Chapter fourteen

10 months later

Greg groaned as he turned over in the bed, he blinked a few times and wondered what had woken him up. He looked over at the clock and saw it was late morning he had finished his shift hours ago, he had the next two days off and was intent on laying in. so he wondered again what had woken him up. Shrugging slightly he buried his head against the pillow and sighed, closing his eyes before laughter bubbled into the room. He lifted his head listening for a moment then smiled to himself.

Lotte was up no doubting that, Greg chuckled before he turned on to his back and lazily pulled the covers back. He scrubbed at his head as he shuffled out of his bedroom. He glanced down the corridor and saw Lotte's bedroom was open but the TV was on down stairs. Greg yawned as he reached the bottom step and glanced into the open family room. On the TV was a sloth falling from a tree, Greg grinned when he saw Lotte sprawled out on the couch with a cover tucked around her and a large stuff syd wrapped in with her. She giggled when the sloth done something else silly before Greg shuffled towards the kitchen looking for coffee.

However he found something better to his liking when he saw Sara still in her bedclothes standing at the sink washing something up. He grinned even more as he leaned against the door jam watching her move. Ten months of being with Sara Sidle had made Greg become like a teenager… they had been caught more then once at work making out. Luckily if they were both on a case they worked like professionals in fact they worked even harder just to prove both that they wouldn't let their relationship get in the way and that their relationship was real and not just some fling.

Greg even offered to go back to the lab for a few months so that their relationship could reach a comfort balance but Grissom had surprised him and said he would never allow it, if it was going to work then they had to go through the hard times. And they had… it was a tough thing for Sara to finally let all of her wall down but she did and Greg stopped expecting her to run and began to trust her enough not to ever think she would want to run. They had become equals and Greg fell more and more in love with her as the days went by… so in love that he only hid one thing from her, a small box containing his grandmother's engagement and wedding rings.

He was going to give her those rings of that he was sure. Greg pushed off the door frame and headed over to Sara. Closing his eyes he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly before burying his head against the back of her neck laying small kisses against it.

"Greg" Sara yelped dropping something back into the sink making Greg smile brightly "you're in a good mood" Sara chirped over her shoulder but Greg shook his head brushing his lips against her neck "no… I'm tired and you weren't in bed" he pouted causing Sara to laugh "well I'm sorry" she declared before squirming in his embrace and turned to face him. He opened his eyes and grinned at her "you can make it up to me" Greg offered raising his eyebrows up. Sara pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, attempting to hold back both the blush and grin threatening to erupt across her face "Lotte's here" she ordered as Greg shrugged then glanced over his shoulder towards the family room. Lotte hadn't moved from her spot "I think it's safe to say that young Lotte is currently engrossed with the movie… we could slip back up stairs and" "Greg" Sara warned her voice almost breaking into another laugh. Greg however pouted and leaned Sara against the counter pressing his body into hers "Sara when was the last time we actually" "Greg should I remind you why we were late Tuesday, and why I could hardly keep awake most of Wednesday and Thursday" Sara demanded causing a goofy grin to engulfed Greg's face.

"I know but… we're not working today" Greg whined before he lent in and nuzzled her neck. Sara groaned and firmly pushed him back "Gregory…" she warned again and this time Greg pulled back far enough to look her in the eyes but he did not release her "you know I would love nothing more to crawl back into bed with you but me and Lotte are having lunch with Catherine and Lindsay, she's giving me a few pointers on having a seven year old girl around" Sara told him as Greg nodded his eyes drifting down to her lips. Sara pursed her lips in a suppressed grin "Greg" "need Catherine's advice… god Sara you make me sound like some horny teenager" Greg whined as Sara raised her eyebrow propping her arms on his shoulders "and why would I do that Greg?" Sara asked before Greg smirked and lent in again "Sara Sidle what are you implying" Greg smirked before he nipped along her jaw towards her neck "you're incorrigible" Sara groaned as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. Greg pulled back enough to mutter "and you love me for it" then he went back to his kissing. Sara shook her head and grinned at the feelings Greg's touch was exciting in her.

"And it isn't the only thing I love about you" Sara whispered to him and she couldn't help but pout when Greg pulled back and stared at her. She frowned at his expression it was a mix of nerves and determination "Sara… will you mar-" but before he could finish the phone rung. He ducked his head and stepped back rubbing his neck as Sara shot him a worried look then headed to the phone and grabbed the receiver.

Greg strolled out of the kitchen when Sara greeted Catherine. Greg felt more awake and even more nervous. He hadn't meant to blurt it out just like that and Catherine would never know how much he loved her right at this moment. Lotte looked up and smiled at him "I'm watching it again Greg" Lotte declared causing Greg to look at her and nod distractedly, wondering if Sara was going to ask him what he wanted to ask.

Greg stood still not even breathing as he wondered if she did ask would he ask her… he had been telling himself that he was waiting for the right moment to ask her… a romantic moment, which hadn't happen since they moved into the house. Greg hadn't really made time to ask her.

