Hi to everyone who is still along for the ride. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. Sorry about the wait for an update, i'll try harder...promise. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, they made my day and a big big thanks to Rouch for Beta and basically co-wrting this chapter! Hope you all enjoy :-)

The graveyard shift had ended over an hour ago with everyone frustrated by a shift that had yielded another victim, but little else. Gil Grissom stood in the locker room doorway, silently watching Sara. He had stayed late, finishing paperwork, and had come to collect his things when he saw her.

That was ten minutes ago.

He hadn't intended to watch her, but he'd found the rare opportunity to look at her freely—a gift he did not wish to pass on. The last time he'd seen her was an hour before shift ended, laughing at a joke that Greg had told. Her phone had rung and she'd excused herself.

Now she was a different person. Still, shoulders slumped forward and head down. He thought he heard her mumble once or twice. When she started to cry he was powerless to stop himself from going to her. He moved silently and slowly as if she were a wild animal he did not want to flee. When he sat next to her she didn't stir.

"Hey what's wrong?" He asked as he involuntary took her hand. This gained her attention, her face registering surprise.

"It's nothing" She said softly, her voice breaking silently and her free hand wiping away her falling tears.

He squeezed her hand gently and spoke her name softly. After everything she had shared with him in the last few months he hoped that he had gained her trust. He squeezed her hand once more not wanting to say another word until she was ready.

As if acknowledging his unspoken concerns she spoke even softer than before, "I got a phone call earlier, it was from my mother's lawyer. I'd been trying to find her, for closure I guess or… maybe a new beginning" She shook her head and he watched a solitary tear danced down her face. "He said that contact couldn't be made with her. I guess it dawned on me that I'll probably never see her again." A small sob escaped her throat.

He was torn. He wanted to comfort her so much more, to pull her into him and whisper that everything would be ok. But he couldn't. He knew that. She knew that.

She continued, her voice slightly clearer this time, "You know all I ever thought as a child was that if I tried harder, behaved better, then maybe things would have been better. Maybe they would have got along better. I never thought I'd lose them both."

Grissom sighed, his empathy for her tightening around his heart and making it hard for him to breath. "You know it's natural for children in these situations to feel that they could have done something that would have changed the outcome. But eventually they realize that there's nothing that they could have done because a person's nature can not be changed unless they want it to,"

He explained and then fell silent. Slowly his gaze met hers. Her eyes were soft and gentle, accepting the depth of his words.

"Thanks Grissom," she said sincerely, flashing him a beautiful soft smile and squeezing his hand gently before standing up and wiping her eyes once more.

He watched her retrieve her bag from her locker and place it over her shoulder before clicking her locker shut. Then she gently swept her hair out of her collar and he privately admired on how beautiful she looked.

"I'll see you tonight?" She asked, turning towards him and treating him to another smile.

He nodded, and as she turned to leave, he called her name. She turned towards him once more, eyes filled with anticipation. At that moment he wanted her company far more than he wanted peace of mind for his heart.

"Have breakfast with me," he stated simply.

XXX

The diner was quiet and filled with the soft morning glow of the sun. Grissom glanced at his watch, and was pleased that they were in time to beat the lunchtime rush. They chose not to sit at the usual group table, but had opted for a smaller two-seater set at the rear of the diner. They had already ordered their food and were sitting in uncomfortable silence.

Sara fiddled with her silverware unsure of what to say or do. As she stared intensely at the bent fork, she was surprised when Grissom's hand suddenly appeared, and covered her nervous hand. Looking up, their eye's locked, and she cleared her throat, "It's not like it used to be huh?"

Tilting his head he considered her comment, "We were young. Now we're older, wiser and—"

"—boring," she finished for him with a slight smirk.

He nodded, "I prefer to refer to it as seasoned."

"Seasoned? Well, I don't know about that, but you're a lot harder to impress," she answered honestly.

Taking his hand back, he didn't know how to interpret her words. There was no hurt in them, merely facts she seemed to have come to terms with.

Noting his confused look, she chose to let him off the hook, "'Quantitative Population Ecology Seminar', guest speaker, Dr. Gilbert Grissom," she recounted playfully. "I was in the front row…you actually stumbled a little on your way to the podium because you were so focused on me."

"I don't think that was my fault. You were wearing that skirt, playing with your hair, and daring me to teach you something you hadn't already read," he replied lightly. "And as I recall you waited in line for over 20 minutes to talk to me."

She scowled slightly, "I had a legitimate question! You were so serious. Don't think I've heard you refer to yourself as Doctor Gilbert Grissom since," she told him, laughter evident in her voice.

