The Retreat

Happy Birthday Cordelia!! My grandfather's birthday's on the 4 of July too, infact I have to get off the computer soon and make his cake.
 
I'm working on the new chapter... I'm sorry for the delay... for whatever reason, I have writer's block! Ah! Stupid writer's block. I have to be honest though, when I say that everyone's comments have helped me push past writer's block in the past... so... I'm going to go reread your comments, and work on the chapter!
 
(Thanks for reading! Also, if you are interested in seeing what the spider web actually looks like, here is a pretty good image of it (if you can get to the link). www . Manzanoretreat . com/ graphics /gallery/ lowropes_spider3. jpg (without the spaces!).

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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.

Title: The Spider Web

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Low Ropes Course

Greg stood with his arms by his side, glancing up at the rope spider web wedged between two of the course’s smaller trees. “This is going to be interesting,” he mused, as his gaze turned toward Nick.

“Yeah, man,” Nick replied, shading his eyes against the glare of the blazing sun. “I’ve never actually done this before, and I’m a little bit curious to see how it works.”

Standing in between Grissom and Catherine, Sara hesitantly cleared her throat. “Are you, uh, completely sure about this?” she asked Max, frowning at the rope obstacle directly in front of her. “I mean, we’re all supposed to go through a different hole in the web, right? That’s the idea behind this… activity?”

“Yes and no,” Max hesitantly smiled at her. “The physical object of the activity is for each of you to get to the other side of the spider web, but the underlying goal is for you to work on your communication skills while engendering trust. No matter how hard you try to complete this task alone, you won’t be able to do it; it definitely requires teamwork.”

Catherine nodded her head in understanding, her arms crossed across her chest. “I’ve seen this activity completed on military shows,” she told her colleagues. “One person goes through first, and then everyone works together to help the rest of the team members through the various holes.”

“But how?” Warrick asked, squinting over at Catherine.

“By lifting people up, and handing them through the holes,” she replied, the corner of her mouth pulling up into a smile.

“Wait a minute,” Sara frowned. “So you mean… we’re, uh… going to have to… touch each other?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the rustling of the trees.

Grissom glanced at Sara, trying to hide the concern from appearing in his voice. “Yes, Sara,” he cautiously told her. I should have realized that this activity would make you a little bit uncomfortable. You don’t like to be touched, and someone will probably have to touch you! “But…” he trailed off.

“It’s okay, Grissom,” Sara flashed him a nervous smile. “We’re all friends, here, right?” she asked the group.

Nick gave a small chuckle, nodding his head yes.

“We’re definitely friends,” Warrick agreed. “So we have nothing to worry about,” he added, once again glancing up at the rope spider web.

“So about the strategy,” Greg mused, bringing everyone back to the topic at hand. “We’re all intelligent people,” he swatted a fly away from his head. “So let’s just sit down and figure this all out.”

Sara slowly nodded, pursing her lips in thought. “Well,” she began. “One of the taller ones of us should probably go through this bottom hole,” she pointed to the lowest spider web ring. “So that he or she can pull us through, while the team members on this side… push.”

Warrick nodded, his hand resting on his chin. “Yeah, Sara. And I volunteer to go first.” I’m strong, I can do this, he told himself.

Catherine slowly turned her head to the side, glancing at Warrick. Nodding, she tried to smile. There’s just something…unnerving about this entire thing, she thought to herself. I almost think that rappelling was less nerve-wracking. “So who wants to go through last?” she asked. “Whoever it is will either have to be extremely flexible, or we’ll have to save him or her the second bottom hole.”

“That’s a good point, Cath,” Nick murmured, thinking things through. “But that last person should also be one of the strongest, to help lift people up from this end.”

“Don’t look at me,” Greg grinned, holding his hands up. “I’m the brains of this operation.”

Catherine chuckled, before returning her attention to Nick. “What do you say? Are you up for the challenge, Nicky?”

Nick grinned. “Let’s do this!”

“Okay,” Grissom cleared his throat, rubbing his chin in thought. “Okay. So Warrick, you’ll go through first, and Nick, you’ll go through last. Who wants to go second?”

“I will,” Catherine shrugged her shoulders.

“And then I suppose I can go,” Sara quietly announced.

“And then Greggo, you’ll be up, followed by Grissom,” Nick added. “Or vice versa; I guess it doesn’t really matter. So… let’s get started!”

Warrick nodded, turning around to face the spider web. With his hands on his hips, he examined the bottom two holes, before glancing up at his colleagues. “What do you guys think?” he asked. “The holes are small, Nick,” he commented. “Do you think that you can fit through the tinier one of the two?”

“I’m not sure, actually,” Nick admitted. “But I’m still slightly less broad in the shoulders than you are, so I suppose we’ll have to make it work,” he added, watching as Warrick knelt down on his hands and knees in order to study the outline of the obstacle.

“Don’t forget,” Max interrupted their conversation. “You need to get through without touching the sides.”

“I know,” Warrick replied. “Can someone help guide me through, though?” he asked.

“We could do something like a wheelbarrow motion,” Greg pointed out, walking slightly closer to the rope obstacle, and kneeling down beside Warrick.

“That’d be perfect, man,” Warrick grinned, as he began to crawl through the hole. Greg easily picked up his feet, helping him get the rest of the way through without touching the sides.

“You’re up, Catherine,” Nick smiled. “What do you think about us sending you through this side hole?” he pointed to a fairly small one.

“That’s fine,” Catherine chuckled. “But watch your hands, Nicky and Greggo,” she grinned.

“Uh-huh,” Nick laughed, as he, Greg, and Grissom, picked Catherine up. “You might want to put your arms across your chest, though, Cath,” he advised. “It’ll make it easier for you to go through.”

Catherine nodded, doing as he suggested. Mere moments later, she was safely on the other side of the web, cheerfully standing beside Warrick.

“Okay, Sara,” Warrick then announced, raising an eyebrow. “Are you ready? It’s you’re turn,” he informed her.

“I’m ready,” Sara again nervously whispered, wringing her hands. I don’t want you all to touch me, I don’t want you all to touch me, I really don’t want you all to touch me, she repeated over and over again to herself, as she stepped closer to the rope. But I trust you, so… what’s my problem? I don’t understand!

“It’ll be a piece of cake, Sara,” Greg kindly told her, standing on one side of her, with Nick on her other side. From behind her, Grissom refrained from putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, although his close proximity to her was enough to visibly calm her down.

“Just tell us when you’re ready to go, Sara, and we’ll lift you up,” Nick quietly told her. “Nice and easy.”

Sara slowly nodded, as she gazed up at the uppermost hole. As one of the lightest criminalists in the group, her colleagues had decided that she would have to go through the highest hole; something that Sara was starting to worry about. “Okay… I’m ready,” she finally mumbled, closing her eyes and taking a deep, steadying breath. They’re your friends. They won’t hurt you, Sara. You have to trust them. Trust. This is all about trust.

From the other side of the spider web, Catherine carefully observed Sara, a little bit anxious for her. “You’ve got this, Sara,” she told her with a small smile. “Just stand up straight, and hold your arms across your chest. We’ve got you,” she continued. “And you’ve got this.” Frowning at the other woman, Catherine couldn’t help but notice the thin sheen of sweat forming above Sara’s lip, indicating just how nervous she actually was. Come on, Sara. Deep breaths.

“On the count of three,” Nick spoke up. “One, two, three, lift!” Nick immediately grabbed Sara’s legs, while Greg supported her shoulders, and Grissom supported her back.

“You’re clear on this end,” Warrick calmly told his colleagues on the other side of the rope barrier. “Just slowly start to push her through the hole. And breathe, Sara,” he added. Man, you look so scared. You don’t need to be scared of us!

“Are you okay, Sara?” Grissom whispered, as he, Greg, and Nick carefully moved her closer to the spider web.

Sara took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. “Y-yes, I think so,” she whispered, her voice once again barely audible over the rustling of the trees, and over everyone’s labored breathing. “But be careful,” she fearfully added, as her friends and colleagues slowly lifted her higher up in the air, until their arms were almost straight above their heads, with Sara precariously balanced on top.

“We’ll be careful, Sar,” Nick promised her, as her feet reached the very edge of the hole.

