A/N: Sorry for making you wait, I hope this makes it up.
"Gil Grissom who the hell do you think you are!" Catherine shouted as soon as she had one foot in the house.
Grissom was in the living room reading a book, it was something like 11 pm and the only thing he wanted was some peace and quiet in his house. He looked up and found a very angry Catherine, she was giving him one of the looks she had when she was mad, Grissom shrugged and sighed before going back to his book.
"And what the hell do you think you are doing? Stop looking at the dammed book and look at me" Catherine had been on a girls day out and apparently she had been with Sara and she had told her everything about what happened in the ball.
"What do you want Cath, I'm tired" Grissom said, he looked as hell but Catherine didn't care
"What do I want? What's wrong with you!" Catherine sat next to Grissom and took the book away from him "What happened?" She asked this time it was not a requirement; it was soft and full of worry.
"I freaked out"
After Grissom got home the night of the ball his mind couldn't stop running, he was going through the night's event once and again, the kiss with Stacy, the perfect walk with Sara and the even more perfect kiss and then it hit him. You're getting to close to her. Grissom froze and analyzed the situation, it was true, he liked Sara and that was ok but he was actually making his moves and that was not ok. To start with she was a minor, second her dad despised him, third he had no time for a girlfriend and fourth he was not good enough for her. He didn't sleep that night, nor the ones that followed, he started signing up for extra shifts at the hospital and when he couldn't have more over time he volunteered to read to the kids of the hospital. He even stopped going for his usual coffee, instead he drank the horrendous coffee from the hospital cafeteria. And now, there he was, more than one week later, talking to Cath.
While Grissom was freaking out, Sara was happier than ever, she thought that the kiss had been the beginning of a relationship but a day passed, and then two, and then three and she had no news from Grissom, finally she gave up. That day she had told Mia and Catherine everything, she had poured her heart and cried with them, asking why she wasn't good enough for him, after some talking she decided to get over him if he didn't want her then she didn't want him either. That was how Catherine ended up at Grissom's at 11 pm, with his coat in one hand and anger all over her heart, but after looking at the defeated Grissom she knew that something was wrong.
"Sara sends this, she… you broke her heart you know" Catherine said softly
"I figured… I was afraid, we… we kissed and it… it was perfect Catherine, really perfect but… I can't be with her" Grissom said looking to the floor, his heart was aching
"Why not?"
"Because I don't deserve her, she's…too beautiful and smart and… she's younger. She's got me, badly but… you know me! I'm no good in relationships! I would have hurt her either way"
"Are you… ok?" Cath asked realizing how bad her friend looked
"Not really. I know I have to talk to her but… it's been a week, I don't think she wants to… talk to me, she… she called me two days ago and…"
"She called you?"
Sara had called some days ago, he had been on a break, it was something like 10 pm but he was running a double shift. He looked at the ID caller and saw her name, he wasn't going to pick up but confused the buttons and pressed 'Send' instead of 'End'. She sounded happy, as if she was ready to believe any excuse he gave her but… he was harsh, he told her that he was too busy for his friends, for anyone and for her. Grissom knew that he was hurting her, he could hear it in her voice but it also hurt for him, she tried once again asking him when was he going to be free, he just answered that he didn't know and that he would be the one calling, then he hung up.
"Idiot" Cath said before leaving the room, now she understood why Sara had been so sad lately, why she had been so… dull.
Grissom hear the door and looked down, he took his book and proceed to lock himself in his room. Cath is right, I have to talk to her.
The next day Grissom got out of the flat earlier, he was going to try to catch up with Sara before she began working but the traffic delayed him and he reached the Starbucks around half an hour after Sara's shift began. He entered the shop and waited for the rest of the costumers to make their orders and take their coffees, then he walked to the counter.
"Hey" he said shyly
"It's been something like 2 weeks man, where were you?" Andrew asked happily
"Uh, busy, is Sara around?" Grissom asked and then spotted Sara at a table, he made his way towards her and waited for her to finish handing the coffee "Sara, can we talk?" he asked shyly
"I don't think so" she said going back behind the counter
"Sara, please"
"No, you couldn't talk to me because of work now excuse me Grissom but I'm working"
"Sara"
"Hey, dude, get lost, she doesn't want to talk to you" a blondish guy said from the corner of the store, Grissom just walked away. "Hey" he guy said to Sara "I'm Hank"
"Thanks, I'm Sara"
His name was Hank Peddigrew, he looked like a nice guy, he talked like a nice guy, and he had a black motorcycle that assured you he was not a good boy. After the little accident Sara had with Grissom, Hank had frequent the coffee shop more often, he would wait until her shift was over and then offer Sara something to drink. He was 21 years old but didn't seem to care about Sara's age, he even introduced her to his friends and gave her rides home.
"Look at the bright side, now you don't have to worry about Sara being in a sportive BMW, you have to worry about Sara in a motorcycle" Laura had said the first time James say his baby girl getting off the 'vehicle'.
