Title: Analyzing a Nightmare
Author: Ann
Pairing: Sara/Sofia
Fandoms: CSI
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own no one.
Note: Two episodes of no Sofia, coupled with the shoving of GSR down our throats, sidetracked my muse from the fics I should be currently working on. So, in order to silence the nagging thoughts, I penned this short 'Behind the Scenes' look. Mild spoilers. #721 Happy Endings and #722 Leapin' Lizards.
Summary: A look behind the scenes.

***

Sara struggled with the covers, finally able to free herself from their confines. Glancing to her right, she noted the vacant space and quickly jumped from the bed, seeking refuge in the other room, far, far, away from the disturbing images. She quickly settled on the sofa and, blowing out a cleansing breath, she closed her eyes. A more restful sleep followed the successful effort to escape her recent nightmare.

The brunette never stirred at the sound of the key turning in the door, nor did she wake when it was softly closed behind the new arrival. Sofia stood just inside, allowing her eyes time to adjust to the dim light of the room. The security light from the apartment's parking lot shone through the window, casting a spotlight type effect on the room and, soon, the detective was able to make out the figure lying on the couch.

Hesitating, she slowly walked towards her sleeping lover. It was time she and Sara figured out what was causing the brunette's bad dreams. This was the fourth occurrence in recent weeks the blonde had come home to find Sara sleeping on the sofa and not in their bed. Crouching down, Sofia watched the other woman sleep.

The detective always marveled at how relaxed her lover appeared when she was asleep. Sara rarely allowed herself to be at peace when awake, but it seemed when she closed her eyes and drifted off, she couldn't stop her subconscious from letting her be free from all the worries that seemed to plague her in her wakeful state.

"Sara? Wake up, sweetie. Let's go to bed."

A smile slowly spread on the brunette's lips, and she struggled to open her eyes, knowing that her reward would be well worth her efforts. Seconds later, she was looking into her lover's blue eyes, and the nightmares from earlier became a distant memory.

When Sofia was near, Sara never experienced anything other than happy dreams, and she always dreaded the nights their shifts kept them from each other. Lately, it seemed that the detective was never around, almost as if she were working in an entirely different city. She missed the humor and banter the two shared during their times working together.

"Hey." Sara cleared her throat, her voice raspy from sleep. "How was your shift?"

Sofia smiled and leaned forward to capture her lover's lips, needing the touch almost as if the brunette was her addiction. Pulling away slowly, she reached out to help Sara from the couch.

"C'mon, let's go to bed."

Sara gladly acquiesced to the blonde's suggestion, allowing Sofia to lead her to their bedroom. She crawled back under the same covers she'd thrown back in haste earlier as she watched her lover slip from her clothes. A few minutes later, the brunette was safely ensconced in the detective's arms.

"Hmm, I like this. Maybe I should just start out on the sofa on the nights you're working, and I'm here alone."

Sofia chuckled. "Well, that's an idea, but perhaps it would be better if we could determine why you're dreaming about you and Grissom being in a relationship."

The detective felt her lover shudder and pulled her closer, sliding her hand up to knead the nape of Sara's neck.

"Ugh. I wish I knew. Tonight's nightmare had to be the worst ever. We even had a dog. Can you believe it? A dog!"

"Whose dog was it?"

"Whose dog? You're kidding, right? Who the hell cares whose dog it was? The fact that there was a dog period is scary enough, don't you think?"

The detective let out a full laugh. "Sorry. It's kind of funny when you think about it. Grissom with a dog? In a relationship with you and, now, a dog; how very domestic."

Sara lightly hit her lover on the arm in protest. "Hey! This isn't funny. It's creeping me out. We were in bed again together, too."

Sofia's light humor suddenly vanished at the thought of her lover in the same bed with the socially impaired supervisor. Sara was right, this wasn't funny. The two of them needed to find the reason causing the nightmares, and they needed to find it now.

"Okay. You're right. Let's go over these dreams again."

"I hate talking about them."

"I know, Sara, but we've got to. Now, what about this latest one?"

"We talked about sex. Well, actually paying for sex. It was awful."

Sofia tightened her grip on her lover and encouraged her to continue. The pair slowly worked through the various dreams, trying to establish any kind of pattern that would pinpoint when they'd occurred and hopefully determine whether anything unusual had happened that might have triggered the unwelcome responses.

"So, your dreams seem to come whenever we're not working the same shift, but I don't get it. You know you're going to see me the minute I get off."

"I know, Sofia. I guess I just miss seeing you; you don't ever seem to be around anymore at work. Although, you'd think my dreams would be filled with you instead of Grissom, especially Grissom in that idiotic straw hat."

Sofia forced herself to swallow her mirth at the thought of the farmer Brown hat. She didn't think Sara would fully appreciate her humor at this particular moment.

"I tell you what. Give me your schedule for next week, and I'll work something out with Brass so that I can work the same shift. If you don't have any Grissom dreams, then we'll make sure that we're always working together. What do you think?"

Sara smiled and turned in Sofia's arms, sliding her hand under her lover's sleep shirt. Two hungry mouths slowly began to devour each other, and all thoughts of Grissom suddenly vanished, each woman's focus turning to the other as writhing bodies and moans of pleasure became their new focal point.

Much, much later, Sara lay partially atop her lover, moments from drifting into a blissful state. Sofia continued to softly stroke the brunette's hair, a huge smile plastered on her face. Sara was going to be lucky if she were able to dream at all after Sofia had teased the other woman unmercifully before finally taking her over the edge and back.

"Hey, Sara?" The blonde whispered softly, not certain if her lover was still awake.

"Huh?"

"What do you think about getting a dog?"

***