Summary: After viewing a horrific accident, Sara makes some hard decisions about her life. Obviously, a Sara-centered story, but with lots of friendship and a little bit of G/S at the end.
Rating: R for subject matter
A/N: No real spoilers. Thanks to Burked and all the others who previewed this for me.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own anything related to CSI. If I did, I'd be on a tropical beach right now.
Chapter 61
Lifting the lid off of the pan, Grissom tasted the contents before glancing back at the clock. Sara should be arriving anytime soon. He turned his attention to the salad greens next, hoping he'd be able to get her to eat something. Considering what was coming up, he worried about her appetite, among other things.
She'd called Thursday morning to cancel her plans for a weekend visit. The lawyers for one of the insurance companies had her served, and she was scheduled for another deposition Wednesday in Las Vegas. Considering how much the last one had stressed her, Grissom found himself getting nervous for Sara.
Over the phone, she'd sounded more apologetic than upset, though, making him hopeful that it would be easier on her this time. Hopefully. Her recovery was progressing steadily, and he didn't want this to set her back.
While she was getting better, this hearing could be taxing. Part of the pre-trial discovery phase, a deposition allowed attorneys to ask anything that was even remotely related to a case. That included any material that might call into question the stability or credibility of the witness.
It wasn't likely Sara would be subjected to any harsh questioning, even on the off chance the lawyers had found out she had been under Kane's care. It wasn't a case where it was her word against another person. She was just one of a number of witnesses, and there was no denying the bus accident had occurred.
More importantly, her actions made her a local hero amongst the potential jury pool. Any attempt to tarnish her could backfire on a lawyer.
Even if the questions stayed focused on the accident, reliving it would be stressful for Sara. Grissom knew she still wondered if she could have done more to save that boy's life, even if logically she knew there wasn't. He'd done what he could to reassure her on their visits, wishing he could have been more helpful.
At least they'd have a chance to spend some time together; uncertain how long the deposition would take, Sara had gotten in her 40 hours early by working over the weekend. Now, she was flying in on Tuesday night and could stay through Sunday.
Finishing what he could of the dinner preparations, he headed into the living room, smiling as he passed the surprise he'd gotten for her. That was something sure to put her in a better mood.
Going over to the stereo, he flipped through his CD collection. Something classical would be more soothing, but that was his musical preference, not Sara's. He settled on Pink Floyd. During his last visit to Santa Barbara, he'd gone through her CDs, comparing what they both liked.
Looking around the townhouse, he tried to imagine it through Sara's eyes. He wanted her to feel as comfortable as possible. The roaches were safely tucked away in the spare bedroom. He hadn't left anything growing in the kitchen refrigerator. A selection of vegetarian foods awaited her. The place was always clean, but he'd taken extra care that afternoon.
Running a hand through his hair, he let out a sigh, not spotting anything that needed attention. Grissom returned to the kitchen to check on dinner again. As he was getting the dishes down, he heard the front door open.
"I'm in the kitchen," he called out as he carried the plates to the breakfast bar.
"Hey," Sara said as she slumped into one of the barstools, depositing her bags beside it.
Grissom stayed on the opposite side of the counter, thinking she would appreciate the distance. Instead, he reached across to hold her hand, earning him a grin.
"How are you doing?" he asked softly.
"I'm okay."
"Sara?" he asked pointedly.
"Really. Not looking forward to tomorrow, but I'm not too upset about it. Can't be any worse than the last one," she said firmly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, I'm not going to run away from you, Grissom. Don't worry. I wouldn't do that to you again."
"I'm not worried about me."
"You don't have to worry about me. It's sweet, though."
"Do you want me to go with you tomorrow?"
"No thanks," she said kindly. "There's nothing you can do. No need for both of us to be bored."
"Okay, but the offer stands," he said, giving her hand a final squeeze before letting it go and standing upright.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. Want something to drink? I can make some coffee, or there's iced tea."
"Have anything stronger?" she asked hopefully.
Smiling, he grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge, and passed one to her after opening it. She gave him a tired smile in return, and then took a long swig. Noticing his raised eyebrow, she shrugged.
"I was thirsty."
"Okay," he chuckled. "Dinner will be ready in a minute."
"Great. I'm hungry," she said, dropping her head onto her folder arms. "Can I help with anything?"
"No, it's nothing fancy," he said. "Tomato soup, salad, grilled cheese sandwiches."
"Comfort food," she said, nodding her head. "'Dark Side of the Moon.' Good tunes. Have you ever played this along with 'The Wizard of Oz'?"
"Once," he admitted hesitantly. Sara gave him an inquisitive look. "On a date. She hated it."
"That's what you get for dating the wrong woman."
