Last Chance Chapter 8 R version

by hazeleyes571

The original Last Chance was removed and is not available here.This is the one suitable for ffnet, but is a continuation of that story and tells you where to find the rest.FINISHED AT LAST!

9. Last Chance 17

Disclaimer: CSI is a trademarked product. Characters used without permission. Boy was it fun.

Title: Last Chance, chapter 17

Author: hazeleyes57

Rating: R version, big bit missing! NC17 version up on adult fan fiction site and Moggie's new site.

A/N: Many thanks for the reviews, comments and emails. A writer is nothing without readers.

Last Chance Chapter 17

Sara breathed a sigh of relief when her second case appeared on the carousel. The cases were being disgorged with scant regard to the fragility of their contents and she was grateful that she had put her few souvenirs from Miami in her hand luggage.

She was tired and hot, and what she wanted right now was to get to her apartment and have a long soak in the tub. Her case made its slow way towards Sara, but just as she was about to reach out for it, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end. Surprised, she straightened up just as a familiar voice behind her said,

"Allow me."

"Gris!"

Sara didn't bother to hide her pleasure at seeing Grissom. He looked very presentable in a sapphire blue T with grey chino pants. Even more than presentable, he looked deliciously edible. She watched him grab her case and put it on the floor at his feet, beside her other one. Hell, just one taste wouldn't hurt. Grissom straightened up and suddenly found himself with both arms full of Sara as she hugged him tight. He responded after a brief moment of surprise about how different she felt to hold, a smile that she couldn't see on his face. He had been uncertain of his reception after the weekend they had spent together in Miami. He breathed in the scent of her, his eyes closing in pleasure. His head rested on the silkiness of Sara's hair and he was instantly transported back to his hotel room in Miami. Lying beside Sara, her head close to his as he held her while she slept. It had been a long week without her.

"I missed you."

Grissom's quiet voice was muffled, but Sara heard him perfectly, her heart squeezing in joy.

"Not as much as I've missed you."

The hug went on, exceeding the time usually accepted for such greetings. Neither of them wanted to let go. They were finally parted when an irate man trying to collect his own case jostled them. They both looked blankly at the man, then at each other as if neither one could believe that the other was really there at last.

"Good to have you…back."

Sara's eyes flew to Grissom's. The merest pause that he had added had made the common phrase have an entirely different meaning. She grinned again, and this time she leaned in for a kiss, hoping that she wouldn't be rebuffed, but concerned that her failure to admit that she loved him the last time they were together might have spoiled things.

She needn't have worried, Grissom more than met her half way. He was, until that moment, half convinced that he had dreamt all about his visit to Miami, but the feel of Sara's lips on his own was wonderfully familiar. And just as amazing as he recalled. Neither of them knew how long the kiss would have gone on if they had not been again interrupted, this time by someone closer to home.

"What was that?"

Grissom was startled by the small prod to his stomach, and he looked down between Sara and himself in astonishment. Sara grinned.

"My guess it was an elbow, but it could have been a knee. Maybe he/she wants to say 'Hi'. Or 'stop squeezing me', or whatever."

Grissom released Sara as if she were on fire, his expression horrified and apologetic.

"God, I'm sorry, was I hurting you?"

Sara smiled gently, mindful of Grissom's concern.

"No, we're fine. The baby moves around a lot. Usually responds to pressure with a kick or whatever."

Grissom continued to look at Sara's rounded tummy with the kind of interest he usually reserved for his bugs. He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that they were still standing in a public place. He started to reach out, but hesitated. He looked up to Sara for permission, one eyebrow raised in query. She was pleased both with his interest and the fact that he didn't take it for granted that 'the bump' was public property. She took the proffered hand and rested the palm against her. Grissom felt nothing for a moment until Sara pressed harder. As if in response he felt a small nudge against his hand. Sara saw him grin and shake his head.

"What?"

"I had no idea. I thought it would only be later that we could feel…anything."

Sara grinned.

"You should feel it from this side. Any gymnasts in your family?"

Grissom huffed in amusement as he bent to pick up Sara's cases.

"Not yet."

He began walking in the direction of the parked Denali.

"I've parked this way. You okay for a walk?"

Sara nodded.

"So long as we go via the toilets. I have to go again."

Grissom grimaced with true empathy.

"TELL me about it."

They set off again, with Sara laughing as Grissom ruefully described some of his bizarre health problems of late.

