Last Chance

Disclaimer: C.S.I. is a trademarked product. Not making any money on this, just fun


Title: Last Chance (8)


Author: hazeleyes57


Rating: R


Summary: What next?


A/Note: Thank you to those of you that have tried to/ succeeded in reviewing Last Chance (CH7), I appreciate your comments more than you can imagine. Sorry about the delay in the arrival of this chapter. RL interferes sometimes!! And so does CBS.


Last Chance (8)
................................


Catherine Willows stood in the doorway of Grissom's office and looked at the piles of files on the desk. With a sense of déjà vu she walked towards the desk and stopped in front of it. She put her hands on her hips as she contemplated the amount of work present. Not for the first time she wondered how Grissom handled his paperwork.

Obviously delegation was key.

Unfortunately she couldn't think of anyone to hand this on to, nor could she come up with any compelling reason why she should not sit down at the desk and get stuck in.

Apart from the fact that she didn't want to, of course.

Catherine tutted as she walked around the desk and pulled the chair out. Long journey, single step and all that crap.

As she pulled the first file towards her and flipped it open, she thought back to Gil's 'phone call yesterday.

Talk about a hot potato. He was sorry about the short notice (try 'none' Gil), but he needed to take the week off and incidentally, Sara would be off too.

Catherine had no real choice in the matter. Grissom had phrased it as a fait accompli and that was the end of it. However, as he had enough leave accumulated to give most of the lab staff a week off, she thought that it was about time that he gave himself a break.

Which is why she was at work now at four in the afternoon, getting an early start on tonight. At least she had been able to collect Lindsay from school before she came to work. The only bright part of today had been the look on Lindsay's face when she realised that she would be having a sleepover round at Becky's.

At least one person was happy.

Catherine knew that Sara had some sort of personal crisis going on. Although they were never likely to be very close friends, they did have a mutual respect for each other's capabilities. As work colleagues of more than three years standing they knew each other's moods and the circumstances that they were each working under.

She had wondered if Sara's current state of distress had been something to do with Grissom. She had dismissed the idea that his continued lack of involvement was what was upsetting Sara. Sara was used to that. Catherine then moved on to the theory that Grissom had gone against his own tenets and become involved with Sara.

Catherine dismissed that theory too. If Sara had been involved with Grissom she wouldn't have been miserable. She would have been too happy to hide it. Sara wouldn't be the thin grey wraith that she had become of late.

Now that Catherine had time to sit down and think about it - the report she was checking remained open and unread on the desk - Grissom had changed lately too.

The change in him had been more subtle. There was a watchfulness about him that was new. It was...Catherine couldn't come up with any better description than the word 'protective'.

Grissom was shielding Sara from something. But what?

Catherine paused and looked up at Billy Bass over the office door. If he knew, he wasn't telling.

She sighed and picked up her pen again and focused on the case file in front of her.

"Whatever you're doing, Grissom, I hope it's more fun than this pile of crap."

........................................


Grissom and Sara returned to the house wet and getting more chilled by the minute. It had not stopped raining since their 'picnic' stop on the rug and both of them were looking forward to cleaning up and getting warm.

They took their footwear off in the utility room beside the kitchen. They looked at each other for a moment, and then without saying anything they both removed their wet socks and jeans, leaving them in the sink before making their way straight to the bathroom.

Sara looked around the bathroom for a large towel as Grissom leaned in to the shower and started the water running. He closed the cubicle door and turned around to see Sara just standing and shivering. He crossed the room to the towel cupboard.

"Strip off and dump the clothes in the tub. We can sort them later. Here."

Grissom handed Sara a large sage green bath sheet, keeping a second one for himself. He was all practicality and Sara didn't think twice about peeling off her wet shirt, bra and panties. She didn't bother drying herself with the towel, she just moved to the shower as Grissom stripped off his stuff too. Sara opened the cubicle door and stuck her arm in to check the water temperature.

"Hey, this is so cool, you have a double size shower!"

Grissom nodded, admiring the sight of Sara's backside, complete with mud and blades of grass stuck to her. He looked down and grinned when he saw that his knees were in the same state.

"Ahuh. Sick and tired of hitting my ass on the opposite wall. It extends behind the false wall at the back of the toilet."

Sara stepped into the shower and Grissom heard her 'mmm' of delight as the water rinsed her off.

"Hey Gil, hurry up so we can go get in that tub!"

As Grissom moved to the cubicle door and stepped in to join her, he thought to himself how much he liked hearing her call him 'Gil'.

