Christmas was fast approaching and Gil wanted this one to be especially good for Sara. While it wasn't their first together, this one held promises that the last few did not. Sara had vanquished her demons, was carrying their two children and Gil had much to be thankful for. He called Catherine and asked her what she thought about a family get together for the holidays.

"I'm all for it, I only have Lindsey and my Mom, did you get a Christmas tree yet?" She knew that Gil was often times the worlds greatest procrastinator and living in Las Vegas, if you didn't grab up a tree right away, you might as well be planning a 'Charlie Brown Christmas' because a stick and a stand would be all you wound up with.

"I did, believe it or not, I got it at Winchell's Tree Lot, they're delivering it today. Ecklie told Sara he needed her to help him set up a room for the 'ones that go away' files and the cold cases. She was eager to get out of the house after being cooped up so long." he chuckled at how excited she'd been when the phone call came in.

"You'll be okay right?" Gil was nearing the end of his medical leave due to his bout of Meningitis. "If you don't want me to I won't go?" but the look on her face was priceless.

"No, you go ahead I'll miss you" he kissed her lightly on her lips happy to have her excited about working. "I'll find something to keep myself busy around here, maybe I'll take Bruno for a walk, it's been awhile." Since her multiple pregnancy, the doctors told her she could continue walking each day but running was out and to take care so that the dog didn't pull her over in his exuberance to go after squirrels as he'd been known to do. She grabbed her purse and was out the door an hour later. Gil waited until she had a head start and then headed to finish his Christmas shopping.

The mall was crowded as he supposed it would be but it felt good to be on an errand for his wife. The first stop was the jewelery store that Catherine had recommended., she'd dropped off a picture of the ultrasound and the owner had it etched in laser on a pendant that would later be able to be added to a charm bracelet but Gil had it put on a chain so she could wear her children near her heart. While he was there he picked out a pair of Ruby earrings for Catherine knowing her penchant for the red stone. For Greg he had ordered tickets to the upcoming Marilyn Manson concert only to find that they'd been sold out. With Catherine's connections, she managed to not only get the tickets but front row and backstage passes with the promise that he didn't tell Greg where or how he'd gotten them.

"I sure and hell don't want him bothering me about tickets every time some weirdo he wants to see is sold out." Gil gave her a hug and asked what he owed, she refused to take payment.

For Warrick, he got dinner reservations and a hotel room for the weekend at the Wynne and hoped that he would use it to either get his head together from his recent divorce or to finally hook up with Catherine. He wasn't as slow as some believed when it came to things going on around him.

Jim got a bottle of some very old Cognac and a case of cigars. Not many knew that he was a closet cigar smoker but Gil did and was usually the one that supplied his habit.

Nicky was getting two airline tickets home and an additional week off from the one he requested. He also knew that Nick and Mandy had hooked up and thought it would be nice to let them get away and possibly have her introduced to Nick's huge family over the holidays. When he'd found out that Mandy didn't have family in town, he decided that he would include her in Nick's gift.

Archie was given the latest Bose sound system and Hodges was given new equipment for the lab he had set up at home. It felt strange including some of the members of the lab as family but it also felt good to realize what Catherine had told him years ago, 'The lab is making a family around you whether you like it or not!" she'd been right and after his relationship with Sara, who was he to say what was right or wrong. Lead by example wasn't a strong suit when it came to her. Wendy had wanted an I pod as long as he could remember, this year her wish would come true

They were all invited to his house for Christmas dinner, Sara wasn't aware of it as it was also, thanks to Catherine going to be a baby shower for her as well. Catherine wanted to handle all of the food arrangements, Wendy and Mandy were handling decorating and the guys were in charge of keeping Sara occupied until it was time for her to come home. Ecklie was involved as well, it was his job to make sure she absolutely had to come into the office on Christmas because of some discrepancy in a report that she'd handed in. All Gil could hope now was that the criminals would take a break and let his team get together. Little did he know, Ecklie had a discussion with the Under Sheriff and Mayor and asked as a personal favor that the Day and Swing would cover for them and in the future they would do the same.

"I just want this to be perfect, Gil and Sara have been through so much and I think it's awesome that the entire Grave team and lab wants to get together for the Holidays." The Under Sheriff was quickly thinking that Ecklie had caught something from Gil and the Mayor would have seconded that except he was one to ask out loud.

"What gives Conrad?" he sat behind his desk, leaning back heavily in his leather chair, hands folded on his lap. "I for one know that you've never been a fond lover of either Grissom or his wife." Ecklie nodded but weighed his words carefully.

"Time changes people Mayor, maybe I just got bit by the Christmas bug" he wasn't offering more than that. He didn't feel a need to explain himself to a man that prejudged everything and everyone. "I would look at it as a personal favor though, and I think over the past, the city 'meaning you' owes me a little leeway. The Mayor agreed, shook his hand and dismissed him, all the while wondering what exactly might have happened to get his head out of his ass.

The tree came, big and beautiful, it took up the entire front window of their new home. Everyone stopped in and helped put the lights and decorations on it. They combined the meager few that Sara had from her apartment, the ones that Grissom had from his Mother and everyone else donated some from their own lives.

"This is so cool!" Mandy stood beside Nick and struggled to hang a handmade bow. Nick took it gently from her hand and put it where she directed then turned and kissed her. "That's way better" she pulled away and caught Grissom staring at them. "Sorry Mr. Grissom.." she blushed slightly but Nick stood there looking very pleased with himself hands till on her hips.

