Disclaimer: Don't own the main characters
Summary: This is about the missing moments in the Worth fighting for series, so find out in this collection of one-shots what moments were missed. Please Read.
AN: Hi everybody, hope you are all doing ok. Well anyways, I know I said I was done with the series but I wanted to do this because I wanted to share a few moments that for some reason or another didn't make the main stories, so I hope that even though you basically know how they ended up, if you read the series that is, that you'll still enjoy this.
Title: Worth Fighting For: Missing Moment
Genre: Romance, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Drama
Rating: K-T
Spoilers: None
Time-line: Five months before the start of Still the One (Fourth Story in Series)
Warnings: None
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: CatNip
Other Characters: Grissom kids, Emmitt, Lindsey, OC's
Chapter 1: Telling the Grissoms
With Greg and Warrick having other plans tonight, it was just the Stokes family visiting the Grissom family, except Lindsey, who was out with Bailey on a double date, which was something she hadn't been enjoying until seven months ago when Blake, her High School sweetheart, showed back up into her life.
The dinner was going great, everybody was enjoying one another's company, which wasn't anything new since they've known and worked together for years, but things stated to shift slightly as dinner was coming to an end, something that wasn't lost on Grissom, who had been a CSI for almost 25 years before calling it a career, so when the kids had asked to be excused from the dinner table, he smiled at his eight year old daughter, Megan, and nodded. "You all may."
After a thank you, Megan, her twin brother, Arthur, youngest brother, Ethan, and Emmitt Stokes got up from their chairs at the dinning room table and walked out of the room before heading upstairs.
The kids weren't out of the room that long before Grissom looked at Nick, who looked at him before looking down at the table, grabbing his white wine and taking a sip, then the older man looked at Catherine, which she didn't look away but Grissom could still sense something was up, so he cleared his throat before looking at Nick again. "What's going on? You two became unsure about things when the kids asked about making sleepover plans."
There was a slight pause as husband and wife looked at one another before Nick looked at Grissom again and smirked a little. "I guess once a CSI, always a CSI."
Grissom smirked back."I may have left the job, but the job hasn't left me, so what is it? You aren't banning our kids from seeing one another are you?"
Nick immediately shook his head. "Of course not. They are more than welcome to come over." He took a breath before he continued. "The commute to your house and ours will just be a little longer in two weeks." Before Sara or Grissom could speak with confusion on their faces, he finished. "Because we are moving to San Diego."
Sara gasped as Grissom looked at him wide-eyed for a second before looking at Catherine. "Catherine?"
She looked at him with a smile, which Grissom could tell was a little tight while she tried to hold onto her emotions. "It's a great opportunity for him." She cleared her throat before sliding her chair back and standing up. "Excuse me." Then she walked out of the room just as the guys stood up out of courtesy.
Nick was just about to follow her, but Grissom shook his head and asked. "May I?"
After Nick nodded 'yes' Grissom walked out of the room as Nick sat back down with a small sigh before looking at Sara, who was still quiet while looking at the table, so he asked. "What are you thinking?"
Sara looked at one of her best friends with a small smile. "The lab, Vegas and family gatherings won't be the same."
Nick nodded. "I know, and that's one of the reasons why I almost turned down the directors offer."
"Wow, director?"Nick nodded with a proud smile, making Sara smile in return. "That's pretty big, I can see why it would be hard for you to turn it down. I also can't think of a better person for the job."
"Really?"
Sara nodded with the smile still on her face as she reached her hand across the table so she could place it on top of his. "Absolutely, now don't get me wrong I'll miss you, but if this is something you want then I'm happy for you."
He squeezed her hand with another smile. "Thank you." Sara nodded, then as she was moving her hand from his, he smirked. "Now just think, with me out of the way you are finally able to take the supervisor spot."
"Yeah, it's a nice thought, but." She did a little sigh before she finished as she grabbed her white wine. "If I had a choice to up my career or keeping my friends close, which do you think I would choose?"
Nick nodded while she took a sip of her wine, knowing exactly which choice it would be for her because as much as she loved her career, she wasn't doing this for the promotions, which neither was he but this was about providing for his family and he wasn't going to apologize for it, and he wouldn't have thought twice about declining the offer if he knew his wife wasn't 100% behind him.
After Grissom had walked out of the dinning room, he walked into the kitchen and saw Catherine standing in front of the sliding glass door, so he walked her way, but before he could speak, she did after a sigh. "It isn't that I am not happy for him, because I am, I just..."
Grissom cuts her off as he stopped next to her. "Lived in Vegas pretty much your whole life, you have ties here, and I'm assuming Lindsey is staying?"
She nodded with another sigh as she looked at him. "She'll be starting her career and new life once she graduates in a few months."
He took a breath and nodded in understanding. "Leaving your child behind is hard."
"It will be one of the hardest things I will ever do, but leaving you isn't that easy either."
He raised an eyebrow and smirked a little. "Wow, I didn't know you cared about me so much, is there a secret you would like to share?"
She smirked back with a smile. "Yeah, you can be a pain in the butt sometimes."
He chuckled while shaking his head. "I don't think that's a secret, or if it is, it isn't kept quiet very well."
She smiled softly as she continued with tears in her eyes. "I know our friendship had its rough parts, but I feel honored that I got to call you my best friend through the years, I'm really going to miss you."
Grissom cleared his throat before they wrapped their arms one another as he spoke with emotion. "I'll miss you too, and I know it won't be the same, but we can still visit one another."
"I'll look forward to it, dinner is on us."
He smiled as they released one another. "You're on."