It was something he could get used to. If he let himself.

"Need any assistance?"

Sara turned around to face Grissom and gave him a big grin. Water cascaded down over her head and back as she moved slightly forward. She loved the way he looked her over from top to toe in a slow sensual perusal. Normally self-conscious about her body, she found that she didn't feel that way as he looked at her.

"I could use a little help with my back."

Grissom's lips pursed and he tipped his head sideways as if examining a work of art.

"Looks fine from here, but first looks can be deceiving. I'd better check up close."

Sara moved a little further out of the water towards him.

"Mmm, yes. Can't be too careful."

Grissom moved closer to Sara, picking up the shower gel as he did so. He squeezed a handful of the clear blue gel on to one palm, then rubbed it between his hands to warm it up. Sara obligingly turned around, presenting her back to him.

Grissom placed his palms on Sara's shoulders and started to massage the gel on her skin, creating lather. He was gentle over the marks he had made on her shoulder. He widened the circular movement until his hands overlapped each other's path over her spine and his fingers brushed the sides of her breasts on the outer part of the circuit.

Even above the sound of the shower Grissom heard Sara's breath catch as his fingers moved over her wet skin. He moved his hands back to her spine and trailed lazily down to her bottom, still smoothing the lather over her. When he gripped her hips and massaged the base of her spine with his thumbs he saw Sara's head fall forward and her left hand reached out to hold on to the water pipe for support.

Just as her other hand reached around towards him, Grissom - smirking - took hold of Sara's shoulders and moved her directly under the spray of hot water.

"Okay, your back's done."

His tone was brisk and Sara turned around spluttering in disbelief and frustration, spraying water in all directions.

"What?!"

Grissom moved forward into the water for the first time and his cold skin dimpled with the heat of the spray. He gave Sara his best 'innocent' look and handed her the shower gel.

Sara - still wiping water off her face - looked from Grissom's face to the bottle and back to his face. A crafty look stole fleetingly over her features as she snatched the bottle and Grissom knew that revenge was on the cards. He smiled as he put his still cold arms around Sara's now warm body.

Sara squealed and tried to get him to let go, but he was stronger by far.

"You bastard! Lemme go, you're freezing!"

She was laughing even as she shrieked and Grissom didn't fear for his life just yet.

His gaze moved from her eyes to her lips and back to her eyes. He smiled and hung on until he had warmed up and she had stopped squirming.

"Do my back?"

Sara looked at him in disbelief.

"Ha, you should be so lucky!"

Grissom's lips pursed with amusement.

"Can't you take a joke?"

Sara suddenly took in the whole picture. She was naked in the shower being teased by an equally naked Grissom. The genuine annoyance that she had felt when his cold arms had closed around her faded away. Her gaze softened as she looked up at him and saw the laughter in his eyes.

This was the Grissom she loved with all her heart.

"Yeah, I can take a joke. Turn around, big guy."

"Flatterer."

Grissom didn't release Sara until he had dipped in and snatched a quick kiss. He then turned around so that his back was to Sara. He failed to see the wicked glint in her eyes.

Sara squeezed a large glob of the gel on to one hand and placed the tube on the shelf. Without allowing the gel to warm on her hand, she slapped the stuff between Grissom's shoulder blades and grinned as he jumped with shock.

He whipped his head around and looked at the still grinning Sara.

"What's the matter Gil? Can't you take a joke?"

Grissom's head tipped and his mouth worked not to say a few choice words.

He nodded eventually and acknowledged her victory.

"Very good, Ms Sidle. You win. This round."

Sara knew that he'd get his own back somehow, but she'd bet it would be fun.

"For being such a good sport, I'll do your back."

Grissom had started to face back the way he started; now he looked back at Sara to establish her veracity. One eyebrow raised and a non-committal 'mmm' accompanied it. She tried to look innocent.

"C'mon, I hear that tub calling."

Sara put fresh gel on her hands and warmed it up this time, then smoothed both of her palms over Grissom's back. She worked up the lather and moved in slow circles from his neck, across the wide shoulders, down his spine and over the curve of his buttocks. By the time Sara had got there, Grissom's head had begun to droop just as Sara's had done earlier. Sara took the last of the lather and moved closer until her breasts were against Grissom's back, then she slid her hands around his waist and up to his chest, toying with his nipples. She felt the vibration of his groan through her hands and her breasts.

Sara's hands were moving south when Grissom reluctantly stopped them with his. He looked over his shoulder at Sara's face.

