I shivered as the snow became thicker coating the mangled vehicle against the tree. I moved aching looking down seeing little spots of blood landing on my coat. Moaning as I closed my eyes I just listened to the silence all around. A moan caught my attention as I opened my eyes looking over to the driver side. Grissom moved his head blinking slowly as he centered on the broken windshield. He started to remember losing control on some ice. I shivered feeling my teeth chatter thinking more about shock than the cold.
I closed my eyes again winching at the throbbing in my head. Grissom looked over at my side seeing me as if for the first time.
"Sara?" He said
I opened my eyes looking over at him. He almost gasped when he saw that my right side of my face had blood coating my skin and matting my hair.
"Sara, can you hear me?" He asked, trying to get his seat belt off.
"It's….c…cold." I said, shaking.
"I know, just relax." He said, hearing the click. He winched feeling his wrist ache.
His door was a problem as he tried yanking it open. With a kick the door opened hitting a tree. Grissom climbed out almost slipping down the incline. He took a breath looking down at the numerous trees down below. I closed my eyes again hearing him making his way through the snow. My door came open and then I felt his cold hands on my neck and cheek.
"W…where…are…we?" I asked, turning my head looking at him.
"Somewhere cold." He said "Up a mountain."
"Are…y..you….hurt?" I asked
"My wrist hurts." He said
"Broken?"
"No." He said, eyeing my head.
I moaned as he touched my head.
"Hurts!" I said
"I know." He said
"W…we… can't….st…stay here?"
"No, can you walk?"
"All…the…way…back?"
"We need to get somewhere warm where I can phone."
I felt him take off my seat belt then he disappeared only to come back with a first aid kit. He put a bandage over my head wound then he put a blanket around me pulling me out. He made up a backpack of the things we would need just in case. He slung the backpack over his shoulder. I shook watching him shut the door putting an arm around my waist helping me up the hill.
The road was hidden under snow and slick. The marks where we lost control were still fresh. Grissom helped me walk as I pulled the blanket tighter.
He took out his phone trying to get a signal. When none came he sighed rubbing my back. I closed the space trying to take in some of the warmth of his body. He stopped looking over seeing a old shack. I looked at Grissom.
"Y…you…can't….be …s…serious?" I said
"Right now we don't have any other options." He said
I let him pull me into the woods. He let me go to peek inside. I looked around then watched him open the rickety door. He pulled me inside. The place was freezing as outside with holes in between the wood walls.
"Well it's not the Marriot, but it will have to do."
He went to work constructing a safe area for a fire. There was some wood lying around and he piled it up taking out some matches from his bag lighting it.
"I always come prepared." He said
Twenty minutes later Grissom sat beside me wiping the blood off my face. I looked at him as he wrung out the wet handkerchief looking at my head.
"It doesn't look like you have a concussion. We were lucky there." He said
"How's your wrist?" I asked
"Not to bad." He said
He reached over putting another piece of wood on the fire.
"Do you think anyone will look for us?" I asked
"Yes."
He put a new bandage on my head. I swallowed looking back at the fire.
"I think we should get some sleep." He said
He said, leaning back against the wall. I watched him try to get comfortable and close his eyes. He opened them again looking over at me. I sighed sliding over to him putting my head against his chest sharing my blanket.
"Your shivering?" He said
"Cold." I said
"Shock." He said, wrapping his arms around me.
"Grissom?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you go on a date with Sophia?"
"I told you it was not a date."
"She said it was." I said, looking at the fire.
"I took her out to celebrate her promotion." He said
He closed his eyes laying his head back. I couldn't sleep with my head pounding. Grissom felt me moving and opened his eyes to see me getting up keeping the blanket on him.
"Where are you going?" He asked
"I just want to get some air." I said, moving to the door.
"Are you all right?" He asked, concerned.
"Yeah." I said, opening the door leaving. I felt my stomach roll as I looked around. Grissom stood as he heard me throwing up. He came out seeing me hunched over on the porch.
"Sara?"
I stood up facing him pale.
"Honey, you are not okay." He said, touching my head.
"My head is aching."
We got back inside and he had me lie down wrapped in the blanket. He built up the fire then he had me drink some water from the bottle he brought. I slept on and off with him sitting beside me. When I woke up next it was daylight and he was not in the building. I swallowed feeling my head aching less. The door opened and he came in.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, touching my head.
"Where were you?" I asked
"I was able to call Catherine. She is on her way and then we are going to get you to the hospital."
His hand went down my cheek to my throat.
"It's stopped snowing."
"I thought you had left." I said
"I would not have just left you." He said
"After the way I acted before shift I would have left me. I'm sorry."
