Chapter Thirty-Four: Omnia Vincit Amor

A/N: So, the title of this chapter and it's use in the story is all thanks to Emily. She really is wonderful in my times of writing need…and any other need really. She's a great friend.

The baby is seven months old in a couple days and it is throwing me for a loop. She's already talking, knowing five words, how to high five, shake her head 'no' and just recently say "Hi Mama" her first 'sentence.' Who said she could grow up this fast? I don't like it! She needs to be my little baby forever!!

Okay, back to the story. This is the second to last chapter. Almost done!! I'm sad to see it ending, but fairly happy with the way it's ending, and I'm happy to be able to finish up some other stories of mine and start some new ones.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Omnia Vincit Amor

"I can't believe you got a black cast." Grissom laughed in the car, on the way back to his townhouse from the hospital, after having stopped briefly at Sara's apartment so she could pick up some things.

True enough, when presented with well over fifteen color selections for her hard plaster cast, Sara had chosen black. Not that Grissom was surprised, but still he had been hoping that she'd go for hot pink or something.

"Well, I wasn't going to get some Brittany Spears pop star wanna-be pink, if that's what you were thinking." She remarked sarcastically, before noticing that he had a sheepish grin on his face. "Oh my God. You thought I would get a pink cast?!"

"Well, no. But it would have been really cute. So anti-Sara that it would be the talk of the town for weeks." He stole a quick glance at her face, full of smiles, as he rounded a corner.

God do I miss seeing that smile every day.

"Exactly. I really don't think I want the entire lab discussing me. This thing…" She held up her plaster covered hand. "…is going to draw enough questions as it is that I'm not looking forward to answering. No need to add the addition attention."

"Fair enough. But, I still think it would have been cute." He smiled, that little boy scout smile and she melted. "Besides. Now how are we going to sign it?" He mock-pouted. Although, if he were honest, he had been anxious to the idea of being able to sign the plaster cast. But, by the look on her face, he cringed and thought,

What are we twelve again?

"Uh, you're not." She sounded horrified to his ears. He couldn't hold back the smile. "You're serious?! Grissom! Who does that past high school?!"

Well, at least she's laughing about it.

"I don't know. I just thought that it would be fun. And then when you get the cast removed, you can save it and always remember it."

"Remember that I punched my hand through a wall because you walked in on me in bed with Greg?" She chided. And then outright laughed as his face paled.

"You're right. Don't keep the cast."

"Pull in here." She instructed as they approached a CVS Pharmacy.

"I thought they filled your prescription at the hospital." He commented as he pulled into an open spot by the main entrance.

"They did." She answered simply, jumping out of the vehicle and walking into the store.

Shaking his head, realizing that no matter what he tried he would never fully understand Sara, or women in general, he got out and followed after her.

Women! Sometimes I wonder if they even understand themselves.

"What are we getting here?" He asked as he finally caught up to her, walking her way towards the office supply section.

Her legs are far too long to keep up with! Not that I don't mind the view.

"You'll see." She again, vaguely answered as she began taking inventory of the items on the shelves.

Why do I even bother?!

Before he could even acknowledge that she had grabbed something, she was off, heading towards the registers up front.

"What did you get?" He asked, again, only to have her hide the item from his view.

Women are impossible. Men, well, we just keep setting ourselves up to fail.

"Hey, since we're still going to watch the movie…we are still watching the movie right?" She seemed suddenly very nervous as she shuffled her feet and pretended to be checking out a magazine rack.

"Yeah. I mean, if you want to." He answered just as nervously, but her sudden smile calmed them both.

"Yeah, I do. Well, I was thinking that while we're here, we could hit up the junk food section?"

Sara and her sweet tooth. It's good to know that some things never change.

He smiled as he held his hand out, motioning her forth to the desired aisle. Watching, humorously as she loaded up a basket with Hershey bars, gummy bears, Oreos, sour cream & onion potato chips, M&M's, microwave popcorn, extra salty cashews, a pint of Ben & Jerry's and root beer.

"Uh…" He swallowed, then shook his head. What could one say to that.

"Don't say a word Gilbert Grissom. You broke down my door and I broke my hand. I'm entitled to a sugar high."

He simply held his hands up in surrender as he added a package of Twizzlers and a bag of gummy worms to the basket and taking it from her to hold.

"Gummy worms…why doesn't that surprise me?" She teased him with a light giggle.

"Well they don't have chocolate covered grasshoppers here and I left my stash of them in the fridge at work." He answered in complete seriousness.

