Sara sat with Emily in her lap. The little girl was amusing herself with the keychain mechanism for the car alarm, but Sara had a plan. It was a long shot, but what other choice did she have. The fact that Gil had once been a crime scene investigator would not go well in prison. It would only be a matter of time before he was killed and she could not let that happen. She needed him, like she always had and she intended to go down fighting. Now, it was time to get ready and giver her whole self to the situation, no matter the outcome.

"I think this is crazy," Gil said to her as he sat down.

He took Sara's hand in his and stared at it. Something small and brief fluttered in his memory. In his mind he saw bees. He was studying colony collapse disorder and Sara walked in. They were talking about something that he could not place. He strained his mind, but it only brought pain. It was funny how memory loss had once been their only problem. If he had it to do over, he would not have wasted a moment doubting Sara or trying to recover memories, but loving his family.

"I have to," Sara explained. "She wouldn't be expecting it."

Gil smiled at her and shrugged. "I would," he said, kissing her on the nose.

Sara smiled at his remark. "That is because you know me," she said. "I was always trying to be your star pupil and you figured me out."

Gil gazed into her eyes. "Yes," he agreed. "You were."

~0~

Nichole's email wasn't too hard to find. Usually universities had an online database that was accessible to anyone. She typed out an inconspicuous and one-lined message. The message read:

We need to meet today. 9'oclock in front of the library.

Meeting Nichole was clearly going to be a test that she was not sure she was ready for, but she had to try everything. Soon, the chime of her alert tone told her that she had a new message. It was from Nichole. It read:

Come alone

~0~

Sara knew better than to come without backup, but she also knew how to make it inconspicuous. Sara gave a nod to the nearest window when she saw Nichole approach in a hurry. She did not stand because she had no respect for the girl. She knew she could play her hand well. Not only was she a former CSI, but a desperate wife and mother.

"Mrs. Grissom," Nichole said, nodding at her in acknowledgement. "I hope you did not come here to change my mind."

Sara smiled. "I actually didn't," she said, lowering her voice. "I came here because I want to help you."

Nichole pretended to be taken aback. "Help me?" she said. "There is no way you can help me."

Sara nodded her head in disagreement. "Oh yes there is," she said. "And I know what you want. I have access to my husband's gradebook. I can file a grade change for you and no one would be any the wiser."

Of course, there was no way that she could do this, but she had been able to look the darkest men in the eye and hold a straight face. She wasn't lying for recreation, but for the sake of her future.

Nichole shook her head. "I know you can't," she said. "You're lying."

Sara shrugged. "Why would I waste my time?" she asked. "I have better things to do and you need my help. You're not going to catch Gil without me. You may think you can, but you and I know the truth."

Nichole raised her eyebrows "And what is that?"

Sara cocked her head and pretended to look suspiciously around the library. "That he didn't do it. I am not mad," she said. "Just impressed someone had the balls."

Nichole laughed a snobbish laugh. "You're carrying his child," she said. "You need him."

Sara looked down at her baby. "I'm not so sure it is his," she said. "I know because Gil and I haven't had sex in a few months."

Nichole laughed. "I can't see that," she said. "He's hot. And besides in the courtroom you called me a 'Lying bitch'."

Sara seemed to smile apologetically. "Had to play the part," she said, then she added. "It'll be easier to divorce him in prison."

Nichole eyed Sara. "How do I know you are not wearing a wire?" she asked.

Sara stood. "Want to look?" she asked. "I warn you though stretch marks are not pretty."

Nichole pulled back slightly disgusted. "Ok," she said. "You're not wired, but how do I know you won't run to the cops."

Sara rolled her eyes. "And tell them what?" she asked "That I heard you say something. That is called 'Hearsay'."

She saw that the young girl was not budging. Appealing to her human side was the best approach. What did the human side of Nichole look like? She was determined to find out.

"Look," Sara said. "he hits me. I am tired of it and want to see him suffer."

Nichole nodded and seemed to hesitate. Sara did not want to give herself away, but she was also under a time constraint. She had to get the truth, but a watched pot doesn't boil.

Finally Nichole nodded. "OK," she said. "I'll tell you."

Sara smiled. "Want to go get a burger?" she asked, in a friendly voice.

Nichole shook her head. "I am going out later. What you can do for me is change my grade," she said. "In return I'll pull out all the stops tomorrow."

Sara nodded and began to rise; she stopped and looked back at Nichole. "Hey," she said. "just between us girls, what actually happened?"

Nichole shrugged. "Nothing," she said. "I wanted an 'A', Dr. G said 'No, and I decided to frame him. I have been sending threats, but he failed me regardless. I decided to make good on it."

Sara was pissed, but did not show it. "Brilliant," she said, smiling before turning to walk out.

~0~

Sara and Gil sat with their lawyer in the conference room, awaiting the Stevenson's and their lawyer. They had called them in the guise that they wanted to settle, but in reality it was not that simple. Since Nichole had confessed on tape, then Gil had more than a fighting chance. The real problem now was finding out who stole the vanity plate from the scene of the crime and that was not something they assumed Nichole would give up so easy. That is unless she saw she had no other choice.

Sara looked up when Nichole, her parents, and their lawyer walked in. Mr. Stevenson was an awkward looking man, but he appeared fatherly and protective of his daughter. Mrs. Stevenson looked stressed, but her worries mimicked a lot of Sara's own.

"We're not settling," their lawyer said. "Dr. Grissom this is a slam dunk for me and a crime against any young girl should not be over looked."

Gil nodded. "I agree," he said. "If this had been my daughter than I wouldn't eat until the man who raped her was brought to justice, but I think we have something everyone needs to hear."