“Sara, I’m going to tip your shoulders slightly back,” Greg informed her. “So that your feet go a little bit higher in the air. You’re okay, though, and I’m not going to let you fall. Do you trust me…?” he quietly asked her.

“Uh-huh…” Sara whispered, the fear still evident in her voice.

“Okay, Sara,” Catherine softly chimed in. “You need to keep your feet straight out ahead of you now, until we tell you that it’s time to bend your legs,” she added. “You’ll feel Warrick and I grab your legs in a couple of moments, so don’t get scared.”

Sara just nodded, trying to breathe. I don’t like this, I don’t like this, I don’t like this, I want to go home, she thought to herself. [/i]I know that you won’t hurt me, but please, I don’t want to be touched, she swallowed, starting to feel the panic build up within her tiny frame.

“You’re doing well, Sara,” Grissom told her, noticing the stiffness in her body. You’re terrified. I know you well enough to know that you’re terrified. I’m so sorry, he wanted to tell her, as he gently held her up, one hand on her upper back, and one hand on her lower back.

“A little higher, Nick,” Catherine calmly directed him. “Her legs are about to touch the rope,” she informed him. Breathe deeply, Sara. You really need to breathe deeply, she thought to herself, as she heard Sara’s breathing coming in ragged gasps. “Sara, your ankles are almost all the way through the hole. Hang on!”

“Okay!” Sara yelled out a bit more loudly than she had intended to, starting to feel herself shake. I don’t want to be touched, Grissom, I don’t want them to touch me, please, she again swallowed, squeezing her eyes tightly shut, and attempting to calm herself down.

Warrick carefully grabbed a hold of Sara’s feet, cautiously helping to pull her through the spider web. “C’mon, Sara, your feet are all he way through,” he tried to encourage her, finding it very difficult, though, given her body language. You’re scared, aren’t you? he wanted to ask her. But it’s okay, I promise you. We’d never let anything happen to you.

“We’ve got you, Sar,” Nick quietly told her, as he continued to pass her body through the hole to Warrick. “We’ve got you, and you’re okay. Do you trust us…?” Trust us, Sar. You have to trust us. We’re a team; a family.

“Y-yes, Nick. I do,” Sara again squeezed her eyes tightly shut, as if trying to convince herself of that fact.

Once Sara’s legs were completely through the hole, Nick realized that he had to move his hands further up her body. Glancing at Grissom for a moment as if to ask him for his permission to touch Sara, he hesitated, before gently resting his hands on her hips. I’m not going to hurt you, Sara. I promise. I’m really not!

But regardless of Nick’s actual intensions, Sara’s mind was in a whole other place. The moment that she felt Nick’s hands grip her hips, trying to hold her steady, she shrieked, bucking against her colleague’s grasp. “Stop! Please!” she wailed, her mind mentally taking her back in time, to another place. “I don’t want to! I don’t want you to! Don’t touch me!” she whispered, as tears started to slide down her cheeks. “I don’t want you to! Please, I’m saying no!” she screamed. “I’M SAYING NO!”

Nick, terrified of the words that were pouring out of Sara’s mouth, not to mention terrified of the role that he had played in starting her anxiety attack, instantly dropped her legs, forcing Warrick and Catherine, on the other side of the rope, to pick up the slack. Oh shit! What’d I do? he screamed at himself. “Sara! It’s okay!” he tried to get her attention. “You’re okay, Sara!”

“What’s going on?” Max shouted, looking up at Sara. “What’s wrong with her?” Before he could do or say anything, however, the criminalists were already springing into action… doing just what he would have recommended that they do: trying to talk her down, and to help her reach the ground, without being harmed.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Warrick grunted, as he tried his hardest to hold Sara’s legs still. “Sara, please, stop moving around! We’re not going to hurt you, Sara!” But we’re sure as hell going to drop you, if you don’t stop.

But Sara did not hear Nick or Warrick, as she continued to thrash around, still held above everyone’s heads. The harder that they tried to grab her in order to steady her, the harder that she fought against them.

“Grissom!” Greg screamed. “I can’t keep my hold on her!” And damn it, my arms are starting to hurt! he wanted to add, as he felt his arms begin to spasm. Sara was by no means heavy, but he, Grissom, Warrick, and Catherine, were still trying to hold onto her, so that she wouldn’t fall to the ground. The problem was that she was now half way between both sides of the rope, and lowering any part of her body would cause her to fall directly onto the spider web itself, possibly entangling her in the ropes.

Grissom let go of Sara’s back, moving around to her side. “Sara,” he tried to calmly whisper to her, not touching her just yet. “Sara, it’s me. Listen to me, honey,” he mumbled, no longer caring what his colleagues heard him call her. “I need you to listen to me. Can you do that for me?”

“No! Please, no, don’t!” Sara whimpered, her body now wracked with sobs. [/i] They’re going to get me, they’re touching me, and they’re going to get me! They’re not going to stop until they hurt me! [/i] she told herself, her mind no longer present at the ropes course, and lost to a another time, and another place; one that was a whole heck of a lot more horrifying than where she currently was. “I don’t want to…”

“Sara,” Catherine tried to calm her down. “We’re your friends; we’re not going to hurt you! We’re not going to make you do anything that you don’t want to do. But we need you to come back to us,” she told her, her hands wrapped firmly around her friend’s feet.

As Sara felt Catherine’s grip tighten around her feet, she was once again overcome with the sensation of being pinned down, and held against her will. “Don’t hurt me, please,” she whispered. “I’m not worth your time, I promise…” she trailed off, her eyes starting to lose focus.

“Grissom, I can’t hold onto her any more! Nick, Warrick, grab her!” Greg shouted.

“I can’t, man,” Nick shot back, his face a mix of horror and unease. “I really can’t!”

“Warrick?” Greg tried again, as his grip on Sara’s shoulders began to loosen. She was just moving around too much for him to maintain a steady grip on her.

Warrick let go of Sara’s feet, running around the spider web to Greg’s side of the obstacle. “Let’s pull her out of there,” he told his colleague, frowning, as Sara continued to thrash against their efforts. C’mon, Sara, you’re okay. You have to see that you’re going to be okay, he thought to himself, trying to dodge the violent undulations of her feet.

“Sara, honey, it’s Grissom,” Grissom tried again, reaching a hand up to her, and gently touching the small of her back. “I need you to calm down for me, honey. Please, listen to my voice,” he tried to keep his voice calm and soothing.

But Sara continued to kick against Warrick and Greg, hindering their ability to effectively help her down.

Finally releasing his tentative hold on Sara, Greg swore, before trying to grab her shoulders once more. “Shit!” he screamed, as Sara’s bucking body managed to get itself tangled at the very top of the spider web, with a leg wrapped around one hole, her arm around another, and her body half way between both sides. I’m sorry, Sara! I didn’t mean to let go! he frowned, as the cold sweat from his exertion rolled down his face.

She’s going to hurt herself; she’s really going to hurt herself, if we don’t do something about this…and fast! “We need to get her out of there now, Grissom,” Catherine quickly spoke up. “Before she strangles herself!”

“We definitely need to get her down,” Max confirmed. “Try to talk her down, and if you can’t, we’ll have to cut her down. It’s for her own safety.”

Grissom nodded, as he again reached a hand up to Sara, barely touching her back.

“Don’t touch me…” Sara whispered, still thrashing around, completely unaware of where she was, and what she was doing. “Please, don’t,” she sobbed in desperation.

What have I done? Nick thought to himself, staring up at Sara in panic. What… happened? I don’t… understand! I wasn’t going to rape her. She has to know that, right? She has to know that none of us would ever hurt her! he swallowed in frustration, not realizing that Sara wasn’t directing her comments at the team, but rather, at some dark and dismal aspect of her past.

“Sara!” Grissom finally shouted at her, firmly pressing his hand against her back in order to get her attention and to let her know that he was there for her. “Listen to my voice, Sara, and feel my hand against you!” he loudly yelled at her over her tears, as Warrick, Greg, and Nick held their arms out in front of themselves, just in case she happened to fall. “Sara, I told you that you we weren’t going to let you fall, and we won’t! But we need you to stop thrashing around, honey. You need to stop! You’re making it very difficult for us to hold onto you!”

