I hope everyone is enjoying the story! Here's chapter three :)
MyKate beta this for me, but as always, all mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or it's characters. This story is set in my own AR of my mind.
Synopsis: Three months after Grissom and Sara encounter each other, Grissom decides to take a sabbatical to see where their future lies.
Chapter Three
Sara slowly drove to fetch Meredith from the babysitter. Since leaving work,she had butterflies in her stomach but was also feeling extremely anxious.
I can't believe he's really here. He really was serious.
Sara took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she pulled into the parking lot.
Home Away From Home the sign read on the building. Sara took another deep breath. This place really was a "home away from home" place for Meredith. She loved it there. The woman who ran the daycare, Ms. Rosey, was middle age and has been in the early childhood education field for over thirty years. Having started out babysitting through her home as a young teenager, her popularity saw her business evolve into a daycare by the time she was twenty. Twenty years later, it was now a full-blown center-based daycare for infants to tweens with before-and after-school programs along with summer camp activities for children of all ages.
Sara slowly made her way into the building and stopped at the front desk. After swiping her finger on the fingerprint sign-in/out pad, she looked up as a woman behind the desk spoke warmly,
"Good afternoon Sara. You're here early."
Sara smiled, "Tim let me out early. Said I had been spending too much time at the Lab."
Ms. Rosey smirked, "Is that so?" Then she winked, "I'm not so sure how easily Mer will let you take her home…." Smiling wider she continued, "We have a visitor from the zoo today. He brought quite a few different animals…and bugs for the children to learn more about. Mer has taken quite a liking to the bugs…"
Sara chuckled, "Why am I not surprised?" She's just like her father.
Ms. Rosey laughed, "They're in the gymnasium."
"Thank you Rosey." Sara turned and headed down the short hallway to the gymnasium. She quietly entered the room and stood in the back as she watched all the enthusiastic children. She chuckled when she saw Meredith practically trying to climb into the bug cage.
Sara sighed. She is definitely her father's daughter…
Sara continued to watch Meredith's fascination with all the caged specimens. Her face was bright and full of excitement as she continued to ask questions about all the different bugs. Sara's mind slowly started to drift back to three months ago.
Flashback
Sara was whispering in Meredith's ear as she turned back around, "We have a visitor today." Sara looked up and gave Grissom a small smile.
Meredith kept her head buried in Sara's shoulder as she spoke quietly, "My foot still hurts. Can I have some ice cream?"
Sara chuckled, "Maybe after dinner you can have some ice cream."
Don laughed, "She's definitely yours, Sar."
Sara stuck her tongue out at Don and then turned her attention back to Meredith. In a very hush tone, "Don't you want to see who's here, bug?"
Meredith shook her head 'no'. Sara sighed and looked back at Grissom and mouthed, "Give us a couple of minutes." Then turned and left the room.
Grissom release his breath before speaking, "God, she's beautiful."
Don looked over at Grissom, "She is. A spitting image of –"
"Of Sara." Grissom finished.
"Yeah," Don agreed, "Although those curls…"
Before her brother finished his thought, Sara walked back in the room.
"Sorry. She's being a stinker and decided to curl up in the nest with blankie." Realizing she needed to explain, she continued, "Our papasan wicker chair in the living room. I call it her nest because she's so small sitting in the chair."
Grissom let out a quiet chuckle, "That's no problem."
"Oh crap! I gotta go." Don rushed around the kitchen looking for his keys. Sara glanced at the clock 3:15. Don continued, "Annie is going to think I forgot about her…" He groaned, "Again..."
"Don, she'll be fine. You aren't going to be that late."
"I'll see if Mer wants to go for the ride." Don quickly walked into the living room.
"Hey Mer, wanna go get Annie with me?"
When Sara heard no reply, she looked around the corner into the living room. Don was carefully picking her up out of the chair. He saw her when he turned around. "We'll be back."
"Okay." Sara inhaled deeply as she watched Don climb cautiously down the stairs. The door shut softly. She was releasing the breath she was holding and jumped when she felt a hand on the small of her back.
Present day
"Moommmyyy!" Sara quickly shook her head when she heard Meredith calling her name. She opened her arms just in time as Meredith jumped. Sara caught her with ease and smiled down at her daughter.
"Hi bug."
"There's all kinds of bugs and insects over there." She pointed towards the other end of the room and continued on, "There's ladybugs, and butterflies, and…and…and caterpillars….oh and baby bugs…liv..lav..lar –"
"Larva?" Sara asked.
