Author: Joyce

Title: Better memories

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Sara or Warrick. Never will either.

Note: Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love all the reviews! This chapter is dedicated to the pen and the notepad I had with me while writing this on the subway and of course it's dedicated to everyone taking the time to read this. It's very much appreciated and don't hesitate to tell me what you think. In other words, review!

The other part of me

Grissom was disturbed when there was a knock on his door, since he had been engrossed in his case. His frown quickly disappeared though, to be replaced by a mixture of joy and surprise when he noticed who the visitor was.

"Sara," he said but seeing that she had been crying he stopped talking, not knowing what had happened. Why she was here.

She just stood there, watching him while slowly approaching him and he felt like she was studying him. It made him see a glimpse of the old Sara, of the person that she had been.

"What are you doing here?" he eventually wanted to know, her silence making him nervous.

She smiled, in a sad way and finally replied:

"He sent me here, you know?"

Her answer only added to his growing confusion.

"Who did? Warrick?"

"Yes," she said, giving him a glare that indicated that she found it a stupid question.

"Who else?"

He choose to ignore her comment and asked her a question of his own.

"Why did he sent you here?"

She looked into his eyes and he was scared to see that he really didn't know her anymore. There was a piece of Sara there that he recognized but the larger part of her...He didn't want to dwell on that part for to long and was saved by her voice shaking him from his thoughts.

"Because I remembered, Grissom. I remembered."

"Everything?" he wanted to know, not hiding his excitement and hope. The first good emotions he had experienced since she had been injured.

"Is there really that much to remember?" she inquired and the question hurt him, more then he cared to admit.

"Yes," he said while nodding passionately. "There is, we've been given a second chance, Sara. And I won't let it go to waste, I will never let you go to waste again."

She didn't respond to that, her eyes avoiding his and she studied his office instead. Looking at an object in the corner of the room for a long time. He followed her gaze and waited for her to speak.

"You bought me a plant once," she said, not taking her eyes of the one in his office. "I was ready to pack up and leave and you bought me a plant!"

He was taken aback by the anger in her voice and wanted to say something when she continued.

"You want to know what he did?" she trailed of but this time he didn't need to ask her who she meant. He knew.

"He called me," she continued. "He never did but that day he called me and said: Stay Sidle, we need you. He wasn't afraid to tell me that, even back then. But you always were. Why Grissom?"

"Because I was a fool," Grissom admitted. "But not anymore, things have changed. I need you, Sara."

A small smile was seen on her face and then it was gone.

"Things have changed," she spoke thoughtfully. "There's this wonderful man waiting for me at home and I'm here, talking to you because she can't seem to let you go."

"Who's she?" he asked.

She stood up and started pacing.

"The old Sara, the one that wanted you desperately. Who would have given her life to hear you say that. But the thing is, I don't know if I still want that anymore."

"You want Warrick now?" the scientist in him made him whisper, the one who always wanted to know everything.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "All I know is that a part of me is happy to hear you say to you need me and another part of me is thinking of him. He was so scared but he made me go because he would do anything for me. I just don't know what I want anymore."

He stood up and hugged her, still finding this affection to be uncomfortable but he was willing to do it if it would make her stay with him. She relaxed somewhat against him but couldn't help but think of a taller man holding her. His embrace relaxed, trusting, completely letting his guard down.

"Thanks," she smiled at him once he released her and she was meant it. She knew this had been a big step for him. "But I can't do this right now, it's to hard, Grissom. I need to think."

"Ok," he said, reluctantly taking a step back. Not really wanting to let her go, not when she had finally come to him.

"Ok," she repeated, looking at him again before she left the office.

"Sara," he called after her and she turned around. "We shared something for so long, we deserve this. Please remember that."

She just frowned, not really liking the fact that he was pushing the issue and left him, wandering through the lab a bit. New memories coming to her at every corner. Warrick had been right, the memory of Grissom had been a trigger and bit by bit her memories were returning to her. That did nothing to make her confusion go away though. The added memories of her old life only made it worse. She remembered a young, crazy for her career, woman with a lot of problems. Most of them attached to her boss and then she remembered the person she had been with Warrick after the accident. Carefree, happy for once. And to an extent he had even made her happy before the accident. He challenged her, made her laugh and he never played games with her. She turned a corner and bumped into Greg, who had a huge smile on his face once he recognized her.

"Greggo," she said, smiling at him and his smile got even bigger.

"Did you just call me Greggo?" he wanted to know and she just nodded. "Are your memories coming back to you?"

"You know what," she said, for the first time getting excited about the prospect that she was actually getting better. "I think they are!"

Greg pumped his fist in the air, shouting something that sounded remarkably like 'Woohoo' before he lifted her up in a bear hug to spin her around. She just laughed and let him spin her, enjoying his happiness.

"That's great," he told her once he put her down. "Have you told the guys yet? Does Nick know and Warrick and have you told Griss yet?"

She laughed, shaking her head.

"Nicky doesn't know yet but if my memories serve me right you might tell him soon, with you being the Gossip Inquirer around here."

He blushed with she found adorable.

"I don't always tell stuff to other people," he mumbled.

"Sure you don't, Greg," she said to him sincerly while winking at him. "Now, if you excuse me, I need to see someone. I'll see you soon."

