Disclaimer – Please see chapter 1
A/N – Thank you so very much for all your kind and wonderful reviews, I really do appreciate them. My usual apologies again for not having the time to reply to them all, but I have so busy this week updating the GSR site. Your all great! Sorry the chapter isn't the one I stated previously, but I gotta say I am a bit fed up today after such a poor excuse for the 200th CSI episode last night. The next chapter will be much better I promise! 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 19 Quiet time
Gil's huge grin that graced his face now as he turned around to go back into the kitchen was evidence enough of the pure relief and happiness he felt at her words, ones that had plagued him since she had uttered them a couple of years previously in a subtle threat to him.
That was the one big question he had desperately wanted to ask her over the last couple of days, but the lack of enough courage to do so had prevented him from being able to vocalizing them, his deep seated fear of her rejection, like he'd so often shown her over the years had scared the words from slipping right out of his mouth every time he'd made a concious effort to attempt to ask.
Now he felt real hope that they could move forward positively, working together now in tandem for a much happier interaction between them, and with any great luck on his part, he wished that they could now embark on trying to establish a closer, more intimate romantic and long term relationship, that would stand the test of time and whatever life threw at them.
He busied himself in the kitchen clearing, cleaning and setting out things for their breakfast, he would make them his mothers special recipe pancakes, the very same ones he'd only eaten in recent years while visiting her the limited times when he could.
Making the pancakes from scratch had become a long forgotten enjoyed experience in latter years, being alone all the time in his hermetically sealed condo as Catherine had once commented, he'd given up on making them for himself, the cooking and then finally eating them being soured with wistful thoughts of wanting to share them with a certain brunette who was now asleep in his guest room.
A lop sided smirk grew then to be replaced by a grin as he thought of his mother now, Yeah you told me so, I know, He then chuckled, if she only knew right now what was happening in his life, in his home, she'd be on the first flight out to Vegas just to come check out Sara and Kye under the excuse 'Can't a mother surprise her son with a visit'.
Oh she'd ask about Sara when they next communicated, she always did, even trying to be subtle about it when the conversation eventually got around to enquiring about his life outside of the lab, usually a good time to make his excuses to end the call, with his mother protesting his diversionary tactics.
Gils thought's were abruptly interrupted when a soft sounding voice sounded close to him.
"Where's Sara" Kye asked as he rubbed at his just woken up bleary eyes.
Putting down the flour on the counter, Gil turned around to see the little boy still dressed in dark blue PJ's, one pant leg shoved up around his knee, thick bed hair messy around his face, dry tear tracks half hidden shyly by the fist near the boys mouth, and a scruffy looking brown teddy dangling from his other hand.
Crouching down to the boys level even though his knees cracked audibly at the motion, he was a couple of meters away from him when he first smile, then spoke in a friendly tone "She's sleeping right now Kye....Would you like me to go and get her for you?" he said resting his knees on the floor now.
Kye shook his head avoiding Grissom's eyes as he looked around the room, then a soft fist covered muffled "Buno. Where's Buno?" was heard as he brought the teddy up to grasp it close to his chest.
Gil stood now, the child obviously uncomfortable with him "Don't worry, he's out in the yard with Hank. You wanna let the boys in and help me feed them?" he asked as he went over to the kitchen cupboard and pulled out the bag of dog food.
Kye only nodded again moving towards the door to let the dogs in, he was accosted by them both wanting attention, as they licked and pawed him excitedly and he sank to the floor with the force.
Hearing a light chuckle come from the direction of the door, Gil looked over to see Kye trying to scratch both dogs tummies at the same time, the teddy bear now dropped to the side of him forgotten.
The playful interaction was a pleasure to watch for Gil, as the boy seemed to forget all his troubles briefly, to concentrate of lavishing all his efforts on the two large dogs who were now clearly slobbering all over him.
Chuckling himself, and more than pleased he wasn't the recipient of a shower of dog saliva, he gently called over "You wanna grab their dishes Kye".
Pushing both dogs of him now Kye got up, grabbed his teddy then stepped out to retrieve the dishes, but Hank grabbed playfully at the teddy, which earned him a warning bark off Bruno, so he let go with a little growl in return.
