A/N: This story is dedicated to my beta JellyBeanChiChi. She has been an awesome inspiration and an amazing guiding hand in this young writer's unprofessional career.

What's the back story to this you ask? After reading my many graphic scenes for Face the Music, and other stories, one of her steadfast comments has been to, "Put down the Pepsi and go get a dip cone." Finally she said that after everything that I have put our poor Bug Man through that he should have a dip cone too. So, I decided to give him one.

Big thanks to sidle77 for beta reading this for me.

A Puppy, an Ice Cream and Catching the Bus

This had been, indisputably, the best day of Gil Grissom's life.

He had worked a double shift. His car was in the shop. And there was a mess of paper work piled on his desk at the lab. But Sara Sidle had said, 'I love you.'

They were three simple words that could change everything in a man's life. Three words that could brighten even the bleakest of futures. And she had said them to him.

Jim Brass had offered him a ride home that morning. Grissom only showed him the big grin that he had been sporting all night, said that he felt like taking a stroll and he would see him later that night.

Now, as he strolled down the sidewalk with the sun on his face and the gentle breeze rustling ever so slightly through his graying curls the whole world felt right.

As Grissom passed Pete's Pet Shop he stopped when something sitting in the big bay window caught his eye. She was absolutely gorgeous. Gil felt the tiny beagle puppy tug at his heart strings as she looked up at him with her big, brown eyes, brown eyes that reminded him of Sara's.

'She would make a great companion for Hank.' Gil thought to himself. 'But he's kind of old for her.'

What difference did that make? He was kind of old for Sara and she had said, 'I love you.' The little puppy made a play for Gil's finger as he slid it along the glass.

She would be good for Hank and she looked awfully lonely in there, all by herself. Gil strolled into the pet shop and approached the man behind the counter.

"You must be Pete." Gil still held his smile.

"That's right." Pete smiled back. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"I'd like that beagle puppy in the window."

"Ah, Daisy, a great choice. She's a real sweetheart."

Gil's smile broadened even more, if that were possible as he looked down at Daisy in his arms as he walked out of the pet shop. He had just charged six hundred dollars to his credit card, but that didn't matter he had just added a new, adorable member to his little family and every time he looked into her eyes he was reminded of the love of his life.

They made their way down the crowded sidewalk but Gil didn't seem to mind all of the people. As they passed the ice cream shop he stopped and looked back at the building.

"What do you think, Daisy?" Gil said as he looked down at the puppy who was looking right back at him.

"Do you think we should get an ice cream?" Daisy whined and he nodded his head.

"I agree." He said and headed into the ice cream parlor.

Gil stepped up to the counter and took a moment to look at the menu hanging on the wall.

"We don't allow pets in here, sir." The pimply faced boy behind the counter droned.

"Oh, shut up, Mike." The teenage girl who stepped up behind him scolded. "She's adorable. What's her name?"

"Her name is Daisy." Gil grinned as he tickled his puppy under her chin.

"She is the sweetest thing I have ever seen." She scratched Daisy behind her ear before turning back to Gil. "What can I get for you, sir?"

Gil pursed his lips as he looked back up at the menu. "I think I'd like a dip cone."

Gil stepped back onto the sidewalk with daisy in his arm and a dip cone in his hand.

He bit off a chunk of the shell and held it out for the dog to lick at, which she did enthusiastically. As he stepped into the crosswalk he took the cone back and licked it himself.

He was crossing the street to catch the bus as he passed the cone back over to Daisy. He smiled as he watched her lick at the ice cream and never heard the woman scream…

"Watch out!"

The wind was knocked from his lungs. He was struck by something big and heavy and thrown down the street. Daisy flew out of his arms and was caught by the woman who had screamed the warning to the unsuspecting scientist.

The sky above Gil whirled as he was overcome by dizziness. A crowd gathered around him and their voices became distant as darkness slowly overtook him.

"Is he still alive?" The business man in an ugly brown tie asked, as he hovered over Gil's unconscious form.

"Somebody call nine-one-one!" The frantic woman holding Daisy screamed.

"Holy shit! Holy shit!" The hysterical bus driver yelled. "I didn't see him step into the street. Oh man, my boss is gonna fire me!"

Gil's eyes sluggishly opened to see nothing but white above him. He slowly allowed himself to wake , as the grogginess lifted, and let his eyes wander throughout the room.

He looked to his right and saw Sara sitting beside the bed, Daisy nestled on her lap and Jim standing beside her.

When his eyes wandered a little more he saw Catherine and Warrick standing at the other side of his bed.

"Wh… what happened?" Gil croaked from his parched throat as he looked back at Sara.

"You caught the bus." Jim said, with a sparkle in his eye. "Literally."

Sara elbowed Jim in the stomach and looked at Gil with a soft smile. "You were hit by a bus, Gil."

"How bad is it?"

"Well…" Sara looked at the others before going on. "You fractured your right leg in six places, and your right arm in four. Broken ribs, a fractured right hip and you cracked your skull when it bounced off the pavement."

Gil groaned.

"But the doctor said that your concussion was mild and that you are a very lucky man."

Noticing how groggy their friend still was, and being satisfied that he was awake and going to be okay, Catherine, Warrick and Jim decided they would leave their friend to rest. Sara remained seated as she watched the others leave.

When they were alone Grissom smiled weakly as he closed his eyes. "Say it to me again." He asked.

"Say what?" Sara asked, confused by his request.

"What you told me last night, after dinner. It made my day the last time you said it," Gil said without opening his eyes. "And I could really use the lift now."

Sara smiled shyly as she scratched Daisy behind one of her floppy ears. "I love you, Gil."

The smile returned to Grissom's face and he let out a contented sigh. "I love you too, Sara."

A/N: I would love to hear your reviews, although I am pretty sure that I know what you are all going to say;)