A/N: Hey everyone. Sadly my writing is moving a little slowly again but I'm trying to plod on. Please forgive me if the chapters don't come very quickly. Thanks, as always to mingsmommy for the beta and advice. Here cometh the angst :)

Chapter 44

The sun fell and the moon rose. Grissom had spent most of what remained of the day helping with the workshop even though the captain had told him just to relax and start work the following day. But he needed to work; it kept his mind off things even if just for a short time.

The workshop was coming along nicely. The outer walls were finished and they had started work on the roof. Amazing really, considering the foundations were still being worked on when he left for his short visit home. He worked late, later than anyone else continuing under the light of several lanterns when the darkness came. Eventually he called it a day and headed back to the cabin where he relaxed for a while. Well, he tried. Between his thoughts of Sara and what was happening around the estate he found himself extremely restless.

Now it was getting close to midnight and he washed at the well. He enjoyed the water running down over his body and the cool nightly breeze nipping at his skin as it came into contact with his damp skin. It was refreshing and very much appreciated. When he was satisfied his body was clean he dried off and slipped on a clean pair of pants. Flinging his towel over his shoulder he walked to the cabin and up the steps to the porch.

Dropping the wet towel over the rail he grabbed his clean shirt and slipped it over his shoulders. He went to fasten the middle button but froze in mid buttoning when he heard her voice…

"You don't have to dress on my account you know…"

With a smirk passing over his lips, he turned to see Sara heading his way on board Pandora with Dante happily trotting behind. She pulled her horse to a stop, slid from the saddle and approached the porch.

As her eyes wandered over him, from head to toe, he shuddered under her stare but buttoned up the bottom half of his shirt, leaving the top open. He then picked up his neck scarf and knotted it loosely around his neck.

"Spoil sport," she giggled when she reached him.

His smirk grew larger and he peered over her shoulder. "I gather you would like to go for a ride?"

"A walk, a ride, whatever you wish," she responded softly.

"Did you…" He began sitting on a chair and grabbing his boots, "…get out of the house alright? No one saw you, right?" He slipped on the first boot.

"Don't worry…" She handed him his other boot, "…no one saw me. No one ever sees me; I'm very careful."

"I'm not worried..." Placing his right boot onto his foot, he then stood and checked around the area again. "I'm concerned…"

She laughed. "Isn't that the same thing?"

Taking her arm he led her down the steps. "Depends how you look at it I guess."

When they reached the horses, they stopped and Sara turned to face him taking his hand. "Well, stop worrying or being concerned or tearing yourself up even if it is just for a few hours." She squeezed his hand and looked deep into his eyes. "Please?"

His shoulders slumped and he bit down lightly on his bottom lip, how could he just forget everything?

"Please…" she begged, obviously noticing his reluctance and she squeezed his hand a little harder. "…relax, for me?"

Finally he gave in and nodded with a smile. "Alright, I'll try. For you."

"Good." She smiled back, releasing his hand. "Shall we?" she suggested, taking Dante's reins and handing them to his master.

Grissom nodded and boarded Dante as Sara jumped up onto Pandora. The two horses exchanged a rub of noses before they were encouraged to trot down the path and towards the river.

It was quiet and calm. All that could was audible was the light beat of the horse's hooves, the hooting of mother owl and the chirping of the crickets. Little did the two riders know, as they disappeared through the darkness, the tranquility they were enjoying wouldn't last much longer.

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After a slow and leisurely ride they reached their favorite spot by the river and dismounted. Grissom couldn't help himself and even though he knew he should have, he didn't push her away when she slowly slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a soft but longing kiss.

Eventually their lips parted and when she pulled back their eyes locked. She smiled sweetly and licked her lips. "We have been back but a day," she began on a sigh, "but I miss you already. I don't know how long I can manage to continue the charade of us being apart, Gil. It is driving me insane." Slipping her hand inside his shirt a silent moan fell from his slightly parted lips when she ran her palm over his chest.

Studying her face for a moment he pulled her hand from inside his shirt and gently kissed the back of her fingers, each one in turn. "You must be patient," he whispered. "And so must I." He looked her in the eye once more. "We are already taking far too many risks, Sara."

