Chapter Four:

All I want for Christmas is…

They went in search of her when she did not appear in the break room.

She tried to ignore them until Greg sat down in front of her key board.

"What did you get?" asked Catherine.

"I'm uhm not sure," she admitted.

"What do you mean?" asked Nick.

"There were several wrapped presents under the tree," she announced.

"And you didn't open them?" asked Catherine.

"No," replied Sara.

"We should go over there and…"

"Not until Christmas," called Brass as he approached. "You can't open gifts until Christmas."

"Wait, if you're not worried then it's got to be you!" smiled Catherine.

"Not me!" he held up his hand. "I've just decided that it's…Santa."

"Right!" chuckled Greg.

Sara looked doubtful as well.

"You know who's doing this," grinned Catherine.

"I'm the one who insisted on checking for fingerprints or…"

"That was before you found out who's doing it," interrupted Nick.

"You're protecting someone," said Warrick.

"Who would I protect?" asked Brass.

"Grissom," announced Greg.

There was dead silence.

Sara wanted it to be Grissom.

Everyone knew she wanted it to be Grissom.

"Grissom pulled a double with Sara when the tree appeared. I'm the only person Sara told about the bear…not Grissom. I will swear on a stack of Bibles…and my pension, that I did not tell anyone," divulged Brass.

"You're childhood dream toy was a bear?" asked Greg.

The others stared at her.

"It's uhm a big bear," she confessed.

"A bear?" asked Nick.

"What's wrong with a bear?" she remarked.

"Nothing," replied the others.

"Who is it?" asked Catherine again to Brass.

"What's the conversation for this evening?" asked Grissom as he appeared in the hallway.

"Sara's secret admirer," smiled Catherine.

"Is this still going on?" asked Grissom looking concerned.

"Yes, it is," smiled Sara.

"You should have Jim do some checking…make sure it's not some stalker…Catherine, could you cover for me this evening?" asked Grissom.

"Got something you need to do?" asked Catherine.

"Heather and I have plans," announced Grissom.

Sara's eyes fell to the floor.

The others looked at Catherine and then Brass.

"You've been seeing a lot of each other," commented Brass.

"My private life is not up for discussion. Sara, keep Brass in the loop," he called out as he hurried down the hall.

"Never seen him so chipper," muttered Greg.

Sara snatched her file and took off.

"I guess we can rule out Grissom," muttered Nick.

Sara glanced at the clock and suddenly made a bold decision.

"I'm uhm taking off early this evening," she announced.

"Wait, you might run into this fellow," warned Nick.

Inwardly, Sara wished she would.

"Nick's right," said Warrick.

"I'm going," Sara insisted.

"We'll drive over there during dinner break," offered Nick.

"Fine but I'm staying," she said.

The guys insisted on letting them enter the apartment first.

Warrick let out a whistle when he caught sight of the tree.

"This is massive!" called out Warrick.

"Wow!" exclaimed Greg. "Take a look at that bear!"

Sara stepped inside.

"Anything different?" asked Nick.

Sara smiled. "The counter."

She walked over to the fridge and pulled off the note handing it to Nick.

Sara,

There is a Santa…

You just have to believe even if they don't.

You can share the cookies.

"I don't believe this!" said Nick.

"Hey, take a look at those cookies!" smiled Greg.

Sara breathed in deeply.

The aroma of cinnamon floated in the air.

The guys quickly grabbed some of the cookies as Sara plopped down in the floor propping her body against the bear.

A slight noise from the bedroom made them freeze.

All eyes stared at the door.

Nick motioned toward the bedroom door as he and Warrick pulled their revolver.

Greg stepped back towards Sara.

Nick slowly opened the door and jumped when an object came running out.

"Hey!" yelled Nick.

A rather clumsy dog with a huge bow on his head plopped down in Sara's lap.

"You have a dog?" asked Greg.

"Ssshhh!" whispered Sara. "I'm not supposed to have a dog!"

"Then why is there a dog…"

"Santa," she breathed.

"Oh Sara, come on," said Nick. "You can't believe there's really a Santa."

"I've always wanted a dog," she said softly. "They wouldn't let me have one."

She sniffled.

"Your parents?" asked Nick.

She shook her head. "The foster home."

The room became deafly quiet.

She patted the dog as it rolled over and over begging for its belly to be rubbed.

Greg chuckled. "He's kind of cute."

"I uhm can't keep him," she whispered. "The manager won't let me."

"I can't have pets either," said Nick.

Warrick and Greg chimed in also.

She sniffled again and the guys pretended not to notice the rather large wet stains on her cheeks.

"Maybe you could hide him?" asked Greg.

The dog barked.

"Not likely," she said sadly.

"Look, we'll think of something," consoled Nick.

Sara nodded.

"My lease is not up for another eight months," she moaned. "Maybe I could board him…he wouldn't like that. He would think I didn't want him."

"We'll uhm take turns hiding him," offered Greg.

Sara buried her face in the dog's fur as he whined.

"Grissom owns a house. I'm sure he'd help," crooned Nick.

Sara nodded.

Her hand stroked the dog.

"Does he have a name?" asked Greg.

Sara checked the collar.

"It's Bruno," she said.

"Who knew that you wanted a dog?" asked Warrick.

"Brass," she replied. "No one else."

The guys exchanged glances.

"I guess Santa didn't do his homework or he would have known that I couldn't have pets," she sniffled.

The guys looked helplessly at one another.

"Listen, I'm sure Grissom can help," soothed Nick.

