Grissom walked with me back to the Tahoe after a tedious crime scene a week later. He took my case placing it in the back before closing the trunk door. I watched him stretch as he sighed. He looked at me in the dim light as I looked at him.

"We should get back to the lab." I said

"Your right." He said

I started to walk to the door but I stopped seeing he was not moving.

"You okay?" I asked

He nodded continuing to stare at me. I looked down as he stepped over to me. He reached a warm hand to my chin making me raise my head. I looked at him hearing crickets all around us. He leaned forwards as I opened my lips a little breathing in and out. His lips touched mine making me shake as his hand went down my arm. His lips were warm and welcoming as he began to move them over mine. I felt weak unable to stop him. His hands went to my back holding me gently as he tilted his head. I didn't open my eyes as he moved back looking at me. His hand went to my cheek.

"Sara." He said

I opened my eyes looking into his.

"Why did you do that?" I asked

"I don't know." He said "Did it offend you?"

I shook my head.

"I was carried away." He said

"I've….never been kissed like that."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He said, smiling.

His hand smoothed my skin on my face as he looked at my lips again.

"We should go." He said

I nodded. He let me go to walk past me opening the door for me to get in. I walked over looking at him then I got in. He shut the door as I sat back putting the seat belt over my body watching as he got in looking at me as he started the engine.

My mind was racing as we drove to town. Grissom parked us outside of the lab. He started to open his door when he noticed me still sitting in my seat. I looked at him as he shut his door.

"You okay?" He asked

"Yes." I said

He nodded getting out again. He got his case taking mine out. I still sat in the Tahoe as he walked over opening the door looking at me. I looked at him slowly getting out. He closed the door handing me my case then he motioned me forwards to the building. We went in seeing Catherine walking over to us.

"Grissom, I need you to come with me a second?"

"Yeah." He said

I watched him leave then I went to work. Later he came back looking bothered by something. We worked then he went to his office to take care of something. At the end of shift I walked to the locker room to get my things. I felt weird in that room as if someone was watching me. I walked down the locker isle looking around when I turned and screamed seeing Grissom standing looking at me.

"Hey." He said "Sorry."

"It's okay." I said, breathing in and out fast.

"Going home?"

"I think so."

He nodded looking me over.

"Do you want to have dinner with me?" I asked

"I would, but I have to meet with Brass."

"Okay, well I better go." I said

He watched me go past him. I touched my lips thinking about earlier. I went home sitting on my living room couch. I laid down thinking about Grissom. My wounds from Hank were still fresh and I didn't want to enter into a new relationship, but with Grissom it was different. He cared about me and I knew he would never harm me.

I woke later seeing I had two hours before work. I bathed and dressed driving in early for work. Grissom was at his desk before work began doing paperwork. I knocked causing him to look up. He looked at his watch then at me as I walked in slowly.

"You're here early." He said

"So are you." I said

"I had paperwork."

I nodded looking at the pile of paper work on his desk. He sat back observing me.

"I'll go to work." I said

"Stay a few minutes." He said

I watched him move his chair back motioning me over. I slowly walked over taking his hand. He rubbed my fingers slowly.

He put his other hand on my arm pulling me down gently. I leaned down to his lips as he lifted his face to catch mine. I was almost touching his lips when someone was talking out in the hallway. I moved back looking back at the door then at him. He watched me back away then quickly leave the room. I went to the breakroom breathing in and out heavily. Grissom walked into the lab working with me. He didn't talk about what almost happened.

I was leaving hours later and he pulled me against my car putting my arms around my back holding them. I felt my heart race as he looked at me.

"Someone will see us." I said

"Do you want to come to my home and I will make you something?"

"I suppose I could." I said

He smiled letting me go. I walked around his house as he cooked dinner. He came out giving me a glass of red wine. I sipped it looking at his living room. He watched me sit down on his large couch looking at him. He walked over sitting down putting his glass down on the coffee table.

"Grissom?"

"Yes?" He said, looking at me.

"Can I stay here tonight?"

He looked at me and I thought he would say no.

"Of course you can."

"I just…don't want to be alone." I said

"I know."

The beeper went off in the kitchen as he got up leaving. I closed my eyes settling back against his cushions. I dozed faintly hearing him move around in the kitchen.

"Get up!"

I opened my eyes seeing Hank standing over me.

"Get up I said!"

He slapped me and I screamed.

Grissom heard me scream in the living room and he ran out of the kitchen.

"Sara!" Grissom called, touching my arm as I shook on the couch looking around. "It's all right."

I put my arms around him crying. He held me against him feeling my body shake. I went to sleep in his spare room. He sat on the bed smoothing my hair. He walked out quietly going to bed. I moved in bed waking seeing he was gone. I moved to my side crying into my pillow.

Grissom walked over to the spared room door knocking.

