Title: Changes

Rating: PG

Pairings: G/S

Category: Romance

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't own 'em. Don't sue me.

Summary: It's been seven months since Nick was kidnapped and rescued. Everything had changed. GSR, I swear. Each chap is a different character's POV.

SARA

Nick knew. She knew it the minute she'd caught him staring at her. He knew. He knew things had changed and now she was nervous. Paranoid really. What if they got caught? What if Ecklie found out? Would he fire them both? Would he fire her? She was shaking she was so nervous. She was shaking so hard that when he took her hand in his and tugged her off of the couch she barely noticed.

"Honey, what is it? What's wrong?" his voice was so full of concern and she shook her head even and her stomach lurched.

"I think he knows," she muttered, barely able to stand the words coming from her own mouth, "He knows everything."

"Sara, what are you talking about? Who knows what?" Grissom asked, pulling her closer to him and leading her down the hall.

"Nick, I think he knows about us, Griss," she said softly, "Did you see the way he was staring at me last night? He knows."

Grissom sat her down on the edge of the bed and began to rummage through the drawers of Sara's dresser.

"I think Catherine has some idea," he told her calmly.

Why was he being so damn calm! People knew, and others were bound to find out!

"And it doesn't matter to you? It doesn't bother you that she knows? That Nick knows?" she asked, suddenly wondering why the hell he didn't seem to care that their relationship may be at risk, not to mention both of their careers.

"Sara, honey, do you honestly think that Nick and Catherine would tell anyone? I mean, neither of them is certain of anything, they have no evidence, so what makes you think that your best friend or mine would tell anyone that they think that something is going on between us?"

He was right. She knew that he was. She was having a minor panic attack. No surprise there, that seemed to be happening a lot these days. It had happened that morning, when she was getting dressed, seeing herself in a full length mirror. Things had definitely changed.

"You need to sleep, Sara."

Grissom interrupted her thoughts again and she glanced up at him, standing in front of her in only his boxers as he helped her out of her clothes. When she was left in nothing but her bra and panties, she stood up as he pulled the blankets back for her, and then climbed into the bed. Finding the warm wall of her lover's chest, Sara curled up and closed her eyes.

"Gil?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, honey. Both of you, now go to sleep."

With their hands entwined and resting over their unborn child, both mother and father were quickly able to find sleep.

She hadn't been expecting anyone. She had come straight home from work, changed into her favorite pair of Harvard sweats, and grabbed a carton of New York Super Fudge Chunk from the freezer.

Her shift had been difficult. Tammy Hayden, seventeen and in the system, had been missing for forty six hours when they found her remains on the side of I-15. Sara had taken it hard. Harder than anyone else who had worked it with her. Grissom and Greg had both shown sympathy for the girl and her family, but neither of them had been as pained as Sara.

The knock on her door resounded throughout her entire apartment and she would have screamed if she were that jumpy. Instead, she rolled her eyes in irritation and removed herself from the comfort of her warm, feather top bed. She had just settled down to watch some cheesy romantic comedy on WE and whoever had interrupted her was about to get an earful.

When Sara reached her front door, she yanked it open with a little more force then necessary, only to have her anger fade when she saw who it was that had come to visit her.

"Grissom."

He gave her a weak smile and she let her eyes trail over him. He was still dressed in his work clothes and his hair was slightly tousled. He looked as though he'd fallen asleep fully dressed and she couldn't quite figure out why he was standing at her door.

"Well, my jobs either on the line or someone drugged your coffee," she deadpanned, stepping aside to let him into her apartment.

"Your job is not on the line," Grissom told her, standing in the middle of her living room as she closed the door behind him, "And if Greg somehow slipped something into my coffee, he'd better be looking for a job and thinking of joining witness protection."

Sara couldn't help but laugh at the image of Grissom chasing Greg through the hall of the lab. She had to admit, Grissom joking with her was something that she missed, and having him in her apartment was somewhat comforting.

"Well, as believable as that may seem, I highly doubt that Greg risked putting something in you coffee, Griss, so what are you doing here?" Sara asked, her arms immediately crossing protectively over her chest.

Grissom didn't turn to her. He continued to stare at the wall behind her sofa and she wondered what he was so focused on. She watched his shoulders rise and fall and she thought that maybe his breathing was becoming slightly erratic. He didn't seem like he was doing well.

"Griss-"

"Why do you love me so much?"

The question came out of nowhere and nearly knocked her off of her feet. Sara's jaw went slack and she moved around to stand in front of him. She wanted to see his face.

"Excuse me?"

He looked up and when their eyes met, Sara could see that his were red and raw with emotion. Something had happened to him. In the short amount of time that she'd been away from the lab, something must have happened. He certainly wouldn't have come here otherwise.

"I need to know, Sara," his voice was low and harsh, "I need to know why you love me. What is it about me that you're so able to… to reach out to? To love? Please, I have to know."

"I-I don't know, exactly," Sara stuttered, "I don't know many people who can define love, Grissom. There are so many things that I love about you."

"Do you want to know what I love about you?"

Sara's heart seemed to stop beating. Her breathing was suddenly erratic and she felt as though her knees would give way. Had he really said what she thought that he had? Did she hear him right?"

"You love me?" she muttered, not sure that she should ask, fearing that he would turn away from her, that he would take it back.

"Yes."

It seemed so simple. He didn't have to think about it, didn't need time to decide. He just knew. He knew that he loved her. He knew that he'd just admitted it.

Sara stood there, shocked into silence. He was moving toward her, taking a mere few steps and taking her in her arms.

"I don't know when I haven't loved you, Sara."

And before she could say anything in response, Grissom's lips were on hers and she was crushing her to him. Her world was turning upside down, but it felt incredible.