DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, I'm just borrowing them for some harmless fun.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
CHALLENGE RESPONSE: To SFC#22.

Looking Back
By Maaike

 

I never expected things would turn out like this. At first, I was really pissed off about being demoted to the graveyard shift; I always disliked working nights, and Ecklie knew it. And then I met my new colleagues, jeeze I had never met a bunch of goody two shoes like that. They even made me look like a wild girl. Especially Sara Sidle, she did about everything to get a compliment from Grissom. How annoying I found her when I first met her, how much I love her right now. I would never have expected that she was the one who would totally rock my world!

So now I am a detective, sounds much better doesn't it? Detective Curtis. I am happy where I am now, plus I get to carry a much cooler badge. I can't say I hated my job as a CSI, but miss it? I don't think so. It was probably my mom who hated my job as a CSI more than I did. She made captain, but I'm on my way to following in her footsteps.

Of course I'll miss some things, but they are not job related. I miss the tension between me and Sara at work, in the beginning I didn't even realise it was sexual tension; now I do, and if I could go back and re-live that knowing what I know now, boy that would have been interesting. Boulder City was definitely not my scene, and as soon as there was an open space in Vegas, I went back.

I have been watching Sara for awhile, to find out if maybe the brunette was interested too. But the brilliant Sara Sidle seemed to have her head so far up her ass, she didn't notice anything. It even came to a point I thought Sara wasn't capable of loving someone, until now.

After the shooting and seeing one of my own die, I realised life was too short to keep stalling so I decided to take my chances. I overheard Greg Sanders ask Sara out lots of times, and Sara would tell him she didn't date colleagues. Well I'm not a colleague anymore, so that was an excuse Sara couldn't use. I remember the moment of asking her out as if it were yesterday.

"Hey Sara."

"Sofia."

At that moment I was about to chicken out, she seemed so cold. But I was tired of just dreaming about her, so I carried on.

"Tough shift?"

She looked up at me after that, she seemed surprised I was interested. Man, those beautiful brown eyes. In those eyes, I could drown and still survive. She looked sad, as if she needed a hug. Hell I'd be glad to give her one, but I didn't want to scare her off forever before we even had a first date.

"Yeah."

"Wanna go for breakfast after shift?"

That question surprised her even more, she almost gasped. How cute.

"Breakfast? With you?"

"Yeah, detectives need to eat too, you know."

"I know that, but why me?"

For a CSI she was quite clueless. I thought I had given her more than a million hints over the past while, and here I was, worrying that I might have been too obvious. This woman was still totally unaware of my attraction to her. Note to self: give more and clearer hints next time.

"Ok Sidle, I'm asking you out on a date, take it or leave it."

She looked at me as if I just told her she won the lottery, well in a way she did, if I may say so myself. I was about to walk away because I had this nasty feeling she was going to say no.

"I would love to, Curtis."

That's what she said 'I would love to, Curtis'. I swear my last name never sounded so sexy before, the way she said it made me want to jump her right there.

I turned around and smiled at Sara. She smiled back at me; I will never forget that smile. It's the same smile that still makes me melt, even though I get to see it almost every day. I'm one lucky woman!

I wanted to tell her to meet me at the parking lot when she was done. But for some reason my ability to form a sentence seemed to be gone. I kicked myself over that so many times already; I must have looked like some schoolgirl.

"I…erm…you.."

"I'll meet you outside in five minutes ok?"

She is a lifesaver, at that moment she saved me from making things even worse.

"Ok."

The most beautiful and sexy woman I ever met, agreed to go on date with me, and all I can come up with is 'ok'. Some womanizer I am!

I walked outside and waited for her. I was nervous, my foot kicking around some pebbles while I leaned against my car. My mind wandered off, but one simple word brought me back to the oh so sweet reality.

"Hey."

It was Sara; she came out of the building, looking gorgeous as always.

"Erm hi."

Smooth Sofia, very smooth. I could have kicked myself for that at the moment, but when I saw her chuckle and smile, I realised I might actually be scoring points with my goofy behaviour.

So there she was, standing in front of the Lab with her arms crossed, looking at me as if she wanted to say 'Bring it on'.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked me.

'Home, baby', unfortunately my mind is a lot more courageous than I am.

"I know a nice diner not too far from here."

"Sounds good, I'm starving."

Sara got into my car as if it was something she did every day. She seemed so confident, so relaxed. Was she really that naïve or was she playing a game with me? This could be interesting, very interesting.

The drive was quiet, but I didn't mind. Sara was looking out of the window, and man I never had a more smug smirk on my face when I realised she was glancing at me when she thought I didn't look.

The diner was hidden behind a group of large, old trees, which gave the whole scene an enchanted look and feel. It was an old place and hardly anyone from the Lab knew about it, apart from me, but then again I don't work at the Lab anymore.

Sara got out and took a good look at the surroundings, taking a deep breath to smell the forest smell that was hanging around.

"This is a nice place. I have never been here before."

Bingo, she liked it. That's good; now let's hope she likes me just as much.

"Ready to go inside?"

I'm getting good at this making a whole sentence thing around her; I do have to admit I'm a lot less nervous now.

Breakfast went by in a blur. I don't really remember what we talked about or what I ate for that matter. I just remember that I found her more and more amazing every minute. In the beginning I didn't even like her, but she gained my respect by being so driven in her work. And when I got to know her better, I had to change my point of view. She seemed to have a troubled private life, something she didn't like to talk about. One thing I learned was that Sara seemed brighter outside work, so it was my mission to get to know that side of her.

After finishing breakfast, I gave the waitress money, which caused Sara's eyebrow to rise. I didn't want to get into a discussion with her now, not after having such a great time with her. I just got up, took her hand and guided her outside. But everyone who knows Sara, knows she wasn't going to let go without saying something about it.

"So, since when are you picking up the tab?"

Oh brother, there we go.

"Since this is a date and I was the one to ask you."

My remark seemed to trigger something; Sara came awfully close to me. It made me lose my composure, and I'm sure she noticed that too. I looked at her, she had this playful look on her face that I had never seen before. She looked so adorable.

"I enjoyed the date."

I smiled at her, this was a good start. I wanted to turn around to walk to the car, but she stopped me. She pulled on my arm, making me face her again. She leaned closer and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you Sofia."

I swore to myself right there and then that I'd never wash my cheek again. I smiled at her again; it was one of my goofy 'I don't know what to say' kind of smiles. I could only look at Sara, I didn't know what to say or do. With that simple gesture she turned my whole world upside down. Sara looked around and then back at me, with a mischievous grin on her face. She leaned closer to me, even though I was frozen, for some reason my mind worked and my lips met hers in the middle.

It was the best kiss I ever had.

All that was two months ago. And here I am, lying in bed, staring at the most beautiful woman in the world, lying next to me. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps, like an angel. The faint rays of the sun that are coming through the blinds of my bedroom make the scene just perfect. She stirs, she is about to wake up. I kiss her forehead and thank my mom for hating my job as a CSI; I never imagined being a detective was this good.

The End

Return to C.S.I. Fiction

Return to Main Page