Chapter 87

Oh, Brother

Gil spent much of the rest of the shift rehearsing in his head what he would say to Sara if he should happen to get the chance to be alone with her alone again during the night. Of course, there was no such luck. So many cases poured in that his whole team found themselves busy, and even he had to go out on the field himself.

By the time he'd returned the shift had ended, and Sara was long gone. From work, he called her cell phone and got her voice mail service. He called her home phone and got the answering machine. With a heavy sigh, he left messages with both, nothing more than a request she call him. He'd had trouble hiding the concern and hurt in his voice.

Right now, Sara seemed to be avoiding him. If she needed space, that was fine. Obviously family problems were more important. He understood that.

Even after four hours, the sting of her words had not eased away any, and the hurt bubbled in him, left him with a bitter anger that made him slam the receiver of his office phone down after he left a message on her answering machine.

Maybe I was out of line asking her if she gave him money or not, he decided as he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. But…I don't get why she acted so defensive…she's never been like that before…what's it about her brother that got her all hostile?

The moment he'd gotten to his car he'd already made the decision to go over to her apartment. She could avoid his phone calls all she liked but she couldn't hide in her apartment from him forever – if that's what she was doing. He could stand at her door for as long as it took to get an answer.

When he did arrive at her door, he could already hear yelling from inside, he paused at the door trying to hear, but the voices were too distant, probably at the other side of the living room inside, too muffled through the thick door for him to make them out.

Sounds like the argument she was having with her brother at work has continued here, he thought with a sigh, he clenched his fist and knocked hard. The yelling voices stopped, and there was a long quiet pause.

The door swung open, Andrew Sidle stood there, staring at Gil with those intense green eyes, lip curling into a grimace.

"I'm here to see Sara," Gil said at once, trying not to let himself feel intimidated, but there was something unsettling and unbalanced in those eyes he'd see a thousand times. He didn't like it. He didn't like that this guy was related to Sara either. They share DNA, but that's about it, Gil decided.

"She's busy," Andrew remarked.

"It's important," Gil snapped.

"Sara…your 'supervisor' is here," Andrew looked over his shoulder.

Gil caught the way he said 'supervisor'. It seemed to already suggest Andrew might have figured out by now his relationship with Sara. Either that or she'd told him straight.

Sara came to the door as Andrew left it, she spoke low, trying to remain calm, "what are you doing here?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"I…came to apologise…" he reached out and took her hand and led her out into the hallway outside her apartment, pulling the door closed so they'd be out of earshot. He led her down to the end of the hall just to be safe. When they were definitely out of the way of prying ears, he began to speak. "You were right…just because we're…together…doesn't mean you have to answer to me…"

Sara looked down, "I didn't mean to say it the way I said it."
"I figured," Gil admitted, then looked away. Sting was still there, nagging at him. He couldn't bite his words back, he had to tell her. "Your words still hurt me…I mean…when has this relationship EVER been about sex? We waited a good long time before taking it to that level, Sara. If this was about sex, I'd have never waited as long as I did…and…" he sighed, frustrated, he couldn't finish, "sorry. It just hurts is all. Wounded my soul more than I expected it would."

Sara looked up, she reached out to touch his face, "Baby, I'm sorry," she said tenderly, she ran her thumb over his bearded cheek.

Gil blinked, "baby?" he moved her hand from his face, but clasped it in his hand tightly. The word had simply startled him, because it hadn't been something she'd ever called him before. It was always Gil…sometimes Grissom. Never once had it been 'baby'. He wasn't sure whether he liked it or not.

"Sorry…" Sara shook her head at herself and gave a nervous laugh, "don't know where that came from…"

"Sara…where do we stand right now?"

"In the hallway…?" Sara gestured with her free hand, her other hand still tightly clasped in his.

"No…I mean us. As in our relationship…"

"Why are you asking?" Sara seemed confused.

"You pushed me away at work…"

"You read too much into everything."

"Do you blame me?"

Sara sighed, "What happened at work was NOTHING to do with you or how I feel about you…I was just…stressed. Everyone was watching, my brother showed up at work looking like a bum…" she said under her breath. "And the way you were acting…actions speak louder than words, and...I didn't want anyone getting the wrong – or right – idea."

Gil hesitated wanting to ask about her brother, he didn't want to initiate another argument, especially when it seemed they were just starting to calm down from the first one. "I…" he absently let go of her hand, realizing he'd been crushing it. So many questions were running through his mind. Questions of what the money had been for that her brother had been begging for, why he'd shown up out of the blue.