"You were just being you." He said, faintly smiling.
"Trouble maker." I said
"Honey, you are never a trouble maker."
"What am I?"
He sighed looking at me as his hand caressed my cheek.
"You are…my Sara and I would not change that."
"Your Sara?" I asked, watching him lean forward. His lips came to mine gently then moved away. He looked at me with concern as I searched his eyes.
"You will always be my Sara."
After that everything was a blur. Grissom walked into the hospital room I was in after talking to the doctor. He listened to the heart monitor beeping as I slept. My skin was pale with a bandage over my head. Grissom took my limp hand in his watching me breath. Catherine came in stopping as she watched Grissom. She slowly walked over at the foot of the bed.
"You can't deny it now." She said, making him look at her.
"What?"
"That you have feelings for her."
He sighed looking at me then walking over to Catherine.
"I knew you always did." She said
"Yes, I have feelings for her."
"She's lucky to have you." She said, patting his arm before leaving. He watched her go.
"Gris?" I called out weakly. He walked over taking my hand again.
"Hey."
"Was someone else here?" I asked, opening my eyes slowly.
"Just Catherine. How do you feel?"
"Tired." I said
"I have to leave soon." He said
"Can't you stay?" I asked
"I have to think about something's."
"Do you regret what you said?" I asked
He leaned down kissing me. I opened my eyes searching his feeling a tear come down my cheek.
"I wanted to tell you a long time, but it was never the right time." He said "I love you."
"You do?"
"Of course, I need to think about the next step."
He kissed my head then with a smile he walked out leaving me. I sighed looking at the room wishing he had stayed.
The hospital released me and I went home to rest. Grissom came by a few days later to see me. I let him in feeling him hug me.
"Why didn't you come see me sooner?" I asked
"Work." He said, letting me go.
"Oh." I said a little hurt.
He watched me walk into the kitchen getting him a drink.
"When can I work?" I asked
"I think you should take another week." He said, before looking down at his phone that was ringing. "Grissom."
I watched him walk into the living room.
"Hey, no I am not doing anything."
I looked at him holding his drink as he talked.
"Yeah…..I can come in early." He said, turning to look at me.
He hung up walking over to me. He took the drink looking at me.
"I am not doing anything?" I asked
"Sara, just right now we must be quiet about this. Our jobs could be at stake."
He set his glass down on my counter stepping closer kissing me. I kissed him moving my lips over his. He moved back touching my cheek.
"I'm sorry about acting as if you are not important. You are very important."
"Would you like to stay and watch a movie?" I asked
"Yes, I have the evening off."
I smiled taking his hand leading him into the living room. He silently watched the movie as I laid beside him with my head on his lap. The credits rolled onto the screen.
"Good movie."
"I saw some mistakes in the forensics parts."
"You would." I said
He watched me sit up facing him.
"Popcorn?" I asked
"I have to leave soon."
"You could stay."
"I would, but I want to take this slow." He said
"Okay."
I let him get up and we walked to the door.
"I'll call you tomorrow." He said
I nodded as I opened the door. He kissed me then I closed the door.
Grissom drove to a familiar house to him. He walked over to the door ringing the bell. The door opened and Lady Heather looked at him.
"Is this a social call?" She asked
"Can I come in?" Grissom asked
"Your always welcome." She said, allowing him to enter. He came in looking around her house. She shut the door looking at him.
"You redecorated." He said
"I felt the gothic décor a little grim." She said, walking past him into her spacious living room.
"I like it." He said
"Drink?" She asked, over by the drink trolley.
"No." He said, sitting on her brown couch.
"So what are you doing on this side of town?" She asked, walking over to a chair facing him.
"I was driving around and stopped here."
"I hear that a lot." She said, sitting back in her chair. "I should tell you that I am engaged."
"Oh, who's the lucky man?"
"You don't know him." She said, getting up walking over to sit beside him. "He's a senator and an old client."
"Which state?"
"I can't say." She said, smiling. "He travels to Washington for weeks so I hardly see him."
"Sounds like an odd engagement."
"It's an open minded engagement. He is okay if I get lonely and need to see someone." She said, touching his arm.
He looked at her feeling her fingers smoothing his coat.
"I am sensing you are lonely tonight. Why else would you come?"
The next day Grissom stood with his shirt open standing in the living room drinking coffee in Lady Heathers place. She walked in wearing a slinky nightgown under a red robe holding a tray of breakfast. She set it down on the coffee table looking at him.
"I have toast." She said
"I think I'll just have this." He said, lifting his cup.
