Disclaimer: Don't own the main characters.
Summary: A Tragic circumstance brings them back in each other's company for the first time in years. So will this event finally push them back together, or will they be saying goodbye for good this time? Please read and find out. A Three Chapter Story. Setting: Six months after the Season 15 Finale.
AN: Hi everybody, just know this story was not planned. It had came to me a little unexpectedly when life threw me another major curve ball last week. I lost my Grandma (My second one this year and last grandparent), whom I was very close to and loved very much, so I had to deal with my pain/sorrow somehow, and this was what came out. So I hope you give this story the same courtesy you've given my others, Thank you.
AN#2: To be honest I've hardly watched CSI in the later seasons, so anything that I mention during that time is mostly due to spoilers or reading about it, so I apologize with any inaccuracies regarding the circumstances of the characters.
Title: Welcome Home
Genre: Tragedy, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Friendships, Family
Rating: T
Spoilers: Could have references from any seasons 1-15
Time-line: Six months after season 15 finale
Warnings: Minor Character Death
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: None
Other Characters: Nick, Catherine, DB, Greg, Morgan, Brass, Finlay (All mostly just mentioned)
Welcome Home
Chapter 1: Saying Goodbye
It was a cool and cloudy day, matching the dark/painful mood that was raging inside of him.
Now deep down he knew this day was going to happen, he knew that the moment he started learning about life, but then again, a part of him always wanted to believe that it wouldn't, that it couldn't happen to her.
She had been his rock, a strong woman he looked up to, who taught him so much, and was always there when he needed her, whether it was conversations over the phone or welcoming him home with open arms when he showed up, even the times he did unexpectedly. And for the longest time she was the only true, special woman in his life.
From the moment he was told that she was gone, it felt too unreal, it still does, even today with him and all these people around saying their last goodbye's. He only wished this was a bad dream he could wake up from.
Gilbert Grissom's thoughts were interrupted when the minister had finished his opening speech for the start of the service and spoke to him. "Gilbert Grissom, would you like to say a few words?"
The bearded man cleared his throat with a nod as he stood up from the chair he was sitting in before walking to the podium, and after he stopped behind it, he opened the inside of his blue suit jacket and pulled out his glasses before pulling out a couple of pieces of paper, one was a poem he wanted to read, and the other was his own written words about the woman he loved.
Once his glasses were in place, he looked at the people who were silently showing their support, which some he would admit was a surprise, and others he hadn't seen in many years.
He cleared his throat again, but it didn't matter because the emotion was still in there when he talked. "Before I begin, I want to thank you all for showing up today. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure it does for her too." After a quick nod from everybody, he looked at the translator for those guests who were deaf before he looked down at his notes for a second to settle his emotions, then after clearing his throat for the third time, he started. "My mom, the woman who taught me so much about life. Would could I say about her..."
As he continued with the words he had written, he scanned his eyes over everybody who showed up, taking a longer look at those who kind of a shocked him when he saw them walking up to him. He just thought that with everything that had happened in the last few years, he wasn't really expecting all his CSI team/family to be here, or more like the somewhat resemblance to the team he had, only Greg and Sara remained within the team from his time at the lab.
Now it consisted of Morgan, whom Grissom had noticed seemed pretty close to Greg but he wasn't sure if anything more than friendship was going on between them. Finlay, who had woken up from a coma a few months ago, and the nightshift supervisor, DB Russell, who was leaving the team in a few weeks to join an FBI group that works in the cyber department in Quantico.
He found out Nick's been working in San Diego the last six months, Brass was still enjoying his retired life in LA, and Catherine was still in the FBI, also enjoying her life.
He didn't get to talk to them much before the start of the service since he still had other people to greet, but he did tell them, despite the circumstances that brought them here today, that it was nice to see them, even seeing Sara was nice. Although the pain he had been feeling since he had gotten the call about his mother hurt ten times worse because of the messed up situation they were in.
Grissom mentally shook his head as he finished up his time at the podium, ending with a declaration of his love for her and how much he'll miss her.
After one more sniffle, he looked at the copied picture he had chosen to display, which was his parent's wedding picture, before he walked toward his chair, sat back down and bent his head down to hide his tears as the minister started saying a few more words.
He had barley sat down and bent his head when he felt a presence next to the chair he was sitting in, and before he ever felt her hand on his, he didn't even have to look to know who it was, because his heart always knew when she was near. But when he did feel her hand slip between the two of his and her slim fingers slid through his right one, a warm feeling washed over him, it also made him stop a sharp sob before it came out.
