I let Grissom's words sink in after he left. My future was bleak. I cried over and over wishing I hadn't been so stupid. I was let out of the hospital a few days later. I walked into the CSI building looking around the following Monday. Already I missed it. Russell was just unlocking his office door when he saw me walking over slowly.
"Sara, how are you?"
"Great, I came to give you my gun and badge." I said
He opened his door allowing me inside. He shut the door behind me.
"I was very scared for you." He said "I hate to see what happens to people when they have a breakdown."
I nodded looking down.
"Have a seat." He said, walking past me to his desk.
"I can't stay." I said
He looked at me then leaned against his desk crossing his arms over his chest.
"I talked to Gil and I told him that I needed you. He said that I can have you back as long as you behave and see a counselor."
My heart started racing in my chest as he said that.
"Really?" I said
"Really."
"Oh, I…. don't know what to say."
"Just promise me you won't do anything bad."
"I won't."
He nodded smiling. I walked out so happy and excited. I ran to Grissom's closed office door knocking.
"Come in." Grissom said
I opened the door seeing him at his desk. He looked up surprised to see me. I just stood there looking at him. He gave me a confused look then he sat back in his chair.
"Sara, how are you?"
"Great." I said "I just talked to Russell."
"You should know I was against you coming back, but Russell was really fighting for you."
I looked down as he waited.
"You hate me, don't you?" I said
"I don't hate you. I think you are troubled and I am concerned."
"How is what's her name?"
"Joanne?"
"Yes." I said, looking at him. He stood walking over to stand infront of me.
"We broke up."
"Sorry."
"It was mutual."
"I should go." I said
As I turned to the door his hand grabbed my arm. I looked at him.
"Your hand is on my arm." I said
He said nothing keeping a grip on my arm.
"Come closer." He said
I slowly moved closer as he flexed his jaw. He let my arm go looking past me at the door. I stayed where I was as he went past me to lock the door. I trembled as the light in the room turned off. Light from the hallway trickled in behind the floor to ceiling blinds against the windows. He came to stand infront of me again.
We stood there in silence. His hand went to my waist and I shook feeling my heart race faster. He moved his head to mine and caught my lips. My hands touched his back as he put his around mine. It was as if time stopped and in this one perfect moment it froze. I moaned as he pulled me to his desk lifting me up. I tried to get at his clothes, but he wouldn't let me.
Later we were on his sofa near the door. He looked down at me as I looked at him.
"Does this mean we can start again?" I asked
"I think it's a possibility."
"I've missed you so much."
He sighed touching my hand on my stomach.
"I am sorry for everything. It took some strong words from someone to realize what I have done." He said "I didn't want to get involved because I thought you needed to find someone that could understand you and take care of you."
"I never wanted anyone else."
"I know. I got frustrated with you."
I reached up touching his face.
"Sara, I want to start this slowly. I don't want to ruin what this is."
"Okay."
"For now, let's be friends."
"I think we are past that." I said, smiling.
He smiled back.
"True, but when you leave here I want it to be our beginning."
I nodded wanting to kiss him. I leaned up kissing him jumping as his phone went off at his desk. He sighed getting up walking to his desk grabbing his phone. I sat up fixing my hair reaching for my pants on the floor. Grissom hung up the phone looking at me as I stood buttoning my pants.
"I have a meeting soon." He said
"I need to go home." I said
He nodded walking over. I put on my shoes walking to the door glancing back at him. He walked over hugging me.
"Remember what I said." He said "Friends."
"I will. I love you."
"I love you to."
I smiled at him then I went out the door.
I started the next day happily walking to Russell's door. He handed me an assignment at a hotel on the strip. I went to the hotel seeing Brass waiting outside of the hotel room on the tenth floor.
"Even I am stomped with this one." He said
"Why?" I asked
He allowed me inside as he followed. I entered the sitting room area seeing a woman hanging with a rope tied to the chandelier.
