13.

It was a little bit after six when the doorbell rang. What happened to Grissom's key and why was he here already? They said seven. She wasn't ready to see him, the apartment wasn't ready for him, she had to clean up a little bit and…whom was she kidding? She could barely stand on her feet, how was she supposed to clean up the apartment?

"What happened to…Doug!" Not her husband, her ex. What the hell was he doing here? Him being here was worse than Grissom. She didn't want him to see her like this.

"You look like shit." He pushed her aside, took a look around the apartment. "So does the apartment. What happened?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came here for you, you called in sick, I wanted to know how you are." His eyes fell on the empty bottle of whiskey in the kitchen. "Don't tell me you drank all of it."

"Okay, I won't tell you." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. He was in no position to demand explanations, it wasn't his business what she did and didn't do.

He bent forward and smelled on her breath. "Good, you didn't drink it, what happened?"

"Not important."

"What did Grissom say?"

"Stay out of my marriage, Doug."

"Are you still in a marriage, Sara? Come on, you're not sick, you called in sick because you didn't want anybody to see your red eyes. What did he say? Did he lie? Told you he wasn't in Vegas?"

"It's none of your business."

"I made it my business. So? What did he say?" Doug picked up the empty bottle and threw it into the recycling box.

"We need to talk and he'll be here at seven."

"Did he tell you, he was in South America?"

Sara looked down, bit on her lips.

"Okay, he did. Asshole. Seven, huh? Let you suffer through the night, let you go crazy with thoughts what happened, made you fight your fear, didn't care about what you feel. He is in Vegas, there's no way he can make it from South America to Vegas overnight. Not if the trip is spontaneous. He lied. He's here and instead of coming over right away, take away the pressure of you, he waits for twelve hours or so. Great man. He is not the brightest when it comes to social knowledge, is he?"

Sara shook her head. No, Grissom had never been great in this area, neither had she. It was a reason why they fit together so well. When you don't know the rules, you can't get mad when your partner breaks them.

"Sorry to tell you, but you deserve better. A better husband and most of all, you deserve to be better treated. Not the way he does. Why can't he be honest and say it's over?"

"You want it over! Because you think you've got a chance to get me back!" Sara yelled. She had no idea where this fury came from, but she had the urge to let it out, yell at him, tell him, she knew exactly what he was doing, what his plan was. He tried to play her, wanted to get lucky. Did he really believe, she'd jump into bed with him only because he pretended he cared? Was there when she bad. Came alone and said a few oh so smart things. Like he knew how a happy marriage worked out. There had to be a reason why his wife cheated on him.

"Leave me alone! Leave me all alone! I don't want to see anybody! Go out! Go!" She started smashing her fists on his chest, blind with fury and tears, helpless, the last try to show the world, show him and herself, she was strong and didn't care.

Like her punches were nothing, he grabbed her arms and pulled her close, not caring she fought him, tried to push him away, punch him more. Doug held on to her and it took less than a minute before Sara stopped fighting, gave in and all of her anger, that was left, were tears.

She knew she lost her husband, she knew whatever he had to say wasn't something good, nothing she wanted to hear. It was over. Her dream of a happy family, of an ordinary life, with a loving husband and all the kitsch, was over.

"He'll tell me it's over. He'll tell me he lied to me for weeks. Months. That Heather is the one, he always wanted. Our marriage was a lie right from the beginning. I have never been his first choice." Sara sobbed, her face burying into Doug's shirt.

"You don't know for sure what he'll say." He knew he didn't sound convincing. All the evidence pointed towards the fact, Grissom betrayed Sara with another woman. He lied and Doug didn't believe, he lied for the first time when they talked on the phone last night. How many times had Grissom be in Vegas, when he told Sara, he was busy working in South America?

"He's in Vegas, he's with her and I…I was stupid enough to believe him all the time."

"You're a good person, you expect the people you love, to be good too."

"I should know better. People I love were never good to me. It started when I was a child and my father hit me and ends in this marriage. It's my destiny to be unhappy."

"No, it's not. Your way to happiness is only longer and harder but you'll get there."

"Too hard for me."

"Sara Sidle has never been a woman, who gives up. When the going gets tough, Sara Sidle gets going. Don't let him take this away. Never let a man take your dignity away."

"I'm not sure if there's some dignity left."

"There is." He let go of her hands.

"I'm scared of what he'll say."

"Do you want me to stay here?"

She thought about it. "No, no I think it's better when I'm alone."

"You don't want him to get a wrong impression."

"I never did anything wrong."

"No, you didn't. You said he comes around at seven?"

"Yes."

"Good, that leaves a few minutes for us to clean up the place. No matter what he has to say, there is no reason why he should see, how much you suffered the last hours. I take care of the kitchen, you take the rest?"

"Doug, you don't have to…"

"I want to help you, please don't be too pride to take my help."

"Thanks." She looked at the living room. "I better start."

"So will I."

Twenty minutes before Grissom should be here. If he came at all and was on time. What if he appeared here with Heather? To make it very obvious, it was over? Could she handle it? Was it better when Doug stayed? To support her. Sara sadly shook her head. Support for a conversation with her husband. They came this far. Very sad.


MARRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!