Disclaimer: I don't own the main characters

Summary: After the events of Season 4 finale, Grissom wants to start his friendship over with Sara, will she agree to that, and if so, will something more eventually happen?
Also, wanting a change for her and her daughter, Catherine makes a difficult decision that will not only change their lives, but down the road, one other. More details inside.

AN: Those of you who've looked at my profile and read my other non GSR stories, knows that I am also a Ducaine fan from CSI: Miami, and currently I started a series with them called 'A moment can change everything.' Well, to make a long story short, this GSR story is part of that same universe, but you don't have to read that one to get this one, unless you want to read a little more about Catherine, and especially Lindsey. I also want to give you a heads up that there is a little spoiler about GSR, and Catherine for that matter, later in that story, so keep that in mind if you ever want to read that before finding out what happens in this one. I hope you give this a chance and enjoy it.

AN#2: I also want to apologize to those who already knows what happens before getting this one. I just didn't come up with the idea of this story until after I was done with that one.

Title: Starting Over
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Family, Drama
Rating: T
Spoilers: Subtle mentions of multiple episodes throughout the seasons 1-5
Time-line: Starts right after season 4 finale
Warnings: Implied/suggestive adult behavior
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: ?
Other Characters: Nick, Greg, Sofia (Mention only), OC

Chapter 1: Staring Over?

May, 2004

After walking out of PD, Grissom walked them towards his vehicle, and once Sara was in the passenger side, he walked to the driver's side and got in before starting it and driving them towards her apartment, which was done in complete silence and tension filled.

There was so much he wanted to tell her, including how scared he was about getting the phone call tonight, thinking the worst before he found out what actually happened, while she was ashamed that she let her drinking get this far and that he was the one that had to come and get her from the police station.

When she had accepted to come here four years ago, she never imagined it being this bad between them or her going down this dark path, she just knew something had to change, and quickly, because if not, she was afraid on what could happen next.

She sighed and closed her eyes while shaking her head from that thought, which Grissom heard the sigh, so he asked softly. "Are you ok?"

She opened her eyes a second later before looking out her window again as she whispered. "I'm fine."

He cringed a little as he heard the words and tone, knowing those words meant the opposite of how she was really feeling, hearing them too often lately, and wanting to kick himself for not being more aware of how she was really doing.

Once he finally pulled into her apartment's parking lot, he stopped in front of the building, and after a moments pause, they looked at one another and started to speak at the same time.

"Grissom I..."

"Sara, I'm sorry."

They slowly smiled at one another before she spoke first this time as she lost her smile. "What are you sorry for?"

He took a breath before he replied softly. "The way things have been between us after your first year here. I know now that my pushing you away the last few years made you feel like you couldn't come to me, so I'm sorry, I never wanted things to get as bad as they did."

Not able to stop herself, she asked. "Why did they? Why did you start pushing me away?" Grissom's heart started to race while he opened his mouth, then he closed it and looked in front of him, not able to get the words out, and Sara, who had seen his hesitation side all too often and wasn't in the mood tonight, sighed, almost in a defeated way, as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Goodnight, Grissom."

When he heard the door open, he looked over at her and spoke in an almost pleading tone. "Sara, wait!"

She looked over at him and shook her head slightly. "For what? I don't know..."

Grissom cuts her off. "Can uh, can we start over?"

She raised an eyebrow as she asked. "Excuse me?"

He nodded his head, took another deep breath and continued. "I may not have the right to ask this, but can we start our friendship over, just wipe the slate clean and start from the beginning, do you think it is possible?"

Seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, her heart couldn't help but melt at the sight, but before she agreed to that, she asked. "If I do agree, you have to promise me we won't go back to the way it was the last three years. We talk, and I mean really talk, get to know each other again." Then she ended softly as she looked out in front of her. "I've really missed you, Griss. I've missed the friendship we had before everything went wrong."

Building up all the courage he had, he moved his hand and placed it over her left one, which was on her thigh, both feeling the sparks instantly as their eyes met again, then he whispered. "I've missed our friendship too, Sara, and I promise we'll talk, really talk."

What they felt towards one another, which had always been there under the surface, even if there was a denial, mostly on his part, was more than friendship, and as much as they would love to just jump right into the type of relationship they've always wanted, they
both knew they should and felt better about taking it one step at a time.

Seeing in his eyes he was serious about this and really was tying to make an effort here, there was no way she was going to turn her back on him now, so she slowly smiled with a nod. "Ok, let's start over."

Grissom gets that smile that always made her heart race, and not only for her words but also seeing a genuine smile on her face, something he honestly hasn't seen in a long time, which made him want to kick himself for that too.

He mentally shook his head before nodding in return. "Thank you, I promise things will be different now."

She saw the truth in his eyes and in his tone, but the actions needed to be there too before she really believed him, so she nodded. "I want to believe you, I do, but..."

He cuts her off as he lightly squeezed her hand. "I know, actions speaks louder than words most times, and I'll really try my best."

Feeling emotional, but keeping them inside, she nodded with the smile still on her face. "I know that, and I will too. After all, this friendship is a two-way street." He just nodded, and as they sat there, they continued to look into each other's eyes while his hand was still on hers, but neither one seemed to care.

Eventually though, they knew they needed to part, so she cleared her throat and started to speak after several seconds of silence. "I should get inside."

With his hand still on hers, he nodded again. "Ok."

"And Griss?"

"Yeah?"

"I know I said I'm fine, but can I..."

