Disclaimer: Still don't own them, but hey, Christmas isn't here yet, and I'm patient.

A/n: Okay, thanks to everyone who has reviewed, I hope you like this chapter.


Chapter 4

Sara stepped off the bus at the Las Angles terminal and immediately shed her jacket. It had been chilly back home, but the sun in LA was shining brightly and the temperature was already soaring into the eighties. Draping the jacket over her arm she headed inside the terminal, she desperately needed to visit the ladies. She didn't find the prospect of using the bus's toilet appealing and planned to avoid it for as long as possible. A few minutes later, feeling slightly refreshed, she gazed at herself in the mirror. Finger brushing her hair, she pushed it up, and using an elastic band she'd found in her purse, she arranged it into a loose knot, a style she normally wore while working a scene. As she stared into the mirror her stomach growled. Realizing that it had been almost twenty-four hours since she'd eaten, she headed out to find something to eat. They had an hour left in their layover, and she hoped that she could find a way to pass the time more quickly.

Luck was with her and she found a vegetarian restaurant a block away, and she quickly ordered her breakfast. Choosing a booth by the widow, she started in on her buckwheat pancakes and veggie sausage. Piping hot coffee provided the perfect topper to the meal. She swallowed the last bite and was surprised to find it had only taken her ten minutes to eat. Sighing, she decided to get a refill on the coffee and stroll around a little to stretch her legs. She walked down the street, looking in the shop windows. She was just wondering if she should buy something else to wear, when she heard a sharp bark behind her. She turned and found a puppy running down the street, closely followed by a girl of around ten or eleven. Sara thought quickly, and just as the puppy was about to run past her, she darted down and scooped him up. He wiggled to get down, but Sara kept her hold, and by the time the little girl had reached her, he had calmed down and was licking her face. Sara smiled at the little girl, who now that the drama of chasing her dog was over was shyly looking up at Sara. "Hey, I suppose this little bundle of energy belongs to you." Sara knelt down and handed the puppy over, hearing as she did so the approaching heavy footprints of the girls father.

The man gasped for breath, and bent with his hands on his knees to steady himself, the puppy's leash dangling from his hands. "Ja-Janey, don't ever run from me like that again." Exhaling sharply he stood up and stretched. "Thanks Miss… the dog jumped out of the car before I could put the leash on her." Reaching down he latched the leash on, and scratched her head. Straightening, he smiled at her. "Sorry to almost run you down."

Shaking her head, Sara assured him that it was okay. "These things happen. Dogs just have a mind of their own." She smiled down at the little girl who was petting her dog, and paying no attention to the adults. When she looked back up, she noticed that the father was now looking at her with a little more interest than was comfortable. Clearing her throat she said. "Well, glad I could help, have a good day." And before he could say anything else, she turned and started walking. She headed in the direction of the bus station, but her mind wasn't strictly on her path. She was thinking of the first dog she'd ever had.


Sara sniffed and walked down the street to her house. She'd just had the most humiliating experience of her young life. She scuffed her shoes along the sidewalk as she walked, and vowed not to let the tears fall. Who wanted to go to a birthday sleep over at Julie's house anyway? Just because she had the built in swimming pool, and had been bragging all week about the cake she was going to have for her birthday party didn't mean it would have been fun. Of course it would have been easier if Julie hadn't told the entire playground that she would not be inviting Sara Sidle because she didn't need some 'freakishly tall, gap toothed, smart-ass know-it-all', at her party. Her party was for the cool kids. Well Sara didn't care. She WAS smart, and she didn't believe that just because some boy might like her better that she should play dumb. Julie had been her friend through grade school but they had drifted apart once they'd entered middle school and now Julie preferred to spend time with the trendy girls, and flirt with the boys, pretending that her grades weren't good, and going so far as to purposefully do bad on a test because she wanted Aaron to think he was smarter than her. And she couldn't help that she was as tall as she was. The teasing had gotten worse since Brian had left for collage. When he was here people left Sara alone, not wanting to deal with the Brian Sidle in a bad temper. Now, however, there was nothing to prevent them from treating her as badly as they wanted to.