When they got to the Denali, Grissom unlocked the vehicle and hovered around to assist Sara, but she climbed in easily and looked askance at him for being on the wrong side of the SUV.

Grissom mentally shrugged and walked around to the driver's side.

They had been driving for a few minutes when Sara frowned as she looked outside.

"Where are we going? I need to get some groceries."

Grissom glanced at her, then back to the road.

"I…um, took the liberty of stocking up for your return. I thought that you might be tired after your flight."

Sara looked surprised. How did he…? She frowned. Her brow cleared. She looked at Grissom.

"Warrick gave up my key?"

"Eventually."

Grissom's voice was dry. It had taken about three seconds. Warrick had practically shoved it into his hands. He had other matters on his mind these days. Grissom smiled inwardly as he thought of Catherine and Warrick. They, too, were trying to keep their fledgling relationship quiet, but it seemed obvious to him that the two of them were involved, and if he had noticed, others were bound to.

"You water the plants too?"

Grissom threw her a sideways glance again. This was a trick question.

"Plant. Singular. And yes, I did. Warrick briefed me thoroughly on my apartment-watching duties."

The fact that Warrick had made Sara sound a lot like the character Monica from a certain show about thirty-something's and their friendships was information Grissom planned to take to his grave.

"Good." Sara faced Grissom, visually tracing his profile and longing to touch him again. "I would have been very upset if anything had happened to that plant. It was the one that you sent me."

Grissom didn't say anything but Sara could tell that he remembered. She shifted around in her seat to face him, loosening her belt a little. She had the distinct impression that he was thinking about the plant.

"You never did explain why you had sent it. I presume that 'it' worked, whatever it was."

At her words, Sara was surprised to see that Grissom looked distinctly uncomfortable. She kept her smirk out of sight, hoping to learn something. After a long silence Grissom sighed. He was reluctant to admit that he had been discussing Sara, especially as it had been some time ago.

"To cut a long story short, Catherine told me that I need to take my head out of the microscope and look around me. To see that I was part of the lab family and realise what I might be missing. It made me think, made me acknowledge something that I hadn't allowed myself to see. Your request for a leave of absence shook me. I didn't know what to do. Catherine made me realise that I had to do something."

Sara was surprised that it had been Catherine that had given him the heads up. She had no idea that she had Catherine's tacit approval.

"So you sent the plant. With that effusive note."

Grissom was relieved that Sara sounded amused.

"The flower shop asked me what the 'sentiment' was. I couldn't put what I wanted to, and Catherine was still within earshot. It was the best I could come up with at the time."

Sara took pity on him and patted his thigh in consolation. She left her hand resting there afterwards.

"It was enough."

They drove in companionable silence for a few minutes; Sara content with her hand resting on Grissom's thigh and him happy for it to be there, even if it did mean the journey was not getting one hundred percent of his attention.

"So, how was the last week in Miami?"

"Too long. How was it here?"

"Longer."

Grissom passed a couple of slow moving vehicles and Sara let him concentrate.

"Talya from Records upstairs, she had her baby yet?"

"She's pregnant?"

"Only about nine and a half months by now! Ha, some CSI you are."

Sara scoffed in an undignified manner and Grissom endured it with grace. He had been a little distracted for the last couple of weeks and work had required more than its fair share of his concentration.

"With one of my CSI's sunning herself in Florida for a month we have been a little busy."

Sara looked at him but he looked forward. She could see his telltale twitch of amusement.

"Ahuh. So, Mr. Observant, how are the gang at work? Nick, Greggo, Catherine and Warr?"

Grissom wondered whether her pairing of the latter two was significant. He had not told Sara about the new couple yet. His tone was guarded when he replied.

"They're okay. Why?"

Sara looked at him strangely.

"No reason, just catching up, you know."

Grissom was spared having to reply by the timely arrival at Sara's apartment. As he pulled on the parking brake he looked around the SUV. Sara looked at him with curiosity.

"What are you looking for?"

Grissom looked at her blankly for a moment, then he frowned.

"I don't know. I just had the strangest feeling that I was supposed to bring…"

Grissom broke off the sentence and his hands formed a circle, as if he were holding something invisible about the size of a shoebox. He sighed with frustration.

"…I don't know. It's gone, whatever it was. Probably nothing."

Sara realised immediately what he was talking about. He had nearly remembered his regular 'oven mitt' deliveries.

"You used to bring over the sample in a pot wrapped in various layers to keep the contents viable. You used an oven mitt about yay big."