He laughed harder now. Not at the memory, that made him cringe, but at the way she was laughing as she told the story. He had missed this, them. The laughter was interrupted when the waitress brought their meals and they ate in relative silence for the next fifteen minutes. Their conversation started up once again when their plates were cleared.

"Do you ever miss the teaching?" Sara asked, sipping her tea.

"Well it's never really stopped. One of the advantages of being a supervisor I guess. Wouldn't go back to it now, it has taken me ages for me to get my office how I like it." A small grin escaped his lips when he got the response he expected.

"Not with all those preserved specimens, especially that piglet," she countered her nose wrinkled, but then her features softened "I do like the butterflies though." She smiled and continued sipping her tea having no idea of how much her last comment pleased him.

XXX

The Nevada heat washed over Sara as they left the climate controlled diner. It was only 10 a.m. but the sun was beating down on them already. Walking in silence to Grissom's car, she watched in amusement as he opened the door for her.

After ensuring she was settle, he closed the door, and moved to the driver's side. Once inside, he started the engine, and they drove in companionable silence. Entering the parking lot of the crime lab, he searched for her car.

"Actually, you can just drop me off at the front," she explained, pointed toward the entrance.

He glanced a disapproving look her way, "Aren't you driving home, you'll need fresh eyes for tonight."

She rolled her eyes as she fought back a grin, "I'm not a complete work-a-holic Griss."

He merely stared in disbelief.

She offered him her most sincere fake wounded look she could muster. "Ok, maybe I am. My car's in the shop so I'm going to catch the bus home."

Grissom shook his head. "You live ten minutes from me. I'll drop you off at home," he told her as he pointed the car toward the exit.

"You really don't—"

"—have to listen to you," he interrupted glancing subtly at her to make sure she picked up on his sarcasm.

She let a laugh escape her, "Yes sir, bossman."

He smiled openly, but not just because of her mocked reply. Her laugh was something he seldom heard around the lab lately, and was pleased that he was able to elicit a few since shift ended…thirteen to be exact he noted mentally.

Twenty minutes later they had parked as close to her apartment as they were allowed. A haze of people and fire engines had greeted them, sending the street's normal afternoon hustle and bustle into overdrive. As soon as Grissom had found an adequate place to park the car, Sara had jumped out and bounded towards a small group of people that had gathered around a flustered looking fire fighter. Grissom had quickly followed and by the time he caught her up she was already seeking answers from the officer in charge.

"Hey, just take a minute to calm down. Getting worked up won't help anyone. There has been a fire in your complex basement. It's now under control but we fear that it may have left the building structure unsafe. We are not allowing anyone back into the building until it has been cleared by a structural engineer".

Sara's sigh punctuated the end of his sentence. "How long will that be?" she asked, disheartened.

The officer took a deep breath and shifted his stance slightly "Might be a week, give or take a few days. Do you have anywhere to stay?"

Shaken, she did not respond, so Grissom intervened.

"Yes, she does. Thanks Officer". And with that he gave the officer a last smile of thanks before gently taking Sara's arm and leading her back to the sanctuary of his car.

Once inside he turned on the air conditioning in a vain effort to drown out the outside chaos before turning his attention back to Sara.

She sat silently.

"You can stay with me. I have a spare guest room," he offered.

She turned to him slowly, eyes vacant. Finally she shook her head and spoke, "It's ok. I'll get a motel room. You don't have to be put out as well".

He sighed and took her hand gently. "The last thing I'll be is put out."

She smiled softly at this, as did he, "I'll be fine Grissom. A week in a motel won't do me any harm."

He shook his head this time, "Sara. I have the room. You need to be fresh for this case. The last thing you need is to be stuck in a motel alone worrying about your apartment. I have a guest bathroom, books and a laptop. Plus you don't have your car." It was the truth and rational. Or at least that's what he told himself.

He could still see the doubt swarming in her eyes, "I'm sure that I won't even notice that you're there." That was a lie. He knew it. And if she did then she never let on.

With one last sigh he saw some doubts leave her eyes, to be replaced by submission. "Ok. But if it runs over a week then I'll get out of your hair. Deal?"

Her words were serious and he decided not to push the matter any further. "Deal," He answered seriously for her sake.

A small smile escaped her lips in acceptance, which he returned, before starting up the engine, pulling out of their space and heading towards his place. Trying as hard as he could to convince himself 'This was a good idea. This was a good idea. This was a good idea. This was a good idea. This was a good idea'.