March 2007
It was the third Saturday of the month. A day she'd been looking forward to since the third Saturday of last month. Sara slid the razor up her long, silk legs as she let the hot beads of shower water roll down her back. A small smile crept onto her face as she thought about their plans for the night. A documentary, a bottle of wine, one of Grissom's world class home cooked meals, and a night to share just the two of them.
She tussled her wet hair with a towel and wrapped herself in one of her silk bathrobes. She heard the front door open and close, the familiar sound of him kicking off his shoes and hanging up his coat. Sara made her wait out to the living area to greet him.
"Orecchiette with rapini and goat cheese." He spoke as he held up the bags of groceries he carried.
"Sounds delicious."
He pulled a bottle of Malbec from one of the bags and handed it to her. "Will you?"
Sara moved to grab the wine opener from the drawer to her left. She popped the cork out and poured a bit of wine into two glasses.
The kissed gently, tapped their glasses together and took a sip. But the moment was interrupted by an unwelcome and familiar sound. Grissom's phone buzzing against the counter top.
"It's the lab." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Go ahead." Sara spoke with inevitability. He nodded. He knew delaying the answer wouldn't stop them from calling. But he knew very well that the minute he picked up his phone, their date would end. And after weeks of long shifts and the stress of the miniature killer, he'd really been looking forward to their evening.
"Grissom." He finally answered.
"It's Brass. Look, we've got a multiple homicide on the west side of town."
"I'm off tonight, Brass."
"I know." He paused, "It's five victims, Gil. All show girls. Roommates. It's a mess."
Grissom sighed, "Alright. Shoot me the address and I'll leave shortly."
"You got it." Brass paused a moment before adding, "So, what fun plans did I interrupt?"
"Fun plans?"
"It's the third Saturday of the month." Brass' words on the other end of the line made Grissom's heart stop for a moment. He could feel his mouth go dry.
"I'll… uh… see you at the scene." Grissom quickly shut the phone.
"You need help processing the scene?" Sara asked as she poured his wine into her glass.
"I'll let you know when I get there. For now, enjoy your night off."
"Not much to enjoy now." She smiled with understanding, "What was Brass going on about at the end?"
Grissom shook his head in small movements, "He uh— well… he was just reminding me that he knows about us."
"What?" Sara stoped in her tracks.
Grissom fumbled a bit, realizing he'd never mentioned to Sara that Brass most likely knew about their relationship. Truth be. Told, he continued to lie to himself. Trying to convince himself he'd made up the various scenarios that lead Grissom to realize he knew. But those scenarios were real, and Grissom's reading of Brass' words accurate.
He watched as her face screwed in confusion, and then suddenly softened. Realization wiped over her features. "Oh.." She spoke before he had the chance to explain, "He does know."
She quickly recalled a few questionable conversations she'd had with Brass recently. Exchanges she never gave a second thought until now…
Sara, "I had a boyfriend that handed me a pair of underwear that was not mine after the post-coital underwear hunt. He claimed it was his sister's." She laughed.
Brass, "Well, at least we know your taste in men has evolved."
Brass, "DB ad a singles mixer. I'd invite you but I know you're not looking…"
Brass, "Is Grissom loosing sleep over the miniatures again?"
Sara, "How would I know?"
Brass, "Grissom finally got rid of that beard, huh?"
Brass, "Saturday night and you're off. Hope you've got something good planned."
"How long do you think he's known?" Sara wondered aloud.
"I think he's known for a while now… if not potentially since the beginning."
"Wow."
He nodded as he threw his coat back on.
"Well, while we're on the topic…" Her voice trailed as she watched him slip his shoes back on too. "Greg also knows."
Grissom's eyes widened. He was speechless. "Okay…"
"I know." Sara agreed to his silent panic. "Text me when you get there, let me know if you need a hand."
"Yes, dear." Grissom kissed her and left.
Despite wanting to leave Sara to have a night off, Grissom did eventually ping her to come in and help. It was an all hands on deck night. She showed up just 45 minutes after Grissom. She pointed her flashlight around the first floor of the hope as she walked through the kitchen, past the living room, and up the stairs, following bloody footprints—kit in hand. She heard the snaps of a camera's shutter in the first room on her right. She stuck her head in, shinning her flashlight at Warrick.
"Hell of a way to spend your night off." Warrick looked up over his camera at Sara.
"How many bodies do you have in here?"