Kye brought the dishes over and help Grissom fill them with food and water, then set them down on the floor "Kye would you like the TV putting on while we wait for Sara to wake, then we can all have breakfast?" Gil asked him.
Nodding again, Kye wandered over to the couch and climbed into the corner of it pulling two throw cushions up close to him, almost as if trying to hide himself.
Letting out a sigh at the action Gil switched on the television set and scanned through the channels looking for something appropriate and educational for him to watch.
Spotting the national geographic channel he remembered the subject of some of the boys books he'd collected from his home, so settled on that as the screen showed a pride of lions basking in the sun "This okay for you?" he asked Kye.
"Uh huh" Muttered Kye keeping his eyes fixed to the screen.
Oh well at least I got more than just a nod or shake of the head this time, Gil thought as he went to prepare the pancake batter over in the kitchen where he could still see Kye if he needed anything.
He just needs time to adjust to all these changes, and people in his life now, he'll get there eventually with our help.
An hour later Sara trudged into the kitchen now wearing some grey sweats and her blouse, she looked like she'd just grabbed them rushing to put them on because a thin layer of pale skin peaked out above her low slung pants and her buttons were all out of line.
"Coffee?" he offered her as she slumped into a seat at the counter rubbing her eyes.
A half grunt and mumble was all he got in return as he grinned grabbing a cup, then filling it with coffee from the jug.
To him she looked absolutely adorable first thing after awakening up, a bit dopey and drowsy, with her sleep addled brain still in total relaxation mode, not quite ready to deal with any, even the most menial of tasks just yet, plus obviously not the conversationalist type first thing too.
This surprised him the most, because of the way she seemed to always have unrestricted stores of energy and enthusiasm, he'd expected her to be like that from opening her eyes after any sleep.
He sighed as he put the cup on the counter in front of her, he had to concede though, that she had gone quite some time in the last couple of days without proper rest, her emotions and past memories had to have been exhausting her too, while trying to care for a small child in need.
Still, seeing her like this for the first time ever, her actions unmasked and natural, slightly vulnerable looking and not fully aware of the world made him want to care for her all the more.
"How long was I out?" she mumbled, before taking an eager drink of the hot liquid.
Glancing at his watch then back at her as she moaned at the coffee reaching her taste buds "Under two hours is all" Gil replied pulling out the pan for making the pancakes.
Sara groaned placing her head on top of her hands then looking up at him with tired eyes "Only two hours" she huffed out "I feel like I slept ages" she grumbled picking up the cup again.
Suddenly something occurred to her "Where's Kye? How was he? Did he wake? Did he have another nightmare? Is he still in bed?" she said firing off one question after another without taking a breath.
Gil stepped over to her putting his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture, then pointed with his other over towards the couch "He's okay Sara, calm down. He never had a nightmare and he woke not long after you retired to bed" he gave her shoulder a light squeeze then let go smiling softly at her.
"Kye helped with feeding the dogs, then I put the TV on for him. He's been on the couch watching National geographic and animal planet with the dogs asleep at his feet most of the time" He said turning to the stove, and setting the oven on "You ready for my speciality pancakes for breakfast?".
Relieved at his words she relaxed again finishing her drink "Thanks for watching him Gri......Gil" Sara said just stopping short of calling him 'Grill', she chuckled at her near slip, earning her a curious frown from the man who now turned to look at her.
"Yeah, god I love pancakes. Got any more of that coffee for me too?" she asked diverting his curiosity.
"For you anything my dear" Gil replied without realizing he'd used an endearment in his now jovial manner.
Sara still felt awfully strange calling him Gil after so many years of calling him Grissom or Griss, she was sure she would most likely nearly slip up again in future.
Smirking at the very thought, she brought the cup up to try to hide it as he passed it to her.
"Penny for them" Gil said catching the smirk, and really wanting to know what had amused her so.
"Nothing...Doesn't matter. We having pancakes or what then?" she said diverting back to what she hoped would be a lovely breakfast.
Screwing his eyes up a little at her, tilting his head and the half smirk making an appearance, he then shook his head before proceeding to cook, enjoying the domesticated time together.
A/N – Sorry, I really did struggle writing anything today so I hope you will forgive this excuse for a chapter. The next post and some more GSR talking most likely Monday.
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