"How did she get up there?" I asked
"That's not all." He said
I followed him to the next room which was the bedroom. I stopped as I entered seeing a naked man with his feet tied hanging from the curtains by the window.
Brass looked at me as I slowly walked over looking at the ropes around his feet tightly bound.
"What do you think?" He asked
I looked back at him with a shocked look.
"I…. I don't know."
"I'll leave you to it." He said
I ignored him as I looked at the man again. I spotted blood on the floor below his head moving to look on his back. I saw a stab wound in the middle that went down an about three inches.
My gut feeling was that this was a hit. I took pictures and collected evidence. When I got to the lab Russell was walking by seeing me come in.
"How was it?"
"Very strange." I said, before explaining what I had seen.
"I once found a head in a toilet." He said
"Well even that I could take. This feels like a hit." I said, as we walked to evidence.
"I got that feeling to. Keep me informed." He said, before leaving.
"Okay."
I didn't see Grissom all shift. When my break came, I walked to the breakroom getting an apple. Grissom walked past the room on a mission. I smiled to myself thinking about what happened in his office. At the end of the shift the front desk handed me a white envelope. I walked outside opening it.
STOP INVESTIGATION THE HOTEL CASE, OR YOU'LL BE SORRY
I read it again feeling uneasy.
"Hey." Grissom said, as he walked over. I jumped turning looking at him. The paper fell to the ground. He bent over picking it up reading it. "What is this?"
"The front desk gave it to me." I said
He looked at it again. I followed him inside.
"Judy, who left this note for Sara?"
"This man came in and said he was a friend of Sara's." She said
"What did he look like?" I asked
"Tall, dark hair." She said
I swallowed as Grissom looked at me.
"Let me drive you home." Grissom said
"I am not scared of this." I said, lying.
"I would feel better." He said
"Fine."
He took me to his car. He turned off towards his house.
"My place is up the street." I said
"I am taking you to my place."
I looked at him as he glanced at me. We parked outside his house getting out. He put his hand on my back as we walked to this front door. He allowed me inside first then he followed. I yawned as he turned on the lights smiling.
"Sorry." I said
"It's okay." He said "Want some take out?"
"Um…sure." I said
He got his phone out calling the order in. I walked over to his living room seeing a picture on his bookshelf in the corner. I walked over picking it up seeing he and I at a conference several years ago. He walked over looking at it.
"I remember this." I said
"You should, that was taken when we…. got together the first time."
"You never forget the first time you kiss." I said, putting the picture back.
"I remember it being memorable." He said
"Grissom, I am not afraid of whoever this is." I said, turning to look at him.
"I don't take threats lightly. Especially when they involve you."
I looked at his lips wanting him to kiss me. He sensed the mood had changed. I waited patiently as he hesitated then he moved in kissing me.
He let me take over as I kissed him fiercely. Our lips moved with each other's in rhythm. He moved back as I moaned wanting more.
"Sara." He said, breathlessly.
I opened my eyes looking into his.
"Grissom, I don't think I can do this slowly. I need you with me."
"I need you, but I don't want to hurry things and mess this up."
I sighed searching his eyes.
"I understand."
His hand went to my cheek.
"You are beautiful."
I was stunned as he said that.
"Can we watch a movie?"
"If you want."
I moved to the couch as he joined me sitting at the other end. Our food came and then we went back to the movie.
Grissom woke early looking at his watch. He rubbed his head looking down seeing that I was against his chest sleeping on the couch. He looked over seeing that the TV was still on. I moved my head finding his neck. He laid there thinking as I woke.
"It's morning." I said
"Mmhmm." He said
"I should get home and change." I said, moving to sit up. He watched me sit rubbing my head. His hand went to my back.
"I can drive you."
He got up moving around getting ready for work as I sat still watching him. He drove me to my place then we went to a diner. As we sat down Brass came in seeing us.
"Mind if I join you?" He asked
I moved over so he could sit down. He ordered coffee and what he wanted to eat then he sat back.
