Summary: It's almost that time of the year again, and this time it's Isabella and Katie getting ready to say goodbye to their class before going to the next phase of their lives. Also, a couple has realized that their relationship had run its course, and it is time to say goodbye, but not before another revelation comes to light. Two-shot.
Genre: Romance, Family, Friendship
Rating: T
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: Multiple
Other Characters: OC, Others (Implied)
Chapter 33: Next phase of their lives Part 1
Early May, 2031
16 year old Isabella, who will be 17 next month, was sitting next to her 14 year old sister in the principles office, both looking a little nervous. They never got called to the principles office during class time before, so this was a first for them, and with them being Seniors and the school year almost over, it should also be the last.
Mrs. Davidson gave a reassuring smile to the Grissom girls, both of whom, if she got to pick favorites, would be hers hands down. Although, she thought their brother was pretty special too, and she'll admit that knowing no more Grissoms were coming through this school, at least for a while now and by then who knows where she'll be, she was a little sadden to see them graduate next month.
The older woman then mentally shook her head from her thoughts before finally speaking. "It's ok girls, you don't have to look so nervous, I promise you this is a good thing."
They each took a breath they hadn't realized they were holding before Isabella spoke with a smile. "So, what's going on? Why did we get called in here?"
"Well, it has come to my attention, which no one should really be that surprised, that both of you are tied for the best GPA in this school, by a very large margin I might add, so that pretty much makes you two a shoe-in to be Valedictorians." Isabella and Katie smiled with pride while Mrs. Davidson spoke again. "Now, the only thing to decide is if both of you are going to do your speeches, or is only one of you doing the honors."
There was a pause before Katie asked. "Can we have a little time to think about it?"
She nodded with a smile. "Yes, just let me know as soon as you can."
After they nodded, Mrs. Davidson dismissed them, so the girls stood up from their seats, thanked her before walking out of her office, then down the hall, passing a few other offices, including the nurses station, before they reached the doors to go out into the main courtyard of the school, and the minute the door closed behind them, once they were off to the side of it so they wouldn't be in the way, they looked at one another and both said at the same time.
"You should do it."
They both started chuckling before Katie shook her head. "No, you should, it's your day."
Isabella shook her head. "It's also yours." Before Katie could speak, she continued. "And hey, you could make history for this school by being the youngest Valedictorian to graduate."
"And I'll still have that title, regardless if I speak or not."
Isabella was going to open her mouth again to say something, but the look in Katie's eyes told her it would be a waste of words, especially when she got their mother's stubborn look in them, so she smiled. "I'm not going to win this, am I?"
Katie pursed her lips, in typical 'Sara' fashion, before asking with a smirk, in typical 'Grissom' fashion. "What do you think?"
The older sister chuckled, then sighed. "Ok, then how about both of us do it. We make one speech together and take turns presenting it."
Katie thought about it for a few seconds before asking with a raised eyebrow. "And you're not backing down either?"
After giving her the same facial expression as her sister did a few seconds ago, Isabella smirked. "What do you think? At this point it's either both or none."
Katie nodded. "Ok, I'm in, mostly because I know mom and dad are looking forward to at least one of their kids making 'that' speech, how about surprise them with both of us."
Isabella nodded with a chuckle. "Not to mention William has been rooting us on while we were still in middle school. I think he has a bet with Bella that one if us will get it, so why not throw him off and get a 'girls' win for once."
After Katie chuckled, she replied with a smirk. "What are you talking about? I beat him in chess just last week."
They do another round of chuckling, then as it died down and the smiles on their faces dimmed a little, Isabella sighed, thinking of what was coming up in the near future for her, for them. "I'm really going to miss this."
Katie nodded again with a sigh of her own. "Me too, and I know it won't be the same, but you're still going to come back home and visit, right? And if you want, I can visit you too."
Isabella nodded again. "Of course, just because I chose to go to Berkeley doesn't mean I wanted to be away from you guys forever, I just feel like I need a little..."
Katie cuts her sister off. "Space, I understand."
"I love you so much, and I'm so proud of you."
"I love you and I'm proud of you too, and thank you."
"For what?"
"For being there for me, for helping me through this time, mostly for having my back."
Isabella then smiled. "Always, no one messes with my little sister and gets away with it."
Katie then smirked as they started walking towards their class. "And no one ever did after the first and only incident."