Sighing again she entwined her fingers with his and pulled his hand to her chest. "I know. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

A gentle smile passed over his lips and he tugged on her hand, leading them on a slow walk along the river bank.

"I love it out here," Sara stated, inhaling a content breath. "It's so peaceful, so beautiful, even in the dark."

Turning his head Grissom's eyes passed over the contours of her skin, all the way from the alluring curve of her neck, up over her soft cheeks until the skin faded away beneath her delicate auburn hair. Well, he studied her best he could, considering he only had the moonlight to go by. "I, too, see the beauty through the darkness," he responded.

She looked at him and must have known he was alluding to her as a bashful grin passed over her lips as she clicked them together. She jerked on his hand, pulling him closer so she could lay her head on his shoulder and they continued to walk, not saying much, just enjoying this small amount of time that they could have together.

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Once Sara began yawning, Grissom knew it was time to head back despite her reluctance.

He slipped his arm through hers as they looked over the water and tugged her from the riverside. "Come on, Sara, it's really late."

She pouted and stopped, pulling him back to her. "Do we have to?" Slipping her arms around his waist she looked into his eyes. "Can't we just stay here?"

"Sadly not," he responded on a sigh. "And can you deny that you're tired?" He knew she was tired and even he was starting to feel it a little. They had not slept much the last few days and at least a little rest was in order. When she hesitated he asked again. "Can you?" he enquired softly.

Nibbling on her bottom lip her shoulders slumped. "Fine, yes," she mumbled, "I guess I am a little tired."

"Then…" He slipped out of her embrace and took her hand, "…let me take you home."

Leaning forward, she kissed him softly on the lips after which she nodded. "Home it is."

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They walked up the path towards Grissom's cabin and ultimately the stables and the main house but suddenly he stopped upon seeing a mysterious glow in the distance. Stepping to the side he narrowed his eyes, trying to focus through the darkness.

Sara watched him and then looked around to see what he was looking at. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Can you see that?" he asked pointing through the night.

Stepping to his side Sara followed his direction, her eyes scrunching as she tried to see what he was eluding too. "What…is that?"

Grissom stared at light, it was yellow at first but then suddenly burst into an almost orange blossom. "Oh god…" He stuttered, now he knew exactly what it was. He grabbed Dante and launched himself aboard.

"What?" Sara gasped in panic. "What is it?"

He offered her just a quick look, his face a picture of nothing but fear. "It's a fire…" No more words came from his mouth and he kicked Dante hard, harder than he probably should have but the dread burning in his gut seemed to spur his legs into action. "Yah!" he hollered and before Sara could even board Pandora he was almost out of sight.

"Go boy!" he shouted as the burning brightness grew closer. "Faster!" The pounding of Dante's gallop killed the silence and Grissom just prayed it wasn't the house that was alight. As he passed by his cabin he was almost upon the blaze, he could hear it. It was then though, he knew it wasn't the house that was on fire, it was the main stable. The ear wrenching cry of a panicked horse confirmed that for him.

When he finally did reach the stable he yanked Dante to a stop and the horse shuffled nervously as more cries from the trapped animals inside the stable passed through the air. The flames had almost ripped through the entire building and were starting on the roof. "Easy boy," Grissom tried to comfort his horse as he leapt off.

He left Dante at a safe distance and ran towards the inferno. "Gil!" he heard behind him and spun around to see Sara jumping from Pandora and running towards him. When she reached him she grabbed his arms and stared at the sight before her.

"Oh, my god!" she shouted and suddenly bolted away from her lover, towards the stable.

Grissom felt his eyes widen and within a split second he was behind her. He grabbed her. "What the hell are you doing?" he yelled over the now ear splitting sound of the screaming horses and cracking of breaking timber.

"Melissa is in there, we have to get her out!" she cried and managed to pull away, slipping from his grasp.

"Sara, no!" The rancher felt every ounce of color drain from his face as Sara ran forward again and he managed to stop her just before she reached the door. "You can't go in there!" he yelled over the noise, wrapping his arms around her, trying to shield her from the intense heat as she attempted to fight him off.

"I have to get my horse…" she screamed as tears began to well in her eyes. "Melissa! God, Melissa!"

