Secrets of the Lye
By Amanda Hawthorn
 

RATING: PG-13/R

PAIRING: Grissom/Sara

***

The kettle in Gil Grissom’s kitchen began to shrill loudly, its insistent whistling causing him to pad barefoot across his wooden floor, fresh from the shower. Leaning over the hob, he lifted the kettle to pour the boiling water into two waiting cups, the aroma of coffee filling his senses.

“SARA,” he called loudly, pulling the towel tighter around his waist as he turned back to replace the kettle onto the hob.

The bathroom door opened, and Sara Sidle came out into the living room clad in a white bath towel. “Coming,” she beamed as she ran her brush through her wet hair.

Turning around, Grissom offered her a smouldering smile that lingered over his lips. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” she grinned as she stepped closer towards him, invading his personal space with her own. Reaching out, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer. “Mmm,” she mumbled, planting tiny kisses onto his chest. “Do we really have to go to work tonight?”

“Afraid so,” he laughed, the slow rumble building up inside his chest, bringing an onslaught of love along with it. Leaning down, he pressed his lips into her hair, leaving tiny passionate kisses that soaked through to her skin. “We still have two hours before shift,” he smiled, “What do you want to do?”

Sara’s head snapped up and she met his eyes with a mischievous smile. “Well I know something that I would really like to do.”

His lips turned up into a knowing smile. Stepping closer, he reached down to pull her arms from around his waist so he could lift her hands to his lips. “Hmm, that sounds like an excellent plan.”

Sara’s eyes closed in surrender the second his lips touched her fingers. His warmth spread across her skin like sweet kisses of fire, igniting her instead of soothing her flame. She felt his warm breath travel up her arm, his kisses trailing a path of molten lava in their wake until he found her neck.

“Griss,” she cooed, tilting her head to give him better access to her soft skin. Her hands began their own exploration, travelling up his forearms until they reached his shoulders. Sara was lost in him, his powerful essence surrounding her while he adored her.

“ Sara,” he hummed her name into her ears, kissing her ear lobes with just as much tenderness. “Sara,” he repeated, worshipping her body with his own.

Lifting her head, she found her eyes drawn into his. Every emotion, every feeling, every caress was conveyed through his deep blue depths and she could feel her body surrendering to his touch. “I want you,” she whispered hoarsely, seeking out his lips only to silence his words with her own. They both felt the jolt of energy pass between them just as it always did whenever they were together, to mingle in with their rising passion.

Grissom was drowning in her touch, her kisses cleansing his soul of the past. She extinguished the tiny remnance of doubts that had lingered around in his heart only to burst them into the tiniest particles of dust, along with everything else that had caused him pain. She filled his senses with her love and her warmth. Her presence reaching out to him to embrace every part of him in her eternal flame of passion. Opening his mouth, he deepened their kiss and took everything she offered with more than willing acceptance, only to give her himself in return.

Sara’s arms wound around his neck, pulling him in closer to her body as they sought to take everything the other offered, their lovemaking a shared bond of unspoken eternity. “Griss,” she muttered against his lips, pulling away briefly to catch her breath before he pulled her back to him again. Every thought seemed to scatter into the swirling mists of passion, rendering her powerless.

Bending down, Grissom lifted her effortlessly into his arms and carried her over to the couch where they sank down into the leather. Sara shivered slightly when her skin came into contact with the cool material, her gasp caught with another kiss from the man that loomed above her.

“Cold?” he whispered softly as he descended down onto her neck once more.

“No,” she gasped, his warm lips igniting her with pure need. Reaching up to his shoulders, she pulled him down to kiss him with every ounce of pure desire that raged through her body.

His hands enticed further shivers from her body as he trailed his fingers sensually over her exposed skin. He was forever amazed at how her skin was always so soft beneath his touch and she never failed to ignite the fire that simmered for her deep inside his soul. Pulling the towel away from her body, his hands travelled lower, seeking to end the aching desire that coursed through them.

Reaching up to his shoulders, Sara threaded her fingers through his hair, holding him closer to her body as she planted soft kisses into his curls. His name hummed on her lips as he suckled her skin, his gentleness causing the ache inside her to build until it could no longer be contained. Her hands joined his in a slow exploration of his body until she pushed the towel barrier away from him, fusing them together, skin on skin.

Grissom gasped with the contact, chanting her name over and over while she caught the very essence of him in her hands. Her sweet touch only fuelled his desire, bringing him to passionate peeks only to pull him away from the brink of heaven before he could topple over the edge. His need to kiss her overpowered his senses and he found himself kissing her blindly, his lips searching for hers in the passionate haze that surrounded his body.

“Griss,” she gasped as he kissed his way back up her throat until he came to her lips. She surrendered to him readily, needing his lips as much as he needed hers. They moulded together, their kiss sealing the bond that had been created with love so long ago.

Reaching for him, Sara guided him into her body only to gasp against his lips when he entered her. He joined her in ecstasy, merging their bodies as he moved within her, igniting the fire that burst into flame whenever they made love.

Lifting her legs, Sara pulled him further into her body, needing to increase their contact at every possible point. They moved as one, keeping perfect rhythm until they rose to the edge of their passion, pulling and pushing each other over the edge almost simultaneously. Grissom collapsed against her, breathing heavily into her neck while he tried to gain some control over his senses.

“I love you,” she murmured into his hair, her fingers holding him to her possessively. She felt him shift above her as he lifted himself up on his elbows so he could gaze down into her eyes.

“I love you,” he parroted, a lop sided grin forming on his lips. “I love you so much.”



Sara smiled as his eyes poured out their love into hers, and in that moment she had never felt so loved and cherished in her entire life. No words, no endearment could ever describe the feelings that rampaged through her heart. Bringing his head down to hers, she met his lips in a tender kiss, conveying in that sensual touch just how much she loved and adored him. When their lips parted, he graced her with a soft smile, and she realized she had never seen such a beautiful man. “We’d better think about getting ready for work,” she smiled, kissing his lips in between the words.

“Work,” he groaned against her mouth, causing her lips to curl up into a smile. Lifting his head, he once again looked down into her eyes, capturing the love he saw buried in her depths to take with him into the oncoming night that was filled with more untold horrors. Her love gave him the courage to continue. Her love proved to him time and time again that no matter how much hatred haunted the lives of the victims they saw night after night, she would always take away those images and replace them with their own private haven.

Moving her hands again, she trailed her fingers down the sides of his body. “Griss,” she hummed, kissing his neck softly as she once again gained his full attention. “If you want to go to work tonight I think we should really try and get ready.” Reaching his mouth she kissed him soundly then pulled back to gaze up into his eyes. “If not, then I would really love to stay here and...”

