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

Chapter 38: Need to Step back

It was only seconds that passed, but to Sara and Grissom it felt like an eternity as they waited to hear a steady heartbeat coming from the machine, then when they finally heard it, they started crying with joy while Grissom kissed her temple a few times as he lightly held her sore wrist.

As they were calming down, Sara sniffled as she looked her doctor. "Is the baby really ok?"

The blond haired, blue eyed, slim build woman that stood closer to 5'8, smiled with a nod. "I have to run a few more test to make sure, but hearing there is a heartbeat is a very good sign, I'll give you two a few minutes."

They nodded as Grissom said. "And can you take a look at her wrist?"

She nodded with a smile. "We'll get a nurse in here to check it out."

"Thank you."

After one more nod, she left the room, and as the door clicked shut, Sara and Grissom looked at one another with tears in their eyes while they placed their hands on her stomach, then she sniffled and whispered. "I'm so sorry, I'm..."

Grissom cuts her off as he removed his hand from her wrist and cupped her cheek. "Hey, it's not your fault, honey, you couldn't have known what was going to happen."

"I know, but I could have..."

She stopped because she was sobbing so much and Grissom just held her head to his chest while a few tears went down his cheek, both out of joy/relief and still out of shock that they felt like they were close to losing a part of them they already loved so much.

Once they put a brace on her wrist, and everything else was ok, they left the room, and when they got to the lobby they see Sheila walk into the building with Tyler in her arms, then they saw her whisper something and point towards them, making Tyler turn his head, which the moment he saw his parents, his eyes beamed with a smile, so after Sheila sets him down, he ran towards them the best he could as a two-year old.

Grissom got to him before he even reached half-way and picked him up, making Tyler giggle as Grissom kissed his cheek repeatedly, then while his arms were around his dad, he looked down at his mother's wrist and saw something he didn't see earlier, so he asked with a concerned look on his face. "Momma, owie?"

Sara gave him a soft smile as she cupped his cheek. "Yeah, sweetie, but I'll be ok."

Tyler then looked at his father and said with a determined look, which reminded Sara of Grissom. "Dada, kiss 'etter."

Knowing when his father kissed his owies they always felt better, he was thinking it could do the same for his mother.

They chuckled softly before Grissom looked a little helpless as he spoke, wishing that's all it would take. "I wish I can bud, but sometimes all it takes is time."

Tyler didn't like that answer and he frowned with the determined look still on his face. "Me, 'den"

Grissom smiled slightly before replying. "Ok, how about we do it together and see what happens?"

After Tyler nodded, they both leaned toward her wrist after she lifted her arm up for them, and after a soft kiss from both of them, Tyler looked a little sad that it didn't really work, but he did get a little happier when his mother cupped his cheek again and said with a beaming smile. "That was very sweet of you honey, and while it didn't work like you wanted it to, just seeing your smile makes me feel a whole lot better."

Tyler smiled as he moved his arms from his father's neck, but knowing he wouldn't fall because his father held him pretty firmly, and opened his arms wide and said. "'tis big."

Sara nodded with the smile and tears in her eyes. "Yeah, that big." Then she leaned forward and kiss his forehead. "And I love you that big too."

He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his father again as he whispered. "'Uove you too, momma."

After a soft smile between the parents, they headed towards Sheila with appreciative looks before they walked out of the building, and after Sheila dropped them off back at the lab, they got into his vehicle and he drove them home, both needing to be with their son right now.

Later that night

For the rest of the afternoon and throughout the evening they just held one another while they read stories and played with Tyler, then while they were tucking him in his crib, Grissom had gotten a phone call, and when he walked back into the room a few minutes later, Sara was still standing next to the crib, looking down at their son, not able to keep her eyes off of him. But when Grissom whispered her name, and she looked up at him, she nodded, knowing they needed to talk, so after she bent down and kissed the top of his head that had his father's hair color, she whispered. "Sweet dreams, sweetie, mommy won't be far."

As she was pulling back, Grissom was right at the other side doing the same before he took her hand and walked her around the crib before walking them out of the room, closing the door to a crack.

When they made it to the kitchen/dinning room area, she headed towards the fridge to get her a water as Grissom spoke. "That was Will on the phone. He said that Reggie is going to make a full recovery." Sara sighed in relief as she closed the fridge while he finished. "He said he might be on desk duty for a bit, but there shouldn't be any problems once he's healed."

