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

Chapter 14: Christmas Eve

Two Months later

"I'm sorry Griss, but I had already promised, before everything that happened between us, that I would work the holidays. I've managed to have Christmas and the next day off, but today is just not possible."

It's been two months since they've seen each other, not that they hadn't been planning on seeing each other since they parted in Vegas, but like they predicted, having a CSI schedule is completely unpredictable, so they've had to cancel a few plans here and there, and Christmas Eve was just the latest.

Grissom tried to hide the sadness as he was looking out the window from his childhood home living room. "It's ok, I understand."

Sara sighed from her side of the phone, while sitting in an empty break room at the moment. "I know you do, but I still feel really bad." Then she whispered in an almost pleading tone. "And I really wanted to see you today, it feels like it's been forever."

Grissom smiles a little in return. "For me too, but least we'll have tomorrow and the next day."

Sara wasn't hesitating, and she said it with the biggest smile she could. "Oh yeah, nothing is keeping me away from you for the next two days, you can count on that." As Grissom chuckled, Sara's short-staffed team came in the room. "I better go, Griss."

"Ok, be safe and see you tomorrow."

"I will. See you tomorrow."

Grissom removed his phone from his ear, closed it and placed it in his pocket, but he couldn't dwell on his sad feelings for long because his mother had stood next to him, and he didn't want to ruin hers and Ashley's day. But of course he should have known no matter how hard he tried to hide what he was feeling in that moment, his mother knew him better than anybody in his life, so when Betty Grissom touched his shoulder to get his attention, there was only a slight pause before she looked at him with concern and started signing. 'What's wrong, sweetie?'

He took a breath before signing in return. 'You won't be able to meet Sara today, she couldn't get away from work.'

There was another pause before his mother smiled. 'Oh that's all. Well, if it's work that's keeping her away from you, then what's keeping you away from her?' He had to admit he was a little surprised about her suggestion since he knew how much spending the holidays with family meant to her, and he tried to respond back, but she continued before he could. 'I can see how much she means to you, and I know you miss her, so why delay your reunion when you can do something about it.'

She'll admit a part of her is sad that her little boy is all grown-up and finally in love, but another part, the bigger part of her was happy for him, because outside of seeing him with Ashley, she has never seen him happier when talking about this new woman in his life. Which actually in a way surprised her that he was so open to talking about her when he was normally a private person, even to her, getting that trait from his father.

Grissom's heart started to race with the prospect of seeing Sara sooner than tomorrow, but he had to be sure his mother was ok with him really going. 'But mom..."

She cuts him off again with a nod and smile. 'You know how much I fuss more over Christmas Day than Eve, so go.'

Grissom gets the biggest smile on his face that he's had in months. 'Ok. Thank you, I love you.'

'And I love you.'

They kiss each other's cheek before they wrap each other in an embrace, and as they were pulling back, Ashley picked that time to step in the living room from the kitchen and saw what was going on, so she asked. "What's up?"

Grissom was so caught up in his mom's approval of leaving, he momentarily forgot there was another approval that he needed before he could go with a clear head, so after sharing a look with his mother, which she just gave him a little nod and smile, he turned and started walking towards Ashley.

"Sara won't be able to make it today, so..."

She cuts him off with a nod. "You're going to go to her."

He stopped in front of her and cupped her cheek. "But I can stay here if you want me to."

She knew all she had to do was say the word and he really would, but knowing that, would make her feel too guilty because, while he'll physically be here, the rest of him will wish he was somewhere else, which she honestly couldn't blame him since she sees how much he misses her, and despite the uncertain feelings she was still feeling about all of this, she never wanted to mess with his happiness like that, so with that thought in mind, she shook her head and gave him a small smile. "No, it's ok, you should go."

"Are you sure? Or hey, why don't you just come with me?"

"I'm sure, and no, you two should be alone. I don't want to get in the way."

Grissom frowned a little as he ran his thumb up and down her cheek. "You are never in the way, I hope you know that."

She nodded trying to keep her emotions intact. "I know, but still, it's been two months, you guys should enjoy a little time just the two of you. Besides, I'm meeting her tomorrow, right?"

Grissom nodded with a smile. "Yes, as soon as we can make it."

"Well there you go, I'll see you two tomorrow."

After seeing the reassuring look, he nodded before bringing her in his arms. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too, dad."

