Author's Note: So, I had an idea in my head for an AU story where Grissom tells Sara about his hearing issues and how they get together from there. I started writing and this is what I came up with. Of course, it takes place somewhere during season 3 after Sara dumps Hank.

Disclaimer: Nope, none of them are mine sadly.

I knew something had been up with Grissom for a while. He's tried his best to hide it, but I know him. I pay attention to everything when it comes to Gil Grissom. I would never admit that out loud though. I had noticed him becoming more and more distant over the last year. More withdrawn. That's saying something for a man like Grissom who is already more or less socially handicapped.

Sometimes, it seems like he just flat out ignores people, but I have pretty much figured it out. He always has to have someone's full attention when talking to them. He has to see their face. Several times he has completely missed hearing his phone going off. On more than one occasion, I have noticed him staring at people's lips when they speak. He knows perfect sign language. It was all starting to make complete sense to me.

We used to be close. Back in San Francisco, we had spent one amazing week together, getting to know each other. I had gotten to know the real Grissom. The one he hides from the rest of the world. The carefree, funny, sweet, wonderful man that he truly is. After I came to Vegas and he was thrust into the role of night shift supervisor, he became a different man though. I had hoped that once we were in the same city, something more would develop between us eventually. We had both felt a deep connection during our time together in Frisco. I knew it by the way he kissed me that last night before he went back to Vegas.

Over the last few years though, he's just continued to hold back, and I am determined to find out why. Saying that we both lack at communication would be the understatement of the year. I had decided a while back that I was going to fix things between us. Now I'm on a mission to get us where I know we both want to be. I see the way he looks at me, especially when he thinks I don't notice. He would have to be blind to not see how I look at him, even when I know he notices.

So here I am, standing outside of his closed office door after shift, building up the courage to knock. I'm not backing down this time. I want to know why he keeps pushing me away. Especially when I can see in his eyes that he wants to pull me closer. Finally taking a deep breath and releasing it, I lift my hand to the door and knock. I hear his acknowledgement and I open the door. He's sitting on the corner of his desk, staring at what looks like a business card in his hand.

"Hey." I greet him as I walk into his office, closing the door behind me.

"Sara." He looks up in surprise when he hears my voice. "I thought you had already gone home."

"I wanted to talk to you about something, if you have time." I reply with a soft smile.

"Of course." He smiles back, pocketing the business card in his jacket and giving me his full attention. He gestures for me to take one of the seats in front of his desk.

I make my way to the chair, taking him in as I go. He's wearing dark, loose-fitting pants and a blue button up shirt with a gray jacket. He's also wearing his glasses. Dear God, Gil Grissom in glasses does things to me. My libido increases drastically as the bluest eyes I've ever seen watch me from behind those glasses.

"You okay?" He chuckles, breaking me out of my thoughts as he sits down behind his desk.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." I clear my throat as I take a seat in front of him.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Grissom asks, his eyes searching my face.

"Have dinner with me." I blurt out. My brain has clearly decided to just get straight to the point. Okay then.

"Excuse me?" Grissom is shocked, clearly not expecting the words that just came out of my mouth.

"Look, Grissom." I sigh, trying to keep calm. "We both know that there's something more between us than just our working relationship."

"What are you saying, Sara?" He crosses his arms as he watches me intently.

"I know you feel what I feel, Griss. What we've both felt since San Francisco." I tell him honestly. "We're both terrible at communicating how we feel. What we want."

"Sara." He sighs. "I'm your supervisor. You're my subordinate."

"All I'm asking for right now is a chance. Just a chance to see where this could go." I gesture between us. "Just have dinner with me."

He leans back in his desk chair, staring at me. I can see the wheels in his mind working overtime right now. I can see him at war with himself. The ever stoic Gil Grissom, caught between his duty and his desire.

"Grissom, if you don't feel anything for me then tell me and I'll never bring it up again." I look at him, praying that he doesn't indeed tell me that.

"I can't." He says so softly I almost miss it. "Sara, I feel so much for you that it scares me but there are things happening right now in my life. Things that could severely impact the future."

I see the look on his face, in his eyes. I see him struggling and it breaks my heart. This man. This wonderful man who, despite the many arguments we've had and the times I've wanted to strangle him, has always had my back. He needs to realize that people care about him. That he's not alone. I get out of my chair and walk around his desk, perching on the edge of it. I gently touch his cheek and look into his blue eyes. Hoping that he can see the depth of my feelings for him reflecting from my brown ones.

"You don't always have to face the world alone, Griss." I whisper, rubbing the side of his face with my thumb. "Nothing that you're dealing with could change how I feel about you."

He closes his eyes, leaning into my hand. He releases a deep sigh and then turns his face, gently kissing my palm. He opens his eyes, and I can see everything in those blue orbs. I knew from the very first time I laid eyes on him all those years ago, in a lecture hall in San Francisco, that I was done for. I knew the night he first kissed me that I was ruined for any other man.

"Dinner." Grissom finally speaks, eyes locked on mine. "Let's have dinner."