Who knew entertaining in-laws could be so exhausting, thought Sara as she brushed her teeth, washed her face and stripped off her dinner clothes. She slipped into bed and yanked the covers up to her chin. A cold nose poked into her ear; she lifted the blankets enough to let Romeo crawl under and settled against her chest, purring. She was on the verge of sleep when Grissom stomped into the room and stalked into the bathroom, shedding his clothes as he went, grumbling under his breath. Within minutes he was climbing in beside her, fuming.

...

EARLIER

After Hank had chased Juliet through the kitchen and knocked over a chair, causing a glass bottle of lemonade to fall and shatter on the floor and soaking the kitten in sticky liquid, they had been forced to put off their amorous activities until later. Sara had corralled the kitten before she could traipse the mess thorough the house and shut her in the kitty carrier she had used for transportation to the vet; Grissom had checked Hank over and banished him outside and they had then surveyed the damage. Shattered glass was everywhere, and the chair had come apart when it impacted the ground. Grissom fetched a broom, while Sara gathered the pieces of the chair and moved them to the laundry room out of the way. They cleaned up the mess then turned to the problem of Juliet. Grissom extracted her from the cage and held her up to examine her for any injuries. Satisfied she was unhurt they tried to wipe her fur clean.

"This isn't going to work," sighed Sara, looking at the tufts of soaked fur sticking straight up on Juliet's back.

"What do you suggest?" asked Grissom, trying to extract the corner of his cloth from the kitten's mouth.

"I think we'll have to bath her," she said.

"I was afraid you were going to say that," he admitted, frowning at Juliet. "What did you do to Hank hmm?" Juliet meowed loudly, smacking him with her paw. Using the kitchen sink, the mildest liquid soap they had, and copious amounts of warm water, they gradually managed to wash and rinse the furious cat. Romeo sat on the counter, watching with interest. Sara thought he looked like he was laughing as he tilted his head to one side at his sister's shrieks of protest. By the time they finally had her clean and dry they were both exhausted, and had lost what felt like a pint of blood each from bites and scratches to their arms and hands. The freed Juliet bolted for the office, hiding under the desk. Sara cleaned Grissom's wounds, applied antiseptic lotion and lightly bandaged the worst; he then did the same for her. After a quick lunch they had resumed packing, readying everything they needed except for last minute items.

Dinner had been a nice affair, the first time the three of them had eaten together without animosity and resentment colouring the atmosphere. The Italian eatery had a wonderful selection, including vegetarian options Sara was hard put to decide between. They had talked of Europe, Peru, and travel in general; Betty had shared her own travel stories from before Gil was born. Then, while lingering over tea and coffee, the conversation had turned sour. Betty had proceeded to give them grief about being away from home again, and had then touched on the prohibited subject again.

'Mother, you promised me earlier you would drop the subject,' said Grissom, firmly. His mother shrugged.

'I'm worried; you two have spent more time apart than you have together since you married. What kind of marriage is it when the two partners don't enjoy each other's company?' Wondering if she had imagined the last five weeks of relationship building and getting to know each other, Sara felt her patience evaporate.

'We love each other very much Betty. We have a very strong relationship, but we have each had things to attend too. Gil told me you want to attend the ceremony; that alone should tell you why I've been here the last year and a half. Gil wanted to teach at the Sorbonne, I thought it was a wonderful opportunity and we both gained by our time in Paris. We missed each other, but like I told you, we talk everyday and we saw each other at least once a month.'

'Not while Gil was in Peru,' the elder Grissom pointed out. Gritting her teeth, Sara said,

'That was the one exception, and we have decided we're not going to be separated again.'

'That's something I suppose, you can work on having a healthy, normal relationship.'

'How many times do we have to tell you mother,' signed Grissom forcefully, 'we are very happy together, and there is nothing to worry about.'

'How can you be happy together when you insist on so much time apart?' she pushed.

'Let it go,' said Grissom, trying to stop her. Betty shook her head.

'No Gil, I'm your mother, I have a,' Sara stood and took the bill the waiter had dropped off a few minutes ago. Taking her purse she went to find someone, rather than waiting for the waiter to return. She went to the restroom afterwards, washing her hands slowly as she tried to regain her calm. When she returned to the table, Betty and Gil were arguing furiously; when he saw his wife Grissom stood abruptly and grabbed his coat. The drive back to Betty's house was silent, all of them furious.

...

Grissom wrapped his arms around Sara, buried his face in the back of her neck with a sigh and closed his eyes. Sara laced her fingers with his over her stomach; relaxing as his breathing slowed and the tension left his body.

"I love you," she whispered, "so much." His arms tightened around her.

"I love you too," he breathed into her ear.

...