When the director of the funeral announced that the service was officially over, Sara and Grissom looked at one another, but before they could say anything, his attention was averted to some family members he hadn't seen in many years, so after Sara squeezed his hand, she removed it and told him softly that she'll let him talk to his family before getting up and walking back over to the team.
A little while later, he was getting the finale condolences from family members and his mother's friends before the CSI team walked up to him with Catherine leading the way.
He gave them all a smile when they stopped in front of him. "Thank you guys for showing up.
I really appreciate it." As they nodded, he looked at the three people he barley knew, only really knowing them from what Sara had said about them when they use to talk before everything went horribly wrong. "And it was nice finally meeting you. I'm sorry it had to be in this circumstance though."
After they nodded and said likewise, Catherine stepped up to her oldest friend and gave him a hug, which he reciprocated quickly. "I'm sorry for your loss, Gil. Do you want me to stay and help you out with anything?"
He had to go to his mother's house to pack up her things and clean so he could put her place, his childhood home, up for sale. It would have been too hard to keep, even if he could afford it.
When Betty had moved to Vegas from Santa Monica while he was living there, she had placed her house for rent in the real-estate section of the paper. But when Grissom started traveling more in the last few years, she decided to move back to Santa Monica. She had never really been fond of Vegas, only moving there to be near her son, so with him not being there very often, she thought it was time to come back home.
Grissom cleared his throat as he shook his head while pulling back from her arms. "No it's ok, and really all you guys can head out. I'm sure you have jobs and other things to get back to. I'll be alright."
They paused, which the people who knew him so well knew this was when he'll shut everybody out, and as much as they could try to change his mind, he'll keep on insisting that he didn't need anybody's help. So instead of wasting their breaths or making it worse, Catherine nodded and squeezed his hand. "Alright, but call anytime you need to talk to me, Ok?" When he just nodded, Catherine shook her head, not satisfied with that response. "Say, 'I promise, Catherine.'"
They all chuckled softly as Grissom nodded with a small smile. "I promise, Catherine."
She gives him a little smile with a nod. "That's better, thank you."
After another soft chuckle from them, and short nod from Grissom, he received handshakes from some in the group, and hugs from the others.
When it came to Sara, she stopped in front of him and hesitated for a second before bringing him in her arms, but his hold on her felt really loose because he was afraid of pulling her too close to him at this moment. He might never want to let her go again if he did, so it was better this way, or at least that's what he kept telling himself.
When they pulled back a second later, she cleared her throat before speaking. "I'm sorry about your mom, Grissom. She loved you so much, you were her world."
Grissom nodded while holding back his tears. "Thank you." After she does a short nod, he cleared his throat before finishing, pushing her away when he said. "Have a safe flight back to Vegas."
Asking him if he would like her to stay was on the tip of her tongue, but she held it back and nodded. "Bye Grissom."
Asking her if she could stay was on the tip of his tongue, but he also held it back as he nodded in return. "Bye Sara."
After one more look between them, she turned and started walking away with the rest of the group while he sat back down in his chair to say one more prayer while closing his eyes.
As he was finishing up, he felt that all too familiar hand on his shoulder, but it still startled him for a second before he calmed down once that warm feeling rushed through him again as his heart raced.
He opened his eyes, turned his head and looked up, and as her sad brown eyes were looking into his very sad blue eyes, he spoke softly. "You should go with them, you are going to miss your flight."
Sara shook her head. "I don't care."
As she was walking away with the group her heart was breaking for him, even more than when she first found out what had happened to his mom, because every step that she took brought more distance between them, in more ways than one. And despite how screwed up it was between them at this moment, all of that took a backseat today. She wasn't going to let him cut off everybody, especially her, not again and not when he needed some one more than he was willing to admit.
He sighed. "Sara..."
But she cuts him off. "I'm not going to let you push me away." He was about to speak, but she continued before he could. "Now, do you need a few more minutes or are you ready to go? Just know either choice you make, I'm not leaving you, so don't ask me to."
When she got that determined look in her eyes and that no nonsense tone of voice, he knew not to argue with her. Besides, he didn't have the energy to do it anyways, so he took a breath and nodded. "I'm ready now."
She gives him a little nod and smile as she squeezed his shoulder. "Alright, let's go then."
He nodded one more time as he stood up, then after one more look at the picture and both parents tombstones, silently saying a finale goodbye, he turned and walked away with Sara by his side.
By then her hand wasn't on him anymore, but just knowing that she was by his side for the moment meant more to him than he was ready to admit out loud.
AN: I know sad, but like I said up top there was a reason for that. Two more chapters to go. Will they be together by the end? Please review.
