Title: Alive Again

Summary: Sara and Warrick become closer after he saves her life.

A/N: Yay! This chapter came quite easy to me. Hopefully we will see another one soon. Once again I am finishing this around 4am so forgive any possible mistakes hehe. Please R/R!

Spoilers: Possibly anything all the way up to Early Rollout.

Rating: PG13 for language and some adult situations.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. If I did I wouldn't be living in this shoddy little apartment dreaming about winning the lottery. :)

Chapter Nine:

Sara woke up with a start before being pulled back into Warrick's embrace. "Sara go back to sleep," he mumbled.

Sara smiled and looked at the clock. Pulling out of his arms she hopped out of the bed. She had just over an hour to get ready for work. Warrick sat up and looked at her sleepily.

"Sara come back to bed."

"Warrick I have to get ready for work. Not everyone here is on vacation," she teased.

"You can call in."

"Yeah right. Do you want them asking questions?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't intend to hide this relationship Sara."

"Warrick we don't need to be making out at various crime scenes around the city."

He snorted. "Thats not what I meant and you know it."

She sighed. "Look what do you want me to say?"

He stood up to confront her. Sara didn't think he realized that he was still naked.

"What I want you to say is that you are happy that I am your man and that you aren't ashamed of what we have going on," he said seriously.

She laid a comforting hand on his chest. "Warrick I am not ashamed of us, I just want to make sure that we are comfortable with each other before we start bringing others in on our private lives."

He relaxed and smiled at her. "You sure you don't want to call in?"

Sara chuckled. "Yeah I am sure of it."

"Will you come back after shift?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes. I've got some special plans for us," he said salaciously.

"Well in that case I'll need to stop by my apartment and get some more clothes. I have a feeling I won't be heading back there after your 'plans'. Speaking of clothes I need to run out to my car and get my spare set," she said as she slipped on his boxers and t-shirt she had wore earlier.

He caught her before she left the room and pulled her into his arms for a long kiss.

"Sara this day is everything I could have dreamed of and more."

She smiled and opened her mouth to speak but hesitated. Finally after not finding the right words she settled on, "Me too." She reluctantly removed herself from his arms and went to her car to get her things. She decided on a quick shower before leaving for work and rushed to clean herself off. Soon she was dressed and ready to leave. When she checked in on Warrick he had laid back down and went to sleep once again.

Sara quietly let herself out and rushed to her car. She caught some movement out of her peripheral vision and turned around quickly. She couldn't find anything behind her so decided that it must have been a cat. Hopping in her Tahoe she turned on the ignition and sped away towards the lab.

Sara suddenly had a brilliant idea and decided to stop at a retail store before heading to work. She still had thirty minutes before the start of shift and felt confident that she could get the gift and still be on time.

Luckily the first employee she ran into knew what she was talking about and led her to the appropriate display. Sara stared at her choices for a few moments before grabbing the one that looked the cutest. She grabbed a simple card on her way to the register and was back in her car shortly thereafter.

By the time she reached the lab she was still ten minutes early so she signed the card and decided to take the two items in with her. When she reached his office she was relieved to see that Grissom wasn't in it. She placed the unwrapped gift and card on his desk before scurrying towards the break room.

*****

Sara was pouring herself some coffee when Catherine walked in behind her.

She smiled at the other woman. "Hey Cath."

Catherine winked at Sara and quipped, "Have a good day?"

Sara took a sip of her coffee and nearly choked on it. "Why would you ask that?"

Catherine chuckled. "No reason."

Sara felt afraid to ask if Catherine knew anything about her and Warrick. Of course the woman would eventually find out anyways as she and Warrick were pretty close. Nicky had already been suspecting that something was going on and she dreaded the next time she had to be alone with him.

She was saved from having to think about the matter further when Grissom, Nick and Greg walked into the break room.

Grissom waited until everyone got their coffee and settled down before addressing them. He pursed his lips and said, "Can any of you tell me what a Chia Pet is?"

Sara had been taking another drink of her coffee when he asked his question and this time she did begin choking. After a moment she regained control of herself.