What’s going on? Sara asked herself, trying to return her mind to the present. With the fear still gripping her heart, and the blood still rushing to her ears, Sara whimpered. “G-Grissom…? Grissom?”

“Yes, Sara, I’m here. Please, honey, you have to calm down. Can you take a deep breath for me?”

Although she was still crying, Sara stopped flailing around, trying to breathe for Grissom.

“We’re going to grab you, Sara,” Grissom continued. “But it’s just us: Warrick, Nick, Greg, Catherine, and myself. We’re not going to drop you, but we need you to stay still for us. Can you do that, honey?”

Sara slowly nodded her head up and down, as her tears started to subside.

“Catherine, go around to the other side, and grab her legs. Nick and Greg, take her shoulders. Warrick, grab her back, and I’m going to support her entire body,” Grissom handed out the orders. “Catherine, I want you to carefully disentangle her one leg from the rope, and then slowly bring both of her legs upward. Sara,” he calmly told her. “Honey, your head is going to point down toward the ground for a moment, but we’re not going to let you fall.” I hope. “Do you trust us…?” he quietly asked.

“Y-yes,” Sara croaked out, her body still slightly shaking from the after affects of her tears. “I trust you,” she whispered.

Don’t let her fall, Greg. She’s depending on you. She’s terrified, she’s helpless, and she’s depending on you. Don’t you dare screw this up! Greg warned himself.

Glancing at Nick and Greg, Warrick nodded. We’ve got this, man, he mouthed to Nick. We can’t let her down, he mouthed to Greg. Both men seemed to get what he was saying, and nodded their understanding right back at him.

“Ready, Sara?” Catherine asked.

“Y-yes,” Sara anxiously replied, starting to hiccup.

Catherine hesitantly untangled Sara’s leg, before very slowly raising both of her legs upward, toward the sky. Meanwhile, Grissom managed to loosen her arm, basically allowing Greg, Nick, and Warrick to pull her back through the spider web to the activity’s original starting side.

“You’re almost here, Sara,” Grissom calmly announced to her. “Just another minute, and we’ll have you down,” he tried to reassure her, keeping his voice steady and low-key.

“Okay,” Sara whispered, hiccupping again.

“Gentle, gentle,” Catherine told the guys, as Sara’s body carefully slid back through the hole, toward the activity’s original starting point.

“Almost there, Sara,” Grissom again said, trying to breathe normally, as Greg, Warrick, and Nick successfully pulled her all of the way through the spider web, gently setting her down feet first on the ground. Immediately wrapping his arms around her frail and shaking body, Grissom tightly held her to her chest, keeping her from falling to her knees.

“I’m so sorry,” Sara whispered to Grissom, burying her head against his chest. “I didn’t mean to get so scared. I don’t know what happened,” she told him, as the tears once again wracked her body.

“Shh, Sara, it’s okay,” he told her, gently rubbing her back. “It’s okay…”

“I just,” she sniffled. “I felt hands on my body, and I just… started to relive things,” she sobbed again.

“I know, Sara. We all know, and it’s okay. We understand,” Grissom whispered, slowly running his fingers through her hair.

Greg, standing off to the side of the spider web, took a deep breath, trying to steady his own nerves. I… can’t believe that that just happened. I’ve never… seen that happen to a person before.

Warrick, rubbing the back of his neck, frowned. Jesus, what the hell really happened to you, Sara? To have that kind of reaction, thirty years after the fact? What the hell did those bastards do to you?

I’m sorry, Sara, Nick again thought to himself. I honestly didn’t mean to scare you.

“It wasn’t your fault, Nick,” Catherine quietly told him, as if reading his mind.

Nick guiltily looked up.

“Really. It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered, so that only he could hear her. “It would have happened had any of us held her. Memories can be powerful things.”

Nick slowly nodded his head up and down, finally raising his gaze to look at Sara and Grissom. “I just feel badly.”

“We all do, man,” Warrick mumbled.

Sara tried to relax in Grissom’s arms, still anxiously clutching the loose-ends of his shirt. “I didn’t mean to ruin your team-building activity, Grissom,” she whispered to him, turning her tear-stained gaze to look up at him.

“You didn’t ruin anything, Sara,” he kindly replied, gently brushing his fingers against her cheek to wipe away the remainder of her tears. “Because when push came to shove, you trusted us. It’s all about the trust.”

Slowly nodding, Sara hiccupped, before frowning. “Grissom…?” she whispered.

“Yes, Sara?” he asked, carefully wrapping his arms around her again.

“I… want to try it again. I touched the sides of the spider web, and I broke the rules. I want to try again.”

Nick, startled, stood with his mouth hanging agape. “Really…?” he asked.

Sara simply nodded, trying to smile. “I don’t know what will happen,” she whispered. “But I’d like to try,” she trailed off.

“We’ll help you through it, Sara,” Warrick assured her. You are such a damn trooper. I’m so proud of you!

Greg nodded, his enthusiasm once again rekindled. “That’s right, Sara. We’ll all get through that spider web as a team; as a family.” I knew that there was a really good reason that I looked up to you. You have determination, heart, and soul. I respect you, Sara Sidle.

“Alright, Sara,” Catherine nodded. “We’re a team, and we stick together.” And I am so proud to have you on my team.

“Let’s do this, then,” Grissom nodded to each individual criminalist, glancing at their guide. “Ready, Max?”

“Uh… sure!”

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TO BE CONTINUED
 
I had to do one once before, and I totally chickened out. I had to do trust falls, also, and uh, yeah... those are hard! But they are awesome for having to learn how to trust.

Thanks for reading!
 
(I hope everyone enjoys this new chapter!)

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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.

Title: Success!

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Low Ropes Course

Warrick squinted up at the spider web, his hands on his hips. “Alright, Sara. If you really want to try this again, we’ll try it again,” he kindly told her, turning around to glance at his colleagues. As his gaze fell upon Greg, he nodded. “Little help, man?” he asked, as he squatted down on his haunches, studying the obstacle before him. Carefully crawling toward the larger of the two bottom holes, Warrick slid both of his hands through the gap, waiting for Greg to once again pick up his legs, effectively allowing him to crawl the rest of the way through the web without touching any of the sides or the bottom. Piece of cake, he nodded to himself.

After Warrick was safely on the other side, Catherine sighed. “So… I guess I should go next?” she asked the team, facing Greg, Nick, and Grissom. I can’t say that I’m really thrilled about doing this for a second time, but… that’s okay. I’ll be fine.

Nick smiled, standing just behind her. “Yup. Ready, guys?”

Greg and Grissom both nodded yes, positioning themselves around Catherine.

“On the count of three. One, two, three,” Nick counted, before grabbing a hold of Catherine’s legs, while Greg grabbed her shoulders, and Grissom supported her back. Nice and easy, he thought to himself.

“Don’t drop me, boys,” Catherine warned them, as she felt herself slightly tilting in Nick’s grasp. Please don’t let me fall.

“You’re fine, Catherine,” Nick immediately assured her. “We’re not going to let you fall… promise,” he added, as the three men moved Catherine’s body closer to the edge of the side hole. Why does everyone keep thinking that I’m going to hurt them? I’m not…

“Her legs need to come up a little bit, Nick,” Warrick instructed him from the other side of the spider web. “She’s almost touching the bottom of the hole.” And we’re not doing this for a third time, man. I hope not, anyhow!


Nick nodded his understanding, as he slid his hands further down Catherine’s legs, gently lifting her up. “Doing okay, Catherine?”

“Uh-huh,” Catherine called out, her eyes closed, and her arms crossed across her chest.

I don’t want it to be my turn, Sara mumbled to herself, preoccupied with her own thoughts, and not really paying attention to Catherine. I really don’t want to go!

Nice job with the teamwork, Grissom thought to himself, glancing around at his CSIs. I’m proud of all of you, he added, as he helped Nick and Warrick continue to move Catherine through the spider web. Although Sara, you do seem a little bit preoccupied, he mused, catching a glimpse of her expression.

“Okay, Cath,” Warrick spoke up. “Your feet are almost through the hole, so I’m going to grab you. Try not to move a muscle,” he added.

Catherine nodded, taking a deep breath. Although she was not about to panic, she still felt a little bit uncomfortable with everyone’s hands touching her. This is awkward; very awkward, she mused.

