Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Life has a tendency to get in the way as I'm sure pretty much everyone on this site knows! Will be starting another course soon (hopefully) so will be slow with updates/stories for another little while. Going to try and write some chapters/ideas for my next fic in the meantime so I can be a few chapters ahead. But as for this one, wanted to show a little more affection during this chapter :)

Grissom hesitated, trying to work out what exactly he wanted to say. He stood beside her bed, leaning over her, his right hand still within her grasp and other arm curled around her head, stroking the opposite side of her face. He glanced down towards his chest, breaking eye contact with Sara and took a deep inhaled breath, puffing it out quickly again.

Sara watched his every move. It was frustrating not being able to speak to him and let him know that he didn't need to explain himself. She'd known him long enough to understand that his inability to talk things through was just the way he was built. The only exception being when she had confronted him in the office and refused to leave without him giving her some sort of explanation. But as Grissom raised his eyes back to hers, she could see he was trying so hard to talk to her right now.

Using the little strength that she had, Sara tightened her grip around his fingers, hoping to give him the courage, and reassurance that he needed. Grissom smiled in response and opened his mouth, the words flowing softly.

"These last few days have been a bit of a whirlwind for us both. This is not really a situation I'd ever envisioned us both being in... Albeit, I never imagined having to openly admit how I feel about you. It was always a secret... my secret, one I intended to keep hidden as long as possible. After we parted ways in San Francisco, not a moment went by that I didn't think about you. Where you were... What you were doing... Truth be told, when I asked you to come to Vegas it was purely out of my own selfishness..."

Grissom paused again. Sara focused on his eyes, flicking her own from his left to his right, back and forth.

"... I wanted to see you again ... but I knew that by you coming here, I would be your superior and I would be wrong to cross that line that bordered us from being anything other than colleagues. So I distanced myself from you purposely so I didn't have to cross it... I switched off my feelings, my emotions... I kept you at arms length."

Sara could feel his own fingers squeezing hers gently. Despite her body willing her to continue sleeping, she couldn't bring herself to allow them to close.

"... And then that night you kissed me, I couldn't help myself. I let myself slip for a single second, and I gave in to my desire to be with you. While you slept in my arms, I lay there watching you and you looked so content, like you didn't have a care in the world. I'd have given anything to lock that moment up and keep it forever. But life had to continue on and the reality of it hit me... that I'd lost control of the situation..."

Grissom shifted his body slightly, stretching his back so it didn't cramp from his position.

"I guess I panicked... But then, when you left me that note, it dawned on me that I might never see you again. I sat in my office, thinking long and hard about it... and with a little nudge from a friend, I knew I couldn't let you go."

Sara's heavy eyes glistened with a smile, presuming the person he was referring to was either Nick or Catherine.

"But I thought I had lost you tonight... watching you slip away in my arms... I... "

Grissom's voice began to crack slightly, his words breaking. Once again he pulled his now haunted gaze away from hers to look down and let go of her hand, dragging his fingers through his hair from front to back. He was recollecting the imagery of her wounded body, laying limp in his lap. Sara summoned up the strength to raise the hand he had released, bringing it up towards his cheek and placed her palm against his warm but prickly skin. Feeling her contact, Grissom looked back to her face, her mahogany globes glistening under the soft room light above. It comforted him.

Grissom cleared his throat, finding his voice again.

"I just couldn't bear the thought of not having you in my life... I realised that no matter how much I try to deny it, or try to stop feeling this way... I love you."

Sara's eyes were a watery mess. She felt like she had done nothing but cry the last few days, but his rare use of words tugged at the pounding instrument in her chest. Grissom moved his hand from his neck, and took over her one resting on his cheek. Turning his face in towards her palm, he shut his eyes and pressed his lips just at the base of her thumb. Scooping her hand from his cheek, Grissom lowered it, placing it flat against his own chest.

"You, Sara Sidle... are my heart... and without you, I will cease to exist."

Sara clenched her eyes, trying to hold back the happy tears. The monitors starting alarming again, detecting Sara's pulse flying through the roof. A nurse dashed into the door way, halting in the door frame when she found Grissom tenderly holding Sara's hand and stroking her hair. Feeling a little awkward, like she was interrupting, she stepped in and silenced the alarm.

"Everything ok?"

Grissom looked up to her at hearing her voice, as Sara continued to watch him.

"Yeah..."

Slowly lowering his face back to Sara's, the right side of his mouth curved upwards as he studied her features, up and down.

"We're going to be just fine."