Sara formed the same size with her hands that Grissom had. He looked at her hands, then her face. He didn't know what to say. But he was certain of one thing. For him to have driven over here – several times - with his semen in a pot in an oven mitt then he must have been 'in love'. He just could not imagine doing such a profoundly personal thing for any other more altruistic reason. It certainly explained why he had finally given up fighting his feelings for her at the cabin. Grissom took great pleasure in the knowledge that he had not just folded simply because of convenience or proximity.

Sara dropped her hands to her lap. Grissom had a peculiar look on his face, but it didn't seem to be bad news.

"Jog anything?"

Grissom focused back in on her and half smiled.

"Not really. But it all helps build a picture."

They got out of the Denali and Grissom automatically collected Sara's cases, refusing to let Sara carry either of them, even when she reached for one.

"I'm pregnant, not ill."

Grissom looked at her.

"Yes, so let's keep it that way, shall we?"

Sara didn't reply, but Grissom could tell that she was not thrilled to be doing nothing. He was accustomed to occasionally giving her assignments which were not the ones she wanted to do, so this little power struggle didn't phase him at all. He kept his smile to himself, his instincts for self preservation finely honed around Sara. Well, most of the time, he amended mentally.

Sara led the way up to her apartment; Grissom following behind with cases that gradually seemed to acquire extra weight as he progressed. When the elevator delivered them to Sara's floor, they both stepped out. When Grissom looked up, he suddenly had a flash of memory and stopped walking.

"Something just made me think of Warrick."

Sara grinned in remembrance at Grissom's first 'sample' visit. It had been hideously embarrassing to have him present when temperature constraints had forced her to take the sample and use it. The distance of time from that event now enabled Sara to see the funny side. Grissom gave her a puzzled look.

"What?"

Sara unlocked her apartment and opened the door for Grissom to precede her. He picked up the cases but nodded for her to go in first, then carried the bags straight through to the bedroom. Sara absently noticed how unexpectedly fresh the place smelled and realised that Grissom must have aired the place as well as stocked up. She put some water on for coffee, hunting for the bag of decaf that she had somewhere. She looked up at Grissom as he emerged from her bedroom.

"Your first 'delivery' here was not unaccompanied…"

"What?!"

Grissom's shocked exclamation amused Sara. She grinned. She went on to explain about Warrick's arrival close on Grissom's heels and their mimed conversation. Grissom was not so sure that it was amusing that Warrick knew about the delivery, until it occurred to him that he wouldn't have known why Grissom was at Sara's apartment. He smirked.

"You do realise that Warrick – if he saw me – would probably have assumed that we were having a relationship even back then."

Sara handed Grissom his mug of coffee on her way to the couch.

"Well, all credit to him for not saying anything about it, even to you. I know that he kept quiet when he realised about the baby."

Grissom remembered Warrick's comment at the airport. That's why he had been so certain.

"What goes around, comes around."

Sara looked up as Grissom came to sit beside her. She leaned in towards him and he put an arm around her.

"In what respect?"

"Now we get to keep his secret."

Sara's eyes lit up and she sat up to face Grissom.

"Oooh! He's seeing Catherine?"

Grissom looked both amused and put out at being pre-empted.

"How do you women do that? Some jungle telegraph that says 'another one's been captured'?"

Sara laughed without rancour, knowing that Grissom wasn't that sexist.

"Of course. You wanna hear the racket when one comes on the market. You know Peters up in Fingerprinting?"

"Vaguely. Something about him divorcing his wife when he found her in a compromising situation with her boss?"

"Yeah, that's him. He'd barely changed the locks before he was inundated with offers from food through to fel – well, I'm sure you can guess. Put the smile back on his face, I can tell you. Anyways, how did the Warrick thing go?"

Grissom was still smiling when he told her what had transpired in his office. Sara looked at him with amused respect.

"Crafty Grissom. I can see I'll have to keep a close eye on you."

He put the remains of his coffee down and took Sara's out of her hand, also putting it on the table.

"I agree. If you're not too tired, I think that you should start right now."

Grissom gently pulled Sara into his arms, giving her enough time to escape if she wished to. When she did not resist, he lowered his head to hers and their lips met at last. He had wanted to do this ever since they left the airport. The kiss was warm and coffee flavoured, a tender salute. When Grissom reluctantly pulled back Sara's eyes were closed, her cheeks flushed. She opened her eyes and he could see her dilated pupils as she gazed at him.

