I hope everyone is enjoying the story! Here's chapter four. I hope it pleases :)
MyKate beta this for me, but as always, all mistakes are mine.
Credit: MyKate wrote the flashback scene. I'm very grateful for her and everything she helps me with. She is AWESOME!
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.
Remember, this takes place in 2008, shortly after Warrick's death.
Chapter Four
"Bug, come on. We really need to head home." Sara sighed.
"No. I wanna stay here." Meredith slowly turned to walk back towards the bugs.
"Meredith Grace."
Meredith immediately stopped at the sound of the sternness in Sara's voice, but made no move to turn back towards her mother.
Sighing again, Sara spoke softer, "It's time to go home. It is not a choice." When Meredith still didn't turn back around, Sara continued but in a firmer tone, "You have to the count of three before I start taking privileges. One."
A few seconds ticked by and Meredith still didn't budge.
"Two." Sara waited another few seconds.
"Th-"
Meredith quickly turned back around and darted towards Sara, "Nooo. I'm coming!" her voice full of displeasure and whine.
"Good choice." Sara held out her hand for Meredith to take. When she made no move to take Sara's hand, Sara stopped and gave her a stern look. Meredith grunted and took her hand.
"I understand you're unhappy, Bug, but it's not a choice. It's time to go home." Sara's voice was soft and loving.
Meredith grunted again before looking up at her mother as they walked out of the building. Tears glistened Meredith's eyes. Sara could feel her daughter's stares and looked down. When she saw the tears in Meredith's eyes she stopped walking and knelt down to Meredith's level. Bringing her into a hug, Sara gently wiped the tear that cascaded down her sun-kissed cheek.
"Bug, it's okay to be upset that we're leaving. I know that you were having fun." Sara then pulled her in for a tight hug.
On a small hiccup, "Why can't I stay Mommy? You came too early." More tears dripped down her tiny cheeks.
"I know honey. I'm sorry. Uncle Tim let me out of work early. I've missed you and thought it would be nice for us to spend some time together."
"I missed you too, Mommy. You've been gone a lot…" Meredith ended on a whisper.
"I know Bug. I'm sorry. I've had to work a lot this week, which is why Uncle Tim let me out of work early…and," Sara smiled and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially," I'm officially on vacation for the next week."
Meredith's head jerked and her mouth gaped open before shestarted to jump up and down, "REALLY?!"
Sara laughed at the excitement as her daughter caught her off-guard in a bone-crushing hug.
Enjoying the warmth of the moment, Sara cupped her happy child's cheek and asked, "Now, how about a piggy back ride to the car?"
"Yeah!" Meredith carefully climbed onto Sara's back, and Sara slowly stood up and headed to the car.
Once they were both settled into the car, Sara looked down at her phone as it vibrated:
Hey sis. Tim said he let you out early. If you want, drop Mer off at the office. I know you need some time to prepare.
Sara sighed. I know he's waiting for me on the beach…but I want to spend some time with Meredith…ugh. Sara looked at her daughter in the rearview mirror.
"Bug, how about we get some frozen yogurt from Brain Freeze, and then I drop you off to Uncle Don for a bit?" Sara took a deep breath, unsure how Meredithwould react to a visit to her uncle's workplace.
"Brain Freeze in the middle of the afternoon? Yes please!" Only a breath passed before questioning eyes locked with Sara's in the mirror. "Though …why do I have to go to Uncle Don's office?"
Instead of starting the car, Sara sat for a moment before turning around so she could look at her child. Keeping her voice deliberately light she replied, "Uncle Don reminded me of something I need to do first." Sara diverted her gaze, but not before Meredith could see an anxious look in her mother's eyes.
"Oh, okay. Sure, Mommy," the child replied as she didn't like to see her mother upset. Meredith turned her attention to her stuffed ladybug.
Sara turned back around and started the car. I need to tell her about Grissom's visit. But how to begin?...
An hour later
Sara sat on the park bench watching Meredith play tag with a few other kids. After getting their frozen yogurt at Brain Freeze, Sara agreed that they could walk over to the nearby park for a little bit. In truth, Sara just wanted to be able to spend a little bit more time with her daughter before dropping her off at Don's.
Besides, I don't know if I'm ready to see him just yet.
"Bug, please be careful!" Sara yelled as she watched her daughter run up and down the bridge that went up to the tallest slide.
"Always, Mommy!" Meredith gave her the famous Sidle smile. Sara couldn't help but to smile it back.
Meredith laughed as she dodge the tagger yet again and slide down the slide on her belly. "You won't be able to catch me Billy!" Sara watched as her child happily ran off towards the other end of the playground.
