Chapter Eleven:

Sara wakes up first. Her eyes quickly adjusting to the light shining through the gap in the curtains. Looking down, she takes in their position. Grissom tucked in close to her right side. One arm under her head, the other curled possessively around her body, his hand tucked around and under her, fingers pressed close into her skin. His nose resting on her temple, one of his legs pinning hers down into the mattress. Sara, laying on her back, attempts to remove his arm from around her body. Shifting slightly, he loosens his grip enough for her to slip out of the bed. Desperate for the bathroom, she practically run out of the room, not without turning quickly to take him in from the doorway. He has rolled onto his back, his arm still outstretched where her head was only moments ago. His other resting against his chest. Continuing her sprint to the bathroom, she flicks on the light and relieves herself. Whilst washing her hands she takes herself in, the mirror showing a pale, red eyed mess of a woman, the mark on her neck turning purple now. Running her hands through her hair, she tries to tame its curly nature, giving up after a few moments and drying her hands, she notices the cream left out on the side of the bath and screws the cap back on.

'Sara?' She hears his voice from the bedroom, thick with sleep.

'In the bathroom.' She shouts back, flicking off the light and closing the door behind her. She walks towards her bedroom once more, to find him stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes.

'You ok?' He drops his hands and makes towards her.

'Yeah.' She exhales heavily. 'You?' She meets him halfway, reaching up to grasps his arms.

'I am now... Sara, can we talk?' He stares down at her. This is it, the moment she was waiting for. He regrets this, he's changed his mind. His thoughts have cleared and realised this is a mistake.

'Yeah. Shoot.' He links their hands and moves them over to the end of her bed. Sitting her down first, he slinks in next to her. Defence mode already in place, ready for the fall.

'I want you to stay off tonight. Take some time to….. Regroup.' He rolls her hands over in his, tracing her knuckles with his finger tips.

'Ok.'

'Ok? You agree?' Taken back by her calmness.

'I mean yeah, if you think I need it off, you're the boss.' She winces, fuck.

'Sara. I'm not speaking as your…boss.'

'But as my?'

'Do we need to label it right now?'

'No.' She answers almost too quickly. He can tell she is pissed off. Standing and grabbing her robe off the back of the door, she ties it with her back to him. 'Coffee?'

'I'm not finished.' She turns slowly.

'It's ok Griss. I get it. Emotions were running high and, and we both said things maybe we didn't mean and its ok to regret what ha...' He shoots up, in two strides he is infront of her, a slight crazed look on his face, grabbing her abit too roughly by her shoulders.

'What didn't you mean last night?' He presses, panic setting in.

'What didn't you mean last night?' She counteracts.

'Wait, what are we talking about right now?'

'I.. don't know. You said you wanted to talk? I assumed.'

'What that I changed my mind?' She shrugs, tying her robe tighter for comfort. 'How can… Are you…. I erm.' He begins to look around as if the answer to this problem is on the floor of her bedroom. 'Sara. I. I know I didn't say much last night but I thought you understood.' She takes in his pained expression. The doubt setting in yet again, she quickly begins to realise that before this even has chance to begin she has fucked this up already.

'So, you haven't changed your mind?' He traces his fingers under her chin and jaw. Shaking his head. 'Then what did you want to talk to me about?'

'I was going to ask if I could stay? I'm off tonight, I have court in the morning, so I'm not scheduled in. I was going to ask if I could take you to breakfast and maybe go for a drive to clear our heads. Whether I could bring my suit here and stay til I was due on the stand?'

'Oh.' She looks down, avoiding his gaze.

'Honey, the only regret I have is having a madman nearly take you away from me. For Adam Trent being the reason I finally realised these feelings for you can't be ignored any more. I know I'm not the best at expressing myself, but God I want to try. For you.' She feels a tear begin to fall and whips her hand up to wipe it away, but he gets there first. 'I don't know what it means to be a good….. Boyfriend? But if you give me time, I'll do my best to make you happy. If that's what you want?'

'For you to be my boyfriend?' She smiles a little. He just labelled it. He nods slowly. 'And I'll be your...'

'Girlfriend? Hopefully a happy one?' He tilts his head to the side. Relieved they are now back on the same page, hell the same book in this case.

'I'd like to be happy.' She looks up finally making eye contact after what feels like a million years.

'Ok, so let's start there.'