Chapter Forty One:

On the drive back to their condo, Grissom keeps a watchful eye over her. Her silence speaking volumes, and if he knows Sara Sidle enough, which by now he knows an awful lot, then he knows her silence is anything but golden. Although her tears have stopped he knows she is still severely beating herself up inside over the last 24 hours. Their hands intertwined on the console since he turned the key in the ignition, he doesn't dare to let go, giving her a reassuring squeeze every so often keeping her aware of his care and support. At a stop light, he pulls her hand up to his mouth and places a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, his eyes still facing forwards, paying attention to the junction ahead. Turning her head slightly she takes him in and smiles to herself. Never in a million years could she imagine their relationship reaching these height's, being this rewarding, being this happy... this easy. Even after all these years they still manage to get closer and closer to one another. Learning something new everyday and discovering what a healthy, happy relationship actually is. Still craving each other, a kiss, a touch, a whisper, after nearly two years together, like it's the first time, every time. Sara Sidle and Gilbert Grissom are happy, genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.

'You ok?' A question, that between them they have asked coming close to a million times, over and over again. She turns to him again, taking in his side profile, his clean shaven chin, cheek, the grey hair crowning his head, dark sunglasses perched on his nose.

'Yeah… I'm sorry about before… Back at the lab, it wasn't very... Professional of me.' She smiles and quirks an eyebrow at her statement.

'Sara…' He doesn't say anymore. He stepped over the line wiping her tears away in the AV lab, in front of anyone who could have been walking past. Even moving to wrap his arm around her back as he escorted her out of the room, down the hallway one lone cleaner mopping the floors to be their only witness and then towards the garage to his waiting truck. Not caring if anyone saw them, if anyone would question why he was holding her so close.

'I…' She waits a beat then continues. 'Maybe we should go away for a couple of days. Take Hank, go to Echo Bay, rent a RV for a couple of nights, just to breath you know?' She pulls his hand over the console and into her lap. He squeezes it tight.

'Yeah, ok. I'll look at the schedule tonight and figure it out.' He smiles brightly and turns back to the road. His brain whirring a million miles a minute, racking through said schedule he completed that very morning, trying to pull the spots where they could go away unnoticed at the same time with no backlash.

'Also.' She steadies herself, taking a deep breath. 'I think we should tell the guys… Not the whole lab, just the team. What do you think?' Her thumb rubs his in her lap.

'You're going to break Greg's heart, you know that.' He smirks, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

'Some hearts are meant to be broken. Plus I think he already kinda knows.' Her voice trailing off at the end. Grissom twists towards her somewhat. 'That case where we were out in the middle of nowhere, you rang me and he was in the room. I nearly said Gil instead of Griss, he noticed. He's not a natural blonde, he's not stupid.' Grissom nods in response, signalling to turn into their condo complex. Sara shifts in her seat. 'What about Hank?' She releases his hand and unbuckles her seatbelt.

'I rang the sitter, asked if they could keep him till tomorrow. He's cramping my style, Sara.' He parks the truck and opens the door.

'Cramping your style? How?' She comes round the front of the truck to meet him, pushing her sunglasses ontop of her head, picking his hand back up.

'The other morning, I turned over ready to feel up my sleepy, warm girlfriend and got a handful of boxer.' Her hand slaps up to her mouth in shock and horror at his expense.

'OHMYGO.'

'No! Not like that!' He throws her a disgusted look but continues. 'Anyway he must have opened the door somehow and climbed between us and settled himself like a king.' Sara starts laughing, hand resting over her belly, swinging their hands between them then drops his hand as they approach the stairs.

'Ah, he cock blocked you.' She takes the first few steps but stops to turn and taunt him still on the ground, pursing her lips down at him.

'You could call it that, yes.' He jumps forward, taking the steps two at a time until he meets her. 'And you know I don't like to share.' She rubs her hands up his chest to his neck as both of his come to her waist pulling her closer.

'We should get inside before…'

'Before Ecklie pulls up? At our home? Which he doesn't even know exists, catching us in the act, demanding an explanation?'

'Urgh, the day that has to happen, I hope it's quick and painless.' She pulls his keys from his grasp and turns quickly, climbing the rest of the stairs to race to their front door.

'We'll just tell him the truth. That he was always a lousy investigator that didn't even notice when two of his staff were screwing.' She raises her eyebrows at him as she unlocks the door, pushing it open. Standing between the door and him she locks her hands on her hips.

'Screwing? Is that all I am to you Dr Grissom? A screw?'

'Oh honey, you are so much more than just a screw.' He backs her into their condo, slamming the door shut behind them.