A/N: A'ight people, this is to redeem Grissom and to make him live up to his intelligent standard he's set at in the show. Intelligent GrissomOhsoSexy. Drool Monkey GrissomOOC and NotsoSexy. Ah, who am I kidding? He's sexy all the time, but we love him smart. But I got that Grissom POV I promised and some of that GSR we all love and crave! And thank you for all the reviews so far! I'm closing in on my hundredth review! Who's gonna be that lucky person to bless me with such an honor?
Chapter 16: Good Mornings
Sara's POV:
A small glimmer of light flashed on and off before my now opening eyes as a unique – yet faint – smell tickled my senses. Burying my face deeper into the pillow – the source of said smell – I inhaled a full breath of air previous to exhaling.
Waking up to the smell of Gil Grissom every day? I could get more than accustomed to that idea. I thought with a gleeful smile on my face as I sat up with a stifled yawn.
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I rubbed the last remains of my slumber out of my eyes when they flew to the alarm clock on the bed stand. Telling me true, it read that it was nearly noon – several minutes to spare.
Rising to my feet, I moved across the bedroom and out the door only to enter the hallway that I had to trek down to reach my destination – the living room and kitchen. Half way through the narrow hallway, the smell of fresh coffee assaulted my nose and mingled with the smell of Grissom I was savoring until then. And as I exited the hallway, the welcoming sight of Grissom on the couch that I'd last seen him on, casually sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper.
"Sleep well?"
Smirking, I went to pour myself a cup, only to find that a solitary cup – still steaming hot – sat in the center of the breakfast island. Still smirking at the courtesy Grissom expressed, I joined him on the couch.
"Better then well. I should be asking you how you managed on the couch. I would've been happy to take it or share the bed with you." I held back a blush knowing that we were two civilized adults that could handle sleeping in the same bed together without it necessarily being a sexual encounter. Or what I hoped. "The bed is certainly big enough."
"True..." Grissom commented before lowering the newspaper to inspect myself and my morning self. "But my Mother always did raise me to be a gentleman. Guests are to be welcomed, and never on the first night."
Curling up with my knees to my chest, I observed him as he observed me and lightly sipped my drink. "Of course, but I still felt guilty taking that bed to myself, knowing you were out here on this couch – when it's in your home."
"No need to worry about that." Grissom finished in a tone that finalized that conversation. "I was just thinking... You'll need a ride back home at some point. When will that be?"
"Are you trying to get rid of me already?" I teased him lightheartedly.
Obviously not picking up on my humor, Grissom shook his head semi-vehemently to disagree. "Of course not! Why would I ever want to do that?"
After calming down from the short laughing spell, I couldn't help but lean over and lean on him after planting a kiss on his cheek chastely. "I was only joking Grissom... Don't worry, I know you didn't mean it like that. Anytime you're ready, I'm ready."
Relaxing, now realizing the mirth that'd been in my voice before, he laughed at himself for automatically assuming I'd taken it defensively. "After the coffee and I get ready myself, perhaps?"
"That sounds great."
Half an hour later, Grissom escorted me out to his car and pulled out of his townhouse's driveway and began down the road toward mine. About fifteen minutes to twenty minutes later, Grissom had pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex – Tudor Apartments. Parking in the visitor's spot next to my assigned parking spot, which was now occupied with my Lamborghini, it was now my turn to usher Grissom somewhere – into my apartment.
"I see Brooke found the time to return your car." Grissom pointed out as we entered my small and slightly cluttered apartment.
I simply hummed in reply, whisking off to get ready for work tonight and the time in between now and then – whatever that involved. "I'm just going to go get a shower now, I won't be a minute."
An amused smile crossed his face as Grissom looked up from inspecting my collection of books on the shelf. And though I knew that look he was wearing on his handsome face a little too well, I couldn't stop myself from thinking how even more irresistible he looked with it.
Turning around with both subtle embarrassment and amusement, I traveled the hall while calling back in a teasing voice. "Gentleman, huh?"
