Title: Changes

Author: Joy

Rating for Chapter One: PG

Disclaimer: I don't even own a car.

Spoilers: All episodes up to Bloodlines (season four finale) are fair game.

A/N: A huge thank you to Alison and Alicia, my betas. Any mistakes still in here are all mine.

Sara sat on the semi-comfortable chair in the waiting room of the station. Her pose seemed to be one of deep contemplation. She was hunched forward slightly with her elbows on her knees, hands pressed together in front of her face as if in prayer.

Sara thought back on the events of the evening. The officer that had pulled her over had been nice enough though slightly condescending. Would anyone believe it? A smart science nerd that was dumb enough to get busted for driving under the influence of alcohol. She heard footsteps and low voices coming closer from the hall.

They had impounded her car and brought her back to the station. When the officer had told her that he was going to be calling her supervisor she had wanted to beg him not to do that. Sara valued her pride, bruised as it was, and hadn't given into temptation, choosing instead to face Grissom head on.

"I appreciate the courtesy." To her horror Grissom's voice came from directly outside the door.

As the officer retreated quietly she sensed Grissom looking at her from the doorway. When he slowly started to enter the room Sara brought her hands down from her face, keeping her eyes staring straight ahead.

He sat down next to her and she wanted to know what he was thinking. A small part of her didn't want to know, but hiding had never been her style. Sara could feel him looking at her and wondered why he had not started the lecture she knew was coming. Grissom did something then that she would never in a million years have expected. He took her hand and said, "Come on, I'll take you home."

Sara's head dropped forward in defeat. 'No lecture? But that's what he does! He doesn't display affection!' She had learned to deal with his calm detachment but how was she supposed to respond to a gentle Grissom?

Sara took a deep breath and considered her options. She would not be able to get her car until the following day. She could call a cab, no. 'I can do this,' Sara thought. She gave a small nod and stood up, slipping her hand out of his in the process.

Grissom stood next to her and looked into her face. Finally she raised her eyes and looked directly into his. Concern shone out mingled with another emotion that she could not, and would not identify. Again this was not what she expected. There was no disappointment, censure, reproach, and no negativity at all.

Sara looked away and moved to step around him. He turned to follow and took her elbow, apparently unwilling to relinquish some sort of hold on her. As they walked out of the building together Sara kept getting the feeling that he was being protective of her, thought she didn't understand why. She hadn't gotten hurt, she had just made a bad choice.

Then all of the sudden a thought struck her. Had Brass told Grissom about his suspicions? Regardless of what Brass thought Sara did not have a drinking problem. Not only was alcohol a depressant, which she definitely did not need, it also made people lose control. She would deny it out loud, but the fact was that Sara Sidle was a control freak. Considering everything she had kept to herself it wouldn't have been wise to allow the effects of alcohol to reveal what she had worked so hard to keep hidden.

'Is he being nice to me out of pity?' she wondered. 'Does he think that he should coddle me because he thinks that I'm a drunk?' The questions just kept coming faster and faster until she was thoroughly pissed off by the time they reached his vehicle.

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As Grissom walked by Sara's side with his hand cupping her elbow, he could feel her mood shift. Outwardly she gave nothing away. It amazed him how in tune he could be with her and yet unable to connect. Unable, or unwilling? He wasn't so sure anymore. Reaching out and taking her hand, and later her elbow was easier than he had thought it would be. What if the rest was just as easy? What if he was making it unnecessarily hard?

He shook his head. His mind was rambling. It didn't help that with every step Sara was becoming increasingly irate. He had a sneaking suspicion that it was directed at him, though he wasn't sure what he had done wrong in the last five minutes.

A horrible thought occurred to him. Maybe she didn't want him to touch her. He considered releasing her arm, no. If she didn't like it, well tough. He had finally touched her, all on his own. If she wanted him to let her go she was going to have to say so. Until then he would do as he pleased. To punctuate this thought his hand tightened on her arm possessively.

Despite all this, Grissom was beginning to worry. Sara wasn't one to hold back her anger and she still had not spoken a word.

When they reached his Denali he moved to open the passenger door for her. He stepped back to let her climb in, and turned to look at her when she didn't proceed. She was looking right at him now. He could tell she was trying to organize her thoughts and decided to wait for her to speak.

JJJJJJJ

"Grissom." Sara fought to keep the anger out of her voice. She wanted to know what was causing his change in behavior but she didn't want to come across as hostile. Her head dropped forward repeating her earlier movement. "What is going on here?"

The question hung in the air for a moment. She could tell that he knew exactly what she meant. Grissom looked into her eyes and she prayed that he wouldn't see how truly vulnerable she was to him in that moment.

"Sara we have a lot to talk about." She nodded slowly in agreement. "And I would rather not discuss it in the parking lot of the police station."

She winced slightly, fully aware of what had brought them there. He lifted his hand to her face, and traced her lips with his thumb. Sara's mind went blank at his touch.

"One thing I can say is that things are going to be changing around here," he continued.

'Ah, here it is. The speech I've been waiting for. I'm surprised that he was able to hold out this long,' she thought as she looked at him expectantly. No words were forthcoming however and he just turned her towards the Denali, and helped her inside before firmly closing the door. Sara sat very still trying to sort out the last few minutes as he walked around to climb into the driver's seat. Once inside he started the engine.

"Do you want to talk about this now, or after you've had some sleep?"

Sara considered his question. She didn't think that she would be any better equipped to deal with this after sleeping, assuming she could sleep. "Now, I suppose."

Grissom smiled, he hadn't thought that she would put off this discussion. "Well," he said as he turned to her, "only one question remains."

Sara lifted an eyebrow at his suddenly playful tome and looked at him questioningly.

"Your place, or mine?"

TBC...