"Three. Grissom's down the hall. Just follow the blood."
She did just that. The blood trails and bloody footprints lead her to the room Grissom occupied. She pointed her flashlight at him.
"My date got canceled." She smiled with a hint of disappointment.
He looked up at her from his crouched position next to a body, "I'm sure he had a good excuse."
"Where do you want me?"
"Next room down the hall. There's another body there. Thanks for coming."
Sara nodded and walked down the hall to the room Grissom mentioned. There she found the other girl, bound with her pants pulled down. She knelt by the bed to get a better look at the victim. Her hair was long and blonde, large dark smudges surrounded her eyes where heavy makeup had been applied.
Suddenly a movement came from under the bed. Sara startled and pulled her gun. Shouting, "Suspect under the bed!"
Hearing this all from the next room Grissom jumped to his feet and ran to her, "Sara!" He watched as she leaned down and reached under the bed. She'd just realized that the movement was actually another victim, not the suspect. "I need a medic!"
Grissom radio'd dispatch for the medic as he heard Sara add, "Victim down!" She reached for the girl's hand and pulled her out from under the bed. The victim's throat spewed blood.
"You're okay, help is on the way. It's going to be okay."
Grissom watched as Sara tried to comfort the victim, holding her hand tightly and putting pressure on the wound to buy them more time. She struggled to understand what the victim was trying to say and then, Sara watched as the light left her eyes. "No…" Came Sara's desperate plea.
In a quick series of moments she felt Grissom's hands on her shoulders, pulling her back as the paramedics rushed in. Grissom lead her down the stairs and out of the house, his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Once they were outside he turned her to him.
"Sara" Her name came from his lips softly. She was staring through him, her nervous system so heightened that she was unable to process.
He lifted his hand to her cheek and touched the blood. It wasn't transfer, she was bleeding. Grissom took off his windbreaker and draped it over her shoulders. His hands still resting on either side of her arms. "Sara, you okay?"
"I'm fine." She shook her head just as Brass approached. Grissom slowly dropped his hands from her arms. He waved over one of the paramedics.
"I've got her." Brass gestured with his head for Grissom to head back in. He nodded, caught brief eye contact with Sara, then bowed his head and walked back into the house.
"Could you get this cut cleaned up?" Brass asked the paramedic has he approached.
"I'm fine." Sara said a bit more convincingly. "Really."
"Let's chat it through, yeah?" Brass stood in front of Sara now. The paramedic cleaned the wound and left.
Sara retold the events to Brass just as Greg was approaching the house. He passed the pair and walked into the house to see Grissom standing there.
"What's going on with Sara?"
He looked up to see Greg and remembered what Sara had just told him. That Greg knew. "She found the sixth roommate alive. They just pronounced."
Greg nodded silently, "Where do you want me?"
"Last room on the right. Thanks."
At the end of shift that night, Grissom walked the nearly deserted halls until he came across Sara in the break room. He walked in behind her to see that she was watching the news report about the case.
She sensed his presence, "I held his hand." Her voice was a little shaky, "Just like I held her's. I lost perspective."
Grissom brought his hand to her cheek and wiped away a tear. She leaned into his touch and exchanged a quick look. Sara nodded to their silent conversation. Gently, he placed a hand on her back and lead her out of the break room and down the hall.
"Careful." He spoke softly as they walked over a freshly mopped area.
They drove separately and met at home. She parked and got out of the car but was surprised when he didn't follow suit.
He rolled down the window, "Get in."
"Okay…" She said skeptically intrigued.
She hoped in the passenger side. Grissom drove off toward the strip without a word, feeling her eyes on him now and again. When he pulled up to The Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York, she realized what was happening.
They got in the front car of the coaster. Grissom turned to Sara during the accent, "When we drop, breathe out." He took her hand in his.
As they continued to ascend she looked around and took in the strip from the height. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been on a rollercoaster. She glanced at him and began to realize what a significant moment this really was. Riding rollercoasters to reset after a hard case, this was his most intimate space. Inviting her into it may be somehow more significant than sleeping together or moving in together for Grissom.
And then, the drop. She breathed out as they fell and felt the air swish back into her lungs. Like being inflated. She squeezed his hand a little more as their bodies swayed with the imperfections in the tracks. The coaster skidded to a stop.
He turned his head to face her with a wildly excited boyish grin. "Good, hu?"
She smiled from ear to ear. His enjoyment of it was the best part. "Let's go again."