Chapter 3 The Apartment

Grissom guided Sara out of the car and up to her apartment, realizing that she was shaking more and more; So he strengthened his hold on her more and more. Sara was uncharacteristically quiet, offering no sarcastic quips and seeming not to notice as he held her around the waist, and wrapped her cold hands in his warm ones.

Finally they arrived at her apartment. He took the keys out of his pocket and opened her door for her.

Sara had been led up the stairs in a daze, not noticing what was going on, or even where she was. Images still slammed into her consciousness, berating all of her senses. When she saw vaguely Grissom opening her door for her she was so shocked that she couldn't help but lean against the doorway and wonder. She let the soothing darkness come over her, knowing that she would be safe. The torment of her life finally letting her go as she sank into a deep oblivion and collapsed against the doorway completely, and fell to the floor.

Grissom felt more than saw her fall, and turned quickly to try and catch her. However, gravity won, Sara was on the ground. Strangely, Grissom was relieved; there was an odd sense of peace on her face, the shaking no longer coursing through her frail limbs. He knelt down and picked her up, shocked by the lightness of her body. "I've got to make her remember to eat more" he resonlved. "Maybe I'll just make the meals myself and bring them to the lab for her..."

He carried her into her apartment and closed the door quietly with his foot. He felt her head begin to stir against his shoulder. He shushed her quietly and whispered "It's all right Sara, I've got you"

He laid her down on the couch where he knew she was comfortable. He sat so that she had her head on his thigh, using it like a pillow. Sara woke up for a moment, but didn't really realise where she was. He froze in that instance, and she went back to sleep, moving her head so that it was completely in his lap. Grissom blushed, even knowing that she didn't realize what was going on. Soon he was again assured by her even breathing.

By the light of the stars he saw her peaceful face, and he couldn't help but smooth her hair. Sara smiled in her sleep and moved her arms a little bit. Grissom took off his warm coat and layed it over her body, making sure she was warm. He fell asleep only then, knowing that she was safe and relatively peaceful.

Grissom woke up a few hours before their shift started, mildly confused. He stiffened as soon as he realized where he was. Looking down he realized that Sara had hardly moved the whole time, and didn't know that he was here. He held her head, and moved out from under it, replacing his lap with a pillow. He covered her with a proper blanket and put on his coat. The coat was still warm from Sara's body, and he revelled in the. He looked down one last time at her soft, beautiful form. He leaned down and kissed her softly on her forehead ; just once, but it was enough. He stood back up, his lips tingling, and smiled at Sara. His Sara. Grissom reached into the pocket of his coat and took something small out, and he set it delicately in her hand. With that he walked quietly out of the apartment, smiling.

Sara woke to what sounded like her door closing. She looked around, confused. The last thing that she remembered with Any certainty was Grissom telling her that he would take her home. Surely he hadn't set her up like this...

She looked around, and brought her hand up to her forehead. She felt something in it and looked. In her hand was a drawing of a small butterfly, poised delicately on a leaf. Sara smiled in spite of herself and got up, confused about where the small token had come from. She got up and stretched, somehow ready for the next day, having just gotten the best sleep of her life. She and the butterfly would see the next day in an odd sense of peacefulness; All was right with the world.