Constant

A Constant

GSR

Rated PG

Summary: Grissom thinks Sara needs someone to count on.

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI or the lyrics that Sara is singing.
They come from a Mary Chapin-Carpenter song.

Feedback: pickledlightbulb@yahoo.com

Gil Grissom walked the halls of the crime lab in search of
Sara Sidle. The tox results on their drowning victim had
returned. The victim 's blood alcohol level was extremely
elevated. A fact that Sara had anticipated due to the
preponderance of Coors cans at the scene. Grissom knew
she had probably been correct in her assumption but had been
quick to remind her that assumptions could often be wrong
and lead an otherwise good investigator down the wrong
path. Fortunately this case was looking like it was
going to be open and shut. Something that neither of them
had been fortunate enough to work in quite a while. he
couldn't wait to give her the good news. Really he was just
excited to have a reason to talk to her but he didn't want
to examine those thoughts just yet.

When Grissom finally found Sara she was bent over a microscope.
He started to announce his presence but then he heard her singing
and stopped at the door's entrance. Sara had a lovely voice and
he didn't get to hear it much anymore. He strained to hear what
she was singing.

Your room was no longer next door to mine
And this kid sister thing was old by that time

But oh how our dreams went bump in the night
And the voices downstairs getting into a fight
And the next day a silence you could cut with a knife
And feel like a blade at your throat

Twirl me about and twirl me around
Let me grow dizzy and fall to the ground
When i look up at you looking down
Say it as only a dream

As Sara sang, Grissom's heart was breaking. He found
himself wondering if she had written the song. He backed out
into the hallway and decided to page her instead. He couldn't
risk her looking into his eyes and seeing how much he wanted
to hold her and comfort her. Especially when they both knew
he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it.

THE NEXT AFTERNOON

Sara eased her nude body into the scorching bath water. It was
her night off and she had every intent on trying to relax. Since
her run in with Catherine and Ecklie, Sara had tried not
to work too many overtime hours. She felt it was best if she
spent most of her time on the nightshift. Just as she dropped
some bath beads into her water, her doorbell rang.
"Who could that be? I didn't order pizza."
Maybe they'll go away she thought. After a few seconds the bell
rang again. "Must be Jehovah's Witnesses." Sara continued with
her bath. The bell rang once again followed by a knock and then a,
"Sara, It's Grissom, You're car is out front, I am assuming you are
home."
'What in the hell is he doing here? I hope I haven't done anything
stupid that I don't recall. It can't be work, he left before I did
and he isn't due in tonight. How pathetic is it that I know his schedule.
Unless, he got called in. Could be a high profile case or maybe an
mass murder, Shit, I better answer the door,' Sara's mind raced.
She grabbed a towel dried of quickly and gathered her robe around her.
"Coming, Griss, give me a minitue, kay?"


As Grissom waited for Sara to come to the door, he realized that
she had probably still been sleeping. Damn, he hadn't meant to
wake her up. Maybe she wouldn't be too upset once she saw the
reason for his visit. Grissom prepared himself for a touseled
haired sleepy eyed Sara but the Sara that opened the door caused his
thoughts to take a downward spiral and his crotch to reach for the moon.
Sara stood before him wrapped in a pink silk robe that stopped before it
ever reached mid-thigh on those sinfully long legs of hers. The ends of
her hair were wet and her eyes were wide awake and staring at him waiting for
him to say something.

"Good afternoon," was all he said.
"To you to Griss, Did you need something?"
"No actually you do. I have brought you a gift."
"A gift?" Sara asked.
"Yes, may I come in?"
It was then that Sara took notice of the brown box he was holding.
This was going to be interesting.
"Yeah, sure, you want something to drink?"
"Water."
"Okay," Sara said as she headed for the fridge. "Make yourself
comfortable."
Sara grabbed a water for Grissom and a grape juice for herself and
joined him in the living room. He was seated on the couch and had
placed the box on the table. It was about the size of men's tennis
shoe box and had gotten the investigator in Sara all cranked up.
Grissom noticed Sara eyeing the box and put it beneath the table.
"No guessing. I have something I want to say to you first."
'Oh! He wants to talk,' Sara thought.
"Okay, shoot," she said.
"Sara, you know that I am not good at this. I don't mean to be
an insufferable ass but sometimes I am. I do care greatly about you.
And I have been thinking about all that you told me. It means a
lot to me that you would share something so intimate with me, even
after I have been an emotional desert. Anyway the point I am
trying to get at, is that I think there is something missing in
your life. Your life got turned upside down at an early age. You
lost both parents and then not long after that your brother moved off.
You were in and out of foster care and from what I can tell you have
never really had a live-in boyfriend. So I think what is missing
in your life is a constant."
"A constant?" Sara asked.
"Yeah, you know someone or something you can count on. And don't say
work because it has been my constant and I know first hand how
unfulfilling it can be emotionally. So, I took it upon my self
to change this for you."
"You did?"
"Yes," Grissom said reaching under the table. Taking the lid off the
box he revealed to Sara her gift.
"A turtle, Grissom?"
"Yes, it is a box turtle. They live to be a hundred years old and he
is only two. so he should outlive you."
"Grissom, that's depressing."
At Grissom's frown Sara added, "that was a joke, Griss. This is the
sweetest thing you have ever done."
"Hey, I sent you a plant once."
"Doesn't even compare. This is way higher on you emotionally available
progress report."
"I'm being graded?"
"Yes, you are and this is a good semester for you."
They laughed together and the silence that followed was not awkward.
"So, does he have a name?"
"He does but he'll never knew if you change it."
"What's his name?"
"Blur."
"Blur?"
"The reptile store had a sense of humor."
"Yeah, well I like it. I think I'll keep it."
Grissom took a drink from the bottled water and looked as Sara
picked Blur up out of his box. "Sara, I have is stuff out in
the Denali, we can bring it up after we have lunch."
"Lunch?" Sara didn't dare to hope he was suggesting they eat
lunch together.
"If you'll do me the honor of going to Carlito's with me for a
cheese pizza?"
"Is it a date?" Sara wanted a definitive answer.
"It's a," Grissom struggled with the right word.
Finding it he said, "It's a start."
"That's good enough for now," Sara said. It was Grissom
after all. "Will he be okay til we get back?"
"Yeah, Sure, the box has holes and they fed him this morining.
So, shall we?" Grissom asked and offered her his hand.
"Sure but don't you think I should get dressed first."
"Okay, but I really like this look for you."
Sara grinned her only for Grissom grin and headed for her
bedroom, "Give me five minutes," she promised before disappearing
into her room.
"That was quick," Grissom deadpanned as she poked her head around
the door. Sara rolled her eyes.
"Grissom, this was a beautiful thing you did but I already have a
constant."
"You do?"
"You."
"I told you work doesn't count," he answered.
"You've always been more than a boss to me."