starlit_desires | CSI Drabble: Exploration (Reply)

Title: Exploration
Author: Sweetness (aaronlisa@gmail.com)

Pairing: Catherine/Grissom, mention of Sara/Grissom

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: CSI and its characters belong to Jerry Bruckheimer & company.

Notes: Set just after the end of “King Baby” (5x15).

“I missed your tush.”

            His words kept ringing in her mind and it took every ounce of her patience to not be rude to Brass. Instead she smiled as the three of them made polite small talk and inquired about one another’s lives outside of the crime lab. Before too long, Brass had finished his beer and was taking his leave. She smiled as he left before turning her attention back to Grissom. She didn’t know what to say to him, much less how to ask him about his last remark before Brass had joined them. Grissom just sat there smiling at her, silently mocking her into saying something.
“You missed my tush?”
”What can I say?” Grissom shrugged at her.
“That’s hardly professional.”
”I am not going to apologize for what I said.”
”Gil, it’s inappropriate.”
“It would be if you were still working under me. However, you’re another shift, and you’re also the supervisor of that shift. There’s nothing inappropriate about it. Unless,” Grissom paused.
“Unless?”
“Unless I’ve misread you over the years.”
”Meaning?”
”Catherine, let’s not be coy. I think we’ve wasted enough time as it is. I like you and I’m pretty sure that you feel the same way.”
”What about Sara?”
”What about her?”
”You can’t be that blind?” Catherine asked exasperated.
“She knows that there will never be anything between us. And she really doesn’t have anything to do with us.”
”Do you think this is wise considering how much Ecklie seems to want to bring you down?”
“Again you’re on a different shift and I’m not your supervisor.”
”I have a daughter.”
”I know that and I am not asking you for anything more than a chance to explore what’s between us.”
”Gil,” Catherine started.
“I’m not going to lie, I’ve missed you Catherine, and more than as just a co-worker.”
”Just a chance to explore things?”
”That’s all.”
”Alright.”
            Grissom saluted her with his glass and smiled at her. She smiled back at him and stopped caring about the consequences. She knew that he was right and that they should explore things between them.

**END**