Matters Of The Heart.

Come Wake Me Up.

Kelsey's P.O.V.

I couldn't breath, everything just stopped. My lungs burned painfully from holding my breath so long but it was like my brain couldn't function properly. I knew I needed to breath but I couldn't. I was numb. I didn't see anything other than the heart that lay in that box. Who would do such a thing? Why? What did I do to someone? Why me? Countless questions continued to run across my mind.

"Kelsey?" I tried to look at Gil but my body wouldn't listen to me. I couldn't take my eyes off of the box.

"Honey?" He tried again. I could hear the helplessness in his voice but I was powerless to do anything about it.

I saw his body come into view only then did I break out of my trance. I took several quick deep breaths. My lungs ached painfully and I felt light headed. I looked up at Gil's face. What am I supposed to do now? I couldn't speak, the lump in my throat proved that much. I tried but all that came out was a whimper.

---Grissom's P.O.V.---

I couldn't take it anymore. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her tight to me. The sound of that whimper sent a signal of warning through my body. The look on her face will be etched into my memory for as long as I live. The look of complete helplessness. She looked so broken, so defeated that it broke my heart. My whole body screamed at me to take her into my arms and never let her go. I loved her. I loved her so much it hurt. I never wanted to see her so broken.

I felt her wrap her arms around my waist clinging to me as if I let her go she would fall into a million pieces. Her body shook with relentless sobs. I rubbed her back soothingly. I felt my own eyes water, I didn't dare let one fall though. I had to be strong for her. I had to be strong for Kelsey. She needed me right now. Hell who am I kidding? I needed her as much as she needed me. I had to make sure she was safe and in my arms. I never wanted to let her go. I wanted her to stay by my side until I figured out who this bastard was.

I don't know how long we stood there wrapped in each others embraces but eventually her sobs quieted. She still clung to me as much as I was clinging to her.

"Honey?" I whispered my voice deeper than normal with all the emotions that were ragging through my body.

"Yes?" Her voice was scratchy and weak from all the crying she had done just moments ago.

"We have to get to bed. We have a long day ahead of us." I told her as I stroked the side of her beautiful face.

She nodded and let me go. I wasn't letting her go. I picked her up bridal style and carried her into my room. Our room. I corrected myself mentally. I laid her down on the bed and looked back up at her "Do you need some pjs?" I asked.

"Please?"

I went to my dresser and pulled out some sweats and an old muscle shirt. I handed them to her. "The pants are going to be big on you, but I found some that had draw strings on them."

She gave me a small smile before she walked into the bathroom to change. I changed and laid back on the bed as I thought about what had happened. Why did he send her a heart? What could be in those other boxes? How did he get into the house? How did he find out she was staying with me? I felt a Migrane coming. I tried to push away the dull ache in my head, but it proved to be relentless. I couldn't think straight tonight. We would figure it out tomorrow in the lab, if I had to I would work doubles, triples or how many shifts it took to figure out why he was targeting Kelsey.

I jumped when I felt Kelsey lay her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her holding her to me. "Goodnight Gilbert. I love you." She whispered.

The way she said my name never ceased to make my heart beat faster. "Goodnight honey, I love you too."

She feel asleep not long after that. But I couldn't I needed to make sure she was okay. I couldn't convince myself that she was right here with me even with my arms around her. It took so long. She finally knows I love her. I found out she loved me by accident. Not that it mattered to me, I had her and that's all that mattered. But of course something always has to come up. She has a stalker and we couldn't explore our relationship until we found and captured him. We still had the serial killer to worry about too. The Keeper Of Hearts as the press called him. I never understood how they could make names up for sadistic killers. It gives them fuel. Makes them proud.

I felt sleep finally invading my senses. I slipped into unconsciousness not long after that.

**Kelsey's P.O.V.**

I was awakened by the smell of coffee, I followed the smell into the kitchen to find Gil sitting there reading the morning paper. The sight made me smile, some normalcy. Gil looked over when he heard me approach him. "Good morning dear."

He smiled brightly at me.

"Good morning Gil." I whispered before I captured his lips with my own. I kept it short and sweet. "Thank you for last night."

"Don't thank me sweetheart. It's what I'm here for." He kissed my lips once more before nodding towards the coffee "Fix you a cup and sit. We need to talk."

When I had and sat at the table Gil looked at me with a serious expression. "We have to take the rest of the boxes into the la-" He stopped to hold up a hand to me when he saw I was about to protest. "We need to take them in honey. They could help us find out who is doing this, if he is smart enough to get into the house without setting off the alarm system and sadistic enough to send you hearts from a human being. I will take no chances. Your my number one priority."

I knew he was right but I didn't want anyone else to know about this. What will they think of me when they find out I was to chicken to open boxes from a stalker? I didn't want to find out. "Gil...Can you and I be the only ones to work on this?" I begged.

He immediately shook his head. "We won't be working on it. We are to involved. If we find out who it is and send him to jail any good defense attorney will say that we compromised evidence to get an eviction."

I nodded. I wasn't going to argue with that. I knew they would. "Can I at least have a say in who does it then?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Who do you have in mind?"

I shrugged, "Warrick and Catherine. I trust them the most aside from you."

"I'll see what I can do. They may have to take a different case, With Sara being gone we are short." He reasoned taking a sip of his coffee.

I nodded once more. That was the end of the conversation. After I was finished with my coffee I went to go get ready for today.

After I was ready I walked out to find Gil standing by the door in my room. "We need to take one box at a time to the car. Be careful. Get the notes too."

I went over to my suitcase and pulled out the bundle of envelopes that held the notes. After everything was in the car we were on our way to lab.

We got there quickly and Gil called Warrick, Nick, and Catherine to help get the boxes. There were 9 in totally counting the box from last night. It would take a couple trips to get them all.

After everything was in a layout room only Warrick, Catherine, Gil, and myself had access to. Warrick finally asked the question I have been dreading. "What is all this Grissom?"

Gil looked over at me before answering. "This is mail Kelsey has been getting from what we think is a stalker. She and I would appreciate it if you kept this between the people in this room. She trusted us enough to allow us I look through it. Only one box has been open and that was the latest one. Work your way through from the earlier ones."

Catherine turned to me, I held my head high. No matter what she said I would walk out with my pride.