AN: Thanks for the reviews, here is the next chapter.


Chapter 8: A few days later

Grissom looked at his watch as he finished talking to the class, then he gave them a small smile as he concluded the seminar. "I hope you enjoyed this time as much as I have, but sadly it has come to an end, so for the last time, you are dismissed."

As he turned around to stand behind the podium to pick up his notes, he heard clapping, so he lifted his head up, noticing Will and Sara was also joining the crowd with smiles, and he smiled shyly with a nod.

When the clapping finally ended, they all started leaving the room, with the exception of Sara and Will, then once Grissom was done talking to the Dean of the school, who allowed the seminar to happen, and had grabbed his briefcase, he followed Sara and Will out of the room, and as they were walking down the hall, Will spoke. "Same place?"

For the last few days they ate at the same diner after the seminar was done for the day, so they knew what he was asking and nodded in agreement. Then just as they were walking outside, a few 21 year old college women, who attended the seminar, smiled Grissom's way. "Bye, Dr. Grissom."

Grissom just gave them a friendly smile and nod in return before looking over at Sara, who was giving him a knowing look, and he just shook his head with a smile while holding the door open for her to walk out first.


After they arrived at the diner, they enjoyed their food in the same spot they had sat the previous days, and when it was time for the bill to be paid, Will took care of it, so while he was standing in line at the cashier, Sara took the last bite of her ice cream before smiling at the man sitting next to her. "So, you realize what day it is, right?"

He looked over at her and smirked. "Friday, isn't it?"

She chuckled and slapped his thigh lightly, but kept her hand there as she leaned towards his ear. "Which means?"

Keeping it a game, Grissom smirked again while his heart was racing a little. "It's the start of the weekend."

"And?"

She pulled back to look into his eyes, both feeling the moment had shifted from playful to something else as he whispered. "I'm no longer your teacher."

Softly, she spoke back. "Exactly, so what are we going to do about it?"

Honestly they have been both counting the minutes until that teacher/student perspective was gone, but now that it was, and knowing he was leaving tomorrow, he was suddenly feeling hesitant again, so he started to speak. "Sara..."

But she cuts him off as she placed her hand on top of his that was laying on the table. "Listen, let's just have dinner and see what happens, no pressure, no expectations." He smiled and nodded, then she spoke softly again. "Just know that if anything does happen, no regrets."

He placed his other hand on top of hers as he replied softly. "I just don't want you to get hurt with me leaving tomorrow."

She gave him a warm look with a nod. "I know, and that's what makes you an amazing man." He smiled shyly while she continued once she saw Will coming back to the table. "We'll talk more about it later, so 7?"

"See you then."

She gave him one more smile, and after they squeezed hands, he removed his hand so she could pull her hand away before she stood up and spoke as Will stopped at the table. "Thanks for the meal."

Will smiled before speaking in a smirk. "Oh, I see, eat and run, huh?"

Sara smiled in return. "I have some things I need to take care of."

Will waved it off. "Just giving you a hard time." Then he held out his hand as he continued. "Well, just in case we don't see each other again before tomorrow, it was nice meeting you."

Sara shook his hand with a nod. "You too, and thanks for everything."

Knowing why she was thanking him, Will just nodded with another smile as they release hands, then after a shared warm look with Grissom, Sara turned and left the diner.

Will sat back down so he could finish his drink, but he was also giving Grissom a knowing look. "So, is tonight the night?"

Grissom almost choked on his drink before asking in a surprised tone. "What!?"

Will chuckled. "Oh come on, don't 'what' me, you know what I'm talking about. I believed you and understood when you said nothing happened the other night, but now your free to do what you want."

He spoke his next words without thinking, but trusted Will. "And I also leave tomorrow."

Will nodded in understanding. "I know it's not perfect timing, but think about when the next time you'll see her, can you really wait that long?"

As Will continue to finish his drink, Grissom sat there and thought about what he had said, and while Will did have point, there wasn't even a guarantee that something would happen tonight anyways, and if it didn't, he would wait for how ever long he had to because he knew she would be worth it.