"Mmm, that was lovely. And, no, I'm not too tired."

But to Grissom's surprise and disappointment, Sara pulled away from him and got to her feet.

"I'll do you a deal, Grissom."

Grissom raised both brows in enquiry, trying to ignore the demands of his body. Sara smirked at him on the couch, not blind to his increasing discomfort.

"I'll keep a close eye on you, if you help me."

Sara held out her hand and Grissom took it, getting to his feet, his hope rising. Amongst other things.

"In what way?"

"We pregnant women need to rest. A lot. In bed."

Sara waggled her eyebrows suggestively and Grissom's lips pursed with amusement. Sara leaned towards him and whispered in his ear, making him shiver with anticipation.

"Sadly, I'm not sleepy but I think that you can help me out here."

Grissom was unable to keep a straight face, his lips twitching with suppressed laughter.

"If you are sure that it's safe, I'm sure that I can."

Sara gave him a vampish look so hot and sultry that he nearly stumbled.

"Thought so."

Grissom's rueful expression made Sara grin. He pulled her close.

"If you weren't pregnant I'd put you over my knee and spank you for that."

"If I wasn't pregnant I'd let you. Assuming, of course, that you'd brought the handcuffs with you."

"Sara!"

Grissom halted on their way to the bedroom. He was not sure if Sara was joking or not, until he remembered 'pineapples'. He eyed her speculatively.

"You'd wear cuffs?"

Sara shrugged, her eyes sparkling.

"Sure, if that's what you wanted…"

Grissom shook his head, bemused, but also further aroused by the banter. He stopped in his tracks again when Sara tagged on the rest of the sentence.

"…though, y'know, technically, it was your turn again."

Grissom dropped Sara's hand in his shock. He had worn the cuffs?

While he was distracted, Sara went to go past him, but he quickly attempted to snag an arm as she moved. She nimbly hopped away, going the other way around the couch. He swiftly moved to cut her off, so she reversed course, trying the first way again. Sara laughed as she narrowly avoided him.

"C'mon, Gris, you're losing your touch here!"

Although Grissom knew that she was teasing him, the comment wasn't at accurate and he could not let it ride. He lunged forward, leaning over the middle of the couch and Sara squealed. Grissom's move had taken her by surprise and she couldn't react fast enough to stop him from grabbing hold of one wrist. Sara laughed as she tugged ineffectually.

"Hey! No fair, that's cheating."

Grissom smirked as he prevented her from getting away.

"I never said that I would play fair."

He cast his gaze over Sara as he moved to the end of the couch as – still holding her wrist – he came around the back of it to stand in front her.

"But all's fair in love and war."

Grissom had let the unguarded words out before he realised it. He had promised himself that he would not ask Sara why she had not told him in Miami that she loved him, despite the fact that he was sure that she did. Well, almost sure. Grissom waited for her response. She looked down his body, halting in apparent fascination just below waist level. She tipped her head to look up at Grissom through her lashes.

"Remind me not to make war with you."

Sara relaxed in Grissom's grasp and moved closer to him, sliding her free hand around his waist and tucking it inside at the back. She was aware that something had changed the atmosphere but wasn't certain what it was. Some of the light heartedness had left his expression when he asked,

"But is making love is still okay?"

Sara's response was gratifyingly fast.

"Hell yes! You stop doing that and there will be war for sure."

Grissom touched Sara's face with his free hand, his fingers gentle as they trailed down her cheek to her throat. His voice was soft and the tone lighter again.

"Well, we can't have that. You need your rest. I'm here to help."

Both of them moved even closer together, their heads only a few inches apart. Sara's voice took on a breathy quality.

"Yeah, I love your help. You can help me anytime you like."

"Good, good. I like helping you. In fact, I'd like to help you right now."

"So what's stopping you?"

Sara was intrigued that, despite the fact that neither of them were using sexually provocative language, her arousal was unmistakable and intense. She fleetingly wondered how much of it was due to her raging hormones, simple lust or love, but she didn't much care why it was happening, just that it was. She tugged Grissom against her with her hand at the small of his back, then slipped her other hand between them and over the prominent bulge in his pants. Grissom groaned aloud and pushed into her grasp. His blue eyes pinned her in place and his voice was harshly aroused as he grated,

"Bedroom, now!"