A week passed and then another, Sra introduced Hank to everybody at a party Amy threw. They had been dancing and when Sara saw that the entire gang was there, she held Hank's hand and introduced him. Grissom was not there in that exact moment but when he saw Sara holding hands with Hank and laughing with him he felt sick. He recognized the other man as the nosey guy from Starbucks and then he walked to him, he held out his hand and introduced himself, Hank took it and the hate between them was notorious. Sara walked to Grissom and casually said hello, she didn't make any effort to establish or start a conversation, it was obvious that she was still hurting.
"Stupid me, stupid me" Grissom thought every time he saw the two of them together which was quite often because those two went up and down together. Sara loved spending time with Hank, her dad didn't like him though, and he made sure to show her that several times but she really couldn't care less. She liked the fact that Hank was not like Grissom, he wasn't exactly a gentleman but he wasn't a caveman either, he would let her pay for her coffee but would insist on taking her home if it was late at night. Sara classified what she had with Hank as a relationship but the thing didn't exactly go the other way around, they never went to discos or to the mall, it they wanted to go to the movies they would have to meet inside the theater and Sara would have to get a ride home, otherwise things were perfect.
While Grissom was torturing himself and cursing the fact that he had been such a coward, Nick and Greg were actually worried about Sara, she wasn't spending time with anyone but Hank, she had been late for work and ballet practices and that wasn't like her. It also wasn't like her to get that comfortable with a guy so easily.
For the first week or two Sara seemed very happy, well, after the Grissom disaster if Sara had a real smile on her face it would be something to celebrate. But something changed during week number three, maybe it was because they were already used to see Hank, but Grissom though that there was something wrong. He had stopped by the Starbucks after Sara's shift to ask her if she needed a ride home, she had class the next day but as soon as he got near the counter he felt someone staring at him.
"Hey Sara, need a ride home?" Grissom asked, at least now they were on speaking terms
"Are you ready to go?" Hank asked a little anxious, he sounded as if he was hurrying her up "We are gonna be late for the movie"
"Sorry Grissom, Hank wants to go to the movies"
Grissom found the fact of Sara going out to the movies when she had early classes the next day suspicious. But he found even more suspicious the fact that Sara's dad had given her permission to go out, little did he know that James Sidle was wishing it was Grissom who was with Sara and not Hank, he didn't like a bit of that guy. The next day Sara skipped her first two classes, Nick got worried and called her to her cell but she told him that she had overslept but that she was going to be there for the next period of classes so he didn't have to worry. When Sara finally appeared she looked sleepy and tired, Grissom didn't say a thing because their relationship was still fragile and he surely didn't want to make her angry, but he knew that it was all Hanks' fault.
It was something around 5:30 in the morning and the only thing that Sara had in mind for the rest of the day, or at least for the rest of the morning was sleeping. She was tired, she was sleepy and she was in no mood for anyone disturbing her so early.
"Rise and shine pumpkin" James said as he popped in his head through the door, Sara only stirred and turned around "Come on Sara! It's Saturday we have a family trip!"
"I'm not going" Sara said as she pulled the covers over her head
"Yes you are! You love family trips"
Just as James finished entering Sara's room Mattie got in as fast as a bullet and started jumping all around, he was excited about their family road trip, it happened once a month but because of his father's work they hadn't been able to have one in months.
"Mattie, stop" Sara said as a warning
"NOOOOO!" the cheerful kid answered
"Mattie get out of my room!" Sara shouted
Mattie got out as fast as he had gotten in, Sara never yelled at him and it scared him a bit. James was surprised, what was wrong with Sara? She had been in quiet a mood lately. I'll kill that Hank guy, I bet it's because of him, my Sara is not like this.
"What's wrong honey? Is it that time of the month again?" James pushed the wrong button there, Sara simply exploited
"No! Dad I just don't wanna go and I'm not going! Get out of my room!" Sara shouted before covering her head with the sheets again
A very stunned James Sidle left the room, Sara had never talked to him like that, she had never raised her voice to him or to Laura but now, from all sudden, no one could talk to her. He knew that something had happened after the ball but he was ok with it, he was actually beginning to like Grissom but when Laura told him what had happened he wanted to go and kill the guy. Now the only guy he wanted to kill was certain Mr. Peddigrew. James entered the kitchen, where Laura was packing a few snacks, he didn't have to tell her, she had already heard Sara shouting, worry was written over her face.
"She's growing up, I guess we just have to pray so she won't get too hurt" Laura said as she made a sandwich
Grissom heard the door click and buried his face further in his pillow, Warrick was out and he figured that Catherine would be asking for him, Warrick had given Cath her own key and Grissom had no problem with that but he missed his privacy sometimes. "He's not here!" Grissom shouted, And he's not gonna be here until late, he was going to visit some relatives or something, one of the rooms that Grissom could assure was not going to be bothered was his but he was wrong.
"Get up sleepy head" Cath said
"It's… 7 am, Warrick is not here" Grissom said, Catherine was in his room and opening some curtains
"I know but we are going to the beach, you look pale and need to have fun" Catherine said
Catherine simply pulled Grissom's covers, leaving him in his sweatpants and began going through his drawers, she had done that before so she knew where was everything she was looking for. Grissom sat on the bed and saw how his privacy was ripped to pieces, he caught his swimming trunks and only understood something about getting ready quickly. As soon as Catherine got out of his room Grissom tried to fall asleep again but it was too late, he was awake and now there was nothing else he could do but surrender to Catherine's evil plans.
