Chapter Three:

It was an eventful night at the Las Vegas crime lab, especially when they are a CSI short. Grissom is sat in his office, completing some paperwork when his cell phone rings, shift finished two hours ago and he prays its not another body. Sara's name flashes up on the screen. He quickly grabs his cell, nearly knocking over an abandoned cup of now cold coffee.

'Hey.'

'Hey… How's your night been?'

'It was busy, well still is busy. I'm just finishing up some paperwork then I'm going to head out.'

'Ah sorry, that's probably my fault. I err just wanted to say thank you for yesterday, it erm really meant a lot that you stayed.' He smiles to himself, the feeling of waking up next to Sara was a memory he will never forget. Seeing her relaxed face with her hair scattered across her cheeks, the way her hand was resting so closely to his on top of the comforter. How her freckles are so much more noticeable when she isn't wearing makeup. He could have stared at her for hours, well more hours, not including the one he stole that night.

'And I'd do it again.' He admits, bolder than he ever would have intended.

'Really?' Sara pauses to pull at a thread on the throw draped over her legs as she sits slouched on the sofa, her cup of tea long forgotten.

'Yes Sara, you're my friend and I care about you.' She is stunned to silence, this is the furthest they have gotten in years, since that last night in San Fran. He can hear her smile down the phone and its infectious. 'Look, I've got one or two things left to finish here, how about I swing by with breakfast?' He knows he has at least two more hour's worth of paperwork to complete but to hell with it.

'Yeah, yeah that sounds…. Good.' She frantically begins to look around, cataloging that needs to be done before his arrival, cursing herself for her constant need to arrange and rearrange her book shelves.

'Ok, I'll see you in say 45 minutes?' The paperwork can wait.

'Yeah… Yeah see you soon.' As soon as she hangs up, she immediately jumps off of the sofa and begins to tidy the apartment, he was only here yesterday but her mindless wandering, sorting and reshuffling of the living room has created somewhat of a mess. After straightening a few things, she quickly showers, leaving her hair to dry naturally and throws on some jeans and a sweatshirt, belonging to an ex-boyfriend from college she can't seem to get rid of. Its 11am when she hears the soft knock on the door, she swings the door open and is greeted by Grissom, hands full of bags and his cell phone trapped between his ear and his shoulder. He is wearing dark jeans and an old college sweatshirt, unconsciously mirroring her outfit. She mouths 'hi' and he passes her some of the bags.

'Yes…. I didn't say that Catherine, I said… Ok, ok well if you and Conrad have all the ideas then why you are even including me in this conversation…. Ok, no. I'm not at home. I'm with a…. A friend... Yeah, ok. Bye.' He snaps the phone shut and she notices he turns it to silent, quickly shoving it in his jeans pocket. He removes his shoes leaving them near the door.

'Everything ok?' Sara grabs two glasses from the cupboard and pours them both a large amount of orange juice. Moving to stand beside him with, she places the glasses over the counter onto the breakfast bar in front of them.

'Yes… You hungry?' He moves next to her, leaning around her to grab some cutlery from the drawer next to her right hip, resting his other hand on her other hip for balance. She hums to answer as she helps him open container upon container of waffles, pancakes, muffins, syrup, fruit and granola.

'Oh my god, are you trying to make me fat. What's with all this? Is the rest of the team coming and you didn't tell me?' She stands in amazement at the sheer volume of food.

'I wasn't sure what you fancied, and I've seen you eat all these before.'

'So instead of just picking one you brought all of them?' She folds her arms and turns her whole body towards him. He looks up, noticing what she is wearing, and gives her a once over, stopping to look at her bare feet, then snaps back up to make eye contact.

'Yeah.' He shrugs, grabbing some containers and walks around to her breakfast bar, pulls out the two stools and sits down, pulling the napkins closer. She shakes her head and moves around to join him on the bar.

'Thank you, you really didn't have to do this.'

'I did, I checked in your fridge yesterday before I left. No one can live on Diet soda and soup.'

'I've managed just fine, haven't I?' She cuts into the waffles and brings it covered in syrup into her mouth.

'You like?' He shovels some pancakes and fruit into his mouth.

'Hmm uhhm.' She closes her eyes whilst she chews through the waffle. This feels so easy, natural. Just as she is about to bring another forkful of waffles and cream to her mouth, a strand of hair falls from behind her ear straight into the cream. 'Oh shit.' She drops the fork into the container and goes to grab a napkin, but he has already beaten her to it and it trying to remove the cream from her hair. She sits in silence as she watches him methodically remove the cream from her curls. She can hear his breath and stares at his face whilst he is doing such a mundane task with such thoroughness its almost sexual. He drops the napkin and pushes the hair back behind her ear.

'I like it when its curly.' His eyes snap from her hair to her eyes, like he almost can't believe he said that out loud.

He moves back to readdress his breakfast and they continue to eat in silence til they cannot stomach another bite. They clear the bar and Sara takes out the trash, when she returns, he is sat on her sofa with the tv on, a muffin each on a plate.

'There is a documentary on the Scarab beetle, do you mind?' She just shakes her head and laughs.

'No… by all means. Can I watch it with you?' He turns to her quickly a questioning looks on his face, almost like he is hurt.

