Getting into work on Monday night was fun for Sara, or at least she would say sarcastically. Her wrist was bandaged and of course, she found herself having to tell a modified version of the story. It was the one thing she and Grissom hadn't thought about as they sat eating the vegetarian pad thai he'd made while commenting on the episodes of Forensic Files she'd taped. It certainly hadn't been on their mind as they stood kissing for a few moments before he left her apartment.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Warrick asked as she walked into the locker room. He and Nick were headed out for the night.

"What?" Sara looked at him confusing till he pointed to her wrist and she looked down. "Oh, yeah, I got bit helping to break up a dog fight at the park. Went for a run and ended up at the local clinic."

Nick chuckled as he looked at the two, "I was kind of hoping for a better story. Like you punched a guy for getting too handsy."

"I'd just bury the body and no one would be the wiser." Sara told him while smirking.

"What's this I hear about burying a body?" They all turned to see Grissom in the doorway. "Whose committing more crime for us to solve?"

"Our girl here." Warrick stated while patting Sara's back as he walked past.

Grissom glanced at her. "Let me know if you need any help." He pointed to her with the file he had on hand as he walked away.

"Oh come on." Nick stated loudly. "If I did that, he'd walk me to PD himself. He certainly wouldn't be helping me."

Sara stuck out her tongue like a child as she sat down to change out her boots. "I've always been his favorite."

"Yeah, rub it in Sunshine, it's not like we don't already know that." Nick shook his head, "if he wasn't such a consummate bachelor and you skittish like a deer, you two would make a good couple."

"How does that thought even enter your brain?" Sara looked at him with a furrowed brow. "Me date Grissom? You have lost your mind."

Catherine entered at that comment, "what did Nick do now?"

"I was just making an observation."

"More like giving fuel to our rumor mill." Sara stated, "we'd have a snowstorm in Vegas before Grissom even entertained the idea."

Nick smirked. "So you'd be open to it?"

"Nick, no." She shook her head and focused on her boots.

"Okay, so tell me." Catherine sat down to do the same, removing her boots for slip on flats. "What exactly did you observe?"

Sara looked up at Catherine. "Nick suggested that Grissom and I would make a good couple."

"Well, I mean theoretically yes, I agree. However," she turned to Nick, "Sara's right that we'd have a snowstorm before that thought got within a five thousand mile radius of his brain."

"He's just jealous that I spoke about hiding bodies if a guy got too handsy with me. Grissom overheard it while walking past and offered to help me."

Catherine looked between them, "how the hell did this conversation get started in the first place?"

Sara held up her arm to show her wrapped wrist. "Dog bite."

"Ah I see, the guys thought it's a lame injury to have." Catherine stood up and shook her head. "You kids, you just drive me almost as crazy as Lindsey at times."

Nick smirked. "At least we're better behaved."

Catherine closed her locker and looked to them. "I'm about to say something and if you ever state I said it or repeat what I say, I will be burying bodies." She saw the two look straight at her, "understood?"

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"If anyone could make that man come out from under the microscope." She tilted her head slightly. "It would be you, Sara. Just simple fact. You're the one that thinks like him the most and the random information that enters your brain is five seconds behind his."

Nick chuckled as Sara's mouth dropped open like a fish. "Oh you've done it Catherine."

"I just, I just can't." Sara closed her locker and stood up, shaking her head. "Seriously, you guys need to get lives. God, that thought. I need bleach or lye, something corrosive to get that thought out of my brain." Sara was still talking as she left the locker room.

"Is it just me or is she no longer infatuated with him?" Nick asked Catherine.

"Yeah, I just realized that too."

The case was rough on everyone, a case where a killer had been methodical and brutal. So much so that Swing and Nights were working together. From Nick and Catherine collecting evidence at the scene, to Grissom and Warrick chasing leads, and Sara and Greg interviewing family and friends to see if there were links to the killer. A week and six victims later, they'd found the fourth couple, but only the girl and the killer survived. The girl was alive but had been arrested herself for killing her boyfriend under instruction of the killer, the law was never equal or just.

