Hey everyone. Here's another update; hope it doesn't disappoint. I've figured out that the fastest way for me to update this story is work on only one story at a time. So for everyone who's read the first three chapters of "Promise Not To Tell," I'm sorry to say that it won't be updated in a while until I finish this story. But don't worry, I WILL finish it…in fact, I have the next chapter written, but I'll post it after I finish "Risk."

Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews. Reviews are once again greatly appreciated. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 11

Grissom sighed as both the younger CSIs were rendered speechless by his confession of sorts. The look on Sara's face couldn't be less emotional if she tried. Nick on the other hand, looked as if he was a deer caught in the headlights. He swallowed mutely as his eyes darted from Grissom to Sara.

"I should give you guys some privacy…" he said as he stood up to leave. Sara stopped him, gripping his right forearm.

"Stay."

He was clearly uncomfortable, sending Grissom a helpless look as he sat back down. Grissom licked his lips, "I think we should talk, Sara."

She frowned in his vicinity, "Then talk."

Grissom took one glance at Nick and then cleared his throat, "Alright…" He paused, unsure how to proceed as both Sara and Nick eyed him intently—Nick being the only one who could register his look of uncertainty. "I meant what I said."

Sara nodded yet frowned, "Okay fine. Then say it again."

"It's true."

She shook her head this time, "No…I mean say those three forbidden little words, Grissom." She blinked at him accusingly, and even though she couldn't see him, her look still gave away the emotion she intended to convey.

Grissom opened his mouth, only to have it twist in hesitant consideration—much like it did the day in his office when she said she moved to Vegas for him. "I…"

Nick's eyes widened, and he lifted his free hand to encourage Grissom, while Sara pursed her lips knowingly in his vicinity. The words couldn't seem to escape his mouth, and he didn't know which was scarier: when Sara always looked him directly in the eyes during one of their moments, or the fact that now, she didn't—or couldn't. Finally, after what seemed like hours to Grissom, days to Sara, and weeks to Nick, the blind brunette shook her head. "Just leave."

He didn't though. Grissom remained rooted in his spot, mouth still partially open. She knew he wouldn't be able to say it, and in a way it irritated him that she knew him so well. "Sara…please…"

"Nick," she said as she turned toward the man who still had an arm wrapped around her. "Can you just go and take Grissom with you. I don't feel like having company at the moment."

He looked as if he was about to protest, but one look at Sara's face changed his mind. "Okay," he agreed quietly. "Did you want me to get your doctor?"

She nodded, "Tell him I want my discharge papers. Now."

"You can't be discharged unless you have a caretaker at home," Grissom said softly from the doorway.

"And?" Sara huffed, "Are you volunteering?" Before he could even answer, she continued on, "Fine, could you do me a favor and call Catherine, Nick? Ask her if she could pick me up and sign my papers."

Nick stood up and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I'll call her as soon as I'm out of here."

She nodded and reached her hand out. He grasped it, and she mustered up a smile. "Thanks."

He pushed opened the door and gave a pointed look at the entomologist still lingering inside, "Let's go, Grissom."

Taking one last glance at Sara, he begrudgingly followed.

Catherine walked through the door to Sara's room nosily, allowing the brunette to know she had company. Sara sat up in her bed and looked at the sound of the noise. "Cath?"

"Yep, Nick told me you wanted me to sign some discharge papers?" she asked as she approached the bed.

"Could you? I mean, you don't even really need to be my caretaker. Just tell that to the doctors so they'd let me out of here."

Catherine shook her head, "One—I'd be happy to sign the papers. But two—you're crazy to think I'd let you go home and take care of yourself."

"I'll be fine."

"Sara…I'm putting this as nicely as I possibly can…you're blind."

"So you've heard?"

Catherine nodded, "Nick told me when he called. I'm sorry, Sara…" she said sympathetically.

"I don't need any more pity from people." Sara retorted in a huff. "I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for the past thirty years."

"Well, then it's time to let your friends help you." Catherine sighed, "You can stay over at my place while you…recover."

"Recover?..." Sara scoffed. "You're the one who so bluntly mentioned the fact I can't see, and you want me to stay somewhere I'm not even familiar with? Nice one, genius…" she snapped.

Catherine pursed her lips, knowing that if she was in Sara's position, she'd be just as angry and bitter. "Ok then, I'll stay with you at your place, and have my sister take care of Lindsey for awhile."

"Really Catherine, it's fine," she argued back.

"Sara. Listen to me…despite our differences, I would like for you to still consider me as a friend. Now let me ask you, do you have any other girlfriends here in Vegas?" The younger CSI gritted her teeth before shaking her head. Catherine continued, "Okay then let's face it. You need me. Would you rather have Warrick or Nick help you get in the shower? Or God forbid Grissom?" Sara opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Catherine again. "Wait, don't answer that," she said as her face scrunched up in disgust.

Sara pursed her lips, "Fine. Just sign the papers."

Grissom rounded a corner at the lab and bumped into Greg. "Grissom, I compiled all the tests from the Preston-Wright case. Travis Reed definitely did it. He's back in PD right now; Vartann is waiting for you to question him."

