Now all they had to do was to deal with Ecklie. Sara didn't mind going back on swing but Gil wouldn't here of it, he wanted her on grave with him and the team.

The following day he walked into Ecklie's office and said "Sara is back and she is going back to graveyard" leaving no room for questions. Conrad looked a little taken aback but quickly retuned to his pig headed self.

"Well, it's nice to hear she is back." He said in a sickly sweet voice. "But if she is on grave, then you're on swing."

Gil was red with anger when he replied, "No Conrad Sara and I were both on grave, we were together for 2 years and you didn't notice. It didn't affect our work then, therefore we don't need to be separated. Last time you separated us she left for 2 years and I AM NOT GOING THROUGH THAT AGAIN!"

Ecklie sat there for a few seconds thinking. He finally gave in and said "Ok but Catherine does her reviews." Gil nodded in agreement and turned on his heel, walking out shocked that it was so easy to get Conrad to agree with him.

It was Friday afternoon and the team, Doc Robbins, Brass and the night shift lab rats had the night off so they planned a surprise welcome home party for Sara. When 2:00 rolled around Catherine, Mandy, Wendy and Julie showed up to go shopping with Sara.

As soon as they pulled away everyone else from the lab pulled up and started decorating the condo. By 5:00 that evening Gil's place looked nothing like before. When you first walked in the front door there was a big multicolored banner that said WELCOME HOME SARA!! in a multitude of different types.

There were streamers hanging from every spot they could be hung from, and there was confetti on every surface (Greg's Idea). 5:30 came and the girls returned.

Catherine, Wendy and Julie went in the house and left Mandy and a rather upset Sara outside. "Mandy why in the hell can't I go into my own boyfriend's condo!" Mandy's head was rushing to find an answer but before she could Julie came out and said "Ok you guys can come in."

"Finally." Sara mumbled and Mandy thought 'Yes! I don't have to come up with a BS answer'. And with that they walked into the condo.

Sara almost fainted when she saw all the decorations "Surprise!" she heard what she thought had to be 25 people scream. Gil came up and gave her a passionate kiss and said "Welcome home baby"

They all spent the next 2 and a half hours just hanging out talking about all sorts of things until Gil got up and started tapping his spoon to the side of his glass. Once he had everyone's attention he said "first of all, I would like to thank all of you for coming tonight and for not telling Sara about it (I know it was hard for you Grego)."

"Sara, I think I can speak for every one in this room when I say it's great to have you back home with us. And last there is one more thing. Sara if you would please come up here? I wanted everyone here for this."

Sara was a little confused but walked up to him, tears came to her eyes when he got down on one knee and pulled out a black velvet ring box and asked "Sara Jane Sidle I have loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you when you walked into my classroom 11 years ago. Will you please do me the great pleasure and honor of becoming my wife?"

She was Speechless and when she didn't say anything and tears started pouring down her face he thought she was going to say no. She finally managed to choke out "y-yes" he stood up and began to place the ring on her finger.

Once she saw the ring, it only made more tears threaten to pour forth. It was laid on a red silk cushion, the band was white gold and had two yellow gold entwined hearts bounded together by a single square cut diamond.

He slipped it on her finger and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his around her waist and they kissed each other deeply. The next 3 hours were spent with many congratulations, and when everyone was gone the two of them sat on the couch with their tongues trying to dominate the other.

Moments later they heard a knock on the door. Gil moaned and said "let's ignore it" but Sara said "Oh it's probably Cath or one of the guys. They probably just forgot something and besides, I need to go to the bathroom anyway"

She got up and walked into the bathroom while Gil got up and answered the door. He was shocked when he found an extremely upset Conrad Ecklie on the other side of it.

"Conrad, what are you doing here?" Gil asked and Ecklie just walked in the front door knocking shoulder to shoulder with Gil responding "Why in the hell didn't any of my night shift people come into work tonight?!"

Gil was having trouble keeping in a smile as he said "Oh well, I'm sure they must of all had the night off. I am sure they would have put it in the schedule that they wouldn't make it in tonight."

Conrad only got angrier when he saw Sara come out of the bathroom and say "Oh Conrad how nice to see you what brings you here?"

She placed her left hand on Gils shoulder forgetting her new engagement ring, which caught Ecklie's eye immediately "Well Grissom, it looks like I just got my answer." he said bluntly. "Oh yeah, and what is that?" he replied.

Conrad got that evil glint in his eye that he always gets when he is about to be a pain in the neck and said "well with all these streamers and the confetti and that rock on Sara's finger I would say it was an engagement party."

"Well not entirely" Gil responded "it started as a welcome home party and I took the opportunity to propose to Sara and had you not come barging into my house" he said raising an eyebrow,

"I would be making love to her right now, so if you don't mind, or even if you do for that matter. I frankly don't care. We'll finish this at work tomorrow night." and with that he opened the door and gestured his unwelcome guest to leave.

Following him to the front door he finished, "Goodbye Conrad." Ecklie stopped in the doorframe and turned to say something and Gil just closed the door in his face.

Thanks to my Beta Reader GSRgirlforever and to any one who reads this Fiction

Nay.