Just as I was about to enter the comfort of my air conditioned bedroom, I felt two broad and strong arms slip around my waist and hold me against their owner – a firm body.
"Never the first night, but this is the next day."
Brooke's POV:
I was in nothing short of excruciating pain when I woke up the next morning. The only think that I could relate closely enough to this pain was when I gave birth to Roxas, and that barely touched base with this pain. Any thoughts of my rejection of Taj that drifted through my thoughts were erased by the mind blowing waves of pain I received if I even thought of anything.
My quick and initial scream of pain woke Roxas up with a fright. He knew a little too well that when someone screamed and scrunched their face up like I was, it meant something wasn't right. Immediately scrambling off of the small bed I slept on, he made his way to the door and with reaching arms, barely touched the knob enough to open it and amble out. Instead he returned with a tired and red-eyed Taj by the pant leg, babbling about something being wrong with me in rushed words that merged together.
The now subtle calls of pain I was giving off woke Taj up instantly.
"Guess you're not back on your feet after all." Was all he got out initially before he left to fetch a pair of Tylenol pills and a glass of water.
The pain from the welts left me irritable and a little more than sharp. As soon as Taj returned, I snapped at him about not being bitter about last night and my reaction to his show of affection. Sometimes men just don't understand, do they?
"That was how many years ago Brooke? How many? Let's count them just to clarify." Taj shouted as I still laid there in pain and awaiting the pills to work.
"It doesn't matter Taj! You're still the same person!" I argued back.
"How would you know! You haven't so much as given it an open minded thought! You haven't so much as made an effort to get to know me outside of work since... Since I don't know how long ago!" Taj countered, expressing his frustration with small pacing steps around my small room.
What a perfect fucking morning to wake up to, huh? I thought to myself as the argument escalated and our voices rose.
It was only until Roxas intervened that we both realized how much we'd let this get out of our hands.
"SHUT UP!" If it was one thing he learned growing up in this household, it was the language. And to say the least, it wasn't something a normal toddler his age should know how to say and what it means.
A pissed off expression crossed his small and cherubic face as he glared daggers at both Taj and myself, his arms stiffly down by his side and forming tightly clenched fists on both of his small hands. It was almost like looking at a pissed off Alex, where Roxas had most likely picked up this stance. The adrenaline instantaneously exited my system and blood stream – which caused even being in the sitting position I had made it up to during our argument to be a dull pain now that the Tylenol was reacting.
Forcing myself on my feet despite the ache that overcame my entire body, I shuffled across the room, bumping roughly and on purpose into Taj – causing him to stumbling subtly. I kneeled down a foot away from Roxas, wincing at the pain in my legs now that I was applying pressure on them.
It was always at times like this when I was speechless, and they happened more often than I'd like to admit. "I'm sorry baby..." I muttered pitifully, lowering my head knowing that our roles seemed to be reversed where he was the adult and I was the child.
After a few moments, his small arms flew around my neck to embrace me tightly. This was always his way of forgiving someone. And though he touched and aggravated several of my wounds, I didn't seem to care as I embraced him as well, gaining help from Taj to stand back up with my son in my arms.
"I'm sorry too." Taj whispered to Roxas from behind me, shame coating his deep voice as he realized we were acting stupid. "C'mon lil' man, let's go out in the kitchen and grab something to eat. And bring in anything Mama needs."
Albeit a little reluctantly, Roxas traded arms with Taj and was now being held in Taj's broad and muscular arms. As I sat down on the bed now – almost instantly regretting it from the dull waves of pain – I realized Taj's sleep apparel more than it was called for. A white muscle shirt and khaki cargo pants with a belt buckle I'd bought him a long time ago. It amazed me he still owned and used that thing, in full honesty.
"Do you need anything?" Taj asked as he stationed himself on the threshold of my doorway.
Recognizing that I was actually being waited on, I slowly stood up and made my way out of the room, not wanting to shrivel down to such a pitiful and dependent state. "I can get my own things now. Thank you very much."
"Damn! No need to get all defensive. I was just trying to..." I quickly interposed any more talking from his mouth on that matter with my index finger to his mouth.