Mr. Simmons hit 'play' on the recorder and everyone in the room strained their ears to listen. Sara heard herself pretend to be friendly with the young girl. She was embarrassed by how she pretended to drag her husband's good name through the mud, but after everything was brought into the light he had a chance to reestablish his name. When Nichole heard her own confession revealed, she stood up in frenzy and her chair fell to the floor. Simmons hit the 'stop' button and everyone waited on Nichole to speak.

"This is entrapment!" the Stevenson's lawyer blurted.

"No sir, "Sara piped up. "I am afraid that it isn't. Neither me nor my husband are affiliated with law enforcement and we acted upon our own free will."

Mrs. Stevenson looked as if she were unsure how to act. "Nichole," she said. "is this true?"

Simmons opened a folder. "My clients hired a private investigator who was able to obtain these photos directly after Dr. Grissom's accident," he handed Mr. Stevenson a magnifying glass. "As you can see this vanity plate says 'Stevenson's Shipping'. I understand you have a trucking company?"

Mr. Stevenson looked at the picture and then back at his daughter. "Nichole?" he sad "What did you do? This is a man's life we're talking about."

Nichole looked backed into a corner. She glared at Sara and the two females did not break eye contact. Finally, Nichole sat down.

"Fine," she said. "It's over. Let's go."

Sara shook her head. "No mam," she said. "Someone tried to kill my husband. This is attempted murder."

Mr. Stevenson looked torn. "You brought in the rig all smashed up," he said to his daughter. "You said an animal was in the road."

Nichole shook her head at her father. "Daddy," she said. "This isn't what you think."

Mr. Stevenson disagreed. "I think it is."

~0~

It had been weeks since the ordeal with Nichole and her father. Life had gone back to a type of normalcy, but Gil was still plagued by headaches and guilt. He almost ruined his life and the life of his family's, all for the sake of immaturity on Nichole Stevenson's part. Nichole hadn't been officially charged with his accident, but there were still so many unanswered questions. How did Nichole find his car? It was only a waiting game and he was not concerned with it anymore, but glad it was over.

"Rain," Emily said, pointing to the window.

Gil nodded and smiled at the little girl, who was coloring on the floor nearby. "Yes, rain," he said to his daughter.

Gil gazed out the door and watched as automobiles drove by, sloshing water as they drove. Since the nightmare ended, the family had found out that the baby was going to be a boy. It made Gil proud that he was going to have a son, but felt remorse for not being able to remember the pride of having his first child.

"Wook daddy," Emily said, pointing to the wall.

Gil looked down at her and noticed the bright blue and red scribble that decorated the family's once white wall. He stooped down to pick up the child and laughed.

"Sweetie," he said, carrying her to her pen. "The wall isn't a canvas. If I let you do that it would be bad parenting."

Just then, it was like a light flipped on and a thousand thoughts and feelings came flooding back. His heart pounded and his head pierced with pain. Visions began to swim into focus. He saw himself holding Emily after Sara had delivered via C-section. He saw the first sonogram of his little girl and saw himself squeeze his wife's hand. Not only did he remember his child, but he remembered his wife. He remembered what it was like when he first knew he loved Sara and he remembered how terrified he was during the reign of the miniature killer. He remembered how heartbroken he was when she left Las Vegas and how elated he felt to have found her again. He didn't just have a wife in Sara, but a partner in life who has been through Hell with him.

"Emmy," Gil said, so sad that he had forgotten his child. "How can daddy forget his girls?"

Emily looked up at him, confused. "Mommy?" she asked

Gil agreed. "Good idea," he said.

~0~

Sara was sitting on the floor in front of the dryer shaking out laundry. Since she was a child, her mother had dried their clothes naturally. Having a dryer was a comfort, though sometime costly, addition to living. As she pulled out one of Emily's shirts, she frowned at the food stains she saw.

"Gil, you know I love you," Gils said behind Sara. "I feel I've loved you forever. Lately… I haven't been feeling well."

Sara stopped what she was doing and let her hands drop into her lap. She recognized Gil's speech as the letter she wrote to him so long ago. This came from a time in her life where she was lost and confused.

" Truth be told, I'm tired. Out in the desert under that car that night I realized something, and... haven't been able to shake it. Since my father died, I've spent almost my entire life with ghosts," Gil recited from memory.

"Gil," Sara said as she stood. "How are you—? Are you reading that?"

Gil shook his head. "I read that letter over and over again after you left," he said. "Sara, I am so in love with you."

Sara sat where she was, unable to move. Tears had begun to well in her eyes because she knew what he was saying. He remembered everything.

"I know you do? You always have," she explained. "you proved it."

Gil agreed, but shook his head. "You stayed with me," he said. "It must have been so painful for you to have me forget who we were. I am so much more in love with you now than I have ever been. I remember how I pushed you away and how we kept our affair a secret. I remember almost loosing you," he paused. "More than once."

Gil sat on the floor, eye level with Sara. Gently, he put his arms around her and pulled her to him. Sara did not hesitate to put her arms around him. Softly she sobbed into his shirt. She was happy with Gil without his memories, but with them she felt whole. She felt as if all her past struggles mattered. Sara pulled back and looked at Gil with wet eyes.

"Nichole?" Sara remembered.

Gil looked ashamed. "You figured it out just as it was," he said. "I guess Nichole had been following me. If I had only told you then none of this would have happened."

Sara agreed. "Never hide anything from me again," she said. "I am a big girl and I can take it."

Gil chuckled. "I know you can," he said. "I love you, honey."

"I love you too, baby," she said, kissing husband.

~0~

The End

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