Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews you've guys (and girls) have sent in so far. This chapter is sort of long and, corny in a few spots but, it has a sweet feel to it. I'd like to thank SidleChick for all of her amazing reviews. I'd also like to thank everyone has reviewed also and anyone who has read it. I'll try and get the next chapter up soon. It'll be up anytime between tonight and tomorrow afternoon. Don't forget to: Enjoy:)
"Sidle"
"Where are you? You are supposed to be working on the kidnapping case with Nick. Did you forget your responsibilities to this lab? If so I can sure remind you of them" Ecklie said in his normal cold manner.
"You know what Ecklie, I actually care about others. Grissom called me barely able to talk and I'm afraid something's wrong."
"I think you care too much, in fact I have reason to believe you two are seriously dating, even so much as married"
"And what's your evidence? Look at my hands, no ring."
"Well, I called the hospital and they don't have any record of a "Sara Sidle" coming in but, they have a record of everyone else and not to mention one Sara Grissom. You could have easily taken it off for wrok."
"Well you should know better than that. You would know if we were married"
"Then why is your last name and his last name the same?"
"They said, after he first got in, that only family could come in so when they asked if I was the wife and I told them I was so I could go in and see him."
"So are you two in a relationship?"
"That's really none of your business; I'm tired of you meddling in everyone's lives. For once, just butt out."
"You don't talk like that to me. I won't tolerate it…"
Before he got to finish she hung up knowing she could blame it on bad reception. She took in a deep breath and walked into the hospital.
"Where's Grissom?"
"He was just released about 90 minutes ago."
Sara walked out of the hospital beyond all confusion. Where'd he go and why? 'I'll call him he always has his cell turned on.' It'd been three rings and still no answer; finally on the last ring he answered.
"Hello… Sara?" he said quite weakly
"Grissom are you okay"
"No, not really; I feel weak, I can hardly walk."
"Where are you, I'll pick you up?"
"I'm 2 blocks from the Vegas Café House"
"I'll be there in no more than 5 minutes."
She then did something she told herself she'd never do unless necessary, she turned on the blue and red lights above her SUV.
"Grissom, you're bleeding!" She said as she hopped, quickly, out of her SUV nearly falling over.
"I know I wanted to get in line for coffee so I could get a cup and come by the lab to surprise you. On the way there I tripped and fell; scraping up my arm and ripping off most of the gauze."
Sara then ran to get the first aid kit she always kept on here out of her SUV.
"Here let me bandage that for you." Grissom held out his arm and watched calmly as Sara wrapped his delicate wounds.
"You still want some coffee?"
"Yea, I could use a good cup of coffee"
"Do you want to go to Starbucks?"
"Yea, that'd be nice." Grissom said.
The rest of the car ride to Starbucks was silent but, they were obviously enjoying each other's company. What he did next was quite shocking. When she stepped out of the car he went around to her side and grasped her hand in his. Without a care as to who could see them. It was a bit risky since this was what the CSIs referred to as "CSI Caffeine Central". They called it that because it was, usually, near their crime scene and they'd stop and get coffee quite often. After they got their coffee the two sat down and caught up on some things they hadn't talked of for a while.
"So when do you think you're going to go back to work?" Sara asked.
She'd missed him being there at work. She missed the look he gave her when something took an odd turn. She missed his go get 'em attitude. Mostly she missed he company throughout the shift; the way he'd give her the space she needed but, still be right by her side.
"I plan on returning tomorrow night. Make sure and tell Ecklie"
"Oh, about Ecklie, he thinks there's something between us"
"Well, is there?" Grissom said blankly.
"I have feelings for you, yes but…"
"I do too but, it won't work. I'm not saying that because, it's "us" but, because of the boss, subordinate rule"
"Oh, ok" Sara said relieved that it wasn't that he didn't like her.
"Well we probably should be going so you can get some sleep for tonight" Grissom said.
The ride home was odd, they spent a lot of it talking and just having a good time.