"Do you have any idea what the stats are for people injured in the shower under just these circumstances?"

"I'm guessing that you do. The only thing I can say in my defence is that you started it."

"Ah, the 'mature' defence. Well, I'll take responsibility for stopping it too."

"Party pooper."

"Stop picking on an old man."

The last of the lather had washed off them band and Grissom turned off the water. Sara looked at him with curiosity.

"Do you see yourself as an old man?"

Grissom looked at Sara, side-tracked for a moment by her natural beauty and yes, her youth.

He thought for a moment, trying to give an honest answer.

"Older certainly. But not old, no."

Sara smiled as she turned to open the shower door.

"Good. 'Cause whatever problem you have with this age thing exists only in your mind."

She handed one of the large towels to Grissom and took the second one for herself.

"So, this tub." Sara tucked the towel in beside her arm. "Just how private is it up here?"

Her eyes sparkled with mischief and Grissom had no trouble figuring out her intent. He wrapped his towel around his waist and tucked it in.

"Private enough."

"Cool. C'mon then."

Grissom grabbed two more towels and followed Sara out of the bathroom. He made a quick detour to the kitchen for a bottle of drink and a couple of wine glasses. They went out of the front door on to the veranda, and walked around the left side of the house. It was cool outside, and although the rain had stopped, the sun hadn't made much of an effort yet.

When Sara saw the hot tub she realised why she hadn't seen it earlier through Grissom's bedroom window.

Although on the side veranda, and under the protection of the overhanging roof, the hot tub was two thirds buried into the ground. Only about eighteen inches was above ground level.

Sara knelt beside the edge of the tub and put her hand in the water. It was very warm. She looked up at Grissom with a grin.

"Last one in 's a rotten egg!"

Sara brushed her feet off and slid her legs into the water. Just as she unwrapped her towel and dropped it to the side she was amused to hear Grissom's reply.

"First one in has to eat it."

Sara lowered herself into the water and smirked up at him.

"We still talking about eggs?"

Grissom smiled ruefully as he placed the bottle and wineglasses on the table beside the tub.

"I was, I can't speak for you."

He took off his towel and wiped his feet before getting in the tub beside Sara.

The seats in the tub meant that they were both under the water up to their shoulders. They sat beside each other, their shoulders touching; both facing the same lovely view that could be seen from Grissom's bed.

"This is so cool, I can't believe that you're not up here every chance that you get."

Grissom turned his head left to look at Sara. He admired her profile as she enjoyed the view. His gaze travelled down her body, most of it visible in the hot, clear, still water.

Sara turned to see why he hadn't answered and caught him looking at her body.

He looked like a kid in a candy store who'd been told that he could have anything he wanted.

He met Sara's gaze and he looked serious.

"The view was never this good."

Sara blushed with pleasure under his scrutiny and sought his hand under the water. He clasped her hand and brought it to the surface where he kissed its back.

His beard tickled Sara's hand and she smiled. So many memories to store up.

"Would you like a drink?"

At Grissom's question, Sara looked uncertainly at the bottle beside the two glasses.

As soon as the word 'alcohol' popped into her head she was shocked to realise that she had not given any thought to her baby plans since the drive up to the cabin. The last time she had a drink, she had ended up drunk and propositioned Grissom. She hadn't had an alcoholic drink since. Now, in a rush of images almost too quick to identify, she realised that there was every possibility that she could already be pregnant.

Sara didn't want to bring up the baby subject and spoil whatever they had going on here at the cabin. She didn't want to find out that Grissom was only having sex with her to get her pregnant. She wanted to keep her belief suspended for just a few more days.

Although only a few seconds had passed, Grissom saw the conflict in Sara's expression. He could have kicked himself for making her think about the very thing that he had brought her here to forget.

He twisted the bottle around so that Sara could see the label.

"It's sparkling grape juice. Non alcohol. I keep it here for drinking in the hot tub when I'd normally have wine. Alcohol, hot tubs and usually being here on my own could be a recipe for disaster."

Sara's expression cleared and she nodded.

"Of course. Sure, I'd love some."

Grissom handed Sara one of the wineglasses and opened the bottle. He poured some of the juice into her glass, then filled his own. He put the bottle down and faced Sara. He raised his glass to her.

"A toast."

Sara looked at him expectantly, raising her glass to his. Grissom thought for a moment.

"To Sara, who rescued me."

Sara looked startled for a moment, wondering what she had saved Grissom from. Then she realised.

