The ballroom at the Luxor Hotel had been exquisitely decorated in burgundy and silver. A band played an up tempo song as Sara made her way into the festivities. She was pretty certain that she was probably not the first of the night crew to show up at the Seventh Annual St. Valentine’s Day Ball held by the Sheriff’s Department along with LVPD and the Crime Lab, seeing how she had drug her heels most of the evening hoping to here from Grissom.

            “SARA! OVER HERE!”

            Sara turned in the direction of the screaming voice. At a large round table capable of seating eight comfortably was Greg Sanders bouncing and waving his arm. Sara gave a small wave as she made her way to the table. Expertly avoiding a number of people carrying beverages about.

            “Hey Sara, thought you might be ditching us,” Catherine said with a playful smile.

            Sara grinned back as she took the seat Brass held out for her. “No, I just had to remind my hair who was boss,” she said as she looked everyone at the table over.

            Catherine, of course, looked gorgeous in a black spaghetti string evening gown that undoubtedly enhanced the woman’s already fantastic figure. Her hair was loose flowing down about her shoulders and she had tastefully minimized her jewelry only wearing a small gold necklace and matching earrings. Catherine was a first rate detective but she was a fashion diva as well.

            Nick and Brass had chosen to go simple but elegant wearing a basic black tuxedo and tie, while Warrick had gone a little flashier with a black tux with a board collar and no tie. Greg was Greg, though, and had decided he would wear a white tuxedo in homage to James Bond. Sara was about to say how dashing he was when she sported the black high top tennis shoes.

            “Nice…shoes, Greg,” she said raising an eyebrow at his choice of foot apparel.

            Greg wiggled his foot. “I did have some dress shoes rented with the tux,” he began “but the side of one of the shoes was blown out, besides these shoes were made for dancing and that’s just what they’ll do”

            Everyone at the table winced as Greg butchered the Nancy Sinatra tune. Nick even threw his wadded up napkin at the younger man, apparently not a Nancy Sinatra fan or maybe it was just Greg couldn’t carry a tune even if it was put in a bag for him. Sara chuckled as Greg turned to the table next to theirs and asked Wendy from DNA to dance. The DNA lab tech smiled broadly as she followed Greg to the dance floor.

            Sara turned her attention to Nick. “Where’s Sofia?” she asked not seeing the leggy blonde Nick had asked to the ball.

            With a tilt of his dark head he replied, “Ladies room.”

            “Awww.” Sara had been both surprised and relieved when she had found out that Nick had asked Sofia to the ball. Out of the seven Valentine’s Day dances Nick had asked her four times knowing she wouldn’t go unless dragged. Sara had declined all but one time and she had felt guilty afterwards. She had only said yes because Nick had asked her while Grissom had been within hearing distance and she had wanted to make the man jealous. Nick was too good of a friend to use like that so Sara had always tried to find an excuse since then.

            “I thought Gil was going to be back for this little soiree?” Brass asked Catherine as she sipped her wine.

            Catherine shrugged. “I got a text message like the rest of the team saying he was hung up in St. Louis because of bad weather. That was a little after five so…”

            “That’s too bad,” Sofia said gliding up to the table in a floor length creamed colored gown, her hair pulled back and pinned stylishly “he looks great in a tux,” she smiled.

            “Hey! What about me?” Nick pouted playfully pulling on the lapels of his jacket.

            Sofia’s smile grew slightly at the man’s charming pout. “Not bad,” she said trying to be nonchalant “but some men were made to be dressed up.”

            “What?” Nick protested in confusion.

            Catherine chuckled. Men sometimes were just clueless to the inner workings of women’s minds. “It’s true Nick. All men look good in a tux,” she explained “but some men were made to be in a tux.”

            Nick just stared at the strawberry blonde convinced that both women were speaking in tongues
.          
            “Look, Grissom is Grissom, right?” her gaze traveled over the table “He’s brilliant, clueless, but brilliant” Catherine made the face she reserved for Grissom when he annoyed her “I’d say he could be categorized as handsome, ladies?” Catherine looked around the table at the other women.

            “Definitely,” Sofia agreed with a smile loving the perturbed look on Nick’s face. “Especially now that he is sporting that goatee.”

            “Sure,” Sara replied trying to be understated for fear of revealing anything.

            “But he’s Grissom, a brilliant science geek who is oblivious to the world,” Catherine went on “until you dress him up. It’s like the clothes are his Superman costume. All of sudden his alter-ego is revealed.”

            Nick laughed, “What are you saying? That he turns into Super Grissom the minute he dons his court suit or a tux?”

            All three women nodded their heads as if Nick had just asked the most banal question. Nick looked to Brass and Warrick for help, the two men held up their hands to let him know he was on his own.