Sara rolled over and poked her alarm until it shut up. She slid out from under Grissom's arm and went to get ready; as she was leaving she paused to smile at the way he was sprawled out over the bed, Romeo now pressed up against his side, paws in the air. With a yawn, she left and headed to the doctor's office.

...

When Grissom woke an hour later he found three hungry animals waiting for him, and no Sara. Frowning, his sleep addled brain tried to remember where she was as he got up and went to prepare food. On their message slate in the kitchen he found a hastily scrawled message;

Docs,

love you, S

p.s. please feed the animals.

Smiling, he started measuring kibble and meow mix.

...

Elated, Sara got into her car to drive home. Beth had helped her to find a doctor in New Hampshire, and gone over any and all questions with her. That wasn't the best news though, thought Sara as she drove home. So happy she felt she was walking on clouds, she fairly danced into their home, and found her husband in the kitchen, making oatmeal.

"Hi," he smiled warmly as she approached. He put down the wooden spoon he was stirring the contents of the pan with and turned to her; she seized him in an exuberant hug.

"Everything's fine, all normal," she told him, hugging him fiercely. "And I have a doctor all set up to meet with when we get there. Beth was very optimistic." Grissom held her tightly, kissing her enthusiastically when she pulled back enough to look at him.

"Have you been stressing and not telling me?" he asked, looking her over as though to see some sign she wasn't fine. She shook her head and hugged him again.

"Not anymore than we've been talking about. But I had nightmares all last night."

"You ok?" he asked, smoothing her hair.

"I am now," she replied, stirring the oatmeal before it could begin to burn. There was a bark from outside; Grissom let Hank in.

"Let's go for a walk today," suggested Sara.

"The park?"

"Sure, wherever you want."

They were dressed and ready to go when the doorbell rang. Sara grabbed Hank and clipped on his leash as Gil opened the door to reveal his mother. The room went incredibly still, the air heavy with expectation. Betty walked a few steps inside the door, but made no other move. She looked like she was fighting to try and find the words to express herself. Finally she just lifted her hands and signed elegantly,

'I'm sorry, very sorry. I had no right to go on at you both like that. I haven't slept all night, worrying about it. I just worry about you both because you're my family, and I love you. I apologize, and I hope you can forgive me.'

Gil and Sara looked at each other for a long moment, reading each other's thoughts and emotions in their eyes. Then they both nodded simultaneously.

'It's ok,' they signed together. 'But,' continued Sara, 'Betty, you need to learn when to trust us, and that when we say everything is fine, that everything is fine.' Betty nodded, her expression both relieved, and utterly exhausted, emotionally and physically.

'Mom, are you alright?' asked Grissom, concerned.

'Just tired, I'm going home to sleep. I wanted to ask though, would you like to come over for dinner tonight? I promise to behave myself, and I'd like to make up for last night.' Grissom looked at Sara, the question in his eyes. She nodded and he told his mother yes; Betty thanked them both, and left, shutting the door behind her. Griss and Sara stood there for a moment, stunned into inactivity.

"That was weird," said Sara finally, "nice, but weird."

"Hmm," agreed Grissom, slipping an arm around her waist as they left. Hank bounded ahead of them as they walked to the park, pulling at the end of his leash and he sniffing everything he could get at. Once inside the confines of the park Grissom let him loose, and they walked hand in hand, laughing at his mad antics as he bolted here, there and everywhere. They walked past the children's gated play area, observing the pre-school age little ones out with their parents. One little girl slid down the slide with an excited cry, while a pair of young boys chased each other across the climbing frame. Hearing Sara's soft sigh and knowing what was going through her mind because he was thinking it too, Grissom let go of her hand and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He pressed a loving kiss to her temple, and whispered in her ear,

"One day that will be us in there, watching our little one." In response, she slipped her arms around his neck and tenderly kissed his lips.

"Oh no," he muttered suddenly.

"What?" she asked, looking around, searching for his distress.

"I don't see Hank." He called for the dog, but there was no response. Sara raised her fingers to her lips and blew an eardrum shattering whistle that made Grissom wince. Faint barks sounded from across the field, hidden within a stand of trees. They meandered over to see what their pet was up to; fingers linked again, Grissom tickling the back of her hand with his thumb. They found their dog, sitting next to a bush, his collar tangled in a branch, and his fur full of seeds. Sara freed him, and he gambled off; standing up Sara laughed at him and began to look around. A massive tree stood at the centre of the thicket, its leaves shadowing over everything else, creating protection from the elements. Bushes, plants and smaller trees spread out and away from the main tree, with paths wound through out, creating a forest-like feeling.

"This tree is beautiful," she remarked, examining it carefully.

"It's old," agreed Grissom absently, bending to look at a beetle on the ground. Sara rolled her eyes behind his back, running her hands over the bark of the trunk, sighing with pleasure as she felt the age and history and knowledge within the giant being.

