Chapter 3
Shift that night was much better, Sara was in a better mood, everyone noticed the change.
They were all in the break room waiting for their assignments, no one but Sara seen Gil walk in.
"Sara, how about you and I go out to a movie?" Nick asked her.
"I would love to," she said. Gil's heart broke on half, "But I am seeing someone," she said as she looked at Gil.
Her eyes told him it was him she was talking about.
"Let's get some work done," Gil said. "Sara, you and Catherine have an assault. It is a teen girl, her parents suspect a sexual assault. I think she might be more comfortable with you two them any of us fellas."
He handed Sara a paper and she and Catherine left.
"Warrick, a Mr. Jackson asked if you could check out a B&E and stolen van for him. He says he knows you."
"Mr. Jackson ran a boys club in the neighborhood where I grew up. He tried to keep us out of trouble and off the streets," Warrick explained.
"So I guess that means you and I work together?" Nick said.
"Yes, and we have your favorite thing," Gil said.
"Not bugs?" Nick said, "I hate bugs."
So what has gotten into you?" Catherine asked Sara on their way to their scene.
"Nothing," was all she said.
"If I did not know better I would say you are high," Catherine said.
"I am," Sara said, "I am high on life." "And love," she said to herself.
Catherine and Sara talked to the girl, being careful how they word their questions they finally got her to open to them. The girl told them that she was at a party and one of the boys there raped her as two others held her down.
"I was not supposed to go," she said crying, "I did not tell Mom and Dad because I knew they would be mad."
"Do you want me to talk to them?" Sara asked. The girls said "Yes."
Sara left the room as Catherine got more information.
A little latter the girls parents came in, "Darling," her Mom said wrapping the girl in her arms. "You can tell us anything," her Dad said.
Sara suggested they take her to a doctor, just to check things out.
On their way back to the lab Catherine looked at Sara, "You really impressed me." Sara looked at her, "Why?"
"Normally you are - well harsh and short tempered. This is a side of you I did not think you had,"
"Thank you? I think," Sara said smiling.
After shift Sara went home, showered and lay down for a while. There was still a while until Gil said he would be there to pick them up.
Sara closed her eyes, the image of Gil and Tabby came back to her. "If he dose not show up - if he disappoints her - I will kill him," she said to herself.
It seemed to Sara that she barely closed her eyes when from the living room she heard her daughter, "Gilly. Mommy, Gilly's here." Tabby ran to Gil, he lift her and kissed her cheek.
"Where is Mommy?" he asked.
"Right here," she said. He kissed Sara too.
"Tabby, get your jacket so we can go," Sara said. "Ohhhhhh," she said. Gil sat her down, "Butterfly, do as Mommy says."
Tabby runs off. "I have never seen her take to anyone like she has you," Sara told him. "She is special," he said.
"I called her "Butterfly" yesterday," Sara said, "and she told me "Only Gilly can call me that".
Gil laughed. He put her car seat in the back seat and fastened her in.
"I got you something, Butterfly," he said. He handed her a bag. She opened it, "Mommy, it is a teddy bear." Tabby hugged it and kissed Gil's cheek, "Thank you, Gilly."
"I have something for you too," he told Sara. He handed her a small box.
"Is it a teddy bear?" Tabby asked. "No. It is a necklace, with a butterfly on it," Sara said, "thank you so much."
She kissed him and turned so Gil could put it on her.
They went to the amusement park, Tabby sat in the back and played with her bear.
Gil and Sara talked.
At the park Tabby took Gil and Sara's hand as they walked around the park looking at the rides. Tabby seen a rollercoaster, "Pleaseeeeee!" "Yes," Gil said, "let's go."
Sara was not to sure, they were not her favorite, but she went anyway. "Whee," Tabby said as they went up and down on the coaster. At he end of the ride Tabby said, "Again?" "No, Butterfly," Gil said, "there are lots of other things to do."
They went on the merry-go-round, ferries wheel, scrambler and the tilt-a-whirl. Sara decided it was enough "fast" rides for a while.
She wanted Tabatha's stomach to settle before lunch. So they got on a scenic train ride. Tabby sat next to Gil and yawned.
"Are you sleepy?" Sara asked. "No," she said, "just board."
"She likes the fast ones," Sara told Gil.
"Butterfly, we need to let our tummy's settle if we are going to get hamburger and french-fries for lunch." "Yeah!" she said.
After the train ride they went to lunch. Tabby had a burger and fries, Sara had a veggie burger and Gil had a hot dog. The all had chocolate shakes.
As they were eating their food a man came up to Gil, "You have a beautiful daughter."
Gil said, "She is …" He started to say she was not his daughter but instead he said, "Yes, she is. Thank you."
"More rides please?" Tabby asked. "Let's let our food settle," Gil said. They walked around the park and played some games. Sara won a 3 foot tall bear, she gave it to Tabby. "I want Gilly to have it so he can remember today," she said. Gil laughed and thanked her.
"You know you cheated," he told Sara. Sara winked at him, "I know." She had won the bear at a shooting gallery.
After their lunch settled they went on more rides. Then Tabby talked Sara into letting her get some cotton candy. "I normally do not let her have junk food but … well today is a special day."
They got ready to leave, Sara buckled "Buddy" the bear on the other side of Tabby. Tabby fell asleep.
"I had such a wonderful time," Sara told Gil. "I know Tabatha did too."
"So did I," he said.
The ride back to Sara's house was quiet. At her house Gil carried Tabby to her bed and lay her down, he kissed her cheek.
"Good night Butterfly," he said. She walked him to the door.
"Good night," he said. Gil took her in his arms and kissed her. Sara was still a little unsure, memories of that night with Jones came back to her.
Gil could since her fear, "Sara, I told you before, I do not believe in casual sex and I meant it. I would never touch a woman in that special way until we are both ready for it. I will never push my needs or wants on her."
Sara felt more at ease now, she returned his kiss.
"I will see you at the lab tomorrow," he said.
Gil wanted her, he wanted to enjoy the feel of her body next to his. He wanted to know what made her happy. More important then his needs, he wanted her to want him.
That night Gil went to sleep with Buddy laying in his bed, He hoped that someday it would be Sara.
