Sara sat curled up on her bed, staring at her wall. Its light yellow had been picked on a whim when she'd first moved in.

Now more than anything, the bright happy color was the last thing she wanted to have to stare at.

Shifting to the left to pick up a glass of water off her bedside table she took a sip and leaned back against the headboard and held the dripping glass to her forehead.

"Oh.... life is hell."

It seemed as if what had happened had taken more than one single night.

Funny even, that it only took a matter of hours to ruin her life. By doing something so stupid…she knew she needed to stop.

She knew better than anybody that a few drinks no matter how light wouldn't ease her troubled mind or make her drive home every night any better.

She took the glass from her forehead as a drop of water slipped down her face and onto her lips.

She stuck her tongue out barely and dried it up, reaching over again to set the glass down.

As she leaned back against the headrest again she heard a noise coming from the hallway.

"What the hell?"

....Oh my God! No….no he's not really here still is he?

At that moment she saw the door creak open a little and his head poke through.

As he smiled kindly at her and stepped into the room she felt her throat constricting.

"Sara....how are you feeling this morning?"

His voice reverberated in her head. She couldn't move or speak and felt her chest about to explode from her sudden realization that she was holding her breath.

It suddenly came out in a whoosh and Grissom looked at her carefully, moving toward the bed more.

She suddenly felt her mind scramble awake and found herself faking smile and finally replying, "Okay I guess."

He smiled as he reached the end of the bed and looked ahead at her.

Sara looked away for a moment, then back at him, a question on her lips.

Grissom watched her intently and after a moment sighed and said, "What's your question Sara?"

Surprised she looked up at his face. Was she that obvious....all the time? God she hoped not.

She felt a small smile breaking forth on her lips. "Um...."

She brought her hand up and lightly brushed it through her bed head hair.

'God..I must look like shit.'

"Um....well....I'm just uh....curious as to why you're still here? I mean....I'd have thought you'd leave last night, after you um...." She looked around the room then back up at him.

"..took care of me"

He looked down at the floor and then at the wall.

"I didn't think it would be a good idea to leave you alone. I thought....maybe...you'd need someone to talk to...and if you did...I'd be right here."

Sara couldn't suppress the snort or disbelief and slowly pulled the covers up to get out of bed.

Well....he was in her house...still...and she would walk around in her sweats and a t-shirt if she so chose.

Grissom watched as she got up and started to make the bed.

"I deserved that. I um.... haven't been the greatest source of friendship lately."

"Yeah...try two years."

He took a step back from the bed as she came to the end to pull the comforter up.

Leaning against the dresser he bit his lip and smiled lightly.

"We could fix that. I mean....I'd be willing to...if you wanted to."

"Willing to? Grissom...I don't know if I can take this anymore. Whether I'm willing or not...if I get to close or say the wrong thing, you'll close up and push me away as you've been so famous for this past year."

He stood, glued to the spot, not knowing what to say. 'Nothing unusual' He thought.

She suddenly turned and looked at him.

"Look...I'm sorry about last night. It'll never happen again, believe me...but you don't need to stay here to baby-sit me. I will be throwing out every bottle of wine and Jack that I own. And if you're as uncomfortable talking to me as I'm guessing you are, I'm sure you'd rather go home."

Grissom stood still looking at her face. Her eyes looked so hurt, her face pale. She looked like she would fall apart at any moment.

Grissom swallowed and stepped closer.

"Sara, I'm not here to baby-sit you, I didn't stay here last night to baby-sit you. I stayed because I care about you. Your safety and well being. I thought maybe we could talk this morning; try to figure out what to do about our friendship. To be truthful I've missed it. I hope you have too. So lets make some breakfast and talk."

Sara stood silently. A stunned look on her face. This was almost as surprising as his taking her hand last night and not screaming at her.

Not able to say a word, she lightly nodded her head. Grissom smiled brightly.

"Great....now, would you rather stay here, or go out?"

Another question that made her breathing stop. She thought she should be excited at the fact of Grissom offering to taker her "out", but....this wasn't that kind of thing.

He seemed sincere, like he really did want to talk to her, on friendly terms...which was probably how it would always be, since he 'Couldn't do it'.

"I think...I'd rather stay here. I'm too tired to go out."

"Okay....what are you hungry for?"

Sara thought a moment, trying to think of what all she had in the apartment.

"Eggs I guess...if that's what you want too, but there's cereal and oatmeal in the kitchen too if you want to make that instead?"

"Nope....eggs are good. I'll make that."

"Okay."

They both stood in silence for a moment.

Sara decided that she desperately needed a hot shower and that she'd shoo him off.

"Okay....well...you know where the kitchen is. I'm gonna go take a shower and get dressed."

"Alright."

He walked to the door and slowly walked out, shutting it quietly behind him.

Sara stood next to the bed in silence.

Wow. What is this? Oh don't ask questions....this is the first chance you've gotten that he's actually wanted to talk to you. Go get ready or before you get yourself together he might rethink what he said and disappear.

She walked over to the dresser and pulled the drawer open. Gathering some under clothes and picking up a towel off the chair by the bathroom door, she slipped into the bathroom and shut the door quietly behind her.