Sara stepped out of Sylvia's office, and started to ring Brass so that he could pick her up, but before she's even hit dial she heard a voice call out her name

'Sara'

She looked up surprised, and a little angry

'Grissom… what are you doing here?' she asked, fiddling with the phone in her hands

'Brass told… no, I made him tell me you were here… I.. I just wanted to see you before this evening, without everyone around…let me drive you home…?' he questioned, beginning to realise that perhaps this hadn't been a good idea.

Sara felt awkward, she'd just exposed some of her biggest secrets, and all she wanted to do was go home. 'I um… I'm not really… Brass was going to…' she trailed off, catching the look on Grissoms face 'Ok' she said, her voice quiet, and she walked towards the door hoping that Grissom would follow.

Grissom took a breath, and followed her out, quickly catching up to her; he gently took her elbow, and steered towards his car 'I'm parked over here…'

Sara just nodded, but didn't speak. Once they were both in the car, Grissom looked over to Sara, who was now staring down at her hands 'Are you ok Sara?' he asked turning in his seat slightly.

'Yeah…Fine…' came her automatic reply, she had relied on that sentence for years, and even now, knowing it was a lie, knowing that Grissom knew it was a lie, she couldn't bring herself to say anything different.

'Sara…'

'Really Griss, I'm fine…I will be fine…I'm just tired…'

Grissom just nodded in understanding, and then a smile crept over his face 'and here I thought your blood was actually coffee' he said with humour, wanting to lighten the mood. Sara couldn't help but let out a small snort of laughter at that.

'Ah, yes, liquid gold, coffee loaded with sugar… no wonder I never used to sleep'

'So suggesting we go for coffee right now would be a bad idea?'

Sara turned in her seat 'The worst… but seeming as you're already here, and my body is demanding food, you can take me out for breakfast… I'm seriously craving for candy floss right now… or pineapples… now that I think about…'

Grissom couldn't help but laugh at this 'So your saying we need to find a circus or an arcade, just so you can eat… you're not tempted by something a bit… easier… to find, such as something from the diner or deli near the lab?'

'Nope!' Sara declared, sitting more upright in the chair 'If you want to see me before this evening, you have to track down candy floss, or take me home' Sara challenged.

Not saying anything, Grissom started the car and drove off. After about 5 minutes he glanced over at Sara 'I'm sorry I declined dinner with you…'

Sara just shrugged and looked out the window. She didn't want to talk about it right now. She didn't want to talk about it ever.

Shortly after that Grissom pulled up outside a gaming arcade, quickly stepped out of the car, and walked around to open the door for Sara 'Breakfast awaits!' he said in a mock bow as she stepped out.

'Thank you Mr. Chauffeur' she said in a mock posh voice. She hooked her arm around Grissom's and they walked into the building. The noise and the lights from the various machines and arcade games were almost on a par of the biggest Casino in Vegas, except that here it was geared towards children and teenagers.

It was only after the candy floss was gone that either spoke again.

'Do you regret San Francisco?' Sara asked quietly, once again looking down at her hands

'At the time… no… now, no, perhaps in the middle I did…'

Sara nodded, half understanding

'Do you?' he questioned back.

'I used to wonder how things would be so different if I hadn't have left in the middle of the night… if I'd have waited until you woke up… but we can't change that now… I can't change that now…'

'I know' Grissom murmured, reaching out to take her hand 'I'm sorry it worked out like it did, but we can't change it…only move forward…I'm sorry I haven't been here for you Sara, that I didn't notice how much you were struggling… I could have done more. Should have done more' he entwined their fingers together and looked out into the middle distance.

A long silence stretched over them, both were feeling a little reflective.

'At least we had that night' Grissom said at last, bringing Sara's hand up with his, and kissing it.

'Griss…' Sara said her voice unsure, as she tried to pull her hand away.

'I know…I know I'm too late. Does she make you happy Sara?' he asked lowering their hands again, but not releasing it.

'How did you…'

'I didn't, I just put two and two together. I saw how her face lit up when you were talking on the phone earlier. How protective of you she was when… you know… the time she spend with you…of course, it wasn't until afterwards that I realised why suddenly you had both left the lab without a word… and you just confirmed it'

'Oh'

'So, does she?' he asked again

'Does she what?' Sara asked looking at him

'Does Catherine make you happy?'