She reached the house and walked slowly up the front stairs. She was surprised to find her father sitting on the front porch swing. His arm was in a cast and sling from a break a few days earlier, but he had a smile on his face. "Hey sugar pie. What's got you looking so down?" She just shook her head, not wanting to go into everything. "Well, what could I do to put that beautiful smile back on your face?"

Sara shook her head. "I hate my smile."

Bill drew back, drawing in an exaggerated breath. "You hate your smile! Why that's the silliest thing I've ever heard!"

Sara shrugged. "Everyone teases me about my gap."

Bill thought for a second. "You listen here Sara Bella, you have the most beautiful smile. It's not only beautiful, it makes you unique. Don't ever let anyone ever tell you that there's anything wrong with it. If they can't see that you are the most beautiful and smartest girl in the world then they aren't worth your time. Now, I think I have something that just might do the trick of putting that smile back on your face." He got up and headed for the door. "You just wait right there. I'll be right back." He grinned as he entered the house.

Sara was staring out over the lawn when she heard a small whimper. She looked around and found her dad standing in the doorway, a small black ball of fluff in his good hand. The puppy's beetle black eyes rolled around as it squirmed to reach Bill's face with its raspy tongue. Sara jumped up. "Oh Daddy, a puppy!" She hurried over to him and reached out for the puppy. She held him as he nuzzled her neck. "Is it a girl or a boy?"

"It's a boy. I hoped you'd like him." Bill smiled as he watched his daughter.

"Oh daddy I do, I LOVE him!" She lifted the puppy up and kissed him on the nose, getting a dozen licks on her chin in the process. Sara giggled. "That tickles!" She squealed. "Now, what should I name you?" She thought for a moment, and then smiled. "I know, I'll name you George."

This surprised a laugh out of her father. "George? That's an awfully big name for such a little guy."

"Oh he'll grow into it. It'll fit him perfectly." Sara smiled, satisfied and bent down to rub George on his belly. After a few moments, she stopped and looked up with a frown. "But what's mama going to say? She's always said no to a dog."

Bill sighed. "She'll be okay. She's in a good mood, what with all the guests we have booked for this weekend. You're eleven, and perfectly capable of taking care of a dog. She probably won't even notice the little guy."

But she had noticed. When she got home from shopping in town she found Sara on the living room floor scrubbing at a wet spot. George hadn't yet learned to go outside to tinkle. As soon as Laura saw what Sara was doing, she was mad, thinking that Sara had spilt something, but then she heard the dogs whine, and she got that pinched look on her face when she asked what 'that filthy animal' was doing in her house.

Sara jumped to the puppies defense, saying that the puppy wouldn't be any trouble, and that she would take care of everything. Laura asked again where Sara had gotten the dog, and Sara had had to tell her that her dad had given him to her. Laura had turned and stomped through the house, looking for her him. The first place she checked was his shop, but he wasn't there. He hadn't gone down there since the week before. On the last Wednesday he'd been upset and gone down there, but Laura had followed and Sara had heard raised voices, then some loud thumps. Later they had come back up saying that Bill had fallen. He'd gone to the emergency room and been told he had a fracture to his ulna. That night after everyone was in bed Sara had gone down the stairs and found the truth. A two by four was laying on the floor, nearly broken in two, and lying beside it was two of her mom's false fingernails. Sara had gotten the picture. She even knew what the argument had been about. Sara had heard her mom go out late on that Monday, and come back in just before daybreak. The news had come that night that the new hotel had had to close due to rodents in the kitchen. Both Sara and her dad had known what Laura had done, though Sara wasn't sure how. Bill had been upset that Laura had stooped to such measures, but felt that she had to do everything she could to keep them afloat.

Laura found Bill in the back garden and Sara, not wanting to hear anything, took George and headed to her room. She did overhear a few things though. She caught the phrases, 'I don't need this shit', and 'that animal has to go'. Sara hurried to her room and huddled on her bed with the puppy. Strangely her mother was quiet over the next few days. Sara had hopes that her father had gotten though to her and won this argument. Those hopes were dashed on Tuesday afternoon after school. She had come home to find George gone, and her father once again closed in his workshop. The tears Sara had not allowed herself the week before streamed down her face. She could only hope he had been given to a good home, but her father never worked in his garden again, so she had her doubts.