"Yeah, lava." Sara laughed as Meredith went on, "And they're beautiful! Oh and so colorful. The butterflies are very…oh and I got to hold one! It was awesome!"
Before Meredith could continue, Sara interrupted her, "That sounds like a lot of fun! How about you tell me all about it on the ride home?"
"Buuutt mommy!" Meredith whined, "I don't want to go home."
Sara sighed. She knew this was going to be a struggle.
~~~~GSR~~~~
Grissom sat on the beach with his pants rolled up and shoes lying next to him. He watched as the waves crashed over his feet before drifting back to sea. He inhaled the salty air and slowly released it. It was quiet on the beach as very few families were around. It was now late August and school had recently started up again for the year, and Grissom was slightly grateful for that. Grissom looked down at his watch. 12:44 p.m. He groaned. Sara still has three to four more hours at work. He wrapped his arms loosely around his knees and laid his chin down on top of them. His eyes stared out into the ocean as his mind drifted back to the end of May.
Flashback
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Grissom slowly backed away from Sara and looked down at his feet. He drew in a deep breath.
"It's fine. I ju…I just…" Sara shook her head and tried to slow her heart rate. She turned around to look at Grissom and continued above a whisper, "It's fine. Really."
When Gil continued to stare down at his feet, Sara took a tentative step closer to him, "Gil?"
At the sound of his name, Grissom quickly looked up. Sara gave him a small smile and took another step closer to him. Grissom's eyes locked with Sara's deep brown ones as his heart began to race.
They continue to stare deep into each other's eyes as silence enveloped the room. Grissom took that last hesitant step closer to Sara. They stood mere inches apart, both uncertain of what was happening.
Sara could feel Grissom's warm breathe on her cheek and the familiar ache in the pit of her stomach reappeared. She continued to stare into his darkening blue eyes as Gil slightly shifted his eyes away. Sara's hand instantly reached up and stroked his check.
Finally, Grissom broke the silence, "Sara." Her name was said on the end of his breath and Sara's heart began to race even more. She moved her face slightly closer to his. Grissom brought his eyes back to hers and Sara could see the uncertainty in them. She continued to stroke the side of his face and moved closer to him.
Grissom felt as though his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He said her name again. Just as Sara was about to lean in, the front door slammed shut.
"Aunt Sara. Guess what?" Came drifting through the quiet household.
Sara jumped back and quickly turned towards the living room just as her nephew came running up the stairs. Grissom quickly turned towards the kitchen's doors and looked out towards the ocean.
"Hey Monster." Sara spoke, trying to hide the uneasiness in her voice.
"Guess what?" The little boy's excitement made Sara chuckle.
"Hmmm. You grew another inch? No, that can't be it." Sara smiled, "Oh, I know, you ate all of your lunch today?"
"Noooo. Aunt Sara! You do remember what today was, right?" The boy grinned, knowing Sara was teasing.
Grissom turned around listening to the banter as Sara spoke with fake confusion in her voice, "Hmm. Today. Today. What was so special about today?"
"Aunt Saraaa!" Petey now had a bit of whine to his voice.
"Oh, that's right. Today was Kendra's birthday! Did you make her a sweet card?" Sara winked.
Petey laughed, "Noooo. Her birthday was last week, silly. I'm going to just tell y-"
"Oh, I remember," Sara smiled wider, "today was-"
"The book fair!" Petey finished with a huge grin.
"Ah yes. That's right. The book fair. Which means you missed math today."
"YUP!" The boy's excitement rose. "It was great. Dad gave me money to get a book too!"
"Is that so?"
"Ye-" Petey stopped when he noticed Grissom. His eyes grew wide. He looked back at his Aunt and signaled for her to come closer. When she got down to his level, he whispered so only she would hear him, "Is that…is that Mer's dad?" His questioning eyes sought hers.
Sara gave him a weak smile and nodded her head just slightly as she whispered, "Yes."
Petey then turned his attention to Grissom, "Nice to meet you Mr. Grissom."
Grissom was surprised the boy knew who he was. Petey noticed his surprised look and continued, "Aunt Sara talks about you sometimes."
Petey turned his attention back to Sara and gave her a hug, "I love you." He moved towards the staircase before coming to an abrupt stop.Looking back at Grissom, the young boy pulled himself up to his full height ashe spoke in an authoritative voice that belied his years, "Just don't hurt them."
What did you think? Let me know in the reviews! I always look forward to reading everyone's thoughts!
Chapter four is WIP. Hopefully will be done in the next couple of days, but I can't promise anything.
Kay