Chapter 11

Still very grateful for all your reviews, and also for the simple fact that you're sticking with this story! I hope I'm living up to your expectations. This chapter has a little of Grissom Sara interaction, but no romance as of such. But I do promise that there will be some coming up!! So bear with me!! I'm just a little mean at times is all....


She did her best not to think of the worst case scenario. She promised herself that she wouldn't get attached to him again. She was finally starting to notice other men when she had never done before. She was beginning to see a faint light at the end of the tunnel and she knew that working with him, side by side, would just bring all the old feelings rushing back to her as strong as they ever had been. That was the very last thing she needed. She had moved here to get away from him and everything he made her feel, and now she was driving see him again. She knew that it was not a wise move but in the end it was Grissom. She had loved him for longer than she cared to acknowledge and she knew in the bottom of her stomach that no matter what he did to her she would always go running to him if she was asked to, even if all it meant for her was heartbreak and tears.

It was Grissom and no matter what happened she'd go to the ends of the earth for him. She cared about him far too much to let anything happen to him.


He sat quietly in the strange new lab. Wilson had forbidden him from processing until another member of the team got there. He hadn't had the forethought to ask which member was coming. He wasn't sure about it being Sara. He was in two minds. In one hand, he would be with her again. Just being in a room with her made his insides tingle warmly. His heart ached to be with her again. However, on the other hand, he knew that sparks would fly - and not the good kind. He knew there were only 2 possible solutions. Silence or arguments. He hated both. He didn't know which was worse - melancholy or anger.

He was sure that, bu now, Wilson would have heard about the past Grissom and Sara shared and he assumed that as a result he would refrain from pairing the two on a case. However he was also sure that they would meet at one point and he knew that most other men would have continued to fight, but he was too tired for that. Her leaving had exhausted him and he didn't know how he could continue to fight. She deserved someone who would treat her right, which was something he never had done. She deserved something more than him and that made him even more reluctant to fight for her.

He just didn't know anymore.


It didn't take longer than 20 minutes for Sara to arrive at the lab, due to her proximity to work and the hour. She strode into the lab, trying to appear confident, trying to conceal her nerves. She didn't want anyone to know the fear or the girlish butterflies which fought a war against one another in her stomach, least of all him. She doubted he'd notice but still she was scared that he's realise what he still did to her even after almost a year away from him.

She found him in the print lab alone. His eyes were closed and a frown sat firmly on his face. She didn't know if he was asleep, and she didn't know what to say. She chose to knock.

The harsh sound of knuckles rapping on glass jolted him from his uneasy slumber. He turned in the direction of the noise and he couldn't help himself as his eyes travelled from her feet up her long, slender legs, over her curves, lingering at her chest before moving up to her eyes. She stood watching him closely. She didn't look pleased at all.

They stayed that way, in silence, each refusing to make the first move, each as stubborn as the other. She had forgotten the irritating resolve he possessed and she had forgotten how his silence forced her to overtalk. She couldn't stop the words spilling out of her mouth.

"Craig told me you got a letter, he told me to come here, I had no choice. If you have a problem then speak to him, but for now it looks like we're stuck. So if there's a problem with me just keep it to yourself until someone else can take over." It came our harsher than she had meant it.

"Sara, I..." He wasn't sure if he was supposed to ignore their past of if he was supposed to confront it. He was silent, lost for words. "There's no problem. We have a job to do and you're a great CSI."

"That's all?" She was confused. She had been scared but in a way she had hoped that he would mention it. It would have shown that he still cared. But nothing. And nothing hurt more than arguments or harsh words.

"Was there something else?" he raised a curious eyebrow, almost daring her to bring it up.

She didn't dare. She wasn't going to take the bait.

"No. There was nothing else. What was I called in for so urgently?"

"It's nothing concrete, simply a gut feeling. I received an address about 2 hours ago. It was pinned to my door. It's been handled by 3 people that we know. The messenger, the SWAT leader and myself. The messenger may have worn gloves, however."

