Caution: Those who preferred fluff should read the alternate ending. This ending is sad, and more sad.

Every line break indicated a change of scene. : )

Enjoy!

Here Comes Goodbye

( Part IV )

"Sara, can you come back to Vegas? Grissom… he… please just comes back."

The anxiousness in Greg's voice was what brought Sara Sidle back to Las Vegas after 15 years. A wave of heat hit Sara unsympathetically when she stepped out of McCarran Airport. Sweats rolled down her forehead like broken beads. Her palms were clammy and sticky.

There was one thing she absolutely hated about Las Vegas was the sweltering, unmerciful sun.

"Sara!" Greg shouted, crossing the road carelessly, without a care of the incoming cars.

"Greg, be careful," Sara cautioned. The once offbeat lab tech had changed. He turned serious and there were lines on his face. There was a slight paunch and the once spiky and ashy blonde hair had thinned and turned grey.

"You look great," Greg commented after giving Sara the onceover. Though she was in her 50s, Sara Sidle still oozed youngness and vitality.

"What you could not tell me over the phone? And there was a need to bring me back to Las Vegas from London?" she pursed her lips impatiently. He just asked her to come back without a valid reason.

Greg sighed and bowed his head low.

"Grissom's dead," said Greg, averting Sara's gaze.

Sara's mouth gaped, refusing to believe what Greg had just told her.

Pulling Sara into a hug, Greg rubbed the small of her back.

"Sorry Sara. It was too sudden. He went to Africa to visit his adopted kids and contacted a weird disease and died on the way back here," explained Greg.

Her tears were rolling down like a string broken pearls necklace.

"Bring me to his grave," Sara choked.

Walking down the familiar gravel road, Sara realized that they had buried Grissom beside Abbey. He stated that in the event of his death, he wanted to be buried beside Abbey.

The past 15 years, she would always come 1 week earlier before Abbey's death anniversary to visit Abbey's grave. She did not know why she did that. Perhaps, it was mainly to avoid Grissom. There was a fear that she might break down when she see him again.

When she saw Grissom's tombstone, she cried again. The cry was so violent that she needed her son to hold her.

"Mum," her son held her tightly.

This was the first time her teenage son saw his mum breaking down. His mother was a strong and tenacity woman who braved every difficulty with a smile. He always admired his mother. But today, it was different. His mother was vulnerable.

Grasping her son's hands tightly, Sara tried to hold herself together.

"He adopted them a few years ago and went over to Africa yearly to visit them. For such a long time after Abbey's death, he finally smiled. He told Catherine he finally knew how to smile after both Abbey and you're gone. The kids were his bundles of joy." Greg said.

Sara listened and nodded. "I never knew that."

"You stopped asking about Grissom. I thought you moved on."

"I, never mind," Sara sighed sadly. "Did he know about Luke?" she asked.

Greg shook his head, "Luke was your secret. I never told anyone."

"So he died without knowing…" there was a sharp pain in Sara's heart.

She regretted. She should not have just run away with just a letter. She should have come back to him when she realized she was pregnant. She should not allow the stubbornness to rule her mind.

And now, regrets would follow Sara to her grave.

"Gil, I love you. I still very much do. I'm so, so sorry. I should have come back. I should have told you. I should allow my heart to rule my mind." Her lips quivered as she bit back her tears.

Whatever Sara said now was just too late. There was no way Grissom would hear it. He would never know the son he had.

"This is your wedding ring. Grissom wanted you to have it." Greg passed her a valet ring box. She opened it gingerly. There it was the ring Grissom had hunted days and nights.

"Did you know I am still Mrs. Grissom?"

"Yes, he told Catherine he will never send the papers to attorney. He will wait for you to come home. He was your home, forever."

What Greg told her almost killed her.

There were many times she wanted to come back. But she thought he wanted the space, and that was why he never attempted to contact her.

"Gil, meet Luke Grissom. He's your son." Sara waved Luke to come nearer. Luke was clearing the weeds for Abbey's grave.

"Luke, he's your father," Sara introduced. It was awkward to introduce a living to a dead. But she needed to. She owned Grissom too much.

Luke observed tombstone solemnly and said nothing. He never asked his mother about his father. He knew that it was a taboo topic. Since young, he understood the "adult" topics. Topics that adults would never discussed in front of him.

"Is he the man in the photograph?" Luke asked gently.

There was a photograph which his mother placed above the fireplace. In the photograph, there were 3 persons. His mother, Abbey and a man. His mother never told him who the man was but he had guessed. It was his father.

He had the man's chin and thick curls. It was a tell-tall sign.

But he never asked. He never wanted to make his mother sad.

"How are the last few years for Grissom?" Sara could not help but asked.

"I am not very sure too. I drifted away. Whatever I know is what I heard from Catherine and Nick. He moved on from CSI to other things. He studied bugs and went around the world to teach." Greg answered.

"Was he happy?"

"He was not the same anymore after you left, Sara." Greg placed his palm on top of Sara's.

"I only knew about Luke when I got to London. I thought my periods were screwed because of stress. There were no signs at all. Luke was great. There was no morning sickness and swelling. When I found out, I was already 4 months pregnant. We had tried so hard for a baby to save Abbey. But Luke came too late." Sara explained glumly.

"I'm sorry." Sara apologized, slipping her wedding ring back to her ring finger.

"Gil Grissom, I will love you till the day I die." Tears were brimming in Sara's eyes.

"Hi Dad, I'm sad that we never met but I will take care of Mum for you." Luke promised.

How's the ending? Do you like it?

*ducks behind a wall*

I'm so, so sorry I did this instead.

At first, I wanted a happy ending but when I wrote the previous chapter, this ending formed instead.

There might be an alternative ending but I have yet to decide to post not. Let me know if you preferred this or want the alternate ending.

This puts an end to Rascal Flatt's tribute.