Despite her being as young as she was while going through the higher classes, Katie had a good experience going to school. However, there had to be one in the crowd who couldn't deal with someone being 'different' or smarter than them, so there was a little bullying in the beginning of her middle school days, but the minute Isabella caught wind of what was going on with her younger sister, she nipped it in the bud, and no one dared messed with Katie ever again.
Even when they reached High School level, because the upperclassmen knew about, and respected their brother, so in turn they respected them. Not to mention, Rick and Elizabeth were in their Senior year when they became Freshman, so they had their backs as well, if it ever came to that. And behind their class was Andrew's, so bullying was one less thing they had to worry about, which they, and their parents, were very thankful for, and only wished others had that same type of support.
Late May, 2028
Once the Senior and Junior prom came around, and with Katie still being awkward around boys she didn't know very well, they decided to go as a group to keep the pressure off her because they wanted her to go and have a good time like all Seniors should. She shouldn't have to miss out on a tradition just because she was two or three years younger than everybody else in her class.
When the few friends who were going with Isabella and Katie to prom, among them being Andrew, of course and Ben, who was Isabella's first ex-boyfriend, but they still managed to stay friends (The only ex she had manged to stay friends with), mostly because him and Andrew were on the baseball team together, had arrived. Then much like when it was William's prom night, multiple pictures were taken, which also included William, Bella, Rick, Elizabeth, Jason and Madison because they were going to be chaperones.
After the last picture was taken, Sara dismissed them with a smile before the group said their goodbyes as they walked out of the house, then as the door clicked shut, she took a breath while Grissom walked up behind her and whispered. "You ok?"
She nodded, trying to keep her tears at bay. "Yeah, just one of those moments."
"I know." He then kissed her temple before whispering with a smile. "But you know the bright side in all of this?"
She smiled in return as as she turned around in his arms. "We get to recreate prom night...again?"
"Oh, I like it when our minds are in sync." He brings her closer and asked. "So, what do you think?"
She replies as she thinks about it. "Dinner, a dance." Then her voice gets a little low and passionate. "And other activities afterwards...ok I'm in."
He smirked. "Or we can just skip dinner and a dance, and go right to the other activities."
She chuckled while shaking her head as she gets out of his arms. "You think I'm that easy? No way, bugman, you still have to..."
He cuts her off as he wrapped his arm around her waist again and cupped her cheek while speaking with love. "You're worth what ever extra work I have to do."
With her heart racing at the way he was looking at her, she smiled then smirked as she stepped out his arms again before she changed her mind about dinner. "Then you best get started on dinner, Dr. Grissom."
As he watched her walk towards the stairs so she could go upstairs to change, he smiled. "Yes ma'am." Then when he could no longer see her, he headed for the kitchen with the smile still on his face.
(Hours later)
As prom night was coming to the last few dances, Bella and William were enjoying a dance together, along with Rick and Elizabeth, both couples reminiscing of their prom nights, while Jason and Madison were sitting this dance out, after having danced many others throughout the evening, which they weren't the only ones who were sitting this one out, Katie, Isabella and their group of friends were standing next to the drink table, talking and laughing, and as Madison turned her head to say something to Jason, who was looking at the group, that's when she saw it in his eyes. It was the same look he use to give to her when they first started dating, especially the first time around, and she didn't have to ask who he was looking at because deep down in her heart she already knew.
She took a breath and looked down at her hands, knowing, which if she was honest with herself she's felt it for awhile now, that things between them have finally run their course. She'll always love him, he was her first love after all, but most of the times a first love won't be your only love in life, no matter how much people try.
Her thoughts get interrupted when she heard his voice. "Hey, you ok?"
She lifted her head up with a smile, the best one she could come up with after the revelation she just had, then said. "Yes."
He smiled in return, not seeing any doubt in her eyes, then asked as he held out his hand. "Care to dance the last one with me?"
She nodded with another smile on her face. "I would like that very much."
He stood up, took her hand, helped her up before walking her towards the dance floor, where they enjoyed a nice slow dance, while she held him close, knowing this was the last time she'll ever get to do that.
Once prom officially ended, Isabella left with her friends while Katie went with their brother so she could stay with him and Bella at their apartment and give their parents the house to themselves, and when Jason and Madison made it to and in his apartment, she didn't hold back another second, asking him straight out, but the tone was soft. "So, how long have you liked her?"
Jason, who was slowly undoing his tie as he was heading for his bedroom, stopped his feet immediately and turned to look at her with wide-eyes. "Madison..."
