Section 5
First time since his surgery a few months back, he was taking another vacation. This time, he was going to fix something else, his life. He had tasted what it was like to live and now he wanted to taste it again.
It took a few hours to get things settled between the director and sheriff, but the time away was agreed and that the lab would suffer slightly, though they were sure Catherine and the other's could survive a few days.
Soon, he was on his way and sitting in a cramped jumbo with his mind being overrun with ways to get Sara back and other's to convince her he wasn't going anywhere, if she'd only come home.
*^*^*^*
Sara dropped down on the couch and flung her arm over her ryes. "Got to wait two minutes." She sighed as she felt Curt sit beside her.
"What if it's positive?" He asked.
Sara turned her head and she bought her arm down. "What if it isn't?" She countered.
Curt let out a sharp breath. "Stop it and answer me."
She shrugged. "I'm not leaving." She said stubbornly.
"What about he baby?" He asked, sensing her growing agitation and confusion, not to mention her increased sadness over the past few hours. As soon as they left the bench, Sara searched for a chemist store and took a while to come out. Curt had waited patiently with her as she stared at the box when they got back home and eventually, he had to give her a little nudge.
"It's not a baby." She scowled and pushed herself up. "It's nothing yet. It's still early." She snapped, trying to believe herself as she spat the words out. "I don't believe this!" She squeaked, her anger slipping. "This can't be happening."
Curt stood and approached her slowly. "You could tell him." He suggested.
Sara shook her head. "Oh come on." She laughed dryly. "Grissom? Gil Grissom? would not know what to do with a child. Hell, I don't even know."
Stepping closer, he grasped her arm as she turned to pace the living room once more, and pulled her to him. "It's ok sweetheart." He hushed her, rubbing her back as she let go of her confusion and fear that had built up since she even thought about being pregnant. "It's gonna be ok whatever happens. I'm here Sara. I'm not gonna let you go through this alone."
"It could be negative Curt." She hiccuped.
"Doesn't matter. I'm still here for you." He reassured. After a long time, just holding her tightly, he brushed his cheek against her ear and let out a long light breath that bespoke of many questions, but only one surfacing at this time. "You want this baby, don't you?"
Sara heard his soft voice and his question hit her hard in the chest, right above her heart. "More than anything." She whispered hoarsely.
Curt closed his eyes and pulled her close again. "It's time." He whispered, kissing her cheek.
*^*^*^*
Grissom had climbed into the taxi with his small hold-all and relayed the address to the driver. It took around 15 minutes to get to Julian Garden Apartments, but the time was spent in deep thought and trying to remember what he was going to say. That was all lost as the taxi pulled up. Although he had booked a room at a small motel down the road, he needed to see her.
Paying the taxi driver, he grasped his bag tightly as he opened the door and stepped out into the harsh midday sunlight. He had tried to get a flight the same day he found the number, but he knew he couldn't just leave the lab without some kind of notice. So, he had waited, painfully, for an early afternoon flight and was so relieved when he saw a car in the parking space for apartment 32. It meant someone was home and he hoped it was Sara.
*^*^*^*
Curt poured himself some more coffee and checked the clock. It was his day off, but he should really go into work for an hour to catch up on some paperwork. His job was mainly computerised, but there was always something to sign off. As he was about to sit down and drink his liquid breakfast, a knock on the door stopped him.
As he opened the door, he placed his coffee on the table beside Sara's field case. "Hi, can I help?" Curt asked the stranger.
"Yes. I'm Gil Grissom. I rang yesterday."
Curt blinked slowly. "Oh." He breathed, taking one glance behind him before opening the door slightly. "This isn't really a good time Mr. Grissom."
Grissom placed his bag on the floor and sighed. "Would it ever be a good time?" He asked curiously as his eyes scanned the apartment he could see.
"Well, maybe, it's just..." Curt swallowed and closed the door. "I suppose it's good you came so quick anyway."
