A/N: My first ever post ep, which had to be for episode 13x07 Fallen Angels, yes, the major feels episode with Warrick. Some spoilers too, but not many really. So, read with caution if you have not seen the episode.
Of course, this is a GSR fic, but with a little help from their dearly missed friend, they reach a new milestone in their relationship, giving them both the sense that he is still watching over them.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, unfortunately, I just like to play with the characters for a while.
xxx
The buzzing of her phone in her pocket was the only thing that made her pull her eyes away from Tina and Eli before her.
She sighed as she pulled it from her pocket, her heart heavy. This case had brought back too many memories to her, from a darker period in her life. She thought she had left them, and the emotions behind her, but this showed her otherwise.
Without glancing at the caller ID, she flipped it open. "Sidle." She breathed into the phone as she exited the police building. The cool morning air was refreshing on her skin, she could feel the goosebumps rising on her arms.
"I thought we had discussed this. It's hasn't been Sidle in a few years. And you can't use the excuse of there being two Grissoms in the lab, it can't cause confusion now."
She welcomed the easy grin that slid onto her lips, and leaned back against the wall of LVPD. "Hello, Gilbert."
"Hello, Dear." His comforting voice sounded in her ears. "How are you?"
The momentary pause and muffled sigh alerted him. He dismissed her passive "I'm fine." She could already see his furrowed eyebrows, his lips pursed, his mind racing in concern for her.
"Tough case?" Came his soft question, and she dipped her head as if he were there. He could always see right through her, even if she was only a voice, thousands of miles away.
"Can you talk for long?" Sara asked, hoping that he could.
"For you? Always, honey."
She smiled softly to herself, her heart thudding in her chest, aching with need and want. It had been too long since she had physically seen him, touched him, felt him. She shook her head, remembering she needed to give him a reply.
"Give me about half an hour, to get home, and shower, and I'll skype you." She had the sudden need to see him, it was a burning desperation.
She could hear the soft smile in his voice as he told her he would be waiting for her. "There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples."
She smiled softly, her heart swelling. "Dali Lama." She paused to hear his soft chuckle. "I love you."
"I love you too. See you soon." His voice was still soft, she could hear the concern he tried to hide, but it was touching.
Having a long distance relationship meant they spent a lot of time on the phone. They had come to know a lot about the others feelings and attitude from the tiniest details, a pause, a pitch, a sigh. It all spoke volumes to the other.
Usually she would try and cover up better, change the subject, ask him questions about his time so he forgot about what was happening with her. She would eventually talk to him about it, but sometimes she just wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to forget about the cases, and just close her eyes and listen to his voice. It made things so much better for her.
She knew she could not do this now. Being away from her had made him more protective, and more perceptive to her moods. He wanted to know everything she felt, to ensure she was not burning out in Vegas again. He had missed the signs once, he would not miss them again.
Even more importantly, it was about Warrick. He had been like a son to Grissom, and Grissom had cared for him as if he were his Father. He always said he felt it was the closest he would come to being a father, until he allowed himself to enter the relationship with Sara. Now, he felt anything was possible.
It had always been clear to Sara that Warrick was his favorite CSI. It had been a point of tension between Warrick and Sara in the beginning, and she was the one Grissom trusted when he needed someone to investigate Warrick. He didn't appreciate Sara looking into him, and his past. She knew she wouldn't like it if he was doing it to her, but Grissom asked her to do it. She would do anything for him, as she had proved by jumping on the plane from San Francisco to Las Vegas with just one phone call.
Warrick had soon become like a brother to Sara. Him and Nick had a protective streak when it came to her. He had viewed her as a sister also. They had confided in each other about their pasts, yet Sara held some things back, he knew that, but he was glad she was talking to him about something.
There were nights he had held her while she cried, mostly alcohol induced, and mostly over Grissom. But he never pressed into why, and she was greatful. She was there for him throughout his divorce, and he was there for her after Natalie. He felt guilty that she felt she could not confide in him when she started to burn out, and eventually left Vegas.
He had sent her many emails displaying his guilt, and begging her to contact him. She should have. She felt guilty over that now, still to this day. He had been going through his own personal hell, with Eli, and wanting custody, that he had not been able to tell her, because she was not there. She still carried that guilt with her.
