"Can I get you anything?" Laura asked him as she rose out of her seat, "water, coffee..." she offered.
"Coffee, please." he answered politely. As she began walking, Grissom got up from the couch and looked around the room. Sara watched sadly as he walked over to a small side table and picked up a small framed photo. Walking up behind him, she wiped her tears and gave a small smile. It was a picture of her family, from many years ago. She noticed how Grissom studied it, as he would anything else; it was his nature. Sara had been 4 at the time, during a time when her family was still a happy one. No fighting, or trips to the hospital. Setting the picture down, he turned as Laura reentered the room, with two cups of coffee. Taking one of the cups from her hand, he thanked her and sat back down. After a moment, Laura broke the silence.
"I just want you to know," she said quietly as she readjusted herself in her seat, "that all Sara could talk about the first couple months was how she missed you." she finished softly. Grissom offered a smile and slowly nodded as he sipped his coffee. While Sara watched and listened she sat next to him as she brought his hand into hers, just so she could feel him, and know that he really was there. She almost jumped when something strange happened. As soon as she had taken a hold of his hand, he flinched, as he glanced downward at his hand and reflexively put it into his pocket. Sara's shock soon turned to hope.
"Gil," she whispered, "Gil I'm right here." she said louder. But Grissom didn't respond. Laura then stood up and began walking.
"I can show you her room if you follow me here." she said over her shoulder as she walked down the hall and turned into a small bedroom. Grissom stood and followed her, with Sara trailing behind him. He entered the room and looked around. A bed laid between a nightstand and a tall lamp on one end of the room, and on the other end, a dresser. It wasn't much, but it was where Sara had been staying and dealing with her problems, alone. Walking over to the bed, he laid his hand on the soft comforter.
"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." Laura said as she exited the room, closing the door behind her, and left Grissom alone. Sitting on the bed, he picked up the pillow and brought it up to his face, breathing in deeply. He smiled into the fabric as it smelt of her; how he missed waking up to the scent of her shampoo. But back in Vegas, over the months, her scent had faded away from the pillows, Hank had stopped waiting by the door for her, and had he stopped preparing dinner for two. He stopped living the way he had become so accustomed to, the way he loved living. And he missed it more than anyone could ever imagine. Sara sat next to him on the bed and watched him as she began speaking to him, as if he could hear her.
"I missed you," she whispered, "I still do." she said as she ran her hand down his arm, hoping to receive another reaction like the one before. But there was nothing, no flinch, no anything. Maybe it was just coincidence,She thought. "I wish you could hear me," she said as he put the pillow down, "see me," he then spotted the drawer to the side table open about an inch, and opened it slowly, "feel me." Grissom then spotted the picture Sara had been keeping. She scooted over closer to him and peered over his shoulder. She let out a quick laugh as she realized what he had found. Picking up the photograph Grissom ran his hand over her face as he smiled at the memory. He then set the picture down on the bed and closed the drawer as he blinked back unshed tears. Sara wanted to just hold him and tell him she was okay, but that wouldn't be the truth. She wasn't okay, her time was running out by the second. He put his head in his hands and then stood up and walked to the far side of the room. He looked out the window and over the front yard as a car passed by the road ahead. Sara sighed as she made her way over to him, resting her hand on his shoulder when she reached him.
"I wish I could tell you how much I lov-"
"I wish I had told you how much I love you." he said out loud, unknowingly cutting off Sara, mid-sentence. Before Sara could react, her mother entered the room and broke the eerie silence.
"Will you be staying for dinner?" she asked kindly. He then smiled at her and shook his head.
"No thank you, I think I should get going." he said walking back over to the bed, picking up the picture and slipping it into his pocket. Watching them interact, Sara began to follow them out of the bedroom door; something was happening. Something weird. And she was going to follow him until she knew what to do next.