Summary: Grissom is attacked at a crime scene, and he can't really remember what happened. Who is going to help him? A little friendship, a little secret sharing and a fair amount of GSR.
Spoilers: There aren't really going to be any just small references to a few scenes in past episodes. Let's make note that Sara hasn't already opened up to Grissom, as we wouldn't be that far into season five.
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or any of the characters believe me I'd love to but I think it's just fine as it is without me spoiling it. I would however, settle for meeting the cast. I do not have a Beta therefore all mistakes are mine.
Thank you to everyone who reviews. Please continue sending them in, I appreciate what you guys say a lot and it makes me want to get these chapters up for you quicker.
xChapter 8x
"Can I start work again then?" A glimmer of optimism shone through his features at the possible thought of not staying around the townhouse any longer. Grissom was sat with Sara a few days later in the nurse's station after having his injuries checked on and re-bandaged.
"I don't see why not, you've taken care of yourself lately and I would say that the only thing I'd keep you away from is going back into the field. Stay and finish paperwork or anything else that you can do for another week. You can come back again same time next week and I can tell you if your allowed to get back into doing strenuous activities." She addressed both him and Sara then continued writing necessary information on the clipboard.
"I would hardly say dusting for fingerprints is strenuous." He mocked pouted from being treated like a little kid but he knew it was for the best. He would have said the same thing to any of the other CSI's if they were in the same situation, plus with Sara on his back, there was no way he could get around it.
"Well, either way it's best you stay at the office for another week, I'm sure Miss Sidle will make sure of it." The doctor gave the couple a small smile and left.
"You bet I will!" Sara exclaimed to Grissom giving him a nerve shaking, evil grin.
He sat back, slightly startled. "You scare me when you do that."
"Do you what?"
"Act evil." He mocked shuddered, gaining a smack on the arm. "What?! You can pull it off very well."
"Thank you. Let's get going, you up for some breakfast before shift starts?"
"Uhuh." They stood and left the hospital.
Heading for the Denali, they had a quick argument on who was better to drive. Grissom, the guy with a hole in his chest or Sara, the woman who can't stick to the speed limit. Finally settling on Grissom after he managed to steal the keys and lock himself on the driver's side, they headed off to the nearest diner.
"I'm capable of driving you know." Sara said, feigning anger.
"Yes you are but I need to get back into the swing of things."
"Speaking of which I'm going to take my stuff back to my apartment after shift, you'll be okay on your own now?"
Grissom couldn't help but be disappointed, the past week had been fun getting to know Sara again and it felt like second nature to have her around him and his home. "I should be but…I think we need to talk about the other day."
"What about the other day?" She asked, whilst pulling the Diner door open enough for both of them to walk through.
He decided not to answer until they found a booth. They sat down, he warily took at look at Sara before answering her impending question. "You know, before the guys came round."
"Oh…"
She was a little glad that the guys had interrupted them that day because if things went further, he would tell her it was a mistake and it shouldn't happen again. The last thing Sara wanted was to have her heart broken in two for the millionth time, she thought it would get easier but that was just masking the real problem.
"Oh?"
"Well…I…assumed that it was just a weak moment for you."
"So nothing I said meant anything?" He was slowly getting angry with her; it took him so long to get his feelings out in the open. Grissom did realise that she would probably be sceptical with his intentions at first.
"No it did but you making that move so quickly didn't seem right."
"Didn't seem right? It took me years to get to this stage, forget what was going on in my head and listening to my heart for once."
"That's fair enough but admitting your feelings to me then going straight in for it doesn't seem like the Grissom I know." Sara mentally kicked herself for saying something that hardly made sense but then it would make him think and she would get to stew in silence for a little longer.
"Going straight in for it?"
"Stop it!"
"What?" He said with confusion.
"Picking holes in what I'm trying to say."
Grissom didn't have an appropriate retort and felt lucky when the waitress decided to finally come and take their orders. Sara asked for a coffee and a salad whilst Gil got some pancakes with maple syrup and black coffee. They sat in silence most of the time occasionally making small talk but the tension in the air was so strong that uncomfortable silence was the only way to go.
"I heard you've got to stay on lab duty for a week." Catherine had walked into Grissom's office without him noticing and plopped herself into the chair across from him.
Slightly startled by her presence her glanced up and gave her a stern look. "Shouldn't you be at your crime scene?"
"It was an open and shut case. I just came to see how you're doing."
"I'm fine Catherine." Annoyance was slightly audible in his voice.
"Sure?"
"Yes why?"
"You seem a little grumpy."
"That could be because of this." He waved his arm over the piles of case files and paperwork lining his desk. "I thought you said you were going to do some of this."