She laughed even harder.

"What?!" He asked, not understanding her sudden mirth.

"Nothing. I just find you to be truly adorable."

Shit, did I just say that?

Adorable? What did I do?

"Well, thank you. I think." She laughed again. "Uh, was there anything else you needed…wanted?" He asked as they made their way back to the registers again.

"Uh, no. I think that should do it." She smiled as they waited in line. As soon as she turned to face the tabloid magazines again, he started trying to shuffle through the basket to see what she had gotten before.

Unfortunately for him, she turned around and noticed.

"You'll see in two minutes. Jeez. You're like a kid at Christmas." She laughed at him as he blushed while taking the basket from him and placing it on the checkout counter. "Either turn around or go wait in the car." She told him, not even looking at him, just knowing that he was trying to peer over her shoulder at her purchases.

Reluctantly he backed off, but handed her his credit card.

"What? No. Get lost."

"Come on Sara, like you said I broke down your door and effectively caused your broken hand. Let me pay." This brought the attention of the young cashier as she raised an eyebrow to Sara in concern.

"Nothing like that. Trust me." She assured the teen before turning back to Grissom and with a smile whispered to him. "Are you trying to get yourself arrested for domestic abuse today?!" She laughed when all he did was smile and give her his credit card again. "Ugh, you're impossible."

Again no words, just a smile of satisfaction from Grissom.

Quickly paying the cashier and letting Grissom sign the slip, they left.

Wait for it, wait for it…Five, four, three, two…and…

"So what did you buy?!"

Bingo.

Instead of answering, she just got in the car and closed the door, laughing at his open jaw. It was another few seconds before he narrowed his eyes at her teasingly and got in on the drivers side.

"Here." He heard just as he closed the car door. Looking over to see Sara holding a small package out for him. Taking it from her grasp, he smiled. "Metallic Silver Sharpie marker. It'll work on a black cast. Happy?" There really wasn't a need to ask that as she could see his eyes light up and back was his boyish smile.

Kid on Christmas is an understatement.

"Very. But are you sure? I don't want to write on it if you don't want me to."

"Oh shut up and sign the damn thing." She grumbled holding out her cast for him.

Without pause, he ripped open the package containing the silver markers and removed the cap from one.

"No looking!" He chided playfully, making her sigh with a smile and turn her head to look out the window. It took a few minutes for him to write it, not entirely used to writing on plaster, with markers, or on a curved surface. But he did it, and gently put the cap back on. "Okay. Done."

As he handed the marker back to her, she tried to find where he signed, finally finding his unique scrawl right above her pulse point.

Omnia Vincit Amor

Gil

She could feel a tear spring to her eyes as she read his words. Not only the words and their meaning, but that he had wrote them where anyone could see and signed his name, Gil, not Grissom.

"Love conquers all." She whispered to herself, smiling. Turning slightly she looked at him, gave him a nod and smile, letting him know that she understood his words before settling into her seat and taking a deep breath. "Thank you."

He nodded and started the engine.

"Well Gil, I do believe that you owe me a movie." Sara informed him lightly as she threw herself onto his sofa.

The ride back from CVS was short, but quiet. Sara absentmindedly fingering the only scripture on her cast and Grissom subtly stealing glances at her.

"I believe I do. But only if you plan on handing over some of those M&M's." He negotiated as she dumped the bag of junk food onto his coffee table and he went to the TV to set up the movie once more, turning his back to her.

"You drive a hard bargain, but I suppose I'll manage." She giggled as she threw an M&M at the back of his head.

The look on his face as he slowly turned around was priceless. Shock. Definite shock. Raised eye brow and slowly…slowly that boyish grin appeared.

"You said you wanted an M&M!!" She laughed, falling backwards on the couch.

"I can't believe you!" He sputtered as she continued on with her hysterics. "You seriously just chucked a piece of candy at my head!" He was smiling so she knew he wasn't mad, but just to test the waters further she grabbed a gummy bear and threw it at him, not expecting him to open his mouth and catch it. "Yummy. Thank you."

He laughed as he picked up a Twizzler rope and came after her.

"Gil…Gil, what are you doing?" She smiled through her terror as he approached her slowly with the red candy. When he didn't answer and just gave her that evil little smirk, she jumped up from the couch and ran, with him right on her heals. "Gil!" She squealed as she bolted down the stairs only to feel the licorice whip her in the butt.

"So, couldn't help myself." He shrugged innocently as she openly gawked at him.