She sat down getting a piece of toast.
Grissom's phone went off on the couch. He set down his cup and grabbed it.
"Grissom."
Heather watched him walk around eyeing him.
"Yeah, I'll be in early…..okay bye." He said, hanging up. "I have to go home and change."
"We'll have to do this again." She said, standing.
"Yeah." He said
He buttoned his shirt getting his things before leaving. A few days later I woke on the couch of his house feeling him still beside me sleeping. He had just come home after a long shift seeing me at his doorstep. After a meal we both went to sleep on the couch. I slowly sat up not waking him. Walking to the bathroom I noticed something on his dining room table. A letter from Lady Heather opened. I peeked in seeing that he was still sleeping then I went over to the table lifting the letter up to read.
Dear Gil,
I enjoyed the other night, but I am afraid that was the last time. My senator came back and is taking me back to Washington. We are getting married before going so this is it. Take care and I hope we see each other again.
Lady Heather
I stared at it with confusion. I put the letter down walking back into the living room. Grissom moved seeing me sitting down on the chair nearby with a confused look on my face.
"Hey." He said "What's wrong?"
I looked at him.
"Lady Heather." I said
He sat up looking at me.
"You slept with her?"
He watched me stand up and get my coat going to the door slamming it shut. He sighed looking down. I cried on my bed hearing the phone ringing off the hook. Grissom left countless messages, but I never returned the call.
The next week I was back at work and Grissom started handing out assignment slips.
"Ah Sara, your with me." Grissom said
"No." I said, leaning against the counter.
"Excuse me?" He said
"I said no." I said
Everyone looked at me as the tenseness in the room started to rise.
"My office now!"
I watched him walk out going to his office. Everyone watched me walk past to his office. He stood at the door as I entered then he slammed the door.
"Do you want a reprimand or a suspension?" He asked, walking past me to stand behind his desk.
"I am not getting in a vehicle with you and working a case!"
"I am the supervisor and I make the decisions. If I say you are with me then I expect you to not argue!"
I looked down shaking my head.
"Sara, what happened…..it was not….what you think." He said
"I trusted you." I said, looking at him. "Now….I don't."
"You still can. We didn't sleep together."
"How can I believe that? For all I know you could be lying."
"Look, come with me on the case and we can talk." He said "Please."
I slowly gave in getting my case and walking to the Tahoe. We got out of the parking lot hitting a light.
"That night I did see her. We talked and then we laid together in bed." He said
"That is still cheating." I said
"Sara, I love you and I always will."
I made a sound as the light changed and he began driving again.
"Nothing happened."
"I can't deal with this now." I said, holding my head with my hand.
We drove up to the crime scene in an alleyway between two casinos. Grissom and I walked in seeing two men lying on the ground shot three times with guns beside their bodies. He and I worked silently then he drove us back. I could feel tear drops welling in my eyes as I looked out at the passing scenery. Grissom looked over seeing me put my hand up to my face while looking out. Grissom sighed turning to park in an empty parking lot. He turned off the motor getting out of car coming to my side. I felt the door open and Grissom pulled me to him.
"I love you." He said, softly.
I clutched his coat putting my face against his shoulder.
His hand went through my hair.
"I want to tell you everything." He said "Heather and I did have a relationship, but I ended it because I wanted you. We have remained friends and sometimes to think I go to her place to rest."
I lifted my head looking at him.
"Sara, trust me."
He wiped my eyes as he looked deeply into my eyes. His lips touched my head then to my lips. I slowly moved my arms around him sniffing as he deepened the kiss. A horn from a passing car made us jump apart. I looked at him as he touched my face.
"Are we okay now?"
"Promise me that you won't hurt me." I said
"I promise."
"Then we are okay."
He smiled nodding.
A few weeks later Grissom came out of his kitchen hearing the TV. He saw that I was lying on the couch sleeping in my work clothes. It had been a difficult case and everyone was exhausted. He walked over leaning down kissing my head. I moved moaning as I squirmed. He smiled watching me move onto my back looking at him.
"Sorry." I said, opening and closing my eyes.
"That's all right. I know your tired."
"What did you make?"
"I am making spaghetti." He said, lifting my legs so he could sit down. I closed my eyes feeling him removing my shoes and rubbing my feet. He looked at me seeing that I was sleeping again. After dinner Grissom saw that I was to tired to drive so he had me stay in his spare room. I laid in bed thinking about Grissom in the next room. Hearing a sound I sat up seeing my door opening some. Grissom peeked in seeing that I was awake.
"Can't sleep?" He asked
"No, you?"
"No." He said, coming in.
