Chapter Twenty Six:
She tugged at his heart.
He extended his hand and she took it returning beside him.
The next hour was spent in silence.
His hand slipped into hers as they sat there together.
Her head lulled to the side and he gently nudged her.
She followed him to the bedroom.
He molded his body to hers, whispering for her to sleep.
Hours later he woke to the feel of her hand gliding across his chest.
Her lips pressed kisses on his chest as she inched herself closer.
He rolled, pressing her into the mattress as his lips descended on hers.
It was a painful, blissful kiss stirring up raw emotions that neither could hold back.
She purposely shifted so that her body was directly under him even though he tried to move away.
He fought the urge to take her, struggling to his side of the bed.
She cursed in frustration.
"Grissom…"
"Sara…friends," he managed to get out.
She attempted to touch him once more but he caught her hand. "I thought…being away for awhile…would help."
She reached for him once more.
"Sara...no."
She shot out of the bed and was gone faster than he could manage to get dressed.
He waited an hour before calling her, letting her calm down but cursed when the phone continued to roll over to voice mail.
Sara stepped into her apartment, throwing off her shoes as she unpacked the small suitcase.
It did not appear that John had been there.
She showered, trying to wash away the mixed feelings she had.
She wanted to throttle Grissom and yet the fear engulfed her that she had truly messed up this time, ending their friendship.
You just had to try…
Just had to push…
She could not seem to stop the tears as they cascaded down her cheeks.
She was startled when the door opened and John stepped inside.
He was just as startled to see her.
"I thought…I was told…you wouldn't be home…until tomorrow," he stuttered.
"I got back early," she admitted.
He stood there watching her eyes drift to the overnight bag he was holding.
"When I didn't hear from you…I thought it would be better if I came over here before you got back…to get my things."
"Things?"
She knew she was a mess as she stood there with wet hair, wet cheeks and red brimmed eyes.
"Do you have any idea how crazy with worry I've been these past few days?" he yelled. "God, Sara. I considered putting my job at risk and using department equipment to try to locate you!"
Her brain felt muddled.
She was used to having melt downs in private.
"I was going to try to make it easier on you…just pack up some things I've left here…I'll be gone in a minute."
"Things?" she asked once again, trying to comprehend his actions.
"I thought…I meant more…than this," he spat. "I was so desperate to know that you were alright I got Jim Brass to go to your boss to see if he had any idea where you might be!"
"Your things?" she asked for the third time.
"Look," he breathed trying to calm himself. "I'll come back…just let me know when it will be a good time to get my things…or just pack them and set them outside the door."
No Grissom…
No John…
"My mother died," she blurted.
He whirled around shocked. "When?"
"I went to San Francisco. My mother died."
He dropped the overnight bag and started toward her but stopped. "I'm so sorry."
"Your…things?"
He raked his hand through his hair.
Grissom does that when he's confused…angry…
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"My mom died. I had to go," she said, trying to explain but not sure if she was making any sense.
"If you had told me…I would have come."
"I'm sorry," she gasped.
"It's okay."
He stood there, not sure whether he should leave or not.
"Sara…tell me…what you want? I can't stand to see you cry….please don't honey."
"I'm not very good at relationships," she sniffled.
"I didn't mean to yell….I am so sorry…I didn't know. I was just worried…I missed you," he admitted. "All this time I've been…afraid…that I might…lose you."
She bolted for him, crushing her body to his.
He kissed her feverishly. "Tell me what to do…to make it better?" he begged.
She grabbed at his shirt, trying to pull it off but his hands caught hers.
"What do you want, Sara?"
"I want…I need this," she cried.
He worried about her as she continued to sob into his shirt.
Gently he coaxed her to bed, pulling up the covers.
"Get some sleep," he whispered as he leaned down and kissed her on the lips.
He started to get up but her hand refused to let go of his.
He slipped off his shirt and trousers, slipping in beside her.
He hovered over her, planting kisses from her lips to her navel.
Her body tingled from the sensation.
The rejection from Grissom had hurt.
She nudged him, sliding directly underneath him but he pulled back.
"Sara…I don't think we should…we need to talk…before…" he groaned when she reached, guiding him inside her.
