Chapter 2: Thoughts While in the Waiting Room
Earlier that day
"Grissom you are being so unfair!" Sara stood opposite Grissom's desk yelling at the top of her lungs. Her face was red with frustration and anger. She couldn't believe he was acting this way.
"Don't give me that Sara. You need a break." Grissom hissed back. His face was blank but his eyes were a storm. No one made him angrier than Sara Sidle.
"Who are you to tell me what I need?!"
His eyes became slits. "Your superior." The room became quiet as each party caught their breath.
"I can handle this Grissom." Sara said finally.
"No Sara you can't. When is the last time you have slept? Or ate for that matter?"
"That's none of your business."
"It is when it effects your performance." He pointed to a distant place. "Sara, Warrick had to physically pull you away from the computer!"
"I broke the case didn't I?!" She yelled back with her arms raised.
"Was it worth the sacrifice?"
"Yes!"
"Go home." Grissom ordered.
She snickered. He just never gave up. "Not until Brass arrests her." She said defiantly.
His anger made another appearance as she directly disobeyed him. "Sara would you just listen to me for a change?!"
"I am listening!"
"No you're not! You are ignoring me!"
There was a loud knock at the door that disrupted them. Catherine poked her head into the hurricane of Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom fury. Sara dropped her gaze from Grissom, but he never looked away from her tired form.
"Hey Grissom?"
"What?!" Grissom shouted with his eyes still on Sara.
"Sorry but we have a major lead in our case." She said innocently from the doorway.
"It can wait." He spat. "I'm busy."
Sara's head shot up. He wasn't going to let this go, no matter how hard she tried to reason with him. He was actually choosing their fight over work.
Catherine boldly stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. "Maybe you two should back off for a minute. Just take a break."
Grissom became very aware of Catherine in his space. "Get out Catherine."
She put her hands on her hips. "Grissom I don't think yelling at everyone is going to accomplish anything."
"What is between me and Sara has nothing to do with anyone else."
"It does when we can hear you two yelling in the hallway." Catherine countered getting angry herself because of the unnecessary way he was treating her.
Again the office grew quiet until Sara made a move for the file on Grissom's desk. He put a hand on the file to stop her from taking it. "Sara we are not finished."
"Yes we are." She pulled the file from his grasp with a sharp jerk. "I am taking the robbery on 139 North McCauley after I see her arrested." She turned on her heels.
"Sara!" He called after her but she completely ignored him and walked out the door.
"Warrick let's go. I think Brass is bringing in Tabatha Borrs." Warrick glanced into the open office at Grissom then back to Sara. He glanced back at Grissom on last time before running after Sara, who was already down the hallway.
Catherine looked at Grissom. His body was ridged and his eyes were a dark gray blue. She knew he was bothered by something; that something was Sara. "Are you ready?" She offered into the silence.
"Yes." He glared passed Catherine to nothingness. "Let's go."
~ * ~
Grissom rode in silence as Catherine drove to a suspect's house. He never felt like this. He was angry with Sara, yet he knew he loved her because he was angry with her. They had been seeing each other for one month and two days. No one knew but them, and it was the best month of Grissom's life.
One day he called her after a hearing exam and asked to speak with her in person. They ate breakfast at a small diner and he told her. Just like that, he told her. It was so easy. She offered her support and he took it without regret. For the first time since he found out about his hearing, he was somewhat relieved that he had someone to share the burden with. It was nice to know that he would have someone to go to the doctor's office with at the end of the month to discuss surgery.
Their talks on the phone and at the diner were long and welcoming. It was so natural to talk to each other. Then he took the next step and asked her to dinner. Grissom was never so nervous in his life, but the nervousness eased away when he saw that Sara was nervous too. Right there they agreed to take it slow and managed to keep everything at a nice pace for the both of them. The night was perfect; she looked great as always and he was the most handsome she ever saw him. At dinner there was no awkward pauses or uncomfortable touches. Like their talks at the diner and on the phone, their date was natural. Unfortunately, he was paged back to work and it ended before they finished eating. It was because of interruptions that they haven't even gotten passed the dating stage one month later.
Now he was worried. She was upset with him. It was difficult to keep his feelings a secret and still working together. As he thought about it, that is where most of the fights started. Ironic really; that's where they connected first. Before they were an item, a fight with Sara would be nothing because it would all work out eventually. But now he couldn't handle having his heart broken again. He couldn't live without Sara now. She was in his life, his entire life, and if she left part of him would be lost to her forever. He pinched his nose under his sunglasses at the thought of losing her.
"You want to talk about it?" Catherine asked after watching him carefully for the last five minutes. "I know it's bothering you."
He adjusted his glasses. "No."
"You know Sara has always been her own person."
He glared at her. "Do you mean to tell me that you approve of the way she abuses herself for a case?"
Catherine turned on a secondary road to the suspect's house. "No I do not approve but Sara doesn't see what she does as abuse. She sees it as efficient."
"She probably hasn't slept or eaten in days Catherine. How efficient can she be?" He hoped she didn't ask how he knew about her sleeping or eating habits. The truth was Grissom didn't know exactly but he knew it wasn't much. She canceled their last date for this case and the dark circles under her eyes were also further proof of what she was doing to herself. She was shutting herself down until the case was solved. No one was allowed in, not even him.
Catherine watched Grissom as long as the driving would permit. She could see that he was deep in thought again. This was really bothering him more than usual. "Grissom are you okay?"
He looked over to her. "I'll be fine."
Catherine pulled into suspect's driveway, signaling the end of their conversation. They were collecting their kits in silence when Brass pulled up behind them. "Not going to start the party without me were you?" He joked dryly getting out of his car.
"No Jim." Catherine smiled. "Just getting ready. You got the warrant?"
The warrant materialized from his pocket. "Right here."
"Did you arrest the woman from Sara's case?" Grissom asked quickly. He had to know if her punishment was worth it.
A sly smile spread across Brass's face. "Warrick and Sara pinned her to the wall."
"Did Sara go home?" He asked hopefully.
"No. Warrick paired up with Nick and she broke off solo for that robbery on North McCauley."
"Thanks Jim." Grissom sighed. She went anyway. She needed rest and she was going to pull a double. Catherine started to walk to the house, Grissom and Jim followed.
"Hey Grissom?" Brass asked as they fell behind from Catherine's wondering ears.
"Yes?"
"She has an officer with her." He said with a smile.
Grissom wanted to smile back. At least Sara was safe.
~ * ~
"I am taking this back to the lab for Greg. With any luck we can get home early." Catherine called over to Grissom. "You coming?"
"No I want to snoop around." He was bent over a muddy shoe print.
"Fine. I'll leave the Tahoe with you and catch a ride with Brass."
"Okay." He said. His eyes fell back to the shoe print on the sidewalk. He took several pictures of it then collected a sample of the mud. He didn't find anything else that caught his attention so he called it a day himself. He collected his stuff and climbed in the Tahoe. The other officer that was there waved good-bye as Grissom pulled out.
Grissom drove in silence not even bothering to turn on the radio. He looked at his watch. Sara might still be at her scene. If she was, he could talk to her without interruptions and wandering eyes. He made the turn to North McCauley. If he could just reason with her, then maybe he can get her to come with him.
tbc...