Disclaimer – Please see chapter 1
A/N – Thank you so very much to those of you that left a review for the last chapter. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me any and all feedback you send. My sincere apologies for not having time to reply to them all, I am utilizing the time to try to write more chapters! Story is beta'd by myself so any remaining mistakes are all mine, so I apologize in advance. R & R Enjoy!
Fall Out Boy – Chapter 9 – Problem solving
When Grissom returned twenty minutes later after dealing with Mrs Wilson, who was still clearly annoyed with the break in protocol, and stating that she would be visiting Miss Sidles home for suitability, he entered the hospital room once more.
Kye was now dresses in jeans, T-shirt and socks, sobbing and hugging Sara fiercely, as she finished telling him about his Mother, and Martin's deaths, that he would be staying with her for a while back in Vegas.
Grissom looked on with much sympathy, both at Sara having to break the news to the boy, and for Kye loosing his primary parent at such a young and impressionable age.
He also felt a strong empathy come from out of nowhere in him for the boy, he knew what it was like to loose a parent, then suddenly feel quite lonely in the world, although he'd still had his dear deaf mother to care for him.
But nothing was ever the same for a young Grissom as a boy growing up without a constant male role model after his father died. His Mother took his fathers death badly, she seemed to retract further into her silent world much more than before, continuing caring for Gil like any good parent does, but the interaction between them became awkward and less as they both tried to deal with masking their emotions, much like John Grissom had done.
After ten minutes Sara managed to calm Kye a little, soothing him with words and caresses of comfort as Grissom gathered any belongings putting them in the holdall, when suddenly the boy rubbed his eyes and spoke in a choked and congested quite voice "Where's Buno?" he asked.
"Buno?" Sara said looking first to Grissom frowning hoping he'd know what Buno' was, then down at Kye "What's Buno Kye?" she asked with a deep frown not understanding, but thinking it may be a comforter toy or something.
Sniffling loudly, then rubbing his eyes and swiping at his nose he spoke again a little more clearly "Not what. Who" he said looking over at Grissom, then shyly hiding his face in Sara's chest "Buno. His real name is Bruno...He's my dog.....My best buddy" he said slightly muffled now "He protected me like he always does" he added finishing.
Sara turned to Grissom seeking some kind of answer and rescue with this one, but he just shrugged at her.
"Kye. Listen sweetheart, I'm not really sure where he is right now, but we have to concentrate on getting you released from here and settled. We can find out where Bruno is once we get back to Vegas okay?" Sara asked, not really knowing what to do in the situation.
Sniffling, as tears pooled in his eyes again, Kye nodded pulling away from Sara's chest to sit up straighter, but he really wanted his best friend in the world right now going to a strange place.
Seeing the boys obvious upset, Kye trying his best to cope with his situation and accept Sara's recent words, Grissom made a quick decision, one that he wasn't sure if he might regret at a later date, but one that he was sure would greatly help.
Standing up Grissom cleared his throat "Actually Sara, if you could give me a little while to make some calls, I'm sure I can find out where they have the dog, and can probably arrange for it to be picked up before we head back home" he suggested, hoping Sara would let him do this for Kye.
Kye looked up at Grissom with so much hope and pleading in his eyes, that Sara spotted the change in him right away, realizing the boys need to be with his dog for comfort and reassurance, she winced, before speaking "Ur.....Grissom. I'm not allowed to keep any pets in my apartment, it was in my lease that I signed".
Shuffling a little on his feet uncomfortably, Grissom wasn't sure if he should now use this opportunity to his advantage now, to make his suggestion to the idea he'd had earlier.
"Grissom?" Sara asked thinking he wasn't paying attention to her as he looked at his feet.
Looking back up at her, he started to speak a little apprehensive, hoping she wouldn't be pissed at his suggestion "Well, I was going to tell you that you may have another problem to tackle.........With your possible fostering application of Kye,...On the drive back" Grissom paused thinking or the right words in which to make his suggestion to her "You need to have a separate bedroom for him according to Mrs Wilson, she made that perfectly clear to me" he was interrupted then by Sara.
She groaned audibly before speaking "Oh that's just great.....How many more problems am I going to encounter before we can even leave this place?" Sara said a little despondently.
Nervously Grissom decided to bite the bullet and just make the suggestion and hope for the best then "Sara. I have a solution to both problems. But you've just got to hear me out first before you decide, okay?" he said mustering courage from the depths of himself.
Catching his gaze immediately and frowning at him, at what he could possibly tell her to ease her current situation, she nodded and said "Okay, go on".
Feeling a little more confident now he spoke "I have two spare guest rooms at my place that never get used. I'm hardly ever at home as it is to use my own room, because I'm always at the lab........" again he was cut off by her, so he just sighed heavily and held up his hand.
"Your not suggestion what I think your suggesting, are you?" Sara quickly said, almost mirroring what he had replied to her when she asked if he wanted to sleep with her.
"Sara just hear me out will you" Grissom almost pleaded, but the similarity of her words never escaped him.
Putting on a slightly disgruntled look Sara nodded at him to continue, she was fully aware that at times she never let him finish what he wanted to say to her.
"Okay, the answers to your problems are simple Sara. You and Kye stay at my place with Hank, the house is plenty big enough for us all and secure, I also have a yard for them to run around in too. I'll be at the lab most of the time, so you can do your own thing and at the same time still retain some semblance of privacy there. I really would like to help you both out..............So please. let me do this for you?" Grissom said finishing his rushed words, and using a semi pleading tone on the last few spoken.
Shaking her head as she thought about it, the suggestion would be complete madness to even contemplate with our past record of uncomfortable and awkward interaction at times, in between ignoring, or just being snippy with each other in our 'supposed' friendship. No. He'd made the offer not realizing what he was taking on, not realizing that the three of us would be invading his last place of private sanctuary, his home, She thought just about to answer him, but was stopped by his next words.
"Please Sara ......I want to do this......I just want to start to be the real friend I should have been to you all these years" Grissom added in a much softer, more personal tone with her.
Looking into his eyes and seeing sincerity, among some other emotions she didn't recognize at first, but was then too afraid to hope or even rationalize, as a particular familiar one made it's appearance to her, she reluctantly nodded slowly, not sure it really was a good decision.
Grissom couldn't help the genuine smile that lit up his face at her affirmation, which then made Sara smirk, and Kye show for the first time a small shy smile towards the man that was going to get him his dog back.
Two hours later they were all finally on the roads heading back to Vegas, the local PD had contacted animal control for Grissom telling them the story with the dog being the boys, they had visited the housing where the dog was kept and had searched the dog for any possible evidence, but none was found.
Kye was given a full bill of health by a doctor, but Sara was forewarned about possible nightmares and the child needing some professional counselling or therapy at some point before he was released into her care.
Then Grissom was directed to the facility for Kye to be reunite with Bruno, which turned out to be quite emotional for all concerned, but the dog certainly seemed to cheer Kye up a whole lot as they both scrambled into the back seat of the denali.
A/N – Sorry to cut the chapter here, but the next one will cover the journey home, some indecision and finally arriving ??? I hope you all liked this chapter, and that I hadn't forgotten about the dog from the first chapter! Some of you have asked if Kye is Grissom's biological son, but that wont be answered for a few more chapters yet, sorry, your just going to have to be patient as I really don't want to spoil any of the details of the story for you all. Next post mid week, sooner if I get the time to write.
Please take the time to leave a review for the chapter or the whole story so far in general, I really do love reading your feedback and appreciate it greatly.