Sara awakened to find Grissom had already risen and was in fact back pouring over the stacks of files that once again threatened to take over their living space. She padded into the kitchen, only one eye partially open, and straight to the coffee pot. Grissom chuckled at her post slumber stupor, "Sleeping beauty awakens!"
"Ha, ha," she retorted.
"I'm making some headway here; I've got several studies that lead into our current proposal. I think that will strengthen the original application and get this thing moving."
Sara brightened at the news, "Really?" she glanced over at the reams of papers strewn throughout the place, "That's amazing; I'm surprised you can find the telephone in here."
"Hey," he cautioned, "I've got a method here," he looked around, gesturing to the mess, "believe it or not."
"I guess there's not much I can do to help then," she said, stirring her cup, "Since I don't know the method."
"Actually, I could use some help." He rose to plant a good morning kiss, "Too bad you have work," and he returned to his place among the clutter.
"Well, you're in luck."
"Huh?"
"Yep, thanks to my goof, Catherine knows you are here, and so she said I had too much overtime, that I better not dare come to work tonight."
He looked up at her with a huge grin. "Well then, I guess I'm grateful for your 'over talking'," under his breath he added, "for once."
"Hmmm, I guess I'll take that as a compliment," her face quizzical, "I think."
Grissom had the files he sought set aside, and he and Sara organized the rest of it and put it all away in the various boxes. He was so grateful to have her help and company making the potentially dreadful task quite pleasant. With Sara's help, things were moving along quite efficiently. Thus they decided to take a break and drive to an out of the way restaurant and inn to enjoy a romantic evening away. They surely deserved that. The time spent away together was pure heaven and provided both with a renewed sense of well being. Riding back to Vegas, Grissom admitted, "I must confess, I've never been so happy to be wrong about something."
"What's that?"
"I was wrong to think telling Catherine I was here was a bad idea."
Sara laughed, "Yes, indeed, this was time together we really needed to have."
"And, I guess, along those lines, I was wrong to show up unannounced, and not let you schedule more time off."
She slipped her hand to the back of his neck, her fingers massaging and playfully twirling the ends of his hair, "Glad you are coming around to that."
"I'll call Catherine when we get back, I'm up to it."
"Really?" Sara replied, "She understands, you know, you don't need to do that."
He nodded, "I know."
Catherine had finished another shift only to watch the team exit while she stayed behind to do the administrative work that never seemed to end. Grissom knew the schedule all too well, and knew this would be the time she would welcome any distraction.
"Willows," she answered her cell with frustration in her voice, not even checking the caller ID.
"Catherine, it's Gil."
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed as she dropped everything to concentrate on the voice in the receiver. "I can't believe this," she rubbed her forehead, trying to think of what to say. Naturally, true to form, Grissom was silent, waiting for her, "Um, I, ah, wanted to speak to you so badly, and now I have no idea what to say or what to ask you about."
He chuckled into the phone, "Well, I'll help you, here it is. I'm OK, Catherine, I'm just trying to find my way out of the lab. It's a lot harder than I ever imagined."
She swallowed hard, "Sara was great the other night. She really helped me to understand things."
"Catherine, do you really?" he paused, "I mean, do you really understand why I can't visit you or the team? Why Sara couldn't at first?"
"I do, I get it." Thanks to Sara's disclosure, Catherine could see that the CSI burnout that Grissom and Sara battled was frighteningly powerful, bringing these two very strong individuals to unimaginable depths. She now understood Grissom's need to be distant. It all clicked.
"But, how?" he struggled with how to ask, "I watched Sara go through it, and I didn't get it. How do you get it?"
"I don't claim to say I understand they 'why's', but I do get the process of bur…ah," suddenly remembering Sara's caution to avoid the 'B.O.' word she redirected, "I mean, I get how hard it is for you both. When Sara shared that she was unable to contact Greg once she left, and seeing them together now, the strength of their friendship, I could tell that it was something very powerful that she was trying to beat back, making her incapable of coming anywhere near the lab or the people. I can see that you're going through much the same thing, and you need to keep your distance until the process is complete."
"You've always understood me better than I do myself."
Catherine laughed, "It's not that hard."
"Well, I'm glad you understand, and I owe you some thanks."
"For what?"
"For kicking Sara out of the lab last night."
"Oh," laughing, "Yes, it takes a good swift kick to do that. I take it you enjoyed yourselves."
"Very much, thank you." He sighed, "Catherine, I've got to go now, but I want you to take a vacation to Costa Rica once we get there. God knows, you're overdue for some real time off."
"I don't know how I'm gonna do that, Gil," she responded, frustration in her tone, "We're short now, once we lose Sara, forget it!"
"That's the way I used to think, too." He lowered his tone, "Life's too short, Catherine, you need to do it."
She was silent, so he continued, "The cases will flow to the other shifts for a week, and you'll get your life back."
She nodded to herself, "Well, I know you are right, especially knowing where you're coming from now. I'll see what I can do."
"And, you should invite a certain detective to come along."
"You know about that!"
He laughed heartily, "Just be careful, I went down there to see Sara and when we left, we were married. The place has that kind of effect on you."
"Ok," she chuckled, "I'll be careful."
They said their good -byes, both very grateful to have shared the call.
As she pondered Grissom's conversation, and Sara's from the night before, Catherine made a promise to herself right there and then, in that very moment. She would be out the door with the first sign of a chink in the armor. She wouldn't risk being pulled under by it, because, at least at this point in time, she didn't see a life preserver in the form of a partner who had the same experience. Besides, she had a front row seat to the devastation that happens once the breach in your defense has occurred, and is left unchecked. Catherine had always marveled at those two social misfits finding each other, but now it seemed a karmic destiny that defied all odds. How many men would have let Sara go off without a fight, when even she didn't understand what she was doing, and all the while she still professed her love for him? And, what are the odds, that they would come together in just the right way to allow him a new life as well. Whew. What are the odds?
"One to infinity, gotta be…" Catherine said out loud to nobody in particular as she refocused her attention back to the schedule on her desk.
fin…
A/N: Thank you to all for reading! We can only hope the PTB will throw us a bone next season and get back to Grissom and Sara's situation. In the meantime, we'll have to check out the fanfic's. lol.
