| "Worried about what Cath thinks, huh?" I offered and he blinked. "I...just wonder how to you factor in our relationship," he admitted. "It's...an...odd set up." "To say the least...I was already a factor before this, before that night. Catherine and I...Catherine is the reason I'm with Natasha in the first place." When Warrick gave me a shocked and curious glance, I gave him a smile in return. "You don't know the whole story, do you?" My male companion gave me a look. "No and I doubt I can concentrate with you on top of me like this..." he said, giving me a pat before tickling me and I yelped, rolling off, landing quite undignified next to him, tangled in the sheets. Warrick laughed until tears were streaming down his face. "Gil Grissom is ticklish," he breathed, running his hands across his cheeks. "Oh God, what'll happen next?" I made a face at him as my erection thankfully or unthankfully, disappeared. "You'll be able to comb your hair," I muttered and he laughed harder. "Oh man, too good. But you were saying?" "Well, before I was attacked, I was talking about Natasha and Catherine," I began, sitting up. "When Natasha came in for the missing baby case, I had to go and take pictures of her vantage point inside of the house. Her house. She asked me out on a date and I said yes." Blinking, Warrick scratched his head with a finger. "But I thought you and Sara were dating then," he offered and I raised a shoulder. "Not exactly. Sara's very temperamental--" My co-worker gave me a predatory smile. "I think the word you're looking for is 'bitchy'." "I was trying to be nice..." "I, on the other hand, am just being honest." I smirked. "You and Sara still don't get along?" I asked and he shrugged. "We work well as CSIs I guess. But she's far from the woman I'd date," he said outloud. "Natasha would make a close friend, very close, but again, I couldn't date her. By that point, we'd probably be best friends." "So you and Natasha make better friends than you and Sara?" "Well of course. She's not a CSI. That's a big part of it. Plus, Sara's more 'cute' and Natasha is more 'sexy', I think. If I was 16 maybe it'd be Sara I was really attracted to but I'm not. But you were saying about Sara and her 'temperamental-ness'?" "Oh...well, we dated at her connivance, mostly," I admitted and Warrick stared at me. "So you're saying she jerked you around? I hope she's not doing that to Nick..." Waving a hand, I shook my head. "No, she's not. She's finally found someone she's compatible enough with," I explained. "I think she really did it...no, scratch that...I KNOW she really did it because I was so closed off. I didn't want to give my heart to her, you know? But sadly, I had already; I just didn't know what to do about it. "So I let her go and come. I figured if she was in my life than it was more than I could ask for. You know, I've had 5 partners my whole life? Five. College, Sara, Natasha, Catherine, and you. Each of them I've given a chunk of myself to." I could see the question in his eyes about the 'college' portion of that statement but he let it go. 'Smart Warrick.' "I see..." he trailed off, staying patient. "Natasha and I...had relations that night. But I didn't take her virginity. She saw how involved I was with my job, how I used it to escape, how I was still in love with Sara...so she sent me away, to 'chase my dreams' as she put it. So I Left. Seven months passed and I saw her again, on LVU's campus where I do lectures. She didn't see me though and suddenly, thoughts of her began circulating through my head...not so much sexual as just...emotional. Sara wanted to 'talk' and I finally told her I couldn't be with her any more." Warrick nodded slowly. "I gather she didn't take that well?" he said thoughtfully. "She was pretty pissed off around that time if I remember right." I gave my own nod. "Yeah. But I had to do this. I didn't know how though. That's when I asked Catherine for help. She knew how to deal with women, after all, she is one and she...let me learn. " "You two had sex?" he said, shocked and I smiled. "No. Well, oral sex. She let her body be my text book." "Ah. So then she 'prompted' you to go talk to Natasha..." The smile turned to a grin. "How did you know?" "Cath rarely takes no for an answer." We shared a chuckle and I tossed the sheet back, putting my feet on the floor. "Very true. So with that, I called Natasha and the rest is history," I finished and walking to the sliding door, I put my hand against the cool glass, feeling Warrick's eyes on my back. "You're naked Gris and next to a window," he reminded me and I shrugged. "Ever since I've been with Natasha I've been naked," I whispered, putting my head against the glass too. "I had the perfect barriers and she destroyed them all...all of them. I still barely function as a CSI..." I had never admitted this to anyone, not even Natasha but Warrick...Warrick was that final piece of the puzzle that made me reveal my secrets. I knew Natasha knew but hadn't said anything, in fact encouraging me to work more. Still... Feet padded on the cheap faded carpet before stopping behind me, strong arms wrapping my shoulders tightly. "Grissom...you're a better CSI than before," he whispered. "You go home, you shower, you have a *life* now. It's not like before, where your consumed by the case. Everyone needs someone else to be a distraction. Not just *something*." I felt the heat of his body soak through my back and felt my mind go at ease with his words. Nuzzling his bulky forearms, I turned, facing him. "Thank you...I have to shower and get down to the arena--" "Why shower?" he asked, smirking and I arched an eyebrow. "Because I smell like sex and you." "Is that a bad thing?" "No, I just don't want to be horny and I'm supposed to be focused on the roaches." Warrick laughed, clearing the path for me to the showers. "Fine, fine," he relented and I grabbed my clothes, stopping before I went into the bathroom. "Oh, Warrick?' "Yeah?" "Take care of yourself...if you know what I mean. Waiting shouldn't be *that* long," I asked and closed the door behind me. Back to CSI |