Disclaimer: I do own quite a number of things as I realise every time I need to tidy my house! However, unfortunately CSI and its characters are not one of them :-(
A/N: See, I can update more than once every 5 weeks! (Well that was what it seemed like.) Hope you all enjoy this next instalment. Season 5 finished a couple of weeks ago over here, and when it came to the season final, all I can say is WOW!
Chapter 10
Later that evening Sara was lying in Grissom's spare bed, trying desperately to get to sleep, but her mind was too active to let her. She kept thinking about Grissom (Ok, so that wasn't all that unusual) and the amazing turn of events of the last couple of days.
'Damn.' She thought. 'If only I could remember what happened. At least I know what CD I was listening to … hang on if I can remember that I should be able to remember the accident.'
'Ok Sara, think through this logically. You came out of the lab at the end of shift. When you got to your car you put in the CD Jackie had sent you. You listened to track 2 like she suggested. You thought about Grissom - you cried. (Again, not unusual when thinking of him). After the song finished you pulled out and started for home. Damn it! If only I could get past the damn parking lot and remember what happened next!'
'I'm never going to remember it, never.' She thought as the tears silently fell down her cheeks and onto the bedspread for goodness knows how long.
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Grissom was having the same problems with sleep in the next room. Granted that wasn't unusual for him either, nor was the fact that it was because he was thinking about Sara, and their relationship, and whether or not he could finally admit how he felt.
One minute he was sure he could, the next he just knew he'd never be able to.
'What the hell should I do?' He thought.
'Go and see her.' A little voice in his head said.
'I can't' He argued back with it. 'It's the middle of the night, she'll be asleep, and she doesn't need me barging in on her.
'Do you really think she's asleep?' The voice persisted. 'She's as much of an insomniac as you are. Go, now, before you chicken out.
"Alright, Alright, I'm going." He said out loud. "Good grief, I must be going crazy with old age or something, I'm arguing with a voice in my head. Argh!"
He obeyed his thoughts however, and headed down the hall to Sara's room. He paused at the door as his insecurities over took him once more.
While he paused he thought he could hear someone quietly crying.
'Great,' He thought. 'If I go in now she's going to get more upset, I know how she feels about people seeing her upset.'
'Go in.' The voice said. 'She needs to see you.'
'You know what? Whatever you are, you're getting really annoying. I'm going to go in just to make you shut up!'
He put his had on the door handle and paused again. Very slowly he started to turn it, and then opened the door very slowly and quietly.
As he looked in he saw that Sara was turned away from him, curled in a ball, and didn't seem to notice him.
He walked in quietly and slowly approached her. He hated seeing her so frail like this. Not that he didn't want to allow her the privilege of being upset, hell she'd been through enough in the last couple of days, but he knew she hated people seeing her in anyway other than as the "Tough Girl".
When he got to her he gently laid his hand on her shoulder as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Sara."
"Go away." She mumbled into her pillow.
"No honey, I won't." Grissom replied, and then continued gently, "Look at me."
She shook her head.
"Ok then, I'll just sit here with you until you do want to talk with me."
"Why won't you go away?" She cried.
"Because I care about you Sara."
"Yeah, sure you do." She replied sarcastically.
"Sara,"
"No Grissom. I don't want your pity. You're only being kind cause of the accident. I'm sore. I'm tired. I'm scared because I can't remember what happed. It's confusing you being like this and the last thing I need is to get my hopes up when it comes to us, when I know your going to go back to being distant again the minute I'm better."
"I won't Sara, I promise I won't. Sara don't be like this please, I'm really trying hard here. I won't walk away again. I'll be here for you always. Please turn around."
Another shake of her head. She was trying to be tough again after her emotional outburst.
"Ok then, I'm just going to stay here for now then, so that when you're ready to talk I'm here with you."
"Fine." Sara answered abruptly, and then fell silent.
Grissom just sat, still with his hand on her shoulder while he tried to calm his thoughts. He had finally managed to speak some of what he felt towards her and she'd basically told him she didn't believe him. Not that he blamed her. Hell, it wasn't as if he hadn't given her plenty of mixed signals for years. They'd flirted since the day they met, but any time it became more he'd got scared and backed off. No he didn't blame her one bit. He needed to earn back her trust again. He thought he'd been doing pretty well at that, but I obviously not.
'The scares you've caused in her heart run deep you idiot.' He thought 'It's going to take more than two days of being caring towards her.'
'Wait it out.' The voice in his head replied. 'Just sit and let her know you're here.'
'I'm doing that - and would you damn well shut up!'
'When I feel like it.' Came the taunt in reply.
'Yep, it's official, I'm definitely going crazy.' He thought.
Meanwhile Sara was waging an internal battle. Part of her couldn't think of anything better than turning around, asking to be embraced by him and pouring out all of her emotions. Another part of her was clinging desperately to her tough girl image - mainly because she was to scared that she would let her guard down, and then he'd get scared and run.
Eventually however, the weaker (in her opinion, but actually tougher part if she would admit it) part of her won out and she slowly turned around to face him. As she looked up at him the tears streamed down her face once more, and he almost instantly swept her up into his arms, where he held her and let her cry it all out.
A/N: As usual, please let me know what you think - thanks!