            “Look Nick, it’s just the way it is,” Catherine stated matter-of –factly.

            “The clothes are like Superman’s cape,” Sara tried to explain “Clark Kent is Superman with glasses. He has the same powers either way you just don’t see it until he takes off the glasses and puts on the cape.” Sara raised her brows in meaning.

            Nick wasn’t sure he got it but he was getting a chuckle out of the notion of a Super Grissom. “Okay,” he said as he turned to Sofia “You want to go dance with the Green Lantern?” he asked waggling his eyebrows.

            Sofia had to chuckle at Nick’s answer, nodding her head in reply.

            By 10:00pm Sara had to admit to herself that her superman wasn’t coming. He had promised and she was sure if it had been in his power he would have made it but some things, as strange as it seemed, were not in Grissom’s power. She tried to control the sigh that threatened to escape her at her resignation. She had danced with just about every man from the lab, even accepting an invitation by Hodges, but it wasn’t the lack of dance partners that had her feeling a little down it was her dance partner’s absence that had her looking at the ballroom wistfully.

            Absentmindedly she toyed with the shoulder of her burgundy floor length gown. The sleeveless number accentuated her long body showing of her feminine curves perfectly. She remembered Grissom’s reaction when she had tried it on at home. Pulling his glasses from his nose he had just stared, his mouth slightly ajar. He had stared at her so long that Sara began to blush at his perusal.

            “What?” she had exclaimed in embarrassment subconsciously trying to cover herself with her arms.

            “No,” he had whispered coming off the stool he had been sitting on at the kitchen bar “don’t”.

            Sara had nervously complied, dropping her arms to her side. “Do you like it?” she asked wanting him to say something, anything to break the deep silence that had descended upon them.

            “Like?” he had said softly his eyes ensnaring hers “You are magnificent!”

            Sara had longed since come to believe that Grissom was some half magical creature. His magic was in his mind and in his eyes. Like a net those blue orbs could capture her heart, body and soul and render her helpless.

            Realizing she was toying with the shoulder of her dress, Sara reached for her wine glass to distract her hands. She wondered what her friends and colleagues reaction would be if they knew what was pinned inside her dress. She smiled and sipped her drink again to try and hide it.

            “Hey, GRISSOM!” Greg bounced and waved giving the man the same energetic welcome he had given to Sara a couple hours previously.

            Sara looked up at the man weaving his way through the table and party guests, stopping occasionally as someone greeted him. Here comes Superman, she thought her heart skipping a beat at the sight of him. The black tuxedo enhanced everything male about the man and it was easy to see his power was not lost on Sara alone. Sara wasn’t about to count how many women were ogling him as he made his way to their table. Even men seemed aware that an alpha male had stepped into their midst deferring to him accordingly.

            “Well it’s about time Grissom,” Catherine accused good naturedly. Turning to Nick she gestured to Grissom her palm up as if she were serving him as exhibit A, “see” she said knowingly.

            Nick wasn’t about to let the woman win the argument but he wasn’t going to lie either. The simple fact of the matter was Grissom was like Sean Connery, Cary Grant, James Dean and a male runway model all rolled into one. He was the man, Nick grudgingly had to admit but only to himself he thought as he looked at Sofia. The police detective grinned knowingly making Nick roll his eyes.

            Grissom looked from Catherine to Nick, a quizzical brow rising at the odd exchange.

            “Finally made it out of St. Louis.” Sara stated trying to keep the hunger she felt from flowing freely across her face. Grissom stood casually between Catherine and Brass, his body leaning slightly to the right, his left hand nonchalantly in his pants pocket. He was the epitome of debonair cool as his gaze fell on Sara.

            “I did promise,” he said causing a pink flush to rise up her neck into her cheek.

            “Promise what?” Warrick asked leaving the dance floor with Jacqui Franco. “Hey, Gris, glad you made it,” Warrick said slapping the other man on the back as he took his seat at the table near Catherine.

            “I promised Sara I would dance with her if she came tonight,” Grissom answered with a lopsided grin directed at Sara.

            Catherine chuckled, “Is that what it was. Well what got you out of the Fortress of Solitude?”

            Grissom eyed Catherine curiously before answering. “Wonder Woman of course,” he said with a wink.

            Hearing the band start up something slow, a tune he had requested before making his presence known to the crowd, he held out his right hand to Sara. “I believe this is our song.”

            Sara couldn’t help the bright smile that radiated from her. She was overwhelmed by his presence. She had been separated by him for three weeks and he came back looking…well… delicious came to mind. Not to mention he was oozing so much sexual energy she could almost see it flowing off of him in waves and it was all directed at her.