“Sara,” he groaned when she caused his passion to stir once again. He almost gave into his body, but his cell phone started to ring, the tones breaking the passion that had once again started to burn.

“Time to get ready,” she sighed, releasing her legs from around his so that he could leave her body to stand up from the couch. Holding out his hand, he pulled her to her feet, holding her against him until she reached behind him to pick up his phone and hand it to him. He watched her as she turned away from him, his eyes trailing behind her until she was out of sight. “Grissom,” he barked, his voice softening as he listened to Brass at the other end of the line. “Okay, I’ll pick Sara up along the way and meet you there.”

When he turned off the phone, Sara came back into the living room pulling on her shirt. “Was that Brass?”

Bending to pick up his discarded towel, he replaced it around his waist and walked towards her. “Yeah, we’ve got a DB in the park.” His lips turned up into a smile as he kissed her before walking past her. “I picked you up in case anyone asks.”

Sara gazed after him, a full-blown smile gracing her lips. She loved this man.

When they climbed into Grissom’s Tahoe, he turned his head to gaze into her eyes. “I could get used to this.”

“What? Going to work?” She giggled softly, shaking her head.

“No,” he mock scolded, reaching out a hand to cup her cheek in his palm. “I could get used to waking up with you every day.”

Lifting her hand to his on her face, she threaded her fingers through his. “So could I.”

Grissom’s eyes travelled over her face, memorizing every inch of her skin. Suddenly something caught his eye, and he let out a shuddered gasp.

“Honey what is it?” she asked worriedly, grasping his hand tighter as she shifted closer to him in her seat.

“Oh God,” he muttered, his eyes glued to the bright red mark on her pale skin. “Your neck.”

“My neck?” she asked confused, pulling down the sun shield to look into the mirror concealed behind it. “What’s wrong with my…Oh boy!” Tilting her head so she could get a better look, she felt a warm flush creep up her cheeks. “Wow. I haven’t had a hickey in a very long time.”

“This is not funny,” he scolded, his voice shaking as panic set into his eyes.

“Griss, calm down,” she grinned, reaching out to him to rest her hand on his knee. “This is not a problem, stop worrying.”

“Easy for you to say,” he grumbled. “How am I supposed to react when the others start questioning you about the man who did that to you? I mean, Catherine’s a blood hound when it comes to stuff like this, she’ll hunt you down until you fold and tell her the truth.”

“Griss,” she started, a smile forming on her lips. “Honey look at me.” When he wouldn’t, she reached out to place a finger under his chin to turn his head to face her. “I can take care of this, okay. It’s not like I haven’t had one of these before.”

“I don’t really want to hear this.” Sighing heavily, he tried to control the raging jealousy that rampaged through his veins. He knew she had been with other men; he just didn’t want to be reminded of the fact. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and only opened them again when he heard her rustling inside her bag. He watched her curiously as she pulled out what appeared to be a long thin scarf and wrapped it loosely around her neck.

“There,” she stated proudly as she offered her neck to him so he could gain a better view. “All gone now, see?”

He watched her with adoring eyes and found himself once again drawn to her. “You are amazing.”

“No. Just practical,” she grinned. “This is just until I get to work and cover it with make up.”

“I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I really didn’t mean to do that.”

“Gil Grissom stop,” she told him firmly, her words punctuated with a smile. “I think it’s kinda cute. You branded me.”

“Sara…”

“Oh stop, I’m only teasing.” Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on his lips before sitting back in her seat. “We’d better go to the crime scene before Brass sends out the search parties.”

Grissom watched her in awe. She had thundered into his life on more than one occasion. She had taken control of his heart and overpowered his fears casting them aside. Reaching out a hand, he threaded his fingers through hers to bring their joined hands to his lips and placed a kiss on her skin. “I love you,” he told her sincerely, his voice humming out his endless adoration.

“I love you too,” she whispered, her face alight with a delicate smile. Squeezing his fingers gently, she brought their hands down to her knee. “We’d better get going Griss.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, dragging his eyes and hands away from hers to start the engine. Before he could pull away, he felt her warm hand resting on his thigh, keeping her heated skin close to his body. Glancing at her quickly, he offered her another beaming smile before driving them away from their secret sanctuary.

The scene was swarming with ambulance staff and police when they arrived. Grissom brought their Tahoe to a stop beside Brass’ car and gave Sara a fleeting glance before opening his door to climb out. Sara followed his lead, climbing out herself to walk over to his side of the Tahoe and retrieve her field kit from the back seat.

“Ready?” he asked quietly, his eyes unable to hide their loving spark.

“Yep,” she grinned. “Lead on Macduff!”

“Ahh, Shakespeare,” he smiled.

“Oh yeah.” Shivering slightly, she pulled her long woollen coat closer around her body while her breath puffed out waves of steam into the cold night air, and she wondered for the second time that night why she hadn’t dressed warmer.

“You okay?” Grissom asked worriedly.

“Yeah just a little colder than I thought, but hey, I have my scarf to keep me warm!” Rewarding his shocked expression with a wink, she walked on beside him, unfazed by their banter.

Trying his best to ignore her closeness, Grissom came to a stop a few feet away from the body. “Hey Jim,” he greeted, coming to stand beside Brass as he spoke.

“Gil,” he nodded, turning to him briefly before turning his attention back to the crime scene.

“So what have we got?” Sara asked, stepping closer to the crime scene to gain a better look.

“You tell me,” Brass offered, holding out a hand to indicate that the scene awaited them. Stepping back, he gave them enough room to move past him and climb down into the small dip where the body had been found. Grissom stepped down first then turned to offer a hand to Sara, helping her down the small ledge.

From across the other side of the body, David looked up from his work to offer Sara a shy smile. Grissom noticed the glazed look on David’s face and watched silently while Sara returned the smile with a beaming one of her own. Almost instantly, David became flustered and started to blush profusely. Tearing his eyes away from Sara, he turned to Grissom, taking deep breaths before he could trust his voice. “It’s all yours Grissom, um Sir. I mean…”

“David we’ll take it from here,” Sara smiled sweetly. “Just be careful not to disturb any evidence.”

“I…Okay. I um…okay.” Turning hastily, David fled the scene, his face a deep crimson.

“You enjoyed that,” Grissom muttered when he moved closer to the body to begin searching for any evidence that accompanied the crime scene. Lifting a hand, he pulled her back slightly, keeping her hands from touching the soil surrounding the body. “We’ll need an accurate soil sample. This looks unnatural.”

“Yeah, and the body looks as if it has been burned,” she agreed, stepping away to retrieve her kit.

Half an hour later, Sara pulled some soil samples from beneath the body and regarded them closely. She was so engrossed that she didn’t see the EMT approaching. “Ma’am, we need to take the body.”