"I did, it started to mount up again and I knew you wouldn't be allowed back in the field straight away so I thought it would be good to let you have something to do."
"That's sly Willows. I guess your right. Have you seen Sara?"
"She's still at her scene with Nick, why?" Time for some information fishing! Catherine could spin this in the right direction as long as Gil was unaware of what she was capable of, she wasn't doing this for her enjoyment though, the way she saw it was they needed it.
"I need to speak to her."
"What about?" She asked, leaning in towards her friend, receiving a glare that made her sit back.
He pulled off his glasses and clenched his eyes shut before looking at the strawberry blonde again. "Is that really any of your business Catherine?"
"Nope but I'm your friend and I like to think I can help you."
"I don't know Catherine, I just don't understand woman." Grissom stood from behind his desk and began pacing around his office stopping every now and again to look into a specimen jar he forgot he had.
"No, you don't understand people."
"Fine but women are more complicated."
"Remember who your talking to Gil." Catherine gave him a stern look and started to put her plan into action. "What have you done this time?"
What was it he was having problems with? This was confusing and one of the reasons why he didn't want to pursue Sara in the first place, but then if this is what he wanted then he'd just have to find away around the obstacles. "What do I do? This wasn't exactly how I hoped it would pan out."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've told Sara how…how I feel about her and well, she won't except it. I can empathise with her; I know the way I've treated her must make her doubt anything I say but I've finally realised how I feel and now she doesn't believe me."
"I can't say I blame her. Just prove your worth, that's all you can do. Do you want me to talk to her?"
"No no, I've got to do this on my own. Thanks Cath." Grissom shook his head and gave Catherine a small smile.
"Anytime."
She rose from the chair and walked out of the office leaving Grissom to stew over what he was going to do next. Shift was nearly over and finishing paperwork was the last thing on his mind.
The townhouse was quiet; nothing could be heard apart from the light tapping of raindrops against the bedroom window. Grissom had pulled all the blinds down and curtains closed, refraining from any lights passing through.
He'd stumbled into his bedroom and flopped down on the large bed hoping to catch a few hours of sleep before breakfast, Sara instantly flooded his thoughts and he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at that precise second. Through the rest of the shift she hadn't made an appearance from her crime scene, he was slightly worried but passing through the lab he had heard Catherine and Warrick speaking about the traffic surrounding the strip and decided her and Nick were just stuck. Hopefully.
Finally managing to drift off into a peaceful slumber, visions of his attack came violently, turning his dreams into vivid nightmares.
Shoving the attacker away from pinning him to the wall, he ran towards the gun to kick it away from the slump lying on the floor. Being too slow, the man had grabbed hold of Grissom's foot and pulled him to the ground.
He couldn't figure out how he'd manage to be pulled down so easily but before he could bring himself to his feet, the attackers foot made contact with Grissom's stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of him. A few quick footsteps rang around the walls surrounding the dark alley and soon Gil was facing the barrel of a gun.
"Do
as I say and I won't hurt her." The attacker growled through clenched teeth.
He'd gasped for breath trying to find the strength to speak, finally finding the words he spat them out. "No…le...leav…leave…her!"
Grissom absently swung his leg aiming to drop the attacker to the floor again when he heard a few loud bangs.
Someone was at the door.
"GRISSOM!"
Grissom startled out of his sleep, beads of sweat slowly rolling down his forehead to his cheeks as he tried to calm down his erratic breathing. He looked around the darkened room and tried to pin point exactly what the noise was until he heard it again, this time registering in his brain where it was coming from.
"GRISSOM!" Sara was banging on his front door, she had heard from Catherine that he wanted to speak to her and the older woman had implied what he wanted to talk to her about. She decided it was best to get whatever he had to say over and done with and went straight to his townhouse after logging in the evidence herself and Nick had collected.
Walking slowly through the house, Grissom finally reached the front door and opened it to find a very worried looking Sara Sidle on the other side.
"Sara? What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk to you." Seeing her exasperated supervisor's face she became a little more concerned with why it took him so long to answer. "Are you okay?"
"Not really." He rubbed his cheek and tensed his facial muscles. Feeling a little more relaxed he returned his gaze back to Sara and gave her a small, sheepish smile. "Come in."
It's now or never. Grissom moved out of the doorway and let Sara walk through.
TBC
A/n:
I know the whole GSR thing is going rather slowly but believe me, I
have to build this up and it is going somewhere. Your just going to
have to be patient, and be thankful I'm giving you guys healthy
doses of fluff :D Press the purple button and tell me what you think, even if it is only one word.