He stiffened, forcing himself not to react.
"John…please."
"Marry me, Sara. Be my wife….let me hold you, take care of you, protect you…for the rest of my life."
She closed her eyes, fighting the frustration.
"Just say yes," he whispered, "And I swear I'll never leave you."
Not like Grissom…
She nodded.
"Yes?" he clarified.
"Yes," she moaned as he sunk into her.
She rode out the sensations, not wanting to return to reality but needing the feel of some release.
She felt numb as he rolled off her but she grabbed him, forcing him to return.
The sex kept her mind off her mother's death, the need for Grissom and the fear that he would not even want to be friends anymore.
He held her close to his body as she lay there.
"That has to be a record," he sighed. His hand caressed her cheek. "Better?"
She nodded.
He felt a coolness about her.
"Sara, look at me," he ordered.
She turned.
"Why didn't you tell me about your mother?" he asked.
"I couldn't…there wasn't enough time," she lied.
"Is there something about…your past…that…you don't want me to know?"
"My mother is dead…so is my father…there is no one…now."
"Is that's what been bothering you?" he asked.
She couldn't seem to follow him at the moment, feeling rather guilty for wanting Grissom.
"I have a large family…you don't…you're not used to…having a lot of people…in your life."
She nodded despite the fact that he was wrong.
"I love my family very much but…you'll be my family, Sara. You'll be the most important person…in my life….just us."
She nodded once more.
It seemed to make him happy.
She could do this thing called relationship.
He kissed her tenderly on the lips as she tried to pull him back on top of her.
"Sleep…I mean it," he soothed.
Exhaustion took over and she slept until he was nudging her awake.
"Sorry, honey but if you're going into work tonight, you need to get up," he said, kissing her shoulder blade.
She moaned when she stretched.
"Maybe you should…take off…sleep a day," he whispered as his hands caressed her back side.
"I have to go in," she replied.
She rolled over and he took advantage of it, pinning her down with his body.
She tensed.
"Tell me you didn't throw away the ring," he pleaded.
"The ring?"
"Engagement ring," he corrected.
She pointed to a jewelry box on the dresser and he fumbled inside, finding the ring.
He slipped it on her finger and then kissed her.
"Don't take it off," he announced.
"But…"
"We'll need to make some plans…invitations…"
She turned green.
"Honey, you don't look good."
"Invitations?"
"Wedding," he explained.
She looked shell shocked.
"You don't want a wedding?" he asked.
She shook her head violently.
"I could…make arrangements…for a chapel…notify everyone…"
"Everyone?" she asked.
"You don't want…people at your wedding?"
She shook her head again.
He frowned. "A chapel…just us."
She nodded.
"Are you going to object to…pictures?"
She could see that he was disappointed.
"I have to send my parents something…if not an invitation…at least a photograph."
"We don't have to…"
He interrupted her with a kiss.
"You said yes…I can accept your conditions."
He kept his eyes on his assignment pad as she stepped into the conference room.
"Hey Sara! We heard you weren't back until tomorrow," smiled Nick.
She didn't say a word but opened her notebook.
Nick smiled at her and she returned it.
"Greg, you and Warrick need to finish up the Craig case."
"We've got a few leads we're going to investigate," offered Warrick.
"Keep me in the loop. The undersheriff is getting some heat from the media on that one."
They both nodded.
Grissom continued assigning a burglary to Nick and then a 419 to Catherine.
"Nick if you finish, give Catherine a hand."
"Sara, you're with me. We have a double homicide," he announced.
She looked surprised but quickly hid it.
"No fair. You guys get the good ones," whined Greg.
"Missed you too, Greg," purred Sara.
Once they were in the vehicle and on their way, he looked at her.
"I asked you not to come in," he stated.
"Why not?"
He gritted his teeth. "We need to talk…about what happened."
"Look, I crossed the line…it won't happen again," she vowed. "Next time…"
"Sara…"
He almost swerved when he noticed the ring on her finger.
How can she say yes to him….
When she was in bed with me!
His hands gripped the steering wheel.
"There won't be a next time," he barked.
Note from author:
Okay...no hate mail...it's coming...remember you're on a roller coaster...of sorts....here we go down....