Greg nearly jumped when Sara stood by his side and kissed his neck "you ok" she questioned but Greg nodded not looking at her "Lotte it's time to get dress" Sara ordered causing Lotte to turn and pout at her "but it's getting to the best part" Lotte whined but Sara shook her head and lent against Greg "you say that about the whole film… it's on DVD, if Greg isn't sleeping he might allow you to watch it" Sara ordered in a firm tone. Lotte nodded before she grabbed the remote and switched the DVD off before sliding of the couch and shuffled towards the stairs with her stuffed syd with her.

Sara glanced at Greg who chewed the inside of his cheek "are you sure your ok" Sara questioned again as Greg finally looked at her and nodded "yeah… promise" he said hoping his voice didn't sound as high pitched as it felt.

She studied before nodding and kissing him gently on the lips before turning and walking towards the stairs. Greg groaned and walked over to the couch and slumped down he buried his face into the couch listening to the two of the three most important women in his life.

Catherine grinned as her teenager daughter entertained Lotte "you know it shocked me at how much Lindsay loves Lotte… I didn't even have to bride her to spend time with me" Catherine declared as she and Sara sat on the park bench "Lindsay is a god send… especially when she's grounded and me and Greg want some time alone" Sara joked causing Catherine to laugh out loud. Neither missing the dragger looks shot by Lindsay before she and Lotte headed towards the swing set.

Catherine watched her daughter for a few moments before looking at Sara "are you happy" she asked causing Sara to stare at her before nodding "yeah… I'm grateful for the help… I never thought about having kids so this is still strange" Sara rambled but Catherine shook her head "no I mean you and Greg are you two happy" Catherine asked causing the younger woman to blush slightly before she looked down "it was difficult at first… he can be so immature sometimes… but he is wonderful, he's wonderful with Lotte" Sara stated looking to the young girl who raced around the small park making Lindsay laugh "what about you" Catherine asked causing Sara to look at her a little started then she smiled "I… I love him Cath, I really do" Sara declared before she looked away as Catherine grinned "good… cos I don't really want to smack both of you" Catherine joked causing Sara to laugh.

"mom" a sudden shrill voice shouted out both women jumped up and raced to where they had last saw Lindsay and Lotte "Sara" Lindsay screamed but both women where pounding towards her. Lindsay stood with one arm around Lotte and the other shielding her eyes "Lindsay" Catherine called as she grabbed her daughter while Sara swept Lotte up to her and cradled the crying girl.

"I swear I only took my eyes off of Lotte for two minutes, my phone beeped. She was crying and… mom I swear I just wanted to get it away from her" Lindsay rambled as tears streaked down her face, Catherine pushed her blonde hair away from her face confused as to what her daughter was talking about. She glanced over at Sara who still cradled Lotte. She placed the young girl down and studied her face. Lotte was still crying but she was holding her hands out, Sara glanced down and saw crimson drenching her small trembling hands, Sara almost gagged at how much blood was covering her small hands "Lotte… baby where are you cut" Sara asked but the little girl shook her head biting her lower lip, her trembling hand pointed towards something in the grass, Sara looked to it and frowned before looking at Catherine and Lindsay "it was a knife… I know what mom told me… but I had to get it away from Lotte it had blo-" Lindsay couldn't finish instead she clung to her mother. Catherine held her daughter and Sara nodded, she went to move away from Lotte but she grabbed her "Lotte baby… I have to see it ok… you will still see me ok" Sara assured as she walked over to the knife. Lotte eased up on her crying but silent tears slide down her cheeks.

Sara bent down and studied the knife; it was a simple store brought surplus knife it was smeared completely in blood. Sara backed away and went to Lotte's side once more and the girl clung to her. Catherine had already grabbed her phone while still soothing Lindsay "yeah Brass we need you now… bring nick with you" Catherine ordered sending a glance to Sara who rocked Lotte side to side "honey… where did you get it from" Sara asked the girl who had buried her face into Sara's shoulder she shook her head. Sara sighed and soothed the girl "Lotte I need to know… so I can get this bad person. They shouldn't have given you that knife" Sara soothed as she held the girl tighter hoping she understood that she wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"It was him" Lotte whispered in Sara's ear causing the older woman to pull back slightly and look at her "who… Lotte who is he" Sara demanded softly causing the girl to swipe at her tears smearing blood across her cheeks "it… it was" she chocked out "it was daddy" Lotte told her before collapsing back into Sara's arms who stared directly in front of her the blood draining from her face and her blood turning to ice. Lucas Keats was too close.

Even the sounds of police sirens couldn't comfort her.

I know I've been making a lot of references to Ice Age... My nephew and niece have been forcing me to watch it so I wanted to make a comment about it.

There has been some updating with this story but it still has a few more chapters to go before it's finished and now i'm getting bloody.

thanks for the reviews... for all my stories I'm grateful from them. keep them coming.