Heat pulsed in waves through Sara at the tone of Grissom's voice. The caveman was calling and her liberated cave woman called back. She tugged him into her bedroom, pulling him by the double grip on his pants. They stumbled through the doorway of Sara's room and came to a halt beside the bed. They hadn't even kissed yet. Sara remedied that when she released her grip on the pants, grabbed the front of Grissom's T-shirt in two handfuls and tugged him down to her lips.

Grissom had sufficient control over himself not to pick Sara up and throw her on the bed, which was fortunate, because that was exactly what he wanted to do. Instead he poured the passion into his kisses, trying to make Sara realise the depth of his feelings without having to put them into words. His arms closed around her and moulded her contours to his. He felt one of Sara's hands leave his front and slide around the back, under his T. He shivered in anticipation as her fingers stroked across the back of his neck. He was disappointed when her hand withdrew but consoled when both of Sara's hands burrowed under the T's edge.

Sara's questing fingers found the little nubs of erect flesh and rubbed them gently, then skimmed them lightly with her fingernails. She felt Grissom shudder and smiled inwardly as she continued to kiss him, delving deep and hard, an evenly matched duel she thought until Grissom broke off the kiss, his breath short and shallow, his eyes gleaming.

Grissom could see the tremor in his hands as he moved to undo the small buttons on Sara's shirt. She was breathing heavily and it made her breasts brush against his knuckles. At last the material parted and his gaze fell from Sara's face to the revealed flesh. He heard her suck in a breath as his fingers skimmed across the thin material of her bra. He could both see and feel the prominently outlined nipples and could tell from Sara's response that they were much more sensitive now.

Sara still felt hot, but her tiredness had vanished as if it had never been. She shook her shirt from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Grissom seemed mesmerised by her breasts and she glanced down at them. She supposed that they were bigger than the last time he saw them and they did appear to want to spill out over the balcony style cups. She was completely distracted from her thoughts when Grissom caressed her; she felt weak at the knees and had to hang on to his forearms. Arousal flooded through her leaving her drenched and electrified. She felt somehow taller and stronger. She undid her own pants in quick efficient movements and dropped them to the floor along with her socks, leaving her standing in cream and lilac lace. She stared hungrily at her husband.

"One of us is overdressed for the occasion."

Grissom savoured the whole 'nearly naked Sara' picture for several seconds.

"I guess that must be me."

He grabbed the hem of his T with both hands and yanked upwards. While he was blind and had his arms tangled he felt a hand push firmly against his stomach. He felt momentary alarm until the back of his legs hit the bed and he fell backwards onto it. He hadn't even stopped bouncing before he felt the tug on his pants belt and zipper. He grinned inside his T-shirt and finished removing it. He lifted his hips just in time as his pants were whisked off, taking his socks with them. Before he knew it he was lying naked except for his boxers. Sara looked triumphant as she discarded the clothes beside her own.

"Better."

Sara enjoyed the sight of Grissom sprawled on her bed for a few moments, her gaze travelling all over him but ending up on the well filled boxers. It sure felt like Christmas to her. She licked her dry lips and nodded towards the head of the bed.

"Scoot."

Grissom paused briefly before he moved up until his head was on one of the pillows and his feet at the end. He was not in the least threatened by her decision to take charge today; in fact he was interested to know what she had in mind. He watched, fascinated, as she moved to the end of the bed and leaned forward, giving him a splendid view of her breasts. Her right hand snaked out and touched him.

Sara ran her palm over the rigid length barely contained by the boxers. Grissom jerked under her hand and groaned as if in pain. He felt hot to touch through the cotton and she could barely wait to feel him flesh to flesh. First things first though.

"Put your hands up."

"What?"

"You heard. Hands. Up."

Grissom watched Sara get off the bed and move to its head. She knelt and her hand disappeared from view to appear a moment later with a length of scarlet silk. Grissom's jaw dropped in disbelief.

No…she wouldn't.

How did she know? Had Sara read the file, or had Catherine told her about the case…?

Sara moved around the bed and pulled out the other end of the material. She looked at Grissom's face.

"Before you get all bent out of shape, this was originally your idea."

She waited patiently until Grissom made a move to offer her a wrist of his own accord.

"Which I heartily approved of, just in case you were wondering."

She grinned as she tied off the silk. Grissom tested the bond. It held. Sara returned to the other side and picked up the silk, running it through her hand. She continued the almost hypnotic movement until finally Grissom rasped,

"When?"

The movement stopped as Sara looked down at him.

"The second week at the cabin. This was in the window of the shop where I bought my dress."

