Summary: Who is there to celebrate Grissom's retirement party. Plus, Katie and Alex take their relationship to the next level.

Genre: Romance, Family, Friendship
Rating: T
Spoilers: None
Warnings: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior, a few questionable words
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: Multiple
Other Characters: Multiple

Chapter 38: Celebrating Grissom

Late Dec, 2041

With the start of winter break, it also meant the end of Grissom's long career at the University, and because of that, the University was throwing him their own retirement party for him, which also meant that Grissom will be involved with two parties because Sara was still adamant on throwing her own so they could have all of their family/friends over, not just a select few.

Grissom was finishing buttoning up his dress shirt when Sara, who was in a blue, thin strapped dress that went down to her knees, with her hair in an updo, walked out of the bathroom, and practically whistled while seeing her husband standing in front of the mirror looking as good as ever.

Grissom shyly smiled as he turned his head to look at her, then his jaw almost dropped seeing his beautiful wife, and she shyly smiled in return while smirking. "I guess we both look good then."

He smiled in return. "You're always a good sight, dear."

She picked up his tie from the dresser, walked up to him, stopped and placed it around his neck before she started tying with love and emotion in her eyes. "Right back at you, bugman."

Once she was done, their eyes connected again and he cupped her cheek while whispering. "Now, while I know my job wasn't as demanding as yours, even when I became head of the science department, it's only fair that I thank you too for being supportive of my career."

She placed her hand on top of his as she whispered. "You're very welcome."

After looking into each other's eyes in silence for several minutes, he started to lean forward, but she shook her head and stepped back with a chuckle. "No way, because once we get started, with you looking like that, there won't be any stopping, and you're not getting out of this."

He smirked. "Ah man, you figured out my plan."

She smirked as she wrapped her arms around him, not able to let him fully go yet. "I'm on to you, Dr. Grissom."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, also not able to fully let her go, as he spoke with a sparkle in his eyes. "So, rain check huh?"

With no hesitation, she nodded with her eyes sparkling. "You better believe I'm cashing in later."

After another moment of silence, he whispered sincerely. "I love you."

She replied back with the same loving tone. "And I love you."

Downstairs, dressed up in dresses/suits, waiting on their parents, were William, Bella, Isabella, Jason, and Katie when there was a knock on the door, Katie smiled the biggest smile since Thanksgiving, stood up and rushed towards the door the best she could with heels on, and opened it, revealing a suit wearing, Alex, which did nothing to stop her racing heart.

"You're here."

Alex with his eyes sparkling while wrapping his arms around his girlfriend and brings her closer to him, he whispered. "I am, and you're not leaving my sight all weekend."

He was suppose to be in town for both of Grissom's retirement parties, then he was going to back to Chicago to finish up his packing before he moved back here for good.

She sighed in content as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Fine by me." Then they started kissing.

They were lost in their own world that they didn't hear Sara and Grissom walking down the stairs, or hear her father clear his throat the first time, but the second time they did, and they pulled apart and looked at them shyly, causing Grissom to smile. "It's nice to see you Alex, but please save making out with my daughter for when you two are alone because that's something I won't ever get use to seeing."

They all chuckled as Alex replied shyly. "Yes, sir."

Once Alex walked fully into the house, and the front door was closed, they stood next to the others while Sara and Grissom looked at their 'kids' with their significant others, happy they that they were so happy, and proud to share this moment with them.

When they heard the horn of the limo a few moments later, which was provided to them from the University, Sara asked them. "You all ready?"

And while they were going to the party, the kids were across the street with Catherine and Warrick.

They all nodded before they headed towards the front door so they could head to UCLA.

(About 3 hours later)

After enjoying their time at the party, where there were multiple speeches/stories about Grissom during his time at the school from other teachers and from the students who were also invited tonight to show respect to their favorite teacher, and he even made one himself, mostly thanking the son to the late Dean that hired him, that gave him a chance to live out one of his dreams, who happened to be the new Dean as well, the Grissom family left and had dinner together before they made it back to the Grissom residence.