"Sorry wrong pipe," she sputtered. Everyone looked at her curiously before turning back to Grissom. He was smiling.

"Griss do we have a case involving a Chia Pet," Nick asked with confusion.

Catherine smiled. "No he asked what they were."

"Grissom, Chia Pets are animals that have hollow clay bodies. A large portion of the torso of a Chia is lined with grooves which are then filled with moistened Chia seeds, or Salvia Columbariae if you will. The moistened seeds will then form a paste which adheres to the clay surface and within a few weeks you have a furry vegetation friend. I have a collection," Greg quipped as a way of explanation.

"Man, and I thought I was a geek with my comic books," Nick said while slapping Greg on the back.

"Thank you Greg that is exactly what I wanted to know. Lets move on. Who wants to work solo tonight?"

Sara immediately shook her head letting Catherine and Nick decide between the two of them. Catherine wasn't really interested either so Nick took the solo assignment gladly.

"Catherine I hate to do this to you but do you think you could suffer working with Greg tonight?"

"Hey!" Greg spurted.

They ignored him while Catherine appeared to give the matter a lot of thought. Finally she sighed dramatically and agreed upon the condition that she receive a hefty raise on her next review.

"You guys don't appreciate my talents," the young man mock whined.

Grissom smiled at him while he handed Catherine the assignment slip. "Sure we do. Now I know who to come to when I have more questions on Chia Pets. Ok lets get moving people. Sara you are with me tonight."

They all shared a laugh. Grissom asked Sara to come to his office before they left for their crime scene. She stepped in his office nervously. He smiled and asked her to sit down.

"Sara I just want to clear the air on a few issues that stand between us."

"Ok," she drawled out slowly. "Is this going to be a good conversation or a bad one?"

"Hopefully good."

"Alright I'll stick around then."

His eyes sharpened until he caught her amused expression. "You are in a good mood."

"Yeah I am," she said smiling.

"Thank you for the ummm Chia Pet."

"I thought it would be appropriate. You could use a little bit of humor in your life," she said smiling.

He nodded. "I think you are right. Listen I need to apologize for some of the things I've said and done to you recently."

"Grissom you don't..."

He held up his hand to silence her. "Sara please let me say this. When I called you here to investigate the Holly Gribbs case several years ago I referred to you fondly as a friend. You made me realize during our last conversation that we haven't been that in a long time. I need you to know that I have the greatest amount of respect for you and your abilities as a CSI and I believe that one day you will be sitting in this seat."

She chuckled softly. "Is this another explanation as to why I didn't get the promotion? Grissom don't worry about it."

He groaned. "No. Yes. Listen you don't need that promotion the way Nick did. Your like me in that this isn't a job for you, its a way of life. Nick sees this as a job. That doesn't make him a lesser CSI but it does signify the difference between the two of you. You don't care about the prestige, the money or the vacation time that would come with that promotion. Nick does. Both of you have distinguished yourselves as CSIs on multiple occasions. I wasn't able to pick one of you above the other based solely on your track records."

Sara blinked. "You know you could have told me all of this before."

He nodded his agreement. "I know. I should have."

"Why are you saying all of this now Grissom?"

"I was scared I would lose you."

Sara's eyes locked quickly with his and she inwardly groaned. "Grissom I ummm...whoa. What are you trying to say?"

"Sara like I was trying to explain at the beginning of this conversation you and I were once very close friends. I would like to amend the differences we have been having as of late. I feel that maybe we took the first steps with our exchange of plants," he said while smiling sheepishly.

Sara found his smile infectious and returned it. "Ok does this mean we can actually leave this office without a fight?"

Grissom chuckled. "Yes. Come on we have some dead cats to investigate."

She followed him out of the lab. "Did you say dead cats?"

"Yes."

"We need two CSIs for some dead cats?"

"Thirty-three dead cats."

Sara groaned. "Oh great I get to process thirty-three feline bodies. You should have assigned this one to Greg and Catherine," she said conspiratorially.

"Actually I gave them a floater."

"Ugh never mind. Ok lets go."