"How did I..?"

Grissom trailed off, amazed at the idea that his 'other self' had been able to trust enough to reveal one of his innermost fantasies. But then again, this was Sara, the woman who he trusted with his life. The same Sara who two years ago had appeared in front of him and Catherine and asked him to tape her up.

He had not been lying to Catherine when he said at the time that he loved his job.

"You appeared quite fascinated by the material when we were shopping in town and stopped at the window. You asked me if I recalled saying that you could tie me up any time you wanted."

Here Sara's lips twitched with amusement.

"I didn't remember saying it, but the idea was even more fun than you taping me up with duct tape. The rest, as they say, is history."

Sara sat on the side of the bed and almost casually reached out to stroke Grissom through his boxers. His eyes closed in pleasure and he pulsed again under her hand. She could be very persuasive when she wanted to be. He sucked in a breath.

"Okay, okay, I believe you."

Grissom allowed Sara to tie his other wrist with the silk. He realised that it was one long strip of material lying under the mattress. He tugged both arms experimentally and although he had a small range of movement, he was quite well secured. His arousal hitched up a notch when he realised that he must have used this to tie Sara up at the cabin. Christ, he could only imagine how mind blowing THAT session had been.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This bit censored !! Read it on adult fan fiction if you are over 18!!

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Despite her staggering climax, Sara paused only briefly before beginning to move again; she wasn't the only one involved here.

Grissom was consumed with sensation. Sara's slick wetness, the delicious feelings gathering throughout his body, the suck and slide of his flesh with Sara's, the crescendo building and focusing at the base of his spine. It rushed through him in an instant, suddenly snapping like arcing electricity, making him explode into one of the most intense climaxes that he had ever experienced. The silk ties pulled taut as he strained against Sara, spilling himself inside her, pulsing with completion, until finally they were both spent.

Sara slumped slightly, her hands resting on Grissom's legs, her breath heaving in her chest. She was utterly drained and could barely summon up the energy required to get off Grissom and lie down beside him. She looked at him beside her and smirked.

"Jeez, Gris, I'm gonna have to tie you up more often."

Grissom lay in drowsy bliss, his eyes closed, his breathing still deep. He felt too comfortable to do anything other than lie on the bed beside Sara. He managed a smile, opening his eyes briefly.

"Works for me."

Sara smiled despite her lethargy. She slipped from Grissom and climbed off the bed, moving to untie him. She knelt beside his left hand.

"It certainly does."

They lay quiescent for several minutes on top of the bed, barely awake, until Grissom felt the chill of the air conditioning.

"Honey, you get into bed, I want you to stay warm and get some sleep."

Sara didn't demur, she was very tired. She slipped under the crumpled cover and made herself comfortable. But she wasn't too tired to watch Grissom move to close her drapes so that they could sleep for a while.

Grissom made sure that the apartment was secure then rejoined Sara in the bedroom. He got into the bed and turned on his side to face her, his head resting on his right hand. She looked at him.

"Stay with me?"

Grissom threaded his fingers through Sara's, encouraging her to turn on her right side to face away from him so that he could spoon up behind her. She looked over her shoulder, up at him, waiting for his answer. His expression was serious, but his eyes were warm.

"As long as you need."

Sara was silent for a long moment. She was too drowsy to be brave or guarded or sensible. This was her husband, the father of her child, the man that she loved.

"I know that you have your doubts, and that there are still issues to sort, but whatever happens, never doubt that I love you."

Grissom could not speak for several seconds. He brought their clasped hands to his lips and kissed Sara's fingers, until he had control over his voice.

" I was concerned when - "

A brow went up.

"Concerned?"

Wry grin.

"Okay, 'worried' then, when you didn't say it in Miami…"

Sara interrupted before Grissom could complete his sentence.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to scare you off. I didn't want you to feel obligated to tell me it back just because we're married. You didn't say that you loved me, just that you recognised your gift of a second chance. I…guessed that it was the only way that you felt that you could say it. Without actually saying..."

"I love you."

"Exactly."

Grissom smiled.

"No, I mean, I love you."

Sara looked at him for a long, long moment, then smiled a gentle, beautiful smile, secretly reminiscing. She squeezed his fingers.

"Yeah, I know."

