Disclaimer: I don't own the main characters

Summary: After Sara's abduction, and despite still being in a loving relationship with Grissom, she feels like she has to leave the lab. But what happens after she kisses him in the hall in GB & GL, does it end the same as on the show? Or does a different moment happen and changes everything? Find out what happens next in the Third story from the Starting Over Series.

AN: Seeing as there is more than one story in the series it would be a good idea to read the other two before this, particularly the first one.

AN#2: Things are about to shift with these two, so let's see how their journey will continue, shall we?

Title: Where to go from here?
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship
Rating: T
Spoilers: Mentions of Dead doll, living doll & Early Season 8 Episodes
Time-line: Early Season 8
Warnings: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: YoBling
Other Characters: Nick, Greg, Carly (OC), Caine Family (CSI Miami)
Series Order: Starting Over, Going to Miami, Where to go from here?


Chapter 1: The aftermath

Mid June 2007

When Sara hung up her phone from talking to Grissom, she was at the trunk of her car, so she opened it, and just as she placed her kit inside, she heard a soft voice say her name. "Sara."

Instinctively she turned toward the voice, but a second later, and before she could process anything, she was shot with a stun gun, making her shake, so she dropped her phone in the trunk of her car before falling down on the ground. And her last thought before she had blacked out was how much she loved Grissom...

Before the dream could continue, Sara gasped as she opened her eyes with her heart racing, not wanting to think about what had happened next, then she looked down at her arm that was in a cast, which was propped on a pillow in a sling, and realized that as much as she wanted to never think about what happened to her that night, she'll still have that physical reminder, at least until her fractures heal.

She took a breath before turning her head with a small wince, her muscles feeling a little stiff, and noticed that Grissom wasn't in bed next to her, so she spoke a little loud. "Griss?"

After not hearing a response from the master bathroom, she used her uninjured hand and grabbed the pillow that was under her arm and moved it out of the way before taking the covers off of her and moving on the bed so she could get out of it, hearing her muscles pop as she stood up and stretched, then after a sigh, she headed out of the bedroom, turning towards the right once she got in the hall, a hall she's walked down for almost a year now.

When they got back from their trip to Miami, they suggested on finding a new place, both deciding they wanted one with an extra room so they could have an office.

She passed a closet, full bathroom, then their office, which he wasn't in there either, and once she was at the end of the hall, she turned to the left and took a step forward so she was standing in the doorway to their kitchen and looked around, not seeing him in there either.

She was just about to say his name again as she looked up towards the living room, which was connected to the kitchen by stairs, when she heard something that nearly broke her heart, Grissom sobbing.

She's seen him in a lot of different emotions through the years, especially during the last two years of their life together, the harder/stoic type when it was at work and the more softer/romantic side when it was just them, and while there has been occasions when he would get a sad or watery look on his face and in his eyes, outside of him telling her about losing his dad at the age of 9, they never reduced him to sobbing, so with worry in her heart, she quickly walked through the kitchen until she reached the stairs, and as she slowly walked up them, she whispered. "Gil?"

He stopped short at the sound of her voice and sniffled before clearing his throat, but it didn't matter because he still spoke in a hoarse tone. "I thought you were asleep."

She replied as she headed towards the coffee table. "I was." Then she smiled a little. "But I woke up when I realized you weren't next to me."

She didn't want to admit that the beginnings of a nightmare, which had been her reality three weeks ago, had something to do with it, because he's heard it enough times, especially this last week since she's been back home from the hospital.

He just nodded and looked away from her while wiping his tears away, and she shook her head and sat down on the coffee table before using her uninjured hand to take his. "Griss, you never have to hide that from me."

He shook his head before looking at her, his eyes red-rimmed as he spoke with a more confident tone. "No, it isn't right. I'm suppose to be comforting you."

She smiled as she squeezed his hand with tears in her eyes. "Which you have been. From the moment I opened my eyes in that helicopter, you've been amazing, helping me with my every need, being so strong. But there is only so much a person can take before breaking down, so if this is your moment, I want to be there for you." When he looked down, she continued after squeezing his hand. "Please, don't shut me out now, you know you never have to be embarrassed showing this side of yours to me, I would never judge you." She took a breath before finishing softly. "And honestly, knowing how deeply you feel about me, I'm surprised you haven't broken down yet...unless this isn't the first time?"

He sniffled again and took a breath before looking into her eyes, making her smile slightly as he spoke softly after shaking his head. "I've been holding everything I've felt since we found you out in the desert that it just came pouring out." He started to have tears in his eyes again, but trying to stop them from coming out as he shook his head. "Sara, I'm so sor..."

She cuts him off as she squeezed his hand. "Hey, you have nothing to apologize for, this isn't your fault, you didn't kidnap me and put me under a car out in the of middle the desert." Grissom was about to speak, but she continued before he could as she moved to sat next to him on the couch and cupped his cheek. "No, Natalie was very sick and needed help, you did your job the right way, you never knew in the end she would take me." She ran her thump up and down, wiping the tear stains off his cheek as she whispered. "If you want my forgiveness, then you have it, just know that I never will or ever did blame you, ok?"

They both knew the guilt that he felt on what happened to her wouldn't go away completely, she just didn't want his every thought to be consumed by it or the rest of their lives revolving around it.

There was a pause before he slowly nodded, then he whispered. "Ok, I'll work on it."

She nodded with a smile as she continued to run her thumb up and down his cheek. "That's all I ask, babe."

He took a breath before asking "And you know I love you, right? I've told you that today?"

She smiled a little wider with a nod. "Yes you have, and yes I know that. I love you too."

He sighed in relief before they leaned toward one another and kissed softly a few times, and after pulling back, they place their foreheads together before she whispered. "You ready to try and get some sleep now?"

"Yeah."

She spoke as they pulled back. "Good, because we have a meeting tomorrow that we shouldn't be falling asleep at."

They have a meeting with Ecklie tomorrow, their first conversation with him since the rest of the lab found out about their relationship.

Grissom was going to open his mouth, but she cuts him off. "Please, whatever you have to discuss about tomorrow, let's do that in the morning, ok?"

He nodded as he stood up, then he smiled down at her as he held out his hand. She smiled in return as she lifted her uninjured hand into his, then after helping her up, they walked towards the stairs before he made sure to help her down them safely, which she was going to say something, but decided against it and let him take care of her right now, considering how she found him just a few moments ago.

When they made it back to the bedroom, he helped her get in their bed before he walked to his side, and after he was, he started to lay down when she took his hand and tugged on it a little while saying. "Come here, please."

He looked a little worried as he tried to say. "Sara..."

But she cuts him off with a smile. "You won't hurt me, I promise." Then with love in her eyes, she whispered. "Let me hold you for a change."

Not able to resist that loving look, he moved closer to her, and after she wrapped her uninjured arm around his shoulders, he lowered his head so it was laying on her shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist, then as she kissed his head, he yawned before speaking softly with his eyes closed. "I wish I can take all your nightmares away."

She smiled softly at his words while thinking. 'Of course he would know what really woke me up.'

It sometimes scares her how well he was starting to really know her.

She kissed his head again and whispered in return. "I know, babe. But just knowing you're here comforting and loving me, helps me a lot, believe me."

He smiled in return against her shirt. "I'm glad. Sweet dreams, Sara."

"Sweet dreams, Griss."

It wasn't very long before he fell asleep while she laid there holding him as she ran her fingers through his hair, just soaking up his presence until she eventually fell back asleep herself, this time not a nightmare in sight, thankfully.


AN: Hope you're interested in more. The moment in the summary will come soon, just building up to it. Thanks for reading and please review.