Grissom did a few things to pass the time, one of which was gift shopping, mostly for Ashley of course, and as it got closer to the time he had to leave, he started to get ready, getting a little excited each minute while trying to tell his head why this was such a good idea.

Unfortunately what or wasn't going to happen became a moot point with one phone call.

"Grissom."

Sara took a second before speaking softly, almost with a frustrated tone. "You don't know how much I hate making this phone call."

The tone and her words immediately made Grissom fully aware on what was going on, so he spoke as he sat down on the end of his bed. "You got called in."

Sara sighed as she ran her free hand over her forehead. "I'm so sorry. With me not working this much because of the seminar I was first in line if someone needed extra assistance. Besides, I did say I owed a co-worker, but that was bef..."

Grissom cuts her off with a soft tone. "You don't have explain, I understand better than anybody. Being a CSI is not the most predictable job. It could happen at anytime, and it some times doesn't even matter what shift you are on."

"I know, but I still feel bad."

"I know that too, but you don't have to be, yeah tonight would have been nice, but some one else needs you now. I'm ok, I promise. Just promise me something."

Sara smiled. "Anything."

Grissom smiled in return, even though neither one could see the other's smile. "Be safe out there, keep your mind sharp, and not what went wrong tonight."

"I will." Sara cleared her throat before continuing while she tried to keep her emotions intact. "It was really nice to meet you, you don't know how much I will cherish it."

Warmness spread to his heart as he whispered in return. "Me too, and remember you are an amazing woman, don't let anybody convince you otherwise."

"I won't."

After another slight pause Sara spoke again. "I should probably go, and I'm sorry again."

"I know, and hopefully we'll talk soon."

"I'm looking forward to it, see ya, Grissom."

"See ya, Sara."

They stayed on the line a second later before finally hanging up, and as he closed his phone, he did a little sigh, which while he did understand, he was a little sad about the turn of events, because regardless on how the night would have ended, he would have liked to spend a little more time with a woman who fascinated him in every way.

Before his thoughts could continue there was a knock at the door, and even though there was no way that could have been Sara, his heart did skip a beat or two as he stood up from the bed.

Just as he suspected, it wasn't Sara at his door, and he sighed before saying. "Let me guess, she called you?"

Will looked at him with a little bit of sympathy. "She still feels really bad, and didn't want you to be alone."

"Will, I'm fine."

"That maybe true, but I have my orders, so it's either we hang out in your room, or go out and enjoy the city."

"You would, wouldn't you?" Will was about to take a step in the room, and Grissom held out his hand with a smile. "Fine, let's go, just let me get my jacket."

Grissom released the door and turned around, and Will puts his foot out to stop it before it closed, making Grissom turn back around, seeing Will with a smirk on his face. "I'm not taking any chances." Grissom just shook his head with a small smile as he turned back around to grab his coat from the chair that was in his room before walking out.


Next Morning

Will and Grissom woke up when they were suppose to and took their time getting ready, then once they were checked out, and while walking out of the hotel, Will looked at his watch and smiled at Grissom. "I can't help but notice we don't have to rush to the airport, so how about..."

Grissom cuts him off with a smirk. "Breakfast at your new favorite diner?" Will chuckled with a nod as Grissom nodded in return as he opened the back of the vehicle. "Sure." Then as they were placing their bags down, he continued after clearing his throat. "You don't mind if we stop somewhere else first?"

Will gave him a knowing look. "Not at all."

Grissom shook his head with a smile. "Just get in the vehicle."

Will chuckled and headed towards the passenger side as Grissom closed the back of the vehicle and headed towards the driver side before getting in and starting the vehicle.


When they reached the lab, Grissom parked the vehicle in the parking lot and got out, leaving Will in the vehicle, before heading towards the front door then to the receptionist desk, where Linda, the CSI protector was working.

The mid-30's, blond haired, hazel eyed, slim build, woman smiled at him as she asked. "Hi, I'm Linda, how can I help you today?"

"Yeah, my name is Gilbert Griss..."

