Chapter Four: The Aftermath

Sara

Grissom rose from his chair as I walked out of the exam room. I was still feeling dizzy but having told him about the rape I felt better in another way.

"Hi, honey," he searched my eyes for discomfort, "how are you feeling?" I guess the rape and heat exhaustion combined made me more emotional than usual because the tears started again and this time I purposely went to him for comfort. He wrapped his strong arms around me, stroking my back and tried to console me. After awhile I regained my composure and moments later Dr. Lawrence walked back into the room.

"Okay, I've sent all the evidence over to the station to be processed and hopefully we'll find out something soon."She looked at me snuggled safely in Grissom's arms and a small smile spread across her face. That moment told me she knew I loved and trusted him and that he felt the same about me. "Now Sara it would be best if you weren't alone for any length of time until this asshole, excuse the language, is caught. Is there a friend you can stay with?" Her eyes shifted to Grissom and I knew what was on her mind.

"Gris?" I whispered and he looked into my eyes, "could I stay with you?" He looked scared and I mentally kicked myself for putting him in that position.

"Of course honey, if that's what you want." Did I hear him right? He said yes? Oh my God! He said YES!

"Good," said the doctor, "Sara you have my number, remember that no matter what time it is you can call me for anything, okay?"

I nodded and she opened the door for us. Gris had his arm wrapped around my shoulders as we left and began walking towards the parking garage.

"Do you wanna stop off at your place and get your things?" he asked. I knew he didn't realize how scared I was of going back there but I suppose he must have felt me tense because he immediately said, "If you'd rather not we can just go back to my place and worry about it later." I relaxed and told him that would be better so he opened the door to the passenger side of the Tahoe for me before going around to get in the driver's side.

Grissom

As I pulled the Tahoe into my parking space the sun was breaking the horizon. I looked over at Sara and saw her staring out the window, off in her own world. "Sara honey?" I asked and realized I had really taken to calling her 'honey'. "We're here." She undid the seatbelt and slid out of the vehicle. I wrapped my arm around her again, wanting to make all her pain and fear go away as we walked to the door of my townhouse. I unlocked the door and motioned her in before me. She walked in cautiously and jumped when I shut the door behind us.

"Could I use your shower Gris?" came her timid voice. This was not the Sara I knew but I knew better than to pressure her into talking.

"Of course honey." I led her up the stairs to the master bathroom got her some fluffy, warm towels and told her I would find her something to wear. When I got back with a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt she was running her slender fingers along the edge of the Jacuzzi bathtub. I knocked politely on the half-closed door and she pulled it the rest of the way open. I went digging under the sink for the unscented bubble bath I kept there for the rare occasion I wanted to relax away tension with a hot bath. When she saw the bottle in my hand she smiled. "Would you rather have a bath?" I asked. She nodded eagerly and took the bottle from my hand. I showed her how to use the jets and told her I would be downstairs if she needed me. I made my way downstairs and started preparing breakfast for the two of us.

About a half hour after I heard the water stop running and Sara sink into the bath I heard her call my name. My heart began to pound and I took the stairs two at a time, skidding to a halt when I found her sitting on my bed with her wet hair dripping down her back. "Is everything okay Sara?" my body tense. When she nodded I relaxed and showed her where my hair dryer was, realizing that was why she had called for me.

I went back downstairs and was just finishing setting the table when I heard her in the kitchen door. We had breakfast and I brought her upstairs to my bedroom and made sure she was comfortable. I told her I would be just down the hall in the guest bedroom if she needed anything.

Sara

The relaxing bath had helped as had the delicious pancake breakfast that Grissom had made. And I soon fell asleep in his big comfortable bed.

When I looked at the clock it said 10:12am which meant I had been asleep for just over two hours. I wondered what had awoken me when I heard a scrape against the window. When I turned to see what was causing the noise the face of my rapist peered back at me. I let out a long blood-curdling scream and woke from the nightmare with a start. I was in Grissom's bed with the blankets lying in a tangled heap at my feet, sweat dripping from me and as I sat up Grissom came bursting through the door.

"Sara?! What happened? Are you alright?" his voice was frantic and he looked terrified.

"I'm fine Gil," did I just call him Gil? "Just a silly nightmare." He looked like he didn't believe me and I suppose he was right not to. I was petrified and I couldn't stop shaking but I tried to hide it as he made his way towards the bed. He fixed the blankets and pulled them back up around me and as he turned to leave I asked "Stay with me?" so quietly I thought he wouldn't hear me but he turned and looked into my eyes. I shifted over on the bed and he tentatively climbed in beside me. "Hold me?" was barely audible from my lips but he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. I felt his lips brush the crown of my head just as I drifted off to sleep.