Looking up at him, she beamed him her Sara smile, shaking her head. “At the moment it’s a crime scene, but as soon as I’ve finished you can take it, okay?”

“Okay,” he nodded, his own smile meeting hers as he stepped away. She watched him leave, astounded by her own ability to cause men to quake in their shoes. Her eyes drifted further, catching sight of the man who had held her heart for the longest time. He offered her his warm smile as he approached, clad in his own biohazard suit.

“Hey,” he smiled, climbing down to crouch beside her. “How you doing?”

“Almost done here,” she nodded, looking over the body for any part she may have missed. “What do you think happened here Griss?”

“I wish I knew,” he sighed, “It’s a strange world we live in Sara, sometimes you just have to grasp at the things you cherish and hold them tightly against you.”

Lifting her head, she gazed up into his eyes. “I hear you, I feel the same.”

Nodding his head, he offered her a small smile before standing to his feet. “You need some help finishing up?”

“No, I’m about done here,” she sighed, moving to stand beside him. She felt his hand under her arm, lifting her so she could stand up with ease. Every time they touched, albeit small, seemed like a huge milestone for them. “Thanks,” she told him quietly, keeping up the charade for the sake of everyone around them. As soon as they exited the crime scene, they walked slowly back to their Tahoe and disrobed themselves of the constricting white clothing before climbing into the warmth of their vehicle. Neither spoke, no words were needed. Leaving the scene, Sara reached across the seat to clasp his hand as he drove them away from the park. Another night with yet more untold horrors had once again strengthened the connection they shared, strengthening their bond as they blocked out all the pain of the outside world.

A few hours later, Sara met Grissom as he stepped outside of the morgue doors to offer him a beaming smile. “Our vics name is Bob Martin,” she told him, handing him the paper she had in her hand.

Reaching out, he suddenly noticed that she no longer wore the scarf around her neck and opened his eyes wider in alarm. “Sara…” he started worriedly.

Meeting his eyes, she tilted her neck so he could see the red mark on her neck reduced considerably by the cosmetics she had applied. “No, before you ask,” she grinned, “no one has said anything.”

“Yet.” He told her worriedly.

“Well wouldn’t you rather have this than have me wear a scarf in here?” Her smile widened when she saw the sudden dawning in his eyes. “I could put it back on.”

“Yes you should,” he told her, reaching for her elbow to turn her to walk with him “I’ll meet you outside.” Lifting the paper in his hands, he smiled at her reassuringly. “We have an address. I’ll call Brass, you go and,” his eyes drifted towards her neck and a slow flush began to creep up his cheeks. “You wrap up.”

Walking away from her, he refused to return her smile, knowing that she was enjoying this immensely. Sara watched after him, her own smile growing wider as she made her way towards the locker room to retrieve the item of clothing that concealed the mark of passion from view. She could feel the warm blush creep up her face as she relived the desire, feeling its power wash over her. Remembering where she was, she gave herself a mental shake before carrying on.

Grissom stood outside Bob Martin’s house looking out across the road when Sara came out of the house. Her head down, she stepped up beside him. “Look at all these photo’s of the same woman. I bet they’re his wife.” Rotating the photos one by one, she felt Grissom step up close to her and link his arm through hers as he gently moved her forward. Walking with him, she kept her eyes focused on the face in the photo, only snapping her eyes towards the road when his arm snatched her back from an oncoming car, which sped past them.

They walked out into the road, silently surveying the scene before them. “Look at this,” Grissom spoke as he bent down to pick up a piece of plastic from the ground.

Stepping closer, Sara took a closer look before shining her torch over the remaining remnants that were scattered on the road. “This could be our crime scene,” she said wistfully as she looked down the now quiet road. “Somewhere between here and the park, Bob Martin lost 8 to 10 pints of blood.” Meeting Grissom’s eyes, they looked down to the ground, both of them asking the same silent question. Where was the blood?

Their eyes met in a momentary burst of hopelessness as they both felt the senseless taking of yet another life. Stepping closer towards her, Grissom gently touched her shoulder, steering her towards the curb. “Let’s get this back to the lab and see if Greg can come up with anything.”

“Yeah,” she sighed, glancing back behind her as they walked. His warmth seeped through to her skin, healing her with his tender touch.

“I know,” he told her in a whisper, “another night, another crime scene.”

“Yeah,” she nodded as she leaned closer into his warmth. “All I want to do is go home and forget, just for a while.”

“Soon,” he whispered softly, sending shivers up and down her spine. Moving his hand from her shoulder, he stepped a discreet distance away when Brass came out of the house to come and stand with them.

“Well he’s certainly a piece of work,” he groaned, indicating the victim’s housemate. “Can you believe him?” He directed his question towards Sara but his eyes drifted towards the man by her side. “I’ve got to go, I’m sure Sara will fill you in on the details.”

“Sure,” Sara nodded quickly, silent relief flooding her senses when she saw Brass nod his head and walk away to leave them alone once more. A cool breeze whipped around their bodies causing Sara to step closer to Grissom. “We’d better go.”

He reached out an arm to drape across her shoulders, shielding her from the cold burst that had elicited a shiver from her body. Silently, he guided her back towards their Tahoe that was concealed in a shroud of darkness beside the road. Leaving her side briefly, he unlocked the door for her to climb inside, then walked around to the driver’s side. Sara watched him quietly when he pulled his door closed, her eyes drinking in the essence of him beside her. Leaning across her seat, she turned his face towards her so he could see the hunger in her eyes. Wordlessly, they closed the small distance between their bodies to crush their mouths together in a kiss bordering on uncontrollable desire. Grissom’s hand snaked around the back of her head to link his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer. Sara responded in kind, one of her hands reaching beneath his shirt in search of bare skin, the other pulling him as close to her as possible. Passion took over as their bodies craved each others touch, needing to be free from the restraints that seemed to hold them back from the edge of release. Tongues clashed and tangled in an erotic frenzy, bringing a thousand different emotions to burst through their senses, igniting the smoldering embers that bound them together.

A car’s invading headlights shone into their domain, basking them with unwelcome light. Pulling apart reluctantly, they stayed within the confines of each other’s personal space, both unwilling to draw away completely. Sara eyed his lips longingly; her need to feel him once again burning through the logical part of her mind that told her this was dangerous. “We should go,” she whispered half heartedly, her shaking voice giving away the uncertainty that registered inside her eyes.

“Yeah,” he answered, his voice just as heavy as hers. He was so close to her that he could feel her warm breath upon his face. He knew they should pull away from each other. He knew he had to make the first move to retreat, but something in her eyes kept him grounded, pulling him in closer to her body with invisible restraints. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, so many things he needed her to hear, but at this precise moment there were only three words he managed to convey. “I love you,” he whispered, his voice pouring with emotion, “so much.”