Hearing worry and concern in the younger man's voice, Grissom turned. "Something happen? Is Sara alright?" He quickly fired at Curt before following him further into the apartment.
Curt nodded and shrugged, a contradiction in actions. "She's upset. Um." He reached up and scratched his chin. "I have to go into work for an hour. I don't want to leave her alone, but I'm still not sure you should be here, you understand?"
Grissom stared at Curt with confused eyes and shook his head. "I'm sorry, no, I don't. I need to see her. Is she here?"
A noise from the hall cut through the sudden silence and then a door opening caused both men to turn. "Curt?" Sara's groggy and chesty voice came from the hallway and soon she appeared with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, still clad in her pajamas.
"Sara." Grissom's voice broke through their ears as she froze in the doorway to the living room.
"Griss?" She rubbed her eyes before taking another look, still thinking she was asleep, where she had been dreaming of him. Looking back up, she realised it wasn't a dream. "Oh god, Grissom, what are you doing here?" She demanded. Her eyes pinned Curt with a deadly glare.
Curt held up his hands. "I'm going to work for an hour. Call me if you need anything." He grabbed his coat and left them alone, although he dreaded not being there if something bad happened, not that he thought Grissom would do anything, he had a good idea what Sara would do to Grissom and didn't want to come home to the older mans blood on the walls.
Back in the apartment, Sara was now staring at the floor, hugging the blanket tighter to her. Grissom stood, looking at her, taking in her bed head and smiling, but it soon left when his mind finally caught up with the shock of finally seeing her. "You left." He stated simply as she continued to stare at anything but him.
She nodded. "Yes."
"Why?" He asked her quickly.
Sara shook her head and turned. "I don't want to talk about this."
Grissom stepped forward and pleaded with her. "Sara please, you have to tell me so I can make things right."
Stopping, she sighed. "Not right now Grissom. I'm tired."
"It's noon." He told her with concern. Even he knew she didn't sleep for long and although he had a feeling she wasn't working again yet, that something had to be wrong for her to be sleeping this late.
"I know what time of day it is Grissom, thank you for pointing that out to me." She near enough snapped at him.
Grissom was left standing in the living room alone with his thoughts as she retreated back to her bed. He couldn't let her just leave him. He needed to know. He needed to convince her that he wasn't going to leave, not now that he had opened himself up to her.
Sitting heavily onto the couch, he dropped his head into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. His sigh was deep and sad, but his mind was running with questions, thoughts and feelings. Feelings? He knew what he wanted, he knew what to do, so why was he stalling?
*^*^*^*
Sara's body was still wrapped in the blanket she had around her shoulders, but she was lying on her bed with her back to the door. She heard it open, but didn't turn.
"Sara." He whispered, closing the door behind him before he moved further into the room to sit on the edge of the bed. Before that night, he wouldn't have ever done this, never allowed himself into her place, her room and definitely not her bed. But after he'd shared so much with her, he felt comfortable with this kind of closeness and he wasn't going to back down now, not until she told him it meant nothing.
He reached out his hand to touch her shoulder, but stopped when he noticed her shaking body and then the sound registered in his ears, she was crying. Although it was muffled against her pillow, she was crying. He moved onto the bed, kicking off his shoes so he didn't muck up her sheets. "Oh honey." He said softly, shifting until her back met his chest. "Why are you crying?"
"I don't know." She sniffled, silently taking pleasure in being held by him again. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her lightly to him. She wanted to be held by him so much, it hurt.
"Ssssh, Sara... this can wait." He breathed. "We can talk later."
"Thank you." She said softly, letting out a hiccup.
Closing his eyes, he breathed out a slow breath against her neck. "You want me to go?" He asked shakily.
Sara grabbed his hand so quick, it made him jump at the sudden movement. "No, don't go. Stay with me," She pleaded. "Hold me."
"Ok." He pulled her closer, turning his hand in hers and linking their fingers to squeeze tight.