Then after about another 30 minutes together, the 'kids' hugged their parents goodbye before they left the house, of course William, Bella, Isabella and Jason didn't leave until they got their kids from the across the street.

Once it was an empty house, and while they were still standing close to the front door, Grissom turned to his wife and cupped her cheek before whispering. "Now, wasn't there a rain check to be cashed in?"

She smiled brightly before whispering in reply. "Yes, but hold that thought, will you. I'll meet you upstairs."

She then pulled away and headed for the kitchen while he shook his head with a smile, then after turning the alarm on, he turned and headed upstairs.

When Sara made it into the bedroom with a champagne bottle and two glasses, she sees her husband still in his suit but without the jacket, tie, shoes and socks, and a few buttons were undone on his shirt. She took a breath to try and calm her racing heart, but knew it was useless, so she just looked ahead while she walked towards the dresser, causing him to look at her with a known smile as he walked up to her.

After slipping off her low healed shoes, she started to pour the liquid in their glasses, then she handed him his glass before she picked up hers, turned to him before speaking with emotion while holding up her glass. "To my amazing husband..."

Grissom cuts her off. "Sara, you..."

But she cuts him off with a smirk. "You're either getting the speech from me now, while we are alone, or tomorrow in front of our friends and family, so which one will it be?"

Knowing he didn't have any other choice, and figured with it only being her here, he didn't have to feel as shy getting all the attention, so he nodded. "Now is ok."

She smirked again, knowing her husband really well. "That's what I thought." He chuckled slightly before she continued after clearing her throat. "Now, where was I?...right, to my amazing husband, whom I'm extremely proud of, not only how he has grown as person, but how he became a mentor, a teacher, a father, and grandfather (She smirked a little on that one), that everyone loves and respects." He walked up to her and cupped her cheek as she finished with emotion. "I'm so happy that you let me see this, to be apart of it all. It's truly amazing how much you have changed, when I wasn't even looking to change you."

He smiled with his eyes sparkling. "It's apart of life, you should grow as a person, but I stand by with what I've been saying for years, it's all because of you, and I'm glad I became all those things that you see in me." He then moves her closer to him as he finished with emotion. "But most of all, I'm glad I get to be the father, and husband that you see, that you deserve to have."

She sniffled. "You are, and so much more." She then lifts up her glass up as she finished. "So to Grissom, as established before, my amazing husband, the father of my children, the love of my life, my rock, I love you with all of my heart."

He lifted his glass up as he finished with love in his eyes. "And to Sara, my wife, the mother of my children, the love of my life, my rock, and I love with you with all of my heart."

She smiled shyly as they clinked their glasses. "This was suppose to be about you."

He brings her even closer as he whispered one more thing. "Well, I'm nothing without you, so this about you too."

Before she could respond to that, his lips touched hers, and like most of the times, one kiss turned into more, until it turned passionate, and after a few moments they slowed down and placed their foreheads together while closing their eyes as their hearts raced, he whispered with passion after taking a breath. "God Sara, what you still do to me."

She smiled with pride that she still had this affect on him after so long, then pulled back while opening her eyes and cupped his cheek with passion in hers. "And the feeling is definitely mutual Dr. Grissom."

While their eyes remained contacted, they drank their glass of champagne before putting the glasses on the dresser, then she took his hand and walked them towards the bed as she spoke. "Now, about that rain check I need cashing in."

When Katie and Alex made it to and in her apartment, it didn't take them long after the door closed to start kissing while they moved towards the couch, and after several minutes of passionate kissing, he slowed them down and started to pull back, but she kept following him, not ready to stop, causing him to chuckle.

After another few more minutes of kissing, he finally pulled back and said softly and truthfully. "We better stop now, or I else I might not want to."

