Disclaimer: Don't own the main characters

Summary: A year had passed since the last story had ended. Find out what happened in that time, and what's going to happen next. Third story in the Worth Fighting For Series. Setting: Early Season 10.

AN: Ok, here's the deal. I went back and forth and really struggled with how I wanted to do this one. Like a part in last story, I really wanted to get it close to cannon as I could...but only up to a certain point. So, I decided to do it this way, which you'll see in the first chapter on what I mean, for some moments that I couldn't really do otherwise. Just know that our couple will remain intact, so please be patient as the story unfolds.

AN#2: Seeing how this is the third story to the Series, it my be a good idea to read the other two if you don't want to feel too lost, just a thought. Continue at your own risk.

Title: No Matter the Distance
Genre: Romance, Drama, Friendships, Family, Case
Rating: T
Spoilers: Any Mentions of any seasons 1-9 is possible
Time-line: Season 10 (1 year & 2 months after last story ended)
Warnings: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior, Sensitive themes
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: Cath/Nick
Other Characters: Greg, Lindsey, Warrick (A Little), Ecklie (Briefly), OC's
Series Order: Worth Fighting for, For Better or Worse, No Matter the Distance

Chapter 1: Making a tough decision

Flashback

Sara and Grissom walked into their bedroom after they had updated his mom on Warrick's condition since she had stayed at home with the twins while they were at the hospital for most of the night. Then as Sara walked into the bathroom with the night clothes she had on earlier, Grissom walked to the bed and sat down on the end of it, still reeling from the events that had happened tonight, as he bent his head down before placing his face in his hands with a deep sigh.

When Sara walked into the bedroom a few minutes later, her husband still had his face in his hands, so she walked up to him before kneeling down so her knees were on the floor, then she took his hands away from his face before cupping his cheeks with a caring look. "Babe, he's going be ok. He'll be out of the hospital and back to work before you know it."

They had gotten good news that Warrick had survived the bullet and the surgery. He'll just have to have a little time to heal. They also got news that the police had found the suspect not long after.

He nodded, taking another breath, more in relief this time, before speaking. "I know." He closed his eyes as she brought his face closer to hers, and after their foreheads touched, he breathed out again. "I know." She then wrapped one of her arms around him so she could run her hand up and down his back in a soothing motion, feeling him relax to her touch a few seconds later.

After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and pulled back to look into her eyes before he gave her a little smile. "Thank you."

She gave him one back, and pecks him on the lips. "Anytime, babe."

They shared one more kiss before they move so she could get into bed and crawl under the covers while he grabbed his sweatpants and walked into the bathroom to change.

He walked back into the bedroom not long after, and turned out the light in the bathroom before walking over to the bed, then after getting in, he turned off the lamp on his side before laying down on his back.

When he was settled, Sara scooted closer to him so she could claim her spot on his chest, placing her head over his heart as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders while placing the other hand on hers that she had placed on his chest before running his thumb in circles on top of it.

After a few minutes of silence, he spoke. "I've been thinking since leaving the hospital. Why don't we leave Vegas for a bit after Warrick is back at work."

"Like a Vacation?"

"Yeah, a family vacation sounds great."

She paused before asking. "What about the team, the lab?"

He took another breath before replying. "Catherine is very capable, even Nicky is ready if she decides she doesn't want all that responsibility, so she could spend more time with their son. Let them decide what to do."

Not long after the twins had their first birthday, Catherine gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, and the family was over the moon about him, especially Lindsey.

After another pause, Sara lifts her head up and places her chin on their hands before looking at his face, and once he tipped his head forward and down so they could look at each other, she asked. "Do you have a place in mind?"

He then cupped her cheek. "I was thinking we can start at Mom's, spend more time with her before going up to Boston for a few weeks. Then after that, we can play it by ear."

It wasn't by far the first time they had planned and went on a family vacation, but usually it was no longer than a week, so it kind of shocked her that he didn't have a time frame on when he wanted to be back. Of course, Bailey started college in three months, so surely they would have to be back before then, right?