"I won't be making that mistake again," he said with a wink "I can go rent to the movie after dinner if you want watch it."
"I don't think I'll feel up to it tonight. Maybe later. We have most of a week to spend together."
He returned her smile with a shrug, a hint of a twinkle in his eyes when he saw her looking at a bag on the counter.
"I thought you fed your bugs dog food."
"I do. That's not for any of my pets."
Sara cocked her head to watch him, wondering why he had a bag of pet food he wasn't feeding to his pets. "Do I want to know what you put in your soup?"
"That's for your pet," he said, pausing in flipping the sandwiches long enough to point into the other room.
"What?" Sara asked in confusion, lifting her head up. Following his finger, she turned to the living room and gaped. "Oh, my God. Grissom. I can't believe you!"
Sliding off the barstool, she quickly crossed over to a wicker basket beside the desk. Curled up inside was a small bundle of mottled fur sleeping on a thick stack of old, soft towels.
"You're the one who adopted Tesla," she whispered as she knelt down to stroke the kitten.
"No. I'm just watching it for you until you move back."
"Grissom, I'm not going to take your cat from you," she said, smiling at the purrs her ministrations were evoking.
"That thing is yours. You're the one who insisted a pet had to have fur," he claimed.
Sara scanned the room and then turned to give him a knowing smile. Besides the bed, there was another basket filled with balls of twine, stuffed mice, catnip-filled toys and bottle caps. A scratching post, a carpet-covered cathouse and other paraphernalia were spread across the room.
"Yeah," she said smirking.
"I didn't want her to get bored, that's all. She's used to being at your lab with other kittens and people around."
"How did you get her here?"
"I arranged with Kahill to have her flown to Las Vegas when she was old enough."
"Grissom! You could have gotten a kitten locally. It would have been a hell of a lot cheaper."
He shrugged. "You liked that one."
Sara flashed him a toothy grin, shaking her head in wonderment. Taking out one of the plastic bottle caps, she held it up in a silent question.
"She'll bat those things around the kitchen all night long if you let her," he said warmly. "Come on, dinner's ready."
Sara reluctantly left the kitten, giving her another gentle stroke before heading back towards the kitchen. Instead of re-taking her seat, she walked over to wrap her arms around Grissom. He returned the hug, enjoying the feel of her body pressed against his. Running his hands up her back, he smiled when he noticed how little tension there was.
"You're amazing, you know that, right?" she stated, kissing his cheek.
"Come on, eat while it's still warm," he urged, giving her gentle kiss before breaking off the hug.
Taking her seat, Sara gave him a nervous look as she started on her soup. After a minute, she tore off a piece of her sandwich worriedly.
"This is great, babe. How are things at work?"
"Fine. Why?"
"No one's giving you any trouble?"
"No," he said slowly, trying to figure out what prompted her concerns.
"I think we made Nicky mad when I visited the lab. He thinks you were a jerk," she said softly.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
"Don't be. I haven't noticed anything," he said honestly. "Besides, I'm the one who wanted to keep things private."
"I don't want to cause you any more troubles," she said softly.
"Don't worry, Sara. Everything's fine."
"What about court?"
"What about it?" he asked in confusion.
"Have any lawyers said anything? About you seeing Kane?"
"No."
"What if one of them does?" Sara asked hesitantly, giving him a sad look. It was only a matter of time before that fact made it to a defense attorney. She faced the same questioning, but in her case it was required departmental policy that she see the psychologist after the accident. In all probability, she may never have to answer any questions about it.
"I'll tell them the truth," Grissom said simply.
"The truth?"
"Someone close to me had undergone a traumatic experience. I wanted to help, but I didn't know how. I went to Kane for advice, and for help in expressing myself better. My social skills aren't the best."
"You make it sound so easy."
"I've been in forensics for over 20 years. My credibility has never been called into question. This won't be a problem."
"God, I hope so, Grissom," she said, setting down her spoon. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I know. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't let it bother you. Eat. Your dinner's getting cold," he chided, giving her a wink.
After dinner, Grissom took her bags back to the bedroom, returning to find her sitting in front of the couch, playing with her kitten. He paused to watch, impressed with himself for thinking of this gift. Crossing the room, he sat down beside her.
Immediately, Tesla jumped into his lap and started climbing up the front of his shirt, resting her head under his chin. Rubbing the top of her head against him, she let out a loud purr.
"No, you're not attached at all," Sara said, rolling her eyes.
"Actually, she's attached to me," he said, pulling her loose and tenderly cradling her in his hands.
Sara smiled wistfully, resting her head against his shoulder. Reaching out, she dangled a piece of twine, watching as the small kitten batted at it playfully.
"Thank you."