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Sara parked next to Grissom's Denali and switched off the engine. She was early for work again, but not as early as Grissom had been. It had been a conscious decision by the two of them. Coming in too early would mean running the risk of meeting the day shift staff and she wanted to put that off as long as possible. Sara remained in the vehicle for a few more minutes. She checked her purse unnecessarily for a second time. She double-checked her hair and make up. Everything was fine and she had no reason to delay any longer. Sara collected her small bag of Miami souvenirs for the guys from the passenger seat. She smoothed her T-shirt down over her front and smiled. Almost as if to let Sara know that she was not alone, the baby moved, doing some sort of back flip by the weird feel of it. Although the baby's movement was reassuring and Sara was always pleased that the baby was okay, she didn't find the 'wriggling baby' feeling that pleasant. It felt like a brief moment in an express elevator, a touch of freefall before everything righted itself.

Sara crossed the car lot and entered the building. She made her way to the staff locker room, passing four or five cops on the way. They had given her odd speculative looks, but no one had stopped her with questions.

Sara hung up her lightweight jacket and deposited her purse, keeping the extra bag out. She shut the locker door and grinned to herself, saying under her breath,

"Showtime!"

Sara left the locker room and went to the breakroom. She glanced at her watch and found that she was still a quarter of an hour early. No one was around yet so she went to the night shift Supervisor's office. Her husband's office. She grinned.

Grissom looked up as Sara entered his office, smiling in greeting. He automatically looked at her fledgling bump. He was pleased that Sara was making no effort to hide the pregnancy.

"Hey."

"Hi. Big anticlimax so far."

Grissom half smiled, still concerned about the possible fallout for Sara in all this.

"Don't worry, you'll get a reaction soon enough."

He leaned back in his chair.

"It's good to have you back at work."

Sara perched on the edge of the desk, resting a hand on her vanishing waist, and one on a thigh.

"Glad to be back here. Miami was nice but it lacked something."

Grissom looked askance, his eyebrows raised.

"What was that?"

"You."

Before Grissom had chance to reply, there was a knock on the door, and it opened immediately. Catherine strode into the office, her eyes going unerringly to Sara's belly. Her smile was wide.

"Ha! If that's what you get working in Miami, I'm glad that I stayed here!"

Sara smirked, unsurprised that Catherine had obviously figured it out before today.

"Hey, they don't give these out to just anyone!"

"Thank God! So what's the skinny? Officially, I mean."

Sara straightened and glanced from Grissom to Catherine.

"Officially, I'm pregnant, will be taking maternity leave and coming back."

Catherine paused, waiting for the rest. She looked from Grissom to Sara and back.

"What? That's it?"

Sara nodded, amused.

Catherine shook her head.

"You realise that they're going to speculate like crazy about the father."

Grissom stirred.

"They can speculate all they like, but to the official line is what we have just told you."

"Yeah, right. Like that's gonna fly."

Grissom looked at his watch and got to his feet, picking up the assignment slips that he had already sorted. He caught Sara's eye and gave a small smile. They had already discussed this moment and they had decided to go with passive resistance. They wouldn't confirm or deny anything, leaving anyone outside their immediate shift colleagues to their own devices.

All three people turned to leave the office. Catherine halted the other two.

"Unofficially, I'd like to say how pleased I am that you two finally hooked up. Maybe there will be some peace and quiet around here."

She looked at Sara's stomach again and her smile was wide.

"Or maybe not."

Catherine looked back to Grissom.

"You are one lucky SOB."

Grissom looked at Sara and she smiled. He looked back to Catherine.

"Yes, I am."

They start to move again, but Catherine halted them a second time.

"Wait, let me get to the breakroom first, this I want to see."

Catherine's smile was gleeful as she left the office, leaving the door open behind her.

Grissom stepped back to allow Sara to precede him out of the office. Just as he moved to follow his office telephone started to ring. He looked apologetic.

"I have to get that, I'm expecting someone to call me back. It won't take long."

Sara nodded, unconcerned.

"Sure. Catch you later."

Sara walked up the corridor to the breakroom, where she could see through the glass walls that Greg, Nick, Warrick and Catherine were already waiting for Grissom. She entered the room and started to walk towards the fridge, intending to get a drink.

Warrick looked up first. His face lit up at seeing who it was and he quickly got to his feet.

"Hey Sara! Welcome back."

Sara found herself in a one-arm hug, Warrick being careful not to crowd her too much. He had glanced at her waist but it didn't linger.

"Thanks, War. Glad to be back."

"Miami agreed with you, girl, you look great."