"It's Gil or Grissom outside of work Mandy, we're not formal here." he smiled then offered them something to drink. Mandy was stunned, no one was used to this Grissom and it would take some time to adjust. "Congrats on the two of you getting together." she wasn't sure how to take it, knowing that there had been problems with his own relationship, she was afraid they might frown on her and Nick's but apparently he was okay with it. Nick had told her that as long as they remained professional within the confines of the lab, there wasn't going to be a problem, this just confirmed it for her.

Warrick and Catherine stopped by to help decorate the rest of the house and Greg came with Hodges and Wendy to move tables and set up the Dining Room that until now had remained empty.

"Ugh, Catherine!" Gil motioned her over as movers started unpacking a huge dining room table and chairs that matched along with a buffet for china and a serving side table. "This isn't our furniture!" he pointed to the growing pile of cardboard. She smiled, nodded and started to walk away letting the movers finish but Gil reached out and grabbed her arm. "What did you do?" he tried hard to look upset.

"I happened to be with Sara when she was admiring this set, she said she'd have to wait for it...and I thought it would be a perfect wedding present since SOMEONE didn't tell us when they were getting married!" she shot him a dirty look. He simply shrugged and smiled.

"Blame my wife" easier to always blame the woman when she wasn't there to defend herself..."But honestly Catherine, this is way too much" he looked around and saw two guys carrying in a rolled area rug. "What the hell?" he was quickly moving to being seriously upset. "Catherine, you have to stop...you can't buy everything someone points at" she laughed and pulled free of him.

"I can if I want to and there is nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me" she laughed again, an evil cackle that would have been great if she were cast in the Wizard of Oz. The room was set up, the furniture polished to a gleaming shine and truth be told, Sara's taste complimented the room perfectly, the rug had been an item that Catherine had decide on herself and the abstract designs worked perfectly with the design in the wood on the chair backs.

"Perfect, now for the China...you do have china right?" Catherine stood there waiting for an answer.

"My Mom had China I think it's in the basement" he took Greg and returned with the settings. Catherine, Mandy and Wendy busied themselves washing and drying the beautifully patterned dishes and the exquisite glassware.

"This is beautiful Gil, now you'll be able to put it in the buffet and display it when you're not using it." she wasn't really waiting on an answer but his silence was unnerving. "Gil are you okay?" he was standing with a piece of stemware twisting and turning it, watching the light refractions shimmer off the floor, ceiling and walls. "Gil...Grissom are you okay?" he looked up and she saw tears in his eyes.

"I wish my Mom was here to see that I finally found the woman of my dreams, that she would be having not only one but two grandchildren" Catherine wiped her hands on a towel and came over. "She would have loved this house and my friends" he looked around at everyone who were busy moving around the house doing various chores that Catherine had assigned them.

"She knew about Sara right?" He nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"She knew...when I came to visit after teaching the seminar where we met..."He paused with a smile on his face. "She said she had a feeling that Sara was the one..." I asked her why and she said "You never came home talking about a girl so much" She was right Cath, she...Sara was just something else...she was beautiful, sassy, intelligent...a smart ass when she needed to be...not easily impressed with titles and awards..." he smiled again. "My Mom would have loved her...she was the only one that managed to get her little boy to settle down." He laughed "When I told her that I was too old for Sara she slapped me, I was sitting at the table listing all the reasons not to get together with her, not to call her to come to Vegas and I decided my Mom could help me see the light...oh I saw the light that day, that woman slugged me so hard I swear I saw stars, never saw it coming." he looked downright shocked.

"Gil, whether you believe it or not, your Mom, my Father...they're here...they're the memories of Christmas past and they help us make the memories to come." she hugged him and he returned the gesture then wiped away the tears.

"You're right...and this year, I have so much more to be thankful for..." he looked up and saw picture on the wall of Sara and pictures of himself, the team...all taken without them knowing it, they were beautifully done in black and white and caught people in the most descriptive moments. Sara reading over a report with Gil beside her, he wondered why he couldn't recall anyone having taken the pictures but leave it up to Catherine. Bobbie Dawson was closely examining a bullet while explaining to Sara the differences in Striations. Greg, Warrick and Nick sitting around sharing a bowl of popcorn and one of Nick and Warrick playing with their play station. Nick was jumping up and down and Warrick had one hand raised in triumph, their faces said it all. Hodges was there, seeming to be following Wendy and there was one of Nick and Mandy working on some evidence. There was one of Catherine joking with Sara and Gil felt a breath caught in his throat remembering her laughter that day. Then there was one that no one was supposed to see, it was two people walking out of the lab, the man had his hand possessively wrapped around the waist of the woman, her head resting on his shoulder...and the title said "Together at Last". It was the center photo of the collage that had been added to the wall while he and Catherine had been talking.

"So, how do you like them?" she smiled warmly leaning against him.

"Catherine, they're beautiful...when? how? where?" he was astounded that he never realized people were in the lab taking pictures.

"Never you mind...just enjoy" she kissed him then said "We best get our butts out of here and get dressed, we'll be back at 5 pm, Conrad will make sure that Sara doesn't get out before that. She gathered the troops after making sure each of their tasks had been completed to her specifications and then bid Gil a farewell and they slipped out the door. Bruno came walking in from the kitchen looking less than pleased. Around his collar was a bow tie but tacked to the back so they fell perfectly were a set of felt antlers.

"Oh Bruno, Aunt Catherine wasn't going to let you go undecorated...just be glad, it means you're invited tonight." he patted the dog and then headed upstairs to take a bath and change.