Sara felt her phone vibrate in her hand and looked down.
So are you going to drop her off? He's arrived already, hasn't he?
Sara made a face while mentally responding: I'm going to pretend for a little bit longer that he's not.
Sighing heavily, she then replied to Don:
I'll drop her off soon. I'm going to spend a little bit more time with her.
A few seconds later, her phone vibrated again:
So he's arrived then?
Yes, Don. He sent me a text when he got in.
You should go greet him, don't you think?
He can wait. Mer cannot.
Yes she can. She sees you all the time.
Not much this last week. You know that…
Does she know?
Know what?
That he's here.
Sara breathed in deeply:
No, I haven't told her yet.
"Mommy, look at this!"
Sara looked up just as Meredith came running over, her hands grasped together. "What do you have, Bug?"
"A callerpiller!" Meredith shrieked in amazement.
"CATerpillar," Sara corrected, yet smiled at her daughter's attempt.
Meredith slowly opened up her hands to show Sara the bug. "What kind do you think it is?"
Meredith thought for a moment, "I know it's a cat-erpillar…" She then shook her head, "I don't know what kind though. It's fuzzy, which tickles my hands."
"It's called a Vanessa Virginiensis," her mother instructed with a strange catch in her voice.
"Really, Mommy?" Meredith looked shocked that her mother could know so much about these things…
"Yes, really," Sara smiled softly at the memory of Gil softly guiding the butterfly onto her outstretched hand.
Flashback
The night was silent as it seemed nature itself was conspiring to allow them time to be alone.
Being the last to leave the crime scene, they had finished packing up their gear and were preparing to leave the crime scene when Sara's Maglite happened upon a nearby bush.
Leaning in closer, she sucked in a surprised breath which brought Grissom to her side immediately.
Stunned at finding a butterfly hiding in the bush at this pre-dawn hour, Gil had delighted Sara further by reaching in and presenting the specimen for her inspection.
"Give me your hand."
Without thought, Sara complied and was startled when Gil gently gripped her fingers until they relaxed in an open stance. Soon her attention was riveted at the tiny creature that had been coaxed onto her palm.
Her heart raced as she realized he had not released her hand, but instead Grissom had nested her fingers inside his sure grip.
Sara felt his gaze on her as he quietly muttered, "A Painted Beauty."
Her head cocked as she examined the butterfly under the glow of the Maglite perched in Grissom's jacket strap. Her eyes flicked to his, and for a moment the world held its breath.
Not releasing his grip, Gil had pulled himself out of his reverie and began to relate some details about this American Painted Lady butterfly.
Sara would later wish the stolen moment had lingered but, as Grissom spoke, the dawn was stealing over them. This signaled to their treasure that day was about to break, and without warning the butterfly leapt from Sara's grasp.
The movement had startled both, and Grissom's protective instinct caused him to jerk towards Sara with his grip closing firmly over her open palm.
The moment sparkled as he stood close…so close.
It took a full moment before they realized he still was holding her hand.
Present day
Sara looked down at the caterpillar then back up at Meredith. She had to swallow hard before she spoke, "Sweetie, how about you go put him back where you found him and say goodbye to your friends?"
Meredith was about to pout when she noticed her mother's eyes seemed to dance over her with that same anxious look."Okay, Mommy." Meredith spoke although her gaze remained on her treasure find. The little girl turned back and reluctantly moved away to go return the caterpillar back to the bush.
Sara looked back down at her phone and saw Don had replied:
You should do it before it's too late.
Sara sighed and mumbled, "I KNOW what I need to do."
I will. I just haven't figured out exactly how. We'll be at your office in 20 minutes.
"Bye, Billy. Bye, Susie." Sara heard Meredith saying as her feet flew over the grass to close the distance between them. A sweet smile graced the child's face as she beamed,"I'm ready to go, Mommy."
Sara grasped her daughter's hand and slowly started to walk back towards the car. She took another deep breath and tried to exhale calmly.
Picking up on her mother's anxious manner for a third time that day, Meredith quietly asked, "Mommy, is something wrong?"
Sara looked down at her daughter as she unlocked the car, "Why would you think anything is wrong?"
"I don't know. You just aren't…" Meredith trailed off.
Sara helped Meredith get into the car as she spoke just above a whisper, "Mer, there is something I need to talk to you about…"
I hope everyone enjoyed! Truthfully, this is by far one of my favorite chapters I've written. Before I started writing this, I had this vision of what Grissom and Sara's child would be like, but not, she's kinda starting to write herself whenever I go to write. I personally love her and the way she's turning out. How about you?
Please remember to leave a review! I always love reading them :)
Kay