He sat on the bed looking around the dark room. I moved over pulling at his arm to lie down with me. He slowly moved to lay down and I laid down putting my head against his chest.
"Usually I can sleep." He said
"Me to."
"I suppose I am just used to you." He said
I touched his shirt feeling his hand grasp mine. He looked at the ceiling a moment then closed his eyes. I closed mine feeling sleep not that far away. I woke up moving opening my eyes seeing Grissom leaning over me dressed.
"What are you doing?" I asked
"I made a breakfast and wanted you to get up. I'll drive you to your place to change."
"I have some clothes in my car just in case." I said, yawning. "Sorry morning breath."
He smiled getting up.
"What time is it?"
"1:30." He said
I sat up watching him move around the room. He put a clean towel on the bed then left the room. I got up taking a shower before brushing my teeth. I came out seeing that he went to my car getting my clothes placing them on the bed. I smiled walking over to them. He set orange juice on the dining room table beside my plate looking up as I came out.
"What did you make?" I said
"Vegetarian omelet, is that okay?"
I looked down at the plate seeing a perfectly cooked complete with cheese oozing out of the sides. He watched me smile coming over to sit down. He smiled sitting down getting some toast. I lifted a fork and dug into the food. He watched me taste it and sigh.
"This is fantastic." I said, looking at him.
"Glad you like it."
I walked to the house seeing police walking around. The house was dark only lit by police car lights. Brass came out of the house seeing me.
"What's it like in there?" I asked
A policeman came out with a bloodied man in pants and a gray shirt covered in blood. Brass gave me a look then he motioned me in. I swallowed walking forward. I smelled iron from the blood which was everywhere.
"She's in here." A police woman called from the living room. I walked in carefully seeing the woman lying on her side on the floor dead. The blood obviously came from her from the large blood stain on her back.
"That's not the only wound."
I looked at the cop as she knelt down pointing.
"Her throats been cut and it looks like she was beaten."
I came back sickened by what I saw. The husband denied having anything to do with her death, but I knew he did it. He sat at the table in the interrogation room waiting for me to come in and talk to him. Brass stepped in with me and we both sat down staring at him.
"Perhaps you can tell us what happened?" Brass asked
"I…came home and saw her lying there." He said
"Do you usually come in at two am?" I asked
"No, but I was out….with the guys."
"What are their names?" Brass asked
"Ah….Walter Pitman…Fred Casteel."
"Where did you go?" I asked
"There's a bar we go to…called the Rusty Spade."
"Okay so you are out drinking and your wife is at home when a person breaks into your home and kills your wife?" Brass said
"Yes." He said, looking at us.
"Was there anyone that had a grudge?" I asked
"Not that I know of….she had a temper, but it was not violent."
I eyed him watching him fidget.
"You know what I think?" I said
He shook his head.
"I think you came home and in a rage you beat her cutting her throat and stabbing her."
"I did not!"
"I saw her wounds!" I shouted standing.
Brass stood grabbing my arm pulling me out.
"He's not getting away with this!" I said
"Sara, first of all we do not know if he had anything to do with this and second of all you need to step away and work on the evidence."
I sighed as I stepped back knowing he was right. Grissom walked over to the room I was in. He watched me work with evidence all around the table. I walked over to the husband's shirt stretched out on the table.
He knocked watching me look over at him. He leaned against the doorway.
"Brass told me about your case."
"Why?" I asked, looking down.
"He's worried about you."
I sighed looking at him.
"I know he killed her."
"How?"
"She was beaten and tortured. He is a classic abusive husband."
"How do you know this?"
"Look at him."
"Sara, you always do this when there is a case with an abused woman."
"How many times have I been right?"
"There is always an exception." He said
"He did it, Grissom, and I have to keep on working till I find evidence."
"It's time to leave."
"I can't."
"Sara, it's time to stop. You need to eat and rest."
"Grissom, please leave me alone!" I shouted.
He just stared at me.
"I can't leave you alone because I love you."
I sighed picking at the shirt. He walked over touching my arm.
"Stop."
I looked at him.
"You should go home. I'll follow as soon as I clean this up."
"I can help you."
"I rather be alone."
"Sara." He said, in a warning tone.
I leaned over kissing him then I motioned him to leave.
"I'll go I promise."
"All right. I am going to call you later and if you are here still I will be very angry."
He walked out and I looked down.
The next shift Grissom parked in the lot seeing my car already there. He walked into the building in search of me. I was walking from the morgue when I bumped into him.
"Hey."
"Where were you?" He asked
"I went to see David."
"Did you go home?" He asked, looking me up and down.
"Yeah." I said, lying.
