There you goes, a happy ending.

I actually plan more torment for them but decided not to. I'm in the festive moods and I don't wish to put my favorite couple into more angst.

But, if you like to read what I have plan in mind, do let me know! =)

Hope you enjoy!

Dwindling Love Trois

Grissom placed the last of his clothing into his trusted, battered green duffel bag and zipped it up. He smiled slightly when he pulled the photo of Sara and him off the small noticeboard. He caressed Sara's face and brought the photograph to his mouth. After he gently kissed the photograph, he placed it into his breast pocket. Swinging the duffel bag onto his shoulder, he surveyed the tent he had called home for the past few months. He laughed and realized this place was not his home at all. His home was where Sara was. He was finally on his way back.

"You're leaving." Terri entered Grissom's tent, her arms folded across her chest. Her tone was accusatory and her eyes filled with rage. She heard from the crew that Grissom leaving but she did not think that it was true until now. His tent was all cleared out and his passport and air tickets clutched tightly in his hands.

"Terri," Grissom turned to face her. "Why?" she asked, moving in to close the distance between them. "I am going home." He replied simply and stepped away. He wanted to keep a distance between them. He could not trust himself with her after the last time he lost control.

"Sara is expecting me."

Terri stared at him incredulously. "You told her about us?"

Grissom shook his head. He could not bring himself to tell Sara about his infidelity on the phone. She would freak out. He had to do that personally, face to face. He owed her an explanation. He did not want the poor reception to interrupt.

"There's no 'us' in the first place. It was a mistake. I was drunk and lonely. You saw the crack and took the chance for revenge." Grissom pointed out as a matter-of-factly. He believed that Terri was clinging onto him now for comfort and she did not want his marriage to work because hers failed.

"But," Terri grabbed hold of Grissom's hands, "you loved me." She did not want to be lonely again. Grissom pulled his hands away and shook his head. "No. I had a crush. Sara is the only one I love now."

"She will never forgive you." Terri spat angrily. Grissom smiled softly, "she will not forgive me easily but she will eventually. It is not going to be an easy journey. But I am sure Sara and I can make it through. Unlike your marriage, my marriage with Sara is solid. We had come a long way before we get together."

Terri clutched her fists tightly, controlling her urge of wanting to give Grissom a slap.

"Terri, let go of your hate." He ambled out of the tent without a second look. He was going home and he had absolute no attachment for this place.

Hank was able to sense Sara's fluster and agitation as she paced around the small living room. He padded towards her and placed his paws on her feet. He licked her feet and looked up when he had her attention. She grinned when Hank gave her a broad charming smile. She bent down to rub the head between his ears.

"Gil said he's coming home." Sara plopped onto a sofa and beckoned Hank over. Hank hopped onto Sara's lap and rested his chin on Sara's shoulder. "But I am afraid. He said he had something to tell me. He sounded sad." Hank nuzzled Sara's neck and Sara hugged him closer. Hank was the only support she had now. She decided not to tell her extended family about Grissom and her problem. It was not that she did not trust them but she did not want them to jump into conclusions and choose side.

Their last phone conversation had been awkward. She had half expected to be directed to his voicemail again but was surprised when he picked up. After he said hi, there was a long pause. She had loads running in her mind but she could not form them into coherent sentences. She listened to his even breathing and bit her lips hard to prevent herself from crying.

He started talking first. He told her that they needed to talk which she agreed wholeheartedly. He cried and apologized for his absence and actions. When she heard his soft sobs, she broke down and cried together. He asked her to stop crying and he promised to return to Vegas. They needed to talk without interruptions.

"Hank."

Hank peered up and looked at Sara tenderly. "I am so afraid," she confessed. She had no idea when Grissom was coming back. After their last phone call, she did not have the courage to call again. He had called thrice but she was out in the field and did not manage to pick up. She did not know if she deliberately directed his call to voicemail or she simply missed the call. She just wanted to hold onto that he was coming home. She did not want her last hopes to be dashed.

She froze stiffly when she heard the door clicked open. No one had the keys to her apartment except for Grissom. She had not expected him to be back so soon. She was not prepared for his arrival. Her eyes were swollen and red. She was wearing her rumpled pajamas. She had worn the most unattractive pair of old granny underwear.

Hank jumped off the sofa and ran towards the door with his tail wedged between his legs. Hank barked happily, when he saw Grissom at the door. He chased his own tail and leaped onto Grissom. He licked Grissom face excitedly.

"Down boy," Grissom laughed and instructed Hank to get off him. Hank's excitement was rubbing on him. He instructed Hank to roll over and give Hank his favourite tummy rubs. When he stopped, Hank ran into the living room where Sara was.