Maybe if she had been there for him, as he had done so many times with her, as he had felt guilty for not doing, things could have been different.
Her world seemed to get darker with the loss of Warrick. Of course, it brought her back to Vegas, back to Grissom, but only for a short while.
He was dealing with his own guilt in relation to Warrick's death. He was mourning for a son, and she was mourning for a brother. It was a tough time for them.
Yet, it only made her realise even more why she could not stay in Vegas. She could never escape death there. She felt it was suffocating her.
For Grissom, he realised even more how much he needed her in his life. He had lost one person he loved, he didn't think he could survive losing the person he loved the most.
She couldn't stay, and he couldn't leave.
It was a vicious circle, that they didn't think they could break.
Those months had been some of the darkest for the both of them. He found himself seeking comfort in Lady Heather, although it was just companionship he sought. Sara's departure had left a gaping hole in his life, that he soon discovered nobody could substitute.
Sara had sought solace in her research, in that Marine Biologist she had met on board. Once again, it was only companionship, someone she could talk to. And he reminded her so much of Grissom, in apperance, personality and mannerisms. Once again, she found he was a poor substitute.
They both craved what they could only find in the other; love.
It was these thoughts that kept her company on her drive home, and while she showered. She hoped the warm water would wash it all away, as she had found it had done previously.
As she sat on the couch with her laptop, she felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach at the thought of seeing her husband. Between her shifts and his research work, they had found it impossible to get anything more than phonecalls and emails over the last few weeks, even on their anniversary.
Only minutes later, she was finally face to face with him (even if it were through a computer screen).
He looked tired, yet she could see both a mix of delight and concern in his eyes. His smile took up his face, as hers did also.
He loved when they spoke just as she got out of the shower, she left her hair wet, and he loved watching it curl as it dried, framing her face.
They chatted aimlessly for a few minutes, before he finally broached the subject once more. "So, do you want to tell me about the case?" He asked gently, as he sat back on his bed. He figured this might take a while.
She sighed, knowing she had not gotten away with it, but she had enjoyed just talking to him, happy to see her husband again.
"It uhm..." She paused, running a hand through her curling hair. "You look tired, maybe we should leave this until tomorrow." She didn't want to upset him, bring back memories to him that he may want to leave in the past, when she was not there to comfort him.
"Sara..." He scolded her gently, and she knew he would not leave this. He chucked softly as she muttered under her breath about him being too observant.
"It is my job to be observant, honey." He said, and he only got a glare in return, which made him chuckle once more. God, he missed her. And right now, he was teetering more on the edge of worring about her.
There had only been a handful of cases that had affected her since she had returned to Vegas. She had burried her demons whilst she was away, and that made coping easier. She also had Grissom, although it might not be physically, but they were in a good place in their relationship, married and happy.
The last time she had got like this it was when Evie had been killed in the shooting in the diner. It was personal to all involved, and even Grissom felt anger at it. He remembered many times sitting in Frank's diner, mostly when he was trying to clear his mind of Sara, but Evie made it easy for him to confide in her, and he did.
Ronald Basderic had brought Sara's anger to the surface. He was the reason she was dead. He had stalked her, terrorised her. Sara had expressed her guilt to Grissom, that she should have tried harder to help her get the restraining order, to get something else done against him.
He had gently reminded her that it was not her fault, and she should not feel guilty. They had that in common, they both accepted too much guilt on themselves.
"It's about Warrick." She said softly to him, her eyes meeting his.
His smile froze, and dimmed, his eyes glistening in understanding, about why it was hard, and why she had been reluctant to talk to him. He closed his eyes as he remembered the death of his friend, holding him in his arms as the life slipped out of him. He had lost Sara and Warrick in such a short space of time.
His eyes found hers again, and both of their eyes shone with unshed tears from dark memories that should long since be forgotten.
When Grissom came to her in Costa Rica, they had been able to mourn together, and they had strenghtened from that, their relationship, and themselves.
"What about him?" He pressed, finding himself sitting forward, finding he needed to know every detail.
She slowly recounted everything to him. From finding the body on his grave, to going to Tina's house, seeing Eli, the mess the house was in, Eli being taken by Child Protection Services, finding Warrick's print on the battery, and eventually leading to the arrest. She told him of how Tina had begged her to speak to child services, and do something to get Eli back to her.