“Gotcha,” he informed her, as his fingers closed around her ankles, sliding underneath her legs, so that he could help safely pull her through. “Alright, Nicky, a little bit higher,” Warrick again instructed him, as he continued to pull Catherine through the rope. “And Cath, it’s okay to bend your legs now, just don’t swing them backward,” he told her, as he moved his hands up to her hips, trying to more firmly support her.

“Almost through, Catherine,” Greg spoke up, as he released her shoulders, and let Nick hand her the rest of the way through the spider web to Warrick. Hot damn, we’re on a roll!

“And done,” Warrick grinned, carefully setting her down on the ground just beside him.

Catherine nodded, rearranging her shirt, and staring through the barrier at Sara, Greg, Nick, and Grissom. “So… who’s up next…?”

“I am,” Sara whispered, clearing her throat, and walking toward the spider web. “I am,” she repeated, as if trying to convince herself of that fact.

“I’ve get her shoulders,” Nick mumbled, refusing to go anywhere near Sara’s legs or hips again.

“I’ll take her legs,” Greg shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“You sure about this, Sara?” Grissom quietly asked her.

Sara simply nodded yes, taking a deep, steadying breath. “You’re not going to hurt me. I know that,” she whispered, before glancing toward the trees, attempting to calm herself down a little bit more.

“We’re not going to hurt you, you’re right about that,” Grissom told her. “Okay, guys. Count of three. One, two, three,” he announced, as Greg grabbed her feet, Nick grabbed her shoulders, and he himself held her hips up.

“Doing okay, Sara?” Catherine asked, carefully watching her face for any signs of unease.

“Y-yes,” Sara replied, swallowing her fear. “I’m okay.” I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay, she thought to herself, frowning, as she felt a few drops of sweat form on her forehead.

You’re okay, Sara; you’re okay, Sara; you’re okay, Sara,Nick chanted to himself, his fingers barely holding her up.

“Alright, girl,” Warrick called out, as he stepped up to the spider web. “Catherine and I are going to grab your feet in about thirty seconds,” he informed her, watching as Greg, Nick, and Grissom struggled to slowly move her toward the hole.

This would be so much easier if we just went a little bit faster, Greg scowled. Although I understand that we can’t; she’s scared, and she needs time.

“Okay, Warrick,” Sara mumbled. “I’m okay,” she told him. Closing her eyes, and again swallowing, Sara took another deep, calming breath. She could feel everyone’s hands on her, and she knew that they were trying to be gentle; especially Nick. You’re going to drop me, though, she wanted to tell him. “Nick?” she whispered.

“…What?” he nervously asked her. Am I hurting you? Am I holding you too hard?

“You have to hold me more tightly. Please?” she almost begged him.

“…What?” he asked, confusion written all over his face.

“You’re… you’re going to drop me, Nick. You’re not really holding onto me. Please? Hold me more tightly?” she pleaded with him.

Warrick quickly glanced over at Nick, noticing that his fingers were barely touching Sara’s shoulders. She was right; if something happened to Greg or Grissom, she would tumble to the ground. C’mon, man, you can do it. Get over your fear of hurting her, and just hold her!

Nick nodded, as his fingers imperceptibly tightened around her shoulders.

Sara frowned. “Please, Nick. I’m okay. You’re not going to hurt me… but I don’t want to fall! Tighter?”

Greg glanced at Nick, frowning. Just hold her, will you? he wanted to yell at his friend. She said she’s fine, so just do it!

“It’s okay, Nicky,” Catherine assured him. ‘She’s fine. But we need your help,” she tried to encourage the younger man. “We’re a team, remember?”

Grissom turned to look at Nick, making eye contact with him. Flashing him a slight nod, he glanced at Nick’s hands, waiting to see what he would do.

“Right,” Nick frowned. “Okay.” I’m not going to hurt you, Sara. I promise. Please don’t scream at me! Wrapping his hands more firmly around Sara’s shoulders, he cringed, waiting for the shrieking to begin.

But the shrieking never began.

“Okay, Sara,” Greg spoke up. “Your legs are now directly in front of the spider web, and we’re going to begin pushing you through. Try not to move, okay?” he calmly asked her.
Sara again swallowed, nodding. I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay.

“Greg,” Catherine got his attention. “Her feet are going to touch the rope again. Lift her legs up higher, if you can.” Sara’s not going to like this, Catherine thought to herself.

Greg nervously nodded, as he glanced at Sara. “Uh, Sara?” he hesitated. “I have to move my hands to your, uh, you know,” he frowned. “So that I can lift you up higher.”

I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay, she closed her eyes, tuning him out.

“Sara?” Greg cautiously tried again. “Okay? Did you hear me? Can I?”

I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m okay… wait, what did he just say? Where does he have to put his hands? My ass? I’m okay, it’s just Greg, I’m okay, it’s just Greg. “Okay,” she finally squeaked out, swallowing. “Go ahead,” she told him, her voice barely audible to her own ears over the sound of her blood rushing through her veins.

Nick squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to breathe. Don’t get scared, he wanted to tell her. But don’t let go, either, he screamed at himself, as he realized that he almost let go of her.

Greg very carefully slid his hands up Sara’s legs, resting them on her behind, as he lifted her up and through the hole. See? Not gonna hurt you, Sara. I promised, and I never lie! Well, I rarely lie.

“Now Catherine and I are going to grab you,” Warrick warned her, as he gently placed his hands around her feet, tugging on them. “Stay still, and Catherine and I will pull you through,” he advised her.

“Okay,” Sara softly answered him.

“Sara?” Grissom quietly asked.

“Wh-what?” she whispered, trying to stay with them all, and not to begin thinking about the past.

“What’s going through your mind right now?”

Sara bit her lip, trying to concentrate on the sound of Grissom’s voice. “That I’m okay, and that no one is going to hurt me, and that Nick isn’t holding me tightly enough,” she swallowed.

Nick’s head snapped up when he heard his name. “Sorry,” he mumbled, grabbing her shoulders more tightly again, surprised when he thought that he felt her body relax against his touch. Maybe holding her more securely is making her feel more comfortable? he questioned himself. “You’re, uh, you’re doing well, Sara,” he finally spoke up.

“Yes, you are, Sara,” Catherine agreed with Nick, as Warrick brought her legs slightly down, so that she could also reach them. “You’re almost there. Just a little bit further.”

“‘Kay…” Sara whispered, her eyes still screwed tightly shut.

“You’re more than half-way through, Sara,” Greg smiled. You’re going to make it this time, me thinks!

“Hey, girl?” Warrick hesitantly asked, clearing his throat. “I’m going to wrap my arms around your lower body, okay? You’re so far through the hole right now, that Catherine and I need to further support your body, in order to make sure that you don’t get hurt.”

Sara nodded, swallowing again. It’s just Warrick, he’s not going to hurt you. It’s just Warrick, he’s not going to hurt you.

“Here I go, Sara,” Warrick again warned her, as he gently wrapped his arms around her lower body. I’ve got you, girl, I’m not going to let anything hurt you.

“Keep breathing, Sara,” Grissom calmly told her, when he noticed her body slightly stiffen. And then glancing at Nick, he resisted the urge to tell him the same thing; Nick’s face was ashen, and he looked incredibly nervous.

Finally releasing Sara’s body, both Greg and Grissom stood back, allowing Nick to continue pushing her the rest of the way through the hole toward Warrick and Catherine’s waiting arms.

“Cath, grab her shoulders,” Warrick mumbled, the moment that her shoulders crested the obstacle.

It’s just Warrick and Catherine, you’re okay. They’re not going to hurt you, you’re okay.

Moments later, a very shaky Sara was standing on firm ground, trying to catch her breath.

“You okay, girl?” Warrick asked her, holding a tentative hand out toward her arm in order to try to steady her.

Sara swallowed, looking up at him and Catherine. “I’m okay,” she told them, as she very hesitantly leaned against Warrick for support. “I’m okay,” she repeated to herself, closing her eyes, as she felt Warrick gently wrap his arms around her body.

Warrick uneasily looked over at Grissom, who simply nodded at him. “That’s okay,” his supervisor mouthed to him. Because she has to learn that we’re all here for her. Not just me.