"I didn't know you listened to music that wasn't opera, especially rock music." Sara said in shock he knew most of the words to one of her favorite songs.
"I like most all music; I find it quite intriguing." Grissom said in his defense.
After that they quickly went back to singing the words of her favorite songs to each other.
"Wow, that was actually fun. I didn't think I could have fun on a car ride." Sara said to Grissom as they walked into his house.
"Well, that's the fun of music; you can do anything with it." Grissom said in reply as Sara walked back to his bedroom to shower and get ready for bed.
When she got out of the shower she stopped in the mirror, he was still there; the man who had kidnapped her, who had scarred her. Both physically and mentally. She looked down at her arms there were marks a half inch wide and varying in size from two to six inches long, they were a deep purple color with a blue-like tint. On her stomach there were the same scars but, lucky for her, she had a man who looked past the scars and looked at what mattered, the inside.
Sara stepped away from the mirror and got dressed. She wore a pair of black cotton sweats and a black hooded sweatshirt that said 'Las Vegas Police Department' on the front.
"Are you going to take a nap too?" Sara asked in hopes she'd get to sleep with him.
"I guess I will I could probably use it" He said climbing into the bed.
5 hours later Sara woke up; it had been some of the best sleep she'd gotten in a long while.
She was glad to be back working nights again, since they were short handed on swing shift her, Grissom and Greg had to, temporarily, switch; while Catherine, Sophia, and Mia took on the Graveyard shift, which was another one of Ecklie's 'plans'.
"Well tonight is my first night back on graveyard shift in a while" Sara said noticing he'd just woken up.
"Would you like to order some take-out?" Grissom asked.
"Sure" Sara eagerly replied.
"You like Chinese?"
"Yea, just make sure mine has no meat, I'm vegetarian."
"Ok, no problem" Grissom said reaching for the phone.
While waiting for their food to arrive they talked a bit more and sang music, if someone walked in and didn't know other wise they'd think these two were newly weds.
Though they weren't too far from it, they couldn't even so much as picture themselves that way. Sara liked the idea but, never saw it actually happening; she just thought she'd live with him and, in her dreams, be in love with him, which she was, and know he loved her back and it not be a rational thought that he had and said because he liked to think aloud. No, she wanted true love, unconditional love.
Ding Dong
"That's probably our food, I'll get it" Sara offered.
The rest of the afternoon and into early evening was quiet and peaceful. She snuggled up next to him, wrapping herself in his warmth and, working crossword puzzles with him.
"Well I need to go start getting ready for work." Sara said, sad that their lovely night was cut short.
When Sara looked, once again, in the mirror the bruise across her eyes, nose, and jaw were fading and could be mostly concealed with the Dermablend her doctor gave her. On the way to work Sara decided to finally listen to the mix CD Grissom made for her on his computer. It was a nice mix of her favorites, his favorites and a few songs that reminded him of her. To her, a mixed CD seemed like such a teenager something to do but, considering he couldn't express his feelings for others very well this was a nice gesture.
The song that stuck out most in her mind was "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet. Did he really feel for her that way? It sure seemed like it now despite what he had said earlier.
"Hi, Sara" Catherine said upon seeing Sara walk in.
"Hi Cat. How are you?"
"So far so good. What's that in your hand?" She asked pointing to her mix CD.
"It's a mix CD that Grissom made for me"
"Wow, he doesn't really seem like that type. I guess it's his way of showing how he really feels."
"Yea, surprisingly it's not classical; it's rock music."
"You're kidding me."
"No"
"Wow"
Shift was starting in ten minutes so Sara knew what she needed to do and she was dreading it. As she went by Ecklie's office he wasn't there and it looked different. Something was definitely going on.
Tell me what you thought. Be expecting a big cliff hanger next chapter. It's what I call an open cliff hanger. Which is a cliff hanger that has an outcome that you suspect but, is very open to anything. Thanks for reading. :)