She smiled with passion in her eyes as she moved her lips to his neck and whispered against his skin. "And what if I don't want you to?"

He pulled back in shock. "Katie?"

She nodded as she cupped his cheek before asking. "This is real, right? This isn't some sick joke or dream where you leave me the moment you move here?"

With all the love he had for her, he smiled. "This is real, baby. How you feel about us is as real as it gets. I love you with my whole heart and the moment I get here, I'm not going anywhere unless you're coming with me."

Seeing the absolute truth, she nodded again with a sniffle and love in her eyes. "Then I believe in us, I trust you, I love you and I don't want to wait anymore, I'm ready to be yours completely."

Seeing the acceptance, love, passion, and desire in her eyes, made his heart race faster, then he nodded as he leaned down and kissed her lips softly a few times before moving up and off of her, then once he stood up from the couch, he held out his hand, and she smiled as he helped her stand up, then he cupped her cheek with his free hand and kissed her forehead softly, both closing their eyes at his action.

They pull back a few moments later, while opening their eyes, before showing one another with their eyes everything they felt, then he walked them towards her bedroom, closing the door behind them.

(Sometime after)

With the sheet up to her chest, Katie was laying on her stomach with a smile on her face as Alex was laying on his side with his head on the palm of his hand with the sheet up to his waist, showing off his athletic build, and he was also smiling while running his hand up and down her back. "You ok?"

She chuckled with a nod. "I've never felt better, everything felt..."

He cuts her off with a whisper. "Right? Perfect? Everything you ever wanted?"

She nodded again. "All the above, and so much more I can't explain."

He nodded with a smile of his own before leaning down and kissing her temple. "My thoughts exactly."

He laid down on his back, and a moment later, making sure the sheets stayed in place, she moved and laid down so her head was on his bare chest, and after he placed his arms around her shoulders, she whispered while closing her eyes. "Thank you for showing me how it truly should feel."

He kissed her head as he whispered while closing his eyes. "Then I must thank you for the same thing."

They both sighed in content, feeling like they were on top of the world right now and their love only growing stronger.

The next morning

Sara, while wearing a t-shirt and laying on her side, woke up with a smile on her face as she watched her sound asleep husband as his arm was around her.

It had been a very late night for the both of them, but well worth it, pretty much like it's always been between them, with the added bonus that they didn't have to worry about work now. But, knowing someone had to get up because of a few early guests who will be arriving soon, she sighed as she eased her way out from under his arm and slid out of bed, then after brushing her teeth and hair, she put on some pajama pants and grabbed her robe before walking out of the room, down the hall then down the stairs.

When she reached the kitchen she started the coffee before she thought about what to cook for breakfast, and by the time she finally decided, there was a knock on the door, so she smiled as she walked towards it, then after opening it, it revealed Nick, Diana, Greg, and Morgan on the other side of it, causing Sara to smile a little wider as she looked at Nick first. "Hey oldie."

They all started chuckling before Nick brings one of his long time friends in his arms with a smirk. "I would say right back at you, but I'll be a little nicer."

After another round of chuckling, Sara sighed. "Well, regardless on how old we are getting, it is always nice to see you."

"Yes it is."

Once the rest of them were greeted, Sara moved to the side to let them in before they headed towards the kitchen, and after asking if they wanted any coffee, which they all accepted, Nick asked. "So, where is the man of the day?"

She cleared her throat, hiding her shy smile behind her coffee mug as she replied. "He's still asleep."

Nick then raised an eyebrow as he finally realized her attire. "A late night, huh?" He then smirked while shaking his head. "You two still acting like you're in your honeymoon phase, I see."

Sara then smiled with pride, now not caring who knew at the moment what happened last night with her husband. "Damn right, and damn proud of it, thank you very much."

They all chuckled before Diana looked at her husband with smirk of her own. "And I don't know why you're smirking there cowboy, they aren't the only ones still in their honeymoon phase."