He looked at the dark circles under my eyes.
"You didn't sleep?"
"I have a lot of things on my mind. I better go." I said, going past him. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked. I found evidence on the knife with his prints. He was being cuffed and taken to jail as I made my way inside the police department.
Brass saw me come in.
"What did she ever do to you?" I yelled "Did she not cook your dinner right?"
The husband eyed me as Brass motioned the two cops to take him out.
"Sara!" Brass said, coming over to me.
"Did she not let you touch her?" I yelled, as Brass pulled me back. "You should be killed! I hope someone in prison does kill you! They don't like men that abuse women!"
"Sara!" Brass shouted, pulling me out to the hallway. I stood there looking past him heaving in air. "Go back to CSI!"
"He won't get away with this." I said, walking away. Grissom came into computer lab room I was in later seeing me sitting on the floor with my legs up to my chest staring at a picture. He cleared his throat pulling out a chair and sitting down looking at me.
"Brass came over and told me about your outburst." He said "He seemed worried about you."
I nodded not saying a thing.
"Are you going to say something?"
I looked at him as he sat still looking at me.
"I was just thinking about my parents."
"What about them?"
I sniffed holding my head up with my hand looking at the photo.
"My parents were not the happy couple people thought they were. As I grew it got worse, much worse." I said
Grissom listened as people talked in the hallway.
"One day I went to school….and my mother killed my father." I said my voice cracking. "I came home and there were people everywhere. Cops looked at me was I walked past them to the house. There was blood everywhere and two men were rolling out a gurney with a black bag of something on it. I realized later just what it was."
I heard Grissom sigh.
"My mother was taken out screaming about how it was self-defense." I said "I was taken away by this woman and I…remember all the pity looks I got."
"Why didn't you tell me before?" He asked
"It's not something you pass around." I said "I was just remembering this picture. My dad hit her every night and there was nothing anyone would do to help her. I remember seeing a bruise on her cheek and I asked her why did you she have that and she told me that she tripped. Deep down I knew what happened. I started to hate him for hitting her and I once stepped in trying protect her, but I was thrown out of the room."
I handed it to him and he saw my mother and father smiling holding me as a baby. He handed it back to me. I took the picture looking at it. I looked over as he moved to sit down next to me. He put his arm around me holding me close.
"I am sorry about your parents."
"I'm sorry that I freaked out on Brass." I said, against him.
"I want you to tell me anything you want."
"What if it shocks you?"
"I don't care. I will not run away." He said, kissing my head.
Grissom walked me out the parking lot with his arm around my waist. Brass came out seeing us. He walked over jiggling his keys.
"Hey Gil, want to go out for a drink?" He asked
Grissom looked at me then at Brass.
"I don't think I can, Jim."
"Wait, you should go." I said
"I don't want to leave you." He said, quietly.
"Go with him. I will go back home and sleep." I said
He handed me his house keys.
"Go to my place."
"Okay."
He let me go to talk to Brass then they walked to their cars. I smiled looking down at his keys in my hands sighing.
Grissom came in later walking to the spare room seeing it empty. He walked over to his room seeing me lying in his bed sleeping on my side. He climbed on the bed turning his light off before turning to me. His lips came to my head then he laid down behind me putting his arm around my middle and his head against mine.
"Sara?" He whispered
"Hmm?"
"Why don't we get married?"
I opened my eyes moving. He leaned up looking at me as I sat up looking at him.
"Did you just say….?"
"Yes." He said, smiling at me.
"Grissom….I…can't believe you said that."
"What's wrong?" He asked, watching me stand up.
"Gris, what if I have that murder gene that my mother had? Aren't you worried that I might do that?"
"Sara, you are not your mother." He said
I sat on the bed not facing him looking down.
"I'm scared of marriage."
"Honey, there is nothing to be scared about. We love each other." He said, touching my back.
I turned looking at him.
"I do love you, but I can't." I said
He looked at me as I looked down.
"I'm going home." I said, getting up. Grissom just sat there looking at the bed hearing the front door close.
A week later Grissom was working at his desk when I came in.
"Close the door." He said, not looking up. I closed it walking over to his desk.
"You wanted to see me." I said, watching him sign his name on a letter then he sat back looking at me.
"Greg said that you seemed distracted earlier. Is everything all right?"
"Yeah." I said
He stood coming over to face me. I looked at him then down at the floor.
"I've missed you." He said
I nodded touching his desk.
"Sara, look at me." He said
I sighed lifting my head looking at him. He stepped closer tilting his head kissing me. I closed my eyes missing the feel of his lips on mine. His hands went to my waist as he pulled me closer. I put my arms around him deepening the kiss. He pushed me back till we both fell on the couch.
