Chapter Thirty Six:
They called a truce as Grissom drove.
He did not ask but purposely drove them to the townhouse.
As he pulled in, she glared at him.
"Take me home!"
"Sara…come in…and let's talk."
"I don't want to talk," she shot back.
"Then fine. Let's not talk. Let's just…be the best of friends (slap) let's go inside, sleep, cuddle have sex or all of the above (slap) but…just come inside."
He thought he did quite well with saying so much and only getting hit twice.
He left her sitting in the vehicle not wishing to press his luck.
Her footsteps soon followed as he unlocked the door.
They squared off in the living room.
He took the couch and she took the chair.
"I got angry the other day when I saw you in the restaurant with John."
Her eyes widened. "You could have told me. I would have explained," she said.
"Explain," he challenged.
"Like he said, he called…wanted to talk. He wanted permission…from me to date someone else. I gave it. It's over between us."
His eyes shot to the floor.
"You're jealous!" she announced, surprised that he would be.
"Yes….I am," he admitted and she wiped the grin off her face.
It was hard for him to admit this.
His eyes glared at her. "I'd been trying really hard…at this…but we still hadn't even made love…you kept putting me off and…" he took a deep breath. "I wasn't prepared to see you…touching…kissing him. I thought you had made your choice."
"It was a friendly...kiss…goodbye," she admitted.
"It looked…it hurt," he admitted.
He thought the revelation would ease things but she slapped at him.
He leaned out of hitting range.
"Grissom, you are such an…" she stopped herself, trying to calm down.
"An ass," he finished.
He smiled slightly but squared his shoulders. "I don't want a friendship…I want…you."
"If you weren't so think headed you would know that you have…me."
"Then how come…we haven't… unless you count the time we got carried away?"
She took a deep breath. "Guilt…I suppose. John Reynolds is…a good man. He didn't deserve to be used like that. I was happy to hear…that he was dating again. I hoped he would move on…be happy."
"So you do love him?"
"Don't make me slap you again," she huffed. "I don't love John. I never did…he was…a distraction…from you…not a replacement."
"I'm sorry…for causing…all of this," offered Grissom.
"You should be sorry!" she spat.
"I just wanted you to be…happy…and I can't…Sara, we might not ever…have a child of our own."
He began to pace. "I see that look when you're with children…you pretend you don't like kids but you do…you want one so bad…you hide it."
Her hands grabbed his. "It doesn't matter as long as we have each other…we'll get a dog…you like dogs don't you?"
He didn't know.
He never cared for things that drooled but he spoke up quickly, "Would a dog make you happy?"
She smiled.
He took that as a good sign. "Could we move past this best of friends stuff because I would really like to kiss you but I don't want to be hit?"
She pushed him back onto the couch crawling into his lap.
Her head settled on his chest as his arms folded around her.
"I hear that make up sex…is really great," he offered.
"Is there anything besides sex that you think of?"
"Break up sex?"
He groaned from the elbow to the ribs.
"Sara…I'm getting bruises," he whined.
"Serves you right! Do you know (slap) how much shit (slap) you've put me through?" (slap)
He grabbed her hands, holding them tight as he kissed her.
She struggled for a moment but then relaxed in his arms.
"This doesn't make up for half of the…"
He kissed her again.
She gasped for air when he released her.
"Keep working on it," she breathed.
"I could…do more," he offered.
She grinned. "Gil…I want us to…but…"
"You still don't feel safe with me…afraid that I'm going to toss you over to someone else….like the milk man or Hodges or…"
She belted him one and he grimaced. "I'm sorry that I make you insecure…but I really have been trying. I promise…not to…give you away…again."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Best of friends?" she asked.
He hated those words.
"Best of friends…Sara, could we stop saying that?"
"What do you propose?"
"Lovers…and friends."
"I could…go…with that."
"Does this mean…"
"Chalk…remember I'm in control of the chalk."
"Yes dear."
It made her smile.
"Could we eat…or at least sleep?" he asked.
She fixed him a sandwich, wiping the tears streaming down her face with her sleeve.
They were happy tears.
She set the plate onto the coffee table.
He was sound asleep.
She gently ran her hands through his hair, caressing his cheek.
His eyes opened.
She smiled at the depth of love shown.
"Eat then sleep," she ordered softly.
"Yes dear."
She laughed over the endearment.
He shared the sandwich, pulling her to sit on his lap.
"Brass and Reynolds…know…about us," she whispered.
"Brass will cover…I'm sure of it."
"How can you be so sure…calm…what if Ecklie…"
"Hardly anyone knew about you…and him."
"Well…yes but we work together," she reasoned.
"Which is exactly why we're going to be careful…I would never tell anyone that you're the only person I've ever loved."
She gulped.
"You think we can do this?" she asked.
"I'm sure of it…no one will ever know."
She really didn't mean for it to happen but it just did.
His arms were wrapped tight around her as he slept.
She really intended to sleep as well but she could not help the urge to touch him.
