Three
Grissom pulled into the parking lot of the California State Correctional Facilities a little more than an hour later but still a good half-hour before Sara had told him she would likely be ready for him to pick her up.
He had tried to call her to let her know he was on his way, but she hadn't picked up her phone. This did not worry him, as he knew more likely than not that her phone was probably still in custody of visitor security. When he didn't see her in the waiting room, he thought that she was probably still in with her mother.
Although when he went to inquire after her, he was, upon displaying his badge, informed that she had signed out twenty minutes earlier and that no one had seen her since.
At first, Grissom thought of using his phone to track her down again, just as he had done the day before. Instead, he decided to follow his instincts -- and his heart.
Less than five minutes later, he found Sara four blocks away, seated alone on a park bench with her head bowed and her elbows resting heavily on her knees. He knelt down in front of her and gathered up her hands in his.
"Sara?"
She looked up as the sound of her name. When she did, he saw that her face had regained that lost look again.
"Come on," he said and threaded his fingers through hers as he helped her to her feet and back to his car.
Uncharacteristically, he never once let go of her hand, except to climb into the driver's side and start the engine. Once they were headed back to her rental, he resumed his attempt to grant, however slight, a measure of solace through the warm press of his palm against the back of her hand.
Neither one spoke during the entire trip. Nor were words spoken as they trudged up the three flights of stairs to her unit. Once inside, Grissom wordlessly took her coat and hung it along with his in her mostly empty closet before disappearing into the tiny bathroom. He turned the tap as far to the left as it would go before pulling the flow pin to transfer the water to the shower head and tugging the curtain closed to keep the water off the floor.
Sara remained standing were he had left her only a few feet from the door. He quietly enfolded her in a hug and simply held her until he felt some of the stiffness in her spine and shoulders soften slightly. He took up her hand and pressed a kiss her into palm which made her eyes brighten for a moment. She looked as if she wanted so desperately to tell him something, but didn't have the words.
"Later," he whispered, drawing her with him into the bathroom. "Tell me later."