Half an hour later we laid tangled in each other's arms with our clothes rumpled. Grissom looked at the ceiling feeling me moving closer against his chest then stilling.
"We have to make a decision." He said, gently.
"What if I still have doubts?" I asked
"I don't. I know that we will be all right." He said
"Is it fair to you to marry someone who might be crazy?"
"Honey, I would marry you even if you talked to yourself." He said "I had doubts about myself, but we can't let that stop us."
"What kind of doubts?" I asked
"My hearing for one, my age, whether I could stand having someone with me. The truth is that I want you in my life."
"I want you in mine." I said
"Then let's get married." He said
I thought about it a moment.
"All right."
Grissom and I took a weekend off and got married in a quick courthouse ceremony. The very short honeymoon consisted of Grissom driving us out to a rented cabin that he had acquired a week before.
He moved in bed Saturday looking at the evening light outside. Sighing he looked up at the ceiling thinking about our frantic lovemaking session earlier. I moved to my side away from him sleeping. He moved over moving my hair kissing my neck.
I smiled not moving.
"I will always remember your scent of vanilla." He whispered
I moved to my back looking at him.
"Let's stay in bed." I said
"We have to eat."
"I am not hungry for food." I said, moving to kiss him.
"We slept through lunch and I am afraid my stomach won't hold out." He said
"Ignore it." I said, kissing his bare chest.
Just then his stomach gurgled causing us to look down then move.
"All right you win." I said, getting out of bed naked. He grabbed the phone dialing watching me walk around the room. I smiled as I leaned over the suitcase we had brought giving him a good view of my behind.
He swallowed watching me ignoring the man calling him on the other side.
"H…hello, yes I would like to order some room service please."
I stood up smiling at him. He shook his head at me then looking at the wall. I wore an oversized tee shirt as he wore his robe eating beside me in bed. The TV was on as we watched it at the end of the bed.
"Was your salad good?" He asked, as I put down the bowl stuffed.
"Yes, yours?"
"Yes, we'll have to come back here."
"Fiftieth anniversary." I said
He chuckled moving the tray off the bed.
"I don't think so."
I leaned over against him as he rubbed my back.
"I like it here." I said
"It is peaceful."
He flipped the channel seeing the news. I reached over trying to take the remote but he lifted his arm as his eyes were stuck on the screen.
"No news." I said
"Wait….wait!" He said
I sighed looking over at the TV seeing a familiar looking building smoking.
"Gris, isn't that?"
He got off the bed getting his phone dialing. I watched him look at the TV then at me.
"Catherine, its Grissom."
He listened to her talking.
He lifted his hand to his face as she continued as he looked at the TV.
"How bad?" He asked, gently.
I was scared as he reacted in shock.
"Okay, I'll be right there."
He hung up coming over to the bed picking up the remote turning off the TV.
"Pack everything we are leaving."
"Okay." I said, getting up.
We got into the car. Grissom started the engine then took off like a rocket putting on the sirens.
"Someone left a bomb in the parking lot close to the building. My office was hit and the front part of the lab." He said "There are many wounded and as far as Catherine knows about six dead."
I gasped as he glanced at me.
"Who?" I asked, afraid of the answer.
"I don't know yet."
We made it back to town and drove to the scene. People were just like zombies walking around in a daze. Grissom and I ran over to where Catherine was holding a bloodied rag over someone's leg.
"Catherine!" Grissom shouted
She stood up looking at us.
"Greg was hurt badly. "
"Anymore dead?" He asked
A gurney with a body covered up went past us.
"Yes." She said
"Okay Sara, help Catherine I am going to go in and look at the damage."
"Be careful." I said
He nodded walking away. He walked in smelling the acrid smell of smoke. Firefighters walked past as police ran around. He saw the front desk smashed and in pieces in a burnt rubble. Brass coughed coming in seeing him.
"Hey, Gil."
"Hey." He said, looking at the mess.
"I thought you were on vacation."
"Not anymore. What do we have so far?"
"Well the bomb was located outside up against the building. We have about forty wounded and twenty dead so far. It's a good thing you were not here."
Grissom nodded not wanting to think about what could have been. I helped people to the EMT'S looking at the devastation around us. The building had caved in on the right side and was still smoking in areas. Catherine ran around helping in spots. I saw nick and Warrick helping with bandages on their heads.
That night we were still helping out. Grissom told us all to go home, but I stuck around. Venturing into the bad part of the building I climbed over things to looking Grissom's office seeing one of the large holes to the outside. Objects were everywhere.