The rest of the day seemed to fly by with so many things going on. Catherine had gone back to the lab after informing Grissom that she had arranged the removal of Hanks body and clean up of Sara's home so she didn't have to go back to the mess it was left in. However, Grissom would be required to get back to Brass' office and complete a formal statement about what happened inside those four walls. Before leaving, Catherine made a point to emphasise that Ecklie, the day shift supervisor, wasn't going to be too pleased about having to pick up the slack of their now depleted night staff, but Ecklie was the least Grissom's concerns.

The rest of the CSI team wanted to visit Sara to wish her well but at the mention of it, Sara had shook her head slightly, declining. Grissom presumed that she didn't want them seeing her in her current state, all tubed up and so politely declined on her behalf at least until she was off the machines. Sara wasn't even too fond of having Grissom or Catherine see her this way.

The doctors involved in Sara's care popped in throughout the day, checking on her status and continued to slowly wean her off the ventilator and sedatives. Alongside this, they increased her pain medication as she would be required to use her lungs more from her own effort rather then the machine doing the work for her. This allowed her to stay fully awake throughout most of the day, only taking power naps when needed. They also had to give her a liquid feed via her drip, supplying her with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Although Sara would have given anything for veggie burger instead!

She ached like hell. Her muscles were seizing up from her lack of movement, in particular the tube from her chest getting in the way the most. As her sedatives were weaned down Sara found she had a little more strength, now able to move her legs and arms a little, just to stretch them out to avoid cramping. But her back was pretty stiff from laying down.

The routine monitoring continued with the nurses taking vital signs, chest drain and ventilator readings every hour. The reports looked good, with Sara continuing to cope extremely well with the reduction in the ventilation. For the most part, she was taking most of the breaths now on her own accord. Her chest felt tender with each breath, but she knew that was the be expected.

Sara had been distracted from most of the activities around her by Grissom. He sat with her the whole day, only leaving for a bathroom break or to grab himself a coffee. He talked to her about anything to keep her occupied. Alternatively, he took out the books Catherine had supplied him with and read to her. Sara could have listened to his voice forever, the articulation of his words like music to her ears. She often closed her eyes, letting her mind wander with imagery of the scenes he was describing. She could get used to this, the two of them sitting and spending time together. No more awkward silences, no more avoided gazes, no more holding back. Everything was out in the open and all that was left was to see how it all panned out.

Grissom had become fairly tactile with her, even surprising himself. He could hold her hand, play with her dark locks, linger into her eyes, and be content with doing so without his conscience scolding him. They faced the death of others every day, but the potential of it being someone he cared so deeply for had changed him. The barricade he had placed had well and truly been destroyed by this woman. She had given him permission to love her, and now he could allow himself to.

Without the two of them noticing, nightfall came and went.

The morning ward round had started and Sara was wide awake, waiting for the doctors to reach her room. Grissom was sitting beside her, as he had done the entire time. Two of the doctors entered her room, one male, one female, documents in hand and friendly smiles plastered on their faces as they greeted them both.

"Good morning Miss Sidle and Mr Grissom. How are we doing today?"

Not being able to speak, Sara raised her hand giving the doctors a thumbs up. She was in good spirits, desperately hoping they would remove the tube from her throat. The doctors lowered their heads to their papers, flicking them over.

"Well according to your paperwork, all your observations are stable. Your ventilation requirements are now minimal, and the fluid from your chest is only slightly blood-stained. Lets see how that lung of yours is doing."

The male doctor removed the stethoscope from around his neck and approached Sara. Grissom and the other doctor observed as he listened carefully to both sides of her chest, ensuring to listen just a little longer on the right side. Removing the stethoscope and placing it back around his neck, he smiled.

"You have good air entry into both lungs. Looks like your right side is maintaining itself nicely. I think there is no longer any need for you to be hooked up to a ventilator. Let me go call the anaesthetics team to attend just in case, and we'll take out the tube."

The two doctors left together. Sara wanted to punch the air in delight but refrained from doing so. Instead she turned her head to Grissom, her eyes giving away her joy and he returned it ten fold within his own. The doctors returned ten minutes later, with two anaesthetists pushing a metal tower with drawers and wheels. They explained to Sara that they had to have the emergency equipment nearby on the off chance anything should happen, with which Sara gave an understanding nod. They gloved up, prepared a suction machine beside her bed, hooked up the oxygen tubing with a mask, and two of each stood either side of her bed. Grissom manoeuvred to the foot end, ensuring he was out the way but also within seeing distance for Sara. The ventilator was switched off, and they paused for a few seconds, observing Sara.

Sara watched them, moving her eyes left and right to each person, looking for any signs they were concerned. Then her eyes sought Grissom, looking down across her body towards him. He could see a slight hint of nervousness in hers, but he gave her a gentle wink and her eyes softened. She focused on him as the doctors deflated the small balloon that kept the tube down her throat, and unclipped the foam restraints holding the tube in place. The anaesthetists had their hands ready, prepared to re-intubate should anything happen. The male doctor glanced up at his colleague, and took a deep breath as he placed his hand on the end of the tube.

