Pain Management

Well, I never thought I will be back to FFN. I thought I had given up on CSI but then I am back with this story. Do leave me a comment, they are deeply appreciated. Initially, I wanted to break this into two chapters but I was afraid that I would not finish it, so I decided to complete it and post it at one go.

I give this a high T rating. =) Enjoy.

Sara was relaxing in her bathtub when the doorbell rang. She groaned inwardly at the interruption. These few days had been particularly hard on her. She was drained and tired. She was never good at dealing with death but she had to singlehandedly handle Betty's funeral because they were unable to contact Grissom and she was listed as an emergency contact on Betty's medical records.

She had rushed to the hospital when she received the call but she was too late. Betty had died alone. Betty's doctor tried to ease her guilt, telling her that Betty died peacefully and she did not suffer from any pains. The doctor left her alone with Betty's body. She took Betty's already cold hand into her and wept. She kept apologizing for not being there when Betty needed someone.

She had kept her distance when Grissom sent her the divorce papers. Betty tried to keep in touch but she was being spiteful and refused any contact. She certainly did not expect Betty's death as Betty had always been healthy. She was in a pink of health. She was very healthy for someone her age.

Betty's death had come so unexpectedly. She did not know what to do. She tried to contact Grissom but to no avail. She contacted the Grissom's project contact in Vegas and was told that he was in a mountainous area in Europe. The only way to contact him was when they send another team to take over.

She broke down when they told her that it would be in another one week before they would be sending another team. She was lost at what to do. She cried out loudly and it startled the administrative staffs. The administrative staffs could do nothing but kept pushing tissue papers towards her direction.

She did not know how long had she cried but she felt good to let it all out – her grieves, her pains and her being lost. She knew there was nothing they could do but to wait for another one week before Grissom could know about her mother's death.

She walked out of the building shakily. She cupped her face with both her hands dejectedly. She did not know what Betty wanted for her funeral. Did Betty want a cremation or a burial? Which church Betty wanted her funeral to be held. Did Betty want her to deliver a eulogy?

She had contacted Julia Holden and Julia had come without any further asking. Julia and Betty shared a mother-daughter relationship and Betty was very close to Julia. They planned the funeral together and they sent Betty off respectably. They both took turns to deliver eulogy.

Although, her eulogy was simple but she still ended in tears. She was in tears because she knew that despite all Julia and she had done, Betty would want Grissom to be here. Grissom had wanted to fly back to Vegas when he had heard about the devastating news but there was a no fly order at the airport. The small town he was in was experiencing a huge storm and he could not fly back in time. He had asked them to proceed with the funeral without him painfully.

She did not remember how she was ushered down the podium but she remembered Nick and Greg by her side, comforting her. Greg was rubbing her back soothingly and Nick held her hands tightly.

Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen when the funeral ended. The team had stayed on to help. She smiled at them and hugged every one of them. They whispered comforting words in her ears. She appreciated their comforting words.

The team left the church to go back to work with the exception of Russell.

"Let me send you home. You still look pretty shaken." Russell offered her a ride home. She accepted it without hesitation. She did not trust herself with a vehicle at this very moment.

"Thanks," her voice was soft and weak. She climbed into Russell's SUV and immediately shut her sore eyes, wanting to rest.

"Sara."

"Uh-hmm," Sara grunted back, without opening her eyes.

"I was thinking perhaps you should take a few more days off." DB said. He noticed how tired Sara was and how little she had eaten for the past few days. She deserved a break.

"Sara?" DB called again when Sara did not reply. He turned to her side and realized Sara had dozed off.

He drove carefully to Sara's house and he did not wake her up when he pulled into her driveway. He allowed her to sleep. After an hour later, Sara stirred and she rubbed her sleepy eyes. She stretched and realized she was still in Russell's car.

"Gosh, Russell, how long did I sleep?" Sara asked.

Russell shrugged and replied simply, "long enough."

"Sara, I was thinking if you want to take a few more days off from work," Russell asked again.

She thought of Russell's offer and finally nodded. "I need a few days off. I need to meet Grissom when he is back in Vegas. I need to bring him to his mother's grave and Betty's lawyer wanted to meet with us too."

"I do not want him to see me in such a bad state." She said in a low hushed tone.

"Take as long as you want and need. You need to rest." Russell smiled.

There she was taking up Russell's advice to rest and someone was at her door disrupting her much needed peace and rest.

She decided to ignore the doorbell, as she was not expecting anyone. She turned up the volume of her ipod, hoping that whoever was at her door would take the hint and leave.

She was disappointed.

The person at her door was definitely more insistent and stubborn than her. Her doorbell rang incessantly. She stepped out of the bath irately and shouted, "I'm coming."

"This better be someone important." She cursed under her breath as she wrapped her favorite gown over her damp body.

She opened the door swiftly and was ready to scold whomever at her door for disrupting. Her jaws fell when she saw him standing there.

"Gil."

"Sara."

They said in unison.

She gasped. "You look horrible."

Grissom had lost a lot of weight. His beard had covered his entire face. The lines on his face became more prominent. The bags under his eyes were dark and huge. His hair was also thinning. His eyes exuded sadness and helplessness.

"May I come in?" he asked, unsure. He had given up his right to this house when he divorced Sara. He did not know why he made that decision but it was a painful decision he made. He wanted her to be happy and he found that he could no longer make her happy. Each time she flied to him, she got more withdrawn and sadder. He thought that by setting her free, he was making her happy. If she were happy, he would be too.

