Rating: M Authors Note: Please review, even if what you have to say isn't nice.
Sweet Anger Chapter Five
Macy sat with Sara outside of the interrogation room where two of their suspects were still being questioned.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine," she muttered placing the ice pack back on her swollen eye.
"You don't look fine."
"I'm pissed off."
And she had every right to be. When both of their suspects starting throwing punches at each other, Sara had been right in the middle. She was lucky that she only had a black eye and a bruised cheek.
Macy had managed to get her to take a few Advil and keep the ice pack on her swollen cheek.
"I can have Kevin come over and take a look, Sara. Just to make sure-"
"Macy, I'm fine. You don't need to pull your husband away from the hospital for this.
She gestured to her eye. "It's just a black eye."
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Sara was late for assignments. She stood outside the break room a moment to compose herself. She knew everyone would want to know what happened. She would play it off like she always did, like it wasn't a big deal and that it didn't hurt. In truth, she had been scared to death, and it had hurt like a bitch.
Warrick, Nick and Greg were chatting about the Playoffs, which was a typical conversation on the weekends. Catherine and Macy were discussing shoes, something Sara cared little about. Her eyes focused on the back of Grissom's head as he worked on a crossword puzzle.
She knew what it felt like to run her fingers through his hair. She knew how he tasted. Things had changed over the course of the past few days. She hadn't seem him since the night he came to her hotel room.
Catherine looked up as Sara came in. She had heard about the incident, but was shocked to see the evidence on her face.
"Sara. Hey."
"Hi Cath."
"Whoa Sara. What the hell happened to you?" Greg asked, receiving a dirty stare from all three women.
Grissom's head shot up as he turned around. Sara met his heated gaze and gave him a timid smile. She wondered if he was thinking about the same thing. As he moved away from the table, and took a few steps towards her, she had her answer.
"Sara?" His voice was shaky with concern.
"It's not as bad as it looks."
"Honey, why didn't you tell me? Why wasn't I called about this?"
"It only happened a few hours ago. You weren't even here yet."
"You should have called."
"I'll call next time."
His fingers brushed her cheek softly. Her eyes closed at the contact. It didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the team.
"There won't be a next time."
He suddenly turned from her and sat back down at the table.
"Nick, you're on your own tonight," handing the younger CSI a slip of paper.
"Catherine and Greg…robbery."
Greg snatched the slip from Grissom before Catherine could grab it.
"I'll drive."
"I don't think so. Now be a good boy, and give me the paper."
"Fine. But not because you told me to."
"Macy and Sara, have you finished up your case?"
"No," they said in unison.
"Okay. I want you to work on that, I guess. It's a slow night. Take your time. Warrick, you and I are going to work on a little project that I like to call St. Helen."
"Paperwork, Grissom? Are you kidding me?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"No, you look like you're about two months behind. What did I do?"
The men continued bickering as they left the room, leaving Macy and Sara behind.
"What was that all about?"
"What?"
"That little exchange between you and Grissom?"
"Gil just worries too much. That's all."
"Gil"
"That is his name, Macy."
"It sure is," she said in a sarcastic tone. "So why don't I ever hear you call him that?"
"You're new. I call him that all the time."
"Don't lie to me, Sara. It's very obvious that there's something going on between the two of you. Everybody says-"
"Don't listen to the gossip. Believe what you want. There's nothing going on."
And she prayed that she was completely wrong.
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She was alone. Again. Her case was finished and she was told to go home. 'Great. Just freaking great,' she thought as she left the lab.
She picked up a couple of movie and take out on her way home. If there was one good thing about Vegas, everything was open all night.
After settling in watching a movie and drinking a glass of red wine, her phone rang. The number didn't show up on her ID, but she reached for it anyway. Nobody ever called her at home.
'Maybe it's Grissom,' she thought. But it wasn't. Instead it was MCI calling about a new long distance package. She sat on the arm of the couch and eyed her phone. "I can call him, can't I?" she asked out loud to herself.
As she sipped at her wine, she willed herself to forget about calling him. 'He'll have to come to me.'
'Call!Call!Call!' The persistent voice inside her head screamed.
She picked up her cell phone and dialed his number. His voicemail picked up, but she didn't leave a message. After cussing herself out, she poured another glass of wine.
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Sara woke up abruptly out of her dream. She looked around her apartment a moment before sitting up. Everything was where she had left it- and empty bottle of wine and a glass, along with several boxes of take out sat on the coffee table in front of her.
Knocking. That's what woke her up. It had sounded like someone had knocked on the door. Halfway there, she heard it again. She glanced at the clock. 4:22. She had only been asleep for a couple of hours.
"I tried to call you," he said as soon as the door was opened. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. What are you doing here?"
"I called our phone a few times and you didn't answer."
"I was asleep."
He glanced at the bottle of wine.
"I see"
"It wasn't full when I started," she said defensively. "I was drinking away some frustration."
His eyes widened. "Why are you frustrated?"
"Why wouldn't I be? It was a long day. I let it get the best of me."
"I'm still pissed that you didn't call."
"There wasn't any reason to call you."
"That's what you said earlier."
"That's what I meant earlier."
"Sara, things are different now."
"They are?"
"Yes, damn it, they are! You can choose to ignore it-"
"You mean like you have for the past five years?"
"I didn't know you were a mean drunk."
"It's getting ugly now. Maybe you should go."
"Sara-"
"What? I didn't ask you to declare your undying love to me. We had sex. We're both adults right?"
"Am I too late?" he asked softly.
She looked at him- really looked at him. His eyes were unreadable. Her anger slipped away.
"Okay, let's sit down and talk about this."
After sitting on the couch for an uncomfortable minute, Sara finally looked at him.
"Grissom, I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. I snapped at you, and I'm sorry."
"I was worried, that's why-"
"I know. I'm sorry."
"You didn't answer my question."
"No, you aren't too late. However, everything isn't just going to change over night."
"Now who has cold feet?"
"I don't have cold feet. It's just that I kind of feel like everything has changed, but at the same time, nothing is different."
"I don't understand."
"Good, because neither do I. We slept together, and that changes everything. I don't think we should over look that. I just don't' think we should obsess over it. Let's just see where it goes."
"Okay."
She saw the hesitation in his eyes. She was going to make or break him with whatever she said next.
"I want to be with you so bad it hurts. I just want to enjoy it for now. Okay?"
"Time isn't exactly on our side. I'm a lot older than you. Our jobs could get in the way."
She was losing him.
"Don't worry about any of that. I wouldn't be with you if I didn't want to be. Age is just a number, and I mean that. I swear that it's not ever going to be an issue for me, okay? You have to trust me."
"I do trust you. I just want to-"
"STOP! Listen to me. As of right now, right this instant, I want you to just relax. No terms. No strings. No commitments. We'll just be."
"Just be what?"
"Just be. We've been friends a long time. That's a start. We'll see where it goes from there."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"I agree."
"You do?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I just though your head would start spinning or something. No quotes? No riddles? I'm appalled."
"Good. Get used to it."