"It's going to be a busy night." He said
"I am glad you came here because I want to show you something." Grissom said, taking out the letter I had been given setting it infront of his friend. Brass looked at it then he turned to me.
"When did you get this?"
"After work."
"You didn't tell me about this?"
"I was going to."
He looked at me then at Grissom. I picked at my food as both men talked about the note. We went to work and I worked in the lab. I found a print and sent it to the fingerprints analysis. I got a match to a man named Ralph Beggars. Brass went with me to the office he had on the strip. His secretary let us in his office.
"Who are you?" He asked, standing behind his desk.
"I am Captain Brass of the Las Vegas police department and this is Sara Sidle with the Crime lab. We are investigating a homicide at the Vegas Hotel. We ran a print and it matched yours." Brass said
"I don't know how. I was never there." He said, calmly.
I stepped forward.
"You should come down to the station for questioning." Brass said
"I am calling my lawyer." He said
"Let's go." Brass said
The man got out his phone following. I knew he was involved. We went back to the station then to the interrogation room. The lawyer met us at the door taking his client inside to talk. Brass pulled me back from going in.
"What?"
"I can tell you're on the edge of killing his guy. Why don't you let me interrogate him with Russell?"
"This is my case!"
"I understand, but I don't need a scene right now." He said
Russell walked over seeing us.
"Ready?" He asked
Brass nodded.
"I am not going to lose it!" I said
"Sara, let us handle this." Russell said
"Fine!" I said, walking away.
I walked into Grissom's office slamming the door as he looked at me. I paced silently.
"Want to tell me what is the matter?" He asked
A knock at the door caught his attention. He got up opening the door seeing Russell.
"Sara, I wanted to talk to you." Russell said
"What is going on?" Grissom asked
"Brass and I are only trying to protect you from yourself."
I faced him as Grissom watched us silently.
"I'm fine."
"Look, his lawyer just ended the interrogation. Next time I will let you do the talking."
I sighed unable to refuse. I nodded as he smiled. He looked at Grissom who looked at us confused.
Russell walked out leaving us. I sighed going to the door.
"Sara, please don't ruin this case."
I searched his eyes.
"I won't."
"Promise me."
"I promise." I said
He gave me a small smile opening the door allowing me out. At the end of shift I walked outside ready to go. Grissom came out as well talking to Russell. I was at the curb when a man walked over to me appearing from nowhere.
"Are you Sara Sidle?" He asked
"You need to drop this case."
"Who are you?" I asked
He grabbed my arm tightly.
Grissom and Russell stopped talking as I cried out as the man took out a knife cutting my hand. Blood poured out as the burning pain hit me. I wrenched my arm from his grip hearing Grissom and Russell run over. The man ran to a waiting car on the street racing off. I looked at my hand as Grissom took it in his.
"Did you get the license plate?" I asked, seeing Russell run over with his gun out.
"Yes." He said, getting his cell out.
Grissom put his coat around my hand taking me to his car. I was driven to the hospital and stitched. We got back into the car and he drove me home. I looked at my bandaged hand as he parked. He got out opening my car door.
"You okay?" He asked
I got out looking up at my apartment then at him. He shut the door holding me against him. We walked to the building as he looked around before following me. We went inside my place and I hugged him.
"Your safe now." He said
"Am I?" I asked
"I won't let anything happen to you."
I felt him kiss my neck. He breathed hot air onto my skin. I closed my eyes laying my head on his shoulder.
"I'll make us something." He said
"Grilled cheese." I said, lifting my head to look at him.
"Grilled cheese."
He let me go to go into the kitchen. I changed realizing I was shaking. I sat on my bed rubbing my arms. Grissom made the sandwiches and we ate on the couch. He cleaned up then he came out.
"I should go home." He said
I stood walking over to him. I kissed him slowly feeling his arms go to my waist. He moved back as I moved in again capturing his lips. He pulled me closer tilting his head. I wanted more, but he moved back taking a breath.
