Chapter 9 – Jeff

O'Riely assured both women that they would catch the guy. They had both given statements and were free to go home after Sara went to report her shooting her gun. Catherine wasn't hurt much but that guy had hit her over the head and she was a little dizzy. She couldn't drive so Sara drove her back to the lab.

After sitting in silence, as usual, for a few minutes, Catherine spoke.

"Thanks for saving my hide back there."

"It wasn't a problem," Sara said modestly.

"You shot you gun. You have to shoot and it is definatly a problem," Catherine stated.

Sara smiled at this. "Maybe so, but that's what partners are for." She took a quick glance at Catherine. She was smiling so Sara smiled back.

When the two women got back to the lab Grissom was a little agitated. "What the hell happened?" he wanted to know. Sara told him the story as they walked into the break room and were bombarded by Nick and Warrick. All of them sat at the table and Sara started the story again for the two younger men.

"Are you guys ok?" Nick put his hand on Sara's shoulder. She gave him half a smile.

"Yeah," she said nodding.

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As soon as she got home that morning Sara went into Charlotte's room. She was still sleeping so she went in quietly. She knelt down at the child's bed and touched her forehead softly as she slept. Charlotte sighed in her sleep and Sara smiled before kissing her forehead and leaving the room.

She was just finishing breakfast when Charlotte woke up. Sara gave her a big kiss and Charlotte hugged her leg as she pulled out plates and cups.

Working the night shift, Sara had to sleep during the day she was always tired when Charlotte got up. Today Sara had promised Charlotte they would go to the store so she was going to be extra tired, but Sara knew she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.

Sara and Charlotte had fun picking out clothes and doing her hair like they did every morning. They were out the door just before nine and Charlotte was very excited. Sara strapped her into her car seat and they were off to the store.

Their first stop was Mrs. Tiddly Winks. Charlotte loved that store. They stayed awhile and Charlotte came out with a little stuffed dog and a bouncy ball. She loved how high she could make it go. The next sore they were going to go to was a few blocks away so they got back into the car. When they go there Sara unstrapped Charlotte's seat and locked the door. But when she shut it the corner of her shirt got caught in the door.

She told Charlotte to stay on the sidewalk while she tried to get the car door unlocked but Charlotte was bouncing her ball.

"Charlotte, don't bounce that in the street," Sara warned.

"But it's fun. I can make it go higher out here," she said looking at her mom try to unlock the car with her shirt stuck in the door.

"Charlotte I don't care. It's dangerous to bounce it in the street." Charlotte scowled and bounced it again but the ball got away from her. It bounced into the street and she ran after it.

"Wait…CHARLOTTE!" Sara yelled as she made a grab for her daughter but missed. She reached out just as a car came down the street and a man came up behind her. He ran past Sara and wrapped an arm around her waist, picking her clear off the ground. The ball kept going and the man jumped back with Charlotte in his grasp, the car honking and just missing them.

"Oh my God, Charlotte!" Sara yelled as the man put Charlotte down in front of her. "What were you thinking?! You know better then to run out in the street like that!" Sara finally unlocked the door and got her shirt out, slamming the door shut again. Then she realized the man was still standing there.

Sara closed her eyes and let out a breath. "Thank you so much," she said to the man.

He smiled and looked at Charlotte, who was looking at her toes. "No problem."

Sara took Charlotte by the arm and picked her up, sitting her on her hip. "No, really…" she didn't know his name.

"Jeff," he said kindly putting out his hand.

She shook his hand. "Jeff, Thank you so much, I don't know what she was thinking." Charlotte was looking at her hands and looked like she might cry. "I think you owe Jeff a thank you," she said to the cowering girl.

Charlotte didn't look up and mumbled, "Thank you."

"It was no problem, little lady," he said with a smile.

"I don't know how to thank you properly," Sara went on, "Can…can I buy you a cup of coffee?" Sara asked. She really wanted to thank him. For a second there she really thought she might loose Charlotte. Just the thought scared her out of her mind.

Jeff thought a moment. "Umm, sure I guess that would be ok," he said modestly.

Sara smiled and looked around the street. There was a Starbucks across the street so they headed for that. Charlotte stood there quietly while Sara bought coffee. She felt guilty for scaring her mom and didn't want to get her angry again. She almost never yelled at her, but when she did it really scared her.

"So do you have a name too?" Jeff asked Sara when they sat down.

"Yes," Sara said a little embarrassed not introducing herself. "I'm Sara. And this is Charlotte."

"It's very nice to meet you. And you too Charlotte." Charlotte looked up. The pigtails in her hair were lopsided and extra hair was hanging in front of her eyes so Sara brushed it away.

"What do you say?" Sara asked the girl.

"Nice to meet you too," Charlotte said with her cute little shy smile. She sat on Sara's lap and ate a cookie while Sara drank coffee.

Over the next half hour Sara and Jeff had fun. He was very funny and Sara liked talking to him. When Charlotte got over being shy she warmed up to him a little bit. He made her eyes pop out of her head when he pulled a coin from behind her ear. He talked to her about her friends; one of Charlotte's favorite subjects. Eventually the conversation came to Charlotte's father.

"Where is your daddy?" he asked Charlotte.

"I don't have a daddy. He died,"

"Charlotte!" Sara said for the second time that day.

"What?" she asked defensively, "It's true."

Sara smiled at Jeff. "He died before she…she was born." "Oh, no," she thought.

"I'm sorry," he said. He actually looked sorry.

Sara took a deep breath. This was not good. She looked at her watch. "Well, I think we are going to head off." She put Charlotte on the ground and gathered her coat and purse. "Thank you, again, Jeff, for helping her today."

"Wait," Jeff said standing up too. "Let me walk you to your car," he said after a moment.

Sara just looked at him. "Ok," she said with a little smile.

The trio walked out to Sara's car together and Sara buckled Charlotte in and closed the door. Before she got in she stuck her hand out to Jeff.

"I can't thank you enough."

He shook her hand and said, thank me by giving me your number."

Sara looked down at her shoes. Oh boy. She let out a breath. One part of her brain told her, "Come on! This hasn't happened in so long! You know you want to!" and the other was saying, "Back out! Way too soon!" then reason chimed in, "He just saved her life. The least you could do is give him your number."

She looked back up at Jeff. She realized she was still holding his hand and he was looking at her with a little half smile.

"Ok."