A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to post any updates. Real life has been grueling sucking up all my free time. This story is inspired by Foreigner's I Want to Know What Love is and is set in Season 5. This story is dedicated to my two good friends Windbound and Zygon24. Ladies if it wasn't for your love and support I would've given up writing! Please review I'd love to know what you think :)

Gil Grissom sat in his living room nursing an expensive glass of scotch. He was on his first glass and he ensured himself, his only glass for the evening. He contemplated how life had suddenly gotten so complicated. He had been content in his solitary world. He'd chosen not to focus on the loneliness but rather on the safety this life afforded him. Grissom figured you couldn't get hurt if you didn't let people in.

The problem was no matter how hard he pushed people away there was one person who always wormed their way back in; Sara. Sara Sidle was his kryptonite. The Lois Lane to his Clark Kent. Sara was an immensely puzzling creature. An exceedingly beautiful woman with a brilliant mind who still managed to show emotions and form relationships in ways he never could. So he'd bided his time. Hoping that what was between them was just a passing fancy, an infatuation that would soon disappear.

To his horror or maybe rather his delight, as he was now realizing, that was not the case. Over time his feelings for her grew until they were something he was too afraid to acknowledge. The one thing he'd never felt for another woman before, love. Today he'd nearly lost that love before he had a chance to experience it first hand. Today a madman had nearly taken Sara's life, and his own in the process. Because the one thing that Gil Grissom knew without a shadow of a doubt, was that he would have no life if Sara Sidle was not in it. He just needed time to think, time to figure out how to act.

The journey to expressing his feelings, to overcoming his fears seemed insurmountable most days. Grissom had never taken a chance this big. This was Vegas, how many times had he seen people lose big on one bet, one gamble that cost them everything? What if it didn't work out? But then again…What if it did?

I've gotta take a little time

A little time to think things over

I better read between the lines

In case I need it when I'm older

This mountain, I must climb

Feels like a world upon my shoulders

Through the clouds, I see love shine

Keeps me warm as life grows colder

Grissom couldn't deny that Sara's suspension had been a turning point for him. Her admission broke something inside him. For years he'd hid behind walls too afraid of the what ifs associated with human connection and yet Sara had seen and been witness to unspeakable horrors and still managed to love. When Sara Sidle loved you it was for life. He saw that clearly. If anyone should have lost faith in humanity it should have been Sara and yet she had the utmost faith in others and in him. No matter how many times Gil had let her down she'd never given up on him. Maybe he just needed someone to teach him how to love. Maybe Sara was that person.

Putting down his nearly full glass of scotch, he knew what he had to do. He only hoped he wasn't too late.

In my life, there's been heartache and pain

I don't know if I can face it again

Can't stop now, I've traveled so far

To change this lonely life

Sara Sidle had come home and nearly collapsed before she'd shut her front door. She tried to pretend that this case was run of the mill but she knew it was anything but. Her memories, recalling her mother's time in such a facility, invaded her senses. The smells, the sounds, the whispers, all of it disocncertening to an adult let alone the pre-teen Sara had been at the time.

After her assault at the hands of Adam Trent, she told Grissom she was fine. That she'd put everything behind her and that she needed to see the case through. She wished she really believed that. These were the days when she craved simple human contact, when she'd give anything for a hug. A hug for the young girl who walked out of a mental institution all alone with no one to care. No one to tell her it was going to be ok.

But then she shook her head, chiding herself. Sara Sidle was no longer a scared 12 year old girl. She was a grown woman. She could comfort herself. She would run herself a hot bath and then crawl into bed with a good book and hopefully if the fates allowed, she'd fall into a dreamless slumber.

Sara finished her long soak, changed into sweats and was delving into The Taming of Andrea (a book bought in a moment of weakness), a story about Andrea and her passionate love affair with one of her father's ranch hands, when she heard a knock at her door. Sighing she put her book down and looked at the clock on her nightstand wondering who it could be. All of her neighbors would be at work at this hour. Maybe it was her super, he promised to take a look at the leak in her kitchen sink. It was a minor drip but still needed fixing.