She walks to the counter and stands so her backside is against it as she uncapped her bottle. "That is very good news to hear."

Grissom nodded and watched her take a sip of water, and after she swallowed and placed her cap back on, she looked down a few seconds later, making Grissom look at her in concern as he stepped up to her. "Honey, what's wrong? Are you ok?"

She looked at him, nodding her head. "I'm fine. I've just been thinking."

He was going to tease her, but knowing this wasn't a teasing moment, he just nodded again and cupped her cheek. "About what?"

"Our trip that we talked about."

"Oh, do you want to can..."

Sara cuts him with a shake of her head. "No, after the check-up next week, and if the doctor oks it, I still want to go."

"Ok, then what about the trip?"

She took a breath and replied. "I think it should be longer."

He smiled a little with a nod. "Alright, a few days longer, we can make that happen."

She shook her head. "More than a few days."

Raising an eyebrow, he asked. "How long?" She looked into his eyes for a few more seconds before looking down again, and he lifted her chin up not long after and asked softly. "Sara, how long?"

She took another breath before whispering. "At this time, I'm thinking indefinitely."

Grissom had to admit he was a little shocked, but course after the day she had, he couldn't really blame her.

"I know after what happened, and you have a right to be scared, but..."

Sara cuts him off as she walked past him, stopping just before she reached the table. "It isn't only about what happened today, Griss. I've been feeling this for awhile now."

Curious, and maybe a little scared on what it was, he asked. "Feeling what?"

She turned around and spoke with tears in her eyes. "I need to step back from being a CSI, I don't think I can do this anymore right now. I'm tired of being surrounded by all the violence and death everyday. I just want to be..." She paused for a second before finishing softly. "A mother and wife."

Since becoming a CSI, Sara never thought she wanted to do anything else in her life, she breathed it, liked what she did, and it was a thrill for her, especially when she got the killer. But like what she told him years ago, he made her feel and think things she's never thought she would, and lately becoming just a mother and wife was all she thought about right now, and it kind of scared her to admit it, even now.

Grissom gave her a smile as he walked up to her and cupped her cheek, then replied with pride. "Then that's what we'll do. We'll step back, get out of here for a couple of weeks, or a few months. How ever long you want to be gone."

Sara had tears in her eyes as she asked. "But what about you, and your..."

He cuts her off as he wiped her tears away. "The important thing to me is making sure you're happy and healthy, and if this is something you want and need, then let's make it happen." Sara was going to open her mouth before he continued as he looked at her with so much love and understanding. "You, and our family are more important to me than my job, I promise, so don't feel guilty about this, about what you want, because all I want is you guys, ok?"

Seeing the truth she nodded while sniffling. "Ok."

He nodded in return and kissed her forehead before wrapping his arms around her to hold her for a few minutes.

When they pulled back, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as they walked into the living room, then after getting comfortable on the couch, she sighed while laying in his arms. "Although, I am sorry abut the timing of all of this. Will's going to be down three CSI's, and Sheila is only part time at the moment."

After the birth of their second child, a boy this time, Sheila's been spending a little more time at home.

Grissom nodded as he ran his fingers though her hair. "Me too, but he'll understand."

She nodded again, then a few seconds more of silence, she felt him tense, and knowing what he was doing from feeling his finger lightly touching the bruise at her temple, she took his hand and placed her fingers through his. "Griss, don't go there, you didn't do this. It wasn't your fault."

He took a shuttering breath before whispering with emotion. "I know, but I told myself I was never going to see something like that on your face or body, or this for that matter." He used his other hand to lift up the wrist that was in the brace.

Sara smiled slightly as she whispered. "Even if I hadn't gotten these today like I did, accident's do happen, it's not like you can wrap me up in bubble wrap."

He kissed her softly on her head and whispered in emotion again. "I know that too, but I just want to keep you safe."

"And you do, every time your arms are around me."

He took a breath and removed his hand from her injured wrist and wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled in his embrace further, if that was even possible, both needing the reassurance that they were there, and happy they avoided a potential disaster that could have sent their lives into a horrible nightmare, whether it was him losing his unborn child and Sara, or them losing their unborn child.