Sara was trembling, shaking uncontrollably. Her tears fell down like broken beads. Grissom walked into the living room slowly and his heart wrenched when he saw his wife crying.

"Sara," he called out softly, did not want to startle her. He had wanted to tell her his arrival but he could not get her through phone. He was not sure if she had read his emails.

The sofa dipped when Grissom settled beside his wife, wrapped his arms around her. "What's wrong?" he asked gently, tugging her stray hair behind her ears and kissed the soft spot of her neck.

"You're back," she cried, and returned his hug. "Shh," Grissom coaxed lovingly.

"I am sorry. I don't know what went wrong with me." Sara pulled away and wiped away her tears. She did not know since when she had become a crybaby. She allowed Grissom to place her head onto his chest and stroke her hairs.

"I have something to tell you." Grissom bit his bottom lips so had that it bled.

"But before I confess, can you please promise me that you will listen calmly? I deserve every punch and kick but please know that I love you. I always do. Do you love me?"

Sara frowned but nodded. "I love you. Gil."

"Do you still trust me?" Grissom asked, and his embrace tightened. "I have always trusted you." Sara answered truthfully. She always had faith and trust in Grissom. Grissom was an honorable man and she knew she could trust him with her life.

"I am sorry," he kissed her forehead. He placed his index finger on her lips to stop her talking. He did not want her to interrupt. He was afraid the courage he built on the way home would dissipate into thin air. He was positive he did not tell her now he would live a life with Sara based on lies. He did not want that. He believed that marriage should not base on lies. When they married each other, they had promised there should be no lies.

"Terri Miller was in the research project. She told me she was in a messy divorce. She invited me to her tent and we had a few drinks. And, I," He paused when he felt Sara turned rigid. Sara gulped and pressed her hands over her ears. She did not want to hear what Grissom was going to say.

"Sara," Grissom pulled Sara's hands away. "Please."

Sara looked straight into his eyes. Her brown orbs dulled. "Please don't say you're leaving me." She pleaded. Terri and Grissom had a history. Grissom was attracted to her and they could have begun a relationship and married. If Grissom had not been obsessed with his work, Terri and Grissom would be together.

"I am not leaving you. Sara." Grissom was nervous now.

"What I am going to tell you is going to be heartbreaking but I am not going to leave you."

Sara lowered her head and shook her head. She did not want to know what Grissom had in mind. She wanted to hide. She broke free of Grissom's hug and ran into the bedroom. She locked the door and jumped into the bed.

"Gil, I don't want to know!" she shouted under the pillows.

"Sara, please!" Grissom tried the doorknob and found it was locked from the inside.

"I need to tell you this," Grissom yelled and pounded on the door frantically.

Her sobbing ceased, as she felt asleep from exhaustion. Grissom sat down on the floor, waiting for Sara to open the door. He had not expected this reaction from Sara. He should not have mentioned about Terri first. Terri, Julia and Heather had been their taboo topic. She did not want to know about his love and sexual history. If he had known that mentioning Terri would invoke such a strong reaction from Sara, he would have taken another approach.

He folded his knees under his chin and gave way to fatigue.

Sara woke up to a bad dream. She was drenched in cold sweat and trembling. She dreamt that Grissom came home and told her he was leaving her for Terri Miller. She shuddered as the fog lifted from her brain. It felt too real, too scary.

Sara opened the door slowly. Her jaws went slackened when she found Grissom sleeping outside their bedroom. "Gil," she squatted near Grissom, placing her hands on his hands.

"Sara," Grissom rasped hoarsely. He stretched his body and knees. He groaned painfully when he could not straighten his knees. Sara started to massage Grissom's legs. She felt guilty. She remembered shutting Grissom out of their bedroom. Grissom suffered from arthritis and he must in great pain.

"Sorry," Sara apologized, and helped Grissom up. He whimpered when his foot met the hardwood floor. Sara helped him into their bedroom and lay down on the bed. She ransacked the bedside table, looking for his capsaicin cream. When she found it, she rolled up his pants, spread the cream over his legs and massaged them.

"Feeling better?" she asked. Grissom nodded, and patted the empty space beside him.

"Can I continue?"

Sara sighed, "yes." If Grissom wanted to leave her, she had to face it and accept it. She moved nearer to Grissom, wanting to feel his warmth.

He cuddled her closer and picked up where he left of. "We drank in her tent. I was drunk after a few rounds." He stopped. He knew that what he was going to say was going to hurt. He wanted to minimize the pains for Sara.

