GSR

This is my first fic. Hopefully a few people will like it. Sorry if there are any errors, as I didn't have a beta. Please R&R!

Disclaimer: I don't own them (I wish!) I just thought it would be fun to play with them for a while. Don't worry; I put them back where I found them when I was finished with them!

Never The Same Again:

Sara Sidle smiled as she looked out the window at the beautiful rose garden in front of her. She turned around slowly and looked over herself in the mirror for what had to be the five hundredth time. As she was tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear she heard someone open the door quietly.

"Are you ready?" Nick asked.

"Definitely." She responded with a smile.

Nick walked the rest of the way into the room and took Sara's outstretched hand.

"You look beautiful." He said as he pulled her into a hug.

She smiled brightly and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Nick beamed. "C'mon," he said, "it's time."

"Can you give me a minute? Just to prepare myself?"

"Sure Sara, I'll be outside the door when you're ready."

Nick smiled, winked at her and walked out, closing the door behind him as he went.

Sara thought about all that had transpired in the past 4 months that had brought her to this day. Tears filled her eyes as she allowed herself to get lost in the reverie. Everyone at the lab had been terribly shaken after Nick was buried alive… and that's how it all began…

Sara stumbled blindly up the stairs to her apartment. When she reached the door she leaned against it heavily trying to get the key in the lock. All she wanted to do was take a quick, steaming hot shower and hit the sack. The door finally opened and she walked inside. She turned on the lamp by the door, threw the keys on the coffee table, plugged her cell phone into its charger and dragged herself to the bathroom.

After her shower she felt a little better. Glad to have all the sweat and dirt of the night off her body. As she was putting on her flannel pj's her mind kept wandering to Nick. It had been the most horrific night. So many times during the course of the evening she thought Nick was going to die in that box, and the thought terrified her. The relief when they found him and finding out that he was going to be alright had almost brought her, the one who rarely (if ever) showed emotion in front of others, to tears. Right there in front of everyone. Now, she just wanted to get all these thoughts out of her head so she could sleep.

Just as she was about to turn off the light and head to bed she heard a light knock at the door.

Who in the world could this be? She was very tempted to just ignore whoever it was and go to bed but something stopped her and she rather reluctantly went to the door and opened it.

"Grissom!" she was stunned to see his face before her.

"Hi Sara" He stated weakly. "Can I?..."

'"Oh! Sure, c'mon in." she said as she stepped aside to give him room to walk through the door. "Please, sit down. Can I get you anything?"

"No. Thank you."

Grissom sat on her couch with sigh. Sara could tell he was exhausted and by the look of him he must've come over straight from the lab and had yet to go home for what was left of the night. He was still covered with dirt and grime and everything about him looked disheveled. Sara sat next to him quietly and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He startled as she did frightening her and making her jump as well. Her reaction brought him out of his daze.

"Sorry." He mumbled. "I didn't mean to scare you."

She sat there wondering to herself why he came. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to. I can understand not wanting to be alone after a night like tonight. Well, if he wants to talk about it I'll be here for him… like always.

Sara didn't have to wonder much longer. Suddenly Grissom spoke. So quietly she had to strain to hear him.

"I've never been so scared in all my life." He whispered.

"Yea, me neither. Poor Nicky, I'm so glad we found him in time and that he's ok."

After a minute of silence Grissom spoke again, staring at his shoes as he did. "You know, I was terrified for Nick but… I couldn't help but think how I would've felt if it had been you in that box."

He had said the last part so quietly Sara wasn't sure she had heard him right. When he finally met her gaze and she saw the look in his eyes she knew she had, and she couldn't hide her surprise at this revelation.

She started to say that the stress of the night had been overwhelming for all of them when he held his hand up and stopped her.

"Wait. Let me finish. I know you're probably going to think this is just the shock of it all talking but…" he paused and looked so deeply into her eyes she thought she would melt on the spot, and when he took her hand in his she felt her heartbeat quicken, "… I love you Sara. More than anything in the world." He chuckled softly. "I've loved you from the moment I met you when I came to San Francisco to do that lecture and I saw you sitting in the audience. I've just always been too afraid to admit it to myself, and especially to you. Until now.