"Taj. Just don't talk to me right now. I'm in pain, I'm agitated, and I'm just me. I need to get coffee in my system before anything else. So just don't talk." I explained hastily before continuing my limping toward the kitchen, coffee on my mind.
Gradually lowering myself into the busted up kitchen table seat, I took a quick caution not to rely on its durability this time as my reflexes weren't quick enough to stand if the chair gave. Taj and Roxas soon joined me, next to me and on both sides. Roxas began to eat the cereal, already becoming accustom with using cold water instead of milk for his cereal.
I really need to get this place in shape – for his sake as well as everyone else's. I thought to myself as I saw him take in one spoonful after another before glancing across at me and giving me a wide smile. Hell, I was supposed to be the only one that was forced to eat their cereal like that.
"You two settle things in there finally?" Jen's voice drifted from her bedroom as she walked out and into the kitchen.
"Sorry. Didn't realize we were getting that loud. Hope we didn't wake anyone that was sleeping." I answered, downing the rest of my cup.
"I was already awake, but you may have to make it up to these two little ones." Jen stepped aside to reveal two wide awake children by the name of Alex and Kylie.
The two children had become more than accustomed to seeing me in a beaten and battered form that my appearance hardly ever shocked them. That's why it worried me when I saw the disconcerted look in their eyes as they took in my present appearance. But placed aside until a later time, both children advanced swiftly to envelope me in a hug as I sat in my chair. At the sight of the active children, Roxas engulfed the rest of his breakfast without choking and clambered down to join them as they left to play in the living room.
"Shit Brooke, you look fucking awful." Straight and out right was how Jen put everything at this hour in the morning.
"I feel so uplifted by your encouraging comments, Jen, I'm not sure I could take much more." I said with a hidden growl of agitation in my throat as I gently rose to refill my cup.
"I'm just saying. You seriously look like you should be dead right now."
"Jen, I think she gets the point." Taj spoke up before I lost all of my cool.
"Sorry." Jen offered as she lowered her head.
"All that remains is how do we deal with these guys? You have a tendency to piss all the wrong people off, Brooke. I don't think these guys are just gonna forget about you." Taj pointed out as I managed to get back into my seat, feeling more and more pain slip away as the Tylenol took more of its effects.
Feeling the welts still burning across my body, my hand clenched even tighter around my mug, scorching my palm from the hot liquid inside. "If I see anymore of those bastards coming my way, I will snap their necks in two with ease."
But just as Taj was about to speak up, he never got his chance as the children came running into the kitchen. "The Po-Po are outside! There's two of them walking up now!"
My eyes widened to the size of plate saucers. The three of us scrambled about our business. Jen placed all the dishes in the already cluttered sink while Taj assisted me to Jen's bedroom, my classic escape route for moments like these.
As Taj opened the bedroom window after closing the bedroom door, he helped me get outside the window, though with the anxiety coursing through my veins, I was perfectly capable of it by myself.
"Dammit Brooke, look what you've got yourself into now." Taj complained as I checked around the corner of the house at the cop car parked there.
The escape route was easy enough. From Jen's bedroom window, I was already behind the house in the "backyard" - which was only a small strip of land that filled the space between the house and the fence I had to jump to get into the neighbor's backyard. From there, I had to cut across to the fence that divided their yard from their backyard neighbor's. Then I only had to run around the house and onto the street for about a block until I hit a light pole that had a broken down and beaten up bike tied to it. I'd break the lock and ride it to wherever from there.
Never kills to be prepared for times like this.
"Hey, why do you give a damn? It's not like it's you. You just make sure that you keep my baby and everyone else safe. Those cops won't be here for long, and I don't know where Eric is." I instructed as I popped the screen back into the window.
"I will. You just be careful, a'ight?"
"I'm a grown woman, Taj. I can look after myself." I replied snappily.
And with that, I took off.
Grissom's POV:
"Yes, yes, I'm fine! I promise you not a single thing is wrong with me." Sara reassured the man on the other side of the phone for what felt like the millionth time. "Greg, I swear to God if you don't stop asking me that question, you'll regret it too soon."