Grissom set the kitten in her lap, and wrapped an arm around Sara's shoulder, holding her and playing with their kitten until he had to go into work.
TBC
Rating: R for subject matter
A/N: No real spoilers. Thanks to Burked and all the others who previewed this for me.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own anything related to CSI. If I did, I'd be on a tropical beach right now.
Chapter 61
Lifting the lid off of the pan, Grissom tasted the contents before glancing back at the clock. Sara should be arriving anytime soon. He turned his attention to the salad greens next, hoping he'd be able to get her to eat something. Considering what was coming up, he worried about her appetite, among other things.
She'd called Thursday morning to cancel her plans for a weekend visit. The lawyers for one of the insurance companies had her served, and she was scheduled for another deposition Wednesday in Las Vegas. Considering how much the last one had stressed her, Grissom found himself getting nervous for Sara.
Over the phone, she'd sounded more apologetic than upset, though, making him hopeful that it would be easier on her this time. Hopefully. Her recovery was progressing steadily, and he didn't want this to set her back.
While she was getting better, this hearing could be taxing. Part of the pre-trial discovery phase, a deposition allowed attorneys to ask anything that was even remotely related to a case. That included any material that might call into question the stability or credibility of the witness.
It wasn't likely Sara would be subjected to any harsh questioning, even on the off chance the lawyers had found out she had been under Kane's care. It wasn't a case where it was her word against another person. She was just one of a number of witnesses, and there was no denying the bus accident had occurred.
More importantly, her actions made her a local hero amongst the potential jury pool. Any attempt to tarnish her could backfire on a lawyer.
Even if the questions stayed focused on the accident, reliving it would be stressful for Sara. Grissom knew she still wondered if she could have done more to save that boy's life, even if logically she knew there wasn't. He'd done what he could to reassure her on their visits, wishing he could have been more helpful.
At least they'd have a chance to spend some time together; uncertain how long the deposition would take, Sara had gotten in her 40 hours early by working over the weekend. Now, she was flying in on Tuesday night and could stay through Sunday.
Finishing what he could of the dinner preparations, he headed into the living room, smiling as he passed the surprise he'd gotten for her. That was something sure to put her in a better mood.
Going over to the stereo, he flipped through his CD collection. Something classical would be more soothing, but that was his musical preference, not Sara's. He settled on Pink Floyd. During his last visit to Santa Barbara, he'd gone through her CDs, comparing what they both liked.
Looking around the townhouse, he tried to imagine it through Sara's eyes. He wanted her to feel as comfortable as possible. The roaches were safely tucked away in the spare bedroom. He hadn't left anything growing in the kitchen refrigerator. A selection of vegetarian foods awaited her. The place was always clean, but he'd taken extra care that afternoon.
Running a hand through his hair, he let out a sigh, not spotting anything that needed attention. Grissom returned to the kitchen to check on dinner again. As he was getting the dishes down, he heard the front door open.
"I'm in the kitchen," he called out as he carried the plates to the breakfast bar.
"Hey," Sara said as she slumped into one of the barstools, depositing her bags beside it.
Grissom stayed on the opposite side of the counter, thinking she would appreciate the distance. Instead, he reached across to hold her hand, earning him a grin.
"How are you doing?" he asked softly.
"I'm okay."
"Sara?" he asked pointedly.
"Really. Not looking forward to tomorrow, but I'm not too upset about it. Can't be any worse than the last one," she said firmly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, I'm not going to run away from you, Grissom. Don't worry. I wouldn't do that to you again."
"I'm not worried about me."
"You don't have to worry about me. It's sweet, though."
"Do you want me to go with you tomorrow?"
"No thanks," she said kindly. "There's nothing you can do. No need for both of us to be bored."
"Okay, but the offer stands," he said, giving her hand a final squeeze before letting it go and standing upright.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. Want something to drink? I can make some coffee, or there's iced tea."
"Have anything stronger?" she asked hopefully.
Smiling, he grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge, and passed one to her after opening it. She gave him a tired smile in return, and then took a long swig. Noticing his raised eyebrow, she shrugged.
"I was thirsty."
"Okay," he chuckled. "Dinner will be ready in a minute."
"Great. I'm hungry," she said, dropping her head onto her folder arms. "Can I help with anything?"
"No, it's nothing fancy," he said. "Tomato soup, salad, grilled cheese sandwiches."
"Comfort food," she said, nodding her head. "'Dark Side of the Moon.' Good tunes. Have you ever played this along with 'The Wizard of Oz'?"
"Once," he admitted hesitantly. Sara gave him an inquisitive look. "On a date. She hated it."
"That's what you get for dating the wrong woman."
"I won't be making that mistake again," he said with a wink "I can go rent to the movie after dinner if you want watch it."