Sara opened her mouth to speak, but as she did no words came out and before she could think of what to say in response he continued, "Sara, it so easily could've been you. I could've handed you that assignment and you would've ended up in that coffin instead of Nick… I couldn't stop thinking about that and the more I did the more I realized that if anything like that ever happened to you I wouldn't want to go on living. I know I've been a jerk and hurt you and I'm so, so sorry. I should've told you all this years ago but I thought I was too old for you and that you deserved better."

At this Sara finally spoke. "Oh Griss… How could I want someone better when there isn't anyone better than you?" she whispered, choked by the tears that were starting to drip down her cheeks. "I love you too. Always have. Always will, even though you broke my heart for so long. All is forgiven now." She smiled at him brightly.

That smile was all he needed. He reached for her and kissed her with passion she had never felt before. She swore she saw fireworks as he kissed her over and over. Finally, after several minutes, they parted. Grissom smiled at her and it was then that she noticed the tears brimming in his eyes. She smiled back at him, wiped the tears away with her thumbs and placed a feather light kiss on each of his eyelids.

Not a week later she had moved into Grissom's townhouse. They had tried to keep the news about their relationship a secret but saying as how they worked with a bunch of people whose job it was to discover things, the secret was out soon enough. Everyone seemed genuinely happy for them and they all teased Sara and Grissom asking them what had taken them so long.

Things went wonderfully as the months ticked by and Sara was struck by how easy living with Grissom had been to get used to. It was like they had never lived apart. Sara had been shocked when, on Christmas morning, Grissom handed her a small, square box. She knew what it was before she ever removed the wrapping paper and she started trembling so much she could barely open it. Finally she lifted the lid of the box and gasped when she saw the gorgeous diamond ring inside. Grissom took the ring out of the box, and, taking her hand in his, got down on his knee in front of her.

"I know we haven't been officially "together" that long but I love you Sara. I've been without you for such a very long time and I don't ever want to be without you again as long as I live. I want to wake up next to you everyday. I want to wear a gold band on my finger that shows the world I belong to you. I want you to be my wife and the mother to my children. Sara, will you marry me?" he asked.

By the time he had finished his little speech they both had tears coursing down their faces. Sara could hardly speak but somehow she managed to say yes in spite of the sobs that escaped her.

They decided not to wait any longer than they had to for the wedding. It was going to be a small affair with just a few people in attendance, mostly co-workers from the lab. The tux, dress, and flowers were bought, the date set and the church booked. They asked Catherine to be the maid of honor and Sara asked Nick to walk her down the aisle, and he was more than happy to oblige.

Sara sighed quietly as she thought about the past. She smiled, trying not to cry so she wouldn't mess up the light makeup she had on. She checked herself over in the mirror one last time and once she was satisfied, she walked to the door and opened it.

"Ready now?" Nick asked.

Sara nodded and flashed him a bright smile.

"Well c'mon then pretty girl. It's show time and today you're the star."

Nick led her to the closed doors that opened into the sanctuary of the small church. As the doors were opened and Sara saw Grissom smiling at her from the other end of the aisle she could no longer hold back her tears and they began to fall freely. Suddenly messing up her makeup was far from her mind. As they reached the front of the church Nick kissed her cheek and handed her over to Grissom with a smile.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur. All she could see was Grissom's face and all she could feel was his hand joined with hers. She repeated the pastor when she was supposed to but all she could think about was Grissom standing in front of her. Finally the time came that she had been waiting for. The pastor pronounced them man and wife and told them to kiss. Grissom's smile grew even bigger as he leaned in a kissed her. Everyone in the church clapped and cheered. Sara smiled to herself as she realized that she was finally Mrs. Gilbert Grissom.

Later that night as they lay in bed about to drift off to sleep Sara felt happier than she ever had before. Wrapped tightly in his arms she felt more content than she ever thought possible, and when he kissed the back of her neck and whispered, "I love you sweetheart," in her ear, she knew life would never be the same again.

The End