"Ok Sara, you might feel a little bit of pressure in your throat as the tube is removed. Once it is out, you may cough and if you have any secretions, my colleague will suction them for you. We will then place an oxygen mask over your face for a little while, to give you time to adjust. Your throat may be sore for a little while after. Ok?"

Sara responded with a simple nod. Grissom placed his hands on top the rest at the end of the bed, leaning onto his arms as he watched. The team all looked at each other one more time, checking they were all ready, then the male doctor gave a firm pull at the end of the tube as it slid from Sara's throat. She instantly coughed, the tube irritating the lining in her throat as her mouth filled with small amount of mucus. The female doctor turned on the suction machine placing a yankeur sucker tube just inside her mouth, removing the secretions there, followed by placing an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth.

As Sara caught her breathe, her chest hurt, the coughing causing discomfort around her wound site. Her throat felt tender as she swallowed what felt like sandpaper. She ran her tongue multiple times around the inside of her teeth and cheeks, trying to wet the dryness inside.

As they discarded their equipment, the doctors watched her again, moving their eyes to her heart rate and oxygen monitor over and over. Once they were content with her condition, the anaesthetists left the room again, thankful that they were not needed. The doctors nodded their heads at one another.

"Hopefully that feels a little better for you now. The nurses will continue to monitor you for the next few hours to ensure nothing changed. Later on, we'd like to get the physio team to visit you and see if we can get you doing some very light mobilising. But you need to take it slowly. Too much activity may cause your lung to deflate again. So don't be too hasty to get up or move around until they have seen you. We'll review you again later on this evening."

Sara nodded once again taking in their words. Grissom almost laughed internally, knowing that Sara was pretty stubborn and likely to want to jump out of bed as soon as she had the option to do so. With a final grin, the doctors left the room to go and see their next patient. Just as Grissom presumed, as soon as they were out of the room, Sara planted her hands on the bed and pushed, trying to sit herself up.

Grissom moved to her side, and placed his hand on hers, giving her a stern look.

"They said to take it slowly."

Sara rolled her eyes and let herself slump back onto the bed again. But he was right. As she tried to move, her muscles screamed at her and lack of energy became more evident. She began coughing once again under the mask.

Grissom reached into his bag beside her bed, taking out a bottle of water and offered it to Sara. She lifted her head to bring her lips to it and Grissom raised the mask off her face. Slowly he tipped it towards her, supporting her head with his other hand and allowed her to sip from it. The cold liquid instantly soothed her throat, the roughness reducing. After a few sips, she leaned back, Grissom's hand still nestled underneath her skull. Crossing his body, he placed the bottle down on the side table and turned back to her. Their vision locked on each other, and Sara swallowed.

"...Hi"

Her voice sounded hoarse, and muffled from the mask, but upon hearing her speak for the first time since she was shot, Grissom's body almost caved as it relaxed beside her. Sara could almost sense the tension leave him, like the last couple of days were lingering within him. She cleared her throat.

"Gil, I..."

"Sara, you don't need to talk. Save your energy."

Sara shook her head at him, and put her hand over his. She had to speak slowly in small broken sentences, pauses occurring between her words to allow her lungs to refill with oxygen.

"I just... need to... say thank you... for being here... For... not leaving... my side."

"Sara... What ever you need, I'm here for you."

They exchanged those loving glances that they had gotten used to sharing since she had been in her hospital bed. But this one was interrupted by Grissom's phone ringing in his pocket. Taking it out, he looked at the screen.

"Its Catherine."

"Tell her... I... said hello."

Grissom lowered the phone from his sight.

"I can call her later."

"Gil... if you've left... her in charge it... might be import... important. Go. I'm fine."

A little reluctantly, Grissom released her from his hold.

"I'll be just outside your room if you need me. Don't even think of trying to get out of that bed."

Sara smirked from beneath the mask, as he gave her what sounded like an order. Grissom smiled and left the room, placing his phone to his ear as he did.

As she watched him on the phone, leaning on the wall outside, Sara couldn't help but beam at the possibility of a relationship with this man. One she had craved for so long, and now was able to have. She wasn't entirely sure where it would go, what would happen between them, or what this meant for their jobs. But right now, she couldn't care. She'd give up everything if she had to.

All she wanted was him. And much to her absolute delight, all he wanted was her.

I'll have chapter 15 up as soon as I get the chance. Thank you all again for your reading and reviewing. I want to maybe do a series of one shots that have been brewing in my head. Sexy one shots featuring our couple! :) Although have other ideas for longer stories too.