"You sure you want to do this?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't you?"

Sara's lips slowly lifted up in a smile. "No phone calls to interrupt our time together? Unlimited time with you and the kids together? And a bonus, going outside of Vegas while doing all of this? Sign me up, please." He chuckled as she continued, but her smile dimmed a little. "I just want to make sure this is something you really want. Are you ok?"

He nodded with a smile as he ran his thumb up and down her cheek. "I'm fine, honey. I just want to spend time with my family, and like you said, outside of Vegas without interruptions.
Plus, I think it would be a nice reward for Bailey. Including everything she's been through, she's also been our rock, always there watching the twins with no question's asked and putting her social life on hold at times. She deserves to see some places outside of Vegas before she starts the next stage of her life."

Sara couldn't argue with him on that one, Bailey deserved at least that and more, so she nodded with a bigger smile. "Let's do it then."

He smiled bigger. "Yeah?"

She chuckled as she moved up so her lips were above his. "Yeah."

Their lips touched a second later before they started deepening it, but before any action could be taken further, and knowing they were too tired to do anything more tonight, he slowed their kissing down to little pecks, and after the last one, they smiled against each another's lips before he finally pulled back.

She opens her eyes slowly, a little dazed as the feelings he could still provoke throughout her body were settling down, then she cleared her throat and smiled again. "Well, if I knew I was going to get that kind of reaction from you, I would have said yes a few minutes earlier."

He chuckled, and after kissing her on the forehead softly, they get comfortable in their original positions with their legs intertwined before sighing in content.

As they closed their eyes, he whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, babe."

It didn't take them long to fall asleep, and when they went into dreamland; they dreamed about what fun their family was going to have wherever they ended up at. Which they didn't care because they were going to be together, and that was all that mattered to them.

End of Flashback

While they were in Boston visiting Drew and his family, Grissom had asked Bailey if she could go anywhere in the world where she would go. So, not really sure there was a real chance she would actually get to, she told him that it had been a dream of hers to go to Paris, France.

Then a few days later Grissom surprised her and Sara when he told them that's where they'll go next. Bailey didn't really believe him at first because it felt like it was too good to be true.
In fact, only when the plane actually landed at the airport there, did she really believe it was really happening, so she was very excited, which made her parents happy and excited for her.

Sara didn't think she could get shocked again that summer, but did when he wanted to extend their stay after two months and had asked Bailey if she wanted to take a year off of College and continue to enjoy the scenery here, maybe even take a few light classes.

Of course Sara had asked if he was feeling alright, which he had told her after spending over 20 years dealing with the dead, he really wanted to enjoy life and this time with his family, and didn't realize how much he really needed this until they started the trip, so when Bailey took Grissom's offer and Sara agreed to it, he had officially resigned from the lab. He had also talked the guys into making sure their house was ok, which didn't take too much convincing. The only thing he had asked of them was that it was still in working order and standing when they got back, whenever they choose to do that.

Then before they knew it, it was a year and 2 months later, and Grissom had been teaching, before the summer vacation, at a local college for the last 6 months, something that started out as just a temporary thing, but when they had offered him more time, he took it since they could also use the money.

Through the months after Grissom had taken the teaching job on a regular basis, Sara began to notice every morning and evening that his eyes were showing a spark that he was enjoying teaching again, and if Sara was honest with herself, it had been a long time since she's seen that spark in his eyes when it involved his job. Yeah, when he came back from his sabbatical, it did rejuvenate him, but it had been years since she's seen it this bright. She was seeing him enjoy every aspect of his life again.

So, that's why she didn't say anything to him when she was starting to feel restless.

After her ordeal with the miniature killer, she didn't regret taking the break off of work, it was something she really needed. She just didn't think that it would be a little over 2 years before she really worked again. She loved being a mother, more than she could have imagined, but working was still in her DNA, and she had never intended to stay away forever, but then the opportunity of their family trip opened up, and there was no way she was going to say no to it.

