Thanks everyone who reviewed & SidleChick for beta-ing :D. This chapter's just fluff. :p


Chapter 10

When the three of them arrived at Grissom's townhouse, they were all tired. "Why don't I show you the guest room, so you can have a lie down, while your Mom and I talk for a while?"

"Why can't I stay up with you?" she asked with pleading eyes.

Grissom looked at Sara for help. "Because, young lady, you've had a very long day and you're struggling to keep your eyes open as it is." She reasoned, "Besides, there are some things that we need to talk about on our own. Is that ok?"

Leah nodded and went in the direction she assumed was the way to the bedrooms. Grissom sent Sara a silent 'thank you' before following the child to the guest room. "Leah?" He called, "in there," he pointed at the closed door near the end of the corridor. "Now, do you need anything?"

"Well, some clothes, could be useful, as this-" she tugged at the fabric she was wearing, "-is all I have with me." She complained.

"I'll ask Sara to go and get something in a moment, but you'll have to sleep in that, or there may be a T-shirt in my room that you can borrow if necessary," he smiled. She nodded, but after yawning, she realized just how tired she was, and decided it would be just as easy to sleep how she was.

Grissom returned to the living area to find Sara stretched out on the sofa. He wasn't sure if she was asleep or not, but when he went closer, he noticed her breathing had evened out, indicating she was. He was contempt at just watching her sleep, but thought he had better wake her up, before he gets into too much trouble. 'Why does she have to be so beautiful?' He asked himself. Gently shaking her, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled sweetly at him. As much as he tried to hold it, he couldn't help but smile back. She looked so angelic and peaceful. He wondered if it was him that had made her so frustrated recently.

"Hey" she said sleepily.

"Hey yourself," he replied. "Erm, Leah needs some new clothes, and I said that you would go out and get some for her later, but she's asleep now, so I'm sure it can wait."

She looked around the room quickly before catching his questioning eyes, "how long was I asleep?" She asked.

"Not long, couldn't have been more then 10minutes," he smiled again. He couldn't work out why whenever she's around him, he keeps smiling. "You looked like you needed it though,"

"Yeah well, I've never been much of a sleeper, and you know that I keep getting those nightmares. Perhaps one day they'll stop"

"Yeah, well you said you wanted to talk…so talk."

She wasn't sure where to start, she thought it was obvious how she felt about him, but at times, he just seemed oblivious to everything she said or did. "Well, you want to know why I didn't keep Leah for myself?" he nodded, so she continued, "I'm guessing that you overheard what I said to her," she could feel the tears forming in her eyes, "I knew that if she stayed with me, then I wouldn't have been able to look after her like a mother should. Yes, I would love her, but sometimes that wouldn't have been enough. I guess deep down I didn't think she would he happy with me." Tears started to fall down her cheeks. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't want you to become one of those long distance fathers, who only see their kinds every now and then, it wouldn't be fair on Leah."

"Who said anything about that? You know as well as I do, that I would have been on the first plane to San Francisco, and would have been there for you every step of the way. I could have been transferred to be near you." He gently brushed the tears off her cheeks with his thumbs, and cradled her head in his hands. "You know full well that I'm not someone who would let you down like that." He looked her in the eyes and said, "If you let me, I want to help look after her." When she nodded, he surprised her by drawing her head forward, and kissing her forehead.

She looked at him puzzled, "what was that for?" She asked.

"To say thank you-" he smiled again, and he was rewarded with a full blown 'Sara-smile,' "-For everything." They sat staring in each other's eyes, (perhaps trying to find the truth) for what seemed like forever, before they were woken up by a scream coming from the guest bedroom.

They both ran towards the room, and opened the door to find a shaking girl lying on the bed. "Leah, honey what's wrong?" Grissom asked as Sara bent down in front of her.

A quiet mumble came from under the pillow, "nightmare." Sara removed that pillow, and sat on the bed, wrapping her arms around the child. Leah fell into the embrace, and started to sob again, while Sara whispered soothing words into her ear. Grissom watched from the foot of the bed, helpless. Unexpectedly, Leah stretched out her hand as if asking for permission of he would hug her as well. He complied, but was a little uncomfortable. It wasn't until Sara gently rubbed her hand across his arm that he relaxed. For that moment, he hoped that they would never leave.

However, it seemed that not everyone felt the same as he did, for it wasn't that much later, that he received a phone call from Greg saying that Hank was being brought in for questioning. "Hank?" He almost screamed down the phone. He had left the bedroom, and was standing in the hallway, but Sara could still hear his part of the conversation.

"What's that about Hank?" She asked after Leah had calmed down and fallen back to sleep. She sounded angry. The only reason that his name would come up if a conversation that Grissom was having, would be if he had something to do with the murders. "Grissom, did he do this?" His muted response was enough for her.

"Sara, calm down, Brass is bringing him in for questioning. Apparently the blood on the knife matches his." He could see her beginning to fume. "It's going to be ok, just let them handle it. I'm gonna take the week off to spend time with both of you," she blushed, "and I want you to relax." His voice seemed to sooth her, until she calmed down.

"Ok, I'm gonna sit in with Leah now, do you have to go back to the lab?"

"Nope," he smiled and took a step closer towards her, "I'm on vacation, remember?" Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and dipped his head to meet hers.


Heehee I thought I would wait before I bring Hank into questioning :p. Also this chapter would have gone on for ages if I had put in another scene.

Please R&R :D