Sara could see the anger in his eyes at how Eli had been brought up, the environment he was living in. She finished with how she had eventually spoken to Child Protective Services, she had also organised some help for Tina, to get her off of the drugs, and she had organised that on her day off she would go over and help her clean up the house before Eli got back.
She hated seeing his grandmothers house in the condition it had become, and she would do her best to restore it.
"Warrick would be very grateful." Grissom said finally, once she had finished. He too had felt the range of emotions Sara had felt, anger, sadness, remorse, and guilt. They both felt they could have tried harder to get through to Tina.
Sara smiled softly nodding, hoping he would. "It's the least I can do, now, make sure his home is respected and looked after. Make sure Eli is safe and happy."
"You are a good friend, Sara, a very good friend." He encouraged her softly. He knew he was more than lucky to have her as his wife.
"Do you still think of him?" She asked softly.
"Everyday." He admitted. "I think about the whole team everyday. About how much I miss when we were altogether."
His honesty startled her, but she had been getting used to this. She found they were becomming more honest and open with each other, obviously the thousands of miles between them assisted in that.
"I would change it if I could. Have the team back together, and you as my wife. I could happily spend my time in the lab."
Sara felt herself smiling at the thought of all of them being back together. "I just want you back with me. I don't care where. I admit, it would be nice to have the team with us too, but I would be happy to have you back with me."
He smiled almost sadly. "Soon, Sara, I promise. I won't be much longer here, finishing this research, and then I can come to Vegas and we can decide where we go from there."
He had been thinking about it more and more, about going back, going back to Vegas. He did not need to be back in the lab, he could quite happily teach, become an author do more research, or even consult on cases. The options were endless for man with such accomplishments as he had.
He did not care what he did, as long as he was with his wife. He would be home, no matter where he was if she was with him. But the idea of being back with his friends, the rest of his family. He missed all of them, Catherine, Nick, Greg, Brass, Doc, even Hodges. he would admit.
Now, he also thought of playing a part in Eli's life. If Tina was serious, and she was opening up to them, he would love to be there to watch him grow. He would do whatever he could to help him, and to help Tina raise him as Warrick would have wanted him to be.
"I've been thinking lately..." Sara trailed off, a little unsure of this territory as she looked away from him, shifting slightly. Grissom said nothing, but his eyes urged her to speak.
"I know we've always said we are happy together, just the two of us... But, um..." She trailed off, trying to find the right words. She had imagined this taking place completely differently, in person, not over a skype call with him not even in the same continent as her.
He could not hold in the grin that spread over his lips. "Yes." He answered definitively.
Her eyes locked with his and she arched a brow. "How did you..."
"Sara, I've known you for over a decade. You've been my wife for over three years, I know what you're thinking."
She beamed, suddenly radiant, all emotions of pain and sadness she felt earlier being wiped away. "So, you agree?"
"I couldn't think of anything that would be better. Of course, I want children with you."
Sara couldn't help the tear that slipped down her cheek as she grinned at him. "I love you, Gilbert Grissom."
He smiled brightly. He had been good to see her, to talk to her, to talk about Warrick, and how much he had meant to both of them. Despite not really believing in the catholic teachings, he allowed himself to feel that maybe Warrick had something to do with this development in his relationship with Sara.
He was concerned with being a Father at his age, but he said nothing, smiling at the thought of how Warrick would threaten to kick his ass, and ensure he did everything he could to make Sara happy.
"I love you too, Sara Grissom."
His words made her smile even brighter. She blew a kiss to him and bid him goodnight, both of them needing some sleep.
He promised they would talk again soon, and he would see her in person soon after that. With a cheeky grin he added they could start trying for that family they discussed.
With a lighter heart she grinned, chuckling in agreement as she logged off and shut down her laptop.
That talk had been long overdue with Grissom, and she honestly felt that if it were not for this case, for Warrick, it would have been a long time before it happened.
"Always looking out for me, Warrick." She muttered as she padded off to her room, for once, not dreading sleeping alone, as she hugged Grissom's pillow to her chest.
She suddenly felt they were never truly alone, that they always had someone watching over them.
xxx
Leave a review! Have a few ideas for making this into more than a one-shot, if anyone likes it and would like to read more, leave a review!