She cuts him off a second later. "Wait a minute, Dr. Gilbert Grissom?" Grissom nodded with a smile. "Then you must be here to visit Sara. She put you down as a safe visitor. I just need to see your ID, you know, you never can be too careful."

Grissom nodded in complete agreement as he handed her his ID, then after looking it over, she handed his ID back to him and a visitors badge while telling him the direction of the break room, and Sara's shared office just in case.

After he thanked her, he headed in the direction of the break room first, and when he got there, he saw through the door window that she was talking to a male co-worker, who Grissom would assume with his looks he could have anybody he wanted.

He was about to walk right into the room, but the second he heard her laugh and smile at whatever the other guy had said, he stopped, and his head, the part of him that mostly ruled his every decision in life, outside of a few instances, made doubt come back to him at full force.

Of course he didn't believe anything was going on between them, but there could be. She could have any man she wanted, especially one who lived in the same state/city, and the last thought that blew up his his good feelings the last five days, one who was closer to her age.

He sighed and turned around with the sound of her laughter going to his heart, least he will always have that.

When he stopped at the receptionist desk again, Linda smiled. "Did you see her?"

He handed her the visitor's badge. "She was busy at the moment."

Her look changed to sympathy. "You want to leave a message?"

Grissom waved it off. "It's ok, I'll contact her later."

"OK. I hope you have a good day Dr. Grissom."

"You too. Bye."

She gave him a head nod as she reached for the now ringing phone, and while she answered it, Grissom turned and walked away, heading out of the building a few seconds later.

Once he made it back to and in the vehicle, Will looked at him with confusion on why she wasn't with him, and Grissom spoke as he turned on the vehicle. "She was busy."

No reason to doubt him, Will nodded in understanding before speaking with a sigh for his friend. "That's a shame man, I'm sorry. Least you got to see her one more time before you left."

Will's words on seeing her 'one more time' stuck with Grissom as he nodded while pulling out of the lab's parking lot.

"Yeah, one more time."


From the time they left the lab to when their plane arrived back in Minnesota, not much was said, which Will could understand why Grissom was a little quieter than usual, and he didn't blame him, so he just gave him space, but as they were walking down the aisle of the plane to head for the exit, Will asked. "So, what are you going to tell Ashley?"

"About what?"

Will chuckled. "What do you mean 'about what?' You were conscious the last five days, right?"

Grissom cleared his throat before speaking. "There's just nothing to tell."

Will turned around and looked at Grissom with confusion. "What do you mean nothing to tell? You don't expect to hi..." Will trailed off a second later when he saw a different look in the other man's eyes, which wasn't there very long, but he wasn't a supervisor for nothing. "Wait, she wasn't busy, was she?"

"She could have been."

They both knew that was a weak defense, so Will spoke again. "But you didn't know for sure, and you just walked away without talking to her."

Grissom sighed, his patience getting thin. "Listen Will, I appreciate what you did for me, but this doesn't concern you."

Will sighed and shook his head as Grissom walked past him. "You could be making a big mistake."

They turned to look at one another again as Grissom softly continued, almost painfully. "Then it is a mistake I'm going to have to live with, so please just drop this and don't tell Ashley anything."

Will sighed again as he finished, knowing there wasn't much he can say or do, because like he told Sara, Grissom can be a very stubborn man when he really wants to be. "Ok, it's your life, live it as you see fit." Before Grissom could speak, if he even wanted to, Will had already walked past him.

Grissom took a moment to gather himself before turning around and walking so he could exit the plane and see Ashley for the first time in five days.


Ashley started smiling when she saw Will walked into the airport, but was a little concerned when the next few people who walked in after him wasn't Grissom, so she shared a look with Sheila, before Sheila looked straight again, smiled and pointed. "There he is."

Ashley's smile grew as she ran towards him. "Dad!"

Grissom smiled at the sound of her voice before he dropped his carry-on bag and wrapped his arms around her the minute she was close enough, and sighed, least he has this amazing little girl.

As they pulled back, she spoke with the smile still on her. "I missed you."

Grissom cupped her cheek with a nod. "I missed you too, sweetheart. Now let's go get the rest of my bags, I might have a gift or two for you."

