AN: Thank you for making this story reach over 100 reviews, it means a lot to me. Also thanks for the support and advice. Now here is the next chapter, Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 37: Their first Christmas as a couple

December 25, 2001

A little over a month later

On Christmas morning Grissom woke up without Sara beside him because she had work. He was on call, but never got called in. He stretches, got out of bed, used the restroom, and after using the sink to wash his hands, he walked out and headed for the kitchen so he could start breakfast.

As he walked into the kitchen he looked in the corner of the living room and smiles at the tree they had decorated together. It had small lights, candy canes, ornaments, an angel on top and a few presents underneath it, which was mostly for the team from him, since Sara had already taken the gifts she had gotten them when she went into work last night. As he continued to look at the tree he thinks back to when they talked about getting it.

Flashback

Three weeks ago

Grissom was sitting up in bed with his back against the headboard doing a crossword puzzle, Sara was laying down horizontally with the back of her head on his thigh as she was reading a book. After he filled in a blank box he would put his free hand on her head and run his fingers through her hair. It had been silent for a while now, expect when pages were being turned from her book and his pen scratching on the paper when he wrote.

Finally he speaks. "So when do you want to go out and get it?"

She raises an eyebrow and asked. "Get what?"

He smiled and replied. "Well there is a certain Holiday that is coming up and a lot a people use a tree to celebrate it."

She nodded when she understood, then replied in nonchalant voice. "I don't know."

He frowned at her lack of excitement and asked. "Christmas was a bad time for you?"

She shook her head and replied. "Not very fond memories when I think of Christmas as child, so I don't normally get in the spirit."

He nods and continued to run his hand through her hair as he asked. "What was last year then? You had a little spirit."

She smiled a little and replied. "That was mostly for the team so they would trust and get to know me, and if you remember correctly I didn't have a tree."

He did remember that, but she had put up a few lights around her place to make it look a little festive for the Holiday.

Then he said with a smirk. "So what you're saying is, you took one for the team?"

She chuckled a little and said. "Yeah I guess you could say that."

When it became silent again he whispered. "I want you to have a good memory for Christmas this year, so what do you say to getting a tree?"

She puts her book on her chest, looks up and sees he was looking at her with tenderness, she smiles and replied. "Alright, but for the record it would have already been a good Holiday this year because you're in my life."

He smiled. "That's sweet of you to say." She smiled back, goes back to her book then he continued. "If you think it will be a good Holiday with just me, then it kind of makes me wonder how it would be for you with a present too."

She sets the book down again and asked in a more excited tone. "A present?" He nodded with another smile, happy he got a little rise out of her. She moved so she was now sitting up, but still close to his leg. "Do you know what you are already getting me?"

He pretends to think about it, then replied. "Possibly."

He watched her eyes light up and that melted his heart more, then she moved again so she was now sitting up beside him, she laid her head on his shoulder and whispered. "Thank you."

He chuckled a little, turns his head and kissed the top of her head. "You've haven't seen it yet."

She shrugs. "I don't need to, I know I'll cherish it because it would have come from you."

He smiled and as he learned to kiss her head again she moved her head up and caught his lips with hers. They kissed softly for a few seconds. When they pulled back he kissed her forehead then watches her go back to her book. He goes back to his crossword puzzle, now he couldn't wait to give her the gift he had already planned to get a few weeks ago.

End of Flashback

His thoughts get interrupted when he heard keys unlocking the door, he shook his head and started the pancakes.

A few seconds later, after the door shuts, Sara walks up to the counter, and as she sets her keys down she said. "Hey."

Grissom makes sure the food was ok to leave unattended for a few seconds, walks over to his side of the counter, then they lean toward each other for a peck on the lips.

When they pulled back he asked. "How was shift?"

All she did was sigh and he understood that type of night, it felt like a long one, then he continued with a smile. "I am making breakfast so that should cheer you up a bit."

She smiled back and replied. "Thank you." He nods, and she walks into the kitchen to grab the juice and glasses for them.

After she sets the items on the table she walked into the bedroom to change out of her work clothes and read her book as she waited for breakfast.

When the pancakes, eggs and toast were done, he puts the food on plates, picks them up, walked up to the table, sets them down in the correct places, kissed the top of her head, and as he sat down she asked. "So did you try to sneak a peek on what I got you?"

He looks at her with his fork in his hand and asked in an innocent tone. "What? Would I do that?"

She looks at him with a smile and replied. "I could see you as a little kid shaking your wrapped gifts to see if you can guess what you got, then make a sad face if you didn't hear anything rattling, thinking it could be clothes."

He looks at her with a natural face for a few seconds then shakes his head and said with a small smile. "It's almost scary that you already know me so well." She smirks and he continued with a tender look in his eyes. "But I am honored that you do and that you are willing to." They smile at each other, then started to eat in comfortable silence.

