Post-Butterflied

Disclaimer: I still don't own CSI and get no profit from writing these stories…yadda yadda yadda.

Chapter Nine

Sara was startled awake by the ringing of her doorbell. She was not expecting to be in her living room and fell off the couch. Suddenly she remembered the previous evening she had fallen asleep on her couch with Grissom there. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was shortly after noon. Cursing at the pain in her foot, she called out that she'd be right there. She somehow managed to struggle to her feet, stumbling to find the crutches. She had no idea how she looked, but she had to get to the door because whoever was there had been waiting for several minutes by now.

"Are you Sara Sidle?" a man asked.

"Yes," she replied suspiciously.

"Then these," he produced a bouquet of beautiful flowers, "are for you."

"Who sent these?" Sara asked.

"I don't know, ma'am, there is a card with them. Have a nice day," the deliveryman left.

Sara closed her door and carried the flowers to her kitchen where she found a vase. She filled it with water and put the flowers in it and set them on her dinner table. She found the card and pulled it out.

"Sara,

I know these flowers won't make the fact that you have to take two weeks off work any better, but I hope you enjoy them anyway. I picked them out myself, I know how you like plants and such.

Grissom."

Sara smiled and placed the card back into it's plastic clip in the flowers. Never in her life had anyone sent her flowers before. There was the one time when Grissom sent her a plant, but that had been different. These were the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen, probably because she was in love with the man who sent them.

After she had eaten lunch, she had to try to figure out what to do. She was not allowed to shower for another day and she didn't think that would be such a good idea anyway. She turned on her TV and found out that there was absolutely nothing worth watching on TV in the daytime. She gave up on that and decided to take a nap. She was still used to the work schedule of sleeping in the daytime.

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Grissom had tried calling Sara twice in the afternoon. He hoped she was only asleep or something and not in any trouble. He decided it would be a good idea to stop by her place for a while before work anyway. When he arrived, he rang her doorbell and strained to listen for movements inside the apartment. After several seconds, he heard her coming toward the door.

"Hey Gris," she opened the door wider so he could enter.

"Hello Sara," he stepped inside, closing the door behind him, "I was wondering what happened to you. I called you a couple times earlier."

"Oh, I was probably asleep," Sara explained, "did you need me?"

"No, I just thought it was odd that you didn't answer your phone," Grissom explained, "oh here, I brought this for you."

Sara watched as he produced a "Get Well Soon" card for her. She took it and saw that all of her friends from work had signed it.

"It was Greg's idea, we all just signed it," Grissom explained it.

"Tell him…and everyone else, that I said thank you," Sara sat down and opened the card to read all the messages, "have you read what Nicky wrote?"

"No, what'd he say?" Grissom asked.

" 'My dear friend, I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but when you see a rock slide, you're supposed to step out of the way. It's not good for you try to catch a boulder with your foot. Oh well, I guess you know better now. Sorry, I just had to pick on you, get well soon Sara. Love ya, Nick'" Sara was laughing.

"He actually wrote that?" Grissom grabbed for the card.

"Yes," Sara shook her head, "because I did this on purpose."

"For all I know, you did. Maybe you were just dying for an excuse to take a few weeks off work with pay," Grissom teased.

"If I wanted to take off work, I have more than enough vacation days coming to me," Sara smacked him playfully.

"Anyone else say anything interesting?" Grissom asked.

"Everything else is pretty much the standard, 'sorry about your foot, hope you get well soon' type of stuff," Sara scanned the card, "oh wait, this one's good, 'Sara, I'm so sorry you have to take all this time out. I promise that I will do my best to make sure you aren't bored out of your skull. We will go do something together, maybe I'll take a few days off to be with you. I love you, GG'."

Grissom smiled, "I meant that."

"Which part?" Sara asked.

"All of it. But especially that last part. I do love you, Sara," Grissom said.

"I love you too," Sara smiled and leaned over to kiss him.

"I know I said that once, but it was sort of in the heat of the moment, so I really wanted to let you know I meant it," Grissom explained.

"I knew you meant it," Sara snuggled up to him.

"Good," Grissom smiled and enjoyed taking in the way Sara smelled, "you smell wonderful, dear."

Sara laughed, "Thanks, I don't think anyone has ever said that before."

"Um, so what would you think if I took a few days off work to come spend with you?" Grissom asked.

"Now I know you're serious," Sara sat up to look in his eyes, "you are actually thinking of putting work second for me?"

"Of course, I realize there is far more to life than just my job," Grissom said seriously.

"I have realized that too," Sara nodded, "I used to think that my job was my whole life."

"It's sad, isn't it?" Grissom asked slowly.

"What is?" Sara was confused.

"People like us. We spend a good portion of our lives devoted to working and never realizing how much of life we are missing out on. Look at Catherine, she may be divorced, but she has a daughter that she loves dearly. Then look at us. I'm getting old and I am just now starting my first really serious relationship," Grissom sighed deeply.

"That may be, but I think it was worth waiting for," Sara wrapped her arms around his neck, "don't you?"

"Oh yes, very much so," Grissom was cut off by her kisses.

A/N: Got tied up in school work before I could post this one. Thanks as always for the wonderful reviews.