A/N: This is what I would like to see happen in 9 x 10. I would love to know what you think.

I'm Alive

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathin' in and out's a blessing can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life and I'm alive and well
Yeah I'm alive and well. -Kenny Chesney/Dave Mathews

As Sara regained consciousness, she heard voices that did not seem familiar but felt a touch that she would know anywhere. She listened for his voice but did not hear it. Everything was blurry at first as she opened her eyes and then she focused on a name. GRISSOM, a name she had said a million different times ...a million different ways. Looking up into his blue eyes, she saw the concerned smile and felt a slight squeeze of her hand. Right then and there she new and with a slight smile of her own, she thought ....I'm alive.

Sara slept on and off in the day after she was found and at one point she woke to find someone other than Grissom holding her hand. Looking up at the owner of the hand, she smiled.

"Hey."

A tear began to slide down Nick's cheek and he let a breath out. "Don't ever do that to me again."

"Oh believe me I tried my best to not let it happen in the first place." Sara nodded at the cup of water sitting on the table next to the hospital bed. "Would you mind..."

Letting go of Sara's hand, Nick passed the cup over to her. "Yeah ...Warrick figured you got out of the trunk and put up a fight."

"Oh yes, I got the battle scars to prove it." Sara took a sip of the water and stared at it for a second. "So you were the one to find me?"

"Yes, but I had some help from you. I am pretty certain we would have a different outcome here if you would have left that mirror back in the Mustang." The tears began to form again. "As for those cuts and scrapes ...eventually they go away. It might not be tomorrow but someday you will start to forget ...I know."

"I just thank my lucky stars I'm alive."

"I think all of us are, especially the boss. Speaking of Grissom, he ran back to the house to grab your clothes." Nick began to shake his head with a little smile. "You know, to the house you two share and let the dog you two have ...out."

Sara began to chew on her lower lip. "I was going to..."

Nick held a hand up. "Stop, no need to explain. I get it and I am happy for you two. He just better treat you right."

"Oh Nick, he does. In his Grissom way, he does. I am so lucky to be able to come back to him. I feel like I have been given a second chance at life ...like this is the first day of the rest of my life."

Grissom was still frustrated as he finished up his walk with Hank. He thought that the fresh air would help to clear his mind. As he stepped through the front door, he felt the same as when he left an hour ago. His mind was filled with all of the loss that surronded his life. Thoughts of the newest case they just solved, the dead singer who died before her time. Warrick Brown, yet another person who should have lived to see his boy grow up. Then there was Sara, as always he was consumed with thoughts of Sara. As he made his way into the kitchen he saw the blinking light on the answering machine. He put Hanks leash beside it and as he pushed play he heard the sound of Sara's voice.

"Hello ...I confess, I called the house knowing I had a better chance of you not being there. I guess it is easier to talk to the machine than you. I wanted to let you know that I made it off the boat, alive and well. Wow ...I can finally say that I am alive and well. The other thing I was calling about was to tell you to look for a package at the house tomorrow. With Christmas comming up I made those cookies you like. Have a great Christmas and I wish you nothing but the best for 2009."

The answering machine beeped and Grissom replayed the message a few more times.

At around noon the next day, there was a knock on Grissoms front door. He opened it to find a delivery man with a package, thanking the man he closed the door and sat down on the couch with the box. Reading the return address, he noticed she was living back in San Fransico. As he opened the box he found the cookies that she had made him and nothing else. No note, no letter ...just the cookies. Munching on a cookie he thought about how much life Sara had brought into to his home ...into his life. Everything seemed better when Sara was around and right then and there he made a desicion.

A month later he walked through his front door with the last of the boxes from his office. He was no longer Gil Grisssom CSI, right now he was just Gil Grissom. Switching the box for his suitcase, he grabbed Hank and they hit the road. It took a day of driving and after some much needed sleep, he went in search for Sara. Talking to the nice old lady at Sara's apartment building, he learned that she spent her days sailing. Walking down the dock he saw her working on the boat, he would have stood there all day but Hank's bark gave them away.

Sara stopped what she was doing. "Grissom?"

He began walking closer to the boat. "Hey, I bet you are a little surprised to see me here?"

"You could say that." Sara jumped down off of the boat to help settle Hank down.

"I have made a descision Sara."

Sara looked up in shock. "What?"

"You Sara ....I want to be with you. I tried life without you and I never want to be away from you again."

"What about work ...the lab?"

"I quit."

"You quit ...just like that?"

Grissom took a step closer to her and put his hand in hers. "Just like that."

They stood there hand in hand for a moment until Sara was the first to speak. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Well right now I plan to convince this beautiful woman to take my dog and I for a sail. What do you say?"

"There is nothing that would please me more than to take you two sailing. Come on, lets help Hank on."

They lifted Hank onto the boat and Grissom jumped on after him. He held his hand out to Sara and as he helped her on, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Later on that night, they lay on the top deck watching the stars together.

Sara put her head on Grissom's chest. "I thought that nothing would be more beautiful than the stars over the desert ...then I saw this. It is like they are dancing out there on the water."

Grissom ran his hand through her hair. "It is amazing."

Sara turned her head to look up at him. "So what happens next?"

"I think we figure it out as we go along ...together."

Six months after Grissom left the crime lab, they received an envelope addressed to the graveyard shift. That night in the break room, Catherine gathered everyone around to open it. The only thing the envelope contained was a picture. A beardless Grissom, a boxer mid pant and a very tan Sara stood on a boat with the sun setting in the background. Flipping the picture over they read, 'Alive and well in California ...or somewhere off the coast. The Grissom's.'