"See you in a bit." She closed the door behind her. Did all that really happen? Was it a dream?

It took her going to three bakeries before she found blueberry muffins. It was an hour later when she returned. He was dressed and out of bed.

"Hey."

"Hey." He glanced at the mirror.

"It took me forever. Sorry." She put the bakery bag on the table.

"No worries." The phrase slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. Then he chuckled at himself. 'Been around Warrick and Cath too much'

She looked at him with a quizzical expression on her face. "I didn't know how many you wanted so I bought six."

"Good. We can share."

She smiled sweetly. "I bought me a poppy seed muffin."

"More for me then." Grissom gave her an impish grin. He rustled the bag and began eating like he hadn't had any food in a month.

"Slow down there. You don't want to choke." She said as she tentatively sat at the foot of his bed and picked at her muffin.

"Careful not to get any crumbs on the bed, Sara. They're very picky about things like that." Grissom lightly teased. When she met his eyes, he grinned at her.

She bumped him with her shoulder. "Oh you."

"You have to learn to relax, Sara," he said even as his body shivered slightly at the contact with her.

"I'm relaxed." She said with a mouthful of muffin.

A slight frown creased his forehead as he came to the realization that she hadn't eaten that much. Then he sighed. Not that he could mother her. Instead he turned back to his own thoughts and his own food.

She put down the half eaten muffin. "Wanna soda?"

"Sure," he said pensively.

She returned a minute later with two orange sodas. "This okay?"

"It's great. Thank you Sara." He reminded himself to smile at her as he took the soda can from her.

"So what time do you get released today?"

"In about an hour."

"Do you need groceries? I can always go and get them for you while you do the paperwork here." She said pinching off a piece of his muffin and poking into her mouth. She smiled really big.

Grissom studied her for a moment before his facade melted just enough for Sara to see inside him. "That would..." he stopped, taking a breath. 'Damn it Grissom, just get it out!' "Thank you, Sara. That would be nice."

"Just make me a list." I'm at your beck and call, Gil Grissom. When are you going to figure that out?

"You remember where my extra keys are right?"

She looked up at him. "I've never known where they were."

His cheeks tinged pink "Sorry... I'm not very imaginative but they're under the stairwell by the potted plant."

"Anyone could break in." She said.

"Brass keeps telling me the same thing."

"If you were feeling up to it, I'd say we could shop together once you were sprung." She said softly.

Grissom's eyes gravitated toward hers. He felt a lump in his throat. "I... hI don't want to be a bother," he said weakly.

"Gilbert Grissom, stop that."

"Stop what?"

"You could never be a bother to me." She was slightly hurt that he thought that. She stood and balled her napkin into her fist and threw it away.

"Bad habit, Sara." Now he sounded defeated again. 'How can she love me?' "I'll uh... I'll just see how the doctors are coming with my release papers."

She put a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so upset."

To her surprise, Grissom didn't stiffen or pull away. He paused for a moment before carefully putting his hand on top of hers. "You don't have to apologize. I need work." He gave her a half smile.

"So do I." She said smiling at him. She could see it in his eyes as Grissom fought his protective instincts.

He gently pulled away. "I'll be back in a second."

She was standing at the window looking out when he returned. She didn't hear him come in. She was lost in thought.

"Sara?"

She started at his voice. "Sorry...was just daydreaming."

"The doctor says I can go."

She grabbed her jacket. "Then lets blow this Popsicle stand."

Grissom picked up his jacket and his duffle bag. He looked around him, having a momentary sensation of panic.

"Griss, you okay?" She was inches from him.

"Yeah." 'I know I have to relate to you and to others...but I have no idea what I'm doing.' He smiled at her. "Come on, let's go."

She walked out a head of him. "You don't have to ride down in a wheel chair?"

"Nope."

What he wasn't telling her was that he refused to ride in the wheelchair because that would be admitting that he had been weak. Resolutely he pushed the down button for the elevator.

On the third floor, a whole family crowded onto the elevator. Sara was pressed right up against Grissom. She just knew she was making him uncomfortable. "Sorry."

He put his arm around her and pulled her a little closer to him. She looked up at him. Goosebumps pimpled her flesh. She let her hand rest on his hip.

Now it was his turn to think he had gone too far. He instinctively let her go when they were off the elevator. She let a frown cross her face. She shoved the hospital door open. 'Great...You scared him off.'

"Sara, I hope I didn't cross any lines," he said as they walked outside.

"You didn't." Why did you stop?