Disclaimer: I don't own CSI. That's why I work for a living.

Chapter 24

After dropping Jonathan off at daycare, Grissom made a couple of stops before reaching home. Once there he made one phone call, took a shower and crawled into bed. He fell into an exhausted sleep and awoke when the alarm went off at four o'clock. He splashed water on his face and ran his wet hands through his hair. After brushing his teeth, he dressed quickly.

Sara turned into the drive way and was surprised to see Catherine's car parked there. She had picked up Jonathan, the dry cleaning and groceries. She was tired and irritable and not in the mood for company. With a sigh, she hit the button to open the garage. With the car parked she lifted Jonathan from his car seat and carried him through the door and into the kitchen.

Grissom appeared from the living room. "Let me help you," he said as he headed out to begin unloading the car.

Sara strode through the kitchen in search of Catherine. As soon as he saw the other woman, Jonathan held out his chubby arms in a silent plea. Catherine walked over and took him from Sara. "Hey sweetie. What're you doing? I missed you so much." Turning to Sara she said, "How're you mom? Look like you haven't had much sleep lately."

"Thanks." Sara smiled. Catherine was, well, Catherine. She could be blunt but her intentions were usually good. "I'm okay. Would you mind hanging on to him while I get some stuff out of the car?"

Catherine nodded and Sara headed back out to help Grissom. When she passed him in the garage, she said, "Why is Catherine here?"

"She's taking Lindsay to the mall and wants to take Jonathan for a few hours. She said she'd bring him back by 8:30, if that's okay with you."

Sara frowned. She wasn't thrilled at the prospect of being alone in the house with Grissom but a little quiet time was always welcome. "Okay," she reluctantly agreed. "If you'll put up the groceries I'll get his bag repacked." Without waiting for a response she scooped up the dry cleaning and carried it inside.

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When Catherine had left with Jonathan, Grissom suggested that Sara take a shower while he got dinner ready. When she emerged from the bedroom, dressed in her favorite pajamas, the first thing she saw was a huge bouquet of gerbera daisies on the coffee table. Favorite flowers, or not, their cheerfulness only served to re-ignite her anger. Growling her displeasure, she continued through to the kitchen.

Grissom was chopping vegetables for fajitas when Sara stormed into the kitchen. "Where did the flowers come from?" she snapped. "Do you think that is going to make everything okay?"

Slowly, Grissom placed the knife on the counter and turned around. "I bought them on the way home and no."

"Well, at least you got one thing right." Sara stood, arms akimbo, glaring at the man in front of her.

"Good. I figured it would take me at least a week of groveling to get something right. I must be getting better at this whole thing." Grissom turned and resumed his dinner preparations. After a minute of silence in which he could feel Sara's eyes on his back, Grissom slapped the knife down on the counter and turned around. "Okay. I can't take this. I was wrong and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought up Hank."

"No Grissom, I was wrong. You were out of line," Sara shot back. She had been spoiling for a fight since he walked out the night before.

"You're right. I shouldn't have said what I did. If I could go back and do it again the word would never pass my lips." Grissom's hands were planted on his hips and his blue eyes blazed. "Is that what you want to hear?"

"No!" Sara shouted.

"Then what!" Grissom raised his voice to match hers.

Sara felt the fight drain out of her. Suddenly she was just tired. "I…shit…I don't know. Nothing, Griss, I don't want to hear anything." Closing her eyes she drew in a deep breath. "We were both wrong. It's just that I want so badly to give you a baby. I feel like such a failure."

When Grissom cupped her cheek she opened her eyes. "Oh honey, you're not a failure. But I know how you feel. I mean, well, I've never…"

"You can say it you know? It's not anything to be ashamed of." Sara placed her hand over Grissom's and nuzzled her cheek into his palm.

"I know you're right. Besides, Jim told me I was being an idiot," Grissom said softly.

Sara's eyes widened in surprise, "You talked to Brass?"

"Yeah. Why?" Grissom's eyes showed his confusion.

"You wouldn't have done that before. You would have withdrawn from me and bottled it up until you exploded." Sara smiled and said, "It's a good thing."

"Maybe I got two things right. It could be a record." Grissom smiled and slipped his arms around her. "Am I forgiven?"

"Only if you forgive me," Sara replied, sliding her arms around his neck and grinning up at him.

Grissom nodded and bent his head to place a light kiss on her lips. The kiss lingered and then deepened. He broke off long enough to say, "Does this mean we get to have make up sex?"

With a gleam in her eye, Sara said, "Only if you're up–"

Grissom cut her off with a quick, "Don't even think it," before lowering his lips to hers again.

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Lying curled up against her husband's side, his fingers trailing gently up and down her arm, Sara made a decision. "I'm going to trash the stuff in the bathroom."

Grissom stiffened, his hand going still, before asking, "Why? Have you…"

"I haven't changed my mind. I just realized that I'm behaving like a crazy woman. Do you know how many times I replayed that 'just five minutes' in my head last night?" Sara laughed before saying, "How pathetic was that?"

"Wouldn't have been pathetic if it worked." Grissom smiled against her hair.

"Ah, you can make jokes now that you've proven your virility." Sara yelped when Grissom swatted her on the behind. "Okay, I'll stop with the manhood jokes." After a second she said, "I want to have another baby but I'm not going to obsess about it. The charts and thermometers are officially history. No more checking my temperature every day. I shouldn't have done that to you last night. I was out of control."

"Yeah, you were," Grissom teased and laughed when she punched his arm. Sobering, he asked, "How are we going to know when the time is right?"

"I guess we'll just have to keep doing what worked last time and hope for the best. If it's meant to be it'll happen."

"Very Zen of you Mrs. Grissom. I'm impressed."