Sara sniffed. The memories making her eyes mist. She had made it back to the terminal and was sitting on one of the hard plastic chairs. After that time, she'd thought she'd never want another dog again, but she hadn't counted on one Gilbert Grissom.


Sara smiled as she followed Gil up the front walk. For the first time in years neither one of them had had to work Christmas, and they were planning to spend the next two days snuggled up in his town house. They'd planed out a simple menu for Christmas dinner, and though it wasn't the traditional fare, that was the least of their worries. They just hoped that no one decided to go on a killing spree over the holiday. They reached the door, and Gil hesitated. He turned to look at her with a sheepish look on his face. "I've got a surprise for you."

Sara giggled and leaned forward, running her hand down his chest. "Oh you do, do you? Well maybe we should go in and you can show me what it is." She reached up and whispered in his ear. "I've got a bit of a surprise for you too."

Gil cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow. "Well, be that as it may, I think I should prepare you for your surprise."

Sara was intrigued. "Okay Dr. Grissom, prepare away." She smiled up at him.

"Well, I-I wanted to get you something that would give back. I know how you love to go running in the mornings, and I wanted to get you something that would protect you from all that could happen to a lone woman out there." He had been thinking about this since they'd worked a case where a woman had been jogging alone and she'd been attacked and raped. "I also wanted to get you something that would keep you warm on those nights that we're not together."

Sara was thoroughly confused now. "You got me something that could protect me, and keep me warm? Ooh, is it Superman's cape? Or, oh I don't know, what is it?"

Grissom swallowed and opened the door. Sara stepped in and was almost knocked down when the hefty boxer pup charged her and jumped up, his paws hitting her just above the knee. She regained her balance and turned to Grissom. "You got me a dog?" She was stunned.

Grissom nervously cleared his throat. "Yes. See how he can protect you, and keep you warm?" He smiled at her.

Sara was speechless. She never would have thought that Gil Grissom would get her a dog. She turned back to look at the dog. He was now staring up at her with wide eyes, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. He suddenly let out a 'woof' and turned and ran to the couch. Then he ran back, jumped up on Sara, then turned and headed back for the couch. "I-I guess he wants us to sit down." Sara slowly walked to the couch, Grissom closing the door and following close behind. She sat down and the dog immediately jumped onto the couch and crawled onto her lap.

Grissom laughed. "I think he likes you."

Sara ran her hand down the dogs back, and he turned his head trying to catch her hand, giving it a big lick when he did. She took his head in her hands and looked into his eyes. His breed was different, but somewhere in those dark eyes she saw a glimmer of the puppy she'd lost so long ago. She looked at Gil, tears glistening in her eyes. Grissom frowned. "You… you don't like him?"

"Oh no, I love him. I just don't know how you knew he'd be the perfect gift. Where did you get him?" Sara was imagining some breeder somewhere counting the cash he'd gotten off the pup.

"Where else, the dog shelter. He's a year old, he's a boxer mix. Don't ask me what he's mixed with, they couldn't tell me, but I don't think it was a Chihuahua." He laughed. "He has a name, but we can change it if you want."

Sara looked back down at the dog. "What's his name?"

"Um, Hank." Grissom watched her as she assimilated this. "I know you dated that guy, Hank, so I'm sure he'd, the dog, would understand if you changed his name."

Sara studied the dog, and he studied her back, his ears flicking as he waited. Finally she smiled. "He looks like a Hank, and I don't think we should punish him because some ass hole has the same name. So, Hank it is." She smiled and leaned down and kissed the dog on the nose. She looked back up at Grissom. "Thank you," she reached over and took his hand, "for everything."

Grissom smiled, leaned down and kissed her. "You're welcome my dear."


Sara found herself clutching her left hand. Grissom had given her his grandmother's engagement ring, but they had had to take it to be re-sized. They were supposed to pick it up tomorrow. Sara jumped when the loud speaker buzzed. It was followed by the announcement that her bus was loading. As she got up she reached into her purse. She knew she had only talked to him a few hours ago, but she had to remind him about the ring, didn't she?" Turning her phone on, she climbed back onto the bus.

TBC


A/n: Reviews make me happy. If I can't get a share in CSI for Christmas, at least give me this. :P:P