Disclaimer: We don't own CSI or its characters. We are merely borrowing them.

This is a collaborative effort.

Just to Hear You Say

By SidleChick and Sassy

Chapter 1

Sara entered the break room. Shift had ended an hour before. She was finishing up some paperwork in the layout room. She thought everyone had gone home.

Grissom spotted her, and looked down at his watch. He entered the break room. " Sara, what are you still doing here? "

"Paperwork." She grabbed her mug, and began pouring coffee in to it. She'd been up for two days now. She was running on caffeine alone.

" Sara I think you need to go home, you've already maxed out on overtime for this month." He just watched her.

Her case had been a particularly tough one. A man had beaten his wife within an inch of her life. She had been lying unconscious, at the hospital, until midnight. Sara had been to get her statement. She had worked the case alone. It was beating her down.

"I'll go soon. I've got just a few things left." She started to walk from the room, coffee mug in hand.

He put his arm in the doorway, blocking the entrance. " You'll go now. It will all be here when you come back. It's not good for you to live on caffeine, and never leave here Sara."

"What are you still doing here?" She countered.

"Paperwork that has to be finished by tomorrow, and let's not make this about me. " He stated.

"Fine." What did she care if he was staying here at the lab? She walked back to the sink, poured out her untouched coffee, and headed back toward the door. "Excuse me. I'm going home." She was angry at herself, at him for being a coward and not pursuing her, at the world for all the bad things that happened, and at God. How could he let these things happen over and over? Couldn't he stop it. Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Sara, are you okay? " He noticed the tears. He then preceded, by grabbing her hand and leading her to his office. When they got in there, he told her to sit, while he closed the door. He walked around to his side of the desk and sat down. "Alright Sara, what's going on with you? What's the matter. " Hiding his emotions. He hated seeing her like this.

"Nothing." She lied. She thought he didn't care. "I'm just tired." She blinked rapidly to keep the tear from escaping, but it betrayed her. Only to be followed by more. She put her head in her hands and sobbed.

He sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He then walked over to her side of the desk, and sat beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder, and rubbing it gently. "Sara, you are terrible at lying, now, what's the matter? And I want the truth this time."

She looked up at him as the tears poured down her face. This wasn't the first time she'd cried in front of him. Doubted it be the last, but there was something sole baring in crying. She tried to find words. "I...my case...husband beat his wife. She nearly died." She choked out finally.

Grissom had made up his mind. "Sara, you're off the case, I'm taking you home, and I don't want to hear an argue, got it?" He put his paper work in his bag, grabbed his jacket, and walked over to her. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"The case is closed." She said realizing that he was standing now. "The wife filed a report a little after midnight. Vega booked him around two. It's done."

"Good. Now, lets go home, okay? " He said in a gently caring voice.

Home. That word reminded Sara of everything she had to go home to. Nothing. A couple of goldfish and a plant. That's it. She needed people right now. "I think I'll take a walk. I don't want to be alone."

"Well, you shouldn't be alone right now, I'll come with you. Did you bring a jacket? "

Sara looked at him stunned. He never volunteered to stay with her. What made today different? "In my locker. I'll get it." She walked to the locker still in shock. She grabbed the jacket from the hook. It had belonged to Nick. She had begged him for it. She loved how soft the inside was. Plus, the idea of a man's jacket being on her out in public kept the men away. It didn't hurt that it said N. Stokes on the pocket. She made her way back to him. Pulling it over her body.

"Isn't that Nicky's?" He said noticing the N. Stokes on it.

"Yeah. He lost it in a poker game against me and Warrick. To Warrick actually. He bought it back from him, but I begged him for it. So he gave it to me." She smiled slightly, at the thought of them playing poker a couple of weeks ago.

"I didn't know you played poker. It's a good game. " He smiled. " Come on, lets go. "

"I lost more than I won...so I don't play well." She told him. They left the lab and it was bright. She put her sunglasses on her nose. "You want to drive to the park down the road? I don't like walking here. Too many cars. She pointed indicating the busy road.

" That would be fine... would you like me to teach you how to play poker Sara... the next time you could knock them on their ass's " He smiled at the thought. Opening the passenger side door of his Tahoe for Sara. He walked around and climbed in.

"You'd do that for me?" She was stunned, and he'd opened the door for her.

"Sure, why not... it could be fun. " He smiled, put his sunglasses on, and started the Tahoe.

"Okay." She pulled the jacket around her tighter. Her stomach chose that moment to growl long and loud.

"Good God Sara was that your stomach? " He laughed a bit. " Are you hungry? "

"A bit. But I'll be fine." She said slightly blushing.

"You may say that, but your stomach is saying a different story. Where do you like to eat?"

"At home." She stated simply.

"Alright, we'll go there, and I'll make sure you eat something, not just coffee, is that okay?" He looked at her for a moment, and then back at the road.

"Okay." She smiled slightly as she gazed out the window. Today was looking up. She would have a visitor in her home. Something that never happened.

Grissom pulled up to her apartment building. He shut the Tahoe off and did something he hadn't done in years... he turned his phone off and left in it the Tahoe. He looked over at Sara. " You ready? "

She was out of the Tahoe. "Yeah." She said as she shut the door. "Please excuse the mess in here. I haven't been home in two days."

"Two days Sara? You need to stop doing this to yourself, you're going to wear yourself out. And, I'm sure it isn't that bad. " He smiled at her, another thing he hadn't done in a while.

"I can't help it. I have nothing but my work, Grissom." They were in front of her door now. She pulled out a key and inserted in the lock. The door came open easily in her hand. She stepped to the side. "After you."

"As flattering as that is, ladies first, Sara. " He waited for her to walk in. " I'm sure you have more then your work, don't you go out with the boys regularly?"

"Nope. The one that I want doesn't want me. I'm not worth the risk." The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

Grissom looked stunned. He looked at Sara. "I meant with Nicky and Rick... um... Sara, where did... you um, here that?"

"Doesn't matter." She sat down, defeated, onto her bar stool. "You can go now if you want. You're good at running from things. I think it'd be best if you left now."

"Why would I want to? " He asked simply, the look on his face not changing.

"I don't want to screw up what is left of this thing we have. Our friendship." She looked at him. She loved him. Loved him so much it hurt that he was there in her apartment, but not because he wanted to be with her. It was because he felt sorry for her.

"What if I don't want a friendship? What if I want something more? "

"What if I told you it was too late?" She asked looking deep into his eyes. She was trying to see what he was thinking. Why was he doing this now? What took him so long?

A/N: This hasn't been betaed so all mistakes are ours...if you find some feel free to point them out. No need to be unkind. Want more?