No, don't ask, let her be the first to speak.

"My brother is gonna stay with me for a while," Sara said, as if reading his mind.

"Oh," was all he could find to say. What did this mean in regards to their relationship now? Gil supposed this was just another complication he'd have to deal with for the time being.

Sara shoved both hands in the pockets of her pants.

"For how long?" Gil asked softly.

"I'm not sure yet. As long as it takes for him to…get himself together."

"So…" Gil began, having to sigh, "does…this mean living together alternately for now is…out of the question?"

"Yes," Sara replied, "but it's just for now. Believe me, there's no way I'm living with my brother for the rest of my life," she gave a little laugh.

"Always one obstacle after another with us, isn't it?" Gil sighed.

"Come on…it's just for a while, just until he gets himself together. Could be a week, maybe two at the most…"

"Fine…as long as I have no choice in the matter," he looked at her intensely. "And as long as this isn't just…an excuse to back out of taking the next step."

Sara smiled a little, "no…it's not. I'm looking forward to living with you…looking forward to fighting over who gets the first shower, or who's turn it is to do laundry," she teased.

Her smile lightened his heart very slightly, but there was still a strange apprehension lingering, "so…what about your brother?"

"What about him?"

Gil lowered his head a little, "He…doesn't seem to like me much."

"He knows who you are."

"About us being in a relationship?"

"No, about me having spent fifteen years of my life being in love with you…moved all the way to Vegas just to be with you."

Gil raised an eyebrow, "how'd he know?"

"I talk to him."

"Way you acted at work, seemed like you hadn't seen him in a while," Gil confessed.

"Not in five years," Sara confessed.

Ah. Five years. It's somewhat starting to make sense now, isn't it? He thought. "Not since you left San Francisco."

"Yes. We used to share an apartment together before I left. Then I left – it wasn't on good terms either."

"Did…you two fight…about me, I mean?" the question sounded strange on his tongue, and he made a face at the bitter taste it left.

Sara winced, "yes. He thought I was being stupid."

"About me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I was dropping everything just for you…giving up my whole life…" she explained, "He thought you'd hurt me. Break my heart. We got into this huge fight night I left…he said 'don't come running to me when he fucks you and ditches you like a piece of trash. Remember, in Vegas, it doesn't count'. I got mad, I walked out. Came here…never went back. We…spoke briefly on the phone maybe four times…last time was a year and a half ago."

"So…he doesn't know that me and you are…" he kept his voice low. "Involved."

"No. As far as he knows, things are the way they were – me doing all the running, and you pretending like there was nothing there."

"I wasn't pretending. I didn't know what to do about us then," Gil reminded.

"Whatever, it's all moot now," Sara shrugged.

"Are you going to tell him – about us, I mean?"

"I'll wait a few days," Sara answered, "he's never liked any of the guys I've dated – and because of…your age…and your being my boss…he'll, uh…jump to conclusions."

No wonder she pushed me away at work, he thought. He didn't dare ask what conclusions her brother might possibly jump to, he could think of a few of his own.

"I should get back inside," Sara sighed, "before he starts getting suspicious. I'll tell him you were here to give me a verbal warning about what happened at work, that should curb his curiosity for a day or so," she forced a smile.

"Damn it, Sara. We're only going to see each other at work."

"We've done it before, we can do it again. You should go get some sleep, and I'll see you at work tonight."

He didn't like the thought of leaving her to argue more with her brother. Didn't like the look of the guy, didn't like the crazy glint in Andrew's eyes. "Sara…" Gil sighed, "If…anything happens…I mean…if your brother gets mad…if he does anything…you know…to hurt you…I'll be here in a moment, don't think that I wouldn't…uh…" he faltered.

"Kick his ass?"

"Yes."

"Gil, don't try to get all Macho. Besides. I'm MORE than capable of kicking his ass myself."

"I don't doubt it."

Thanks to the people who keep reviewing...

Big hi to the OOC police, who's (painfully obviously anonymous) post made me do nothing but piss myself laughing for a good hour yesterday morning. Hey, OOC Police, newsflash, I already said it was OOC. But I don't care if it is. But if you're the expert...where is your beautifully written "in character" piece of work? Come on, make my day, show me how it's done if you do it better. In the meantime, I'm enjoying writing fanfic. No one said fanfic had to be "in character". There's no unspoken rule. At least I have the NERVE to admit it is. Hahah. But thanks for making me laugh. You should be a comedian.