While Warrick and Sara were exchanging greetings, Catherine had part of her attention on Nicky and Greg. Both of them looked surprised, but Greg looked stunned, and not in a good way. They both got up from their seats; Nick first, then Greg, both trying very hard not to look too closely at Sara from the neck down. She turned to greet them with a smile,

"Hi guys. Brought something back from Miami."

Before he could stop himself Greg blurted.

"We can see that."

There was a moment of stunned silence until Sara looked down at herself and then at Greg. She smiled and everyone else relaxed.

"Ah, no. This I took with me. These I brought back."

Sara shook the bag out gently and gave each of them their gifts, part of which were the small candies that Florida was famous for.

"There's an extra bag for Lindsey, Catherine."

Catherine nodded in appreciation.

"Great. I hate it when I have to share my candy."

The others laughed as they were meant to, and it smoothed things over for Greg.

Nick moved closer to Sara and gave her a tentative hug. He felt like a big brother that had failed to keep an eye on his sister.

"It's good to have you back. Are you okay?"

Sara nodded.

"I'm good, thanks."

Nick lowered his voice and leaned in discreetly.

"Anyone's head I should be knocking in to shape?"

Sara laughed and shook her head.

"No, it's cool."

"Sure?"

"Stop fishing Nicky, it's fine."

Nick nodded.

"You happy?"

"Very."

"That's okay then."

Nick didn't know what else to say without asking Sara outright who the baby's father was. He naturally assumed that it was Grissom, but if Sara wasn't ready to say yet, then it was none of his business. Fortunately he was spared having to think up anything else to say by Greg's approach.

"So what was Miami like?"

"Cooler. Working days was different. Great lab, very modern. You'd love the place."

Greg nodded, his mind suddenly not entirely on the conversation. He kept looking from Sara to somewhere behind her.

"Yeah, great, that's really…great."

"Is something wrong, Greg?"

Sara resisted the urge to look behind her; there was only the breakroom glass wall and the corridor outside it.

Greg's attention snapped back to Sara's face and he laughed nervously.

"No, no, no, nothing's wrong. Just…y'know, wondering. Stuff. It's cool."

Sara could see that 'it' was not cool, whatever it was.

"Greggo, snap out of it and focus. You're making me nervous."

The younger man shifted from one foot to the other.

"I was just wondering if you had told…I mean, does he know? Have you told Grissom about the, y'know, the kid?"

Sara managed not to laugh. Greg's concern seemed genuine.

"Yes, he knows. He took it well. Why?"

Greg nodded behind her.

"He doesn't look too happy now."

Sara turned to see what Greg meant. Grissom was half way up the corridor, clearly on his way to the breakroom. Greg was correct, he didn't look happy at all.

They had all seated themselves at the long table by the time that Grissom entered the room. He took his seat, barely acknowledging them, his expression stony.

Sara felt the first stirrings of alarm. What the hell had happened since she left his office? She tried to catch Grissom's eye, but he didn't allow it. Sara and Catherine looked at each other in puzzlement.

The assignments were distributed quickly and efficiently. There was a brief update session, where everyone brought his or her cases up to speed with Grissom. At the end of it, when it appeared that he had finished, the rest of the team started to rise from their chairs.

"Just one more thing."

Grissom's voice made them all sit back down again.

"I'm sure that we would all like to welcome Sara back from Miami."

All but Sara agreed with him, but their greetings were subdued in the face of the atmosphere. They waited for him to say something else, but nothing was forthcoming, so they got up again and scattered, leaving Sara and Grissom alone.

Grissom stood up, collecting the files on the table together. Sara stepped closer, searching his face for some clue.

"What is it?"

Now that they were alone, Grissom looked at Sara. Each time he thought that they had got things back on course, another stone dropped in the pond.

"It wasn't the call that I was expecting. It was Horatio Caine. Knowing that I'm your husband, he assumed that you had already spoken with me."

"Ah."

Sara cursed inwardly. Then out aloud.

"Crap."

Grissom nodded carefully. He reminded himself to have faith, but it was difficult to keep calm. He waited.

Sara looked at him, a sense of déjà vu stealing over her. Gil had gone ballistic over the temporary job offer. What would he think now?

"Caine spoke to me on my last day. Offered me a permanent position in Miami."

Grissom stood silent, one finger pressed to his lips as if to prevent anything escaping unchecked. After a pause, he asked,

"What did you tell him?"

Sara looked at him, exasperated.

"I told him that it was a great offer and that I'd be mad to turn it down."

"What!?"

TBC