“Nice job, Sara,” Catherine smiled at her, giving her shoulder a gentle pat. “I—no, we—knew that you could do it.”

Sara nodded her thanks, just letting Warrick hold her.

“Awesome job, Sara,” Greg confirmed, before turning around to look at Nick. “And that goes double for you.”

Me? I didn’t do anything, Nick frowned, slightly confused.

I’m proud of you, Sara, Grissom wanted to tell her. I really am. You’re such a strong woman, and I am such a lucky man to have you in my life.

Nick tried not to chuckle, as he took a deep, calming breath. “She’s okay. We’re all okay, except… hey!” Everyone turned to look at Nick. “We’re not done yet, guys. Grissom, Greg, and I still have to go,” he reminded everyone.

Warrick released Sara, glancing over at his colleague. “Well alright then, let’s finish this, man!”

And they did, with no other major issues. The rope was never touched, and the criminalists finished their activity twenty minutes later.

---------------

Campsite

After having finished the spider web challenge, all of the CSIs decided that they were emotionally drained, and that the rest of the course would have to wait until tomorrow. Max was slightly upset that everyone wanted to give up for the day, but finally acquiesced to their requests, with the understanding that tomorrow, they would try the trust fall and the zip line.

So six very tired, and very sweaty criminalists trudged back to their campsite, eating a quick dinner, before preparing to turn in for the night.

“Yo. Hold up a minute,” Warrick suddenly coughed, stopping everyone before they could actually enter their tents for the night. “Before everyone goes to bed, I just wanted to say that I am damn proud to be a part of this team. Days has nothin’ on us,” he added, smiling at his colleagues. “Because after today, it is clear to me that we make a damn fine family.”

Nick nodded, staring at the ground. Except for the part where I almost dropped Sara—twice. But… he does have a point. “I agree,” he hesitantly spoke up. “I’m glad that I made the move to Vegas, and that I met all of you.”

“Group hug!” Greg announced, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Catherine chuckled. “No thanks, Greg. Maybe when we’re all clean, and when we don’t smell.”

“Like that will ever happen in our line of work,” Sara joked.

“But anyhow, good night,” Warrick added, before trooping off to his tent.

“Yeah, g’night, everyone,” Nick nodded goodbye.

Greg simply grinned, as he jogged over to his tent, crawling right in.

“See you in a bit, Sara,” Catherine softly called out, before climbing into their own tent for the evening.

“So…” Grissom trailed off, holding his arms open for Sara.

“So…” Sara repeated, eagerly walking into his embrace.

“You did well, Sara. I’m proud of you,” he whispered, gently rubbing her back.

“I didn’t think I’d be able to do it,” she admitted to him. “But I do trust all of you. I really do. And that helped.”

“Well I’m glad that you trust us, honey,” Grissom replied. “But get some sleep, okay? And I’ll see you in the morning?” he asked, slightly pulling away from her.

“Okay,” Sara nodded, leaning up on her tiptoes in order to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

Grissom held Sara for a moment longer, before releasing her. “I love you,” he very tenderly told her, flashing her a small smile.

Sara immediately froze, staring up at Grissom.

“What? What’s wrong?” he asked, concern clouding his eyes.

“Wh-what did you just say?” she anxiously asked him.

“I said… ‘I love you,’” he repeated his words, frowning. Do you not… do you not love me? he wanted to ask her, swallowing.

“That’s the first time that you’ve ever told me that, Grissom,” Sara whispered to him, her lips curling up into a smile.

“Well, I’ve thought it for awhile now,” he simply told her. “So it’s my mistake for not saying it any earlier,” he added, still gently rubbing her back.

“I was starting to wonder what you really felt about me,” Sara admitted, her eyes shining.

“I’m sorry that I left you guessing, honey,” Grissom smiled, pulling her close for another moment. “Because I definitely love you,” he informed her, softly pressing his lips to hers.

“And I love you, too,” she immediately replied, after slowly ending the kiss.

“But go get some sleep,” he finally told her, breaking away. “Tomorrow is going to be another rough day, and I want you to be well-rested for it.”

Sara nodded, as she reluctantly turned around, heading toward her tent.

Grissom watched her crawl inside, before moving toward his own tent.

---------------

Catherine and Sara’s Tent

Once inside the safety of her tent, Sara let out a deep, contented, sigh.

“Are you okay?” Catherine amusedly asked, cracking an eye open to study her friend and colleague.

“Uh-huh,” Sara grinned. “Couldn’t be better, actually.”

“You look… happy,” Catherine couldn’t help but notice.

“Grissom loves me,” Sara smiled from ear-to-ear, feeling her face blush.

“I could have told you that months ago, Sara,” Catherine softly chuckled. “But did he finally say the words?”

Sara nodded, barely able to contain her enthusiasm. “He loves me,” she repeated to Catherine, crawling into her sleeping bag, and scrunching down so that only her head was poking out.

“I know,” Catherine laughed. “I’m happy for you.”

“He really loves me,” Sara again smiled, as she closed her eyes. “Someone really loves me; someone who won’t ever hurt me.”

Good for you two, Catherine grinned, closing her eyes. You both deserve happiness, and I’m glad that you found it in one another.

---------------

TO BE CONTINUED
 
Awww .. again don't like GSR .. but AWWW!! Very happy that Sara made it through the rope course. :D

Update soon, please.
 
I'm with you, hollie, don't like GSR, I'm Snickers but you're Sandle. I like it Zan. Poor Nicky, he doesn't want to touch Sara because what happened to her. Sara scared him, Sara better give him a hug and tell him everything okay.
 
hollie and Gilbert, thank you so much for your comments! It's really funny... I hated GSR when I started this fic awhile ago, but I went where the story took me, and that's where it went. Now... now I just like to go "aww!" with the random Grissom/Sara moments. But there will be some good Nick/Sara moments coming up... not Snickers, but... friendship :). Thanks for still reading!
 
(thank you for reading this fic, everyone… I hope you enjoy this chapter!)

---------------

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS. All of the butterfly facts come from www. Thebuterflysite. Com / facts . shtml (without the spaces—I can’t get my links to load with spaces!).

Title: Butterflies

---------------

High Ropes, the present

“Whoa!” Greg grinned, once he reached the top of the rope ladder. “This is unbelievable!” he shouted down to his colleagues still on the ground. “I mean, I can see everything! I can see Lake Mead, I can see the mountains, I can see a lot!” he enthused, as he nervously pulled on his harness, making sure that it fit snuggly against his body. I know, I know. I'm lucky to be going first. I think.

“Well, you’re pretty high up there, man,” Nick pointed out with a smile, shielding his eyes against the glare of the sun so that he could watch Greg try to traverse the tightrope suspended between the two trees. “But be careful!”

“This is safe, right?” Catherine, still on the ground, anxiously asked Max. “I mean, should he happen to fall, the bungee cord will save him?”

“In theory, yes,” Max grinned at her.

“In… theory?” Sara whispered, her face suddenly going pale, as she glanced up at Greg. Don’t do it, Greg! It isn’t safe, she wanted to scream at him. Just climb back down!

“‘In theory?’ What the hell does that mean?” Catherine asked him, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice. Are you saying that you don’t know if these cords will actually hold us, in case we slip up there?

“I was just joking,” Max smiled. “You’ll be safe, seriously. I promise.”

“Damn,” Warrick muttered. “After everything that you’ve observed with us, I would think that you would know better than to joke about our safety.”

Grissom just furrowed an eyebrow, not amused.

“Sorry,” Max frowned, returning his gaze to Greg. Shrugging, he cupped his hands over his mouth in order to amplify his voice, and took a deep breath. “Go ahead and take that first step, Greg!” he instructed the younger man.

Greg nodded, although he knew that no one on the ground could see him well enough to catch the small gesture. “Okay!” he yelled back, taking a tentative step out onto the tightrope. Sliding his hands along the two guide ropes suspended by his waist, he almost smiled… until he stopped cold. “Holy cow!”

“Greg?” Grissom raised his voice so that he could hear him. “Are you okay up there?”

“Uh-huh! But a whole bunch of butterflies just flew by my head! That was so cool!”

Butterflies…? Sara thought to herself, grinning. Grissom and I went to the butterfly observatory on our second date.