"You are unbelievable!" She joked as she began throwing more candy at him, sending their fight back up the stairs.

"Hey! You started it!" He hopelessly defended as he threw an Oreo at her.

"Oh you're going down Grissom!" She was laughing uncontrollably as the two danced around each other while in the middle of a food fight.

"Bring it on Sidle!" She laughed again as she heard those words come from Grissom's mouth. Really, who wouldn't laugh?

It lasted for about ten minutes as the two shamelessly battled each other, chucking all of their food at the other, ultimately all of it landing on the floor.

"Okay, okay! I give up! I'm out of ammo!" Sara surrendered, holding her arms up as she struggled to regain her breathing from having laughed so hard.

"Me too!" Grissom agreed, he, too, trying to regain his breathing. "Truce?"

"For now…" She complied, shaking his hand…albeit with her left, unwounded hand. Looking around at the floor and the couch she couldn't help but snort.

"What?" Grissom asked curiously as he tried to keep from commenting on how she snorts.

"Look around." Was all she said and shook her head as she took in what was once Grissom's clean living room.

"You just had to get the junk food, didn't you?!" He asked in mock-seriousness.

"It's times like these you wish you had a dog…or a robot maid named Rosie." Together they stood there, just examining the room before Grissom turned an inquisitive brow to her.

"Rosie?"

"Yeah…you know, the Jetsons. She was the maid." At his complete look of confusion, her jaw dropped. "You have seen the Jetsons, right?!" The look on his face told her his answer. "Oh dear. Gil, you are missing out on some serious cartoon comedy."

"The name sounds familiar, but I can't think of it." He shrugged, trying not to feel as stupid as he did. "What's it about?" He asked as he went down to the kitchen to receive the trashcan and a broom.

"Well, it's a cartoon set in the future. Well…at the time it was made, the future was what they predicted would be now." She called down to him as she began straightening up the living room.

"When was it made?" He asked as he returned to the room and placed down the trashcan.

"Uh, '63 I think." Then chuckled as she found half and Oreo, cream side down, stuck to the sofa.

"And you know this show how? You weren't even born yet."

"Oh please Gil. It's still on TV now. They play repeats all the time. And hey, you were born and you didn't even know it was on. Besides, after it was cancelled, it came back on the air with new episodes in '85 or so and if I remember right, they even had a few Jetsons movies. It seemed like it was all that was ever on in the various foster homes. I suppose with that many kids under one roof, it was the only thing everyone would agree on." He nodded in understanding as he started to sweep the floor.

"Alright so go on."

"Well, the whole show revolves around this guy, George Jetson. He works for a tyrant of a man Mr. Spacely at Spacely Space Sprockets. I always loved him. He was this short, fat bald man, always angry with the world."

"Ah, yes. I can see why you were so fond of him." Grissom teased as she laughed.

"He was just funny. In basically every episode, he would fire and rehire, or promote then demote George."

"Again, what a sweet man."

"Oh hush."

"Okay, so go on."

"Alright, well, George is married to Jane. She's like a major shopoholic and he's always handing over his money to her. She's like the house wife of the future. Then there's Judy, their daughter, who is the epitome of the typical teenage girl. Trying to impress all the kids at school. and Elroy the son. I always related most to him."

"You related to a cartoon boy from the future?" He asked humorously.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Yes I did. Elroy was the kid that stood out in the crowd. He was this genius kid, always creating a new invention. He actually made a time machine in one of the movies. The Jetsons meet the Flinstones."

"The Flinstones? I remember that one."

"Thank God for that."

"Wait, what about this Rosie?"

"Well, Rosie is a robot. She was rented by the Jetsons to be their maid. She's always making fun of George."

"Well, you're just going to have to show me this show if it's ever on again."

"It's on all the time. I actually have the first season on DVD."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah. Greg and I got into this debate one day over their dog Astro, so he bought me the first season and on our night off we watched the entire thing."

"You know, it just doesn't surprise me how you spend your time anymore." He teased as they finished up the living room.

"Yeah, well. I could say the same for you."

"Fair enough."

"Well, now that we have completely wasted our junk food, how about that movie?"

"Well, we still have the ice cream and root beer." Grissom shrugged giving her a wide smile as he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Uh…" Sara tried to form any coherent sentence and failed miserably. The wiggling of his eyebrows and the look he was giving her, well it was sending some sparks to places she didn't want to think about.

I thought that this was no pressure? Just friends…oh God…now what?