His eyes shot open when he felt her hands drift past his waist.
She felt his body tense.
"Were you serious about…getting a dog?"
"Hmmm?"
"A dog…you said we could get a dog?"
"Yes…I think."
"You think? Grissom, that doesn't make sense."
"Neither is your "I'm not ready to make love" but you're starting something that I cannot be held responsible for."
She grinned.
"This is cruel, Sara."
She nodded. "Yes, it is."
He pinned her to the bed in one swift move.
"Play fair," he warned.
"I was."
"No you weren't…wait…does this mean…"
"That depends…what your answer is…about the dog?"
"Of course."
"He'd have to live here. I can't have pets," she cautioned.
He nodded.
He was too tired to argue.
His eyes closed but then they shot open.
"Are we supposed to…do anything…or go to sleep?" he asked.
"Sleep," she yawned.
He gave into exhaustion and slept for several hours.
Slowly he began to wake.
He felt her eyes on him but refused to open his.
He liked the feel of her next to him and wanted to enjoy a few more minutes of splendid silence.
"Griss?"
So much for silence….
Don't answer and maybe she…
"Grissom…how long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"
"Another minute or two…at least," he replied.
She grinned.
He opened his eyes and was surprised that she was already dressed.
"How did you…"
"I couldn't sleep…too excited."
"Excited?" he smiled reaching for her but his hands were smacked away.
He frowned.
"Am I to guess why you're excited?"
"We're going to pick out a puppy," she beamed.
We are?
Smile and nod Grissom…
That's it…
She's returning your smile…
You're such a sucker for her…
Grissom wiped the grime from his hands.
He wanted a shower.
They had been to every dog kennel, pound and rescue facility within fifty miles and yet, she had not picked a dog.
"Sara…maybe we should do some research…decide on a breed and then…"
"I don't want to buy a pure bred."
"Why not?"
"I prefer…well, it could be a pure bred just as long as it comes from a rescue facility."
"Why?"
"Because."
Several hours later, they happened to return to the first rescue facility.
There, in the lobby sat a rather big dog.
His head drooped as he looked through the bars at them.
An old man sniffled as he patted the dog once last time.
"You promise, Mary?" asked the old man.
"Of course, Mr. Sanders."
Sara glanced at the old man.
The dog whined as he watched the old man leave.
"You're giving him up?" asked Sara to the old man.
"I can't walk him…anymore. He doesn't get to play…just sits in my house. I should have thought about that before I took him. I was only thinking about myself…my needs…my wants. He wants a family…I'm just an old man…with nothing to offer. He's a good boy…despite what she will tell you," he said as he left.
Grissom did not even look in the dog's direction but began to ask to see the puppies once again.
The dog curled into a ball and whined.
Grissom looked at the litter of puppies in the basket.
"These are not going to be very big," he announced.
"I want this one," Sara announced.
The clerk glanced at Grissom who held a small black puppy.
"This puppy is only nine weeks old. He's part…"
"No, I want this one," Sara announced as she pointed to the boxer in the crate.
"Oh, miss, this dog just came in. He's been adopted out twice and returned. I think it would be best if…"
"I want him," stated Sara.
The clerk looked at Grissom.
"Sir, this dog…has problems. His family discarded him…left him in a vacant house for days until the neighbors called it in. He bit several officers when they tried to remove him. He's been depressed ever since. A young couple took him but he didn't like their cat. They brought him back. This last time an old man took him but as you can see he couldn't take care of himself much less a dog so he's back."
Sara cleared her throat. "I want him."
"Sara…" Grissom stopped.
Sara had already opened the crate.
The dog remained inside.
She tried to coax the dog to come out but he remained.
Finally, she sat down in the floor near the opening. Reaching in, she patted his head.
He licked her.
Slowly, he crawled out of the crate and into Sara's lap spilling over on all sides.
"He's big," warned Grissom.
The boxer looked up at Sara.
She smiled at him, continuing to stroke his head.
He rewarded her with a huge sloppy lick.
She chuckled.
"He drools," cautioned Grissom.
"I want this dog."
Grissom sighed. "We'll take him."
"I'll just get Hank's papers," replied the clerk.
Sara's head shot up. "Hank? His name is Hank?"
"His previous owner was a baseball fan and he named him after Hank Aaron."
"Really? I love baseball," stated Grissom as he patted the dog.
He ignored the drool that was left on his hand when the dog licked him.
"We could change his name," offered Grissom.
"Hank," said Sara softly.
The dog's ears perked.
"He likes his name. We'll keep it," smiled Sara.
There were lots of things to purchase.
They spent the remainder of their time shopping for the dog.
Sara was disappointed that they would have to wait three days until the dog could be released but it was standard procedure for any dog that entered the facility.
"He'll be thoroughly checked by our vet and given a bath," assured the clerk.
"Three days," Sara beamed. "We get to bring him home in three days."
Grissom smiled.
His Sara was happy.
Note from author:
You knew I couldn't end the story without Hank...
one chapter to go...