'That was the plan m'dear.' He moves the cushion to his left and makes room for her to sit, she sits crossed legged and pulls the sleeves of her sweatshirt down over her hands.

'Did you know that the Scarab beetle was a symbol of eternal life in Eygpt.' He quips, always trying to impress her.

'I know that they give me the creeps.' She shudders pulling her knees up to her chest. He snorts.

'Sara Sidle? The Sara Sidle, that can work a 12-body deep cess pool of human goo on the hottest day of the year in the middle of the Vegas desert. Who has waded through tons and tons of trash looking for body parts, is creeped out by a beetle?' He leans back against the sofa and crosses his legs at the ankles.

'Yes.' She sits straighter to get his attention. 'I don't know what it is they just creep me out.'

'So, when I was showing you the latest addition to my beetle farm a couple of months ago?' He feigns sadness. She shakes her head, confirming his theory on her distaste. She laughs and he joins in too.

'I've missed this..' He stares ahead, the documentary long forgotten.

'Me too.' She concurs.

'I've missed you.' She smiles sadly at him and then turns to face the tv.

'It did seem like this was easier when we were in different states.' He nods in agreement. 'We would email nearly every day, even though we were on different shifts. Talk on the phone at least once a week…' They reminisce for a moment.

'What happened?'

'You asked me to come to Vegas.' She replies in her dead tone manner that always gets him, smiles and looks at him in the eye and he nods. Tearing his eyes away from her. 'What changed?'

'I don't know.' He admits, he is scared of where this is going but he knows they need to talk about this.

'You said that yesterday. You know for an intelligent man you don't seem to know an awful lot recently.'

'Only when it comes to you, and what to do about… this.' He stops for a moment gathering his thoughts. 'I want to be your friend again Sara, I want to be able to be here for you.'

'Ok…' She pauses for a moment, taking everything in, it's not much but its something! After five years its actually something. 'Do you think you will ever know what to do about this?' She has to ask, to see where she stands. He nods making eye contact. 'Do you want to stay?' He nods again and she stands, turning the tv off, she makes to move towards her bedroom, stopping halfway to check he hasn't misunderstood or panicked and ran away screaming. She sees him stand and move around the coffee table in her direction. They walk towards her bedroom in silence.

'I'm just going to brush my teeth, I have a spare toothbrush if you want me to leave it out for you?' She is stood in the doorway to the bathroom.

'That would be great thanks.' She smiles and closes the door behind her. Whilst in the bathroom she tries to slow down her breathing, he is just staying, again for the second time in a row, no big deal. It's not as if they are going to have sex. Meanwhile in the bedroom, Grissom is debating removing his clothes. He has his boxers on, black formal, sensible and a t shirt under his jumper. That would work. His thoughts are interrupted when he hears the bathroom door click open and Sara walks out in a black tank top and green checked pj bottoms which look miles too big but are tied tight at the waist.

'Bathrooms free. I've left the spare brush out on top.' She takes in his appearance, seeing Grissom stood with a blank expression on his face, in his jeans and white t shirt his jumper crumpled in his hands. She moves around him to the right side of the bed and climbs in. He manages to get his act together long enough to drop his jumper on the bed and walk into the bathroom. Settling down into the covers Sara takes her book from the nightstand and begins to read a few pages whilst he gets ready. He emerges from the bathroom, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. She watches him move slowly towards the bed and she folds the covers down inviting him in. He raises an eyebrow. 'Don't worry. I'm not going to jump you in the night Griss. We are mature adults. We can share a bed surely.' She is trying to convince herself more than him at this moment and for the best part it seems to be working. He climbs into the bed and rests his head on the pillow. She folds down her page and moves her book back to the nightstand.

'Don't stop reading on my account.' He turns on his side to face her.

'I wasn't. I was just seeing where I was up to.' She lays down on her back further into the bed. She then quickly sits up and leans down the side of the bed to pick up her hair tie, he can't help but give her a once over. Her tank top has risen and her milky back is exposed as she bends down to pick it up. She quickly snaps back up and pulls her hair into a messy bun and settles back down under the comforter. 'Do you want to talk for a bit?' She turns her head to face him, startled that he is just staring at her. He nods but doesn't say anything. She turns back to look at the ceiling and purses her lips. 'Do you think Catherine hates me?' He furrows his eyebrows.

'She doesn't hate you Sara. She just doesn't understand you.'

'Oh and you do?' She laughs. He looks offended but she knows he isn't. She likes this new playful side to their friendship, like the old days but... different somewhat now.

'Yeah!' He leans up on his elbow and stares down at her. 'Catherine, she…. Is just Catherine.' He shakes his head a little and laughs. Sara turns to her body to face him and smiles a sad smile.

'But she's your friend…'

'So are you. Sara if you are asking me to pick sides I….'

'No! No I'm not asking you to pick sides Griss, I just… You have known her longer than you've known me, and I was out of line. You should be fighting her corner, not mine.'

'I'm not fighting anyone's corner Sara. Not as your supervisor or in any other capacity. I'm here now for us both, not just you. And definitely not for Catherine or Ecklie….ok?' He smiles and she returns the favour. A yawn takes over and she tries to hide it behind her hand. 'Lets sleep…. We can talk more when we wake up.'

'Ok.' She leans over and turns off her lamp on the bedside table. 'Goodnight Griss.'

'Goodnight Sara.'