Chapter Nine:

"Shouldn't we break this up?" asked the officer.

"Not yet," said Brass as he chugged on a bottle of water.

"Sara, don't throw that rock," warned Grissom.

"Don't give me a reason! Leave me alone!" she yelled.

She took a step forward and listened for him.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that he was still coming.

She turned and hurled the rock at him.

He thought of himself as physically fit but he could not dodge the rock.

It hit him just below the knee cap.

He went down into the dust.

"Now that was low," said the officer.

"Not really. She could have hit him in the privates," said Brass.

"You think it's going to come to that?" asked the officer.

"It depends on…" Brass did not finish as the scene continued to unfold.

Sara stepped toward Grissom but halted when he stood.

"Ready to quit?" she asked.

"That's two Sara," seethed Grissom. "Going to hit me for every year I've…"

"There's a thought!" yelled Sara. "You deserve far worse!"

"Yes, I do," he said. "I'm sorry."

Even though he was several yards from her, he knew she had begun to cry.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

"Shut up!" she yelled. "Just leave me alone Grissom."

She turned and started walking again.

"Sara, come on!" yelled Grissom as he hobbled after her.

She was quick to stop, grabbing several rocks this time.

"Oh, now he's in for it," said Brass. "He made her cry."

"Look, we should break this up before he really gets hurt," said the officer.

"I think it's too late," said Brass as they watched Sara's arm draw back.

Sara threw the rocks and they watched as Grissom doubled over.

The two spectators winced.

"That was a direct hit," said the officer.

"No it wasn't. It was a mercy shot," said Brass. "She just hit him in the gut."

"I'm going to stop this," said the officer.

Brass grabbed his arm. "Let's see if they're done."

Sara was shocked as Grissom's knees hit the ground sending up a flurry of dust.

She took several steps toward him.

"Grissom?"

He looked up.

"I guess I deserved that," he managed to get out.

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"It could have been worse," he said.

They both knew.

She could have hit him lower ending his ability to have children.

He looked up when he heard the first sob.

"Sara, please…let's talk," he said.

Their eyes locked.

"This doesn't change anything," she seethed as she started walking away.

"Sara!" he yelled as he struggled to get up.

"Stay down. Stay down. He's as stubborn as she is!" complained the officer as they watched Grissom get to his feet and proceed after her.

"Yes, he is," said Brass.

Sara swiped at her eyes as she forced herself to continue walking and not look back.

"Sara!" yelled Grissom.

"Go away Gilbert!" she yelled.

The officer chuckled. "Tell me his name is not really Gilbert?"

She kept walking.

"Sara Jane Sidle!" yelled Grissom.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

"What did you call me?" she yelled.

"Sara Jane, stop this now!" yelled Grissom.

"Go back Gilbert!" she threw back at him.

"Stop acting like a…put down that rock Sara Jane!" yelled Grissom.

He considered dropping to his knees hoping she would not hit a man when he was down but it was too late. It was a direct hit and he thought he might have a cracked rib.

"Man, she's cruel!" said the officer.

"Not as cruel as he's been," said Brass.

"What did he do?" asked the officer.

Brass did not have time to reply as Sara walked toward Grissom.

She did not stop until she was in front of him.

"Had enough?" she asked.

"I'm not backing down," said Grissom.

"Yes, you are!" she yelled. "It's what you do best. You quit!"

"Not this time," he said holding his chest.

"Chest hurt?" she asked sounding concerned.

"Cracked rib probably," he said.

A tear trickled down her cheek.

"Sara…"

"Better than a broken heart!" she yelled.

He grabbed for her but she had already whirled around and begun walking.

"How long do we do this?" Grissom yelled at her.

"Go away! I don't want to see you! I wish I had never remembered you!" she yelled. "I wish you hadn't…"

She slumped to the ground in a pool of tears.

He stopped as he watched her shoulders shake.

"Well, it's finally over," said the officer.

"How long have you been married kid?" asked Brass.

"A year," said the officer.

"Let this be a lesson to you," said Brass. "If a woman sobs, be prepared for the worst."

The officer looked baffled.

"Pay attention," said Brass.

Grissom slowly stepped forward.

"Sara, let me hold you," he said.

She shook her heard.

"Please," he said.

"Stay away!" she yelled.

"Sara…"

She jumped up and ran.

He cursed.

He considered the possibility of a coronary as he tried to keep up.

She stopped as she panted.

"Sara Jane! If I get my hands on…"

He looked up to see she had grabbed a rock.

"Shit!" Grissom muttered.

"Go ahead!" he yelled. "Get it over with! Take your best shot! Show me how pissed you are! Go ahead!"

Her chest heaved as she drew back her hand.

"I chased you home. You threw the books, the alarm clock and the picture at me. I didn't care! I just wanted to hold you! I wanted you to see how much I love…."