Sara sat with Brass and Greg in the interrogation room. The girl, barely twenty, sat in orange scrubs and looked like hell. The three knew why they were there, confession was needed despite all the evidence. There was little doubt she'd be able to plea self-defense and the court wouldn't argue a short or suspended sentence. Or even dismiss the case once everything was in, confession included.

"Lydia." Sara started, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Tears stained the girl's face. "It's okay, I know what I did. I know why you arrested me."

"How do you know that?" Greg was gentle, something Sara was proud of because he understood how delicate and horrible the whole situation was.

"I'm a sophomore at UNLV, pre-law." Lydia looked at them. "I killed Tyler, no matter the reason. That means getting arrested and charged with murder."

"I'm sure the DA and the courts will take everything into account." Sara told her.

Lydia looked up at her. "It's okay Miss Sidle, you don't have to lie."

"I'm not lying." Sara watched the girl check her face, probably to see if she was lying. "You underwent a horrifying ordeal and there was more to the last few days than killing Tyler."

"Do you want to tell us why?" Greg asked her softly.

"Because I love him." Lydia looked down at her hands. "I'd rather suffer so he wouldn't. It was horrible, what he had to watch that man do to me." Tears streamed down her face. "It tore him apart and when we were made to choose, he couldn't hurt me. So, I did it. I killed him because I love him." She sobbed. "You can't understand."

"I can." Sara told her and all three people in the room looked at her. "You'd rather suffer anything so they don't. It tears you up inside at the thought of them suffering a single moment. You love them so much that eliminating yourself is considered for a brief moment so their pain ends. Then as quickly as it's there, it's gone. Because, if you die…" Sara shrugged softly. "They suffer forever. In some strange, poetic way, killing them yourself is a kindness. They're looking into your eyes and dying by your hand. It's the last act of love you can give them."

Lydia nodded through her tears. "Exactly. How do you know that?"

"I just do."

Once Lydia was taken away, Sara found Brass and Greg looking straight at her. The newest CSI looked straight at Sara. "You were just trying to relate with her right? You don't actually know what it's like to kill a loved one, right."

"Let me tell you something Greg." Sara stood from the table and looked at the man. "Everyone has different experiences and sometimes you can relate without the experiences being the same."

Brass was the one to look concerned as the left the interrogation room. "You have something you want to share?"

Sara glanced up and saw Grissom coming out of the viewing room. He met her eyes for a fraction of a seconds before he headed back the way of the lab. "No Jim, but thanks."

It was Saturday morning so Sara headed straight over to Grissom's townhouse. She knocked on the door and it opened; Grissom held Hank's collar as he did. Sara smiled at him and moved past, catching Hank's collar so he could close the door. Once the door was closed, Sara let the boxer go and turned to her boyfriend. His eyes were gentle, likely because he wanted to talk about the interview but didn't want to spook her. Sara took a step into his space and reached up, cupping his face before kissing him.

"Good morning." His words followed the kiss and his hand went to her back.

"Morning." Sara smiled at him. "Are you going to let me help you with breakfast?"

She put her messenger bag on the nearby table and turned to him. "Maybe once your wrist heals, but not today." He put his hand on her back, allowing her to walk ahead of him.

"So you'll let me get in, out, and under a car but not help with meals?" Sara asked with a smirk on her face as she walked downstairs. "You do know I feed myself during the week, right?"

Grissom made his way to the island where he was starting breakfast. He was in process of chopping spinach "You mean the food in the lunch box tagged with your name on the printed tag. The one that is there every day and always refilled."

"God, you're spoiling me." Sara stated while pouring coffee for herself. "You want coffee?"

"No Dear, thank you." He glanced at the side to see her pouring milk from the fridge as he didn't keep creamer. "For the record, I enjoy spoiling you."

