Another little story. My take on why Grissom gets so upset with cases involving child abuse.
Hope you enjoy reading as much as I did writing.
Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle have been living together for three months. Only one person knows, Jim Brass. Jim is happy that his friend has, at last, found the courage to confess his love to Sara. He knew that Sara had loved Gil ever since she first arrived in Las Vegas all those years ago.
They thought living together would be easy but both are finding it difficult to adjust. They were used to living alone, not having to consider anyone else when they wanted to sleep, eat or just do nothing.
During a long and difficult case involving child sexual abuse and murder, a case that Sara was not involved in, things came to a head.
Gil has worked a double and when he gets home he goes straight to bed.
"Are you OK Gil," Sara asks as he walks past her to the bedroom. "Yes." "Come on Gil, talk to me, something is wrong," Sara says as she follows him. "Just leave me alone," Gil says as he slams the bedroom door.
All kinds of things are running through Sara's mind. "Is he sick, has Ecklie upset him, is he upset with her."
"Gil darling, have I done something to upset you, tell me please," Sara says as she goes into the bedroom. "I thought I told you to leave me alone, get out," Gil shouts at her.
Sara goes and sits on the sofa, tears streaming down her face. Gil has never spoken to her like that in all the years she has known him. Her cell phone rings, it is Jim. "Is Griss there Sara?" "He's in bed," Sara tells him trying to keep her voice normal. "I'm on my way over Sara, he has upset you hasn't he," Jim says. "Yes."
Sara is in the kitchen making coffee when Jim arrives. "What's he done?" "He told me to leave him alone and get out, I don't know if he means leave him alone for a while or get out of his life altogether. Jim, I'm so confused, ever since we moved in together things have not been the same."
"Sara, it's this case. The cases that upset Gil most are those involving children. I don't know why, they always have." Sara starts to cry again, "Why won't he talk to me, we used to be able to talk about anything." "Give him time Sara, he will talk when he is ready." "I don't think I can stand this much longer. I love him so much Jim, he is the only man I have ever wanted but he is making me so unhappy I am even thinking of leaving Vegas," Sara tells Jim.
"Sara, you are like a daughter to me, more of a daughter than Ellie has ever been, or ever will be. I know Gil loves you, I think he has ever since you two met in San Francisco all those years ago, but he is so insecure and finds it difficult to talk about his feelings. Sometimes it feels like he is going to self destruct. I think he is burning out and needs a break. You two need to go away for a while, away from the lab, away from Las Vegas and put things in perspective."
"I've tried to get him to go away, just for a weekend, but he resists. "There is too much work to do, the lab needs me blah blah blah," is all he says. "We need to get away or this relationship is not going to work. I'm glad I have you to talk to Jim."
"Does Gil know about your parents," Jim says talking hold of her hands. "You know?" "Yes, I know some of it, I had a friend on the San Francisco force do a bit of digging for me. I knew there was something in your past that was making you so upset when you were investigating abuse and domestic violence cases. I have not told anyone Sara."
"Yes, Gil knows I told him a while ago. I wanted to be honest with him. It took me over two hours to tell him and in that time he never said a word, he just held my hand and let me talk. When I had finished he took me in his arms and held me for over an hour while I cried."
Sara then told Jim her story, leaving out nothing.
"I will have a word with Gil, he needs to be tell you what is bothering him, when he wakes up get him to call me. Will you be OK if I go now?" Jim says getting up and walking to the door.
"No need to go Jim," says a sleepy voice from the door, "You're right I need to talk to Sara but will you stay you should hear this as well. Just let me get dressed, Sara will be make some coffee."
"This is going to be hard for me, I just need to tell you so please don't interrupt." Gil says sitting next to Sara on the sofa.
"When I was 8 years old I had a friend called David, he was also 8. We were inseparable, he loved bugs as well and we would spend hours in the garden looking for different ones then looking them up in a childrens entomology book that my dad had got me for Christmas. One day I did not go to school as I had a cold. David didn't come round after school, he usually did, so my mom called to see if he had a cold as well.
His mom said he had not arrived home from school and the police were out looking for him. They found him the next day, he had been sexually abused and murdered. They found the person responsible and he was put in prison for life without parole," Gil told them in a shaky voice. To make matters worse the next year, when I was 9, my dad died suddenly, nobody told me why. In the space of a year my life changed, my best friend gone, my dad gone.
It took me a long time to get over these events and that is probably why I never get close to people, like Sara everyone I loved seemed to go away. That is why I get so involved, and upset, when there is a case involving sexual abuse and murder of a child."
Sara puts her arms round Gil and hugs him, they are both crying. "Oh darling, I am so sorry. It took a lot of courage for you to tell us." "Yes, it did but not as much courage as it must have taken you to tell me about your parents," Gil says still clinging to Sara.
"You two need to get away together for a while," Jim says brushing tears from his eyes. "You will burn out Gil and where will that leave you, the lab and your relationship with Sara." "I know Jim but ......" "No buts you need a break."
"Come on Gil, just a few days. We can go to that cabin in the mountains we went to last year," Sara says pleading with Gil.
"OK, next weekend, I'll call John and arrange it. Thanks Jim, you are a true friend. I need someone to tell me to get my head out of my ass sometimes. I love Sara so much I can't bear to loose her."
"Treat her right Gil, she is like a daughter to me and I want to give her away at your wedding." "Who says there is going to be a wedding dad," Sara says hugging him. "I know there will be a wedding, you two are made for each other so don't blow it."
"I feel much better now that I have told you my secret," Gil says going to the kitchen. "I'm glad Jim knows our secrets, it's a big relief to know we have someone to talk to," Sara says. "Don't worry they are safe with me," Jim tells them both.
"I have a secret I want you two to hear," Jim says shyly. "Come on then you listened to us now it's our turn," Sara says.
"Ellie is not my daughter, my ex had an affair and Ellie was the result. She didn't tell me until Ellie was two and we had decided to divorce. I am named as the father on her birth certificate and as far as she is aware I am her father. She drives me nuts most of the time but that does not stop me loving her."
"Oh Jim," Sara says going over to him and hugging him. "It's all water under the bridge now," Jim says getting up and walking out the room.
Gil and Sara go away from a weekend to the cabin, it was just what they needed, a complete break. They both came back refreshed and rested and ready to start their new life.
The only secrets they are keeping now is their love for each other and that they are living together. They will tell the team eventually but for now it is their secret, they are happy and that is all that matters to them.
Three months later Jim gives Sara away, as he said he would, at her wedding when she became Mrs. Gilbert Grissom.
The End.