"Hey, you can't be here!" A firefighter yelled, as he walked over shining his flashlight on me. "This place is dangerous!"
I walked out quickly seeing Grissom standing with several FBI agents in the parking lot. He looked over seeing me standing on the sidewalk looking at him.
He must have told them he would be right back because he walked over to me.
"I want you to take the car and go home." He said, handing me the keys.
"I would rather stay with you." I said
"I am not coming home for a long time. Go home and get into bed." He said, patting my hand.
"Okay."
He nodded going back to the men. I went home sighing thinking about the day. My ring glimmered in the moonlight and I smiled thinking about Grissom. When I woke he was lying next to me sleeping. I looked at the clock seeing I had an hour to get ready for work. Coming out of the bathroom I saw he was gone. I came out of the bedroom seeing him dressed in new clothes and drinking coffee.
"You're up?" I said, coming over to him kissing his lips. "You smell good to."
"I took a shower in the guest bathroom."
I moved past him feeling him grab me pulling me back. I squealed as he pushed me to the counter crushing my body against the counter and him. He kissed my neck making me lose feeling in my legs.
"I'm sorry we had to cut the honeymoon short." He said, as he moved his head to look at me.
"That's all right. There are more important things to deal with." I said "Like breakfast before work."
"I already had some." He said, smiling.
"Doctor Grissom, you would not want one of your employees to collapse on site would you?"
"No." He said, sighing as he moved away.
We went back to the building as the cleanup started. Grissom made a temporary office for himself in the conference room as everyone moved to the left side of the building. We got word about the people in the hospital. Some were recovering and others not so good.
I was driving to a scene thinking about being a wife. It was weird to think I was married and horrifying at the same time. Grissom seemed to feel my uneasiness, but he was patient. I parked outside the park parking lot coming out seeing Sophia standing by the basketball court with a cop.
"This place is creepy at night." She said
"Yeah."
"I have a woman over here, no identification just naked." She said, leading me off the court to the right.
"Naked?" I asked
"Strangled by the look of it." She said, motioning to the pile of leaves below a tree. I turned on my flashlight seeing the woman lying on her back half out of the pile of leaves with a large bruised area around her neck.
"I guess this park should be put on the danger list." She said
"This was the last safe parks in this neighborhood." I said
We suddenly heard weird laughter coming from somewhere. I turned as Sophia did looking around.
"Okay, the level of creepiness just went up." She said
We heard it again and I turned off my light looking around the dark surroundings.
"Sophia, there's someone standing on the other side of the court." I said
She looked seeing the figure. Getting her gun out, she ran to a tree as I ran over as well. The cop ran past us to a tree. The creepy laughter from the person started again.
"Okay, I'll go first." She said
"Okay."
She walked out turning on her flashlight pointing her gun at the intruder. The cop stood beside her walking over carefully.
"Put your hands up!" She shouted
I came out running over to the side coming from behind a tree seeing that the person we were going towards was a clown. I shivered finding clowns to be scary. The man stood still laughing holding a piece of rope in his gloved hand. Sophia again told him to kneel to the ground. The man slowly knelt down putting his hands up. I sighed as they put him in cuffs taking him the patrol car. Everyone at work got wind of the Clown and told hundreds of jokes making me hit my head on the wall.
I came home seeing Grissom looking at mail by the dining room table. He looked at me smiling as I walked over touching his arm before going into the kitchen. I got a bottle of water seeing him walk over placing both his hands on either side of the counter blocking me in.
"Nick told me about the clown."
I rolled my eyes sighing.
"I am so tired of the jokes." I said, putting my head on the counter.
"He had a good one. Why did the clown cross the road?"
"Stop, please!" I said, standing. "I just want to forget the clown."
He smiled letting me kiss him then I ducked under his arm walking out.
I went into the locker room not paying attention until I saw a picture of an evil clown taped to my locker door. I screamed backing up hitting the lockers on the other side. Grissom came in looking at my oddly.
"What's wrong?" He asked
I pointed to my locker. He walked over ripping it down looking at it.
"I hate that!" I said
"I'll have a talk with everyone."
As the case progressed the nightmares started and soon I was not sleeping at all. Grissom counted the days till this case was over. I knew I would have to question the man. On that day I walked over to the interrogation room seeing the man in an orange jail outfit making me feel a little better.
"Sara?" Grissom called, walking over to me. "I can question him."
"I got this." I said
"Honey, I can do it for you."
"Gris, I got this." I said, looking him in the eye.
