A/N One-shot, thought of it while writing other CSI fic. Please tell me what you think! Hugs.

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Grissom was working late into the night. Again. Or perhaps more accurately, early into the morning. The sun had already come up but he was still swamped with paperwork and his own insane drive to occupy himself.

"Hey Griss."

Grissom looked up for a moment before returning to the different papers and forms.

"Hi Sara."

She was used to that. Hiding.

"Happy Birthday."

He stopped and looked at her then. She smiled back, all warmth where he was cold. Strong.

"Sorry?"

"I said Happy Birthday, because it's yours today."

"How did you know?"

"I got you something."

She held up a little glass jar entomologists used and inside flapped a tiny, blue butterfly.

Grissom's eyes widened and he delicately took it into his hands when it was offered. It was beautiful and he hadn't seen a live one on in years.

"An Adonis Blue."

Sara had a satisfactory smile as she gazed at the tiny being inside the glass jar.

"I found it flapping around in the parking lot and I had my field kit with me. One of your jars too. I thought it was a lucky catch, especially today and all…"

Grissom smiled as he held up the butterfly jar to the light so he could better see the tiny blue inside. Through the jar he could see Sara and he sighed a little as he set it down on his desk.

"I should let it go. Something as beautiful as that doesn't deserve to be processed with my tweezers and latex gloves."

He opened the jar and the butterfly flew out. It danced in the air around the room before landing above his left eyebrow. It tickled.

"Maybe it doesn't want to leave you or your latex gloves and tweezers."

The butterfly left with Sara as she got up and exited his office. Her heart crumpled like papery, broken butterfly wings as she made her way home.

Grissom sat in his office chair, still holding the empty glass jar in his hands, still wrapped up in his own chrysalis. Butterfly's dust the only evidence of the trembling kiss left on his brow.

He sighed and held the empty jar.

"I did the right thing, you know."