Once they pulled back, he gave her a smile before walking back to his mom, who was also giving him a smile.

'Drive safe.'

'I will, see you tomorrow.'

After a nod, they get into one more hug, before he walks out of the house with his duffel bag, and as the door clicked shut, Betty walked up to Ashley, who now had her head down, lifted the girl's chin up before signing with a smile and tears in her eyes, knowing how she was feeling.
'There are few people he really lets in his heart, but once you are there, you are there for life,
and that's exactly where you'll stay. He'll never abandon you, no matter what or who comes into his life. And I'll never abandon you for that matter, as far as I'm concerned, you are my granddaughter and that will never change.' Ashley smiled with a nod while wiping a few tears off her cheek before Betty signed one more thing. 'Now, let's make some of those chocolate chip brownies you love so much.' She nodded again with a chuckle as Betty wrapped her arm around her shoulders as they headed towards the kitchen.

Hours later

Since Grissom left his mom's house, he couldn't stop smiling, not even the traffic jam he had been in could dampen it, and it only grew as he parked in the parking lot to the San Francisco Crime lab.

He took a moment to calm his heart, but it wasn't working too well, so he just took one deep breath and got out of the vehicle before shutting the door and heading towards the entrance of the building.

When he walked in, he started pulling his ID out, but Linda, the same woman who saw him last year, smiled. "Glad to see you back here, Dr. Grissom."

Grissom smiled with a nod. "Thank you Linda."

After giving him the visitors badge, she asked. "You remember the way to the break room?"

Grissom nodded in return. "I do."

She nodded before he started walking his way down the hall towards the break room, and as he got closer to the room, his mind was taking him back to the last time he did this, then the minute he stopped at the break room doors and saw the same male co-worker from last year, he even felt like he was back to that day.

The difference between then and now though was that he wasn't going to let his insecurities get the better of him, so he took a breath, moved forward and pushed the door open so he could get through.

He had only taken a few steps in the room before Sara gasped as she stood up from the chair she had been sitting in.

"Grissom!"

When their eyes connected it was only them in the room.

He smiled. "Hi."

Sara smiled in return as she ran to him, nearly colliding right into him once she got there, but he didn't care, he just held on tight as they hugged before she started sobbing lightly, not able to hold in her emotions, as he ran his hand up and down her back in a comforting motion.

After a few minutes, she started to calm down while her 6'0, slim build, blond haired, brown eyed, co-worker walked up to Grissom with a smile and held out his hand. "You must be the guy that has been keeping a smile on Sidle's face." Grissom removed one hand from Sara while he kept his other one around her waist before he took the other man's hand as he continued with a smirk. "Well, until now that is."

They chuckled as Sara spoke while wiping her eyes. "Oh, shut up, these are happy tears, so it still counts."

The men chuckled again as they released hands, and the younger one continued in a sincere tone. "All I'm saying is that any man who can make that girl smile, is ok in my book."

Grissom nodded with a smile still on his face. "Thank you."

The other man nodded, then he looked at Sara with a smirk again. "I'll give you a little time, just remember the windows are made of glass, which means people can see through them."

They chuckled one more time before Sara shook her head with a smile and mock glare. "Get out of here, I'll catch up in a few minutes."

He nodded with a smile between the two of them before leaving the room, and as the door shut, Grissom spoke. "He seems nice, who was that again?" He only knew her co-workers by name.

"That was Spencer West." Then she cupped his cheek while they were looking into each other's eyes as she continued. "Who has been happily married the last 3 years and has a daughter on the way in a few months." He nodded in understanding as she finished while wrapping her arms around his neck. "But I don't think you came here to talk about Spencer."

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "No, I sure didn't."

They continued to look at one another in silence for a moment before she asked after clearing her throat. "Not that I'm happy to see you, but what about..."

He cuts her off. "It was mom's idea. Besides, she always fussed more about Christmas Day than Christmas Eve."

Sara couldn't help but smirk next. "And let me guess, you were one of those kids who had to open presents on Christmas Day, not Eve."

Grissom had the cutest pout on his face that made him look so adorable, she couldn't help but chuckle a little, then he smiled while he spoke again. "Although, there was this one year, I was six and I begged my parents so much that they let me pick one out from under the tree early."

"Yeah, and?"

His face lit up as he told her, it was like he had just won the jackpot that year. "I got an ant farm."