One Week later

Will signed his name on the bottom before closing the file and placing it to his left before looking up at the two people standing in front of his desk with a smile. "Well, there you go, you two are officially done."

Sara started to sniffle as she said. "I'm sorry Will, I know..."

Will cuts her off as he stood up from his seat. "And like I said, it's ok. Is the timing great? No, but we'll make do." He stopped in front of her and cupped her cheek with the smile still on his face. "The important thing is you and your family's happiness and health, I understand." Sara started to smile before he continued with a smirk. "Now, if you ever want to find your way back here, I won't mind either."

Sara chuckled before replying softly. "Thank you, I appreciate that, but I'm done. But then again I also wouldn't say never either."

Will nodded with a smile. "I'll take that, but either way, I just want you to be happy and healthy."

She nodded with a smile in return before they get into a hug, which while they were in the embrace she thanked him again, and as they pulled back, he asked. "What for?"

"For letting me be part of this team for seven years, because while I did have a good team in San Francisco and they were good to me, this one felt more like home, a family."

He chuckled then nodded his head towards Grissom. "I think that's because it was mostly his presence here."

They all chuckled before Sara smirked with love in her eyes towards her husband. "I guess his presence had a little something to do with it." He gave her a smirk back as Sara looked at Will again, with a more serious expression on her face. "But really it did feel like family."

He nodded with one more smile before bringing her into his arms for another hug. "You're welcome." Then he said something that she had said to him years ago. "And continue to watch his back."

She chuckled as she pulled back with a nod. "Always."

Sara moved to the side to give the men a little privacy, and after Will looked at Grissom, he cleared his throat and said. "Wow, who would have thought that we'd work together off and on for 21 years, and that I would become your boss." Grissom chuckled before Will continued after a sigh with his hand held out. "And while I was your boss, you are the one that taught me everything I needed to know, not only as a CSI, but as a man and a father, and I'll never forget it. It's been a pleasure, sir."

Grissom smiled and stepped toward him, ignoring the hand out and cupped his cheek, making both men and Sara have tears in their eyes, as Grissom whispered. "Will, I'm only six years older than you."

They chuckled, remembering when he had told time that before, then Grissom wrapped him in his arms and whispered. "It's been a pleasure to work with you too, Mr. Baker."

As they were pulling back, Will asked. "So, when do you two leave for Paris?"

The check-up was good and Sara was free to travel.

They smiled as Grissom replied. "In a couple of days."

"Send Ash my love."

Grissom nodded. "We will." Then he looked over at Sara and asked. "You ready?"

Sara cleared her throat and nodded. "Yeah."

When they looked at Will, he was smiling and shaking his head before saying. "You didn't think I was going to let you leave just like that, did you?" They looked at him with curiosity as Will pulled his phone out of his pocket, and after hitting a button he put it up to his ear and said. "Mrs. Harper, send them in."

Sara was the one that spoke. "Send who..."

She gets cut off when Will's office door opens and everybody they had worked with through the years of the lab came into the room, including Sheila and Reggie, which the latter one was on crutches, but it was nice that he could join them. The group also had a cake and non-alcoholic drinks brought in.

Grissom looked at Will, and Will said with a smile. "I'm sorry man, but you just walking out the lab like you've never been here, isn't going to fly. Both of you have been a major part of this lab, and I couldn't let you leave without something."

They both thanked him before joining the group, then after Sheila said her emotional goodbyes, she walked up to her husband and gave him a hug before looking at Sara and Grissom with smiles, both sad to see them go, but happy they got to know them and watch them find love that would last a lifetime, particularly Grissom since they knew him longer.

Once the celebration ended, Sara and Grissom walked out of the lab, presumably for the last time, at least as employees, and got in the vehicle, then once they were comfortable in their seats, Sara placed her hand on top of his and asked. "You really sure about this?"

Grissom looked over at her with a smirk. "Well it's kind of too late to change my mind now." Then he got serious. "But honestly, yes, I'm sure."

Seeing the truth in his eyes, she cupped his cheek and whispered. "I love you, so much."

"And I love you. Now let's go get our little man from daycare and start planning out the next phase of our lives."

"I could go for that."

They kissed softly on the lips before he started to drive, ready to face whatever comes next.

AN: More to come, and another turning point. Thanks for reading and please review.