I sat back on the couch with an amused smirk on my face, at how easily Sara could be pestered with over-worry, especially from a certain young CSI that had called her the most frequently between yesterday and today in regards to her health. It was all in good meaning, but Sara didn't seem to be taking it that way at this point – less than three hours until work and now trying to get in contact with Brooke once more.
And as much as I knew Sara was getting irritated with the constant calls she was getting out of worry – which was a result of care – I just couldn't find it in me to tell Greg directly to wait until she was in work. And the reason was because I knew that if I was in his shoes – not knowing what was going on with her – I would most likely be doing the same thing, or at least considering it if you factored in the reclusive side of me. But I wasn't in his shoes. I was right where I was meant to be and wanted to be – with her in her apartment.
And it only took over fifteen years to get here, and this is only the beginning. A taunting voice told me as I watched Sara pace through her living room, repeatedly telling Greg that she was okay.
Inwardly scowling, I knew that voice was correct, but it was hardly fair to say it like that. Yes, it had taken a great deal of time just to get past the point I was at before, but I was here nonetheless. Everything was as it was supposed to be. For one of the first times in a long time, it felt, I was happy. Truly happy, to be where I was, to be with who I was with, and I would do anything to keep this moment running on forever. Well, perhaps I'd fix it so that Greg wasn't on the phone with Sara, aggravating her with how much he cared about her, but that was beside the point.
Sara was with me and happy, or at least was happy until Greg called in on her cellphone.
"Greg, that's it! You're going to make me run out of minutes and I need this phone available if I go to a crime scene. And you're killing my battery!" Sara cut Greg off short, as I heard him rambling on the other line. "You're my good friend Greg, but my cellphone needs a rest, and so doesn't my ear! Goodbye Gre – Good... GOODBYE GREG!" Sara promptly said, with a laugh in her voice this time, and closed her phone. At least she left with a smile and laughing. "That kid can get so annoying."
"He means well." I defended the young CSI with a lighthearted smile.
"You're in a good mood." Sara said as she now placed herself next to me.
Taking a hold of her delicate hand, entwining our fingers firmly, I glanced down to take in the sight of our conjoined hands. "Right now, I would find it extremely strenuous not to be."
You know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes, and her eyes everywhere in the world. I recited the quote in my mind as I found my eyes locking with hers. I'm in love.
True, I may have been leading Lady Heather on, and as horrible as that was, I can't say I regret it. I could hardly say that everything happens for a reason, but if it was true, then I wouldn't hesitate to do it all over again if it meant I would end up here every time. Even with Heather throwing her childish fit and tainting the woman's bathroom with chloroform. I didn't know it at that time, but as I recalled what I'd seen that night, the evidence that was plain as day left me without a doubt.
Looking up into the growing crowd on top of the balcony, my eyes soon fixed on another pair of eyes, possessed with a fiery jealousy and hatred once they set upon the three of us on the shoreline. They were Lady Heather's eyes, and never before in my life had I felt nearly as fearful under the scrutiny of a woman as I did right now.
"Sara! Damn, what happened?"
Focusing now on the distressed young woman Sara had formally introduced as Brooke, she slid along the grass next to Sara's vacant side as I checked for a pulse. "I'm not sure. She just suddenly passed out without warning."
Now I realized that I could've been receiving that look, or Sara could've been. Originally, I'd thought that I'd been the recipient because I was caught outside here with Sara instead of inside with Lady Heather. What did it matter to her, was what I thought at that moment. She had turned to flirt with the bartender once I'd bent down to "help" Brooke from her fall. But now, I realized that look could've been meant for Sara – at the whole situation in general – knowing that her plan had backfired terribly.
Feeling soft lips brush against mine, I dropped all thoughts on the matter, just grateful that everything was right as it should be. Sara wasn't harmed, I was elated to finally be at this point. What more is there to ask for? I thought to myself as I deepened the kiss Sara had hesitantly started.