If Sara hadn't already fell for him, she would be a total goner in this moment, because while kids that age would be asking for bikes or whatever other crazy/cool big fad that every kid wanted for that year, her man wanted an ant farm, and she had no doubt he took care of it longer and better than any kid who got the crazy fad that year.

She smiled wider as she cupped his cheek again. "Could you be any more cuter right now?"

He smiled shyly for a few seconds, then he cleared his throat and asked without thinking. "So, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"How were your Christmases?" There was a little shift in the air between them, and she started to slowly release him before he shook his head while reaching for her hand. "I'm sorry, I wasn't..."

She cuts him off as she let him take her hand. "It's ok, I've had a few good ones, but when things turned bad there wasn't much celebrating, and it didn't get a whole lot better as I was growing up, so most of my Christmases was spent working. I was always the one that would cover for my co-workers." Then she smirked a little, but it had a somewhat sad tone to it. "I guess that's why they looked a little shocked that I had changed my mind about working this time around." With a sympathy/comforting look, he just wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug while she held on to him for a few minutes.

When they pulled back, she cleared her throat before speaking again. "Anyways, I should get back to work." She pulled keys out of her pocket before handing a single one to him once she got it off the key ring. "Just let yourself in my apartment, and I'll be there as soon as I can."

He gave her a nod with a smile as he took the key. "OK, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, you will."

After one more long look, he started walking towards the door, but stopped and turned around when she said his name. "Thank you for coming here today."

With his eyes shinning bright, he nodded with another smile. "You're welcome."

Once he turned back around and left the room, she took a breath before walking out the other door, trying to get her mind back on track, but knowing who was now waiting at her apartment, she knew it wasn't going to be an easy task.

3 hours later

Grissom stood up from the floor and smiled proudly at what he had finished when he heard the door start to open, but it couldn't open all the way because he had locked it just in case he wasn't prepared for her.

"Grissom? You in there?"

He turned and walked towards the door. "Yeah, just a minute."

"What's going on, why is the door locked?"

He turned to look around one more time before turning back to the door, but before he started to unlock it, he asked. "You'll know in a second, but can you do me a favor and close your eyes?"

"Close my...Griss, really what's going on?"

He unlocked the door and opened it just enough so she could only see his head, and gave her a smile with his eyes sparkling. "Please, just trust me, close your eyes."

There was a pause before she smirked while she did what he asked. "You're trouble when you do that, you know."

He just smiled again before taking her hand and opened the door wider to walk her in, then after closing the door and placing her purse, shoulder bag and jacket on the kitchen counter, he walked her to the middle of the living room before standing behind her and whispering in her ear.

"Open them."

When she opened them the only thing she could do was gasp and become speechless, because looking around she saw that he had put up small Christmas lights around the living room, the shelf above her TV had a few stockings hung up, on the door there was a wreath, she couldn't help but notice a mistletoe was above them, and the sweetest gesture of all, while it wasn't a Christmas tree, it was a medium sized plant that had a few small candy canes hanging off of it and a Christmas present under it.

Never had a man that she's been involved with went through this much to make this holiday special to her, so when she looked into his eyes, she had tears going down her cheeks while she started to speak. "Griss, I..."

He cuts her off with a smile as he cupped her cheek and wiped a few tears off. "I know it isn't much, seeing as it was literally the last minute, but..."Sara was going to cut him off, but he placed a finger to her lips to stop her. "Let me get this out, ok?" She nodded and he continued while his heart was racing. "I promise next year will be different, you'll only get the best of everything."

She shook her head and sniffled. "Griss, this was mo..." She stopped for a second before looking at him in shock again, realizing what else he just said, and how he said it. "You said next year. And not in a 'maybe' or a 'probably' kind of way, you 100% meant that." Knowing what the implications were, she continued softly. "You really think there will be a next year for us?"

He gave her a shy smile. "I'm kind of counting on it." He paused to gather his thoughts for a second before continuing. "Because you see, Sara, I've fallen." He stopped again, now trying to gather the courage of telling her something he never told any of his other romantic partners before, and he did after clearing his throat and taking a breath. "I've undoubtedly, passionately have fallen in love with you, and to be honest, I have been for quite some time."

AN: Next Chapter is Sara's response and her meeting Ashley and his mom. Thanks for Reading.