---------------

Butterfly Exhibit, nine and a half months ago

“Are you sure about this, Grissom?” Sara asked, nervously wringing her hands the moment that she saw him standing at her door. “I mean, we don’t have to go, if you don’t want to.” Their relationship was still fairly new, and Sara was having a difficult time understanding the fact that Grissom actually wanted to get to know her better; after six years of pursuing him, she was now in new territory.

“Sara, I want to go,” Grissom firmly told her, as she locked her apartment door, and they headed toward his car. “Seriously. You like butterflies, I like butterflies, this will be fun.” I hope. Because right now, I feel as nervous as… no, it’s best not to complete that thought.

Holding open the door to his car for her, Grissom tried not to stare. But clad in a light blue shirt and a pair of khakis, Sara was certainly noticeable. You’re absolutely beautiful, Grissom thought to himself, watching her get into the car, and buckle up. How have I never noticed you? Closing the door behind her, he shuffled off to his side of the car, quickly getting in.

I’m still pretty nervous about this. He really does want to go to the butterfly exhibit with me, right? He’s not just saying that? Because I can see him just telling me what I want to hear, so that I feel better about myself, Sara frowned. Staring out of her window for a moment, however, she slowly shook her head from side to side. No, actually, that’s not true; I can’t see Grissom telling me what he thinks I want to hear. He’s too straight-forward for that sort of thing… assuming, of course, that he can even determine what it is that I’d like to hear from him.

“Did you know,” Grissom’s voice drew Sara out of her reverie. “That every winter, the Danaus plexippus migrates from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, only to return again once the spring hits? That’s something like a two thousand mile flight,” Grissom commented, turning his gaze toward Sara for a moment. I may not be the youngest criminalist in the lab, or the most athletic, but I can still dazzle you with my brain!

Sara raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know that, as a matter-of-fact,” she flashed him a smile wide enough to show the gap in her teeth. “But did you know that there are around 24,000 different species of butterflies?” Thank God for the internet! I need to show him how intelligent I really am, although he’s seen my work; he knows my capabilities. So why did I spend all that time last night researching butterflies? I know it had nothing to do with proving myself to Grissom… I don’t need to. I guess I just actually like butterflies! And I was nervous, and couldn’t sleep.

Grissom stared at Sara for a moment, letting one corner of his mouth slowly pull up into a smile. Smart and beautiful, although I knew that she was smart I guess that’s not really a surprise. And I should have picked up on the beautiful part much sooner. “Where’d you learn that?” he asked, before returning his gaze to the road.

Sara shrugged. “I’m an avid reader, Grissom. I must have just picked it up somewhere,” she again smiled. Yeah, like my computer, last night, when I was trying to cram my brain full of butterfly facts. “I’ve also heard that some butterflies taste with their feet, so that they can determine whether or not a particular leaf is a good place to lay eggs,” she told him. “I’m not entirely sure why the taste of a leaf would matter, but I thought that that was pretty interesting.”

“It’s because some adult moths don’t have mouths,” Grissom informed her. “Which means that they live off of whatever energy they managed to store as caterpillars.” I love butterflies. They are some of the most peaceful creatures in the world. I can’t wait until we get to the exhibit, so that we can explore our mutual interest together.

Sara slowly nodded. “Well… that makes sense, I suppose,” she mused, trying to hide her frown from Grissom. That was an obvious oversight! Now he’s going to think that you’re unenlightened about one of his greatest passions. And you’re not! You’re just new at admiring butterflies.

Grissom cast a sideways glance at Sara, clearing his throat. “Are you… okay?” he hesitantly asked. Did I just say something wrong? You’re not very good at this small talk thing. If you’ve made her upset twenty minutes into the drive there, how are you going to last the entire day?

“What?” Sara asked, swallowing. Trying to smile, she looked over at Grissom for a split second. “I’m fine! I was just thinking about… butterflies,” she nervously admitted. “How they are so peaceful, and soothing. I’m looking forward to checking out this new exhibit. We should be there at pretty soon, right?” she asked, once again glancing out of her window at the flat expanse of desert surrounding the car.

Grissom nodded. “It’s the next exit, actually,” he told her, as he began to decelerate the car. “And hopefully, we’ll both like this place. I’ve heard some great things about it, so it should be interesting to see.”

Sara simply nodded, watching as Grissom pulled off of the expressway, and made a right toward the town. Ten minutes later, they were safely sitting in the parking lot of the Butterfly Observatory, staring at the large building in front of them. “It’s big,” Sara commented, squinting up at it, before unbuckling her seatbelt.

“It sure is,” Grissom nodded his agreement, as he unbuckled himself, and carefully climbed out of the car. My legs feel a little bit stiff. Maybe I am too old for her, he sadly thought, not letting his expression betray his emotions. “Shall we go in?”

Sara chuckled. “We shall,” she replied, starting to head toward the main entrance.

As they approached the ticket window, Sara started to reach for her wallet, before Grissom stopped her. “This one is on me, Sara,” he tilted his head a little bit to the side in order to look at her.

“Are you sure?” Sara quietly asked, swallowing in nervousness. If he’s paying, then this is definitely a date. I’m definitely going on a date with Gil Grissom. What if I screw this up? What if I don’t meet his expectations? I should leave right now. I can just hitchhike back to Vegas. I’ll just tell him that I have to use the restroom, and then I’ll just leave. He won’t even notice that I’m gone! Although, he IS a criminalist, so I suppose he’s fairly observant about missing people.

Clearing his throat, Grissom tried to keep his voice calm and steady. “Yes, I’m sure. I’d like to pay, really.” Unobtrusively studying Sara’s expression, he tried not to frown. Why do you look so uncomfortable all of a sudden? Did I say something wrong again? Was I not supposed to offer to pay? Warrick and Nick pay for their dates. And then Grissom’s eyes widened in understanding, as it dawned on him. This isn’t a date in your mind, is it? It’s just two co-workers getting together to discuss a common interest. Well this is certainly awkward.

Sara broke out in a small smile, wiping her sweaty palms on her pants. “Well… thank you, then,” she nervously told him. “I appreciate it.”

Grissom simply nodded, as he handed the cashier a fistful of bills in order to pay for their entrance tickets to the observatory. Picking up a glossy red and green colored map from the counter, he handed it to Sara, immediately studying it over her shoulder. Am I standing too close to her? Maybe I should take a step backward?

“I don’t think we can get lost,” Sara suddenly twisted her head to the side in order to look at Grissom. “It looks like one circuitous path.” Why are you standing so far behind me? Sara wanted to ask him. I did take a shower this morning. “So… should we get started?” she finally asked him with a smile.

Grissom simply nodded, as he walked toward the front door to the actual observatory, holding it open for her.

“Thank you,” she smiled, walking past him, and stopping as a wave of heat instantly hit her face. “Why is it so warm in here?” she asked Grissom, knowing that he would know the answer.

“Butterflies actually like more humid climates,” he replied. “In fact, butterflies can’t fly, if their internal body temperatures are lower than eighty-six degrees. So the warmer the climate,” he shrugged.

“The warmer their bodies are,” Sara completed his thought for him, glancing up at the domed observatory. Looking around the spacious room, Sara was excited to see that the butterflies had a lot of flying and living room. The room itself was supposed to be the length of two foot ball fields, while the ceiling was set three stories above their heads. In addition to the sheer size of the facility, the room contained large plants, trees, man-made ponds, and other nesting locations, so that the tiny inhabitants had the freedom to do as they pleased. Freedom to choose is always a good thing. I just wish that I could focus more on the butterflies, and less on Grissom.

“Exactly,” Grissom glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

“This place is nice,” Sara mused, as she began to walk down the path just to her right. “It smells warm, but for all intents and purposes, there are a lot of butterflies here,” she whispered, almost as if she was afraid to disturb the flying insects.

Grissom nodded, completely enthralled by the Monarchs that were flitting around him and Sara. “Look,” he pointed to a tropical tree. “Do you see what I see?”

Sara squinted, trying to find something peculiar about the tree. “Not… really,” she admitted. “I just see a bunch of buds on the branches.”

“Those aren’t buds, Sara,” Grissom grinned, taking another step forward. “They are little tiny butterflies,” he enthusiastically added, before swinging his arm outward in excitement, and accidentally brushing his fingers against Sara’s hand. Freezing in place, Grissom swallowed, unsure of what to do with his hand’s betrayal. I didn’t mean to do that! I’m sorry! he wanted to tell her, although truth be told, he rather enjoyed the slight contact.

