2

Taking a deep breath, he stood and brushed the sand from his backside. Meandering down the beach, he wondered what normal people did after retirement when they had no friends to speak of, no family. The suddenly he realized that it really didn't matter. He was fifty years old and the only thing he wanted to do was find the woman he was in love with, but would probably never see again.

He was almost back to where he'd parked his car when a little girl almost ran right into him. Steadying her with a hand on her arm, he looked around for a parent. With no one in sight, he crouched down to the child who couldn't have been anymore than three. She had sparkling green eyes, chubby cheeks and a mess of blond curls. She was carrying a bucket filled with other sand toys and had on fairly new clothes, ruling out her being homeless.

She didn't look panicked when he started to speak to her, but rather interested in his face. "Hey! Is your mommy or daddy around?" He instantly realized that he sounded just like a kidnapper and scolded himself for the stupid question.

But the little girl didn't seem phased by the question and answered right away, "My mommy's coming right now. We live in that house right there." She pointed her finger toward a large house just up the beach a little.

"Well, maybe you should go back and wait for her. It's dangerous to be out here all alone when you're so little."

Seemingly content with his reasoning, she shrugged and ran back toward the house. On instinct, he followed in the general direction to make sure she came back out with her mother as she said she would and didn't just run right back out alone after she thought he'd gone. He lost sight of her as she slipped into the back door.

"Mommy, Mommy! Are you coming?"

"Kimmy, where have you been? I've been yelling for you for five minutes?"

"I went to the beach, 'cause you said we were going. But I had to come back because the man said it was dangerous to be out there by myself since I'm so little."

"The man? Honey, I told you never to talk to strangers."

"But he's not a stranger, Mommy. He's the man in the picture by your bed."

Sara stood, stunned. Could it really be him? Had he actually come looking for her after all these years? "Stay here, honey." In a flash, she ran out the back door and scanned the beach. Taking twice as long as needed, she conceded that the beach was empty. Going back into the house, she called for Kimmy so they could go play by the water.

His investigative tendencies had gotten the better of him, and instead of continuing down the beach toward his car, he sat against the fence outside the little girl's house to wait and see if she'd come back out alone. He'd vowed only to give it ten minutes, then continue his journey home. He'd heard the door once, but the little girl hadn't followed.

With only five minutes left before he gave up, he heard the door again with the little girl chanting, "Come on, Mommy. Hurry up."

He chuckled silently; she'd done as he'd asked. He got up, prepared to tell the mother what a well-behaved little girl she had, but when he stood, he froze. The little girl indeed had brought her mother with him; Sara. He blinked a few times, trying to make sure he wasn't seeing things. But in a moment, her eyes caught his and she froze too. It was Sara. His love stood before him, after all these years.

In a whisper, "Sara?"

She returned his whisper, "Grissom?"

This caused the little girl to stop, "See Mommy, I told you it was him."

He broke his gaze from Sara's, wondering what the little girl meant, "You know me?"

Nonchalantly, "Yeah! Your picture is by my mommy's bed. I knew who you was right when I saw you."

Sara immediately corrected, "Were, Honey. I knew who you 'were' right when I saw you."

"Okay Mommy. Can I go play, please?"

"Uh…yeah. Just make sure you don't go too far and that I can see you, okay? And stay away from the water until I'm with you."

Her daughter ran away, yelling her agreeance over her shoulder.

Their eyes met again, merging in silence, finally broken by him, "You, uh, have a daughter."

Still lost in his gaze, frozen in place, "Yes, Kimmy."

"You still have a picture of me beside your bed."

She answered again, even though he was speaking in statements, not questions, "Yes."

His first question, "Are you married?"

"No. Kimmy is adopted."

Breathing a sigh of relief, "Oh. She's adorable."

"Thank you."

"Uh…when…"

"Grissom, why are you here?"

His head hung, "My mother."

"She lives over ten miles away, Grissom. Why are you here?"

He was not shocked that she remembered where his mother lived, her mind never ceased to amaze him. He turned from her then, "She passed away yesterday."

She went to him then, mere inches from his back, forgetting her question. Tentatively, she placed a hand on his shoulder, wanting to give him so much more, "I'm so sorry, Grissom."

He heard the sincerity in her voice, and for a brief moment, felt himself healing. The tears that were betraying his strength, silently fell down his cheeks, either out of grief for his mother or the relief of knowing part of her still cared about him.

"I know how much you loved her."

Through his tears, he let go of his heart, for once not analyzing his every move, "She was all I had left, Sara." She flinched, knowing he was talking about her. "I don't know what I'm going to do without her."

"Is there anything I can do?"

He took a deep breath and held it. She wanted to help him. "Um…I…don't even know what I'm going to do."

"When is the funeral?"

He wiped his tears, not worried that she knew he was crying and turned toward her, "Tomorrow at five."

"Would you like me to go with you?"

"You'll…do that…for me?"

Her eyes fell this time, "Yes, I will."

"Thank you. I'd like that very much."

She stumbled through her next question, "You…were, uh, going alone?"

A hint of a smile found his face, "I'm not seeing anyone."

A blush rose to her face, and she pretended to look for Kimmy, "Is any of the rest of the gang coming?"

"I…uh…don't work there anymore. No one even knows."

"You resigned?"

"Yes." His eyes found hers again, "I had no reason to stay."

Their connection was broken by Kimmy shouting, "Mommy, come play!"

She flashed him an apologetic look, "I should, uh…"

"I know. Should I pick you up tomorrow?"

She suddenly wanted him to stay, "Do you have any plans for today?"

"Uh, no. I don't."

"Would you like to stay?" Starting to ramble, overtalking around him as usual, "Uh, we weren't going to anything beside play in the sand, but if you'd like company, you could stay. You don't have to…if you don't want to."

"I'd love to stay. If I won't be intruding."

She turned then, rolling her eyes. Some things would never change. When he made no move to follow, she yelled over her shoulder, "Are you coming?"

He smiled, following her toward her daughter, mentally marking today off his list of ones he had to endure.

Two years ago, his heart had died.

One day ago, he had died.

Today, he was alive.