An hour later, Grissom and Sara were in the back of Vega's Taurus, headed to their hotel. It wasn't anything flashy, a little place off the strip, but Grissom figured that the harder it was to find, the safer they were.
Brooks was still at large, but he was in their sights.
Cath had explained that they had an address, and they were staking the place out.
She would call when she had more news.
He looked across at Sara, the early morning Vegas sun streaming onto her face. Her arm was plastered, in a sling.
She stared out of the window, not realising he was watching her. He sighed. The doctor said she'd be in plaster for about six weeks, and this meant she would have to be confined to lab work.
Grissom was actually quite happy about this.
She would be safe, but she wouldn't see it like that.
She hated being confined, almost as much as he did.
She glanced across at him, and Grissom smiled at her. She smiled half-heartedly back, and returned to staring out of the window.
She felt something brush her against her fingers, and it made her jump. Turning, she looked down at her hand. Grissom's was resting next to hers, almost touching. She felt her heart begin to beat that little bit faster. Neither of them dared to close that inch between them. It seemed like the story of their lives.
She couldn't deal with this right now, her mind was still incommunicado, her senses AWOL. She pulled her hand away, and used it to wrap her borrowed jacket around her, and even though the air conditioning was circulating warm air around the car, she shivered a little.
Grissom, unaware that they were so close, took her gesture as one of cold.
"Hey, Sara? Are you cold?" He instinctively reached out to touch her face, but stopped himself. Instead he touched the head rest behind her.
"No."
"You sure?"
"I just want to get some sleep." She snapped at him.
Grissom looked at her, and she saw hurt in his eyes. He spoke quietly.
"Oh. Well, it looks like we're here."
Vega swung the wheel left, and pulled into the hotel parking lot.
He turned to them, "I want you both to walk in front of me, and quickly."
They nodded. The threat that Brooks posed was very real for both of them.
***************************************************************
They got to their room without incident. Vega cleared the room before they were allowed to enter. The receptionist said that only Cath had been inside, but he didn't want to take any chances.
They stepped inside, first Sara, then Grissom. She took in her surroundings. Tasteful walls, plush drapes, deep pile carpet, king size bed… She paused, and did a double take. Just the one, king size, bed.
She looked across to Grissom, who appeared to be doing the same. Well, she thought. At least it wasn't a set up. Well, not on Grissom's part.
Grissom turned to ask Vega if this was the right room, but he was already gone, posted outside the door for their protection.
She walked up to the bed, and found two piles of clothes. Each had a small bag of toiletries on the top, cunningly labelled Sara and Grissom.
"Gris…" She felt herself use her pet name for him, without thinking. "Cath must have left these." She fingered the piece of paper.
"Do you want me to see if I can get us another room?" He paused, and took a deep breath. "One with, uh, two beds?"
"This one is fine." The incredulous look on his face almost made her smile. Truth was, she just wanted to get some sleep. The bed was large enough for both of them to share, without being too close.
"Are you sure?"
She was gone, headed into the bathroom. It sparkled, unlike some hotel bathrooms she had visited. She just wanted a bath, and to sleep.
"Are you gonna take a bath?"
She whirled around, letting out a little yelp of fear.
Grissom realised what he had done. "Sara, I'm sorry. I didn't think-"
She placed her hand on her chest, and strained to hear him over the thump-thump-thump of her heart in her ears. "You made me jump, is all."
He reached out and held her elbow, and it wasn't till then that she realised she was shaking. He put the toilet lid down, and sat her on it.
"I shouldn't have. Would you like some water?"
"Please." Sara couldn't believe herself. She was safe, no-one was going to reach her here, but she was still terrified.
He rinsed a glass that was beside the bathroom sink, and filled it.
He knelt in front of her, holding out the glass.
"It's ok to be scared. After what you've been through… Here."
It was as if he had read her thoughts. She sat stunned for a moment, then felt a solitary tear roll down her cheek. She took the glass from him, and sipped.
He brushed the tear from her skin, impulsively. This contact made her flinch, it was so unexpected. She stared at him, her eyes dark, shiny with unshed tears, and he withdrew, quickly. "Sorry." He mumbled. Before she could say anything, he stood.
"Did you want me to run you a bath?"
She was glad of the quick change of subject. She gained control of herself, with difficulty.
She lifted her plastered arm. "I can't get this wet."
"I'll call room service; have them send up a plastic bag. We can wrap it in that." Grissom was all business, annoyed that he had let himself slip so obviously.
She nodded. "Okay."
At the raspy, almost whisper of her voice he softened. "Are you hungry? I could order some food at the same time."
Sara really wasn't, but she had a feeling Grissom was going to make her eat something.
"If you like." She felt drained, the adrenaline her fright had sent coursing through her veins was depleted. She could probably fall asleep right there, perched on the toilet seat. "I might just get some sleep."
"I think that would be best." He held out his hand, to help her up. She regarded it for a moment, then took it. He escorted her to the bed, resisting the urge to steer her with a hand on the small of her back.
She sat down on the bed, between the piles of clothes. Grissom took his and placed it on a nearby chair, leaving hers at her side.
She peeled off her coat, revealing a small t-shirt, and a pair of black jeans. Cath kept a change of clothes in her car, and gladly lent them to Sara. They didn't fit her well, as she was taller than Cath, but she was grateful.
He put in the call to room service, also ordering some pasta and salad. He knew she was a vegetarian, had been since they had stayed up all night with that pig. For himself he ordered some whole bran and some fruit. Hanging up the phone, he turned to look at her.
"Um, Grissom?" She stared pointedly at him, and he understood her immediately.
"I'll, um, be in the bathroom." He left her alone, closing the door behind himself.
***************************************************************
Grissom stood for a moment, in the centre of the small room. How long should he give her? Normally if she had to change for work, it took her less than fifteen minutes. He would give her a half hour.
Quite what he would do for half an hour, in the bathroom, alone, puzzled him.
He hadn't slept in a long time, but that wasn't unusual, and he wasn't going to fall asleep in the bathroom.
So all that he could do was contemplate the fact that he was probably out of a job, and the fact that he had almost lost the one thing he didn't know he needed so much. How did Brooks – his fist clenched involuntarily as he thought of him – know Sara was his weakness, before even he did? He perched on the edge of the bath, and removed his glasses.
As he rubbed his eyes, he realised he had a problem. Had Brooks told her the reason he had chosen her? Probably. And she was most likely disgusted with him. That would explain her behaviour. As her shock was dissipating, other feelings would begin to surface.
At least she was Ok.
