Summary: It's time for another start of the school year.

Genre: Family
Rating: K
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: None
Other Characters: Grissom kids, Andrew Bolden


Chapter 22: A new school year, another milestone

August, 2019

When it was time to register the kids for school, this year the Grissom family had enrolled their second child, then going with the suggestion of Mrs. Davidson, the teacher who saw William's potential on his first day of kindergarten, had their daughter be tested just like her brother to see what grade she actually should be in, finding out a few days later, she was going to be placed in a more advanced class.

Now it was the first day of the new school year, and while Katie, who will be 3 next birthday, was sitting in her highchair eating her breakfast while Grissom, who was sitting next to her, was doing the same as Sara was pouring drinks for the kids, and while she moved towards the table, William, who is in his last year in grade-school, came in the room in his new school clothes.

Sara smiled at her son while placing the glasses on the table and asked her son. "Baby, you excited for school?"

While there was still that dim look in his eyes, something they've gotten use to the last few years, he smiled with a nod. "Yep, mom."

Sara nodded before she asked. "Where is your sister?"

He shrugged as he used his fork to get some animal pancakes and place them on his plate. "I don't know, I didn't see her come out of her bedroom all morning."

Sara and Grissom looked at one another before she spoke. "I'll get her."

Grissom nodded, then she walked by him and ran her hand along his shoulders before walking out of the room and up the stairs.

Once she got to the second door on the left, she knocked and asked. "Sweetie, can I come in?"

When she heard the soft voice of her five year old giving her acceptance, Sara opened the door and saw that Isabella was still laying in bed, so she asked in concern as she walked closer to her. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

Isabella sighed as she looked down. "I don't feel good mommy."

Sara sat on the side of the bed and touched her daughter's forehead, speaking a few seconds later. "You don't feel warm." After a moments pause, Sara asked while studying her daughter, feeling something else was going on. "What's really gong on, sweetie? You've been excited for the start of school since we went school supply shopping."

While her excitement level never reached as high as William's did when he first started school, she really did want to go for months.

Isabella took a moment before she spoke softly. "I'm scared mommy, everybody will be older than me." Then she started to have tears in her eyes. "And Andrew won't be in the same class."

Sara cupped her daughter's cheek and spoke in a comforting tone. "I know it can be scary when you're about to go through the unknown, it can make you feel things are 10 times worst than they actually are."

"And what if they really are 10 times worse than I actually feel?"

Sara smiled with a chuckle, then she continued. "I'll tell you what, when you get into that classroom and you feel unsafe or uncomfortable you tell your teacher and she'll give me a call so I can talk to you, and if you still feel that while we are on the phone, I'll come and get you and we'll try another day."

She looked at her mother in surprise. "You can do that?"

Sara smiled with love in her eyes. "Sweetie, I would do anything for you." Sara then took a breath before speaking again, reassuring herself with her words. "Sometimes in life you need to be braver than you actually feel."

"And this is one of those times."

Sara nodded with the smile back on her face. "Yes, so can you be a brave girl for mommy today?"

Isabella took a moment before she nodded. "Ok."

"Thank you, sweetie."

As they moved the blankets from the little girl, she continued after a sigh. "I'll still miss Andrew."

"When you're learning, yes, but not when you're playing outside."

Isabella got bright eyes as she asked. "Really?"

Sara nodded with one more smile. "Really, you two will have the same recess together."

Isabella wrapped her arms around her mother as she whispered. "Thank you, mommy."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

After they pulled back, Sara gets up while Isabella gets out of bed, and after helping her daughter pick out her clothes, Sara left the room and went back downstairs.

When she made it into the kitchen, Grissom asked in concern. "Is she ok?"

Sara nodded with a smile as she sat on the other side of their youngest. "Yes, just first day jitters."

Considering it wasn't only her first day of school, but she'll be in a classroom with slightly older kids, Grissom understood that.

William finished a bite of his food before asking. "I didn't have that, did I?"

Sara and Grissom chuckled before Sara shook her head and smirked at her son. "Not so much, I think if you could, you would have driven yourself to your first day of school so you wouldn't have to wait on us, you were that excited."

When they saw the smile on his face with a slight chuckle, warmness filled their heart.

A few moments later, Isabella walked in the room, wearing her new school clothes, and Grissom smiled bright at his oldest daughter. "Don't you look pretty, butterfly."

Isabella shyly smiled as she replied while she sat in the chair next to him. "Thank you, daddy." Then she looked over at her mother, "Mommy, can you braid my hair?"

Sara nodded with a smile. "I'll be happy to, but you better eat up, we don't want to be late on your first day of school."

Isabella nodded with a smile before she started eating.


When they, and the rest of the extended family, arrived at the school, William, Rick, and Elizabeth already went ahead to hang out with their other friends, and while Isabella and Andrew were saying goodbye to their families, Sara asked her daughter. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Isabella, feeling slightly better now that she was actually on the school grounds, shook her head. "No. I think I'll be ok."

