Sara – Half of my Hearts got a right mind to tell you..
She caught up with Robert in the parking lot. She really wasn't sure what she was going to say but her voice of reason seemed to have abandoned her lately, at least for things like making responsible, adult decisions that could have an impact on the rest of her life.
"Hey, I uh… I wondered if we could maybe go get something to eat. My way of an apology? I was out of line earlier…"
"I don't know about that drunk Sara is kinda fun" he grinned.
She drew a hand over her face in an attempt to brush away the embarrassment, trying to stifle the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"I don't usually…"
"Oh yeah, me either" he winked.
"Look its fine, if you don't want to…"
She turned and started to walk away, rolling her eyes at her own awkwardness. She couldn't remember a hangover ever transforming her into a teenage girl before. Robert reached out and grabbed her by the hand, whirling her round to face him with that wide genuine smile of his. His eyes sparkled; he was clearly enjoying her discomfort.
"I'd love to. We can just avoid the hotel bar" he teased "and Mr Grissom…"
She thought for a moment he was speaking about avoiding Grissom that would make sense of course. Given the circumstances, she was all for avoiding Grissom but soon enough she realised he was walking across the parking lot towards them. For the first time in a very long time her heart fell at the thought of facing him, she didn't want to see that betrayal in his eyes again. He had no right to make her feel this way; she was a free woman, capable of making her own decisions about her own life without his input. She had wasted enough of her time waiting for him.
Rob stroked her arm and smiled as Grissom cleared the space between them, she glanced over her shoulder to see the thunderous expression in his eyes. He was mad. She wasn't sure if he was mad at her but he was making a beeline towards her with rage radiating out of his pores.
"I'll call you later Sara ok?" she nodded as he slipped into his car and drove off, taking a deep breath to prepare herself for whatever Grissom had on his mind. By the time he reached her his angry expression was gone, replaced by soft concern.
"I need to talk to you Sara"
Part of her was very intrigued by what he had to say, part of her wanted to melt at his feet and throw herself to his mercy for the millionth time but she had made a decision during this case. An unexpected but important decision and she would be doing things her way from now on.
"I'm sort of on my way out Grissom, can't it wait till tomorrow"
"It's important"
She sighed and shot him her very best defiant stare. "Fine, what is it?"
He pressed his hands together and drew a deep breath his eyes scanning the parking lot carefully.
"Can we go inside?"
"Look whatever it is, you can tell me out here Grissom. I've got plans"
He faltered for a second, his eyes showing a whisper of emotion before he set his frown and spoke in urgent, hushed tones.
"The evidence collected at the house and at the cabin came back to Officer Miller. He is currently our only suspect. I wanted to let you know before the police picked him up"
She held her breath as she absorbed the information she was hearing.
"No, no that can't be right Grissom I know this guy. There's no way"
"I'm sorry Sara but it's the evidence. You need to stay away from him"
Something inside her snapped just then, she saw red and he was on the receiving end of an angry tirade.
"Oh now I get it, now I see what this is about. What is it Grissom, did it make you jealous to see me with someone else?"
He looked stunned but made no effort to deny his feelings. He must have been expecting her anger, he must have prepared himself for her onslaught, he knew her better than anyone else, and of course he knew how she would react.
"It's nothing to do with how I feel Sara. The evidence is the evidence."
She paced up and down, rubbing her temple in an attempt to straighten out her thought processes. She had almost forgotten he was standing there, watching her wrestling with her emotions as she ran through every memory she had of Robert Miller. Every word he had said to her, every gesture and movement she analysed in a different way but still she couldn't see it. She continued shaking her head, slipping the cell phone out of her pocket and tapping on the buttons.
"I'm gonna give him a call, this can't be right..."
His hand folded over her phone, slipping it out of her hand with a stern look.
"No Sara, you can't speak to him. The police are on their way to pick him up right now"
"Your wrong" she held his eye contact, far from the emotion filled gazes they often exchanged this look was filled with heartache and anger.
"Do I have to remove you from this case?"
"You are unbelievable!" she cried, resuming her pacing. His cell phone began to chime before she had a chance to launch into her rant. He raised a finger to silence her as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line. When he hung up he stepped to one side and spoke to her softly.
"They found the little boy…"
Without another word she followed him to his car. They drove in silence, headed to a secluded part of the wood where the young boy had been found by a dog walker. The poor little guy was barely conscious and had been transferred to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible. Sara and Grissom processed the scene and the surrounding area liaising with Nick from the hospital.
It was late into the night by the time they returned to the police station with their evidence, nick was there waiting for them in the midst of a card game with Officer Haslow. They checked in their evidence and joined Nick outside.
"How's the kid?" Sara asked sadly
"He's tired and dehydrated but he's not hurt"
"Did he see anything Nick?"