He got in her car and put his backpack on the backseat, fastening his seatbelt he put his best 'I don't wanna be here' face and didn't even argue when Catherine asked if he preferred to drive. Grissom thought that they were going to a nearby beach but instead Cath took him to a beach outside the city, he was going to complain but was sure as hell that Catherine had saved a speech in case he disagreed with something.
The house was so quiet, she was alone now, and well, she had asked for that but it didn't feel as good as she thought it would feel. She looked at the clock, 7:24 am, Hank was going to pick her up around 8, she had just enough time to shower and get ready.
"You planned this didn't you?" Grissom asked as he sat straighter in his comforter
"Planned what?" Cath said turning to face him
"Don't play dumb Cath" Grissom said, something was bothering him "Look over there"
"Is that Sara? Oh my God, Gil I had no idea, really I only wanted you to get over the fact that she and Hank…"
"I don't want to know" Grissom said plainly, he put on his sunglasses and laid down
For the rest of the morning Catherine couldn't make Grissom move. She said that if she was getting a tan he could get one too- he was looking awfully pale. They spent hours getting tanned, Grissom had no problem, he had brought a book and his cell phone so there was no need to talk to Cath. On the other hand Catherine was feeling guilty, she really had no idea that Sara and Hank were going to be there and her heart ached for Grissom, she knew he liked her and she knew he was scared but maybe it would all be a lesson for him to get over his fears and make a move.
By mid day the sun was burning so badly that Catherine asked Grissom to please move to a booth what had a roof or something to cover them from the sun, he made some arrangements and got them one that was near the snack bar. Catherine asked him if he wanted to go swimming, he said no thank you, then she asked him if he wanted to throw her to the pool and he said no thank you, now that worried her, was Grissom really that blue because of Sara?
"Babe, want something to drink?" Hank asked Sara
"Diet coke, tons of ice please" Sara smiled
Hank walked to the snack bar, he didn't see Grissom but he certainly saw the blond girl sitting at a booth, she looked a little familiar but well, lately every girl looked familiar to him. He was waiting for his order when a guy reached him.
"Hank! Jessy told me you were sick" the guy said
"Tom, I… was, well, I just wanted some time for my self" Hank lied
"Girlfriend already getting to you?" Tom asked as he chuckled
"I guess Jessy just… drains me some times" Hank said before saying goodbye to Tom
Girlfriend, Hank's got a girlfriend. That bloody bastard! Grissom thought as he tried to control himself not to go and kill Hank that exact moment. Catherine had gone for a quick swim at the ocean and Hank was lucky she didn't hear him; otherwise she would have killed him. Hiding behind his book Grissom took his cell phone and text messaged Archie, another friend of his, he needed an address and he needed it quickly.
Grissom was sitting near the edge of his comforter, the next thing he knew he was face down against the sand, he was trying to keep an eye on Hank and Sara but slipped from the chair. Catherine laughed when she saw Grissom half covered in sand, she was heading towards him when a boy about Mattie's age ran next to her, covering her in sand.
"Hey!" Cath said and the kid just smiled "Hey! Apologize!"
"No!" then the kid start running
Catherine looked how the little rat tried to get away from her, oh no, she wasn't going to be defeated by a 6 year old so she began running after him. "Cath!" Grissom shouted before getting up and trying to reach Catherine, that kid was dead if she got him. It was quite a funny picture, a kid running away from a crazy woman who was being chased by a guy half covered in sand, they ran something like half of the beach until Grissom finally got Cath. He had ran next to her and grabbed her by the waist, she tried to get out of his grip but made them both end up in the sand.
"Cath?" Sara asked being followed by Hank who was hugging her waist
"Why did you do that! I almost got him!" Cath said smacking Grissom's chest, he was still laying in the sand
"I didn't want you to get arrested for murder" Grissom said grinning for the first time in weeks
"Hey" Hank tried to seduce her but then froze with Grissom's stare at him "Grissom" he said plainly
"I'll see you by the car Cath" Grissom said without even turning to look at Sara
Cath stayed talking to Sara and Hank for a little while before going to her car, she found Grissom there, dressed and with both of their backpacks ready. She looked at him, he looked pissed, and that was something not very common in Grissom. They got in the car and she began driving, it was very silent for the first half hour but then Catherine decided to break the ice.
"What happened?" she asked
"Hank's got a girlfriend" Grissom said "And her name does not start with an S"
Catherine's face was priceless, she looked surprised and mad, she wanted to kill Hank, she wanted to hug Sara, she wanted to punch Grissom for not doing a thing; she wanted to do so many things and yet couldn't concentrate on one enough to actually do it. Grissom took a deep breath and began telling the story, when he finished he told Cath not to say a thing, not to Sara or anyone else, that he was going to have a 'talk' with Hank and handle things.
"You really like her" Catherine said, Grissom just looked away
"Drop me by the mall ok?"
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"I need some time to think"
A/N: Please review, tell me if you liked or disliked the chapter, I promise I'll update soon