She cuts him off as she places her purse on the coffee table. "Please, don't lie to me now, you never have before, even when times got rough for us in high school."
Jason paused for a second, then he smirked. "Because I knew I would never get away with it, you could always read me like a book, better than anybody I knew."
She smirked in return. "Hence, why I kissed you first, because if I hadn't made a move, our relationship may have always been under the category of 'what-if'."
He walked up to her and took her hand before setting them on the couch as he spoke softly. "And I'm so thankful that it didn't turn out that way. You were one of the best things I ever had in my life, and one day when I look back, remembering you will always bring a smile to my face."
She nodded with tears in her eyes. "Mine too." He moved his hand to cup her cheek to wipe her tears away before she spoke after clearing her throat. "Now please, how long?"
He removed his hand a second later, cleared his throat before telling her the truth. "Give or take about five months." He then shook his head as he looked down at his hands. "I mean this is crazy, right? I could never, would never even think it would happen back then, but now..." He stopped, shook his head while standing up before walking towards the window as he finished with a deep sigh. "Damn, what is wrong with me?"
Madison shook her head as she looked with sympathy at the man who was struggling with his conflicting feelings, believing him when he said these feelings were very much new.
"Nothing is wrong with you. She's getting older, so your perspective of her is changing. Not to mention you're human, feelings can evolve in to something so strong you can't fight it, no matter how much you try."
He turned around and looked at her sadly as he whispered. "Or weaken, no matter how much you don't want it to." As they looked into each other's eyes, he asked, even though a part of him already knew the answer. "Why aren't you more upset about this?"
Madison stood up from her spot on the couch and walked up to him before replying softly. "I think you know why, both of us has been feeling it for awhile now."
Feeling emotional, a feeling he still wasn't use to showing to people but felt he had to in this moment, he said softly. "Madison, I'm so sor..."
She cuts him off while cupping his cheek with a watery smile. "Don't, you have nothing to apologize for, it happens, it's part of life. Besides, we had a great run, didn't we?"
He nodded with a smile. "Yeah we did, some of my best times, my favorite memories."
She smiled brightly before finishing after a sniffle. "And not every relationship has to end by yelling and throwing things, we can be mature adults about this."
He then chuckled. "Although, some adults don't really know how to be mature about this."
She did a small chuckle too. "Very true." Their smiles dimmed down a few seconds later as she whispered. "I am going to miss you though."
He brings her in his arms with a sigh as he whispered. "I'm going to miss you too, and just because we aren't dating anymore doesn't mean you can't visit me when you're in town. I hope we can still be friends, and I'm not just saying it, I really do want to be your friend still."
"I know, me too."
They stood there for several minutes in silence, then he asked. "So, is there someone at Harvard that has caught your eye?"
There was a slight pause, but Madison wanted to to be truthful. "I don't know, we've talked a few times." Then she pulls back and looks him in the eyes. "But, I swear nothing has..."
He cuts her off with a smile. "I know you wouldn't do that. But now that things have changed, I hope, if it's with this guy, or some other guy in the future, you find happiness, because that's what you deserve."
Madison nodded with a smile. "Thank you."
Jason nodded, then as he headed towards the couch again, she asked. "And what about you? When are you going to tell her?"
He chuckled humorlessly while shaking his head. "I've just now came to terms on how I feel. You really think I thought of how I'm going to tell her?" He then sighed as he looked down at his hands. "Besides, she might not even..."
This time she chuckled slightly before she replied. "Man, do you have it bad." He looked up with curiosity as she continued with a smile as she walked to his coffee table and sat down on it. "It's been a long time since I've seen you this unsure about something, especially towards a woman." She took a breath and shook her head. "I think you're wrong about how she feels."
Still unsure, he shook his head. "I don't know. How she felt about me back then was a teenage crush, not to mention she did tell me she knew it was wrong and that she didn't feel that way about me anymore."
She smirked. "And you actually believed her?"
"Like I said, it was just a crush."
"Which you and I both know crushes can turn into something more, it's not unheard of."
He then sighed. "And on top of that, I don't even have to tell you how complicated this could get."
She smirked again. "Sometimes those are the best kind, you should know that."
He chuckled for a few seconds before getting a little more serious. "Yeah, but this is a serious one, especially with how protective her family is of her. I'm either all in or leave well enough alone."
She nodded as she moved forward and took his hand. "I know, and I really hope you figure it out because I want you to be happy too."
He nodded in return with a smile as he squeezed her hand. "And I will be, I'm just going to need a little more time."