She hit him with dead accuracy.

Grissom crumbled to the ground.

"Oh shit! She's killed him!" yelled the officer.

Brass cursed as he jumped into his vehicle and drove out there.

Sara wiped her brow and then glanced toward Grissom.

He lay there on the ground not moving.

"Oh God! What have I done?" she screamed. She ran to Grissom as her knees slid into the ground and she cradled his head in her lap.

"Oh God!" she cried. "Please Gil! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it! I just wanted the pain to go away."

Brass jumped out of the Denali and ran to Grissom's side. He quickly checked Grissom's pulse.

He sighed.

Sara held her breath.

"Did I…"

Grissom moaned and she clutched him tight against her causing his moans to increase.

"Jim?" he groaned.

"Yeah. Are you alright?" Brass asked.

"Don't…let…her…leave…" he said.

"I've stopped," she said between gulps of tears. "I quit."

"God, I hope not," Grissom managed to get out. "I didn't go through this for you to quit."

"But…"

"Sara, hold still," Grissom said as he tried to sit up but found himself back on the ground.

"Oh shit! I think you've really hurt him," said Brass.

"Griss! Griss!" she yelled as she shook him.

"Stop…shaking…me!" Grissom yelled back.

Her angered rekindled. "If you die, I'm going to kill you!"

"That's better," Grissom said with a grin as he grimaced from the pain.

He cursed when she let his head hit the ground as she stood.

"Sara, enough," said Brass. "I've sat back and let you…"

She was already walking away.

Grissom struggled to get up.

"Stay down!" yelled Brass.

"Yeah Gilbert! Stay down," she called over her shoulder.

"Sara Jane Sidle!" Grissom yelled.

"She's going to knock your brains out this time," said Brass.

"Or knock some sense in me," muttered Grissom.

"I heard that! That could be arranged!" she yelled at him.

"Sara, look at me when you're talking!" Grissom yelled.

She turned and they faced off once more.

Brass muttered. "Here comes the death blow."

"Hey you want me to tazer her?" asked the officer.

Brass considered the possibility.

"No!" yelled Grissom.

Sara continued to glare at Grissom.

"Now that I have your attention," he said softly as he stepped closer to her.

She pulled a rock out of her pocket.

"Going to hurt me again?" he asked softly as he stepped closer.

"Leave me alone," she cried.

"I can't do that," he said.

"You…did…before," she cried.

"I was stupid," he said. "I'm so sorry Sara for hurting you."

He stepped closer and was within arm's reach.

He contemplated lurching for her but was afraid he would miss and she would run.

"Leave me alone…please," she begged.

"I can't do that honey," he said softly.

He started to reach for her but she stepped back and started to turn away when he did the unthinkable.

"I love you Sara!" he yelled.

She froze.

"I love you," he repeated with each step that he took until his body was pressed against hers.

He bent down and whispered in her ear, "I love you Sara."

She turned into his arms and he held her.

Brass sighed.

"Give me the rock," he said softly.

She didn't.

Sara slipped it down into her pocket.

Grissom grinned. "Saving it in case I try to backslide again?"

She said nothing as his lips found hers.

Brass chuckled and turned toward the officer. "You can leave now. I'll ride back with them."

The officer shook his head as he left. "And the other officers said standing watch over a crime scene was boring."

Her arms wrapped around his waist. He winced when a hand came up to examine the knot on his head.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I was just so…"

"Hey Sara…this doesn't change anything," he whispered as he softly chuckled.

She considered hitting him but he held onto her tight.

"If I try to backslide again, you can use the rock," he said.

She nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Both were covered in dust.

He stood there and wiped the tear away only to leave a smudge.

She looked quite young at that moment but he no longer cared about such silly notions. If he could survive this he was certain he could handle anything else Sara Jane Sidle threw his way. He could not help but smile at the thought that this spitfire belonged to him…rocks and all.

Their arms were draped around each other as they walked toward the Denali.

"Hey Sara," he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"About that murder gene theory," he said.

"I still have the rock Gilbert," she warned.

"Don't ever lose it," he whispered.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked.

"Yes…but I'm sure you'll make it feel better," he said.

"We should have you checked out at the hospital," said Sara.

"After dinner…I don't want to backslide on my word."

She hit him in the ribs and he winced.

Brass stood there and looked at the two.

"Ready for dinner?" asked Grissom.

"Yeah, I'm starved," said Sara.

Brass shook his head as he got into the vehicle.

He said nothing as the two opted for the back seat.

He glanced once or twice in his rearview mirror as he drove but soon they were out of sight.

He turned up the stereo as a smile spread across his face.

The End.

Okay, so you want an epilogue? Chapter ten before the end of the day so hurry up and leave a review.

Take care,

Penny