Sara bit the inside of her lip, resisting the urge to look over at Grissom. You can just hold my hand, you know. I won’t hurt you, Grissom, she thought to herself, as she flexed her right pinky finger in his general direction, so that it “accidentally” touched his hand.

Grissom cleared his voice, calmly pointing out another tree. “And see the butterflies over there?” he asked Sara, as the pinky on his left hand twitched toward her. “All of the butterflies are just resting,” he added, as he felt his finger brush against her finger.

“Yeah, I see that,” Sara whispered, trying her hardest to pay attention to the butterflies. Starting to walk down the path again, Sara swallowed in nervousness, as her right hand gently swung by her side, every once in awhile grazing Grissom’s hand. “They’re very beautiful,” she mumbled.

“Yes, they are,” he replied, as they walked side by side, and shoulder to shoulder, down the path. Grissom again cleared his throat in nervousness, as his hand swung toward her hand, stopping, just as both hands touched one another.

Just hold my hand! Sara wanted to shout at him, before just deciding to take the plunge, and doing it herself. Quietly slipping her hand into his, she stopped, waiting to see what his reaction would be.

“So… should we check out the butterflies by the pond?” he finally asked her with a slight smile, gently holding her hand in his, and continuing to walk. This just feels so natural. I mean, aside from the sweatiness of my palms right now, this is really enjoyable!

And to Sara, a very seasoned criminalist, the smile and the sweaty palms were very good signs. They meant that although she and Grissom were both excited and nervous about being out on a date together, they were not going to let their uneasiness get in the way of whatever it was that they were trying to build with one another.

---------------

High Ropes, the present

“Hey, girl, you’re up,” Warrick grinned at Sara, raising an eyebrow as he noticed her dazed expression. “But you look like you’re a million miles away right now. Are you okay? What’s goin’ on?”

Grissom just carefully studied Sara, wondering if she had been thinking about the same thing that he had been thinking about: the butterfly observatory.

“I’m okay,” Sara returned his smile, sparing a quick glance at Grissom. “Very okay, as a matter-of-fact. I’m assuming that Greg made it safely across?”

“Damn straight,” Warrick chuckled.

“Hell, yeah!” Greg shouted, hearing her question. “That was amazing, Sara! You’re going to love it!”

“I think that Greggo might actually be right for once,” Nick laughed, slapping the young CSI on the back. “You’ll love it. Just take some time while you’re up there to look around!”

“Uh, no,” Sara replied. Looking down would probably be a bad idea. And why am I going second again? I don’t know, and I don’t like this idea.

Catherine just chuckled, as she picked up a harness and handed it over to Sara. “Go show these boys how it’s done, Sara!”

---------------

TO BE CONTINUED
 
Nice chapter.

It's actually really fun walking on the tightrope thing. There's two wires, one on top, one on the bottom. And even though it's really high, it's so awesome.
 
I'd be SO afraid to try! I have a tiny (TINY) fear of heights... well, I have a fear of walking on a rope hundreds of feet off of the ground!


I'm glad you liked the chapter!
 
(Thanks to everyone who has thus far commented on this story! I'll try to write faster, but it's getting harder!)

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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.

Title: The Plunge

Rating: T for swearing
---------------

High Ropes

“You got this, Sara,” Nick called up to her, cupping his hands over his mouth in order to amplify his voice. “Just climb a little bit higher, and then you’ll be at the top!”

“I can do this!” Sara yelled back to her friends on the ground, glancing at the next rung of the rope ladder located just above her head. “I can definitely do this,” she whispered to herself, closing her eyes for a moment in order to center herself. “I’m strong, I’m capable, I can do this,” she swallowed, reaching one hand up, clutching the rope, and then willing her other hand to join her first one. Taking another step upwards, Sara slowly let out the breath of air that she had been holding, before slowly climbing upwards.

“Just a couple of more steps up, Sara, and you’ll have it!” Warrick tried to encourage her. “C’mon, girl, you can do this!”

“I can do this,” Sara assured herself. “I can, and I will, and I’m not going to fall.” Taking another hesitant step upwards, Sara smiled, as she felt her fingers close around the edge of the small wooden plank, signifying her arrival at the top of the ladder. “I made it to the top!” she shouted, as her feet took another step upward, and she moved her hands further onto the wooden board. “I really made it to the top!” Grunting with the effort of pulling herself up and over the edge of the platform, Sara took another deep breath, calming her racing nerves.

“Nice job, Sara!” Catherine told her, shielding her eyes against the incessant glare from the sun. “Now go show these boys how it’s done!”

“I believe I already showed everyone how it was done, though, Cath,” Greg reminded her, his eyes reflecting his good humor.

“Can it, Greg,” Catherine teased him, before returning her attention to Sara, who looked to be about ready to start moving forward.

Grissom carefully watched Sara, silently praying that she would be able to make it across the tightrope without incident. He remembered how she reacted to rappelling last year, and knew that heights tended to make her slightly nervous.

Closing her eyes for one more brief moment, Sara took a deep breath, before opening her eyes, and tightly gripping both guide ropes. “Don’t look down,” she reminded herself, slowly shuffling her right foot forward. “You can do this, Sara; you really can. I… I have faith in you,” she whispered. Furrowing her eyebrow in thought, Sara hesitated. That’s the first time that you ever admitted to believing in yourself. Interesting!

On the ground, the criminalists all stared up at Sara, anxiously watching her trying to cross the obstacle. “C’mon, girl,” Warrick whispered under his breath. “C’mon, I know you have it in you to get across that thing. Show it who’s the damn boss.”

“Don’t worry about her, guys,” Greg spoke up. “She’ll get across. I have no doubt in my mind about that.”

“But will she get across without panicking?” Nick quietly asked his colleagues.

“She’ll be fine,” Grissom replied, hoping to convince himself of that fact.

Swallowing, Sara shuffled her left foot forward, so that it was resting just behind her right foot. “Just walk, Sara; it’s not that big of deal. Just walk,” she whispered, as she very carefully picked her left foot up, slowly stepping around her right foot. “The rope is swinging!” she tried to tell everyone.

“It’s going to sway in the breeze, Sara, not to mention with your body weight on it,” Catherine informed her, yelling back. “But just take your time. We’re not in any rush!” she added.

Sara nodded, as she waited for the rope to stop moving. “Well this is slightly unnerving,” she muttered to herself, staring down at her feet for a moment. “Oh, shit!” she hissed, noticing the ground far below her. “That’s a long way down!”

“Did she just look down?” Greg asked the group. “Because I think she just looked down, and now she looks nervous,” he noted.

“Sar?” Nick called up to her. “You’re doing great, Sar! Just keep walking!”

Sara nodded, as she tore her gaze away from the ground, once again looking ahead of herself. “Okay, Sidle. You’re about a quarter of the way there. Take another step, right now. Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot,” she ordered herself, taking one minute step after another. “You’re almost there,” she informed herself, as she swallowed, recalculating the distance to the end of the rope. “You’re half way there now; you’re doing well,” she muttered to herself, cringing, as she felt drops of nervous sweat drip into her eyes. Rapidly blinking to get the moisture out of the way, she sighed, trying to catch her breath.

“Hang in there, Sara!” Warrick tried to encourage her, his hands resting on his hips. “You’re half way there!”

“Keep it up, Sara!” Catherine added.

Sara again nodded, shuffling another couple of steps forward. “I can do this!” she grinned to herself in excitement, after realizing that she was moving along fairly well. “I’m almost there! I can really do this!”

“She’s definitely going to make it,” Greg pointed out. “See? I told you all so!” he smiled, proudly watching Sara up above him.

Grissom gave a small nod, as he watched Sara complete two-thirds of the obstacle. Just a couple of more steps, honey, and you’ll be done. See what you can accomplish, when you put your mind to it?

Sara took another couple of quick steps forward, silently cheering to herself, when she was close enough to the second wooden platform to just step onto it. After catching her breath, Sara let out one more shaky sigh, before staring at the ground. “That was actually kind of fun!” she chuckled. “And I did it... the first time through!”

