A/N: Hello there! Here it is, chapter 14. As a good author, I will write an A/N first. Thanks so much for the flattering comments you made. Though I only received two for the previous chapter, they both were great (if I'm counting right, if I did, I'm very sorry). Still, I really love reading them, so please leave a review for me. I love constructive criticism, but any review is great. It makes my day, so if you want to do that... I would love that. Thanks to: Myra, Snow, Kristy, you all know why.

This chapter is dedicated to: Jorja Fox

Warning: Fluff!

Chapter 14

He was staring at her for a very long time now, and he still was not tired of it. He stood there, smilingly. She's going home, with me. Today. He was happy for himself, he wanted to be with her, and he realized that even more when he had the conversation with Jena. Actually, he was surprised that he could tell himself this so easily. He knew that he had been distant; he had spent the last thirteen years pretending that they could not be together. He thought that it would not be good for her to have a relationship with him, especially not with him: she deserved someone else. Someone who could love her the way she deserved, someone who wouldn't be locking himself in his own mind.

But she wanted him, and no-one else, he knew that now. He felt flattered and at the same time felt the butterflies flying around in his stomach. He wanted her too, he wanted to make her happy, and he wanted to be the special person for her. Though he was afraid, afraid that he couldn't show his feelings, afraid that she suddenly would change her mind. Afraid that he might change his mind too.

It has been going well, at least for the past few days. What if she suddenly decides that she doesn't want me anymore? What if I realize that I can't do it anymore? What should we do then? I love her, and I think she loves me too, but what if this isn't true? What if this has been nothing more than a simple crush, a teacher-student crush that never blew over? Just a simple love between an employee and her supervisor? Would she be able to love me, for who I am? Does she see me, as a non-social 48-year-old work-a-holic, for who I am, or is she just blinded? Blinded by love that might have never existed.

He sighed and closed his eyes. He shook away the thoughts, and decided to trust Sara when she told him that she loved him. She's thirty-three, for God's sake; she must be able to know herself and her feelings. She was old enough to decide to give her heart to, and she had given it to him.

He opened his eyes again and looked at Sara again. She was sitting on the bed, still. Her hair was still somewhat wet, she must have showered today. Small curls were appearing in the upper portion of her head. The bag next to her bed was packed, the room itself was empty. The cards weren't present anymore on the pin-board behind her bed, the table, where vases with flowers used to stay was empty, although there was one flower lying on the top of the bag. It was a sunflower, still in the bud.

She still hadn't noticed his presence; she was holding her discman in her hands. Her eyes were closed, her lips forming the lyrics of the song she was singing. He wished he could hear her sing, but the door was closed and the glass was between them. She was not wearing shoes, or socks. Her legs were curled on the bed, her feet were tapping to the rhythm of the music. She looked beautiful, the green shirt she was wearing made her skin seem somewhat pale, but it went well with her hair. Her face looked angelic, the eyebrows that were slightly curled, the small frown in her forehead, the dark brown hair that framed her face, the light lips that were moving, that showed the cute gap in her teeth from time to time. The closed eyes...

He felt like he could watch her like this for the rest of his life and still not be bored by her. He knew that he had to take her home. He walked to the door and knocked on it. He could feel that she was looking at the doorway and he opened the door smilingly. When she saw him, she almost jumped out of the bed and nearly ran towards him. In the movement, she took off her headphones and put the discman on the bed. She put her arms around him and hugged him closely. He caressed her hair and held her tightly to him. They stood there for a long time, with closed eyes and not wanting to let each other go.

"I'm so glad you came... I'm so glad..."

"I know..." He whispered the words in her ear.

He kissed her hair. She held him a little closer. She was the first to let go but moved her hands to his. She looked at him, visible moved.

"I'm really... I really want to go... I'm ready to go."

"Are you sure you want to come with me? Because... if you do, there's no turning back."

He knew he was teasing her and she knew it too. She raised an eyebrow to him and shrugged.

"I'm sure and ready, Grissom... I hate being in hospitals..."

"So, that's why you are coming with me..."

She inhaled and breathed out shortly after the inhalation. "No, that's not-"

She started to laugh, knowing that he had her. "I want to go with you... and I want to get out of the hospital. They are two different things and I am glad that I can have both of them..."