Then he realized how wrong he was. He was miserable and he missed her so very much. He wanted to cup her face with his hands and kiss her on the lips. He wanted to apologize for his mistake and beg for forgiveness.

But he could not. He had hurt her too much.

"I can leave if you are not comfortable with me in the house." He said when she did not consent his request.

"No, no, no." She moved aside letting him in.

He stood at the doorway, not knowing what to do. He did not want to intrude into Sara's personal's space. This was Sara's space, no longer his.

"Come in." Sara said, and reached out for his hand and pulled him into the living room.

"You did not take down the photos," he said after surveying the living room. Nothing had changed. The arrangement of the furniture was still the same as he had remembered.

"I didn't think of that." She lied. She did not want to take down the photos. She still could not let him go yet.

"Thanks for everything, Sara. Everything you had done." Grissom tried to control his tears but it was too much for him to hold it in. The tears came cascading down. She pulled him in and hugged his head tightly around her chest.

She had never seen Grissom so vulnerable. Her heart ached with him. She cried too.

After what seemed ages, his floodgate stopped. "Sara. I need you." He whispered hoarsely.

He pulled her into the bedroom. The bedroom they used to share. She did not protest when he pulled her gown away and kissed the valley of her breasts. He laid her down on the huge bed. Shedding his clothes quickly, not wanting to disrupt any moment, he joined her at the bed.

His hands sought out for her breasts. He pinched her sensitive nipples, eliciting a moan from her. He caught her left nipple in his mouth and his hands roamed south. Dipping his finger into her most private place, he found it to be moist and inviting. He added another finger into her core and she arched upwards and wanting more from him.

"Sara. Sara. Sara." He moaned her name. "Open your eyes." He asked. She closed her eyes, fearing that it was just a dream. Grissom never came home and she was just having a wet dream.

"Honey, open your eyes. Look at me. Please." He pleaded.

She flickered her eyes open and was relief that it was not a dream.

Dark brown orbs stared at his cerulean blue ones. He removed his fingers. He wrapped her long legs around his waist and entered her in one swift motion.

She screamed his name and he quickened his pace and thrust.

Her inner muscles clenched around him and he could not take it anymore and wanted to empty himself in her but he wanted her to come first.

"Sara, let it go," he said, and rubbed his thumb over her clit. And, she did. Her legs tightened around his waist and she shook violently around him. When her trembles eased, he gave a few more deep thrusts before releasing himself in her.

He collapsed on top of her, panting. She passed out exhausted.

Pulling her close to him, he kissed her forehead gently. She curled into him and squeezed his hand tightly. She was afraid that the next morning Grissom would be gone and he had regretted his decision to sleep with her.

The next morning, she woke up to an empty, cold side of the bed.

"Grissom, why?" She covered her eyes with her hands. She wept. She was angry with him and mostly with herself. She did not understand how she could let him manipulate her mind and her body. She responded passionately when he advanced at her.

"Honey, are you okay?" Grissom asked when he entered the bedroom. He dropped the sandwich on the floor and rushed over Sara's side when he saw the tear streaks.

"I.. thought.. you were…gone." She managed in between sobs.

Wrapping his arms protectively over her, he said gently, "Silly, I went to the kitchen to make you a simple veggie sandwich."

"I was scared."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I should have waited for you. I should wake up with you." Grissom rubbed her back.

"I love you, Sara. I am sorry for hurting you. I'm staying here if you want to stay in Vegas." Grissom apologized.

"I love you too, Gil."

They kissed, sealing their future together.

ONE YEAR LATER.

"Grissom, can you stop walking around?" Greg grumbled. Grissom's pacing around the corridor gave him a headache.

Grissom ignored Greg and continued pacing around.

"Let him be, Greggo. He was worried about Sara." Nick said.

"We all are." Greg rolled his eyes.

"Greg, just let him pace around." Catherine's voice stopped Grissom in his track. "Catherine!" They were all surprised that she took times off to come back to Vegas. She was recently promoted to a much senior role in the FBI and she was busy with a high profile case.

"Hey. Sara's giving birth. How could I miss that?" Catherine had a huge smile on her face. She was glad that things finally worked out between Grissom and Sara.

"How long had she been in there?" she asked.

"More than an hour," Grissom replied nervously. "Sara wanted to give birth naturally but our gynecologist recommended Caesarean as it was better for her age. They were afraid of complications." Grissom filled Catherine in.

Catherine nodded and held her old friend's hand together. "They will be safe."

Grissom bolted up from his seat when the operation theatre door slid open.

"How are they?" he asked.

"Dr. Grissom. They, mother and daughter are both safe. Congratulations on being a father." The gynecologist congratulated Grissom.

"You could visit them when Sara moved into a normal ward."

"I think it's time for all of us to go and leave the family of three alone," Catherine announced. Greg whined and refused to leave. Nick refused too. He was reluctant when Catherine demanded him to hand the baby over.

Catherine placed the baby girl gently into Sara's arms.

They all left, albeit, a little reluctant. Greg said that he will be back the next morning with Morgan and Nick.

Cries filled the room.

"I think she's hungry." Sara unsnapped her gown and brought her little girl to her breast. The baby latched on easily and sucked happily.

"Gil, have you thought of a name for our baby girl?" Sara asked.

"No… what about you?"

"Yes. I was thinking of Betty." Sara smiled at him.

Sara's thoughtfulness brought tears to his eyes and he nodded his head.

"Betty Grissom. What a beautiful name." Grissom commented.

He beamed at her and sat next to her and Betty.

He was glad that they could work out their relationship and Sara was quick to forgive him.

He promised to love them forever and ever.

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