*****

"Ok that is simply the easiest confession we have ever gotten out of anybody."

Grissom simply nodded as he got in the passenger seat of the car.

Sara sat in the driver's seat but didn't start up the Tahoe. She turned in Grissom's direction and regarded him with concern.

"Grissom are you ok?"

"That boy..."

"Grissom he will be able to get help now," Sara said compassionately.

Grissom shook his head. "I am not sure any amount of therapy will help that child. He actually enjoyed torturing those animals and admitted to it without shame."

Sara nodded gravely. "Yeah that was pretty disturbing. Especially when he described his technique for skinning them alive. I can't believe that his Grandmother didn't know anything about it."

"Well she did seem a bit senile," he muttered.

Sara let the silence hang in the air between them. Finally she reached out to lay her hand reassuringly on his shoulder. "Hey Grissom."

He turned and gifted her with a pathetic smile. Sara thought he looked like a puppy who had taken a beating. She smiled reassuringly at him and squeezed his shoulder affectionately before starting the Tahoe and driving off. They arrived back at the lab in short time. Sara spent the rest of the shift trying to cheer Grissom up. She even went so far as to help him set up his Chia Pet.

By the end of shift Grissom was acting like himself again and even complimented Greg when the younger man presented his initial findings for the floater he and Catherine were working on.

Sara left the building in good spirits. Grissom called her name and caught up with her before she got to her car.

Once he reached her side he smiled and panted a bit to catch his breath. "I'm sorry I thought you might already be gone and I had to race out of there to catch up to you."

She returned his smile. "Whats up Grissom? Need me to stay longer?"

"No no no. I was wondering if you would like to go get some breakfast with me?"

"I uh, I don't know if that is a great idea Grissom. I mean we are just now talking like civilized people again."

Grissom took hold of one of her hands and led her to a private spot between two cars. "Sara I don't want to waste anymore time."

Sara's jaw dropped open. "I, whoa. Grissom um, this really isn't, um..."

"Sara I have given this thing between us so much thought it has nearly driven me crazy. I have tried to push you away, to push you out of my thoughts. I have no idea if things could work out between us, but I am willing to try if that is what you want."

Sara laughed disbelievingly. "Grissom you have the worst timing."

"I know Sara, but the words are true." He moved forward and placed his lips gently upon hers. Sara responded to his touch and yet as she closed her eyes her thoughts drifted to a different man who held her in his arms less than a day ago. Suddenly she pushed away from Grissom and looked down as if ashamed.

"Grissom we can't do this. Not now, not ever," she whispered urgently.

He reached out and cupped her chin in his hand. "Sara I thought this was what you wanted."

She let out a sarcastic laugh while tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "It used to be Grissom. But not anymore. Warrick and I..."

Understanding came quickly to him and Grissom fought to gather control of his emotions. "I am sorry. I didn't know. I thought the plant was an indication that you wanted more."

She shook her head sadly. "No. I just wanted to be your friend again. I still do."

He took a few deep breaths. "Sara I need to go. I just didn't expect this. I'm sorry I need to go." With that he turned away from her and hurried back in the building.

Sara hung her head back for a few moments while she tried to collect her senses. Finally when she felt more composed she turned to go back to her car only to see Warrick standing not twenty feet from her.

"Warrick?" she said his name with confusion.

"I came here this morning to take you to breakfast," he said flatly.

"Oh. Ok."

"Sara I told you it was all or nothing. I said that we couldn't do this half way."

Sara felt her panic rising. "Did you hear us?"

"No, but I saw you locking lips with our boss," he said sarcastically.

"Warrick its not what you think. I swear please listen to me."

He shook his head. "You know you are only the second woman in years that I felt I could give my heart to. It only took her a day to break it as well. Stay away from me Sara. I don't want to hear your excuses. I don't want to have anything to do with you outside of work." Warrick glanced at her one more time before he got in his car and drove away.

Sara stared at Warrick's vehicle as he drove away. Finally after several minutes she walked to her Tahoe and climbed inside and drove off. She never noticed the car that pulled out and followed her.

To be continued...