Warrick looked at me with badly disguised worry all through our meal. I couldn't tell whether or not Grissom knew that we were here, no more than twenty feet away, he never came over to where we sat and I didn't feel his eyes on me once.

We ate our meal in silence, both of us rushing to hurry. There was nothing to be said at that moment. Warrick was at a loss as what to do, I could see he was angry…very angry. But I could also pick up the underlying sadness…a sadness meant for me.

When we were done – we were done rather quickly- Warrick asked for the check and paid as fast as possible, obviously in a hurry to get me as far away from Grissom and her as soon as possible and I was putting up no fight to stop him.

But when we stood to leave, we both realized at the same time that we would have to walk past them. I could feel terror in my eyes even though I tried to replace the emotion with something calmer, something that would make Warrick worry less…but it was useless and I knew it.

I felt Warrick grab my hand and hold onto in tightly, gently squeezing as we began to walk, letting me know I wasn't alone and he was here and he wasn't going to let anything happen.

As we neared their table my palms began to sweat and I could feel my heart rate quicken, but Warrick didn't seem to notice, he was hell bent on getting me out of there emotionally unscathed. And for a moment I thought he had had success for we had just passed their table without a problem. That was until…

"Warrick?" Warrick stopped and I tensed, trying to pull my hand out of his so I could run away, but he wouldn't let me…he just held it all the more tighter. Warrick turned slowly in the direction of the voice, a polite smile building up on his face as he went. As he turned, subsequently…so did I, so when Warrick faced the person the voice came from, the voice asked almost so quietly I couldn't hear him "Sara?"

I stared -my blood running cold- into the confused eyes for Gil Grissom.

"Hey Grissom…Sara and I where just leaving." Warrick said, careful restraint hidden in his voice.

Grissom gave us both a funny look before he looked to our hands, still clasped together. "Yeah," He said, as I could see the wheels turning in his head. "I can see that."

"So we're going to be going then…enjoy the rest of your meal…come on Sara." Warrick said before he practically pulled me from the spot I had rooted myself in. I could feel his eyes on us as we left and it took everything I had in that moment to not rip my hand form Warrick's, run back to Grissom, and shout at him until he understood what he did to me…what he does to me.

But Warrick, who could always tell what I was thinking, looked down at me just before we left and said "Now's not the right time or place for that conversation." He was no longer as clueless as he had been on our way to the crime scene the night before. Warrick knew now…he understood without having to be told, kind of like a big brother in a way…always one step ahead of the guys that threatened his little sister.

"Warrick…I think he thinks…" I trailed off as I gestured to our hands and then back inside the diner.

Warrick gave out a humorless chuckle "Let him think that…he could use a good swift kick to the ass." Warrick looked at my uncertain expression and said "You don't know what you've got…until its gone Sara."

I looked at him for the briefest of moments, knowing full well that only pain reflected in my eyes. Warrick gave an audible sigh and then said "Come on…I'll follow you home…just to make sure you make it okay…I'll pick you up before work and take you in." I opened my mouth to protest, to say that I was perfectly capable of driving myself, but the look Warrick shot me, closed my mouth and stifled any sound I was thinking of making in protest.

I climbed into my car and started it up, sitting for a moment, contemplating walking back into the diner and talking with Grissom right here. But I put the car in reverse and drove away, having decided that a confrontation of that sort would not be good, and would only upset Grissom further.

Warrick made good on his promise, he followed me closely home, parking next to me when I had arrived. I got out of the car and went to stand next to him.

"Are you going to be alright until I come to pick you up?" Warrick asked, looking me straight in the eye.

I sighed "Of course Warrick, I'm not a child; I can take care of myself."

Warrick gave me a doubtful look before he nodded and opened his arms up to me for a hug. I gladly stepped into them, enjoying the feeling of safety his embrace brought to me.

"Call me if you need anything." He said before he let me go.

I nodded my head and said "Thanks Warrick, I'll see you soon." Before I turned and walked into my apartment building.

Warrick had been over reacting, I had decided once I got inside my apartment. Just because I saw Grissom and Sofia together enjoying a nice meal and having fun at the same time did not mean that I was going to fall apart at the seams. It just meant I would fall apart a little…on the inside.

I sighed and let a one, small tear escape my eye as I sat down on my couch for a brief moment. I rubbed my eyes, trying to get the images of Sofia making Grissom laugh out of my head. It was a hard thing to do, because whenever I closed my eyes it was all I could see, and whenever I opened my eyes –too sick to look on anymore- the only thing my ears could hear was his laughter generated by her.