"I can't wait," the lab tech said to her and she waved before she left the lab, heading towards Warrick.

When she got to his place she knocked on the door, only to find him gone which surprised her a bit until she figured out where he might be. She left his place again, finding him half an hour later. Where she predicted he would be.

"So, you're going to be the number one 'Bloodsuckers in Space' player?"

She startled him, she could see that but he didn't look up from the game he was playing. He kept shooting, his eyes fixated on his targets.

"I needed my security blanket," she finally heard him say and it shocked her that she could have such an effect on him.

She lightly touched his arm, he still kept shooting but she could see some of the tension draining from his body. He still refused to look at her though.

"You thought about gambling?"

"No," he replied shortly, shaking his head. "I thought about going to that office and dragging you out and since that wasn't such a good idea... I came here."

She had to giggle and that made him look at her, eyebrows raised.

"I'm glad to see you find this funny."

She just laughed harder before she explained.

"I was in there hoping you would come and rescue me so the fact that you actually thought about it.. Well, it's sweet."

"It was that bad?" he inquired.

"Yes and no," she answered vaguely. "I don't want to talk about it here. Can you finish your game so we can talk?"

He left the machine immediately.

"Done, let's go." He took her by the hand and led her out of the arcade and the familiar shiver went trough her once he touched her.

"My place?" he said and she could see that he was still scared, even though he tried very hard not to show it.

She just nodded and they made their way to his car.

"How did you get here, Sidle?"

She grinned at him, putting some hair behind her ears and she could see his eyes following her movements.

"I figured out the bus system from your house, it wasn't that hard."

He nodded, lost in thought and in silence they drove home. She didn't dare to speak because truth to be told she didn't know what she could tell him but for now it was enough to just be with him. She knew that once they got home they would have to talk but at this moment she just wanted to sit here and pretend that everything was alright. The drive was over before she knew it and a couple of minutes later they found themselves on the couch.

"Ok." Warrick said. "Tell me about it, Sara."

She grabbed his hand, wanting to feel his touch while she told her story.

"He told me he needed me and he wants us to be together. I think this time he's really ready for it."

Warrick forced a smile on his face.

"That's great, Sidle. It's what you always wanted."

"Yeah," she said, still holding his hand. "A part of me still wants it. When he told me that he needed me, I don't know, I felt someting but..."

"But what?" Warrick asked, hoping he could hear her over the loud beating of his heart.

"I kept thinking of you," she confessed. "He was saying everything I always wanted him to say and I saw you sitting here on the couch and..."

He sighed, interrupting her.

"Look, Sara, I think it's sweet that you feel guilty about what it would do to me but don't worry about me. I'll be fine, just do what your heart wants."

"You don't get it, Brown," she said, a somewhat angry look in her eyes. "It was not guilt. If I go for Grissom I can never be with you again, never touch you again. That hurts, ok. You have no idea how much that thought hurts."

His hand caressed her cheek and she closed her eyes, enjoying the familiar sensations of his hands on her skin.

"So, now what?" he asked her.

Her eyes fluttered open.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I want you, I do, but I don't know if I'm ready..."

"To let him go?" he finished for her and she just closed her eyes again, nodding.

She wrapped her arms around him and he responded by hugging her fiercely. In an almost desperate way.

"I'm so sorry, Warrick."

He smiled, pulled back somewhat to brush some hair out of her face.

"Don't be, you take all the time you need. I'll wait."

"Why?" she wanted to know. Really not getting why he was letting her hurt him like this.

He grinned, before he kissed her and she let him, not able to stop him. Not wanting to stop him.

"Isn't it obvious, Sidle," he whispered once he let go of her. "I love you."

She just blinked, processing what he just said. She saw the sincerity in his eyes, he was sitting there offering her his soul and she smiled.

"I love you too," she said and she really meant it.

He nodded, actualy believing her. He didn't doubt that she loved him, he just wasn't sure that she loved him enough.

"Ok," he decided. "Enough about this, tell me about the rest of your visit. Did it at least trigger any memories?"

Her eyes sparkled when she responded.

"Yeah, I remember almost everything. Old cases, my youth, college. It came back to me gradually but once you convinced me to talk to Grissom memories just flooded me."

"Because of him?" Warrick needed to know.

She shook her head.

"No, because of me. I think I suppressed a lot of memories because I wanted to cherish what we had somewhat longer but when you forced me to deal with them...They just.. they came back to me. Like I was finally ready."

"Good," he said, yawning. "That's good."

Sara saw how tired he was and realized she was kinda beat herself.

"You should get some sleep."

He knew she was right.

"Yeah, that's probably a smart idea. You want me to drive you home?"

"No," she said. "Your bed is big enough for the two of us, right?"

He had a confused expression on his face.

"Eh, yeah. Why, you wanna stay here?"

"Yes," she said. "Can we do that? can I just stay here and sleep with you? Just sleep, I don't want to leave you just yet."

He shrugged.

"You can stay."

She smiled, reached out her hand and he took it, leading her into his bedroom. Five minutes later she had snuggled up to him, both lying in bed.

"Good night, Sidle."

She smiled, placed a kiss on his chest.

"I won't make you wait long, I promise. Goodnight, Warrick."

They fell asleep, still holding each other.

Tbc...