But now...

Sara sighed as she continued to look out the window while taking a drink of her orange juice, then as she shook her head from her thoughts, her phone rang from the counter, so she sets her glass down and picked it up, surprised to see it was Conrad Ecklie, because if there was anybody in the world that would be less likely to call her, it would be him.

She answered it though, and even after almost four years, still felt giddy using her married name. "Grissom."

"Hi Mrs. Grissom, did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No Conrad, what can I do for you?"

She heard him sigh before he replied. "I'm just going to get right to the point. Would you be interested in coming back to the lab? Ever since Warrick went to days, the night shift can't seem to keep a full team. So, seeing as they're too busy they hadn't had time to train anybody new."

Sara heard that Warrick had a son with his ex-wife, which at first he wasn't sure that it was even his, until a paternity test revealed that it was, so he decided to move to days so he could have decent hours to spend time with him.

Sara paused before asking. "Why ask me?"

"You are going to make me say it, aren't you?" When Sara didn't respond, he continued after another sigh. "Alright, you are one of the best CSI's that's ever worked here. The lab needs you, your team needs you."

Now Sara was really shocked at that, more shocked than when she saw his name on her caller ID, especially with the way their history was, so he must be desperate if he was complimenting her.

However, all the compliments in the world wouldn't make her answer until she talked to her husband about it, so after she sighed this time, she replied. "I can't give you an answer right now."

"Ok, I understand, just please get back to me as soon as you can, and thank you."

Now getting a please and thank you from him, she was practically stuttering her reply. "Uhh...yeah...no...no problem."

"Bye Mrs. Grissom."

"Bye Conrad."

After the call ended, and as she was pulling her phone from her ear, she heard two beautiful voices calling out to her from their room. "Momma."

She smiled as she placed her phone on the counter, and with the thought of the job offer pushed to the side for the moment, she turned and started walking out of the kitchen to go see what her beautiful, now two year old, babies were up to.

Later that night

Once they had dinner, and the kids were in bed, Sara and Grissom retreated to their apartment balcony with a bottle of wine.

As he was pouring their glasses, Sara was standing by the railing with her back toward him, then once he was done, he walked over to her before handing her the glass. She turned to him, took it, and they clinked their glasses while toasting to their family before taking a sip.

After they swallowed, Sara turned her attention to the darken horizon as Grissom watched her, then he placed his right arm around her waist and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "You seemed a bit distracted throughout dinner, even now. Is it me? Did I do something?"

Sara shook her head as she looked over at him with a small smile. "No, it isn't you."

He paused a second before asking. "But it is something, isn't it?"

Knowing there was no point in keeping quiet anymore, she took a breath before replying. "I got a call earlier today." When he looked concerned, she cupped his clean-shaven cheek with her left hand while shaking her head with a reassuring smile. "Everybody is fine, it isn't that." He sighed in relief while waiting for her to continue, which she did a second later. "It was Conrad."

He raised an eyebrow in shock. "Conrad? I figured he would be the last person to call you." She chuckled with a nod in agreement before he asked. "What did he want?"

She took another breath before she told him. "For my help." Before he could ask, she continued. "The team has been swamped, and it seems they can't keep a full team together lately, so..."

Grissom cuts her off as he removed his hand from around her waist. "He's asked you to come back."

She smirked a little. "Crazy isn't it? Him of all people asking me to come back to help."

Grissom gave her a little smile as he shook his head. "You are good at what you do, so it isn't that surprising that he would want the best. But him asking, yes, it is." After Sara chuckle and nodded again, he continued. "What did you tell him?"

She paused for a second before replying. "Well, I told him that I couldn't answer right away. I needed to talk to you before I make a decision."

He nodded as he turned his body so he was looking out to the horizon before taking another sip of his wine, then after he swallowed, he spoke again, knowing what she was already thinking. "But you pretty much have already decided."

