"That's your plan? That's seriously the best you can do?"
"It's not really a plan, Sara. It's hard to plan something like this. We just… tell them."
She scoffed, "Why the hell are we even saying anything anyway, Grissom?"
"Because they're catching on."
"No they're not. They're all completely clueless."
"No, Sara, I think they know," he said.
"They who?"
"Greg."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, my God, Gil. The biggest conspiracy theorist that any of us know is Greg. There's no way in hell anyone is going to listen to him!"
"Once he brings it up and explains why he thinks we are together, they'll start to put things together and figure it out. Once they do figure it out, they'll all be pissed at us for not saying anything before now."
"Who the hell cares if they're pissed?"
"Sara, you and I both know how Catherine gets when it comes to things like this. You remember what she did to Warrick when he married Tina without telling anyone?"
"Okay, for one thing we are just dating, we aren't married-"
"Yet," he threw in.
"Sorry, yet." She smiled. "And second, the only reason that she was so pissed at Warrick was because she wants him so damn badly."
"Really?" he looked shocked.
Sara couldn't help but laugh. "Are you serious, Grissom?"
"Yeah, I didn't know that."
"Wow." She rolled her eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing," she said, trying to brush off the fact that Grissom was clueless. "Do we really need to tell them all? On Thanksgiving?"
"Nick will be mad if you don't."
"Nick doesn't get mad at me, Griss." She put her hand over his mouth to stop him from talking, "And before you try another guilt trip, Greg doesn't get mad at me either. Besides, even if they did get mad, they'd get over it in a heartbeat as soon as they got their invitations."
"Fine, forget Nick and Greg. Do you really want to deal with Catherine?"
"I can take her, you know," she grinned.
"Sara, you are not going to beat anyone up," he sighed.
"It was a joke." She sighed, "Does this really mean that much to you?"
"Yes, it does. I want to tell them when we are all together, away from work. What better time than Thanksgiving dinner? Wouldn't you rather they all hear it from us instead of, I don't know, Ecklie?"
"Ew, don't make me puke on my pancakes!" she laughed, then panic hit. "Wait, we're not inviting him are we?!"
"Oh, God no!" he swore. "Thanksgiving is supposed to be a happy, thankful time, not a…depressing time."
"Well…if Ickie Ecklie isn't coming…then fine…I guess."
"Really?"
"Not really presented with an abundance of options am I?"
He laughed, "Not really."
"So…what are you going to do?"
"No, Sara, what are we going to do?"
"Oh, hell no. Grissom, telling them was your idea, not mine."
"Point being…"
She scoffed, "My point is that it was your idea. You just have to tell them so everything is up to you."
"Fine you big baby…I'll tell them, but I don't know what to say."
"Well, Thanksgiving is in two days, we have all of the food and Nick and Greg are already coming over so backing out now is kinda out of the question, don't ya think?"
"Yeah, it is. Why is dinner at your apartment instead of here?"
"I think the boys would find it a bit weird, you inviting them to your house for Thanksgiving, Grissom."
"And takeout for such a day isn't weird? Why aren't they going home for Thanksgiving?"
"Time restraints," Sara answered. "We all have to work that night so there is no time to spend with family. Neither has a date and assumed that you didn't have one either so I invited you all over for dinner."
"Well, aren't you sweet," he joked.
"Damn straight. They weren't disappointed when I told them that you would be there. Greg actually said 'yay, Grissom' and it wasn't even sarcastic…that much anyway."
"So what about Catherine and Warrick?"
She shrugged, "I don't know, Griss."
"Sara, there is no way in hell I am doing this without Catherine. I don't want to fear going into work for the next two months."
"Understandable…uh, you talk to Catherine and I will invite Warrick and Tina."
"Invite Catherine to my place and then drive to yours?" He was confused.
"Yeah, that's stupid. Well, okay, I'll invite her over, but I really don't think she'll come."
"Why not? She likes you."
"No, her daughter likes me; Catherine tolerates me," Sara corrected.
"Sara, she likes you enough to take you up on her offer. Just invite them tonight at work and we will figure out the rest tomorrow."
"Fine. You really are a pain in the ass, you know."
"All the more reason for you to love me."
Short and crappy, I know, but I really wanted to start a holiday story. Hate me if you must...
tbc…if you don't hate it that much, I promise it will get better.
thegreatbluespoon