After a short pause while she wiped a few tears off her cheek, she asked. "Can you do me favor?"
"Of course, what is it?"
"I know she's old enough take care of herself, but will you look after Lindsey."
He smiled, but before he could speak another voice was heard in the room. "Like she is our own."
Catherine and Grissom turned around to see Nick and Sara in the room now, and Grissom nodded in agreement to his wife's words as Catherine replied to the other woman."Thank you."
Sara nodded then she chuckled as she shook her head. "Although, I think we all know who will be there protecting her before we even get a chance."
They all chuckle now while they nodded in agreement before Catherine spoke with a smile. "It's just amazing to see how tight our girls' bound is, I don't think there is anything those two won't do for one another."
The four friends looked at one another and smiled as Nick replied. "Just like us."
After another round of nods, Nick started walking over to his wife while Grissom stepped away to give them a little privacy, and when he had stopped in front of her, he cupped her cheek while speaking in a sincere tone. "There is still time, I can decline the offer."
Catherine shook her head immediately. "No, we talked about this and agreed this is the right move. This is your time, you worked hard for this opportunity, you've earned it." He was about to speak, but she continued as she placed her hand on top of his with a smile and love in her eyes. "I'll be fine, yes I'll miss it here and it will be hard leaving Lindsey, but knowing we are doing something that you really want will be worth it. You, us is worth everything to me, and there isn't anything I won't do for you."
Feeling the emotion while seeing the truth in her eyes, Nick cleared his threat with a nod. "Ok, this is really happening then." They placed their foreheads together and took a breath while whispering their love to one another.
When they pulled back, the four friends looked at one another again before Catherine spoke. "Now there is something we need to do because waiting will only make it worse."
After they nodded in agreement they stared to walk out of the room, but Grissom stopped, turned to Nick and gave him a smile. "Nick, I'm proud of you. Your wife is right, you've earned it and I can't see a better person for the job."
Nick smiled in return. "That's what your wife said too."
Grissom smiled bigger as he spoke with a serious tone. "Then I say we picked some amazing wives."
Nick smiled bigger as he squeezed Catherine's hand with a nod. "That we did, sir. And thank you, I won't let you down."
"I know you won't, you never had before." Then he walked out of the room as the remaining friends looked at one another, very happy about Grissom's comment.
They took a breath before they also walked out of the room, knowing telling their kids about the change coming up will be a little hard on them since they, including Eli Brown, were more like siblings than 'cousins'.
Later that Night
Grissom walked into the master bedroom he shared with his wife, and just as he was shutting the door, Sara walked into the room from the bathroom. "How are the kids?"
Grissom turned around and gave her a slight frown. "They say they understand, but I can tell they are upset about it."
Sara nodded, then sighed as she sat down at the end of the bed. "I can't really blame them there." She then continued as he walked toward her. "Not that I'm not happy about his accomplishment, but..."
He cuts her off as he sat down next to her. "You're going to miss them, and you wished that they could have stayed here forever."
"I know, it's an unrealistic thought."
He smiled as he slipped his fingers through hers. "It's normal not to want things to change when they are going so good, even though as we get older we know it eventually will."
She nodded in understanding and agreement. "Well, the good thing about them leaving is that least they won't be across the country, so it will be easier to have regular visits if we can swing it."
"True." He paused before he continued. "And you know what else is a positive in this change?"
"What?"
He smiled a little bigger as he cupped her cheek with his other hand. "You'll finally get a shot at being a supervisor."
She gave him a small smile and nodded before looking down at their clasped hands. "Yeah, there is that."
He then frowned as he ran his thumb up and down her cheek. "What, are you telling me you aren't even a little happy about the opportunity?"
When she looked into his eyes again, she replied softly. "Ok, I admit it, a part of me is a little excited about it, but I just wish it was under different circumstances, that's all."
His smile came back on his face as he ran his thumb up and down on her cheek again. "You are amazing, you know that, you're willing to sacrifice your career again for..."
Sara cuts him off with a frown. "Again? What do you mean by that?" He sighed as he removed his hand from her cheek before looking down at their clasped hands, making her squeeze them as she continued. "Wait a minute, you're blaming yourself for me not being a supervisor yet, aren't you?" She cupped his cheek this time as she asked softly. "Griss, talk to me."
He took a breath as he lifted his head up, and turned it so he could look into her eyes. "You and I both know, even though nothing was said out-loud, that the reason it has taken this long for you to be a supervisor is because of me, our relationship, and I guess deep down I always thought I stunted a wonderful career for you."
Sara shook her head as she ran her hand up and down his cheek. "It was my choice, and if us being together hurt my career in anyway, then so be it." Grissom was about to speak, but she continued before he could. "I don't care, because I got something far greater in my life, I have you and the kids. I can live without the promotions, but don't think for a single second that I could live without you or them, you guys mean the world to me and I'll never regret making that choice." She moved her head so her forehead was touching his as she closed her eyes with tears going down her cheeks. "So, please stop feeling guilty, I'm exactly where I want to be in my life, you got it."
He closed his eyes and whispered. "Yeah, I got it."
"Good." She pulled back as they opened their eyes, then she smiled with tears still in her eyes. "I love you."
He smiled in return. "I love you too."
Then they leaned toward one another and kissed softly on the lips a few times before they hugged, comforting one another for the changes they knew their family will be dealing with.
They knew it wasn't like they'll never see them again, but going from seeing them daily to only a few visits here and there through the years will be different for everybody involved.
AN: Hope you enjoyed it. More one-shots to come. Please review.