            Catherine exchanged curious glances with the others at their table as they watched Grissom escort Sara to the dance floor. It was obvious to everyone that worked with Grissom and Sara that there was something always there between them. They were electrically charged ions always circling, always attracted but never together. Had something changed and none of them had caught it, Catherine watched as Grissom took Sara in his arms.
           
            It’s undeniable…that we should be together…
            It’s unbelievable how I used to say that I’d fall never
            The basis you need to know, if you don’t know just how I feel,
            Then let me show you now that I’m for real…
            If all things in time, time will reveal…

            The words of the song slowly sunk into Sara’s dulled mind. Her dark eyes rising from the soft pulse at his neck to his deep indigo eyes as he watched her, Sara was taken aback at the love that shined unhidden. “Grissom,” she whispered brokenly.

            One…you’re like a dream come true…

“Have I ever told you how amazing you are?” Grissom asked, his eyes never leaving hers.
            Sara smiled feeling shy as he spoke so lovingly to her in the semi-privacy of the dance floor.

            Two…just wanna be with you…
            Three…girl it’s plain to see…that you’re the only one for me…

            “You know I was sitting in St. Louis cursing the weather and airlines in general, when it fully dawned on me how much crap you’ve dealt with from me.” Grissom maneuvered expertly across the dance floor, not skipping a stride.

            So incredible…the way things work themselves out…
            And all emotional, once you know what it’s all about babe…
            And undesirable…for us to be apart…

Grissom’s left hand squeezed her hand gently in response to the songs lyrics. It was then that she felt it, realized exactly what it was he was saying. She squeezed his hand in return to confirm that it was there, really there. She looked up into his eyes, amazed at the cool calm reflected side by side with the glowing warmth of his love.
           
            Never would have made it very far…
            Cause you know that you got the keys to my heart cause…

            “Gil?” she whispered her senses buzzing, her heart pounding as she looked to him questioningly.
            “I realized that I have risked very little, where as you have braved the maelstrom from the beginning and in the process saved me.” His fingers at her hips played slightly, there warmth seeping easily through the fabric of her gown.

            “That’s not true,” Sara whispered adamantly “You’ve risked a great deal.”
            Grissom smiled at her letting her know he was not going to argue with her but believed himself to be correct.
           
            Say farewell to the dark night…I see the coming of the sun…
            I feel like a little child…whose life has just begun…
            You came and breathed new life
            Into this lonely heart of mine…
            You threw out the life line…just in the nick of time…

He squeezed her hand again. “Where is it?” he asked noting she was not wearing the gold necklace she normally wore.

            Her heart skipped another beat. “I pinned it to the shoulder of my dress.”

            His eyes followed hers and he could just barely make out the small pucker in the fabric. He grinned lopsidedly at her. He knew she would have it with her, she always did. He held her closer as he danced with her silently through the last chorus of the song.

            At their table they had captured the attention of the entire night crew most of the lab techs, several police detectives and a few extras.

            “Wow, they’re good,” Greg said admiring how Grissom and Sara swayed easily across the dance floor, their movements complimenting each other as they moved as one to the music, their eyes never leaving one another.

            Catherine looked to Brass and Warrick. “Do you guys see what I’m seeing?”
            Warrick: “Oh, yea!”

            Nick and Greg nodded.

            Brass’s smile just grew broader

            Sofia: “Man do they have it bad.”

            Catherine nodded at Sofia’s words, “Way bad” she said in amazement.

            The song ended and another quickly started. Grissom and Sara were momentarily swallowed up as a new influx of dancers entered the dance floor to replace the one’s leaving.
            “What is Sara doing?” Sofia asked from her seat closer to the dance floor.

            Catherine could see she was still on the dance floor with Grissom but the two were no longer dancing. She was messing with the shoulder of her gown. “Having trouble with her gown?” Catherine speculated.

            On the dance floor Sara handed the gold ring she had expertly removed from the left shoulder of her gown to Grissom. She knew she couldn’t wear it on her gold necklace the “V” cut of her gown would have revealed it instantly, so she had pinned it just over her heart.

            “Are you sure?” she asked as he took the ring and slipped it on her finger, mirroring his actions of over a year ago. Her eyes watering slightly at the immense implication his actions meant.

            “Not a single doubt, Sara,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her lovingly. Sara wouldn’t have resisted his public display of love even if she could. They were braving the light of the day and stepping out of the dark together come what may.

            “Ready to face the music?” he asked placing her hand in the crook of his arm, his face open for all to read.

            “Only if I’m with you,” Sara said with smile.

            “Everyday, honey,” Grissom said escorting her to their eagerly awaiting friends “everyday,” he promised.

Song lyrics: One by Brian McKnight