"Ah, Mrs Hutchinson. Well, you're welcome."

Sara touched her glass to Grissom's and smiled.

"To Gil's rescue."

Grissom didn't bother to correct Sara as they both took a drink.

He hadn't meant Mrs. Hutchinson at all.

Sara leaned against Grissom and sighed happily. She was right where she wanted to be. With Gil.

"Comfortable?"

Grissom stirred and took another drink as he spoke.

Sara nodded and 'umm'd' her agreement.

Grissom lifted his left arm and Sara moved within its circle, settling back against Grissom's chest. The warm water swirled and eddied around them before settling back to its former calm state.

"Even better."

Sara's murmur was quiet, but Grissom heard her and smiled in agreement.

It certainly was.

. . . . . . . . . . .

They relaxed, drank their wine, and talked. Really talked, and recovered more of their lost friendship than they realised. It had been a revelation for both of them, and they each enjoyed the time with the other.

The only subject that they didn't touch upon was the reason that they were in the cabin in the first place.

After about an hour, Sara lifted one hand out of the water.

"I'm turning into a prune."

She looked at her fingers and inspected her now crinkled fingerprints.

Grissom took Sara's hand in his and looked at the pale flesh.

"There's a raisin for that."

Sara looked at him in comic dismay and managed a retort.

"I don't give a fig about it."

Grissom winced in mock pain.

"That's good, otherwise you'd be a terrible 'date' if you 'wine' about it all day."

Sara groaned aloud, shaking her head as she laughed.

"Stop, that's awful!"

Grissom grinned lazily as he stretched his legs out. He rested both arms outstretched along the edge of the tub. He looked at Sara and was struck anew about how comfortable he was that she was here. Even though it had been his idea to come, he had never brought any other woman here to his retreat. He had fantasised about Sara being here, but he had never had any realistic expectation that she would ever be here with him. Yet here she was, in all her glory. His gaze was just travelling happily around Sara when she suddenly turned to look at him and rubbed the back of her neck. She raised one eyebrow and gave a lop-sided grin.

Grissom shrugged minutely and smirked unrepentantly.

"Yes, okay, guilty, mea culpa. What do you expect? I'm only human."

Sara moved back to his side of the tub from where she had been looking out over the land at the side of the house. She kept her shoulders under the water to keep them warm, but Grissom could still see his mark upon her.

"We often wondered."

"What?"

Grissom had been side-tracked by the now familiar but still wonderful sight of Sara's breasts.

Sara grinned and moved forward to sit astride Grissom's lap. He bent his legs slightly to make sure that she didn't slide off, and looked up to her face. He could feel that she had a knee either side of his hips. Sara slid both arms around his shoulders, easily slipping one hand in to his curly damp hair to gently massage his scalp.

"If you were human."

Grissom's eyes wanted to close as his scalp tingled under Sara's fingers. He forced them to remain open and focused on her.

"All too human, I'm afraid."

He kept his arms on the rim of the tub and waited to see what would happen next. Despite their recent encounter in the rain, he was not at all surprised to discover that his body was anticipating a repeat.

Sara used her hold on Grissom's shoulders to pull her body closer to his. She had not particularly set out to make love when she initiated this closeness, she had just given in to the urge to touch him and be with him. But she felt the unmistakable nudge of his arousal between her legs, and her arousal flared up to meet it.

Their eyes met and held. His startlingly clear blue's already deepening with awareness and just a hint of humour lurking in the background. Hers were dark and warm with rising passion.

Sara leaned down and placed her lips next to Grissom's ear.

"Want you."

Grissom shivered all over his body in delight. His skin was covered goosebumps and his hair stood on end. Two words, that's all it had taken.

His arms closed around Sara's back before he had even thought about it. He pulled her roughly to his chest and used one hand to pull her head down so that her lips were crushed to his.

Sara was taken by surprise by the suddenness of the embrace, but was nothing loath to go with it. Grissom's mouth opened under hers and his tongue demanded entrance. It didn't cross Sara's mind to deny him what they both wanted.

Sara leaned into the kiss, her tongue duelling with his in an attempt to take the lead. Grissom was amused to let her think she had the upper hand for a few minutes, but when they broke off and paused for breath, his fierce grin made Sara realise who was really in charge.

And she didn't mind a bit.

Like opposing magnetic poles, their mouths locked on to each other again.

It was mindless; it was frantic. A trigger had been pulled, some switch flicked, and they had ignition. They didn't know why it was happening and they didn't care.

