Thank you, guys!
DINNER WITH YOU
When Horatio entered the kitchen, he found Calleigh bent over the counter, preparing the dinner.
As soon as she sensed his presence, she raised her face and her lips spread into one of her brightest smiles.
“I missed it so much,” he whispered, hugging her tenderly and placing a kiss on her forehead.
“You missed the pizza?” she joked, pointing at the dinner.
“I missed your smile,” he answered, running one hand through her hair. The more he stayed with her, the more he realized how much he loved her.
“How are you two feeling?” he asked, gently rubbing her belly. Calleigh smiled even more brightly and put her hand over her husband’s.
“Great, now you’re here,” she said. “And we’re also very angry, aren’t we, little one?”
“You shouldn’t have waited for me,” Horatio said.
“We couldn’t start without Daddy,” she replied, finishing laying the table.
He took off his jacket and left it on a chair, then helped her to settle the last few things.
“Did you find out anything useful?” she asked when they began to eat.
Horatio took his time to drink his glass of wine, and then shrugged.
“Eric and Sara have found something, but we haven’t had the chance to discuss it, yet.”
Calleigh lifted a brow questioningly. Horatio’s expression became very eloquent.
“I think there’s something going on between Delko and our charming stranger.”
“Oh!” Calleigh exclaimed enthusiastic. “I’ve known it since they first saw each other!” She made a pause, chewing thoughtfully her pizza. “But I am also pretty sure that she and Grissom have feelings for each other…” she continued.
Horatio repressed a laugh. He loved the way she narrowed her eyes when she reflected and the light that sparkled in them when something enthralled her. He simply loved her; that was all.
“Actually you missed some kind of jealousy scene…”
“I what?” she complained. “That’s not fair! I knew I should have- But what happened exactly?”
“Eric and Sara were just back from the field and they entered the room acting like they were old friends and… well, as Gil saw them he started to act very weird and Sara was practically fuming.”
Calleigh glanced at him, wearing a knowing smile.
“I almost can see you,” she said, amused. “You must have had the time of your life in that room…”
Horatio smirked. “You know me too well,” he commented. “And since I know you too well, too, I can easily guess what’s going on in your mind in this very moment.”
She chuckled girlishly and he couldn’t help himself from thinking how cute she was when she did that.
“We can’t just watch, H!” she said. “They need help and I have some brilliant ideas.”
“Cal, that’s none of our business,” he admonished her, but he knew she was too determined and she wouldn’t listen to him.
“Think about it: if we were them, wouldn’t we accept some friend’s help?”
He studied her for a long while: she was his beautiful, smart, lively wife, and he was going to have a child with her. He tried to figure his life without her and suddenly he felt that in that case there would have been no life.
“If Sara means to Grissom what you mean to me,” he sighed, “then they definitely deserve our help.”
Calleigh beamed happily and took a sip of fresh water. Horatio knew then fun was yet to begin.
.
“Sara, are you alright?”
Sara lifted her eyes from her spaghetti and found Grissom looking at her.
“Yeah,” she answered, hoping to sound natural. “I’m just not very hungry. Don’t worry, Griss, I would tell you if something was wrong.”
He raised one brow, not convinced at all. “Would you?”
Sara did her best to fake a spontaneous smile. He seemed to know that she was hiding something, but she was not going to let him know anything. He had to accept that there was a part of her life he didn’t have access to and she had the right to keep it for herself.
“Of course I would!” she assured him. “But, Grissom, would you please tell me what’s happening to you? I’ve never seen you so…” Sara couldn’t finish, cause she didn’t know exactly what was the right word. Was he really just stressed? Was he angry? And if so, why?
Could he be… Jealous?
He was staring at her, stunned and speechless.
“You’re acting like a jerk, you know?” she completed, slightly shaking her head.
A pregnant silence fell upon the two of them that seemed to last for ages.
“I know,” he said at last. He sounded sorry.
She was about to speak, but he didn’t let her.
“Look, Sara, I know I’ve always been a little… cold to you, you know.”
She listened, still wondering what the point was.
“But I’ve never wanted to give you the impression that I don’t l- I don’t esteem you, both as a person and as a CSI.”
She smiled and put a friendly hand on his. She felt totally defeated, but he didn’t need to see.
“I know.”
“Do you?” he asked, his voice full of concern.
“Yes, Grissom, I do,” she said. “But this doesn’t mean I want to prevent myself from meeting other men forever.”
He swallowed, but apparently he didn’t seem to have anything to say.
“You know, after what has happened to Nick… I’ve realized how short life is. Now I understand why Warrick decided to get married so suddenly.”
There was a sparkle of fear in Grissom’s eyes.
“By that I don’t mean I want to get married,” she explained. “But I need to live my life as long as I have it. You understand?”
Grissom nodded gravely and sighed, joining his hands.
“Does this have anything to do with that Cuban guy-?“
“Eric.”
“Yeah, Eric.”
“No. Or better, not only.”
Grissom cleared his throat. There was something in the air. Some uncomfortable feeling they had never experienced before.
“What are you going to do about this?” He asked her.
Sara bit her lip, looking straight into his blue eyes.
“Any suggestion?” she shyly replied, almost inviting him to make a decision once for all.
“It’s your life, Sara,” he said lamely. “Follow your heart.”
She jumped up, a furious expression on her face.
“I will!” she cried. “But not before you!” and she stormed away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
TBC...