He cuts her off with a smile. "Take all the time that you need."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

After another moment, he finally removed his hand, both missing the feeling instantly, but hiding it as she turned towards the door and finally pushed it open all the way, and while she was getting out, he cleared his throat and asked. "Breakfast in the morning?"

Her feet touched the cement before she turned to look at him trough the opened passenger door with a smile. "Yeah, just let me know when."

"I will, goodnight, Sara."

"Goodnight, Grissom."

When she finally closed the door, she headed for the entrance to her building while Grissom watched the whole time to make sure she got in alright before he started driving again, going back to the lab with a smile.

When Grissom got back to the lab, he was suppose to be working on some paperwork that he had been neglecting for awhile, which was nothing new, and while he did get some of it done, he also ended up letting his mind wander, his thoughts turning to Sara, and once again this wasn't new to him. He couldn't even say how many times he caught himself thinking of her from the moment they had met. However, what was new to him about his thoughts about her was that it wasn't just about her, like the way she smiled, laughed, or even how it felt to watch her process a crime scene, these thoughts turned to how their first date could be, their second, even their third, how a life with her could actually feel like.

Now he knew that even if they did restore their friendship to what it once was, even greater than before, there was no guarantee it will go further than that.

But he also knew he had to at least try because day by day he was getting tired of hiding how he felt, if getting that phone call earlier had reminded him on anything, it was that one moment can change everything, and if something ever happened to her and he didn't say how he felt, he would never forgive himself, especially if he knew she did in fact feel the same way and they missed out on the life they could have had, so he was hoping that what she said last year about by the time he figured 'it', meaning them, out, he could be too late, wasn't true. Which if things had turned a more dangerous way for her tonight, that statement couldn't have been truer.

He mentally shuddered at the last thought, which made him aware of his surroundings again, and that also meant he finally heard Catherine, who had been saying his name a couple of times, so he mentally shook his head again before looking up at the blond, who had a smile on her face. "You thinking about buying a new bug or an answer to a crossword puzzle you've been stuck on? Because I don't think I've ever seen you that deep in thought before." Then she lost the smile a little as she asked. "Unless your hearing is failing you again?"

He shook his head and waved off her concern. "My hearing is fine." Then he cleared his throat and asked. "What's up Catherine, you're here a little earlier than usual."

Knowing she wasn't going to know what he had been thinking about so deeply, she just pushed that thought away before answering. "Do I have to say more than one word, paperwork?"

He shook his head with a smile before smirking in a sarcastic tone. "Nope, it is the joys of being a supervisor."

Even though technically she was just an assistant to one, she did have more paperwork than if she was still a level 3.

She nodded with a small smile before she sighed and continued. "I also need to talk to you about something."

Feeling this conversation was taking a more serious turn, he moved back in his chair and held out his hand towards the chair that was in front of his desk to indicate she could sit down, and after she did, he asked. "Ok, what about?"

Catherine took a moment to gather her thoughts before telling him something she never thought she would. "This wasn't an easy decision. I even went back and forth a few times before making it, but ultimately I believe it's the best move. I have decided to leave Vegas."

To say that Grissom was shocked was an understatement, and honestly at first he thought she was joking, but when he saw the seriousness in her eyes and a little sadness, he knew she wasn't, so he took his glasses off as he replied softly. "Cath..."

She cuts him off, trying to keep her emotions intact. "Things have been getting worse with Lindsey, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose my daughter. I think a different scenery for the both of us is for the best."

Grissom took a moment or two to process what his oldest friend had said, then he cleared his throat before speaking. "I don't think I have to tell you how much of an assist you are to this lab, or how much I will miss working with you." Catherine smiled as a few tears started to come to her eyes, hearing how sincere he was. "But, if you really feel this strongly on leaving, then do it, I support you 100%"

She swiped the tears from her eyes before nodding after clearing her throat. "Thank you Grissom for everything you said and taught me, I owe a lot to the type of CSI I am to you."

Always not able to take compliments, not that he didn't appreciate them though, he gave her a shy smile and nod before asking after clearing his throat. "So, is there a specific place we are losing you to?"

"Miami."

He raised an eyebrow as he smirked. "Miami, I see, so you've kept in touch with the supervisor there, huh?"

About two years ago they had a case that lead them to Miami, and he sent Catherine and Warrick down there to investigate it.

Getting where he was going with that, she shook her head with a smile. "Strictly as friends." When he gave her a 'yeah right, I believe you' look, she continued. "It's true. Besides, I believe he has his eye on someone else." After he just nodded, she spoke again, getting them back to the original conversation. "So, will a month be enough time for you to find someone to replace me?"

He shook his head a second later before replying. "Replace you? Never could happen, no matter how many people get interviewed for the job, but to find someone to put on the team, I think that can be done."

Even though she knew he meant those words as friends, it still warmed her heart that he thought of her like that, and she nodded with a smile as she stood up from the seat, then as she started walking towards the door, Grissom spoke again. "And speaking of the team, when do you want to tell them?"

She stopped at the closed door before looking back at him. "How about after shift?"

"Usual eating place?"

"That sounds about right."

"Alright."

She nodded one more time before finally walking out of his office, which as she did, he took a breath as he slowly puts his glasses back on.

It looked like more than one thing was about to change in his life, and while he wasn't exactly thrilled about one of them, he just wanted his friend to be happy, while the other one, well, time will tell if it will be the best change of his life.

AN: Hope it was ok. Thanks for reading and please review, more to come.