Title: How It's Meant To Be

Author: XKellyX

Rating: Teen? I'm new to this, so T to be safe.

Dsiclaimer: I own nothing, I just toy with 'em.

Summary: They never saw the breakdowns and never heard the promises to never love another. Yeah, I suck at summarys, so feel free to read it!

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He could still remember it like it was yesterday, the way she walked across the room to find her seat, the way her delicate fingers brushed her hair behind her ear, but most of all he remembered the way her eyes glistened when she smiled, a smile she knew was meant for him. Looking back on it he realised he hadn't even learnt her name and yet this beautiful woman had fascinated him, and it was only the beginning.

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"Hello. My name is Gil Grissom, and as you know, for the next three days I'll be lecturing you on applied Entomology in Forensics, so, if we're all ready, lets begin".

Throughout the lecture he picked up on who would be back tomorrow, and who would be giving the proceeding lectures a wide birth. As far as he could tell, the stunning brunette in the front row who had caught his attention in the first place, would be back tomorrow… and hopefully the day after that.

As the lecture drew to a close he could see some of the students starting to fidget, anxious to stop listening to talk of bugs and dead bodies. Yet the brunette hadn't flinched, even through the rather gruesome slides.

"Well, that's it for today, I hope to see you all back here at the same time tomorrow". This statement was only met by the grumbling of many students, except for the brunette, who just smiled up at him, and he returned her smile with the first true smile he'd shown in months. Although he didn't want to leave this moment, he had to get back to his hotel and besides, he'd see her again tomorrow. He hoped.

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"Dr. Grissom! Dr. Grissom!". He turned around only to see the smiling brunette running towards him. Running. And it didn't look like she was going to stop. When she collided with him he wasn't completely prepared and the wind was knocked out of him as she landed on top of him.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry Dr. Grissom".

"That's quite ok," he chuckled, although not with as much conviction as he would have liked, seeing as he could barely breathe. It was then he realised he was still on top of him, just looking at him as though he were the only man she'd ever seen.

"So what was it that was so important you had to cause a human pile up to talk with me?" He smiled, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oh, I, um, you forgot your jacket…" she trailed off suddenly reminding herself of the awkward situation she was in.

"Thank you very much, now, do you think we could get up?"

"Oh yes, of course, sorry." She grumbled.

"That's quite alright, I was going to grab a coffee if you'd care to join me?"

He didn't have to ask her twice "yes, that would be great."

As they walked down the street towards the coffee shop he learnt that her name was Sara and that she's grown up in Tamaloes Bay. He instantly new how clever she was, and saw she shared his interest in forensics, although she was majoring in physics.

They reached the coffee shop and chose a booth in the corner to escape the throng of people wanting their afternoon coffee. As they continued to talk he realised she gave him butterflies, he felt like he was in high school again, despite being 15 years her senior.

They continued to talk about forensics and he spoke of his mother, who still lived in California.

Hours passed until finally it began to grow dark, he didn't want the day to end, and deep down he knew she didn't either and her next question only verified his thoughts.

"So, you wanna go to the beach or something? I mean, I know it's dark but it's peaceful with no one else there… and I'm rambling, sorry".

"No problem," she's cute when she gets nervous, he thought "and as a matter of fact, I'd love to go".

She visibly let out a breath. "Great," she smiled and took his hand to lead him out of the coffee shop, when he didn't drop her hand she didn't protest and he smiled inwardly at the thought of others thinking they were a couple.

When they reached the beach they found a spot sheltered by a cliff and sat down close, but not quite touching, apart from their hands still joined by their sides. He soon found this wasn't enough, so he put his arm around her shoulder ad pulled her close as she smiled at him.

Neither really knew what was going on, other than there was an undeniably strong attraction between them. Later they would argue about who made the first move, but he soon found himself slowly caressing her lips with his, when he found no reason to stop he took her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked lightly, causing her to let out a soft sigh.

As she deepened the kiss he became very aware of where he was, and pulled back, only to ask her if she wanted to go back to his hotel with him, to which she just nodded.

They found they couldn't walk back fast enough and when they entered the hotel room they discarded their clothes and made love slowly, tenderly and unlike anything either of them had ever felt before.

They did this for the 3 days until he left, but on the last day he said three words she would never forgive him for.

"I love you," spilled out of his mouth as they lay together. He couldn't understand why she began to cry, and held her until she stopped whilst looking at her with questioning eyes.

"You leave for Las Vegas in the morning," she explained, "I love you too, more than anything, but I resigned myself to the fact that I'd never see you again, and that you wouldn't feel the same way."

"Honey, of course I feel the same, and we will see each other again, I promise."

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He didn't see her breakdown after he left, he didn't feel the hot tears running down her cheeks, and he didn't hear her whisper his name every night as she fell asleep, promising him she'd never love again.

Just as she didn't see him crying the bathroom at the airport, she didn't feel the pain as he slammed his fist into the wall and she didn't see the way he built protective walls around himself, promising never to love another.

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Chapter 2.

Almost 10 years and hundreds of emails later, he finally called her, so it was business but it was her all the same. Sara. His Sara. The love of his life. Yet he felt a heart wrenching pain as he realised they couldn't be together. He was her supervisor, it was too complicated.

For a little over 5 years they worked around each other, both knowing they loved each other, yet both being too scared to put it in words.

Then she got suspended, and he realised neither of them was who the other had met in San Francisco, but their love had grown with them. It was as though it had been locked away, and the other held the key. That night they realised this, and as looked into her eyes and told her he loved her it was as though 15 years had never passed and they were back on that beach, wanting each other, touching each other and knowing what they had was special.

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Even now, 10 years later he thought back to those nights, both those nights they had realised they loved each other. They'd been through so much together, Nick's kidnapping, Sara being threatened, the lab explosion, marriage and children.

Now here they were, back in California, the whole team was here visiting, Catherine and Warrick, who had been married just after Sara and Grissom. Greg and Nick, who now lived together and had overcome so much together .

They were all there, together like it was always meant to be. Perfect. It may have taken a while, but after 15 years, they were all finally blissfully happy.