Leaning closer, Sara wrapped her arms around his shoulders to pull his into the vicinity of her body. His words brought fresh tears to her eyes, and she made no move to wipe them away. “You’ll never know how much it means to me every time you tell me that,” she whispered into his hair.

“Then I’ll tell you every day,” he told her softly as he slowly disengaged himself from her arms to lift his head and look into her eyes.

“I love you too,” she whispered softly, her voice full of emotion, “I don’t think you realize how much.”

“Oh I do,” he smiled, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips before drawing away from her completely. “I do.”

When they arrived back at the lab, Sara wandered off to find Greg, armed with the piece of glass and paint scrapings they had found at the scene. Her heart sang its own rhythmic song as she strode purposefully along the corridor, her sparkling eyes and bright smile infectious to everyone she passed.

“Sara,” Greg beamed when she entered into his domain. “And what do I owe for this pleasant surprise?”

“I have something for you,” she smiled, thrusting the two evidence bags towards him. “Can you look at these for me?” Stepping closer, she brushed against his arm as she spoke, “Please?”

Greg swore he could feel his heart rate burst into overdrive when she brushed against him, and at that precise moment he would have given her the world if she’d asked for it. “Anything for you,” he drawled, ignoring the blush that was no doubt coursing its way up his cheeks.

“Thanks Greg,” she beamed happily. She knew she had a certain amount of powerful persuasion when it came to beating the queue of evidence in Greg’s small lab, and most of the time she didn’t use that power. “Will you page me when you find anything?” she asked sweetly, using that said power for her own advantage. She caught him in her gaze knowing that her gentle persuasion was working. When he nodded numbly, she reached out a hand to touch his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thanks.”

“Sure,” he nodded, his heart beating wildly inside his chest as he watched her retreat slowly until she was gone completely. When he was once again alone, he took deep breaths, trying to ease his ragged breathing until he calmed down enough to open the envelopes in his hand.

Two hours had passed when Grissom rubbed a tired hand over his face to finally sink back into his chair. His office was quiet now and he could just make out the shards of dawning light starting to filter slowly through the blinds. In just over an hour shift would be coming to an end and he could escape to the secret haven he shared with the woman who had become his world.

A small knock caused him to look up from behind his desk and he searched for some papers to shuffle in the pretense that he was actually working. “Come in,” he called. He waited for the door to open slightly and saw Sara’s head poke around the door. “Come in Sara,” he smiled, throwing the papers onto the desk to stand up at the same time.

“Hey,” she smiled, opening the door to step inside fully before closing the door behind her. When she turned back around, he was beside her, his arms hanging limply by his sides. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” he nodded unconvincingly. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes and instantly reached for her hand to give it a gentle squeeze. “I’m just tired that’s all.”

“Well why don’t you go home?” she soothed, “Shifts almost over and it’s about time you clocked off a little earlier.” Stepping closer, she released his fingers to stroke a soft caress up his bare arm. “I’ll pick us up some breakfast and come to your house in an hour.”

“Sara…”

“Grissom,” she chided softly as she resisted the urge to kiss him. “There’s nothing more we can do here today. Go home honey,” leaning in closer, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips before drawing away again to gaze into his eyes.

“I have a better idea,” he whispered softly as he lifted his hand to run his fingers delicately over her face.

“You have?” she asked softly, leaning into his touch.

“I’ll leave at the normal time, but only if you come with me.” His eyes sparkled when he winked at her knowing she caught his hidden meaning between his words.

“Oh I like that idea,” she smiled seductively, “in fact, let’s skip breakfast and go straight to bed.”

“Now that’s the best offer I’ve had in a very long time.” For the longest time, Grissom lost himself in her gaze. He would have willingly drowned in the depths of her deep brown pools and gladly surrender to whatever fate awaited him. This was what it was like to love someone completely, he mused. How many times had he believed he had been in love when he dated women in the past? Now, compared with the real thing, those feelings had just been an empty lie that had given his heart a glimpse of hope.

“You okay?” Sara asked again, her concern clearly visible through her voice. “Grissom?”

“Yeah, sorry,” he told her, drawing her into his arms for a quick embrace before releasing her again. “I was just thinking.”

“Oh?”

“Nothing that you don’t already know,” he told her with a smile. “Why don’t you go and see how Greg’s doing with the glass we brought back?”

“Okay,” she nodded, reaching out a hand to squeeze his fingers briefly. “I’ll meet you out front in an hour.” Without waiting for a reply, she opened the door to escape out into the corridor to leave him in silent solitude once more.

Sara walked down the corridor, resisting the urge to hum a soft tune that had found its way into her head. As she walked, her mind wandered to the beautiful memories that had long since engraved their presence upon her heart. She could recall the first time they had kissed. The hesitation followed by the attraction and then the final crumbling of the barriers that had kept them apart for so long.

She remembered the first touch of his lips and how gentle he had been with her. She remembered the day he first told her he loved her and the absolute joy that filled her heart with his words. A smile crossed her lips as she thought back to the wondrous afterglow that had engulfed them after the first time they made love. They had whispered words of love and things that had been left unspoken for an eternity. On that day, everything fell away. The barriers were torn down, the invisible walls crumbled and for once they allowed themselves to love.

“Hey Sar,” Nick mumbled as he walked past her in the corridor, his eyes lifting briefly to offer her a small smile.

“Nick,” she greeted with a smile of her own. Reaching out, she halted his strides to keep him still beside her. “You okay?”

“Me?” he asked with surprise. “Uh. Yeah I’m fine.”

“Okay,” she grinned, patting his arm before she turned to walk away from him. “Just checking.”

Her smile was infectious and he found himself shaking his head as he returned her smile with equal measure. It always amazed him just how much he cared for her. They had jelled almost right away, forgetting the rocky start at the beginning. Now, he knew he would do anything for her. He couldn’t have loved her more if she was his own sister, and that’s what she had become. His baby sister who he could poke fun at and adore all at the same time. Watching her walk away, he turned back to the paper in his hand and carried on down the corridor.

Grissom walked into Greg’s lab unannounced, watching the young lab tech as he worked. Looking up quickly, Greg jumped visibly. “Grissom.”

“Any luck on those paint flecks?” Grissom asked with a tiny hint of a smile.

“Oh yeah,” Greg nodded, “I’ve narrowed it down to one colour, and from the glass I can also tell you the make of the car.” Beaming triumphantly, Greg handed Grissom the paper with the make and colour and stood back proudly. “I already gave the full list to Sara; she’s tracking the car down.”

“Excuse me?” Grissom asked, muted anger sparking in his voice. “The last time I checked I was supervisor around here.”

“Uh,” Greg stuttered, his brain screaming at him as he tried to find a logical explanation. “You were at lunch, I couldn’t find you.”

