as i promised things are moving quicker than before. sadly this is the next to last chapter. thank you all for your reviews. you've all been a great inspiration and i appreciate you taking the time to read my story.

All of the night shift CSI's had crowded into the back row of the court room. Catherine sat between Nick and Warrick, holding both their hands. Grissom moved to the front to sit behind Sara. She turned around to look at him a few times, both for support and to make sure he hadn't left her. For the most part she kept her cool, though she wanted to scream.
They were accusing her of murder, but if she hadn't killed him he sure as hell would have killed her. She couldn't imagine how she could have been so easy for him to catch. She was normally so careful. She wished she could remember what she'd been thinking, but some of her memories were still foggy at best.
When Ecklie took the witness stand, Sara's heart was in her throat. Ecklie would give anything to prove that he was better than Grissom and that included finding anything and everything he could to bring the night shift CSI's down. Sara panicked. She turned to Grissom, wondering if Ecklie knew what she's told Grissom when they were in her cell. She turned back around and pleaded with her eyes for Ecklie to help her rather than hurt her. Ecklie, for his part, seemed very supportive of Sara.
"There is enough evidence to prove that, had Miss Sidle not killed Michael Yurdi, she herself would certainly be dead now," he explained. "Hand-shaped bruising around her throat as well as petikial hemmoraging indicate that she was in danger."
Sara stared at him, dumbfounded. Not once had he tried to put her down. And he'd smiled at her reassuringly. She gave him a weak smile then glanced backward at Grissom. He nodded, though in disbelief himself, and she smiled.

----

"Must fell pretty good to take off those bracelets," Brass joked.
Sara laughed calmly. She was sitting in Grissom's chair and he was standing behind her, one hand on her shoulder.
"Gil, do you really have to let her go?," Catherine asked, not wanting to have to say goodbye now that Sara was back.
" I am tachnically supposed to," he sighed, playing with Sara's hair. She narrowed her eyes at him and swatted his hand away. "But I think I'd rather dealwith Mobley than face an angry Sara. Besides, it'll save her the trouble of changing her identity and ra-applying. We all know she can't stay away.
Sara smiled and looked up at him. She liked this. He was acting the way she'd always wanted him to. It was everything she'd ever dreamed of, but it all felt like a dream.
'Does it take him thinking I'm dead to actually care?,' she thought as his hand found its way back to her hair.
As the others left his office, Sara's smile faded. She wasn't sure what he'd do when they were alone.
"Sara, I'm sorry," he said, finally breaking the silence.
"For what,Gil?"
A shiver ran through him as she said his first name. It sounded so good coming from her.
"It took me too long to tell you how I really feel."
"Oh."
Her response didn't really thrill him. He wasn't sure if she accepted his appology. He also didn't know what she was thinking and it scared him, thinking she may have been right in the beginning and it may really be too late. After what seemed like an eternity of sitting in silence she stood up and walked toward the door. His heart threatened to pound through his chest as he searched his mind for something to say to keep her from walking out. He'd froze up. Sara reached the door and glanced back at him. She smirked and locked the door, turning around and finding Grissom with an astonished expression, his mouth hung open. She smiled at the sight and walked back to him, pushing him down into his chair. She was curious just how far he'd go. Would he really take this big a risk? She straddled him.
"Sara.."
"Shh."
She kissed him deeply, starting to unbuttton his shirt. She then made short work of the rest of their clothing, discarding them beneath his desk, the whole while barely losing contact with his lips.
"Sara..."
"What, Gil? You didn't try to stop me while I was undressing you. Why now?"
He smiled sort of shyly, running his fingertips down her cheek.
"I was just wondering if we should use protestion."
She smiled and kissed him.
"I'm sick of being careful. I don't want to have to need a barrier to touch someone, especially you."
"What if.. you get pregnant?"
"Then I guess you'll be a daddy Gil."

----

Greg was in shock. He stood in his lab, staring at the CD player, wondering if he had anything sexual in his 'at work' music library. He couldn't believe that he'd just heard moaning from Grissom's office.