They were halfway done with their meal when they heard a knock on the door, he turns his body to look up at the clock hanging in the kitchen and smiled again when he saw the time, her gift was finally here.

She asked, breaking his thoughts. "Who is that?"

She was a little worried that it could be one of the team members, but he reassures her a little when he looks at her and said. "It's not one of the guys."

She raised an eyebrow and asked. "How do you know?"

He stands up, walks up to her, holds out his hand and asked. "Do you trust me?"

She smiles and without hesitation she puts her hand in his. "You know I do."

He helps her up and guides her to a spot so she was looking straight at the door.

He looks at her and said. "Now please stay right there and closer your eyes." She takes a second then does it, while her lips pursed and her arms crossed over her chest, he smiles and continued. "Don't open them until I tell you to." She nodded, he looked at her for a second longer, then walked to the door.

When he got there he grabbed his wallet from the side table, pulls money out, opens the door, smiled at the man, gives him money while the man handed him something, then he turned and walked away once Grissom got a hold of it.

Grissom stepped back into the townhouse and shuts the door with his free hand, he carried the carrier closer to her, takes the item out, which Sara rose an eyebrow and asked. "What are you doing?" When she heard something that sounded like a cage door being open.

He smiled and replied. "Just a second." then said a second later. "Ok now open your eyes, please." He watched her slowly open them and when she saw what he had in his hands, she gasped.

As she was putting her hand up to her lips, he said with a smirk. "I could've gotten you another stuffed puppy, a bigger one this time, but I thought the real deal would be a better choice for Christmas." When she didn't speak or move for several seconds he started to get worried. "Do you not like him?" He was sure she would have loved this.

She shook her head and tried to say how much this meant to her. "It's not that...it's just..." But her emotions overwhelmed her so much that she couldn't and she started having tears in her eyes. He walks up to her and hands her gift to her, she smiled as she takes the 4 month, brown and white boxer from his hands, which was identical to the stuff puppy he had won for her at the amusement park. As she was getting acquainted with their dog, Grissom puts a hand on her cheek to wipe her tears away.

When she finally looks at him, she cleared her throat and said. "Nobody's ever gotten me a pet before and I've always wanted a dog, thank you." Then she smirks and replied. "I told you I would cherish it." She leans toward him and pecks him on the lips before he could respond.

She pulled back and he finally replied. "You're welcome."

She smiled, looked back at their new pet and asked. "Does he have a name?"

Grissom nodded. "At the Pet rescues facility they named him Hank." Which Hank looked at him and Grissom continued as he pet him. "We can cha..."

Sara, knowing what he was going to say, shook her head and cut him off. "No I like it and plus he knows his name already, I don't want him to get confused." He nodded and continued petting the dog, and she joined in a second later.

After a few minutes she tells Grissom to follow her, so they walked toward the tree and sat down in front of it. After she hands him Hank she grabbed his present from under the tree, turned to him, and as she handed it out, she said. "Merry Christmas, babe." He smiled and they switched the pet for the gift.

She started petting Hank again as Grissom was unwrapping his gift. When the paper was all the way off he gasped at what he got, two very rare butterflies in a medium-sized, glass case to go with his collection, now it was his turn to be speechless for a few minutes.

He scoots closer to her, puts his hand on her cheek and said with sincerity. "Thank you honey." Then they peck each other on the lips.

When they pulled back he asked. "So was this a good Christmas memory for you?"

She nodded with a smile and replied. "Very much so."

He smiled back, looks down at Hank and said. "Don't think I forgot you." He ran his hand through his fur, then stands up, puts the butterfly case on the coffee table, walked to the other side of the tree so the big plastic bag would've been more hidden from her, picked it up, walked back to Sara, which she had another smile on her face, he sits back down and they both starting unwrapping the gifts he had bought for Hank.

Once the last gift was unwrapped, which was a red leash with an adjustable collar, they were still sitting on the floor watching their dog play with another one of his gifts, a ball.

They had moved from the original spot they were sitting at before. Now Grissom's back was against the coffee table and Sara was sitting between his legs with her back against his chest. He moved his arms to wrap around her waist, then kissed her head and said. "Merry Christmas, Sara. I love you."

She puts her hand on top of his, slips her fingers through his and replied."I love you too. Marry Christmas, Griss. And Thank You for the best Christmas of my life."

He holds her tighter and responded. "It was my pleasure."

After he kissed her on the head again he sighed in content as they watched their newest member in silence. He had to admit he was very proud of himself on making her so happy this holiday, he couldn't erase the memory of her past Christmas's, but he could make future ones better, which he was willing to try. And what she didn't know was that this was one of the best Christmas's of his life too.

AN: Want more? Want to find out what's in store for them next? Stay tuned and please review.