“I have been in my office for two hours Greg,” Grissom answered with authority in his voice. Catching sight of Sara, he gave Greg a final glare before walking back out of the door.

“Hey,” Sara beamed, her excitement almost shattering his mood. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Well I’d be hard to find while you’re trading evidence with Greg,” he answered huffily not bothering to try to hide the anger in his voice.

“Oh,” she sighed, offering him an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that, but look, I gave the list to Brass and he came up with one name. Ben Weston. He lives right here in Las Vegas.” Turning towards him again, she offered him another blinding smile, knowing full well that he was putty in her hands.

“Good,” he nodded, turning to walk with her out into the car park. “Let’s go and pay Ben Weston a visit.”

The car ride over was fairly quiet, and Sara could see his jaw twitching as he studied the road. Taking a deep breath, she chanced a glance in his direction and willed him to acknowledge her. “Are you mad at me?”

“No,” he answered flatly, still not looking at her.

“I said I was sorry,” she sighed sadly, sitting back in her seat to stare out at the passing cars as they drove. “I didn’t think you’d mind me checking out the list Greg gave me. I thought…”

“Sara,” he whispered when she started to babble in unrecognizable sentences.

Stopping in mid-sentence, she looked at him expectantly, finding herself surprised and more than relieved when he reached for her hand blindly without taking his eyes off the road. “Oh God,” she whispered, “If I’d known you’d be so angry I wouldn’t have done it.”

“It’s okay,” he smiled, turning to her briefly as he pulled their Tahoe to park outside the address Brass had given them. “Brass is already here.”

“Great,” she muttered miserably, unclipping her seatbelt. When she made a move to open her door, she found it pulled open for her and a gentle hand helping her out. No words were spoken as their eyes met in silent communication. Nodding her head, she offered him her Sara smile that she reserved only for him, then started the short walk into the building.

Ben Weston regarded them casually when they asked him about his car. “It was stolen,” he told them tersely, providing a police report to clarify his statement.

“Can you remember what you were wearing yesterday?” Grissom asked, casting a doubting look towards the younger man.

“Yeah of course, blue pinstripe suit; a present from my girlfriend.”

“Would you mind if we took a look?” Sara asked sweetly, capturing Weston’s eyes in her smile.

“Well, you’d need a warrant,” he started, and at that point Grissom was ready to step outside to find Brass, when Ben Weston surprised him. “I’m a nice guy,” he grinned. Turning around, he lifted the suit, complete with shirt off of his coat rack and handed it over.

Sara exchanged glances with Grissom as they examined the pale shirt that showed obvious burn holes. “Maybe you should change your dry cleaners,” Sara told him.

“What?” he groaned, looking over towards the suit with despair, “oh you gotta be kidding me.”

“Well that’s the problem with lye” she told him calmly, “When mixed with water it can burn through fabric, even skin.”

Grissom stood beside her and watched on with loving pride. Here she was, holding her ground and demanding things that she knew she couldn’t possibly demand without written consent. “Would you mind taking off your shirt?” She asked coolly, watching Ben Weston squirm beneath her gaze.

“Now for that, you’ll need a warrant,” he answered flatly, turning his back to them as he busied himself with the files on his shelves.

“We’ll be in touch,” Sara told him as she and Grissom made their way out of the small office and down onto the roadside where their Tahoe awaited them. Climbing inside wordlessly, they had driven half a mile before Sara finally cracked. “He’s lying, I can feel it.”

“Well, we need to find that car,” he told her calmly. “But not until we have had a break”

“Griss…”

“No Sara. We are going back to the lab so I can pick up some files from my desk, and then we are going home.”

“But…”

“You can wait in the car,” he told her firmly. “No more work tonight.” When she didn’t answer, he chanced a glimpse in her direction. “Okay?”

“Okay,” she sighed. “But you’d better remember what to tell anyone if they ask as to why I’m waiting for you in your Tahoe.”

“I’ll remember,” he grinned. “Now stop pouting and focus on going home.”

“I’m focusing,” she told him, unable to stop the smile forming on her lips. “Okay. Hurry up and get your stuff. I want to get you home.”

“That’s my girl,” he grinned as he pulled the Tahoe into the lab car park and left her waiting for him inside.

Sara waited in the Tahoe, pretending to read the book she was holding while secretly keeping one eye in the mirror for any sign of him. Almost immediately, her patience was rewarded when he came out of the building to walk towards her.

Opening the door, he climbed inside to sit down heavily in the seat beside her. “Hey,” he smiled.

“Hey,” she grinned. “Okay remember you’re taking me home because my car is where?”

“Uh,” he smiled joining in the game. “If I guess correctly do I win a prize at the end?”

“Hmmm,” she hummed, averting her eyes towards the outside window as if she was contemplating her answer. Snapping her head back around to face him, she lowered her voice seductively, whispering her words close to his ear but still mindful of where they actually were. “Why don’t you take me home and you’ll find out?”

“That’s a very good plan,” he nodded enthusiastically, reaching behind him to pull on his seat belt.

“Thought you might like it,” she beamed, her hand sliding up his leg to its usual resting place on his thigh. “Get us home Griss; there’s a prize waiting to be collected.”

“Oh don’t worry honey,” he drawled, his own hand coming down to cover hers. “I know a short cut!”

“That’s my bug man,” she grinned happily, sitting further back in her seat.

Grissom slid his key into the lock with great difficulty as he tried to ignore the soft caresses from the woman beside him. Hearing the lock snap open, he pushed Sara in front of him, needing to enter their own private world that was away from the noise of the outside.

Slamming the door closed, he turned around to lock it before grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her into his arms in a hungry embrace. Sara molded herself to his body, her lips seeking the soft skin of his neck. She heard him groan in surrender as he lifted his head for her to trace the line of his jaw with her tongue, enticing his own hands into their own explorations.

Sara groaned when his hands raked over her breasts and then lower to the waistband of her jeans to pull her shirt up over her head. She lifted her arms, freeing herself of the retraining clothes that kept their bodies apart. Almost instantly his was kissing her bare shoulder, trailing hot kisses down her body until he came to the lace of her bra.

Pulling back, he gazed down into her eyes with heated desire. No words were spoken as he walked her backwards, edging her towards their bedroom that beckoned for them to enter. Lips met, clashing together in a mixture of passion and pure love. Grissom refused to release her, even when they reached the bed and fell into a tangled heap onto the soft mattress. His hands slid lower, unbuttoning her jeans to push them down her hips and away from her body.

Lifting his head, he gazed down into her flushed face in wonderment. He loved her completely, something that no longer scared him as it once had. With a soft smile, he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips before lifting himself up from her to sit on the edge of the bed to start taking off his shoes.