Knowing when not to push, she just nodded one more time as she pulled her hand back. "Ok." She then started to yawn as she stood up. "Alright, I better go."
But he stood up, shaking his head. "No way, not after seeing that yawn. You are staying here." When she was about to protest, he continued. "Whatever you're about to say, won't change my mind. I may not be your boyfriend anymore, but I'll always look out for you, and if you want to leave at the crack of down, then by my guest. But first, after a goodnight's rest."
She started to smile with a nod, accepting his offer, then she gets a little shy as she asked. "Then if I'm staying here, can I make one request?"
No hesitation. "Name it."
"Can I sleep in your arms one last time?"
He smiled with a nod and held out his hand, she smiled in return and took it before they headed towards his room, and while they both knew it was going to be platonic, they were going to enjoy it for as long as they could.
After moving from his wife, Grissom lays down on his back breathlessly, and once the sheet was covering them, he turns his head to look at Sara, who started smiling and laughing as she moved closer to him again so she could lay her head on his chest before speaking after taking a deep breath. "Damn, why does it only seem to get better each time?"
Grissom smirked as he placed his arm around her shoulders. "Practice makes perfect, dear."
She smirked in reply. "And we've definitely had our practice."
He kissed her forehead with a chuckle before replying. "Yes, we have."
It became silent between them for several minutes while they let their heart rates go back to normal, then he asked softly. "You happy?"
She smiled as she placed her hand on his bare chest as she asked. "You mean right now? Or in general?"
He smiled. "How about both?"
She took a satisfying sigh before replying. "I mean right now, how can I not be? I'm laying in my husband's arms after an amazing evening." He smiled as he wrapped his other arm around her waist while she continued. "And in general, our daughters will be graduating as Valedictorians and will be going to college close to home, well Katie will, but least Isabella didn't decide to move across the country to be away from us (Grissom chuckled with a nod), our son is engaged to the love of his life, so we have a wedding to look forward to, no doubt in the next year or so, and speaking of my amazing husband, next year we'll be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, if all of that isn't worth being happy about, then I don't know what is. You?"
He sighed in content as he held her closer and closed his eyes. "Couldn't be happier right now, everything seems to be going according to plan."
She smiled as she snuggled further in his arms, sighing in content while closing her eyes. "That it is, Dr. Grissom."
He kissed her head and whispered. "Love you."
"Love you too."
They slowly fell asleep, happy with whats coming up in the near future for their family.
A few days later
After leaving the high school campus during her lunch period, which was longer than the average student since she didn't have another class right after it, Isabella headed for the UCLA campus so she could have lunch with her father, something they enjoyed since the start of her Senior year, where it was just the two of them, spending father/daughter time together, and knowing this time was coming to an end, at least in a consistent manner, for awhile, with her gong to Berkeley in the fall, they wanted to get in as many lunch 'dates' as they could.
Once she made it on campus, and her motorcycle was in place in a parking spot, she took her helmet and gloves off, stuck her gloves in her helmet and headed for her father's office.
When she got there, knowing he still had a few minutes before he dismissed his class, she sets her helmet down on his desk, and walked to the other side of it before sitting down in his chair, then she smiled when she noticed the framed photos he had on his desk, one was of his parents wedding day, another was her parents wedding day, three more that had a specific year of the kids (Hers was when she was about 6), and one more frame that could fit three medium sized pictures in one, which had their mother holding each of their kids when they were still in the hospital after they were born.
Her moment was interrupted when she heard a man's voice. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know anybody was in here."
She looked towards the door to see a man with short brown hair, green eyes, and around 5'10, and while Isabella's attraction on the opposite sex went beyond physical appearance, she couldn't deny that he had the looks department checked off in a very big way, causing her heart to skip a beat slightly, which she mentally tried to shake that off the minute it happened because one, he was clearly older than her by at least six years if not a little more, and two she honestly couldn't see this guy being single, or interested in her anyways. And she remembers the last time she liked an older guy and he wasn't interested, of course the circumstances was quite different back then with her being younger than she was now.
Before her thoughts took her down that particularly long road she's been on since thirteen, he spoke again, this time with a smile. "Wait, you're Isabella Grissom."
She raised a 'Sara' eyebrow as she asked. "One, how did you know my name, and two, why did you say it like that?"
He smiled a little wider, which didn't help her racing heart. "Those two answers could be answered by two words, your father. The way he talks about you I would have to think you're some kind of superstar."