She still held his hand, her fingers between his.

"You... want to be... wheeled out of the hospital?" He asked it carefully, her answer would probably be no anyway. Though, he had hoped she would be reasonable enough to see that she couldn't walk the long distance from her room to his car all by herself. He studied her face and noticed that his hope was vain.

Sara shook her head fiercely, and an obstinate look settled on her face. It seemed that she was going to fly against him, but then her expression changed into another. She was begging now. "Grissom, please... no. You know how much I hate that..."

"Sara, please let me... let me do this for you, one last time. You know? There's no wheelchair at home, if you have to do anything you'll be walking. I'll help you with anything, I will support you, bring you anything you need, I'll be there for you, of course, but there is no wheelchair. Let me wheel you out, please, just for this one time."

She bit on her lip. "No, I want to walk... please let me, I can do it..."

Grissom sighed and shook his head with a smile on his face. She won't give up, nothing I say it will convince her. I'd better let her walk; she's going to be mad at me if I push further. "Okay then. I'll let you walk, but if I see any sign of tiredness or pain, I'll put you in a wheelchair, and there's no way to get out of it, not until you're in my car. No begging will help."

Sara smiled brightly. This was more than I had expected. I thought that there was no chance for me to walk at all, but it seems that he understands what I want... "Thank you..." She whispered the words.

Grissom walked over to the bag. It was only a small one, at least for the time she spent in the hospital. She mustn't have had much stuff with her. "Is this everything you have? Everything that must be brought home?"

Sara nodded. "Yeah, it's everything. Just some clothes, magazines, couple of books and... tons of cards. Discman and cd's. Silver necklace. Flowers I had to throw away except this one..."

She walked to her bag, slowly, and took the flower. "Don't you think it's beautiful?"

Grissom nodded. "Yes... We have to put it in a vase when we get home." He smiled at her and remembered her singing out loud. He was really curious what she was singing. "Sara? What music were you listening to when I came in the room?"

She looked at her discman. "You heard me singing? How long had you been standing there?"

"For some time... you didn't notice me. It was a guilty pleasure listening to you sing... you were so... it was just you and the discman. You didn't notice me. You looked angelic, really, watching you was... well... I loved watching you. But... what was the music?"

Sara felt that she flushed. She didn't like people staring at her, though she found that he was allowed to watch her. She smiled for along time, looking away, and then reality got her back to the question. "The cd... oh, I got it from Jena, she bought it for me, as a hospital-gift. It's by Evanescence... We went to a concert together, back in February, last year. I think it's pretty good..."

How come I don't know anything about her, going to a concert? What would she have looked like? What kind of band was Evanescence anyway? "You've been to a concert with Jena? Where?"

"In Vegas. She came by, stayed a few days. She's a fan, and she brought tickets. I thought it would be fun to go with her, took a day off, I had plenty on the book. Dressed up, I still have photographs of the concert and... when we dressed up. I looked so strange; you wouldn't have recognised me, really." She laughed out loud at this little memory.

What would she have looked like? If I wouldn't have recognised her... what clothes would she have worn then?

She noticed that he was confused. "You can see photographs... when we're home. Okay?"

Grissom nodded, that was fair enough. "That's good, Sara, but may I listen to the music... when we're home?"

Sara couldn't help but smile. "Sure you may, but I don't think you'll like it... I mean... it's kinda... heavy."

She noticed his raised eyebrow. "Greg music..."

That clarified a lot. "Okay..." He picked up her bag and dragged it to the doorway. He put it down when he heard her whisper his name. He turned around and looked at her confused face. Oh, God, what's wrong? Would she have changed her mind? Would she say that she wouldn't be in a relationship with him anymore? That she would rather stay with someone else? That she doesn't want me anymore? That... she would raise our baby on her own? Thoughts rapidly flooded his mind, each one more ridiculous than the other. Though he managed to keep his voice calm.

"Sara... what's wrong?"

Sara swallowed. "Was it true what you told Jena? Was it true... when you told her... that you thought we could have been together... back then... at Harvard?"

Grissom seemed blanked by this question, but slowly nodded. "Yes... I really thought so... and I... wanted it..."