"Wait, Grissom...SWAT?"

"Yes."

"You want to explain?" she unfolded her arms and took a step closer to him.

"Do you care?" he asked as he hauled himself to his feet.

She shot him an icy stare. Obviously not, he thought to himself.

"Wilson told me to wait. It's not my lab, I have to listen."

"That must be difficult," she shot and turned back to the envelope. She had her answer to whether it would be awkward - their arguments were as easy as ever. Nothing had changed.

They had barely said two words to one another in an hour. The silence was awkward, even more so that it would have been with a stranger. Both knew there were many many things left unsaid, but neither were prepared to give in and speak first. Both were too stubborn to let go of their pride, neither were prepared to show that they were still weak, that they still needed one another more than air.

"Grissom, the only prints on this are yours. Partial smudges, the markers I could compare were a match to Mike Brian, SWAT. No other prints, partial or whole. Looks like the guy who put this on your door wore gloves. Smart, used thick gloves or layered up. Not going to get any prints here. You want me to hand it to our trace tech?"

"Anything like Hodges?" Grissom smirked slightly.

She couldn't help the smile she gave him. "No. Stewart's much better looking."

Grissom's smirk slid off his face and he averted his eyes. He hadn't been prepared for that, and it hurt more than he had anticipated. She realised that she had made a mistake as soon as the words left her mouth but before she could say anything, Grissom spoke.

His voice was quiet and his words were mumbled. "Yes, give the note to the tech. I'll be back later, I have a metting with your director. I've to bring him up to speed on the case. Uh...call me or, or...page if you get something before I return."

"Look, Grissom, I..."

"I really have to go." He walked out, avoiding her gaze as he went. She watched him move through the lab slowly.

It pained her to see him outside of Vegas. Vegas was his lab and he could do as he pleased there. He was unsure of his footing here in San Francisco still, and she didn't like his uncertainty. She wasn't used to it and it scared her.

She knew it was partially her own fault.


Later that night, Grissom had left on the dot, unable to bear being around Sara any longer. He saw the looks she got from every man in that place - the lab techs, the cops, the other CSIs and even her superiors. So man men - mostly younger than he - and he knew he was long forgotten. He knew he had no chance now.

He happened to glance in his rearview mirror as he stopped at a red light. A grey SUV caught his eye. It looked similar to one he had noticed at the grocery store. When he checked the license plate his suspicions were confirmed. It was the same car.

He periodically checked the rearview, and took as much of an in-direct route back to the hotel as he could without knowledge of the city. Although the vehicle sometimes disappeared, it was always on his tail the next time he looked. He began to panic. He almost crashed the rental he was driving he was so concerned with the SUV.

Just as he was considering phoning Wilson to get himself some police presence, he made a right run and checked his rear view. He was just in time to see the vehicle drive straight by the turning and he heaved a sigh of relief. He was becoming paranoid. The address certainly didn't help , and this business with Sara and her band of merry (and good-looking) mean was getting him down too. He heaved another sigh and rolled his neck to ease the tension as he lifted the brown paper bag from the passenger seat and took himself inside.

If he hadn't been so exhausted, he might have noticed the faint smell of cigarette smoke that wafted through the air. He might have noticed the broad shoulders, bald headed mountain who lurked in the shadows. He might have heard the deep, raspy laugh that softly resonated in the darkness.


This was fun, but it was only the beginning. John had caught the look of panic on Gil Grissom's face as he stepped out of his fancy rental and checked the parking lot for a grey SUV. It helped to have contacts in this city when it came to spooking old men.


So here you are. Chapter 11 done, sorry this took a few days, I had every intention of finishing and uploading two days ago but I had some personal things going on, so I apologise for that!! Reviews would be great as always, it makes me smile and makes me want to do more and do better for you guys. Thanks for reading!