"I have to go now."
"You could stay."
"I want to, Sara, but I can't."
I let him go nodding.
"Will you be okay?" He asked
"Yes." I said
He looked around then he walked to the front door. I opened it as he hesitated.
"Call me if you are scared."
"I will."
He walked out and I shut the door locking it. Grissom listened then he walked away. He came out of the building spotting a car parked on the side of the street with someone inside smoking a cigarette. He walked to his car getting his cell phone out.
"This is Gil Grissom, of the crime lab. There is a suspicious vehicle with one occupant on the street watching the apartment where one of my employees lives." He said, walking over to the end of another car peeking out at the person still parked. "The vehicle looks like a black suburban. I will wait till someone comes."
He hung up looking at the car then he walked back to the apartment. I was laying down in bed trying to sleep when a knock at my door frightened me. I got up walking with my gun to the door seeing Grissom. I opened it and he pushed me back closing the door.
"Grissom, what's going on?"
"A person is parked outside watching this place. I called the cops."
"Outside?" I asked
"Yes."
I watched him lock the door then he looked at me.
"Grissom, I am not safe here."
"It's going to be okay. I want you to pack a bag and come to my place."
"They will find me!"
"No, they won't." He said
I put my gun away walking over to him hearing sirens. Grissom went out to meet them. The car had gone before they could grab them. Grissom got a police escort to take us to his house. He pulled me into his bedroom and we slept in each others arms.
I moved hearing an alarm going off. Grissom turned it off moving closer to me.
"I wanted you to stay here, but I don't think that would be a good idea." He said
"I don't want to be alone."
His cell phone went off and he moved getting it.
"Grissom."
I moved to lay my head against his chest.
"Yes." He said, listening. "Jim, I think that would be a good idea."
Grissom rubbed his head looking up at the ceiling.
"We can talk about this when I come in. Bye."
He hung up moving to his side holding me against his chest. I moaned as he kissed my neck.
"I feel safe with you." I said, looking up at him.
"I know." He said moving my hair back. "We need to make a move."
I nodded as he sat up moving off the bed. I watched him walk around the room. We dressed for work eating a simple breakfast then leaving. We got to work and Brass was standing inside waiting. Grissom came in with me as Judy, the front desk receptionist walked over carrying a medium box.
"Sara, this was dropped off for you."
I looked at it as she held it.
"I didn't order anything." I said
Grissom walked over with Brass.
"Who delivered this?" Brass asked
"UPS." Judy said
Brass took it gently as Grissom pushed me back.
"You got a room?" He asked
"Yes." Grissom said, walking with him. I followed watching them go to a room down the hallway. I watched them from the glass window.
"Gil, you better go." Brass said, as he set the box down on the table.
"I am not leaving." Grissom said, as he took out a swiss army knife from his pocket.
I trembled as Grissom gently cut open the box.
"Okay, I am going to slowly open it." Brass said
Grissom nodded as his friend began to open it. Brass looked inside then he looked at Grissom.
"Call the squad!" Brass said
Grissom and Brass left the room pulling the alarm.
"I need the bomb unit at the CSI building immediately! There is a bomb in the building." Grissom said, pulling me with him as other workers started to leave.
We got outside and another explosion happened outside. Everyone was thrown around screaming. Grissom moved coughing seeing black smoke all around. He sat up looking for me.
"Sara?" He called
"Gil, are you all right?" Brass asked, running over.
"Where is Sara?" He asked, getting up looking at the people lying around.
Sirens were getting closer.
Brass coughed looking around.
"Sara!" He called
Grissom walked forwards seeing me lying on myside.
"Sara!" He yelled
The bomb unit drove up stopping. Brass ran over to them as Grissom moved me. I coughed as he lifted me up against him.
"Are you all right?" He asked
I nodded looking at him. He sighed looking around then he looked at me. I closed my eyes laying my head against his chest.