“Hot damn, Sara!” Warrick congratulated her.

“I knew you could show the boys how to do it!” Catherine smiled, watching as Sara slowly started her descent from the platform.

“Awesome job, Sara,” Greg added his own congratulations. “I never doubted you for a moment!”

Once Sara’s feet touched the ground, she glanced over at her friends and colleagues. “Thanks, everyone,” she nodded at each of them, her eyes dancing in excitement. “That was… that was absolutely amazing!”

“I’m sure it was, Sar. And like Catherine said, you showed us how it was done,” Nick grinned at her.

“Thanks, Nick,” Sara smiled. “I really appreciate you saying that!”

“Hey!” Greg frowned. “I believe I showed you how it was done, first!”

Nick just chuckled, slapping the younger man on the back. Moving away from Greg, he then sighed, glancing in Sara’s general direction.

“Is everything okay?” Sara quietly asked him, catching his gaze, and walking over toward him.

“Yeah,” Nick hesitantly replied, running a nervous hand through his hair, watching her, as she unbuckled her harness. “But I was wondering, Sara,” he cleared his throat. Leaning in toward her so that only she could hear what he had to say, he frowned. “Can we… can we talk later, though? Alone?”

Sara furrowed her eyebrow in confusion, although she shrugged her shoulders in the affirmative. “Sure, Nick. But is everything okay?”

Nick slowly nodded yes. “I just want to talk… if that’s okay with you?”

“Of course,” Sara smiled, finally removing the harness, and holding it up in front of her.

“Warrick?” Grissom then cleared his throat, eyeing Nick and Sara. “You’re up!”

Warrick simply nodded, as he walked toward Sara, grabbing the harness from her. “Hey, girl?” he hesitated for a brief moment. “So, it’s really not that bad up there, right?” he nervously asked her, carefully studying the rope obstacle course suspended high above them all.

“No, it really isn’t,” Sara again smiled. “And like Max was saying earlier, we’re attached to a bungee cord. So if something should actually happen to any one of us while we’re up there, no one has to worry about getting hurt.”

Warrick nodded, as he gingerly slid the harness over his shoulders, letting Max securely buckle him in. “Alright,” he finally announced, furrowing his eyebrows. “It’s high up there, but I can do this,” he added, as he slowly swaggered toward the rope ladder, which was attached to a tree.

“Okay, man,” Nick clapped his hands, before once again shielding his eyes against the glare of the sun so that he could watch Warrick climb upwards. “When you get up there, just take it one step at a time.”

Warrick frowned, as he tipped his head toward the sky, gazing up at the wooden platform. “That’s really not all that high,” he mumbled to himself, as he put one hand above the other, easily hoisting himself up the entire length of the tree. “No, this definitely won’t be all that bad… and then I’ll be done, and back on the ground, before anyone can even have the chance to miss me.”

“Alright, Warrick!” Greg cheered him on, breaking him out of his reverie. “And hey, while you’re up there, don’t forget to look down!” he joked.

“Uh-huh, right, Greggo,” Warrick grumbled, nodding to himself when he finally reached the wooden plank. “Alright, let’s do this,” he sighed, before slowly sliding a foot out onto the rope, as if testing its strength.

“You can do this, man!” Nick yelled to him from below.

Sara, still smiling in triumph, watched Warrick as he took another tentative step forward. “So far so good!” she told him.

“Uh-huh,” Warrick again whispered, anxiously staring straight ahead of himself, and sliding his right foot forward another inch. Carefully setting his foot down, he took a deep breath, before picking up his left foot, and immediately trying to place it ahead of his right foot. “Shit!” he hissed, as he missed his intended target, his foot falling below the rope. Carefully picking it back up again, he struggled to steady himself, as the rope gently swayed beneath him. I want solid ground. Now!

“Holy shit,” Greg whispered, watching Warrick up above him. “Did he just miss the rope?”

“I believe so,” Nick replied. “But that’s okay; he’ll be fine.” I hope; because if he’s struggling with this activity, than I’m going to struggle, as well.

Sara glanced up at Warrick, studiously watching his progress. “It was just a minor misstep,” she informed everyone. Cupping her hands over her mouth so that she could be heard over the slight rustling of the trees, she shouted up to him. “Come on, Warrick. You’re a quarter of a way there! You can do it!”

“Damn it,” Warrick muttered under his breath, as he took another wobbly step forward, his forearms shaking as he tried to grip the guide ropes for support. “This thing is more unstable the closer that I get to the center,” he observed. And then moments later, “Shit!”

Catherine gasped, as she watched Warrick swaying back and forth on the rope. “What the hell is going on up there?” she asked no one in particular.

“The rope is less taut in the center,” Greg quietly answered her question. “So the closer that you get to it—“ he trailed off.

“The more that it shakes,” Sara concluded his statement for him.

Warrick’s foot once again slipped, almost sending him careening off of the rope obstacle course. After steadying himself, he stopped, took a deep breath in order to calm his nerves, and then tightly shut his eyes, in the vain attempt to keep the sweat from blurring his vision. “I really wish that I could just wipe the sweat from my forehead,” he frowned. “But I can’t do that; if I wipe my forehead, I’ll have to let go of one of the ropes. So ain’t that a bitch? Because there is no way in hell that I am going to let go,” he grumbled to himself.

Grissom rubbed his beard, ignoring the conversation taking place around him, and stared up at Warrick. I can’t believe that you’re having this hard of a time. “Take some deep breaths, Warrick, and then continue,” he called up to him. “I know that you can do this!”

“I know that I can do this, too!” Warrick shouted back, once again closing his eyes for a brief moment in order to collect his thoughts. Taking several deep breaths, and trying to wipe his sweaty forehead against his shirt sleeve, Warrick again cautiously shifted his weight forward, safely taking two more miniscule steps. “Okay, half way there, Warrick. You’ve got this,” he muttered to himself, as he hesitantly took another step forward. And another one. And another one.

On the fourth step, Warrick’s left foot once again entirely missed the rope, causing his forearms to uncontrollably shake, as he tried to steady himself. “Damn it!” he cursed aloud. “Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!”

On the ground, Catherine held back another loud gasp, as her eyes riveted themselves to the rope swaying high above the ground. “He’s going to fall,” she whispered to Sara.

“No he won’t,” Sara assured her. “This is Warrick that we’re talking about here. He’ll be fine. He’s more than half way across the obstacle right now.”

“True,” Nick mused, quietly watching Warrick on the rope. “But that thing is really shaking,” he pointed out. A bit more loudly, he added, “Take a deep breath, man, and just start to walk! Walk normally!”

“That’s easy for you to say, Nicky!” Warrick shouted back, as he closed his eyes. “Stop shaking, right now,” he ordered his limbs, as he tried to loosen his death grip on the guide ropes. “Relax your body, take a deep breath, and just go. You’re making this harder than it really has to be.”

“Warrick, focus,” Grissom instructed him. “Focus on getting across, and your body will obey you!”

Warrick nodded, as he shuffled his body another couple of inches forward, freezing, as he felt the rope sway even more dangerously beneath him.

“Max?” Greg spoke up. “Is it supposed to be shaking that much?” he nervously asked the guide.

“The rope is shaking, because Warrick is shaking,” Max informed him. “Just as soon as he calms down, the rope will stop moving.”

“Well, what if he doesn’t calm down?” Catherine hesitantly asked.

“Then he’ll fall,” Max simply replied. “I mean, the bungee cord will grab him, but he’ll fall, none-the-less.”

Sara gazed up at Warrick, biting her tongue for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she sighed. “Warrick, I know that you’re nervous,” she loudly started to tell him. “But you can get across this rope; I know that you can get across this rope.”

Warrick nodded, as Sara’s voice seemed to calm him down a little bit. Taking a deep breath, he took another step forward, swearing, as his foot once again slid off of the rope. “Damn it!” he cursed, as he tried to steady his swaying body. “Come on, Warrick! You need to stop this shit!” But it was too late; this time, the force of Warrick’s foot slipping off of the rope was enough to make him lose his balance, forcing his body to hurl forward. Helpless to do anything to stop himself, Warrick let out another long string of expletives, as he felt his body plunge off of the rope, and toward the ground below him.

---------------

TO BE CONTINUED
 
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