Sara smiled as she leaned her hip against the island counter. "I know you do and I know you worry about me not eating. Just one problem though," he glanced up at her when he heard her say there was a problem. "Since you've started making me meals, I've gained five pounds."

"And how is that a problem?" He asked as he stopped his chopping.

"If you keep this up, I'm going to have to buy new pants." Sara put her coffee down. "I've been wearing the same size clothes since Berkeley."

Grissom put the chopped spinach aside. "If it comes to that tragic event, I'll take you shopping."

"Hmm, well I'm never going to be able to cook for you if you don't let me help." Sara watched him smile. "You know I'm a terrible cook."

"Not true. You were a terrible cook, now you're a decent cook."

Sara chuckled and shook her head. "You are not going to let me win, are you?"

"You know me better than that."

Taking a sip of her coffee, she watched him mix ricotta with mozzarella and parmesan. "I know you're dying to ask about the interrogation today."

"I don't have any questions actually. Or comments." He paused and met her eyes. "Just praise. You didn't have a suspect but a victim and no one else understood why she did what she did. At least beyond Wilkerson's torture."

Sara put a hand on his arm and leaned forwards to kiss him on the cheek. "You keep surprising me. Just when I thought you couldn't anymore."

"Go relax. I'll join you once this is in the oven."

She quirked her lips, "alright, but only because I want you to myself sooner."

Grissom found her in the office at his desk looking through his Caster atlas while referring back to one of the jars in front of her. He chuckled softly under his breath as he stood in the doorway. "I thought I told you to relax."

"I am." Sara turned to see him in the doorway.

"Let me see what you have so far." He walked over while pulling the second chair over to where she sat.

Sara smiled at him, "you don't mind me taking over your hobby?"

"Not when I get to do it with you." Grissom placed a hand on her back and rubbed it up and down her spine. "What do you have?"

"I got down to the family but after that, I got a little lost."

Taking the jar from her, he pointed to the preserved bee inside with his pinky. "See the green color?"

"Yeah, is that distinctive?"

"For the genus Agapostemon."

Sara flipped through the pages before pausing on one. "Oh, well forty species. No pressure."

Grissom watched her and saw her smile from the side. "You're beautiful when you get exasperated."

"Says the man that finds my temper endearing."

"I believe I said it was one of your best features."

Sara chuckled while turning pages, "same difference to a girl." She looked up at him, "you do know women hear and understand things differently than men, right?"

"I am aware. Some theories suggest it is biological and anatomical and some theories suggest it is psychological." Sara smirked, "what?"

"It's just you." Sara leaned forward and kissed him. "You make me smile and laugh without trying."

Grissom cupped one of her cheeks. "Good, I much prefer a smile on your face than tears."

Sara stood up and he glanced up at her, surprised when she swung a leg over his own and sat on his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Sara smiled. "I love you. More than I can describe."

"So much you'd kill me to keep me from seeing you suffer?"

"Yeah." Sara told him, "if it came down to you and me suffering, it'd be me. Never you."

Grissom nodded. "You and I would be fighting over the weapon then. I love you Sara Sidle."

Sara cupped his face and kissed him, his hands ran from her sides up to her shoulder blades. Sara ran her fingers through his curls and found herself rising up from his lap as their lips parted and tongues began to dance. The threat of hypoxia made them pull apart but Sara rested her forehead against his as they tried to catch their breath. Pulling away, brown eyes met blue and she smiled. "Well, I know one thing for sure."

He ran his hand up and down her back. "What is that?"

"Passion won't be a problem." She smirked before standing, using his shoulder as leverage to remove her leg from over his lap. Sara saw him watch her sat back down where she'd been moments before.

He stood up and leaned down, brushing her hair back to kiss her neck. Grissom noticed her breath hitch, which left him smirking. "You're a tease." Sara turned once he left the office; a grin on her face.

Next - Sara gets the upperhand and also, 5x23 Iced