Sara could hear the raised voices coming from upstairs as she exited hervehicle. She could hear Jim and Grissom, both were yelling. She didn't wantto get caught up in the middle of their little altercation, but hercuriosity was getting the better of her. She quietly took the steps, twoat a time, and stopped at Grissom's door, placing her ear against it.The noise level was such that she really didn't have to press her ear,but she didn't want to miss anymore than she already had.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, cornering her and forcingyourself on her?" Jim demanded
"Look, I know she has feelings for me. The only reason I can think for herto go out with you, is to get at me." Grissom shouted
"What, you don't think she likes me? You think she would be better offwith you?" Jim shouted
"Actually, I do think she would. It's no secret that she has a thing for me."Grissom fired back

Jim paused for a moment and briefly considered what he was going to say inresponse. His mind worked overtime as he came up with his answer. He changedhis posture and lowered his voice a bit. He rubbed his face with an openhand and spoke.

"Well, let's consider the facts. You emotionally keep her at arms length.You mess with her mind. She asked you out, you turned her down, flat, andyou treat her like your own personal human yo-yo." Jim said sarcastically.
"Well, I guess you're right. With the way you treat her, she would bebetter off with you, You Ass."

Grissom was verbally stumped and this only infuriated him further. He tooka step towards Jim and poked him in the chest with his finger. His faceturned a brighter shade of red and he spat out his response to Jim'sobservations.

"Now listen to me, you little Troll, Sara loves me. She always has andalways will, as long as her heart belongs to me, you will never have achance with her."

Jim stood his ground and took a deep breath.

"You touch me once, I give you a freebie. You touch me again, I lay youout. You got that?" Jim said rather calmly.

Sara was still listening in as she heard Jim's words. She could not believethat Grissom would pick a fight with anyone, let alone, Jim. She wasfurious at Grissom's words, and secretly wished Jim would put him in hisplace.

Grissom processed what Jim said and lost his head. He took another steptoward Jim and invaded his personal space, again.

"Oh? What do you think you're going to do? You think you can take me?I'm more of a man than you'll ever be." Grissom shouted again, pokingagain.

"I warned you to keep your hands to yourself. Now its on." Jim said evenly

Sara could hear the sound of flesh and bone connecting with flesh and bone.She heard a crash and Grissom grunt.

Jim had kept true to his word. He laid Grissom out with one punch, sendinghim flying backward into the table by the front door. The small tableshattered into several pieces and Grissom stared up at Jim, seething withraw anger. He fired another verbal volley at Jim as he struggled to regainhis footing.

"Well, if she is so into you, then why did she call me to warn me that youwere coming over? She wouldn't have done that if she didn't have feelingsfor me." Grissom stated

Jim stayed put and let his mind absorb the new information. Why would shecall and warn him? There had to be a good reason. Jim racked his mind,trying to figure out why, but came up empty. Grissom rose slowly andapproached Jim. He was in his face and flailing his arms about.

"You see, she cares. As long as she cares, she will never be yours. She'smine and always will be, you hear me?" Grissom said in even tones.

Sara could hear that things were going from bad to worse. She knew that whenGrissom went from shouting to calm, even tones, he was at the end of hisemotional rope. She took this as her cue to intervene. She tried thedoorknob, but found that it would not budge.

"She's not property. She has a mind of her own. She probably called youbecause she didn't want me to kick your ass, and I will if you keepbothering her." Jim said softly

"You think you can keep her from me? Just try." Grissom challenged

Sara tried the knob again and failing to open the door, she stepped back afew feet and planted her foot just behind the doorknob, effectively freeingit from its locked state. The door flew open just in time for Sara to seeGrissom swing at Jim's head. Jim ducked and landed a well placed blow toGrissom's lower-left section of ribs. Grissom crumpled and staggered
backward. Sara stood in the doorway, looking at the two men. Jim sawGrissom's eyes widen and turned to see what changed his gaze. He saw Sarastanding, arms crossed at her chest. She looked at Jim, then at Grissom.Grissom had never seen her this angry before.

"You think you own me? You think I am yours to do with as you please?"She fired

Grissom straightened up and stood, speechless. He did not expect Sara tokick his door in and confront him herself.
"Answer me, you dick. You think I am trying to get at you, and that's why Iam with Jim? Huh?" she continued

She did not wait for Grissom's response, she just continued to tear him anew one.

"Answer me, you asshole."

She took a step towards Grissom and Jim just stepped aside to allow her topass. He was smiling now. He looked at Grissom and grinned wide.

"You see. She wants nothing to do with you. Why can't you take a hint?"Jim said evenly

Sara kept her approach and was now eye to eye with Grissom. He eyed her andgave his answer.

"I love you. It just took me a while to realize it."

She stood mere inches from his face and shouted.

"It took me moving on and finding someone to be happy with, for you to cometo your senses, how convenient for you."

Grissom placed his hands on her shoulders and almost as soon as he madecontact with her, she raised her arms above her head, freeing herself andthrew him an upper cut to the chin. He flew back and landed on the couch.Jim stepped forward and grabbed her by the back of her shirt, as shedescended on Grissom. Jim held her in a bear-hug and escorted her into thehallway. She was still writhing as he placed her feet on the ground andlooked into her eyes.

"I think you made yourself clear, honey. Go home and wait for me. I won'tbe long." Jim assured her.

Sara turned and walked back down to her truck and pulled out of her parkingspot. Jim watched her as she drove away and only when she had left hiseyesight, did Jim return to Grissom.

Grissom was still holding his jaw, when Jim returned. Jim looked down at thesorry sight before him and made one last comment before leaving.

"I think she has made her decision. Now take a hint and stop pursuing her."

Jim drove home and thought of the events that transpired this afternoon.Part of him was sorry for assaulting Grissom, part of him was glad tofinally have him out of the way. He thought of seeing Sara in the doorwayand tried to think of a reason for her presence there. He laughed aloud whenhis memory conjured up the images of Sara laying Grissom out and herfeistiness in pursuing him when he was down. He smiled at thinking of the
look on Grissom's face when she hit him. He knew not to piss her off, whywouldn't Grissom.

When Jim arrived at home, he was surprised to see that Sara had not yetarrived. He became concerned and picked up his cell phone and called her onhers. The phone rang, but no one answered. He tried her home phone, butagain, no answer. He backed out of his driveway and drove to her apartment.
As he pulled into her lot, he saw her truck and parked behind her.He exited his truck and walked up to her apartment door. Just beforeknocking, he noticed the door was slightly open. He nudged it with hisfinger and it swung open. As he entered, he saw Sara sitting on her couch,staring down the bottom of a bottle of Ouzo. Jim quietly approached her andsat beside her on the couch. He turned to face her and as she looked at him,
he relieved her of her drink, placing the bottle on the coffee table.

Jim had concern in his eyes as he looked into hers. She tried to avoid eyecontact, but found herself unable to look anywhere but at him.

"Sara, I know things got bad, but that's no reason to drown yourself in abottle." Jim said, lovingly

Sara tried to respond, but as she opened her mouth to speak, she foundherself sobbing instead. She slumped forward and covered her face with herhands. Jim could only look on as she fell to pieces in front of him.He wanted to console her, but considering her most recent behavior, he wastorn. Finally, he took her in his arms and drew her to him.

Sara clung to him and let it all out. He continued to hold on to her as shelet all her anger and frustration come out in a series of heavy sobs. Aftera few minutes, she stopped and was content to just be in Jim's arms as heheld her to him tightly.

TBC?