Isabella stopped the shy smile that was coming on fast before she cleared her throat and spoke. "That's strange he would talk about me, he's not usually the sharing type when it comes to people he's not closest to."
He nodded in agreement. "Normally, I would agree, for the three years I was his student, he was all teach, then one day in my second year as his teaching assistant, I don't know, he must have an exceptional night or morning because he just started talking about how proud he was of his kids, and you came up a lot." This time she couldn't stop the shy smile to come out, causing him to smile a little wider as he continued. "You should do that more often."
Before she embarrassed herself even more, she asked. "Well, while the question of how you know my father was answered, there is still one I don't know."
Before she asked, he replied with another smile. "Mitchell Green."
She nodded with a smile in return. "Nice to meet you."
"You too."
After a pause, he noticed the bike helmet on the desk and asked in surprise. "You ride?"
She raised an eyebrow again. "Why so surprised?"
He chuckled. "No offense intended, but the way your father described his family, I didn't see you guys as riders."
She chuckled in return with a nod. "And you would be correct." Then she took a breath before continuing. "Believe me, it took me five months after getting my licenses that my parents would let me drive one myself, I had to go through some serious training/practice for it, I had to know it like the back of my hand."
Impressed, he replied. "Wow, that takes dedication."
Isabella smirked. "My parents called it stubbornness." He chuckled before she continued. "I think they were hoping I would have given up eventually."
He shook his head as he replied while looking in her eyes. "And I take it you're not the one to give up anything that easily?"
Then while she looked into his eyes, she replied in a serious tone. "Not when I feel it is worth enough to fight for it."
While they stared at one another, their attraction between them started growing, and it was getting intense before he cleared his throat and looked away. "Um, I'll just come back after lunch."
"You want me to tell him you were here?"
He shook his head. "No, it's ok." Then he gave her one more smile. "It was nice to meet you, Isabella Grissom."
She nodded with a smile of her own. "It was nice to meet you too, Mitchell Green."
He nodded before he turned and walked out of the room, then when Isabella was alone, she took a breath and thought. 'Wow', she definitely felt something there, even greater than her previous relationships, not that she didn't feel anything for her previous boyfriends, or else she would have never dated them, but she could totally tell the difference. Of course this was not the first time she's felt this way...
Before her thoughts could continue once again down that road, she hears her father's voice as he came into his office. "Hi, Butterfly."
Isabella smiled at her father. "Hi, daddy. You ready?"
Grissom nodded as he walked up to his desk with papers he needed to grade, then after she stood up, she picked up her gloves that was in the helmet, but before she put them on, Grissom asked after clearing his throat. "Do you have a little time after lunch?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because I would like it if we rode together and we can come back here after." She was going to ask why they would do that, then she noticed the wearily look he was giving to her gloves, and she was about to speak about that, but he continued with a smile as he handed out his vehicle keys towards her once he had gotten them out of his pocket. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll even let you drive."
A part of her wanted to get upset, but the deep concerned look he was giving her, stopped her from objecting, then she sighed before she smiled while taking the keys from him. "Ok, but you owe me."
Grissom chuckled with a nod. "Anything, that is within reason, you got it."
She just chuckled with a nod as she placed her gloves back into the helmet before picking the helmet up, and after taking a few steps towards the door, she was stopped when her father placed his arm around her waist and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear. "I know you think your mother and I sometimes don't see you as a young, growing adult, but we do, believe me, we see it everyday that passes us by. We just want to keep you safe and hold on to you for as long as we can. But know you'll always be our baby girl no matter how old you get. It's a feeling you'll understand when you have kids. We love you so much, and are so proud of you."
With tears in her eyes, she whispered in return. "I love you and thank you, daddy."
They pull back, and they shyly smile at one another, causing them to laugh, and after he wiped her tears away, he asked softly. "Now, are you ready?"
She nodded with a smile. "Yeah."
He nodded in return, and as they were heading for the door, he sighed. "I'm really going to miss these times with you."
She smiled again before stepping out of his office first. "Me too, but don't worry, I'll still come and visit from time to time, you're not getting rid of me completely."
He chuckled. "We would never dream of doing that." Then he finished with a more serious tone. "We'll welcome you home with open arms, always."
She nodded with the smile still on her face as they walked down the hall, and as they were passing students, she could see the respect they had for her father, and she was proud of him too.
AN: For the first time in this story, I am going to have to cut a chapter into two parts, I hope you all don't mind too much. Thanks for reading and please review.