They rapidly ran out of air again and broke apart, staring hungrily at each other. Their hands were roaming feverishly over each other's body, firm lightly scratching strokes that stirred and aroused the senses. Grissom used his right hand to cup Sara's left breast and lift the nipple to his mouth. His teeth closed over the dusky areola and Sara felt the resultant tug between her legs.

She felt again that desperate emptiness that only Grissom could fill. She shuddered when his left hand closed over her right breast and he used his fingers to mimic what his clever mouth was doing to her other breast. She was suddenly consumed with impatience.

Oookay, party time was over.

Sara wriggled her hips until she could get no closer to Grissom. She could feel the base of his erection pressed against the bundle of nerves that were the focal point of her pleasure.

Her breasts seemed particularly sensitive to Grissom's attention and Sara felt jolts of pleasure shoot back and forth inside her.

One of her hands returned to Grissom's hair and held him against her for a few moments, and then she pulled his head back and stared hungrily into his eyes.

"Enough foreplay already. Fuck me."

Sara felt his response between her legs and Grissom's smile turned feral.

He took her at her word.

And took her.

Using the advantage of the extra buoyancy provided by the water he lifted Sara up with his hands under her buttocks.

As soon as she realised what he was doing Sara reached between them and lined him up.

The moment that Grissom felt he was correctly placed he pulled Sara down, abruptly impaling her on him.

She gasped with surprise and a little shock.

Grissom pulled her head down to his hard kiss, thrusting his tongue in between her parted lips. Within seconds the intensity had increased to fever pitch as they rocked back and forth, their urgent movements slopping water over the edge of the hot tub.

Although Grissom was obviously in the mood for hard and fast, he wasn't being rough. Sara felt a sudden unexplained leap of joy inside her, and broke off their kiss to look Grissom full in the face for a long moment.

He looked unfocused and aroused. He did not look like a man who was just 'doing her a favour'.

Grissom looked at Sara's face and her shining eyes.

She looked more beautiful than ever and he felt his heart shift in his chest.

Sara's head dipped suddenly to his and their lips found each other again. Swiftly distracted as he was, Grissom knew that something significant was happening here.

His senses were flooded with Sara's proximity. He was suddenly even more aware of her than usual. The soft silkiness of her wet skin. The warmth of her breasts against his chest and the scrape of her hand through his hair. He couldn't seem to get close enough to her to satisfy himself. His fingers curled into her buttocks to drag her closer and harder on to him. His head spun with sensation, he was reeling with desire, pure and simple.

Nothing prepared him for the sudden clutch of emotion, strong and fierce that rose up in him.

She was his and his alone. He would kill anyone else who touched her.

Grissom broke off the kiss almost angrily.

His voice was virtually unrecognisable as he ground out the words.

"You're mine!"

Sara took savage joy in the possessive imperative.

They pounded against each other, deeper and faster as the tension coiled within them both.

Sara's foot slipped and she jerked as she sought purchase in the water. Then it didn't matter because Grissom had her securely held against his chest. He seemed to want some sort of a response but Sara was caught up in the maelstrom of imminent climax.

She moaned aloud, unable to keep her feelings in.

"That's so good...so fucking good...oh, yeah baby...that's it, there..."

Grissom plunged into her again and again and couldn't stop. Not even when her climax squeezed him, pulsing around him for long moments as she froze in ecstasy above him.

His own climax took him by surprise with its intensity.

It ripped through him like a beast, clawing everything before it, making him groan aloud with savage satisfaction. The blood roared in his ears as he came quick and hard, filling Sara with his essence until he was drained.

Sara's head came down on Grissom's shoulder and his came down on hers as they both collapsed together.

Grissom's eyes were squeezed shut as tightly as his arms held Sara. After several seconds, he lifted his head long enough to place a gentle kiss on the marked skin of her shoulder.

A wave of tenderness swept over Sara at the soft touch of his lips. She felt close to tears for good reasons, but resolutely kept her own lips firmly closed lest they allowed the words 'I love you' to escape.

Neither of them spoke for a long moment, their heads still bowed together as if in prayer.

Eventually Grissom had to move slightly, and Sara shifted with the intention of moving off him.


To her surprise Grissom prevented her from getting up.

"Wait - please."

Sara settled again and looked him in the face. A shiver of alarm went through her at the seriousness of his expression and suddenly she felt truly naked.

"Sure, Gil. What's wrong?"