"It was a moment of folly. I was lonely. When she kissed me, I responded. We had sex."

Grissom did not let go of his embrace. He pulled her closer and kissed the crown of her head.

Sara felt a dull pain at the back of her head. She stiffened when Grissom told her about his infidelity. He once told her sex without love was meaningless. So, sex with Terri meant something to him. She did not know how to respond. Her mind told her to hit, punch and kick him but she was too tired. She was exhausted. Perhaps it was her fault. She should not have left him alone in Paris. Every fault stemmed from her. She no longer had the ability to make Grissom happy.

"Grissom, let me go." This was the first time she called him by his last name after they married. It had always been Gil, Gilbert or Dear.

"I don't want to let go. Sara. It was a once-off mistake. I am sorry." He apologized, unwilling to relinquish her from his arms. "I love you."

"We can make this work again. We can see a marriage counselor. I am not leaving Vegas. This trip back is permanent."

Sara closed her eyes and stopped struggling. "I am tired. Grissom. I am so sick of this whole arrangement. I trusted you. I don't know if I can believe you again. Perhaps we should stop trying. You obviously don't love me anymore. When you had sex with Terri, did you think of me? No. You throw me at the back of your head. Terri made you happy. She pleasured you. She did my duties as a wife. Go to her."

She was weary of holding on and not knowing of the outcome. Grissom was an enigma and she realized sadly after so many years together, she had not seen through him. She did not know him at all.

"Please Sara. Give me another chance." He cried, begging for another chance. This was exactly he was afraid of. Sara gave up all hopes and decided to stop fighting for their marriage.

"I don't know." Sara shook her head, her heart heavy.

Dr. Clarke peered up from her half-moon spectacles, and smiled at the couple in front of her. Today was the last session for this couple. They had made small progress. The couple's hands were clasped firmly together. Their hips were joined together. They were on the verge of breaking up when they came to her. They were both worn-out and she could feel the wife hopelessness. Coming to her was their last resort. If therapy did not work, they decided to set each other free. But she could see the love radiating in their eyes and body language. She wanted to help them to repair their marriage.

"Dr. Grissom, how's the trip?" she asked, expecting a positive answer.

"Great," Grissom answered, a twinkle in his eyes. Sara confirmed his answer with a nod of her head.

"So… everything is fine now."

Sara shrugged, "it still takes time for me to rebuild the trust I once had for him but now everything is fine."

"We're sleeping on the same bed now." Grissom interjected, looking at his wife adoringly.

Before the start of the therapy, they had been sleeping in different room, on different bed. Sara felt weird having Grissom on the matrimony bed when he just slept with someone else. Grissom was grateful that Sara gave him another chance and did not mind the arrangement.

"So, how's the sex part?" Dr. Clarke mused thoughtfully.

Sara and Grissom grinned, "We're still working on that."

They wanted the sex to be meaningful and special. They did not want to rush into it and spoiled everything they had built thus far. They planned a two weeks Europe trip. They both agreed to take it slow.

"That's good. Have you both talked about children?"

Grissom squeezed Sara's hands and set his eyes on her, "letting nature takes it course. We're also thinking of foster kids too."

Dr. Clarke stood up and extended her French manicured hand towards them. "Treasure what you have. Don't ever let other things to sidetrack you from your marriage"

As they walked out of the building, a ray of sunshine shone on them, filling them with hope and love.

"Sara, I love you." Grissom whispered in her ears. Sara beamed blissfully.

"I love you too," Sara pressed her lips onto Grissom's soft lips and her arms snaked across Grissom's waist. Grissom pried open her mouth with his tongue and moaned into her when their tongue touched each other. He was glad. This was the first time Sara initiated an intimate act after his confession.

He would never place his work, his research over Sara now. His focus now was Sara and their home. The journey of regaining Sara's trust was not easy but they were reaching their goals slowly.

"Marriage is three parts love and seven parts forgiveness of sins. **" Grissom kissed Sara again. "Thanks for forgiving."

They held each other's hands and walked down the bustling streets, enjoying the warm sunrays shining down on their body.

(The End)

** Marriage is three parts love and seven parts forgiveness of sins. – Langdon Mitchell.

I did not want to make Grissom a cheating b*stard but I just think that this may be a direction the writers of CSI may go. I think they are exploring GSR in a different light. Sara is not happy with the arrangement and Grissom (sadly) is not doing anything. I just hope this new year, they will write something happier for GSR fans.

AA,

Yes, GSR forever. I love them too much to separate them. :D

Please let me know how you feel. :)