Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
A/N: Thanks to Cybro for the great beta job.
Chapter Seven: The Goodbye
Grissom slowly woke and smiled at Sara as she slept soundly in his arms. He slightly lifted his head, looking at the clock. He was worried that he wouldn't have her home before Kevin got home. Dealing with him was the last thing he wanted to do at this moment. "Hey Sara, wake up honey." He shook her shoulder slightly. "What time will your brother be home?"
She didn't wake at first, but then stirred slightly before groaning and pulling the part of sheet she was wrapped in over her face. Grissom hated to do this to her. "Sara, honey, please wake up. It is already nine o'clock. What time is Kevin supposed to get home from work? "At the mention of the time, Sara's head turned to the clock. There was a look of sheer terror on her face. Kevin was supposed to leave work at seven. Surely he would have been at the house by nine. Her gaze drifted toward Grissom.
"Oh shit, we got to go." Sara jumped out of bed. She grabbed her phone and noticed it was dead. "Shit, my phone is dead. Do you mind if I use yours?" She mouthed 'thank you' to him when he handed her the phone. "It's busy. God, I hope Vinny doesn't go overboard about this." She threw the phone back to him and finished getting dressed. "Gris, Vinny, he's just very protective over me. He's the only one that has always loved me."
"Sara, we gotta get you home, come on," They got in the car and headed for Kevin's house. Sara panicked when she couldn't find her phone charger. Sara didn't know what was going to happen, nor did Grissom. "Here," he said as he handed his phone to her, "Use my phone. Keep trying to get a hold of him." Grissom was worried. Kevin was a cop, and Grissom didn't want to mess around with him. His knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so tight.
"Come on Vinny, pick up." She was worried that his phone still was busy. "Damn, I can't think of the number to the station." Her stress level was high again and she could feel the tears start to form. She threw her purse down on the floor. "I cannot believe I forgot my charger. Grissom, I think it might be wise if you just drop me off and leave before Vinny sees you."
"Okay. Sara, why do you call him Vinny if his name is Kevin?" Grissom asked her in a low tone. Her surprise was evident. This was one of the first times Grissom had started a conversation about things other than work. She knew that there would be a change after what had happened in the last day, but she never thought that it would come this quickly.
"See his full name is Kevin-Lee Alexander Sidle. When I was little I couldn't say Kevin-Lee, which my parents insisted on calling him I might add." She looked over at him and smiled. "I was like two or three Grissom. It just came out Vin-Lee. When I got older it turned into Vinny. I tried to call him Kevin, but he likes me calling him Vinny. It's something special between us." She looked down at the phone still in her hand. "I do call him Kevin sometimes though." She put the phone to her ear, to try again.
"Oh, that is nice," Grissom smiled gently at her. They turned up on Kevin's street and their eyes widened. "Oh my God..." Grissom looked up and down the street. It was lined with cars and police cruisers. Grissom's hands once again gripped the steering wheel as if it were his only lifeline. The pulled up behind a sheriff's cruiser. "I think…I better go in with you." He was reluctant, but opened the door and got out.
Sara just nodded and ran from the car. She was scared that Kevin had got killed that night. She never thought she would get to the house fast enough. She had to see what was going on. The need to see Kevin became overwhelming. "Vinny!" She burst through the door yelling. Tears streamed down her face when she saw him get up from the chair and hugged her. "Vinny what is going on? I've been calling all morning and couldn't get through." She just held on to him.
"Where the hell were you!" He shouted after he let her go. He was worried sick about her and nothing that she said at the moment was going to change how upset with her that he was. "I have called your cell phone and checked all over town! I've made calls to almost all restaurants within the twenty mile radius!" His eyes were piercing into hers like lasers, making her flinch as he yelled.
"I'm sorry…my phone is dead." Sara looked down at the floor as she tried to explain. "I tried to call when we noticed what time it was." Tears fell from her eyes as she looked up at him then back to the door where Grissom was. "I didn't know I caused this much trouble for you. Maybe I should just go." Her arms wrapped around her own body as she shook. "I'm sorry Vinny."
Kevin grabbed Sara's elbow and turned her toward him. "Look, Sara, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell--I just... I want you to know I care about you. I wanna know where you are, I want to know what you are doing. Can we talk?" he asked her. Sara looked toward Grissom and he nodded. She went into the back bedroom to talk with him. Grissom turned when he heard his name. Catherine was standing with Ecklie in the far corner of the room.