Suddenly a deafening creak and crunch alerted Grissom and his head sprang up. The flames poured through the roof and suddenly it collapsed and came crumbling down towards them. Yanking Sara away he lost his footing and they both ended up on the floor just as a beam from the roof came crashing down besides them, missing them by mere inches.

"Get up!" he demanded before coughing harshly, the vile, pungent smoke now filling his lungs. "Come on, Sara, now!"

Sara coughed also but scrambled to her feet with his help. As she held her hand over her mouth he wrapped his arms around her waist again, pulling her away from the smoldering building. He cupped her now smoke tainted face in his hands. "Are you alright?" he wheezed as the smoke became thicker and more repulsive.

Her chin trembled as her eyes fell back to the stable and more screams came. She didn't answer. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks and tried to calm her. "Sara, listen to me, I need you to go and get help. Can you do that for me?"

She looked at him with a now totally blank expression on her face and coughed again. She was in shock, he knew that. "Sara? I need you to be strong for me. Can you be strong for me?"

Offering a slow nod she looked back to the stable. "Then look at me," he said quickly, trying to keep her attention away from the inferno but she ignore him. "Sara…Sara…please look at me," he begged now.

Slowly her now bloodshot and watery eyes met his again. "I need you to go and get help. Ring the alarm bell, as hard as you can. Wake everyone, can you do that? Get them to bring buckets, pans, anything we can use to carry water alright?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Good, go…"

She looked to the stable for another split second before turning and rushing towards the house. Grissom wasted no time, pulled his scarf up to cover his mouth and nose and ran towards the nearest well. It was a good twenty yards from the stable but it' was the only the option he had. He grabbed one of the buckets, slipped it under the faucet and pumped.

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Sara yelled as loudly as her smoke marked lungs would allow as she ran for the alarm bell just off the main entrance to the house, "Help! Help!" she screamed. "Fire! Please….help!"

When she reached the bell she grabbed the rope and pulled over and over again in a frantic bid to get the attention she so desperately needed.

The very audible clang-clang of the alarm bell echoed through the night and within a matter of seconds, Sara spotted the glow of candle light through the drapes to her parents' room. This was soon followed by more light in the other rooms but Sara continued to ring the bell until the front door opened barely a minute or so later.

She released the rope and ran towards the door, "Father! Father!" she yelled over and over, as the captain charged from the house slipping on his jacket. Her heart was racing, her stomach cramping and as her tears fought for release she willed herself to stay strong and not break down.

"What on earth are you doing, Sara?" the captain gasped as Sara ran up the steps, reached him and grabbed his arms. "Why are you ringing the bell? You'll wake the whole estate!"

"There's a fire!" she shouted.

The captain shook his head. "What?"

She took his arm and dragged him down the steps, pointing a shaky finger across the estate. "That stable…" she cried. "It's on fire…"

His eyes seemed glued to the blaze in the distance and he suddenly turned a lighter shade of pale. "My god…" fell from his lips on a mere whisper.

"Thomas? What's happening?"

Sara looked up to see her mother leaning through the bedroom window but before she could answer another family member ran from the house.

"Uncle!" Nicolas shouted bounding towards them. "I can see smoke!" he finished as he reached them.

Taking a deep breath the captain grabbed his nephew. "Get everyone up, now!" he demanded. "Get them all to the stables; bring anything that can hold water."

Nicolas swallowed hard and looked back towards the blaze.

"Now, lad!" the ranch owner shouted, pushing the younger man back towards the house.

Now, with his mouth agape Nicolas nodded but gathered his bearings and sped back up to the house. The captain grabbed his daughter's hand, "Sara you should wait here," he said quickly.

"No, Father," she instantly disagreed. "I need to help! Please let me help. Please."

"I don't have time to argue Sara."

Now Sara swallowed heavily. "Then don't. Please, Gil is alone, we need to help him."

Suddenly the captain's eyes went frantic but he didn't continue the argument. He squeezed his daughters hand and they ran towards the stable.

A/N: Oh dear, the evil hat is on and I like it when it fits so well, lol. Thanks for all the reviews, please keep them coming. I will try to get more up as soon as I can.