A/N: Once again a big thanks to Wanda for the fast beta work.

Thank you to all who took the time out to review and everyone else who continues to read this lil story of mine.


Chapter Nine

Grissom sat up straight in his chair and took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. "Greg, I know you care a great deal for Sara, so that is why I am going to let this attitude of yours slide." Grissom picked up Greg's vacation request and glanced down at it. "If I thought for a split second she needed someone with her, I would be on the next plane out of here. I'd charter one if I had to, but that's not what she needs right now." Grissom held the request up to Greg. "Sorry, but I am going to deny your vacation request at this time."

Greg took a few steps forward and snatched the paper from Grissom's hand.

"You want to know what I think? I think she left because of you, because of something you did."

"I can assure you, Greg, it was not because of me." Grissom leaned back in his chair.

"Are you sure, Grissom? Are you absolutely sure?" Greg said, as he took a step back and sat down in one of the chairs across from Grissom's desk. "I honestly think that you believe you are not to blame here. You have this way of doing things, without thinking of how they will affect Sara." Greg sat back in the chair. "Like a few weeks ago... you left her to go to New York. For what? So you could hand deliver evidence that Joe Shmoe from maintenance could have done? You knew when you left, that she was still dealing with the Natalie thing. On top of that, she was still adjusting to swing shift and all of those new people she had to work with. I don't even live with her and I knew all of this." Greg shook his head back and forth. "You're a very smart man Grissom, but I swear sometimes you don't use that brain of yours!"

Grissom held his hand out in a stop motion. "Okay, Greg, I get what you are saying here, but I have talked to Sara. The problem Sara is having is not a me problem; it is more of a family problem."

Greg reached up and ran his hand down his face. "This has something to do with her parents... her father maybe?"

Grissom shook his head back and forth. "I can't answer that, Greg."

"She's never come out and said anything, but I can tell she didn't have a good childhood." Greg leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and then resting his head in his hands. "Just by the way she acts when we get called to domestics, especially when kids are involved. I talked to Ronnie and she said the last case Sara and her worked on was a domestic. Something about the husband stabbed his wife and Sara acted like it was nothing, like it happened everyday." Greg looked away from the butterflies he had been starring at on the wall to look at Grissom. "Does this somehow relate to Sara and her family?"

Grissom let out a sigh. "I told you Greg, I can't say."

Greg went back to starring at the butterflies. "I have seen the scars on Sara's body before." Greg sat up straight in his chair and looked back to Grissom again with wide eyes. "Oh god, he did that to her... her father caused those scars."

Grissom looked at Greg with a confused look. "When have you seen Sara's scars?"

Greg lowered his head and starred at his feet. "I may have seen them that time we had to take that hazmat shower together."

"You told her you didn't see anything." Grissom said.

"I didn't mean to look. I just glanced over and..." Greg ran his hand across his chin. "Those scars are hard to miss; afterward I told her I didn't see anything. I didn't want to force her to talk about something she wasn't ready to talk about. So those scars...do they have something to do with her father?" Greg asked.

"Please try and understand that this is something I can't talk about. Just know that I have talked to Sara and she is doing well. If it makes you feel any better, I am working on a plan to make things better for her when she gets back."

"Is she coming back?"

"Yes, Greg, she told me tonight that she is coming back."

Greg cracked a small smile. "Where did she go?"

"She went to San Francisco." Grissom stated.

Just then, Judy appeared in the doorway with something in her hands. "Sorry, sir, but this came for you and I wanted to make sure you got it before leaving the lab." Judy walked over and handed Grissom the small package. "It's from San Francisco."

Grissom looked down at the package. "Thanks, Judy."

"No problem." Judy nodded her head at Greg and walked out of the office.

Greg clapped his hands and began rubbing them together. "So it's from San Francisco, and you said Sara went to San Francisco. What is it?"

Grissom let out a chuckle at Greg's childlike way. "I don't know Greg."

"So open it!"

Grissom looked at Greg and then down at the package. He reached for the scissors and ran the blade along the tape. Once the top of the box was no longer taped shut, he flipped it open and peaked inside. "It's not from Sara." He quickly closed up the top of the box.

Greg smirked at Grissom. "I bet it is. She probably sent you something that you are embarrassed to show me." Before Grissom knew it, Greg was on his feet leaning over his desk and pulling the flap of the box back. Greg reached in and pulled out the black velvet covered box and opened it. "This is your plan; you are going to ask her to marry you? Well, let me tell you that that is a bad idea!" Greg remarked.

Grissom stood and took the box from Greg. "I already asked her and she said yes."

"When?" Greg wanted to know.

"Weeks ago." Grissom looked down at the ring and then snapped the box shut.

"Well there you have it, your reason why she left." Greg started to back away from Grissom's desk. "So you did do something to make her leave, you asked her to marry you." He began shaking his head. "You know she only said yes because she didn't want to hurt your feelings." Greg threw his hands up in the air. "Unbelievable!" Greg turned and walked out of the office slamming the door behind him.

Grissom sat down in his chair and opened the box back up to take another look at the ring. He forgot he ordered it. The day Sara said yes, he tracked down the ring. The one Sara pointed out in front of that store window that time they went to San Francisco together. Taking the ring out of the box he began to examine it. He couldn't believe that it was the same ring she pointed to that day. With everything that had been going on, he can't believe he' forgotten about it. Placing the ring back in the box, his heart began to race. Could Greg be right, did Sara say yes just to appease him? Was that what she meant by things being different? Did she not want to get married? He closed the box because the sight of the ring was making him sick to his stomach. Just then there was a knock at his door. He shoved the ring into his pocket. "Come in."

Catherine opened the door and peeked her head in. "Hey, I'm staying late to work on that missing girl case; I need to head over to the station in about two hours to do some interviews."

"Do you need any help?" Grissom asked.

"No, I'm fine, but I did want to see if you wanted to grab some breakfast before you headed home." Catherine asked.

Grissom placed his hand over the box in his pocket. "Thanks, Cath, but I really don't have much of an appetite right now."

Catherine took a step into his office and leaned against the doorframe. "Oh come on, I'll even pay. We haven't gone out to eat together in a long time."

"I know and maybe some night this week we can grab something before work, but I need to get home to the dog. Hank needs to go for a walk before he gets pissed at me and decides to chew up one of my shoes." Grissom said.

"Fine, suit yourself, but I am going to take you up on that dinner offer and you have to pay." Catherine turned to walk out, but quickly turned back to face Grissom. "I don't think I have ever told you how disturbing it is that you named your dog Hank. See you later."

Grissom looked over at the clock, seeing that shift was over. He didn't really want to go home, but Hank was there and he couldn't neglect him. He stood up and walked towards the door, switching the light off before closing the door behind him.