It was a chilly night in Vegas and another night of crime for both the Crime Lab and the Las Vegas Police Department.

“You know, I haven't been to a crime scene with a pool since that case with those college kids.” Sara mused casually as she pulled on her skullcap to protect her head from the cold. "Come to think of it, that wasn't really my crime scene." she murmured thoughtfully.

Grissom glanced at her as he pulled up to a house with flashing cruisers and police patrolling the area. He turned the engine off and opened his mouth to say something, but when she turned to him he said nothing. Instead, he climbed out.

The officer by the tape checked their ID’s and let them pass.

Grissom looked the place over from the patio doors and Sara stood by the pool. The pool was covered for the wintery nights with a large tarp.

He watches as she bends down to pick up her camera and quickly looks away when he discovers himself looking where he shouldn’t. His eyes wondered the scene as he processed the body on the sun seat and while Sara photographed some partial prints and logged them, Grissom looked around the pool. He didn’t see the stream of pool water that was leaking through the bricks by the pool edge and before he took another step he slipped, but managed to get his balance. “Whoa.” He let out the lungful of air he held and as he tried to step out of the water, he did slip this time.

“Sara!”

Sara's head shot up just as she saw him topple over the side of the pool. Not even a second went by before she reacted. “Grissom!” she shouted. She left her kit open and the partials on the ground and ran.

Sara frantically pulled at the tarpaulin to get him free and when she did, she panics. He's not moving. They say that when the adrenaline gets flowing, its undeterminable on how much strength you actually have. Sara manages to grab an arm and yank and pull until its flush with the side. She digs her hands under his shoulders and pulls him up from the water with strength she didn’t know she had. "Help!" she shouts and hopes the officers that are supposed to be milling around can hear her.

“Grissom.” she lay him down on his back and tilts his head back gently to open his airway and as she pinched his nose. CPR was something she never wanted to ever perform, but she had the training and she had used it a few times before, but she'd never used it on a friend, on Grissom. She pushed two breathes into his mouth and quickly performed compressions. After the second double breathes, he spluttered water. Quick to react, she pulled on his shoulder so he could cough the water up more easily.

“Grissom?” she brushed his wet hair back and rubbed his cheek before rubbing his shoulders and back. Her heart was hammering.

He groaned and sagged against her, his muscles weak and unresponsive. Sara moved behind him as she removed her coat and covered him with it. It didn't cover much of him because of her small size. “I’m going to call for an ambulance. Just lay there." she instructed while looking up at the house to see no one rushing to her cries of help.

Just as she went to stand, he grabbed onto her arm. “No.”

“Grissom.” She said sternly, knowing that he was trying to me all macho about almost drowning. Typical man.

“No.” He laid his head on the hard paving stones and coughed a few times.

Sara sighed as she raised his head and placed it on her knees as she brushed back his soaking wet hair. “You are a stubborn fool."

Grissom coughed again and after a few minutes to get his strength back, he attempted to push himself up. “Let’s finish and…” he paused to clear his throat and cough a few more times. “-and get back to the lab.”

Sara didn’t say anything and did as he said. She collected the evidence and packed up. She had a stern word with the lone officer that had been sitting in his car the entire time after his friends had left. It was after her conversation with the man that David came for the body. Once signed off, the body was removed. The Coroners van left just as Sara pulled out of the driveway and David noticed Grissom’s tired looking form beside her.

It was the middle of shift and there were no more cases.

Sara worked on the pool case, while Grissom showered and changed. He’d said he would find her later and help process. So an hour later, she was leaning on her elbow with her chin in her hand as she sifted through the photo’s and other bits of evidence.

“Why was Grissom soaking wet?” Catherine asked from the doorway. Getting no answer she moved into the room.

Sara raised her eyebrows and continued to look through the mess on the table. “I tried to drown him.” she shrugged. “Someone had to.”

Catherine nodded and leaned against the table. “He should have gone to the hospital.” Sara gave her a piercing glare to which Catherine held up her hands. “Obviously he said no. I got that.” she watched as Sara picked up a small evidence bag and dropped it into a pile to her left. “Has he spoken to you since?”

“‘I’ll change and meet you later to help process.’” Sara quoted quietly in a deep tone. She collected the evidence and placed it in a large brown bag. She put the photos in an evidence bag and also placed them in the bag. “I’m going for a break. You want something?”

“No thanks.” Catherine watched as she left the room quietly and headed towards the exit.

Two minutes later, Grissom approached the Break Room and looked around. “Anyone seen Sara? She’s supposed to be working on her casein the Layout Room.”

Nick and Warrick shook their heads and Grissom’s eyes fell on Catherine. “She’s on a break.” Grissom opened his mouth, but Catherine spoke up with a decidedly suggestive tone. “How are you feeling Gil?”

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Why do you ask?”

Catherine raised an angry eyebrow, which almost went high into her hairline. “I don’t know... maybe since you had an accident at a crime scene. I thought you would have gone home.”

Nick and Warrick looked up and eyed Catherine, then Grissom.

Grissom shook his head. “No accident Catherine. Where did you get that idea?” He adjusted his glasses nervously at her pointed glare. “I’m going to my office. Send Sara to see me when she gets back.” he turned and walked away, leaving Catherine to burn a hole in his back.

Twenty minutes later, Sara walked down the hallway of the lab and straight past Grissom’s office without a seacond glance. She sat down at the layout table and drank her Starbucks coffee. She pulled out the lab report that Greg had finished and placed in the evidence bag. She had just started reading the results when she heard the door open. Casually, she glanced up and glanced back down. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Grissom sat down next to her and leaned his elbows on the table. “I’m sorry.”

Sara sighed and turned a page of the report. “For what, Grissom?”

“For being an idiot. I shouldn’t have been so cold towards you. I apologise.” he glanced at her and noticed she wasn’t exactly listening. He turned on his stool to face her and gently removed the report from her hands. “Thank you for saving my life.”

Sara shrugged as if it had been nothing and reached for her coffee.

Grissom noticed her hands shaking and as she returned her coffee, he reached out and took it in his. “Why are you shaking?” he tugged her arm a little and reached for the other hand, holding them both.

“I’m not.” she tried to ignore him, but ended up looking at him. His blue eyes questioned her to try again. She shrugged. “You did scare me.”

Grissom nodded and pulled her towards him. “I’m so sorry Sara.” he held her body to his and then noticed the rest of her shaking. “Sara, it’s ok. I'm ok. ” he rubbed her back softly, gently, comforting her.

“I know. It was just a hell of a shock that’s all.” she sighed. Grissom heard the tears in her chocked up voice and pulled back. She wiped her face with her sleeves and shook her head. “How are you feeling? Do you feel sick?” she asked hesitantly as she raised one shaky hand to his shoulder and the other to his cheek.

“I’m fine.” he said quietly. His eyes closed as she brushed her thumb over his cheekbone. He leaned forward slightly and she felt his hands on her hips. The feel of jagged breathing on her face as she slowly pulled off his glasses was enough to start her own labored breathing.

Grissom’s eyes fluttered open to see her pull the glasses completely off, fold them and push them into his chest pocket. His blue eyes never left hers as they both leaned into each other, but their eyes closed as their lips brushed lightly.

Catherine walked by the layout room and saw the door closed. She walked a bit further and smiled at what she saw. About time too… she grinned and continued towards the DNA lab.

- The End.