"Root beer floats!" He exclaimed excitedly, as she released her breath.

Oh. Root beer floats. Of course. What the hell did you think he was suggesting?! Idiot.

"Root beer floats. Right. Yes. That sounds fantastic." She answered, shaking her head at the absurdity of her prior thoughts.

"I'll make that if you want to do up a bag of popcorn."

"Sounds like a plan."

It took about ten minutes working in sync together in the kitchen, with Sara making popcorn and Grissom their floats, before they were ready for the movie. Sara had kept stealing bites of the ice cream and Grissom kept stopping the microwave in retaliation.

"Are we ready now?!" Grissom whined comically.

"Yes, now sit your butt down and give me that ice cream." She ordered, snapping her fingers and pointing to the sofa beside her.

"Yes dear."

Again Sara smiled at the endearment. She loved it.

"You know I love it when you call me that."

"Hmm?" Grissom had just sat down and had handed her the float when she spoke, not looking at him, but rather grabbing the remote to play the film.

"Dear. I love it when you call me that."

"Oh?" He wasn't entirely sure how to respond to her. It was chartering into dangerous territory.

"Yeah. Some might find it to be condescending or old fashioned, but I find it to be charming and just, uniquely you."

"Well, thank you but I found it to be uniquely you." Together they smiled as they sat back, impossibly close to each other, on the sofa, enjoying their treats.

Sara was the first to finish her float, not that Grissom was surprised, she practically inhaled the thing. Once Grissom had finished his, he had put both empty glasses on the coffee table, and leaned back into the sofa. It didn't take long for Sara to lean closer to him, or for him to life his arm and wrap it around her shoulder, holding her close.

The romantic tension between Ben and Abigail in the movie was putting both Grissom and Sara's senses of each other on full alert. Gradually throughout the movie, they had managed to lay down, Sara to the inside of the couch, laying slightly atop of Grissom with her head on his chest.

By the time that Abigail was introduced to Ben, Sara had begun lightly stroking Grissom's chest with her hand, and he started on her lower back, slightly raising the hem of her shirt to do so.

By the time the Declaration of Independence was stolen neither of the viewers were paying much attention, as both were far too aware of the feel of the other touching them. Sara had lowered her hand to the hem of his sweatshirt before slowly letting her hand slide beneath the fabric, to caress the flesh of his abdomen. Meanwhile Grissom had done the same, caressing her back beneath the fabric of her shirt.

And by the time Ben and Abigail's shared their first kiss, Sara was very hesitantly turning her head upwards to see Gil's face. He appeared to be watching the movie, but she could tell that he wasn't. He was trying to remain calm, to seem indifferent. It only took a few moments of staring at him, and intensifying her ministrations to his chest for him to turn his head to her.

Gulp.

Gulp.

"You okay?" He quietly asked, trying not to moan at the feelings she was evoking in him.

"Yeah." She whispered back, resting her chin on his chest and staring deep into his eyes.

"Don't like the movie?" He had to admit that as much as he loved the intimacy of the moment, he was getting a little confused as to why she was just laying there staring at him.

"It's okay. I like watching you better." She gave a lopsided smile and he just had to return it.

"Likewise."

"Hey Gil?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry." She barely whispered it, but he still heard it, just before she laid her head back down on his chest.

"For what? You have nothing to be sorry for." He was slightly alarmed now, but he wasn't sure exactly why.

"For not believing in you. For not believing in us." Slowly she turned her head back up to look into his eyes. "I should have, and I'm sorry." A single tear escaped her eye and fell on Grissom's chest, just before he wiped away the salty streak it left behind on her cheek.

He didn't have to say anything, she knew how he felt.

Never once taking her eyes off of his, she moved closer to him, each searching the others eyes for any sign of hesitation, before slowly closing the gap between them, their lips meeting in perfect harmony. The kiss was leisurely and lingering as their hands tenderly explored each other's bodies as if it were the first time. It was several minutes before they finally broke the kiss and Sara, breathlessly, rested her forehead against Grissom's.

"I've missed you." Despite her utter lack of oxygen at the moment, she found it in her to whisper that to him.

Somehow he understood what she meant. She was forgetting the past several months, forgetting the pain, the confusion and the tears, and in that moment they were just back to being them, happy together, again.

"I've missed you too." He whispered back, igniting another kiss, this time more powerful, more passionate.

The movie was long forgotten.

Together they moved to the bedroom, where for hours they made love to each other, consummating their re-found love. And in the morning neither had any regrets.