"I don't think I'll feel up to it tonight. Maybe later. We have most of a week to spend together."
He returned her smile with a shrug, a hint of a twinkle in his eyes when he saw her looking at a bag on the counter.
"I thought you fed your bugs dog food."
"I do. That's not for any of my pets."
Sara cocked her head to watch him, wondering why he had a bag of pet food he wasn't feeding to his pets. "Do I want to know what you put in your soup?"
"That's for your pet," he said, pausing in flipping the sandwiches long enough to point into the other room.
"What?" Sara asked in confusion, lifting her head up. Following his finger, she turned to the living room and gaped. "Oh, my God. Grissom. I can't believe you!"
Sliding off the barstool, she quickly crossed over to a wicker basket beside the desk. Curled up inside was a small bundle of mottled fur sleeping on a thick stack of old, soft towels.
"You're the one who adopted Tesla," she whispered as she knelt down to stroke the kitten.
"No. I'm just watching it for you until you move back."
"Grissom, I'm not going to take your cat from you," she said, smiling at the purrs her ministrations were evoking.
"That thing is yours. You're the one who insisted a pet had to have fur," he claimed.
Sara scanned the room and then turned to give him a knowing smile. Besides the bed, there was another basket filled with balls of twine, stuffed mice, catnip-filled toys and bottle caps. A scratching post, a carpet-covered cathouse and other paraphernalia were spread across the room.
"Yeah," she said smirking.
"I didn't want her to get bored, that's all. She's used to being at your lab with other kittens and people around."
"How did you get her here?"
"I arranged with Kahill to have her flown to Las Vegas when she was old enough."
"Grissom! You could have gotten a kitten locally. It would have been a hell of a lot cheaper."
He shrugged. "You liked that one."
Sara flashed him a toothy grin, shaking her head in wonderment. Taking out one of the plastic bottle caps, she held it up in a silent question.
"She'll bat those things around the kitchen all night long if you let her," he said warmly. "Come on, dinner's ready."
Sara reluctantly left the kitten, giving her another gentle stroke before heading back towards the kitchen. Instead of re-taking her seat, she walked over to wrap her arms around Grissom. He returned the hug, enjoying the feel of her body pressed against his. Running his hands up her back, he smiled when he noticed how little tension there was.
"You're amazing, you know that, right?" she stated, kissing his cheek.
"Come on, eat while it's still warm," he urged, giving her gentle kiss before breaking off the hug.
Taking her seat, Sara gave him a nervous look as she started on her soup. After a minute, she tore off a piece of her sandwich worriedly.
"This is great, babe. How are things at work?"
"Fine. Why?"
"No one's giving you any trouble?"
"No," he said slowly, trying to figure out what prompted her concerns.
"I think we made Nicky mad when I visited the lab. He thinks you were a jerk," she said softly.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
"Don't be. I haven't noticed anything," he said honestly. "Besides, I'm the one who wanted to keep things private."
"I don't want to cause you any more troubles," she said softly.
"Don't worry, Sara. Everything's fine."
"What about court?"
"What about it?" he asked in confusion.
"Have any lawyers said anything? About you seeing Kane?"
"No."
"What if one of them does?" Sara asked hesitantly, giving him a sad look. It was only a matter of time before that fact made it to a defense attorney. She faced the same questioning, but in her case it was required departmental policy that she see the psychologist after the accident. In all probability, she may never have to answer any questions about it.
"I'll tell them the truth," Grissom said simply.
"The truth?"
"Someone close to me had undergone a traumatic experience. I wanted to help, but I didn't know how. I went to Kane for advice, and for help in expressing myself better. My social skills aren't the best."
"You make it sound so easy."
"I've been in forensics for over 20 years. My credibility has never been called into question. This won't be a problem."
"God, I hope so, Grissom," she said, setting down her spoon. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I know. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't let it bother you. Eat. Your dinner's getting cold," he chided, giving her a wink.
After dinner, Grissom took her bags back to the bedroom, returning to find her sitting in front of the couch, playing with her kitten. He paused to watch, impressed with himself for thinking of this gift. Crossing the room, he sat down beside her.
Immediately, Tesla jumped into his lap and started climbing up the front of his shirt, resting her head under his chin. Rubbing the top of her head against him, she let out a loud purr.
"No, you're not attached at all," Sara said, rolling her eyes.
"Actually, she's attached to me," he said, pulling her loose and tenderly cradling her in his hands.
Sara smiled wistfully, resting her head against his shoulder. Reaching out, she dangled a piece of twine, watching as the small kitten batted at it playfully.
"Thank you."
Grissom set the kitten in her lap, and wrapped an arm around Sara's shoulder, holding her and playing with their kitten until he had to go into work.
TBC