She did a small sigh before replying. "Griss, I never intended to stay away from working.
But when you mentioned the vacation, I thought it would be nice to have one more break before
I get back into the swing of things. Then we ended up staying longer and you got a teaching job here, so I thought maybe I could continue to just be a stay at home mom and wife. But I realize I can't, that's not who I am."

She did another sigh, a deeper on this time before she continued. "I love my kids, you know that. But working is a part of me too, it always has been, and I'm not quite ready to give it up as much as I thought at one point after the abduction." Before he could talk, she did again. "And with Bailey starting UNLV this year, which one of the main reasons she choose that school was because she wanted to be surrounded by family, and with the opportunity..."

Grissom finally cuts her off. "You can go back to Vegas, knowing a job is there waiting for you, and to be near our daughter."

"Yeah." She watched him nod as he looked down on the sidewalk, then she shook her head, replying sadly. "I'm sorry."

Grissom looked at his wife in shock a second later, and turned his body before turning her body so they were face to face, then he shook his head while cupping her cheek with his free hand with a smile. " No honey, you have nothing to be sorry about, you need to do something that makes you happy too, and I should have anticipated that you not working as long as you have will eventually make you a little restless, which is something I never wanted you to feel. Nor, would I ever want to hold you back on something you want to do." He sighed as he finished. "But..."

Sara cuts him off. "But you had already signed on for at least three more months, and it's kind of too late to back out of it now without repercussions."

Like Sara, Bailey could see how much he enjoyed teaching here, so she had told him to continue since she had no problem going back to Vegas herself. Yes, she did pick that school to be closer to family, but technically she would still feel like being around family with the group there, it just wouldn't be her parents. Plus, she was a little older than when she had first made the decision, so she thought she could handle being away from her parents a little better.

With him being such a popular teacher his classes were pretty much full the moment they became available for signing up, and by now, with school starting again in a few weeks, this semester of classes were already full with paying students, and he didn't want the university to lose money because he backed out. They've been good to him, so he wanted to be as loyal to them as much as he could.

Grissom nodded sadly at Sara's comment, then Sara removed her hand from his cheek as she replied, which Grissom could hint a little sadness in it. "Then I'll uh, I'll call Ecklie and tell him..."

Grissom cuts her off as he placed a finger to her lips. "Tell him you'll take it."

She looked at him wide-eyed. "What?"

He smiled again as he moved his finger from her lips to cup her cheek again before running his thumb up and down. "You want it Sara, take the job."

She swallowed as tears came into her eyes. "But that's three months away from you."

His eyes got a little misty as he spoke with emotion. "And I'm I going to miss you so much it will probably drive me crazy. But it will kill me even more if I held you back on something you want, I won't do it."

As tears came down her cheek, she sniffled. "You have to know this has nothing to do with us, and this last year has been amazing. I would never want to wish that we never did this, but..."

Grissom nodded as he cuts her off again. "I know honey. It is time for you get back that other piece of your life that makes you feel complete."

Sara nodded, then she placed her forehead against his as she whispered. "Three months, and that's it, right? No more spending time apart?"

He breathed out. "That's right. I'm on that plane home to you and the kids as soon as I walk off the campus here, and we are never spending another moment, or a least significant time, away from each other again."

She closed her eyes as a few tears came down her cheek. "I love you, and I'm going to miss you so much."

He pulled back before cupping her cheek a third time with a smile, then once she opened her eyes, he spoke again with love in his eyes. "No matter the distance between us, you'll always be in my heart, mind and soul. I love you too, Sara."

After looking deeply into each other's eyes, Sara kisses him, and when he starts reciprocating, it become passionate. When they needed air, they pulled back before he brought her to him so he could hold her to him for as long as he could.

They knew it wasn't going to be easy being away from one another, and it will feel like the longest three months of their lives, but with how committed and in love they were, they had faith in themselves that it will all work out in the end.

AN: Interested in more? Please review.