Sara nodded; brow furrowed 'I don't think I really know what it means to be happy. I've always had something niggling at the back of my mind…a doubt, a fear, a compulsion… addiction… but yes, I think she will make me happy, and I hope I make her happy too. It's been a hard couple of weeks…year…life… but I love her. I really love her Grissom… '

Grissom said nothing, put he pulled Sara closer to him, and wrapped his arm around her. Both sat contently for a while.

'What am I going to do about work?' Sara asked at last.

'You need to do everything that Ecklie said… I can't override that' he said, has hand rubbing on her shoulder gently 'But after that, we'll see how it goes. I don't want you to feel overwhelmed, or overcrowded, neither do I want you to feel alone… either at work, or at home. Eventually you'll have to lessen your hours in the field… take extra care in certain labs, because of the chemicals… I'm going to do my best to not treat you any differently… It will be ok Sara…although it does mean more paperwork for me, and you know how I feel about that.'

Sara pulled away slightly 'Paperwork?' she questioned. She'd heard the rest, but this was a little confusing to her.

'Yeah… paperwork. 9 times out of 10 Catherine has ended up doing evaluations and stuff… if you are both now involved, she shouldn't get involved with it.'

Sara nodded in understanding 'Hey Gil…'

'Yeah?' he asked, not mad that she'd used his first name.

'We're gonna have to find someone other than Brass to do my paperwork too… he's officially/unofficially now my Dad… '

Grissom pulled her closer again and kissed the top of her head, but didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He already knew.

Xxx

'Hey Kiddo, how are you feeling?' Brass asked as Sara walked into the apartment

'I'm ok thanks… I spent some time with Grissom after my session, but you already knew that…'

'Yep, I did. Now, what do you fancy, tea or hot chocolate?'

'I suppose beer is out of the question?' Sara replied, a twinkle in her eyes, showing she had only meant it as a joke

'Sure, you can have a beer, just as soon as I've caught that flying pig that's been hovering around' Jim said flipping the kettle on

'Tea, please' Sara said, taking her jacket of and sitting on the sofa

'So, how'd it go with the Dr?'

'Oh, ok… it helped to finally admit some hard truths, and put things in order'

'Good… here' he handed her the tea mug

'And with Gil?' he questioned, taking a seat

'Well… we both finally acknowledged to each other that we'd slept together. It helped clear the air, the tension… he knows that I'm seeing Catherine now… 'Sara paused, as Brass began to choke on his drink

'You… you and…' he spluttered out

'Yes, Grissom and I had sex years ago, when he was in San Francisco, and I was a student. I skipped out before he woke up… there's always been a tension there, because of it. Until today we've never spoken about it. Try not to choke on the rest of your tea.' Sara said smiling brightly.

'I'll try not to… so, are you going in to see everyone later?'

'Yep… shift starts at 10 tonight, I'll go in just after 9. Catherine can take me, if you have to work… '

'No, it's ok, I'm actually on holiday right now. I don't go back, until you go back, and even then we'll see how that goes'

Sara placed her mug down, hands a little shaky 'You… you mean…'

'Yes, I mean I've put in for compassionate leave, and seeming as I'm fairly high up in the food chain of LVPD, no one wanted to question it, or stop it… they don't nessacarily know it's because of you, but they might guess, with time'

Sara just nodded, 'Thank you… I um… I have another session tomorrow, followed by an ultrasound… I'd like someone to be with me…'

'I think Catherine would love to be there for you, with you, at the ultrasound, but if you'd rather it was me, you just need to say. For now though, I think you should sleep a little before dinner and we go see the gang. Sound good?'

'Sounds perfect'

'What would you like me to cook?' Jim asked, standing from the sofa

'Oh..I don't know really… I either haven't an appetite, or I'm craving the most ridiculous of things. Griss and I had candy floss for breakfast… that reminds me, Sylvia says I should take protein shakes, reckons I'm a little underweight… I think I'm just fine, but it will help the baby, so I guess she's right… '

Brass couldn't help but chuckle 'Ok Miss crazy diet, too bed with you… I'll wake you up at 6.30 if you aren't already awake… now shove off, I want to watch the football'

'Yes sir!' Sara called, saluting, as she walked into her room.

Xx

a/n another little happy chapter… I know not a lot went on, but I wanted to update before having to go to work. Next chapter will be Sara going to the lab… then we'll see how this progresses…

mstonks, I've send you a private message…

Thanks for reading, emz