Now really excited, Ashley nodded, and after Grissom picked up his carry-on they, and Will and Sheila, headed towards the baggage claim.

Once they had their bags, Ashley walked up to Will and gave him a hug with a few words. "Thank you Uncle Will for looking after him."

They all smirked, then Will looked down and cupped her cheek with a smile. "My pleasure honey."

Ashley nodded before sharing a hug with Sheila, and after they pulled back, Grissom thanked Sheila for brining Ashley here, which she just smiled with a nod, then when Grissom looked a Will, there was a short, uncomfortable silence, before he spoke towards both him and Sheila. "I'll uh, see you two Monday."

The two just nodded before Grissom and Ashley started walking away, and only when they were out of earshot did Sheila look over at Will. "Is it just me or was there some weird vibe between you two?"

Will sighed as he started walking. "It was nothing."

Sheila would like to think she knew both men pretty well, particularly Will, and the vibe she felt between them didn't feel like nothing, so she stepped in front of him and spoke again. "It's not nothing is it? What happened down there?"

Will sighed again, but instead of telling her straight out, he asked softly. "Is there a moment in time you wish you can go back and change?"

She chuckled with a nod, thinking this wasn't a big deal of a question. "Yeah all the time."

But Will shook his head and explained. "No, I'm not talking about the little stuff, I mean a big moment, one you felt could be a life-changer."

Feeling the seriousness of the question now, Sheila took a moment to think about it, but there really wasn't much to think about because the big choices she had made in her life she felt right about, except one that is, and she spoke softly. "You know there is."

Will cleared his throat and finished. "Well, let's just hope he didn't screw up his."

Sheila now looked a little shocked, she obviously didn't know what the life-changing moment was, but if Will saw it as one, it had to be big.

"Wow, really." Will just nodded as they started walking, then she asked. "Is it too late to fix it?"

They have eye contact as he finished. "I like to think anything is possible." Sheila smiled slightly, making him smile in return, then cleared his throat again a second later. "Thanks by the way."

"For what?"

"For giving me a ride home."

Donna had called him before he boarded his plane in San Francisco, and told him she'll be working a double and wouldn't be home till later tonight.

Sheila waved it off. "Oh, no problem, I had to bring Ashley here anyways."

"Yeah, but you could have said take a hike."

She chuckled again. "You know I would never do that. I'll always have your back, no matter what."

They have eye contact one more time as he replied. "And I'll always have yours."

They smiled at one another one more time before they looked forward again before she asked how his part of the trip went.


Later that night

Sitting at his desk inside his room, Grissom started typing on his computer.

Dear Sara,

I'm sorry that I...

He stopped and sighed before hitting the delete button and tried again:

Sara,

Meeting you was...

He stopped and hit delete again before there was a knock on his bedroom door as he heard Ashley's voice. "Dad?"

He closed out of his email and stood up from his chair as he spoke. "Yeah?"

Ashley opened the door and smiled. "Mike and his dad will be here soon."

Even though Grissom had just gotten back from his trip today, he agreed to meet Mike's dad so he'll feel a little more comfortable about his daughter studying with him when they were over at his place, and with Mr. Harrison being a doctor, scheduling a time could be unpredictable, much like being a CSI, so with him having an opening tonight, Grissom took it.

He nodded with a smile. "Ok, I'll be out there in a minute."

She nodded and was going to walk out, but then she asked. "Are you ok, you seem a little off, do you want to meet him tonight, because we can..."

Grissom cuts her off. "I guess the trip took a little more out of me than I care to admit, but I'm fine sweetie."

"OK."

As she turned to leave, Grissom spoke again. "Ashley." When she looked at him again, he continued with a smile. "I love you."

Her eyes sparkled in return. "I love you too."

He nodded in return before she finally turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her, and once it clicked shut, he sat down in his chair with a sigh, took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering if he could really go back to usual, feeling the life that he knew, especially the past 10 years, has changed forever.


AN: Now don't be too discouraged, while I'm not going to give anything away, stay tuned for the next chapter. :) Please Review.