Disclaimer: I do not own CSI and I am not making any money by writing this story.
Author's note: This occurs after the last episode of the third season. Grissom is still in the hospital.
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Sara tiredly unlocks her apartment door. Watching the remaining six men be brought in had been unsettling. Normally an arrest is satisfying and brings a welcome closure to the family, but the lack of motivation behind this crime is disturbing. It's like the mind just cannot wrap itself around the concept. She shuts the door behind herself and throws her keys on the counter. Maybe I should have gone to Grissom's. The idea of a shower and appeasing her drooping eyelids make the point moot. She smiles at the thought of falling asleep on Grissom's couch again. She really isn't sure how long the peace with Grissom is going to last. Why is he being so open? Perhaps he's just glad that someone can understand him. She shakes her head at how slow the conversation actually was. I really need to get a more comprehensive book. Spelling all the technical terms out is frustrating. Her momentary lapse into thought is stopped by a knock on the door.
She opens the door to find her building supervisor standing there with a plant.
"This was delivered for you earlier," he explains.
"Thanks," she replies, wondering why Grissom would send her another plant. He hadn't done anything stupid lately that she new of.
"And tell your boyfriend not to have anymore plants delivered in the middle of the night," he continues grumpily.
"Sorry, he can be so inconsiderate at times," Sara responds and shuts the door when he walks away.
She opens the card and begins to read: I know you haven't eaten. Come over. From Grissom.
Sara's stomach rumbles. I guess sleep can wait.
She takes a quick shower and then packs a bag, figuring she would probably fall asleep on his couch again.
Across town Grissom is sitting seemingly calm watching television. However, on the inside he is very unsure. The plant had been an act of desperation; he really didn't want to be alone in the silence. He ponders whether this is an excuse just to see her. He also isn't sure if Sara is going to show up. The temporary truce has made Grissom realize how much he has missed Sara, but that only made his uneasiness worse.
Grissom turns off the television and picks up a book to read. He has given up on staring at the door. Sara would come or she wouldn't
A short period of time later Sara once again stands in front of Grissom's door. She hadn't intended on bringing her bag up to his apartment, but after the car ride over she wanted to make it clear to Grissom that she is staying. She had drifted off twice on the way over despite the short drive and her blaring radio. She opens the door slowly wondering if she is going to be greeted with a similar sight to last time.
However, the setting is completely different. Grissom is sitting on the couch reading with his glasses perched on his nose. Sara sets her bag down and then plops onto the couch beside Grissom. His book goes flying and he attempts to recover from the shock. Sara places her hand on Grissom's shoulder to steady him. Both of them are caught off guard by their reactions to the touch. They are frozen for a moment. Neither of them is sure what to do. They had decided to ignore "this" for a while, but now it is staring them in the face.
"It is not nice to sneak up on someone," Grissom signs.
Sara smiles, the tension in the room has evaporated, "Where is my food?"
Grissom smiles slightly at her directness, "In the refrigerator. With you, I could have been waiting for days."
"What is that suppose to imply?"
"You work too much," he stands up and moves to the kitchen. The vegetarian dish would only take a few minutes to rewarm.
Sara makes her way to the kitchen table, obviously fighting sleep. The adrenalin that had woken her up a few minutes ago is vanishing quickly.
"Sara, are you alright?"
"Just tired," She signs without energy.
Grissom raises an eyebrow.
Sara knows full well what that meant "We closed a high profile case this morning."
"That may, for once, excuse the overtime, but not forgetting to eat."
"I am eating now if you would just hurry up. You are not going to give me the get a diversion speech again, are you?"
"No, it did not have the desired effect the first time."
"And what was that suppose to be?"
"Obviously not what happened," Grissom turns back to the oven. He had hoped to repair some of the damage, not rehash it.
Sara growls quite audibly, not that Grissom can hear her. Sara is very frustrate and cranky to top it off. He's going to have to turn around eventually.
Grissom does turn around, but only to set the dish of food of the table. The tension in the room is heavy and very negative.
Sara tries to eat, but throws her silverware down in defeat, "I cannot eat like this."
"Sara, I cannot erase the past."
She sighs. He's right, but damn his emotional detachment. "I just want to know why it happened."
"My reasonings were selfish, but they seemed logical at the time. I cannot take responsibility for your decisions."
Cryptic, but I guess I can't blame him for my bad judgment. "Why were you upset with me the night of cannibal cheerleader case?"
"I was not angry with you."
Sara raises an eyebrow.
"If you recall the night, we were undermanned and over worker. I would have been frustrated with anyone who did not answer my pages."
"Then why did you send me out alone? Punish me?"
Grissom looks confused, "It was not supposed to be a punishment. I trusted you to be able to handle the case on your own."
"And you did not tell me this when I asked because…"
"You never gave me a chance. You vanished."
The sleep deprivation, the unsettling case, emotional frustration, and this new revelation come crashing down on Sara. The tears silently roll down her face. Grissom stands up and Sara panics that he's going to leave her alone in misery. However, he walks no further than Sara's side of the table and holds out his hand. Sara hesitantly grabs his hand and Grissom pulls her into his arms. He lets her cry on his shoulder.
The moments tick by and Grissom begins to contemplate what to do next. If they just stood there, the moment would become awkward. For once, Grissom acts spontaneously. He picks Sara up and carries her to the couch. With some very impressive juggling on his part, especially in his current state of health, he manages to end up spooning her on the couch. Sara doesn't even try to fight her eyelids and Grissom soon follows.
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I'm afraid I will not be updating as often. Classes have started and I do not have nearly as much time to write.
