Sources

Chapter 15

Grissom stood outside Sara's door. He could hear people inside, glasses clinking. For a moment he let himself listen to the happy murmur of voices, and smiled to himself. Finally, he knocked.

Sara threw open the door and rewarded him with a bright smile. Déjà vu, he thought, remembering his visit to Laura Sidle.

"You made it! We were starting to worry!"

He smiled sheepishly and shrugged, not knowing what to say. Sara grabbed his arm and tugged him inside. Everyone else was already there. Brass and Catherine were sitting on the couch, while Warrick, Nick, Greg, and Mandy sat on the floor. Sara pushed her way onto the couch, still dragging Grissom along.

"All right, Nicky, explain the rules to the newbies."

"Sure thing, dollface," Nick said with a wink, pulling out a giant bottle of tequila. "Okay, everyone has a magic word. When their word comes up, they take a shot."

Sara stole a sidelong glance at Grissom, wondering if he'd have a problem with her drinking. He felt her stare and turned, giving her a reassuring nod. She grinned back.

God, why can't I stop smiling at him?

God, she has a pretty smile.

Nick continued. "Brass, your magic word is thorax. Mandy, you're antenna. I'm wings, Greggo is nature, Warrick is insect, Grissom is larva, Cath is pupa, and Sara." Nick smirked. "In honor of that skirt, your word is legs."

Sara threw him a mock scowl and grabbed the blanket off the back of her couch to cover her legs. Not, however, before Grissom got an eyeful. How on earth did I miss those?

Halfway into the insect documentary, the whole team was drunk. They stopped watching the TV, and instead tried to work each other's words into sentences, to make each other drink.

"I wish we had some pizza and. wings," Catherine said, making Nick take a shot.

"Maybe I should call a delivery guy," Nick replied. "He'll drive over here listening to music through his. antenna." Mandy threw back another.

Catherine leaned over to Sara, whispering, "Can you share some of that blanket? I'm cold."

"Yeah, sure!" Sara spread the blanket out so it covered the laps of herself, Grissom, and Catherine. In doing so, she uncovered her legs, and Grissom found himself staring at them again.

"Hey guys," hooted Greg. "I think Grissom's in larva with Sara's legs!"

They both turned to glare at him, not that he noticed.

Catherine giggled, accidentally snorting. "She was his star pupa. Oh, wait, I just made myself take a shot."

"I got one!" slurred Warrick, who was completely smashed. "Thorax!"

Sara insisted that nobody drive home in their present state. Brass and Catherine decided to take cabs. "I'll walk you out," Sara said, struggling to get up.

"No!" shouted Grissom, Nick, and Greg in unison.

She sat back down and gave them a lopsided smile. "Yeah, I should have expected that."

"Can we sleep now?" Warrick called from the floor after Brass and Catherine had left. "Can I just stay here on the carpet? Stupid room keeps spinning."

"Yeah, what's the sleeping arrangement?" Nick asked, waggling his eyebrows at a giggly Mandy.

Sara rolled her eyes. "Warrick's all set, Mandy and I can share my bed, Grissom can take Mandy's air mattress, and you and Greggo can duke it out for the couch."

"Dibs on the couch!" Nick said quickly.

"Dibs on the couch cushions!" Greg shot back.

"Aww, man." Nick's face fell.

Sara walked into the living room with an armful of blankets, draping them over the sleeping figures of Warrick, Greg, and Nick. She returned to her bedroom, where Grissom was lying on Mandy's air mattress.

"Do you need another blanket?" Sara whispered, so as not to wake Mandy.

"No thanks, I'm all set." They shared a long look.

"You tired?"

"Not yet. You?"

"Same."

Sara sat down tentatively on the edge of his mattress. "I never did get to thank you for finding me."

He laughed ruefully. "Could have saved myself the trouble. You had everything under control." Giving her an admiring glance, he added, "You always do."

She smiled back. "To be honest, I'm glad you didn't get there earlier. For twenty years I felt like a victim. But tonight, I was the one with the power. I didn't have to rely on anyone for help. It felt amazing," she admitted.

"I'm glad," he said, then grew pensive. "Sara. I hope you know that you can always rely on me, if you need to."

She studied his face, seeing only honesty and a tiny bit of apprehension. "Thanks, Grissom," she replied carefully. "I appreciate that."

They sat in a companionable silence, both thinking of a million things that they wanted to say, but couldn't find the courage. Finally Sara shifted.

"I should let you sleep," she said.

He nodded, but when she went to stand he grabbed her wrist. She turned in surprise.

"Good night," he said, leaning forward and wrapping her in a warm hug. She hugged him back, wishing they could stay like this forever.

Grissom reveled in the feel of her in his arms. All night, Sara had been acting like she used to. She smiled and teased, subtly flirting with him. Until tonight, he'd never realized just how much he had missed it.

"We should have a talk sometime," Sara said, pulling back.

He nodded, noticing a guardedness had fallen over her eyes and wondering what had caused it. "Soon."

She climbed into bed next to Mandy, switching off the light and throwing them into darkness.