Disclaimer: I do not own CSI

Setting: Approximately one month after Sara's departure in "Good bye, and Good Luck."

Summary: This story is a sequel to Secrets and Ghosts, but you do not need to read that one to follow this one. Secrets and Ghosts takes place between the first two episodes of season eight. A pivotal character is Dr. Vincent Lurie. He was the prime suspect in the double murder in the episode from season four, "Butterflied," suspected of murdering his former girlfriend, a nurse, Debbie Marlin, along with her current boyfriend. Grissom confessed his feelings about Sara in that episode after he was consumed with the case, since the victim bore an uncanny resemblance to Sara. He was never able to get enough evidence to convict Lurie. Much later, when Sara is rescued in the desert, Vincent Lurie is the doctor assigned to her. He has a confrontation with Grissom, he acts obsessed over Sara, and he ultimately fails in a convoluted plot to make Grissom look guilty of physical abuse toward Sara based on old fractures he discovered. He is reported for his inappropriate actions by a social worker who observed all this, and is suspended of his hospital privileges pending an investigation. This story picks up the outcome of that inquiry, as well as a scare when our favorite CSI has a critical accident requiring admission to the hospital. Now the team must try to find Sara to notify her of Grissom's condition, while they watch out for the notorious, and vengeful, Dr. Lurie.

Things that go bump in the night

It was now weeks since Sara's abrupt departure from Las Vegas. Wounds were just beginning to heal. The family that spawned from the graveyard team that Grissom built had lost one of its own. While everyone was grieving in their own way; they had double duty having to tip toe around Gil Grissom. He had become one difficult man to be around. He was clearly in pain, but refused any concern or help. All they could do was to try not to upset him anymore than he already was, but that was nearly impossible. Everything bothered him. Every question, every look, no matter how compassionate; set him off. He didn't want to share anything about Sara. Finally, everyone knew that was totally off limits, and her name never came up around him at the lab after a while.

Eventually, he began to show signs of coming around. He wasn't working ALL the time. He even started to look rested on occasion. A smile might have made its way onto his face at times. He started laughing at jokes; even telling one or two. But, Sara's name was never uttered around him, and that seemed to be the way it was to be.

In the meantime, while that worked for Grissom; it didn't work so well for the rest of them. Greg in particular had tried to reach out to Sara after she left. He boldly dialed her cell phone over and over until she finally picked up, but she had no answers for his questions. She merely asked for his trust that she was doing what she had to do. He was instantly suspicious of Grissom, but he truly had no idea what may have happened between them. Finally, Nick couldn't stand the silence; the not knowing, so he tried her, only to learn she had stopped her cell phone, and he knew no other way to reach her. The only way for any of them to reach Sara was through Grissom, and he had barricaded that passageway, it was impenetrable. They were totally cut off from her.

As Grissom's mood noticeably improved; they were left to wonder if it was because they had been in contact, even been together maybe, or was it simply time healing raw wounds. No one dared ask about her; so they were left to speculate.

"I think they're back together; to what degree, I'm not so sure about." Nick drawled, hanging out in the break room with the team, awaiting assignments.

"And what makes you so clued in all of a sudden?" Warrick shot back.

"Well, I was the one to pick up on Grissom dating somebody, I was first on that!" he sort of shrugged, and cocked his head, "And, he's acting sorta the same way. He's happier, he's leaving work on time; he even took a couple of days off a while back. Those are the signs, man."

"How do you know he didn't find somebody else?" Warrick braved the question.

Catherine and Greg looked up in shock, waiting for Nick's answer. He smiled and shook his head, "Warrick, how dense do you have to be?" and he threw a wadded up napkin at him. "You saw those two at the hospital, and Grissom when she was in harm's way; besides, how long did it take him to find her? Half a century? He's not going to fall again in a matter of weeks. No, one thing I know for sure, there's nobody else."

At this point Catherine chimed in, "Well, I've long since given up on figuring him out, and I definitely gave up on him confiding in me. But, ya'll can run with this game if you want."

Greg just sat silently. He had suspicions about Sara and Grissom long before anyone else, but he'd kept it to himself. Now, he really wasn't sure what was happening. He was so hurt that Sara left without a good bye, or a reason that he could understand. He still blamed Grissom for it all, but he really had no idea why he would cause her to leave when he was obviously devastated by it. So, he felt, more than ever, at a loss to try to explain Grissom's mood.

"How 'bout you, Greggo!" Warrick asked, "You've been mighty quiet over there. Got some secrets you're keeping?"

"I'm totally in the dark," Greg spoke in a humorless reply. They all knew it was hands off, as he stared into his coffee mug.

Mercifully, just then the man himself strode into the break room, "You guys look like you're at a funeral!" Grissom quipped with a smirk on his face. A few chuckles followed the irony of his comment. "Alright, here we go. Catherine and Greg, you have a DB at the parking lot behind the Bellagio. Nick and Warrick, a shoot out at a crack house on East Rendon. It's a mess, Brass wasn't even sure the final body count, they're still sorting things out. I'll go along with you, but there's something I need to do first. Here's the address; I'll meet you there."

Grissom retreated to his office. He and Sara had fallen into a routine. While she had assimilated back into the world that sleeps at night and works by day; they found a good night call to her shortly after the start of his shift was perfectly timed. He then called after the shift was over for her to return the good night wishes to him. They shared the important milestones that were crossed during her absence, on both sides; but, it was the mundane life events that were shared as well. And it was those that made them feel that they were still connected; still sharing a life. Once inside his office, behind closed doors, he flipped open his cell phone, and hit a speed dial number.

"Hello, Gilbert."

"Hi," chuckling at the sound of his given name in her sultry voice. He settled into his couch for a brief visit with the love in his life.

TBC….