"What do you think you are doing? Did you think it was funny to not answer your phone all night? Wait! What were you two doing that you had to turn your phone off for?" Catherine looked hard at Grissom as she walked up to him. "Gil, you didn't…I mean you two…" She motioned with her hands. "We shouldn't talk about this in here." She looked around and then pointed to the door. Let's go outside to talk, alright?" She followed him out the door.
"Sara, you need to tell me if you aren't going to come home at night. I was worried sick, and to top it off, your car was stolen and wrecked. God, Sara, I thought it was you that was in the wreck." Sara's eyed widened when she heard this. Her car had been stolen? Why didn't they call and tell her? Oh, wait...they did... Sara didn't know what to say to her brother. If she was out all night, and her car hadn't been stolen, she didn't think that this would have been a big deal. Sara looked down at her hands. "Anyway, Sara, where were you all night last night anyways?" He asked accusingly.
"Vinny, I'm sorry, okay? I thought I had my phone charged. I just have been so crazy lately." She stood up and walked to the door. Her hand shook as she reached for the doorknob. "Vinny, I don't want you to be angry when I tell you. Okay, look I'm not going back. I…can't. Last night we went to talk and we…we ended up…" She took a deep breath. She knew that he was not going to take this well. "We ended up sleeping together." Her eyes drifted to his. "Vinny, I don't know what to say."
Kevin was silent. Nothing he could say was going to relieve the awkwardness of the moment. He opened and closed his mouth several times but no words seemed to make their way through his dry throat. The silence was deafening. What should he say? That he was happy for them? But he really wasn't, Kevin still hated the guy; and he didn't want to yell at her again. If he did that, she might just flee from him. His eyes widened then closed shut tightly before he turned away from her.
"Vinny…please look at me." Sara's hand touched his shoulder. "He's going to come out once a month when I get my apartment. We're going to try to make it work…here. He promised me, he told me he loves me She wanted Grissom in her life, but not without Kevin. "If you want me to tell him to never come back, I will. If you want me to choose between you and him, I will. Just…I don't know." She glanced around the room and sighed. "I'll go…alright. I will stay at a hotel until I get an apartment." She grabbed her suitcase and started to put clothes in it.
"Sara, I'm not going to make you leave. In fact, stay, please." Kevin was willing to work things out. Sure, he didn't like Gil Grissom that much, but if he didn't want his sister hurt, he would have to learn to deal with him. "I... I will try to... like him. It's just that he hu--" Sara pulled him into a tight hug before he could say anymore.
Meanwhile outside Grissom and Catherine stood talking, while Ecklie stood by. "Cath, before you say anything, don't. We were just going to talk, but I let things get out of control."
"Is she going to come back with us then."
"No, she wants to stay here. We're going to work on it, on us."
"Oh how nice. Does this mean you are moving here?"
"At some point, I might." Grissom could see the disappointed look on their faces. "Look I've spent all my life living for the job. I need something more. Listen why don't you, head back to Vegas, I'll be behind you, no later than a day."
"I hope you know what you are doing Gil. When you get back we need to talk." Ecklie chimed in before he and Catherine walked off.
A little while later, Sara came out of the house followed by Kevin. Grissom was on the curb when they came out; he had been thinking about what he was going to say to the others when he got back to Vegas. Kevin told Sara to go get something out of his car and then started to walk in Grissom's direction. Grissom put his head down and shut his eyes tightly before getting up. 'If Sara had told Kevin what happened last night, he's going to kill me.' But then Grissom noticed Kevin's eyes; they weren't angry, upset, or mischievous, but where soft and content. 'Maybe she didn't tell him...'
Kevin looked at Grissom. He didn't see what Sara saw in him. "Look, Mr. Grissom, we need to talk." He motioned for him to walk further down the sidewalk. "I don't like you and you know that; but Sara, she loves you. I will work on getting over how bad you have hurt her. All I want from you is to give her the love she deserves. She has been through a lot in her life, some things you don't know. There are some things she hasn't even told me." He was upset to admit it but it was the truth. "Just, don't play games with her. Make it work or stay away." He nodded to him then walked away.
Grissom was surprised. He had expected Kevin to tell him off. Grissom nodded even though no one was watching then headed over to where Sara was by Kevin's car. "What was that?" he asked her. She gave him a small smile and explained her and Kevin's conversation. He nodded, understanding. "I have to get back to Vegas. But I will be back very soon."
Sara put her arms around Grissom and held him tight. She didn't want to say goodbye, she was afraid he would not be back. "I trust that you will be back, and soon." She pulled back and looked in his eyes. He was hers now and she realized that. "I love you. I'll count the days until you come back." She smiled as he ran his hands down her cheeks. After a long kiss or three, she waved to him as he drove away.