Grissom, who had barely been listening, waved the younger CSI off. "You do it," he said off-handedly. "Let me know how it turns out."

Greg gaped at his retreating back for a good five seconds before heading off to his first official interrogation.

Grissom made a beeline for his office, but right before he saw the door in sight, Warrick looked up from the file he was carried and nodded at him. "Hey."

"Hey," Grissom replied with a frown. "Anything new?"

"I was just about to ask you the same question," he replied, referring to Sara's condition. "I'll go first. Catherine and I found Sara's attacker—who was also the killer of Gregory Shelby." Grissom quirked an eyebrow, which was a sign for Warrick to continue. "Garrison's maid, Sophie Cattaneo—apparently she had a thing for the photographer, and wasn't willing to share. Sarah Shelby was the actual target; her husband's death wasn't planned."

Grissom pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sara's blind."

"Sarah Shelby?"

"No, Sara Sidle."

The file in Warrick's hand almost fell to the floor. "She's what? How?"

"She came into contact with the photo chemistry. Self-explanatory."

Warrick rubbed his forehead in distress. "What's going to happen?"

"I don't know. Catherine will most likely be her caretaker until we figure something out."

Warrick glanced at his boss's posture—shoulders slumped, bags under his eyes, feet barely lifting as he walked. "Hey, man…I'm sorry." He placed a hand on Grissom's shoulder, "We all know how much she means to you."

"All my CSIs mean a lot to me," he responded.

"Yeah," Warrick gave him a pointed look, "I'm going down to PD to talk to Ms. Shelby. Let her know what really happened to her husband."

Grissom nodded and continued along his way to his office as Warrick past him and headed for the police department. Once inside the safe confines, he slumped into his chair, thinking about how his life got so much more complicated from one incident. His eyes wandered to the bottle of migraine pills on his desk. He smiled a little, remembering that they were in the exact same spot the day everything had really began—the day he kissed Sara for the first time.

It had all started with an accidental kiss. But unfortunately, it ended in a life-changing accident for Sara. No, this wasn't the end. It was just the journey. Grissom shook his head, refusing to believe Sara would be permanently blind for the rest of her life. She would fight through it, and the doctors would find a way to fix her eyesight.

He stood up and paced around his office, remembering how Sara would squint her eyes when she examined an incriminating piece of evidence. Or how they would twinkle when she figured out the connection between the evidence and the killer. Would he ever see that twinkle again? He sighed and stopped in front of his shelf, frowning at his reflection in the little mirror he had.

He looked old.

Grissom imagined Sara's young, practically wrinkle free face next to his and grimaced at how weird they would look as a couple. But there is that saying, "never judge a book by its cover" right? He thought of Gus Garrison and Sarah Shelby—they were practically his and Sara's clones. Except Garrison actually took a risk and let the woman he loved in his life. Look where it got them though. Grissom sighed, 'The woman he loved…'

Did he love Sara?

His heart ached at the thought, confirming that he did, but he frowned into the mirror when as he thought of what happened in the hospital. He couldn't say it. He could agree with it if someone said it for him, but he couldn't say the three little words himself.

Grissom cleared his throat and redirected his attention at his reflection again. "Sara…I love you."

That wasn't so hard. He tried again, "I love you."

"I'm in love with you, Sara..."

Grissom pursed his lips in annoyance. Apparently, when Sara wasn't there, he could say the words without even a single stutter. He cleared his throat again and stood up a little straighter as he stared into the mirror, "I've always loved you—"

"—And I've always loved you, too."

Grissom whipped around at the sound of the female voice coming from his doorway. Catherine leaned against his door with a backpack slung around her shoulder, eyebrows raised. She couldn't help but smirk as his cheeks were colored in pink. "It's my ass isn't it? One look and men just fall right in love," she quipped sarcastically.

"It certainly isn't your sense of humor," he deadpanned. Catherine rolled her eyes as Grissom shot her a look of annoyance. "Aren't you supposed to be taking Sara home?"

Catherine shrugged, "She's in the car."

"You left her in the car?" Grissom asked incredulously, "Why would you leave her alone?!"

"Relax, Gil." Catherine said as she crossed the threshold and stood in front of him. "She wanted me to pick up her stuff from her locker." She paused, "I just wanted to see how you were holding up."

Grissom tried to look impassive. "I'm fine."

"Are you?"

"Yes," he replied a little too quickly as he tried to shoo Catherine out of his office. "Go take her home. She shouldn't be left alone."

"She's a woman, not a puppy, Gil."

Grissom pushed the blonde out the doorway, "I'm all too aware of that."

Catherine rolled her eyes and shook her head before seriously adding, "You should go home. Get some sleep and start taking care of yourself."

"Okay, fine. Would you please get back to Sara now," Grissom replied impatiently.

Catherine nodded as he started to retreat back into his office. "Oh, and Gil?"

Grissom turned back, the look annoyance returning.

"I'm sure she's always loved you back."

TBC…

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