Trauma

Rating; R

Please R&R

Chapter 10

HE woke up with Sara spooned in his arms everyday. This time was different. This time, when he called out her name and kissed her ear, a warm body stirred. This time, it wasn't just a dream.

HE could feel her body tremble in his embrace. Sure that he was frightening her, he started to pull back. Her hand flashed out to grasp his and bring it tighter around her body. "Don't." was all she said. He pulled her closer into his chest.

" YOU know, it's really kinda sad, in a way. Here I am, finally in your arms, in your bed, and even if I could physically make love with you, emotionally I'm too afraid to even turn over and face you."

HE gently raised his hand to her chin and turned her head to look into her eyes. "You never have to be afraid of me," he whispered.

"I know," she answered, as they continued to gaze into each other's eyes.

Slowly, giving her plenty of opportunity to stop him, he lowered his mouth to hers in a gentle kiss. A kiss they both seemed to need. The kiss broke as Sara turned in his arms. She raised her hand to stroke his bearded jaw, and smiled a small smile into his eyes. He leaned in to claim her kiss again, her name escaping on a sigh just before his lips touched hers.

The kiss gently deepened, their tongues tentatively sneaking out to touch the other. He realized that he was half on top of her, and wanting her to feel like she was in control of the situation, rolled onto his back, pulling her over him. Now, he could really hold her like he had been aching to do. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist and held on as if he were a drowning man.

He felt her suddenly stiffen in his arms, and knew he had gone too far. "I'm sorry," he said as he broke the connection of their mouths. Looking into her chocolate eyes, he saw fear. But what gave him hope was the regret and trust he saw there. He smiled a megawatt smile at her and said," Now, THAT"S the way to wake up! Start everyday with a killer kiss, and the world would be a much better place!"

She smiled down at him. "Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For…understanding."

HE brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I'm not so understanding. I've just gotta get ready for work," he gave her the smirk that she had grown to love, hate, and depend on.

"Fine, then! Get outta my bed!" She said as she laughingly pushed at his solid chest.

"If memory serves, this is actually MY bed."

"Oh…. Bite me!" for lack of anything more intelligent to say.

"I was trying to!" he growled as he pushed her off of him and headed for the bathroom to take a shower.

An hour later, after a cold shower and a hot breakfast, Grissom was giving Sara some last minute instructions. "If you have to open the door, be sure to disable the alarm first. The code is Einstein's birthday." She smiled at that." Don't let anybody in that you don't know…"

"Yes, Mom." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Sorry, I just…I want you to be safe."

"I know, and I appreciate it, but I am a big girl and have to learn to deal with this myself."

"Yeah, well… I'll see you around midnight. I'll call if I think I'm going to be very much later. You call me if you need anything. I'll be in my office trying to trudge through all the paperwork that multiplies on my desk. I swear I saw two forms doing the 'Horizontal Mambo' the other day."

She laughed as she shooed him out the door.

Dr. Doreen Grimes was a small lady, somewhere between 61 and 258 years old, with the brightest red hair Sara had ever seen. Yet, something about her let a person know that she could be trusted and she actually cared about her patients as people, not just 'billable hours'.

"Sara, you do not blame Mr. Grissom, who was with you during the attack and is a man much stronger than yourself, but you are condemning yourself for the rape. Why?"

"I have been trained in weaponless defense. It is my responsibility to take care of myself."

"Sara, those three men had guns and knives. They also had the element of surprise on their side. They had a specific "goal", if you will, and the only thing that would have stopped them would have been someone's death. Probably yours."