It had been three days since she last ignored a call from him. In those three days she had would a triple shift on two homicides. Her legs ached and her head throbbed. She needed to go home- but the thought of entering that house terrified her.
Just the idea that her relationship with Gil may be over made her sick to her stomach. The idea of having to have those thoughts while surrounded by the items from the life they once shared together was unbearable.
She stood in office wrapping up final thoughts on the case. He sat behind his desk, the one that was once occupied by her husband. His pet spiders and the piles of paperwork he never wanted to do.
D.B kept things much neater. Only a small pile of unfinished paperwork stacked neatly on his desk.
Her phone rang. D.B stood,
"Take the call, Sara. You can't run forever."
He put an encouraging hand on her shoulder before exiting his office. She was left standing alone, the vibrating phone still ringing in the palm of her hand.
This room had played such a big part in their relationship. The hushed conversations, intimate consolings after tough cases... And now she were to face the reality of what has become of their relationship within the same confines.
Sara inhaled deeply before answering.
"Sara, we need to talk."
"I'm listening." Her tone was short and harsh, and as much as she tried, she couldn't help it.
"I've been trying to call you for a while now."
"I've been busy."
"I don't know what to do about this."
She laughed, those words too familiar. "Seems to be a theme here."
She could hear him sigh. And then something else, "Grissom, we're heading out in 10." A women's voice spoke. Sara lost her breath.
"Where are you?"
"I've taken a new research project... I ship out today, that's why I was trying to reach you... I-"
"Where are you going?"
"Out to sea, it's part of a marine exploration-"
"Out to sea... When were you going to tell me this?"
"I don't know what to do about this Sara-"
"It looks like you've made your decision. Just send me your itinerary..." Softly she added, "Goodbye, Gil."
She hung up, tears welling behind her eyes. She looked at the clock, mentally noting the time of death of their relationship.
Later that morning she finally brought herself to go home. The long days had truly taken a full toll on her.
Keying her way in, she was immediately assaulted by the memories of their life together. The photos perched on the mantle, the framed butterfly they'd brought back from Costa Rico, the blanket his mother knit them sprawled over the sofa.
She collapsed in the doorway sobbing. Letting herself succumb to the physical and emotional exhaustion that she had been suppressing. Just as the sobs began to subside her phone buzzed and an email pushed to her home screen-from Gil.
The subject simply read "Grissom-009672 Itinerary" And in typical Grissom fashion, there was no note, no explanation, just the hard facts of where he'll be and when and how to get a hold of him over the next 16 months.
She pictured him out there with nothing but expansive deep blue ocean around him. She couldn't help but smile slightly. She had come into his life and set him free from the chains of Las Vegas, how could she insist he revert to his old ways, insist he abandon his newly found free spirit. It was her doing after all.
As she sat there on the floor, she came to terms with the reality. To force him back here wouldn't do either of them good. But she couldn't leave now. She finally felt a sense of purpose in her work again.
She sighed deeply knowing what she must do. And so she set out to do it- set him free.