When he got a shy look himself, they started another round of chuckling before they started talking about their favorite subject, their kids, and in Sara's case, her grandkids.

Once Grissom arrived in the kitchen about 30 minutes after they showed up, he shared a quick kiss with his wife without batting an eyelash, not caring who was in the room with them, causing the others to smile, then he greeted them before sitting down at the table while Sara was cooking breakfast, which he would have done it, but she kept shooing him away while reminding him that this was his day, and that all the cooking will not be done by him.

Later that afternoon

By the time everybody else showed up, Sara was in more presentable clothing, and after awhile, once they spent time doting on the younger generation and catching everybody up on their lives, Nick walks closer to the deck railing and spoke loudly. "Can I have everybody's attention, please."

Once everybody was looking at him, Nick continued, telling a few good stories about Grissom, and thanking him for all that he had done for him. Then when he was done, Warrick took his spot on the deck as Grissom looked at Sara with one of his 'pleading' looks, causing her to chuckle while shaking her head. "I'm sorry, babe, but I said I wouldn't speak in front of everybody, I didn't say anything about everybody else not doing it." They all started chuckling while Sara wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered. "Come on, these people love you and want to share a few good stories and talk about how much they admire you and how you impacted their lives, just let them have this moment, ok?"

Knowing he probably didn't have a choice anyway, he just nodded at Warrick with a small smile, and Sara kissed his cheek with a smile while Warrick started his stories and ended by thanking him. Next came Catherine, then Greg, then Carly, and while the other 'older' guests never had the privilege of working with him at least on a daily basses, they still had some good stories to tell, even the second generation had some 'teacher' stories to share.

When the last person was done, next came his own kids, and their significant others, which by then Grissom was an emotional mess, overwhelmed of all the praise he was getting, and Sara was right there, by his side and squeezing his hand with a smile for support/comfort.

A few hours later, most of the group left, leaving the Stokes and Sanders families in the kitchen with Sara and Grissom, who where also giving their attention to their grandchildren, while their 'kids' were out on the back deck, talking and laughing, genuinely enjoying the time together.

After a few more laughs, both married couples got up and went inside to get refills on their drinks, leaving Alex, and Katie, who was sitting on his lap out on the deck, he kissed her temple with a sigh as he spoke. "This is nice."

Katie nodded with a smile. "Yes it is, thank you for being here."

He shook his head as he placed his hand on top of hers. "You don't need to thank me, I'm glad I get to be here."

"Good." She then sighed. "I'm going to miss you when you are gone."

Alex took a moment before he spoke again. "You know what, what if you didn't have to miss me?"

She turned her body to look at him with curiosity. "What do you mean?"

He smiled as he lifted one of his hands up to cup her cheek. "What if you came to Chicago with me to help me pack."

Katie looked a little surprised at his suggestion. "What? For real?"

"Yes, and with your help we'll be gone a few days, four at the most. I promise we'll get you back here just in time for the holidays."

Katie bit her lip while she thought about it, then she started to speak. "I don't know if I can take off work at such short notice, but if I can, ok."

His eyes sparkled. "Yeah?"

She nodded with her smile getting wider as her eyes started to sparkle. "Yeah."

"Awesome."

She chuckled as she leaned towards him before she kissed him, which he responded instantly, but mindful on where they were, they did tame it, and after one last kiss, she pulled back and looked into each other's eyes with a smile.

Their moment together was interrupted when Isabella smirked. "Aww guys, look at them, they look so cute and in love."

Katie looked at her siblings and stuck her tongue out at them, causing them to laugh before she smirked with her eyes sparkling. "Shut up, I'm happy."

William then answered, his eyes sparkling for his youngest sister. "We know that, and we couldn't be happier for you."

Then Isabella finished. "And it's about time!"

Katie nodded in agreement while the others did one more chuckle while they were all in agreement too.

AN: Two more chapters to go. Thanks for reading, and please review.