Grissom continued to study her face with a concentration that reminded her of his 'work' face.

"You are beautiful."

Sara smiled a little, unnerved by the serious tone of his voice.

"Thanks."

Grissom used the wet forefinger of his right hand to press gently on her still-swollen lips.

"Ssh. Not finished."

He tipped his head to one side as if to provide a new perspective.

Sara was relieved to see a hint of humour in the depths of his blue eyes.

"You are beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside. You are intelligent with a keen inquiring mind that never fails to surprise, delight and intrigue me."

Grissom trailed his still wet finger from Sara's lips to her neck and down across her chest. His gaze remained on her face.

Her smile widened, half in embarrassment at such praise from Grissom and half because his finger was tickling her skin, causing goosebumps to rise.

He still wasn't done.

"Sex with an intelligent woman is great sex. Sex with an intelligent woman who has a filthy mind is fantastic sex..."

Sara smirked.

"I can't take all the credit, you are very inspirational."

Grissom almost smiled, but instead he shook his head slightly.

"You know, I probably should have done this differently, but sometimes you have to go with the moment."

Sara looked surprised. Spontaneous Grissom?

He continued on without waiting.

"But I have to say that in my own personal experience, nothing beats making love with the woman that you are in love with."

Grissom waited to see what Sara's reaction would be. He didn't have to wait long.

Sara went white as the bottom fell out of her world. She scrabbled to get off Grissom and back away from him, her face stricken. She thought that she going to faint.

"What?!"

How could he do this to her? She knew that he wasn't in love with her, but the least he could do would have been not to throw it in her face. It wasn't fair, she only asked for his help, not his love.

Grissom realised that something had gone horribly wrong. The devastated look on Sara's face was one he hoped never to see.

"Sara? What is it?"

Sara managed to find the strength to get out of the hot tub, then she grabbed one of the big bath sheets and wrapped it around her shivering frame.

She turned to face Grissom and her mouth worked but nothing came out. She turned and fled into the house.

Grissom cursed soundly as he climbed out of the tub and grabbed another towel, wrapping around himself as he hurried after Sara. What the hell had happened?

"Sara?"

He followed the trail of wet footprints to the closed door of Sara's bedroom.

He tapped on the door but heard no answer. He tried the handle and thankfully the door opened.

Sara lay diagonally across the bed sobbing. The sound tore at Grissom's insides.

"Sara? Honey, what's wrong?"

Sara stiffened at his use of the endearment. She stopped crying.

Her vowas was muffled in the bedding.

"Jeez Gris, I don't know where to start."

She turned her head so that she could see him.

" I know that you can be a little insensitive, but telling someone you had just fucked that it was better with someone you loved was bad, even for you."

Sara watched the bafflement cross his face. He had no clue.

Grissom went over the conversation in his head and his face cleared as he realised what had happened.

"Sara, Sara. You misunderstood."

Sara gritted her teeth at the amused indulgence in his voice.

"I don't THINK so!"

She leapt up off the opposite side of the bed to Grissom and tried to walk past him to leave the room.

He grabbed her arm as she came abreast of him and she swung around and collided with his solid naked chest. He grabbed her with his free arm as she tried to take a swing at him.

He looked over her furious face and grinned.

"When I said that you never failed to surprise me I was right. I certainly never expected this to be the reaction when I told you that I love you."

"Hah! You tell me that th - what?"

All the fight went out of Sara and she slumped against Grissom's chest. She looked at him in amazement. Had she heard him say...?

"I love you."

Grissom raised both eyebrows and pursed his lips as he added;

"Clear enough for you this time?"

Sara, still mute with shock, nodded once.

"I think that we need to talk and get a few things straight."

Grissom looked at Sara in his arms and smiled easily.

"But first we should get dressed. I'll never be able to concentrate with you in just a towel."

He did think about giving Sara a quick kiss, but thought better of it. They'd never get out of the bedroom.

He guided her backwards to sit on the edge of the bed. Her colour was better.

"I'll see you in the kitchen in a few minutes."

Sara was still reeling with the speed of events and the shift in her worldview. But there was something that she had to do before he left the room.

"Gil."

He turned at the bedroom door and raised his eyebrows.

Sara's voice was quiet but he heard her easily.

"I love you too."

Grissom smiled.

"Yeah. I know."

The door closed quietly behind him.

Sara looked down at her fingers nervously pleating the edge of her towel.

" How things can change in two days."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

She had no way of knowing how those words would come back to haunt her.

TBC