Sara nodded with a smile as she cupped her cheek. "Ok, but what we talked about this morning is still there, ok?"

After a nod and smile, she hugged her mom one more time before turning towards her best friend, Andrew. "You ready?"

Andrew nodded, and as they walked towards the building entrance, with their families watching their every step, he spoke after a sigh. "I'm sad we won't be in the same class, though."

Isabella nodded while she placed her arm around his shoulders. "I know, me too, but we'll always have recess together."

Andrew slowly smiled with a nod."I guess that is better than nothing."

When the kids had made it safely inside the school building, the rest of the families went their separate ways, which the majority of them were heading to the CSI lab so they would see one another there, and while Sara was putting Katie in her car-seat, the little girl said with excitement. "Me, school mamma!"

Sara chuckled while buckling her youngest up. "Oh no, I'm holding on to you for as long as possible."

After a tickle, making the little girl giggle, Sara leaned down, kissed her forehead and whispered."I love you little one, I'll see you later."

"Luve you mamma."

She pulled back and stepped back with a smile so she could close the backdoor to her husband's vehicle, then she turned to her husband and cupped his cheek."I'll see you later, babe."

"You too honey, be safe, I love you."

"Always, and I love you too."

After sharing a quick kiss, they pulled back, got into their vehicles and went their separates ways for the day.


When it was the end of the school day, which Sara had received no phone call from the school, and like they did with William on his first day, Sara and Grissom met at the school to pick up the kids so they could take them to get ice cream, and when they saw their little girl running towards them with a smile on her face, they smiled in return.

Once she was closer to them, she was talking a mile a minute, and Sara chuckled while holding up her hand. "Hold on sweetie, take a breath and start over, and how about a little slower this time."

Isabella took a breath before she continued with a smile again. "I had the bestest day ever!"

They chuckled before Isabella recited her day from the moment she stepped into the classroom, and they were happy that the kids treated her kindly and that she loved her teacher.

While she was in the middle of retelling of her day, Andrew, William, Rick and Elizabeth, had joined the family so they left the campus and headed for the ice cream shop.


Later that evening

After tucking in the girls in their beds for bedtime, Sara and Grissom headed towards their son's room, and after knocking on the door, they walked in the room to see William sitting at his desk writing, and Grissom spoke. "Lights out, bud."

William nodded as he sets his pencil down, then after gathering his papers, he puts them in his baseball themed binder and turned out his lamp before heading towards his bed, and as he was getting settled, along with Max jumping up on the end of it, they walked up to their son, and Sara asked. "So, how was your day, baby? Sorry, we didn't get a chance to ask earlier."

William shook his head with a smile. "It's ok, Izzie had a lot to share." They chuckled before William took a breath and continued. "It was ok, I guess."

Sara nodded then asked. "And you're still being challenged with the school work?"

He nodded with a smile. "Yep, but I got this."

Sara smiled as she cupped his cheek. "I know you do, and you know you can come to us if you need help with anything."

"I know."

When he started to yawn, she leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I love you."

"Love you too, mom."

After she pulled back, Grissom walked up to his son, and as he bent down to kiss his forehead, William asked. "Chess game tomorrow, dad?"

Grissom paused so he could smile and nod at his son. "You got it."

The little boy smiled slightly. "Cool. Love you."

Grissom kissed his son's forehead and whispered. "Love you too."

Once he pulled back, William laid on his side and closed his eyes, slowly falling asleep as his parents watched over him for a few moments before they headed out of his room, turning the light out and closing the door to a crack behind them.

After they made it into their room, they got ready for bed, and as they were laying down, he said with a smile. "I'm surprised at you."

"Yeah, for what?"

They moved so they were facing one another, and he continued. "How well you were today while watching our little girl go to school."

She sighed before replying. "I was just doing what I told her, sometimes you have to be braver than you feel."

He nodded then he smirked. "Although, that being said, how many times did you check your phone to make sure you didn't miss the school calling you?"

She gave him a shy look, making him chuckle before she smirked back. "And I was the only one?"

He chuckled as he held up his hands. "Ok, you got me."

She smirked again. "Yeah, just what I thought."

They then sighed before Grissom cupped her cheek. "Overall though, I would say today was a successful day."

She nodded with a smile. "Yeah, it was." Then she sighed again. "But like I told our youngest, we are holding on to her for as long as possible."

He moved his thumb up and down her cheek with a nod. "Oh yeah, I would agree."

They move to kiss softly on the lips before she turned around so her back was facing him, then he moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and brought her closer to him so her back was now against his chest, and after a kiss on the head, he whispered. "Love you, honey."

"Love you too, babe."

She slipped her fingers through his as they slowly fell asleep, both feeling happy and sad, happy their daughter had a good first day of school, but sadden they have to start letting her go.


AN: More to come soon. Thanks for reading, and please review.