"What? Go over there every day and see him? Grissom doesn't even want to see me during the holidays. Just because I offered to bring Christmas dinner to the lab…he forces me to take off."

Her tears had now turned to sobs.

"Sara…" Nick was interrupted by her.

"He told me to get a life…he's got one…with Heather," she cried.

The guys looked at one another.

Greg looked helpless.

Warrick looked as though he wanted to throttle Grissom.

Nick motioned for the others to leave.

They quietly left as Nick sat down in the floor beside Sara taking her into his arms.

He said nothing as he held her.

"It hurts so much Nicky," she sobbed.

"I know, Sar. I'm sorry we have an ass for a boss. You deserve better. You're too good for him," he chided.

The dog whined as he crawled into Sara's lap and tried to comfort her.

"He wants you to stop crying," teased Nick.

"I have to find him a home," she sniffled.

"Sara, there's plenty of places to board a dog," explained Nick.

"I know what it's like to be sent to a place that…just feeds you and cares for your physical needs. He'll see the other dogs being picked up while he just sits there day after day waiting for me to come and get him. I'll um find him a home," she whispered.

There was no anticipated arrival of Sara the next shift as the guys sat quietly in the break room.

Grissom walked in and stopped suddenly when he saw their solemn faces.

"What happened?" he asked quickly.

"Like you care!" sneered Greg.

Grissom looked confused. "Is there a problem?"

"Has Sara called you?" asked Nick.

"She left a message requesting the night off," Grissom replied.

"Did she uhm ask you…about Bruno?" asked Nick.

"Who's Bruno?" asked Grissom.

Their hope fell.

"Nothing," muttered Nick.

"Do you even like dogs?" asked Greg.

"I love dogs," answered Grissom. "Anyone care to fill me in on the long faces?"

"Sara's secret Santa gave her a dog," said Warrick.

"She doesn't like dogs?" asked Grissom.

"She loves dogs. She can't have a dog at her apartment," explained Nick.

Grissom turned his back as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Well, uhm she could board him," suggested Grissom.

"We told her that. She said it was no kind of life for a dog...so she's going to find him a home," growled Nick.

"I hate this secret Santa!" sneered Greg. "She was all happy and now she's crying her eyes out."

"Crying?" asked Grissom nervously.

"Poor kid cried for hours," admitted Nick. "Look Grissom, none of us own a house. You do. We were wondering if…"

"I'll take him," offered Grissom.

All heads shot up.

"You would?" asked Nick.

"Like I said, I love dogs," replied Grissom.

Sara sat there in the park with Bruno by her side.

She had taken the dog for a long walk as she tried to formulate a plan.

She had already checked into some kennels but after visiting them, she could not bring herself to leave him.

She had not resolved her problem by the time shift rolled around so she had left a phone message for Grissom and was relieved when he left a similar message that she could have the night off.

She grabbed her phone when it rang.

"Sidle"

"Hey Sar, good news. We were talking with Grissom and he said he would take Bruno. He likes dogs."

"He'll take him?" she asked.

"Yeah, we explained that you were going to have to find a home for Bruno and he offered to take him."

A lump formed in her throat.

"I guess I should be thankful," she pouted. "He'll take good care of him."

"Sara…"

Nick scowled when he heard the click of the phone.

Nick tapped on Grissom's door.

"Hey Griss, I called Sara and told her you would take Bruno," said Nick.

"Did she feel better?" asked Grissom.

"Not really," replied Nick. "I wish I didn't have to fly out today. Greg has to leave also. Maybe I can get Warrick to…"

"Brass and I will check on her," urged Grissom.

"You mean it? I'm really worried," admitted Nick. "I've never seen her…this way." Nick sat down in the chair. "She uhm sort of let it slip that she was in foster care."

"I see," said Grissom.

"You knew?" asked Nick.

Grissom nodded.

"Man! Why didn't you say something! We carry on year after year about our families and…not once has Sara ever said a word…no wonder…I just thought that she was a private person…not that!"

"She didn't want anyone to know," replied Grissom.

"Still, I don't like the fact she's going to be alone…not working…just sitting at home…and we still don't know who's behind the gifts," said Nick.

"Brass and I will make sure she's fine, Nicky," he assured the young man.

Sara collected the few things belonging to the dog.

She stopped off at a pet store and purchased a large bag of dog food along with another chew toy.

She placed the things in a bag and waited until shift was almost over before walking into the lab with Bruno by her side.

Sara slowly made her way with Bruno to Grissom's office.

He glanced up and smiled.

She did not return the smile.

"Nick told me you would take Bruno," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry you can't keep him," Grissom said.

"He's uhm a good dog," she said. "I left a bag of dog food sitting beside your vehicle along with a bag of things for him. I really appreciate you taking him."

She knelt down beside the dog and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Bruno whined as she petted him one last time.

"I couldn't bring myself to take him to a kennel or boarding place. He wouldn't like those places…they're cold."

"I like dogs," he managed to get out.

Grissom stood there and tried to imagine what it had been like for a very young Sara to be thrown into the foster care system.

"Sara…"

"I have to go," she said quickly. "Thank you for giving him a home."

She was gone before he could untangle the dog from his feet.

"Home? Wait Sara!"

He cursed as he tried to follow her.

By the time he managed to get out of the lab, she had already driven away.

Note from author:

Okay, so there was a little bit of angst thrown in there…not much…the fluff was choking me…LOL The reviews have been funny....thanks so much for being so faithful.

Take care,

Penny