"The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see Nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself," she intoned, leaning against the trunk and watching him. He rose and turned to look at her, a bemused expression on his face.

"William Blake, 1799," he replied, walking toward her.

"Very good," she teased. She was about to add more, but he cut her off by placing a hand on either side of her on the tree, leaning in very close to her, and touching his lips to hers. His body pressed against hers, her hands roamed over his back and arms, their lips danced beautifully, their hearts and minds felt and experienced in synchronization. When Sara's tongue ventured into his mouth, Grissom groaned and involuntarily pulled at her hips. "Maybe we should head home," she gasped, pushing into him.

"Yeah," he agreed, kissing his way down her neck. "I think I like the tree better now." Giggling, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the thicket, whistling again for Hank. The dog came galloping up and Grissom quickly snapped on the leash so they didn't lose him again. The walk home was brisk, with more than one stop in out of the way corners for stolen kisses. They slipped inside and released Hank; Sara disconnected the doorbell, Grissom unplugged and turned off all phones. They met at the bed and stopped to stare at each other; their gazes conveying love, passion and excitement. Sara reached for him, and pulled his sweatshirt and t-shirt over his head together. He kissed her, his fingers unzipping her sweater as his lips assaulted hers and his tongue begged for entrance to her mouth. Backing up he sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her into his lap. He lifted his hands to her shoulders, slipping them slowly under her sweater and sliding them down her arms, letting the clothing fall off her. Sara ran her fingers through his hair, leaning in to kiss him, slowly and sensually. He tugged at the hem of her shirt and she pulled back so he could lift it over her head. He ran his lips over her collarbone as his hands roamed over her back, tracing designs into her skin. She pushed him back until they were lying down; she kissed her way up his neck and across his jaw to his lips while her hands slipped lower to unfasten his belt and jeans. When he went to undo her bra she slid her hand under the elastic of his boxers; he groaned her name and closed his eyes, breathing heavily. Knowing he needed to stop her before she went too far he caught her hands and pulled them up to his shoulders. Holding onto her, he moved them both up to the top of the bed and then unfastened her jeans, pulling them off and tossing them aside; seconds later his own jeans landed on top. He skimmed his hands up her arms, over her shoulders and then worked his way between her back and the sheets until his fingers found the back of her bra. Tugging the offending item away from her milky skin he gazed down into her sparkling eyes; she reached for him, and brought him to her, slipping her tongue between his lips. Her fingers massaged the muscles in his back, while his roamed over her recently exposed skin, toying with her nipples and teasing her ruthlessly. Breathless and gasping, she arched up into him when he fastened his lips over her left breast. His hands strayed lower, curving around her hips, his thumbs slipping under the hem of her panties. Slowly, so slowly Sara thought she would come undone with desperation, he slid them down her thighs. His lips moved across to the other side of her torso, her fingers tangled in his hair. The last of their clothing dropped to the floor and he kissed his way over her belly, tenderly caressing the tiny bump there. Moving lower, his lips followed the path his fingers had taken, teasing, stroking and kissing her into a heightened state of pleasure. She squirmed beneath him, gasping and moaning his name. When her body tensed Grissom moved up to kiss her, cradling her while she rode out her orgasm. He traced her facial features with his finger tips and smoothed her hair back while her breathing returned to near normal. Sara stared up at him, her eyes dark and passionate; she pressed a hand to the side of his face, and then gently pulled his lips to hers in an impassioned and deeply emotional kiss. Her hands roamed heatedly over his skin as she deepened the kiss and shifted her body, wrapping her legs around him. Gill groaned deeply as they joined together and he began to move within her. Gasping, Sara's eyes closed and Grissom leaned down to kiss them before whispering to her.

"Open your eyes Sara, look at me," he urged; she looked up at him just as he pushed them both over the edge, making her scream his name. Locking his arms around her, he rolled them over before he collapsed on her. Lying across his chest, Sara pressed his face into his neck and nuzzled his skin.

"Love you," she murmured into his skin. Grissom curled his arms around her and hooked his foot under the blanket, tugging until he could reach down, grab it and pull it over them.

"I love you too," he whispered to her, gently rubbing her back. "You screamed," he laughed softly, "you've never screamed at me before." Sara giggled into his shoulder.

"If you don't like it, you shouldn't do such incredible things to me," she yawned and sighed happily. Gil grinned, feeling very satisfied with himself as he absently played with her curls. He started to tell her a story from Peru about Incan society, but soon realized she was asleep, the exertion having worn her out. Glad they had plenty of time from her to have a reasonable nap; he closed his eyes and concentrated on her slow, steady breathing, letting it lull him into a light snooze.