TBC
First time since his surgery a few months back, he was taking another vacation. This time, he was going to fix something else, his life. He had tasted what it was like to live and now he wanted to taste it again.
It took a few hours to get things settled between the director and sheriff, but the time away was agreed and that the lab would suffer slightly, though they were sure Catherine and the other's could survive a few days.
Soon, he was on his way and sitting in a cramped jumbo with his mind being overrun with ways to get Sara back and other's to convince her he wasn't going anywhere, if she'd only come home.
*^*^*^*
Sara dropped down on the couch and flung her arm over her ryes. "Got to wait two minutes." She sighed as she felt Curt sit beside her.
"What if it's positive?" He asked.
Sara turned her head and she bought her arm down. "What if it isn't?" She countered.
Curt let out a sharp breath. "Stop it and answer me."
She shrugged. "I'm not leaving." She said stubbornly.
"What about he baby?" He asked, sensing her growing agitation and confusion, not to mention her increased sadness over the past few hours. As soon as they left the bench, Sara searched for a chemist store and took a while to come out. Curt had waited patiently with her as she stared at the box when they got back home and eventually, he had to give her a little nudge.
"It's not a baby." She scowled and pushed herself up. "It's nothing yet. It's still early." She snapped, trying to believe herself as she spat the words out. "I don't believe this!" She squeaked, her anger slipping. "This can't be happening."
Curt stood and approached her slowly. "You could tell him." He suggested.
Sara shook her head. "Oh come on." She laughed dryly. "Grissom? Gil Grissom? would not know what to do with a child. Hell, I don't even know."
Stepping closer, he grasped her arm as she turned to pace the living room once more, and pulled her to him. "It's ok sweetheart." He hushed her, rubbing her back as she let go of her confusion and fear that had built up since she even thought about being pregnant. "It's gonna be ok whatever happens. I'm here Sara. I'm not gonna let you go through this alone."
"It could be negative Curt." She hiccuped.
"Doesn't matter. I'm still here for you." He reassured. After a long time, just holding her tightly, he brushed his cheek against her ear and let out a long light breath that bespoke of many questions, but only one surfacing at this time. "You want this baby, don't you?"
Sara heard his soft voice and his question hit her hard in the chest, right above her heart. "More than anything." She whispered hoarsely.
Curt closed his eyes and pulled her close again. "It's time." He whispered, kissing her cheek.
*^*^*^*
Grissom had climbed into the taxi with his small hold-all and relayed the address to the driver. It took around 15 minutes to get to Julian Garden Apartments, but the time was spent in deep thought and trying to remember what he was going to say. That was all lost as the taxi pulled up. Although he had booked a room at a small motel down the road, he needed to see her.
Paying the taxi driver, he grasped his bag tightly as he opened the door and stepped out into the harsh midday sunlight. He had tried to get a flight the same day he found the number, but he knew he couldn't just leave the lab without some kind of notice. So, he had waited, painfully, for an early afternoon flight and was so relieved when he saw a car in the parking space for apartment 32. It meant someone was home and he hoped it was Sara.
*^*^*^*
Curt poured himself some more coffee and checked the clock. It was his day off, but he should really go into work for an hour to catch up on some paperwork. His job was mainly computerised, but there was always something to sign off. As he was about to sit down and drink his liquid breakfast, a knock on the door stopped him.
As he opened the door, he placed his coffee on the table beside Sara's field case. "Hi, can I help?" Curt asked the stranger.
"Yes. I'm Gil Grissom. I rang yesterday."
Curt blinked slowly. "Oh." He breathed, taking one glance behind him before opening the door slightly. "This isn't really a good time Mr. Grissom."
Grissom placed his bag on the floor and sighed. "Would it ever be a good time?" He asked curiously as his eyes scanned the apartment he could see.
"Well, maybe, it's just..." Curt swallowed and closed the door. "I suppose it's good you came so quick anyway."
