Sara spent the night in Grissom's arms. There was nothing sexual about it, but as soon as he hurried back to Sara's Place, she fell into his embrace, a mess, and drowning in her own tears. She spilled out what had happened between racks of sobs.

"I'd n-never been so-so scared," she gasped.

They were now sitting in Sara's room, after she told him the epic tale, on her neatly made daybed. Grissom was sitting upright, with Sara's head against his chest and his arms encircling her waist. She didn't want to be in the living room, where anyone could walk in and catch them in an embrace.

She never returned to the party, which was still going on, and nobody came to check on her. She didn't want to return and see Cade. He frightened her now.

"It's okay," Grissom soothed her. "It's okay to be scared, Sara. You don't need to put on an act all the time. You don't need to be brave." He wiped away a single tear, a tear of betrayal to Sara, who was ashamed of showing such a weakness.

It was such a comforting thing to have Grissom here, holding her. They spoke in hushed tones in the bedroom of Sara's childhood, with only one side table lamp lit, casting a shadowy jaundiced look over everything.

"Why, Grissom? Why are some men like that? Why do they marry four times or never at all? Why do they cheat on their wives or kill them?"

"Shhh. Don't talk like that," he rocked her a little like a child. "Some men are pigs, I'll admit it. Cade Sheffield currently tops the list."

Sara sniffled. She still clutched Del's handkerchief. It smelled like his cologne. "I don't…I don't want you to think that I'm a coward…"

"Why would you say something like that?" he stroked her cheek tenderly. "You're not a coward, Sara."

"I couldn't fight him off. I should have been able too."

"No, no, no. Don't make this your fault. It's completely his. And it's damn lucky that Del showed up. Talk about a knight in shining armor, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, Sara," Grissom sighed. "If I'd been here…I wouldn't have just punched the guy out…I would have killed him."

Sara's heart jumped to hear him say that.

"A married man behaving so shamefully, especially someone associated with your brother in your parents' house. Wiley should be told about this."

"No. No, I would prefer if nothing was said to him."

"I don't want that Cade guy near you, Sara."

"He's not staying here," Sara whispered. "He's at another hotel."

"Good, but I still think you should tell Wiley."

"No," Sara insisted. "It's taken care of. Now that Cade knows that Del can beat the shit out of him, there's no need to worry. I don't want to upset Wiley, it's his wedding day tomorrow."

Grissom grunted. "How does Wiley know him?"

"They used to work at Alliant International University together."

"And he's been fooling around on his wife since 'day one', huh?"

"That's what Del told me." Del. Sara rubbed the fabric of the blue handkerchief between her fingers. Her eyes began to well up with tears again at the thought of him coming to rescue here.

A small knock on the door. Sara dabbed her eyes with the hankie and she felt Grissom tense.

"Who is it?" Sara asked.

"Aunt Sa-wa?" came Kirya's small voice. "Can I come in?"

Sara sat up a little and Grissom released his hold on her. "Sure, sweetie."

Kirya, angelic-looking in a baby blue and lace dress puffed out with layers of crinoline and her feet bare, came into the room. "Are you cryin'?"

"No, why would you say that?"

"Because your eyes is red."

"My eyes are red," corrected Sara.

"Yes they are," Kirya said gravely. She came and climbed onto the bed. Sara knew Veronica would have a heart attack if she knew how Kirya was abusing the dress she currently wore. She sat in Sara's lap. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Mr. Grissom," Sara said.

"Are you her boyfriend?" Kirya asked Grissom, who blushed.

"No, no, I'm not," Grissom replied.

Kirya turned back to her aunt, "Troy is my boyfriend, Aunt Sa-wa, did you know that?" Then she put a small frown on her endearing face. "My mommy says you're a spinster. What's a spinster?"

"According to Webster's," said Grissom, "a woman who has remained single beyond the conventional age for marrying."

"Or, a lady who's never been married," Sara said. Spinster, huh? Veronica can roast in hell.

"My daddy's been married lots of times."

"That's right."

"You two should get married," insisted Kirya, nodding at Grissom. "And have a little girl that I can play with." She planted a kiss on Sara's cheek and hopped off her lap. "I'm gonna go play with Troy. Think about what I said, okay?"

Once Kirya was out of the room, Grissom and Sara laughed in a nervous way.

"Out of the mouths of babes," Grissom said as Sara leaned back into his arms.

"I don't know where she gets it."

They lapsed into silence then, the soft ticking of the pink butterfly clock making Sara sleepy.

"Grissom," Sara said, drowsy, "do you have to go back to your room? Can you...can you stay here? With me? I don't feel like…like being alone tonight. I know Cade will be miles away, but—"

"Sara," Grissom replied softly, "you don't have to say any more."

Sara woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare that left her wet with sweat and choking on a scream. Grissom of course jolted awake and calmed her down.

"It's okay, honey…it's okay, you're safe…"

It was four AM. "Jesus," Sara said breathlessly. "I missed the party."

"I'm sure no one's upset. Why don't you get into your pajamas and get under the covers. The wedding is tomorrow, that's going to keep us busy all day, I'm sure. Well, you at least."

"No…Grissom, don't leave…"

"If you need me, you know which room I'm in," he said. He got up from the bed and kissed her, on the cheek, very lightly and so close to her mouth that Sara wondered if he missed on purpose.