"Okay." He said
I went in seeing the man staring at the table. Brass gave me a look as he sat down beside me. I opened the file I brought in looking at the man.
"Your name is Peter Winwood." I said
He looked at me or rather my neck as I talked.
"You….have a nice neck." He said
"Did you kill Emily Gearson?" I asked
"She had a nice neck to." He said
"Why don't you tell us what happened?" Brass asked
I shivered as he continued to look at me.
"Hey!" Brass said
I sighed as we waited.
"He's not talking." I said, getting up closing the file leaving. The man stood as the chair hit the wall. I jumped turning seeing him slowly walking over towards me.
"I walked up to her from behind holding a small piece of rope. She never suspected as I quietly moved to her." He said, motioning with his hands.
"Woah Bozo, stay away from the lady." Brass said, trying to keep him away.
"No, it's all right." I said
"She made choking sounds grabbing my costume. I tightened my grip making her choke more. I could see the fear in her eyes. She wanted to live, but with these hands I took it away."
I trembled staring at him as he showed me his hands.
"Why did you take her clothes away?" I asked
He looked at his hands turning around walking over to the table. I swallowed waiting. He then turned and I backed up seeing the look in his eyes. He walked over slowly still holding his hands out. In one quick move he screamed putting his hands around my throat. My file fell out of my hands as I put my hands on his trying to stop him as Brass yelled drawing his gun. Grissom came in taking the man's hands off me. I coughed holding my neck as I ran out leaving them to deal with him.
I came out of the bathroom still touching my neck seeing Grissom leaning against the wall across from the door with his arms crossed over his chest.
"You okay?"
"Yes." I said
He stood taking my hand off my neck seeing the redness on my skin.
"I think you'll live."
"Yeah." I said
He touched my hand looking at me with concern.
"You need sleep."
"I have so many things to do." I said, rubbing my head.
"Sara, when will you sleep?"
I sighed looking at him.
"When this is over."
He watched me leave worried. Nick sat into the break room eating a sandwich when Grissom walked in.
"Hey, Nick."
"Hi." He said "I heard what happened to Sara. Is she all right?"
"Yes, I think so." Grissom said, as he walked over holding his mug of coffee. "Did you finish your case?"
"Yes, the reports in."
"Good, maybe you can help with another."
Nick looked at him. I slammed the door behind me as I got home seeing Grissom come out of the kitchen seeing me.
"Hello dear." He said
"You gave Nick my case?"
"I asked him to help you."
"He is under the impression you gave him the whole thing." I said, walking over to him.
"No, I told him you needed help."
"This is my case!"
He sighed taking my hands in his.
"Sara, you have not slept to my knowledge in two weeks."
"I have slept!"
"Just hear me out. I think you are becoming obsessed with this case. What is wrong with a little help?"
"What is wrong is it is my case!"
He watched me go past him to the bedroom.
I rubbed my aching head the next shift. Grissom seemed to be avoiding me as I had snapped at him before work. Nick helped me taking charge and I had an argument with him walking off to be by myself. I went outside taking in the night air sitting down at the curb that I sat on before when I was hurt. I put my head in my hands sitting in silence until someone sat next to me. Grissom looked at me then he looked up at the stars.
"How are you?" He asked, looking at me.
I raised my head looking at him. I sighed looking down.
"You were right." I said "I am obsessed with this case."
He nodded looking up then at me.
"Why do I do this?"
"You are passionate." He said "You want to help everyone, but we can't bring happy endings to everyone."
"I know." I said, rubbing my head. "I wish I could sleep."
"Me to, I think you have alienated almost everyone inside."
I smiled faintly looking down.
"What about you?" I asked, looking at him.
"You can try, but it won't work."
I smiled again putting my head against my knee. Grissom slid his hand over my back.
"Why don't you come to my office and lay down?"
"I have to go back in and work."
"No, you don't."
I looked at him watching him stand holding his hand out to me. I slowly took it standing wavering some.
"You defiantly need to lie down." He said, wrapping his arm around me. I let him take me in to his office then he sat on the couch letting me lie my head against his chest in the dimly lit room.
"I can't do this." I said
"Yes you can. Just close your eyes and relax." He said, smoothing my hair. I sighed closing my eyes trying to relax. "Think about nothing. There are no clowns, or cases. You have nothing to do but to sleep."
"Will you lay down with me?" I asked
He moved us to lie down. I faced him as he touched my hair again watching me.
"I love you." He said
"Love you to." I said
He looked at me in silence thinking about how much he loved me and wanted to take care of me. His thoughts were cut short when he heard me snoring loudly which I never did unless I was exhausted. He kissed my head getting up leaving me to dream.