If anyone were to ask me to describe what I felt Heaven might be like, I would give them anytime I was kissing Sara Sidle. There was no word invented in any language nor were there any combinations of near perfect words to describe it. The way she ran her slender fingers through my hair as I cradled her face in one hand while the other occupied itself with finding the perfect residing spot on her hips.
Pulling back slowly, I quickly regretted it – the loss of warmth on my lips from hers and loss of contact all together. Not even bothering with hesitation anymore, I resumed the act with a hint more passion this time.
All that's left now is to finish up my... case, and everything will be as it should be. I said to myself.
Brooke's POV:
"Please be open, please be open..." I repeated over and over to myself as I peddled harder and harder down the street.
Making a tight turn down a dark alleyway, even in the daytime, I rode about halfway until I skidded to a stop, already jumping off the bike before it'd fully stopped and allowing it to go crashing into the wall. From the narrow strip of pavement that made up the alleyway, there was a rectangular gap that had a small staircase leading downstairs to a titanium metal door that protected "The Usual Spot". As I nearly tripped down the stairs, I banged on the door with my fists until it opened with a squeaking groan. Justin, the door's keeper, allowed my panting self inside, recognizing me on the dot.
"What the Hell happened to you? You look like Hell!" He remarked as I leaned against the wall to catch my breath.
"I seem to be getting that a lot today." I replied, finally finding the breath and energy to get off the wall and continue. "Is 'The Man' in today?"
"No, he hasn't been in yet." Justin informed me.
How would you know? How does anyone know? The Man is a fucking shadow... I said with irritation in my thoughts at the news. "Are you sure? Did you buzz into the room?"
"Yup, buzzed him at least five times." Justin resumed his bodyguard like stance in front of the door. "He is strange, ain't he? He runs this Underground with an iron fist and no one even knows what he looks like."
"Tell me about it, try taking orders from him. You have to drop everything you're doing for your new jobs, and I mean everything." I said, blowing out an air of frustration. "And I'm his right hand girl, his go-to person in this whole gig."
"No sir." Justin said in disbelief. "And he doesn't even expose himself to you?"
"Nope, not once." I said, but suddenly realized why I was here to begin with. "Well, hey, will you relay a message to him whenever he gets in? Tell him there's gonna be a new guy at the Red Room on Tuesday night that's gonna be hyped up on some type of new drug. Tell him that I'll be there on that night but I'm gonna need some serious backup. Got it?"
"Memorized." Justin said as he reopened the door for me again.
We said our goodbyes and I got back on the bike, realizing I had to get outta the area fast. I had been tailed all the way there by a car and I only shook them by going down an alleyway. They were sure to be in the area still, and I don't need to get a cap up my ass. Or several.
"Wait! Hey, Brooke!" I heard Justin's voice call from the door just as I was about to take off.
"What?" I called back, peddling over to the stairs so I could peer down and see him.
Unexpectedly, a pair of keys flew up in my direction and I caught them, only to inspect them. "What's this?"
"One of the boss's delivery boys sent this down to me last night and said that the boss wanted me to give them to you. The message was, go down to Mike's Shop and tell him your name. Some kinda car, I guess." Justin reported. "Later."
With the door closing again, I took off to go down the other half of the alley, which would put me about a half block from Mike's Shop. It wasn't a place were we did a lotta business with our cars, so I was confused as to why 'The Man' would store a car there.
Don't ask questions, just take the orders. My mind reeled around that one phrase which seemed to be the basis for our entire organization. Doesn't mean that the questions aren't there, though.
TBC...
A/N2: A'ight! Just do what you do people and I'll be a very happy author! Oh yeah, and as for all you realistic reviewers out there – ahem stareagle – no worries about the consequences about Brooke's fight. Everything catches up with a person in due time. :- Just be patient. It will happen. But until then, I'm out to continue writing! And if I don't update before the premire OF SEASON 7 BABY! WHOO-HOO! Go Grissom! Go Sara! It's your birthday! You gotta party like its your birthday! Oh sorry, you're still here. But if I don't update before then, happy viewing! Enjoy it my GSR lovers across the globe! I know I will be! Later!
Peace out, one love,
MC New York