“Griss,” she groaned in frustration when he left her body. Sitting up, she crawled towards him, embracing him from behind to attack his neck with carnal kisses. Pulling his body around, she found his mouth with her own, plunging her tongue into his depths causing a deep groan to come from somewhere deep inside this throat. Throwing the shoe in his hand aside, he caught her in his arms and allowed her to push him back onto the bed.

Straddling his thighs, Sara leaned back down to his face and kissed his chin gently while her fingers started working to free his body of clothes. One button followed another until his shirt lay open beneath her hands, and he lifted slightly to help her free him of it. Catching his lips again, she kissed him with all the pent-up desire they had had to withhold from each other through the long working hours. Her need for him increased and she slid her hands further down his body to the belt on his pants.

“Honey,” he whispered between kisses, his hands trying to help her but she pushed his hands aside.

“Let me,” she whispered as she hovered above his lips. She gazed down at him intently, enjoying the fire that burst into his eyes when she slid her hands inside his pants to encompass his flesh.

“Sara,” he groaned urgently, thrusting into her hand. “Honey…”

“Shh,” she whispered, closing the short distance between their lips to kiss him. Grissom lost himself in her touch, succumbing to her movements as she aroused him with the gentle strokes of her hands. When neither could withhold from their passion any longer, they both frantically removed the remaining clothes until they were skin on skin. Each touch provoked another, each kiss adding a burst of flame to the now burning fire that raged throughout them.

Lowering herself onto him, Sara closed her eyes with the sensations that he always caused inside her and began her slow movements as she enticed moans of surrender from the man beneath her body. She kept the pace deliberately slow, enjoying the feel of him inside her. Making love with this man went far beyond anything she had ever experienced before in her life. Beneath her, she could feel him try to quicken her pace; his need for her overwhelming his senses and she gently relinquished control, giving him the advantage.

“Sara,” he groaned throatily, shifting their bodies so that she now lay beneath him. Opening his eyes, he gazed down into hers adoringly as he bathed her face in soft kisses. With his tenderness came strength as he poured out every ounce of love he felt into her. Their bodies became rhythmic, matching each other thrust for thrust until the pace quickened and the soft moans became more urgent. Sara clung to him desperately as she felt herself tumble over the edge of their own private heaven only to pull him along with her seconds later.

He collapsed on top of her, his breathing heavy and unsteady. He didn’t want to move from her body, and he knew she would gladly sleep like this all night if he’d let her. Lifting himself up slightly, he ran his fingers over her flushed cheek. “I love you,” he whispered, his words never failing to bring joyful tears to her eyes. Offering him a watery smile, she answered him with another loving kiss that took his breath away.

With their lips still joined, he rolled over to his side, taking her with him so she was cocooned against his body. Leaving his lips, she sighed contentedly into his chest, placing a soft kiss on his skin before her eyes could no longer hold back the blissful pull of sleep.

Grissom tightened his hold on her body, once again reveling in her closeness and thankful for having her in his life. He could feel her relax in his arms and reached down to pull the cover up over them. Settling back, he closed his eyes succumbing to the sleep that tugged him down into slumber, but just as he was falling deeper he heard her soft whisper fill his senses to send him into another blissful burst of love.

“Love you,” she mumbled against him, tightening her arms around his body until she lost the battle to stay awake. Opening his eyes. He leaned down to place a soft kiss into her hair before closing his eyes again, surrendering to sleep.

Some time later, Sara opened her eyes to the sound of Grissom’s cell phone ringing by the side of their bed. Sitting up slightly, she nudged his shoulder gently. “Honey wake up.”

“Mmm..?” he mumbled, cracking his eyes open.

“Your cell phone,” she told him as she stifled a yawn. Lying back down beside him, she snuggled into his body as he pulled the phone down from the cabinet and sank back down into the pillows. Lifting his arm, he waited for her to shuffle closer and lay her head on his chest while he answered the phone with the other. “Grissom.

Sara ran her fingers lazily up his chest, enjoying the warmth of his body before they had to leave the sanctuary of Grissom’s town house. Sighing heavily, she turned to place a soft kiss on his chest, and then lifted herself up on one elbow to offer him a smile.

Grissom listened to Brass as he conveyed new evidence that had come to light in their case. As much as he would have loved to stay in their bed for the remainder of the day, Grissom knew their time alone for now was over. “Ok Jim,” he said gruffly, casting his eyes towards the brown orbs that gazed into his. “I’ll call Sara and we’ll meet you there.”

Snapping the phone closed, he dropped it to the floor beside the bed. Running one hand gently over Sara’s face, he leant up to kiss her soundly, trying to ignore the disappointment that shone in her eyes. “We have to go.”

“I heard,” she whispered, hovering close to his lips as she spoke. “Wanna share the shower?”

“Uh…” he started only to be silenced by her lips coming down to his for a lingering kiss. He could feel himself losing the battle to push her away, the need to return to work nagging inside his head. Opening his mouth beneath hers, he surrendered to her touch, her intoxicating kiss sending his senses into overdrive.

In the far reaches of Sara’s mind, she knew she had to pull away and fight the urges that kept her bound to him. Breaking the kiss, she lifted herself up so that she could sit up. His soft groan of frustration caused her to smile and she found herself leaning back to kiss him soundly on the lips. “We’ll finish this later,” she whispered as she pulled back and climbed out of their bed and exited the room.

Grissom stared after her, instantly missing her presence. With a groan, he sat up and moved to the side of the bed in search of his pants. Reaching down, he pulled them on and took a lazy stretch as he waited for her to finish up in the bathroom.

After meeting Brass at the scrap yard, both Grissom and Sara returned to the lab to engage on the now found interior of the wrecked Mercedes. Glancing towards Grissom, Sara smiled. “Can you pass me the Luminal please?”

Reaching behind him, Grissom reached for the bottle and brushed his gloved fingers against hers. Their eyes met and held for a moment, their feelings pouring over into each other, giving them both the spark of warmth that never failed to cause an eruption between them.

“Thank you,” she whispered, tearing her eyes from his to break the spell between them. Standing up, Grissom stepped back to click off the lights while Sara sprayed the liquid over the car seats. Almost immediately, the seats turned blue, indicating blood spatter everywhere.

“Well you know how to light up a room,” Grissom grinned, leaning into her as he spoke. Sara opened her mouth to offer him a seductive reply but was cut short by Catherine who entered the room unannounced.

“So this is the Mercedes you guys are playing with huh?” she asked as she came closer for a better look. Both Sara and Grissom watched on silently as she walked around the wreck displaying an obvious passion for this type of car. Then she stunned them both before turning to leave the room. “If this car was stolen, wouldn’t the ignition be punched?” Catherine watched their eyes register their confusion and then total clarity and turned towards the door once more. “Later.”