"Sara?" He called

When he didn't hear a noise he opened the door coming in seeing me sleeping with the blankets all twisted.

"Sara?"

I moved to my side then I opened my eyes seeing him.

"What time is it?"

"About one." He said

I nodded closing my eyes.

He watched me as I opened my eyes again looking at him. He silently stared at me as I did. I reached my hand over as he stepped closer taking mine. He sat on the bed as I moved sitting up.

We both smiled at each other then looked down.

"Are you hungry?" He asked

"A little."

"I made you some eggs and toast."

"You didn't have to."

"I wanted to."

I nodded looking at his hand in mine. When I looked back at him he leaned in kissing me. I kissed him back feeling him push me back on the bed. He sighed moving his lips along mine then he went to my neck. I kept my eyes closed gasping as he touched a sensitive place. His growing need was becoming apparent as his breathing heightened causing me to breathe fast. His hands gently moved along my body as he kissed me again.

Grissom moved back when I started to panic hitching air. His hands went to my cheeks as he talked to me. I shook my head getting worse. He pulled me against him rubbing my back telling me to breathe. Slowly I started to calm down laying my head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He said

I breathed in and out deeply then I slowly lifted my head up looking at him.

"I can't be with you." I said

"It's okay." He said, moving my hair back.

I sniffed feeling tears go down my cheeks.

He pushed me closer kissing my head.

After that I distanced myself from him knowing that if we did hook up I would ruin it. Grissom gave me room only seeing me at work. Alcohol seemed my only friend outside of work.

Brass walked over to where I was working outside a house looking at some footprints in the garden as the others worked inside. I popped a cough drop as he walked over looking at me.

"Nick said you had a cold."

"Yeah, just a scratchy throat."

"Mmm, I used to pop cough drops when I drank a few hours before work."

I looked up at him then I looked down.

"It's just a cold."

"Sara, just take it easy on the drops."

I nodded watching him leave. Grissom came into the breakroom seeing me sleeping with my head in my hands at a corner table. He walked over seeing I was looking at a science journal. He looked at me a moment before touching my arm. I moved lifting my head looking up at him.

"Sara, you should be working not sleeping." He said

"I know." I said, yawning. I stood looking at him as he didn't move.

"You look a little pale."

"It's nothing."

He nodded watching me leave. He walked outside after work seeing me drinking something in my car. I watched him walk over as I hid the can.

"Going home?" He asked

"Yes." I said

He waited there looking at me.

"I smell beer on your breath."

"I got a soda from inside."

He opened my door motioning me out. I sighed getting out as he shut the door leading me inside the building to his office. He shut the door looking at me.

"We have dealt with this before, Sara."

"Grissom, everything is okay." I said

"No, it isn't if you are drinking!" He said "Sara, I want to help you."

"You can't help me." I said, looking down.

He walked over touching my arm.

"Let me try."

I looked at him as he searched my eyes.

He took me home after our talk. I watched him shut the front door looking at me. His arms went to my back as he pulled me closer.

"Now, the rule is if you need a break you tell me." He said

"Grissom, I can't….let you do this."

"Do you not want to?"

"No, but I will ruin it."

"Sara, you have never ruined anything."

I searched his eyes then I nodded. He led me to his couch and we sat down. I looked down waiting for him to talk. When he didn't I just looked at him seeing he was watching me. His hand came to rest on my cheek.

"Sara, your eyes are like deep pools. I can see your exhaustion and your sadness."

I looked at his lips breathing slowly. All I wanted was to kiss him, but I knew I shouldn't.

"Talk to me."

"What about?" I asked, looking down.

"Talk to me about who you are."

"I'm no one special."

"That's not true."

I looked at him.

"You are to me."

I looked down again.

"Why did you start to drink again?"

I stood up walking to the center of the room. I turned looking at him.

"Grissom, I can't do this anymore. You need to find someone that will not hurt you."

He stood walking over.

"You are not going to hurt me."

"I will hurt you."

"No you won't."

I watched him come closer. His hand went to my arm.

"I will not let you be alone."

"Grissom." I said

He pulled me closer till we were inches apart.

"Sara, I love you."

I looked at him in surprise. He let his eyes drop to my lips. His fingers went to my neck.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" I asked, gently.

He took a breath.

"I don't know. It wasn't the right time." He said

I felt a tear go down my cheek. He looked at me lifting his hand to wipe the tear coming down.

"Is that okay?" He asked

I sniffed shaking my head slowly.

"It's all I wanted to hear." I said "Ever since I have been with you."

He watched me smile faintly.

"What can I do?" He asked

"You can kiss me."

He searched my eyes then moved in kissing me. I put my arms around his neck kissing him back with emotion. He put his arms around me crushing me against him. My life would change drastically after this, but I didn't care. I would be fine as long as he stayed with me.