I let out a frustrated yell, punched the couch, got up and stormed off to the bathroom; whispering profanities that no one but me could hear.

After my long awaited and much enjoyed shower, I had calmed down. Enough so that I could actually contemplate some things I had left on the back burner. Such things as what was I going to say to Grissom? What did I want? Did I want to leave all together? Pack up my life and start somewhere new? No…I defiantly didn't want that…even after all the pain, suffering, and heart ache Las Vegas had brought me, it also brought me my first real family…one that I knew would be with me until the day I died. I couldn't just leave them behind, even if Grissom was making me miserable.

I decided I just needed a long vacation to think some things trough. I just needed to be by myself, forget some things, move past others, and try to turn a page in my life without completing a chapter. Shouldn't be too hard…if I didn't have Grissom always around.

By the time I had come to this conclusion there was a knock at my door and I realized I had fallen asleep. I looked at the clock and realized with a start that it was time to leave for work.

"It's open!" I shouted as I dashed off to my bedroom to freshen up a little, even if it was just work.

"You know…you shouldn't leave your door unlocked and let people just come it when you can't answer the door Sara…your job should have taught you that much." Warrick said as he walked into my apartment. I could hear him rummaging in my fridge and I could feel a good reprimand coming on. "And you should have more food in your place to…do you never eat?"

I came out of my bedroom and said "Yes mom…I eat all my food like a big girl…don't worry."

Warrick shot me a sarcastic look before saying "You look better…a little more rested than the last time I saw you…but still…how much sleep did you actually get?" I just rolled my eyes and when Warrick realized I wasn't going to answer him he said "Ready to go then?"

I nodded my head, grabbing my bag as he headed out the door.

Once we were in Warrick's car and on the way the car was silent, both of us were lost in our own thoughts. But half way there Warrick turned to my tentatively before saying "Are you going to talk to him?"

I looked at him with what I hoped was a mask of indifference and said "What choice do I have? I can't very well take off and not tell him?"

"Take off?" Warrick asked, I could hear the worry in his voice.

"I mean, I think I'm going to take a longer vacation than just Christmas…you know…to get some things in order."

There was more silence before Warrick asked in and almost hurt, low voice "Sara…are you thinking of…leaving? I mean leaving Las Vegas…your job?"

I was silent for a moment, shock at his question settling in. I was obviously quiet for to long because Warrick looked at me with a pained expression.

"NO!" I suddenly blurted out. The tense atmosphere lightened considerably as I saw Warrick's shoulders slump in relief "No, Warrick…believe me…you would be one of the first to know if I was even considering leaving my job."

Warrick took his eyes of the road for a second to flash me a sort of relieved half smile, one that held more emotion that he would let show.

"Alright…we're here." Warrick said in slight warning as he put the car in park. "Are you ready?"

I looked at him for a long moment, debating on whether or not to ask him to just run around and take me home so I could hide out there for a few days.

"Will you be waiting for me when I'm done?" I asked the nervousness I was trying to hide showing through anyways.

Warrick gave me a sympathetic look before saying "Of course…I'll be right outside the door waiting…just in case."

I was more than relieved and it must have showed because Warrick then asked "Sara…are you sure about this…I mean…I'm sure a note would work just fine." The obvious unease about the situation very clear in his eyes.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah…I'm sure…I have to do it this way."

Warrick gave and apprehensive nod before getting out of the car and waiting for me to follow. I sat in my seat a little longer, trying to collect the strong, sure conviction I seemed to have lost in the last ten hours.

When I was finally at his side, Warrick quietly guided me inside. We walked in silence before we reached Grissom's office door.

"I'll be right here, okay?" Warrick asked as he sat down in an empty chair outside the office.

I nodded as he settled in, finding comfort in the soft smile of confidence he offered me. I used the given confidence to knock softly on the door, hoping that the casual "Come in" that came from inside the room wouldn't chase everything I had just assembled inside me away.

A/N Okay so...please forgive me...i know i said that they were going to talk in this chapter. I am sorry, but now i can REALLY promise you that they will talk in the next chapter...and i promise you i will try to make it as good as possible because of the long wait. And thank you for your patience...i promise you next chapter...it will happed. Alright then...thank you for all the reviews!!