Nick's gaze nervously darted between Grissom and Sara and he nodded sadly. He didn't have to say anything else; she knew what the look meant.
"Have they picked him up yet?" she was surprised she asked she didn't really want to know.
"No, they… they can't find him"
They walked together to the hotel but none of them spoke until they stood outside the glass doors contemplating their goodnights.
"You want to get some dinner?"
She was surprised to hear Grissom asking; it wasn't like him to be purposefully sociable but the concern in his eyes told her that his dinner invitation was a thinly veiled attempt at keeping an eye on her. She didn't really want to be around him right now, she didn't trust herself.
"No, I'm … it's been a long day. I'm going to have a bath and go to bed"
She tried a small smile as she stepped through the doors and made her way to the elevator. She could feel their eyes on her; she knew they were talking about her in those hushed and worried tones she hated so much. The elevator ride seemed to take forever; she pressed her head against the wood panelled walls and closed her eyes wondering why every venture she had into romance failed so spectacularly.
She absentmindedly slipped her card into the lock and threw her purse down behind the door. Her muscles ached; a good hot bath would cure her tension. She turned around and her eyes fell on Robert seated on the edge of her bed.
She saw something different in his eyes. A menace, darkness she was sure hadn't been there before.
"I hear they're looking for me?" he said, his voice low and calculated.
She nodded in response, her feet seemingly glued to the floor. Her cell phone was in her purse for the first time in weeks. She had slid it in there to avoid Grissom's disapproving looks every time she touched it.
"Do you think I did it Sara?"
He was putting her on the spot, trying to analyse where her thoughts were on the subject. The truth was she didn't really know what she thought.
"Did you do it?"
Her cell started to ring; she knew it would be Grissom. He was a lot of things with her but he was never dismissive when he thought she could be in danger.
Robert stood up and grabbed her purse, throwing it across the room and making a clatter echo off the walls as the contents smashed on the floor and the chiming stopped.
"Looks like your busy Sara, I hope Grissom won't be mad"
"Grissom has nothing to do with this; this is between you and me Rob"
"She said that too you know. Before I killed her, she begged for her life but more than that, she begged for her husband's life. She would rather have died than see me kill her husband. You're the same Sara, I can tell. If he was here, would you be begging for your life or his?"
"I wouldn't be begging for either of us Rob"
She made a marked effort to keep her voice strong and unemotional. She dealt with deranged killers almost every day of her career, Rob shouldn't pose a problem. He shouldn't be frightening her or worrying her but he did. He made her feel vulnerable.
"Why? Why did you kill her? Her husband, her daughter…."
"She was leaving. Angel, the baby, she's mine. That bitch was taking her away… I thought if I took something she loved away she would see… she would stay with me"
"And the little boy?"
"I didn't even see the kid! I swear he wasn't there. She was so angry, she said she was going to make sure I got a death sentence and Angel would never know who I was… I'm never good enough Sara, not even for you!" His anger was escalating as he continued; she pressed her body against the door as though the feeling of it behind her would help her stay upright. "You, you've probably not had sex in months… years even and I'm not even good enough when you're drunk. Your hung up on… on your boss! It's pathetic!"
"Are you going to hurt me Rob?"
His laugh echoed off the walls and he rolled about on the bed.
"I'm not going to hurt you Sara. I just needed someplace to go"
A silence descended over them that was shattered by a knock at the door. Grissom. He was persistent that was for sure, he couldn't just give up when she didn't answer her cell. He had to come and check on her, what he thought she was going to do she would never know but it warmed her heart a little to know he actually cared.
She looked at Robert with a frown. She wasn't exactly being held captive but neither did she feel like she could throw the door open casually and welcome Grissom in. Robert tilted his head towards the door indicating his permission as he lay back on the bed with his arms behind his head.
Slowly she turned the handle and opened the door wide to Grissom standing outside. She tried to convey the fear and urgency she felt in one look but he was avoiding her eye.
"You didn't answer your cell, I was worried about you"
Before she could answer his eyes locked with Robs on the bed and rage replaced the worry.
"What is he doing here?" he growled "Sara, you know he's wanted. What are you thinking?"
"Grissom, it's not what you…" he turned on his heel and marched off along the corridor pulling his cell phone out as he went. She didn't know what to do, she turned back to see Rob staring out of the window, he wouldn't notice if she took off.
She wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't chase her down, knife in hand determined to exact revenge but in that moment she didn't care. In that moment there was only one man on her mind and she had to make sure that he knew that.
She didn't realise her feet could even move that fast, she ran along that corridor and darted down the stairs towards his room. She could hear Rob calling her from her bedroom but she didn't care.
If she had only one act left in her life it may as well be to tell the only person she loved how she really felt.