Sara shook her head incredulously, “Now why didn’t we think of that?”

Following her eyes, Grissom shrugged his shoulders. “We were distracted by what we were looking for.”

Snapping her eyes back around to his, she smiled softly before touching his hand. “Distracted is right. I think it’s time to find Brass now.”

Grissom watched her as she stood up and pulled off her gloves. “You coming?”

Ben Weston listened to Sara as she asked why his car had shown no signs of having been stolen. Turning his eyes from hers, he looked towards Grissom’s hoping to find a less hostile gaze, but he could see that the two investigators were staring at him with the exact same animosity.

“I left my keys in the ignition,” he said quickly, hoping his answer would satisfy them. “I stopped for take out on the way home, there wasn’t anywhere to park so I left the keys in the ignition. I was gone no more than five minutes. When I came back my car was gone.”

“Take off your shirt,” Sara told him, her gaze unwavering.

He opened his mouth to protest when he saw Jim Brass put a hand inside his jacket to hand Sara a piece of paper. Sliding it across the table, she caught him in her scrutinizing stare. “Now take of the shirt.”

“Okay,” he muttered, pulling off his jacket to sling it over the back of his chair. Unbuttoning his cuffs, he rolled his sleeves up his arms and held his bare skin out triumphantly. “There, see no burns.”

Sitting forward again, Sara lifted the paper in one hand and shook it open. “The warrant is for the whole shirt.”

Grissom glanced quickly at Brass, then at Sara, a certain amount of pride emanating from his eyes as he watched the woman he loved take a man down with her steely gaze. He watched as Ben Weston visibly gulped, undoing his buttons one at a time looking like a man waiting for his own execution. When the shirt finally came away from his body, he stood before them.

Grissom’s eyes focused on the deep red bruising that was embedded in Weston’s chest and looked at Brass with a nod.

“Wait,” Weston said quickly, “It’s not what you think. I was driving home and I hit something. I got out of the car and looked around but there was nothing there. I guess it must have been a dog or something.”

Turning away, Grissom nodded to Brass “Arrest him.”

Sara stood to her feet and cast Weston an angry glare before following Grissom out of the door. She was fired up and angry that someone could lie so blatantly. Striding beside Grissom, she let a heavy sigh escape her.

“You okay?”

Turning to him quickly, she nodded silently, her strides still angry. “He’s lying.”

“Well now we need to find out what he’s hiding,” Grissom told her quietly, nudging her arm gently as he directed her to his office. “Come on you need to calm down.”

“I am calm,” she protested.

“Sure you are,” he smiled. Coming to his office he opened his door and ushered her inside. Closing the door behind them, he moved behind her and ushered her into one of the chairs.

“Griss…?”

“Shh,” he whispered, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders. He applied gentle pressure to her muscles that were knotted beneath her skin.

“Mmm,” she moaned, “honey that is so good.”

“I know,” he smiled, continuing his tender ministrations. “Now talk to me.”

“About….Mmm…” she sighed under his warmth. Regaining her senses, she fought to send the fog away from her tired mind. “Talk about what?” she asked through contented sighs.

“Anything you want to,” he whispered.

“Oh that’s easy,” she smiled, reaching a hand to encompass his, stilling his movements. “Can I just show you instead?”

“Uh…Sara I don’t think…” his voice lost the power of speech as she turned around in her chair to stand up and face him.

“I want to feel your arms around me,” she whispered softly, stepping closer to nestle her head into his shoulder. Lifting her arms, she slid her hands around him until she could feel him respond to her. His arms surrounded her, pulling her closer into his body to increase every possible point of contact between them.

“When this case is over,” he whispered, “we have a scheduled night off together. Want to go out somewhere?”

Pulling back slightly, Sara gazed up into his eyes, adoration shining deeply from inside her depths. “I thought you didn’t want us to be seen together.”

“It’s starting to wear thin,” he whispered.

“Then I would love to go out with you,” she smiled, replacing her head back on his shoulder.

“How did we manage to avoid each other for so long?” he asked in a whisper. “I can’t ever imagine a day without you.”

“Don’t think about it,” she told him, lifting her head again as she spoke. “I’ll be here with you forever. What I feel for you has always been kind of a forever thing. Can’t help it.”

“Well that’s certainly good to know,” he smiled giving her one final hug before stepping back. “Come on, let’s get something to eat. What are you in the mood for?”

“As long as it’s not anything that used to crawl around the floor or breathe, I don’t care.” Her grin was infectious and he found himself losing another part of the old Gil Grissom that had kept him alone for so long. Opening the door, he ushered her outside into the corridor, their banter continuing as the exited the building.

A few hours later, they walked along the quiet roadside beside Ben Weston’s house. Grissom spotted a sprinkler alongside the path and gently touched Sara’s back, diverting her from the path of the watery sprays. Glancing up at him, she smiled affectionately. She had actually intended to move, but his chivalry always warmed her hear no end.

Walking further, they came to a stop outside Ben Weston’s house where he stood with a solemn looking Jim Brass.

“He made bail,” Brass told them as if they hadn’t already guessed.

“Figures,” Grissom nodded.

“This is harassment,” Weston muttered angrily, stepping up closer towards Grissom. “I am going to complain to your supervisor.”

“We are conducting an investigation that gives me every right to be here. But if you are insinuating that I have unduly been harassing you in direct earshot of my colleagues…” Ben Weston stepping back again cut off Grissom speech quickly.

“We’re here to search your premises,” Grissom told him as he glanced towards Brass.

“Oh and I have the warrant,” Brass grinned, lifting the paper from his inside jacket pocket.

“Shall we?” Grissom asked softly, stepping closer to Sara as he spoke.

“I’d like to start with the garage,” Sara nodded, walking away from the three men as her investigator mind took over.

Time was running out for Ben Weston, and he knew it. He stared at Grissom wordlessly, watching the investigator while his eyes pierced into his own.

Lifting a file slightly, Grissom pulled out a cell phone that was concealed in a clear evidence bag.

“Great you found my cell phone,” Weston chirped, trying to make light of the situation. “I hope whoever stole my car didn’t make any long distance calls.” Reaching out a hand to retrieve the phone, he looked on surprised when Grissom snatched it back, out of his reach.

“It’s evidence.” He stated simply, continuing with his scrutinizing gaze.

Ben Weston’s heart started to thud inside his chest as he waited for Grissom to speak, but he didn’t say a word. The door clicked open and he looked up to see Sara come through the door. ‘Oh great.’ He thought to himself, the last thing he needed was to be squirming beneath her accusing eyes once more. “Great,” he muttered, “Now it’s a party.”

“And I have the music,” Sara told him with a hint of a smile on her face. Coming further into the room, she sat down beside Grissom and nodded silently for him to continue.

