope for and more. It was passionate, but tender and loving, he even asked a few times if she was ok and if she wanted to stop. And deep down she knew there will never be a man that could ever compete with what she just experienced tonight.

When Grissom felt a few tears land on his arm, he moved so he was looking down at her over her shoulder and asked in an alarming tone. "Sara, are you ok? I uh, I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She shook her head and looked up at him with tears on her cheeks and in her eyes. "No, you didn't." He still didn't look convinced, so she turned her body a little so she could cup his cheek as she continued. "I promise. In fact, I feel the opposite, trust me, I'm really ok."

He took a few more seconds looking into her eyes until he finally saw the honesty in them, so feeling relieved now, he nodded as he cupped her cheek. "Ok, just know I would never want to do anything that would hurt you."

She nodded with a smile, getting that feeling. "I know."

He finished wiping her tears away before he leaned down and kissed her forehead, then when he pulled back, they looked into each other's eyes before they leaned towards one another and kissed softly on the lips, and after pulling back again they got back into place, her fingers slipped into his that was around her waist as they closed their eyes, both wishing this moment could last forever.

End Flashback

As they were coming back to the present, they gave each other smiles as Sara started walking towards the front row and sat down in the closet seat to the aisle, and after a couple of minutes of eye contact, Grissom remembered where he was, so he looked away and addressed everybody who had showed up on the first day of five for the seminar.

When he was done for the day hours later, a few of the people who were there for the seminar walked up to him and asked a few individual questions before they left the room.

Eventually Sara, who was still sitting down in the chair, and Grissom, were the only ones left in the room, so after packing his shoulder bag, he placed it on his shoulder before walking up to her, stopping with a little space between them.

They took a few more seconds just looking at one another before Grissom cleared his throat and spoke with a smile. "Hi, I'm glad you came."

Sara shyly smiled before replying. "Of course, I wouldn't have missed this."

Once again, they just stared at each other now in silence, their connection still undeniable, until the sound of the door opened and a janitor walked in, he looked a little surprised that there were people still in the room, so the older man apologized for interrupting, but Grissom waved it off with a smile. "It's ok, we were just leaving." He then looked at Sara and asked. "Shall we?"

She nodded with a smile before grabbing her bag then turning to walk towards the door with him right behind her, both of their hearts racing just as it had done the first night they met.

AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. I hope you enjoyed the first, and very long chapter and want more. I also hope you are all having a safe and nice weekend, until next time.