In her haste she opened the door without checking first and was shocked to see Grissom on the other side.

"Griss?" she questioned.

"Sara, may I come in?"

Too tired to protest she opened the door further, ushering him inside.

"So what brings you to my humble abode at 10 o'clock on this fine morning? Shouldn't you be sleeping? " she said in a sarcastic tone.

There was a long pause before Grissom spoke.

"You know you should really get that fixed," he said, gesturing towards her kitchen sink.

"Yes I've put in a request with my landlord but it seems to be a low priority."

Still not making eye contact he replied, "If you have a wrench I could fix it. Did I ever tell you my Uncle Herb was a plumber? Spent some of my summers working for him before college," he said rambling.

Grissom still hadn't made eye contact with her and her patience was wearing thin.

"Unless they've added wrenches to the list of necessary items in our field kits I'm sorry to disappoint but I don't have one."

With his back to her, still facing the sink, he replied.

"That's ok I'm sure I have one in my car," as he turned to leave, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Grissom, I'll ask you again… What are you doing here?" Sara said, not even trying to keep the exasperation out of her voice.

Sara saw Grissom's shoulders slump before he spun around catching her off guard as he pulled her into a fierce hug.

Several moments passed and Grissom had yet to release his grip on Sara. While not painful, it was slightly awkward until she heard him whispering something into her hair. She quieted her racing heart and focused on hearing his words.

"I almost lost you. He almost took you away."

Though startled, Sara softened at hearing his words, flowing like a mantra over and over.

"Hey Griss it's ok. I'm ok. He didn't hurt me. You saved me," she said as she ran her hands down his back in soothing circles.

Grissom finally pulled back at her words.

"I didn't… I couldn't… I couldn't do anything. I felt so helpless."

The anguish in his eyes nearly brought her to tears.

"Hey, Gil, look at me," she said, reaching out for him.

The use of Grissom's first name got his attention.

"When I was in there I was terrified but you know what kept me from falling apart? Seeing you there. I knew you'd find a way to get me out. I knew that as long as you were close everything was going to be ok."

"I couldn't move, I was frozen. I kept thinking what happens If I lose you? I've been such a coward. So I kept pleading with God to give me another chance. I told him that if he spared you I'd finally do something about this. I've been running for so long, I'm tired Sara. I don't want to run anymore. Please tell me I'm not too late. I don't want to run but I don't know what to do. Show me what to do about this," Grissom sobbed, nearly collapsing in her arms as he pulled her close once more.

I wanna know what love is

I want you to show me

I wanna feel what love is

I know you can show me

Sara guided Grissom to her couch, knowing she couldn't support his weight for long. Once seated, she ran her fingers through his hair, as her words became a balm to his frayed soul.

She knew she needed to be careful. She knew the cost of this admission. Grissom had made the ultimate sacrifice in coming to her like this and she couldn't be dismissive of his feelings.

"It's okay," she whispered over and over. "Baby it's ok, you could never be too late."

Her last words caused him to sigh as he relaxed back into the couch.

"I don't know what I'm doing here Sara. You deserve so much more than I've ever given you. I tried to stay away. But I just can't. I don't want to hurt you anymore but I can't live without you. I just don't know how to love you, how to let myself be loved," he said with his head in his hands.

Gotta take a little time

Little time to look around me

I've got nowhere left to hide

Looks like love has finally found me

In my life, there's been heartache and pain

I don't know if I can face it again

Can't stop now, I've traveled so far

To change this lonely life

I wanna know what love is

I want you to show me

I wanna feel what love is

I know you can show me

"Hey," she said as she gently placed her hand on his cheek, getting his attention before she spoke again.

"I can show you how."

I wanna know what love is (I wanna know)

I want you to show me (I wanna feel)

I wanna feel what love is (I know, I know, and I know)

I know you can show me

Let's talk about love