Sara wanted to say something but felt that her throat wouldn't let the words escape. "Why haven't you...?" The words were barely audible. She looked at him with her tearstained eyes.

Grissom moved closer, "I don't know... I didn't want to hurt you and... I didn't want to hurt myself... I... have been so stupid, Sara..."

Sara moved her head to the side and closed her eyes. "Shhh... can you please hold me?"

He walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her. Her head moved to his chest and rested against it. He held her in his arms for as long as she wanted it, he wouldn't let her go if she wasn't ready to let go. He finally released her when he felt that she was loosening her grip on him and he moved himself away from her. "It's okay... we're... together now..." He smiled at her.

"So... you have everything? Do you have to sign out?"

"I have everything... I just need to say good-bye to the medical staff, they have helped me so much, you know. I've already signed the papers; I already have my medication... I'm ready to go home..."

He took her bag and held it in one hand. He moved the other to Sara, to support her walking out of the room. She seemed to be fine, although she walked slowly and with some difficulty, she didn't seem to have any pain. She stopped when she arrived at the desk.

"I'm leaving... and I wanted to say goodbye to... everyone. I don't think that they can come but... can you say goodbye from me?"

The young nurse nodded. "Of course I will."

She stood up and shook hands with Sara. "Goodbye, Ms. Sidle. It was nice to have you here as a patient."

Sara nodded and walked away, Grissom's hand still placed on her shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

They made their way to the parking space, with some breaks for her to catch her breath. Still, Grissom didn't do anything to make her sit in a wheelchair. She wants to walk out of the hospital, who am I to tell her that she can't?

When they arrived at the hallway, he could see that she was absolutely exhausted from this long walk. Should I put her in a wheelchair to wheel her to the car? She doesn't have a coat here, has she?

"Sara? Are you sure you don't want a wheelchair right now?"

The stubborn expression appeared again on her face. "I'm fine, Grissom. I just... I'm just not used to these distances. Just let me... stand here, for some time, I'll be fine, really. I... know myself and I know what I can and what I can't and... I can walk, I really can."

The words convinced him that she was right. "Do you have a coat here? In the bag?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't..."

Before she could protest, he had taken off his own coat and placed it around her shoulders. "That will keep you warm... I don't want you to catch a cold."

She smiled to him. "Thank you... but... what about you? You-"

"Sara, don't worry about me, if you are sure that you can walk out of the hospital yourself, I can be sure that I can give you my coat, beside that, it's my coat and I can decide what to do with it."

She nodded and gave him her warmest smile. "Thanks again..."

He placed his arm around her and they walked out of the hospital together. They arrived at the parking space and he opened the door for her. He helped her stepping into the passenger's seat. He put the bag in the trunk. He walked to the driver's seat and settled down. He started the car, but he noticed that Sara was staring at him. He moved his hand to her hand and touched it. "We're going home." She nodded and he drove off.

"Where are we going? This is not the way to my apartment."

Confused she looked at Grissom. He was watching the traffic, but answered with a short shake of his head.

"No, we're not."

He's not going to say more, is he? She rolled her eyes and looked to the outside of the window. When the car stopped, she looked around.

"This is your place..."

What the heck am I doing here? I thought I would be home, I wanted to go home, and now I'm here! What does he think he is doing? I don't want to drop at his place first... I just want to sit on the couch and sip tea, and go to my own bed if I like it. I don't want to be guided through his home, I know his place...

She pushed away the thoughts and looked at him.

"Yes, it is..."

"I thought we were going home... my home."

"This is your home."

Astonished, she looked at him. What did he just say? That this is my home? Grissom is just saying that his home, his private home, where he can hide, is mine too? Does this mean that he wants me in his life, forever? Shall I ask him what this means?

"Ehm... Grissom... are you serious?"

He looked at her, without smile, without trying to comfort her. "Yes, I am serious. I have been so stupid for the past fifteen years, and I realized that I want you in my life; I want to be with you, Sara. So... please, do you want to live with me? At least for the first couple of weeks... when you need to be taken care of."

A bright smile took over her face. "Of course I want to..."

To be continued. Please leave a review!