Hearing worry and concern in the younger man's voice, Grissom turned. "Something happen? Is Sara alright?" He quickly fired at Curt before following him further into the apartment.
Curt nodded and shrugged, a contradiction in actions. "She's upset. Um." He reached up and scratched his chin. "I have to go into work for an hour. I don't want to leave her alone, but I'm still not sure you should be here, you understand?"
Grissom stared at Curt with confused eyes and shook his head. "I'm sorry, no, I don't. I need to see her. Is she here?"
A noise from the hall cut through the sudden silence and then a door opening caused both men to turn. "Curt?" Sara's groggy and chesty voice came from the hallway and soon she appeared with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, still clad in her pajamas.
"Sara." Grissom's voice broke through their ears as she froze in the doorway to the living room.
"Griss?" She rubbed her eyes before taking another look, still thinking she was asleep, where she had been dreaming of him. Looking back up, she realised it wasn't a dream. "Oh god, Grissom, what are you doing here?" She demanded. Her eyes pinned Curt with a deadly glare.
Curt held up his hands. "I'm going to work for an hour. Call me if you need anything." He grabbed his coat and left them alone, although he dreaded not being there if something bad happened, not that he thought Grissom would do anything, he had a good idea what Sara would do to Grissom and didn't want to come home to the older mans blood on the walls.
Back in the apartment, Sara was now staring at the floor, hugging the blanket tighter to her. Grissom stood, looking at her, taking in her bed head and smiling, but it soon left when his mind finally caught up with the shock of finally seeing her. "You left." He stated simply as she continued to stare at anything but him.
She nodded. "Yes."
"Why?" He asked her quickly.
Sara shook her head and turned. "I don't want to talk about this."
Grissom stepped forward and pleaded with her. "Sara please, you have to tell me so I can make things right."
Stopping, she sighed. "Not right now Grissom. I'm tired."
"It's noon." He told her with concern. Even he knew she didn't sleep for long and although he had a feeling she wasn't working again yet, that something had to be wrong for her to be sleeping this late.
"I know what time of day it is Grissom, thank you for pointing that out to me." She near enough snapped at him.
Grissom was left standing in the living room alone with his thoughts as she retreated back to her bed. He couldn't let her just leave him. He needed to know. He needed to convince her that he wasn't going to leave, not now that he had opened himself up to her.
Sitting heavily onto the couch, he dropped his head into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. His sigh was deep and sad, but his mind was running with questions, thoughts and feelings. Feelings? He knew what he wanted, he knew what to do, so why was he stalling?
*^*^*^*
Sara's body was still wrapped in the blanket she had around her shoulders, but she was lying on her bed with her back to the door. She heard it open, but didn't turn.
"Sara." He whispered, closing the door behind him before he moved further into the room to sit on the edge of the bed. Before that night, he wouldn't have ever done this, never allowed himself into her place, her room and definitely not her bed. But after he'd shared so much with her, he felt comfortable with this kind of closeness and he wasn't going to back down now, not until she told him it meant nothing.
He reached out his hand to touch her shoulder, but stopped when he noticed her shaking body and then the sound registered in his ears, she was crying. Although it was muffled against her pillow, she was crying. He moved onto the bed, kicking off his shoes so he didn't muck up her sheets. "Oh honey." He said softly, shifting until her back met his chest. "Why are you crying?"
"I don't know." She sniffled, silently taking pleasure in being held by him again. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her lightly to him. She wanted to be held by him so much, it hurt.
"Ssssh, Sara... this can wait." He breathed. "We can talk later."
"Thank you." She said softly, letting out a hiccup.
Closing his eyes, he breathed out a slow breath against her neck. "You want me to go?" He asked shakily.
Sara grabbed his hand so quick, it made him jump at the sudden movement. "No, don't go. Stay with me," She pleaded. "Hold me."
"Ok." He pulled her closer, turning his hand in hers and linking their fingers to squeeze tight.
TBC