“You’ll be glad to know that no one made any long distance calls,” Grissom told him, “but there was one call made from your cell that lasted for 30 seconds.”

“And I happen to have it here,” Sara stated holding up the tape recorder in her hand as she pressed the play button. Complete silence filled the room as a man’s whispered voice echoed around them.

“Help me,” it pleaded weakly, “help.” The voice died away to be replaced with the worried operator on the other end of the line, her voice asking him over and over where he was. He managed to mutter ‘garage’ before he died away completely to leave only silence.

Clicking off the recorder, both Sara and Grissom fixed Ben Weston with their accusing stares, waiting for some kind of explanation from him. A reason, anything. The door opened again and an officer poked his head around the door. “Sara, someone’s here to see you.”

“Not now,” she told him, returning her eyes to the squirming man on the opposite end of the table.

“It’s relevant to the case,” he told her, waiting expectantly for her to register what he was actually saying to her. His words slowly impacted upon her mind and she turned to look at him over her shoulder, then turned to stand and follow him out of the door.

Bob Martin’s housemate stood waiting for her with some letters in his hand. “I found these when I was clearing out Bob’s stuff. I thought you might want to see them.”

“Thank you,” Sara nodded, her eyes scanning over the written words silently. Backing away from him, she nodded her head in thanks and headed back into the interview room.

She met Grissom’s eyes as she stepped into the room and walked over to him to hand him the letters.

Grissom replaced his glasses and read the hand written lines over and over before taking a breath to look up at Ben Weston again. “When someone walks in front of your car intentionally, then the driver can not be held responsible.”

Weston looked up confused, his eyes flipping from Sara to Grissom in confusion. “The night you ran Ben Weston over in your car was no accident,” Sara explained, “he left a suicide note to his wife outlining his intentions.”

Sitting forward, Grissom placed the letters on the table. “You were technically off the hook. No person can be held accountable for someone’s intended suicide.”

“Until you let him die,” Sara cut in, her voice dripping with muted anger. “You were off the hook and then you let it escalate to first degree murder.”

Weston stared at her in shock. He was no murderer. He was scared that’s all, he didn’t know what to do, but he didn’t…His mind screamed at him to say something; anything that would relieve him of the blame, but his words died on his lips.

Grissom stood up and helped Sara out of her chair while two officers came around behind Weston to cuff his hands behind his back. Time for words were over as Grissom steered Sara out of the door and into the corridor, wordlessly walking with her so that they wouldn’t have to look upon the face of the man who filled both of them with disgust.

“You okay?” he asked quietly as they walked. He longed to lay a comforting hand upon her shoulder but was still conscious of where they actually were.

“How could he be so cruel?” she whispered softly, her eyes glancing into his as she spoke. “That poor man died alone because of him. What must have been going through his mind as he bled to death?”

“I don’t know Sara,” he sighed. “Every day we see things that show the evil surrounding the world. We can’t let these cases get to us or every case will drag us down every single time.”

“I know,” she sighed, leaning into him slightly as she sought his warmth. “Let’s get this over with and get out of here okay?”

“Okay,” he nodded quietly, knowing that this case would stay with them for a long time.

The ride back to his house was made in a comfortable silence. Grissom knew enough about Sara to know that she had to take time to push the images from this case out of her mind. He loved her enough to make that process easier for her to deal with. He glanced at her quickly to see her eyes closed.

“I’m fine,” she smiled, cracking an eye open to catch him looking at her. Shifting over in her seat, she reached out a hand to his thigh. She needed to feel his warmth beneath her fingers and replace the coldness in her body.

“We’ll be home soon,” he whispered as he turned into the road that led to his house. “We’ll be okay honey.”

“Of course we will,” she smiled, squeezing his thigh gently as she spoke. Turning to face him, she smiled as she watched his concentration. He always looked so serious when he had the weight of the world upon his shoulders. Closing her eyes, she sat back in her seat again and listened to the sound of the engine humming as they drove. “I just want to go home and curl up on the couch with you.”

Grissom glanced at her quickly then smiled as he reached down and squeezed her hand on his thigh. “We’re home,” he told her, stopping the Tahoe outside his town house.

Sara’s eyes opened instantly. Sitting up, she unclipped her seat belt and offered him a bright smile. “You’re all I need,” she told him, her voice a mere whisper.

“You’re all I need too,” he told her just as quietly. Reaching for her hand, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed her soft skin. Their eyes conveyed every feeling, everything that they wanted to tell each other. Dropping her hand, Grissom opened his door and waited for her to do the same as they came together once again to the silent haven they had since made their own. “So you want to curl up?” he whispered into her ear as he placed the key in the lock and snapped the door open.

“Oh yeah,” she grinned, running her fingers over his chest as she spoke. “You, me and the TV.”

“Sounds good,” he told her, ushering her inside the warmth that awaited their return. He wasn’t surprised to find her beside him when he locked the door. Their need to be together had overwhelmed both of them in the long hours of the night and day.

Stepping close to him she wrapped her arms around his waist and settled her head against his chest. “I’ve needed to hold you for so long,” she whispered. “Promise me that whatever happens in the future, we’ll always have each other.”

Grissom’s arms slid up her back to hold her against his body. He could hear the desperation in her voice and he could feel it inside of him too. He needed her to take the images away just as much as she needed him to take them away from her. “I promise,” he told her, whispered his words into her hair. “We’ll always have each other Sara, nothing and no one could take that away from us.”

Leaning back, Sara looked up into his eyes. She saw the same love and adoration radiating from his blue depths as much as he always had, but somehow those feelings had escalated into something far beyond their control. Reaching up, she kissed his lips soundly, needing his touch to heal her. “I love you so much,” she told him, her whispered confession more intense than ever before.

“I love you to,” he smiled, her words never failing to cause his heart to flutter in his chest.

“No,” she whispered, stepping back to take hold of his hands, hoping that he would understand. “I mean I really love you.”

He knew what she was trying to tell him because he felt it too. Every time they kissed, every time they were together his love deepened. “I’ve never felt so deeply for anyone before in my life Sara,” he whispered, punctuating his confession with another soft kiss.

Coming together, they drew from each other’s strength and the sheer force of their bond. The evil in the world may linger on in the world around them, but here, inside their own private heaven love reigned around them. Taking her hand, he led her towards the couch and sat her down so that he could feel her closeness enveloping his tired body. She understood his need, she felt it so strongly too. Pushing him so he was lying on the couch, she kicked off her shoes and joined him in their warm cocoon, shutting out everything that existed beyond their embrace. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around him and joined him in releasing the demons that haunted their working hours. Together in their world, nothing or no one could touch them, and as they slipped into a peaceful slumber the wailing sirens from the outside filtered away to encompass them in silence and love…

END