AN: Thanks for the continued support, here is the next chapter.
Chapter 47: Embarking on a new adventure
It was one week after Sara and Grissom's 17th wedding anniversary, and the day after Billy's going away party, so it was now the day the Grissom family had to say goodbye to one of their precious members.
When Sara woke up that morning, she was alone in bed, so she got up, changed and headed downstairs, then smiled when she heard her husband and Billy laughing from the kitchen, and when she walked in the room, she saw them both near the stove, so they were doing one of their father/son cooking moments, a sight that she never could get enough of.
Once they both felt her presence, they looked back and said good morning, which she said it back before they go on with their task as she watched them with another smile, eventually Faith and Even joined them in the kitchen and they all enjoyed their breakfast together.
After breakfast, and while Sara and Grissom were cleaning up, Billy was finishing up his packing, then his attention turned to his bookshelf, where a small stuffed bear was sitting, it was his first stuffed animal he had ever gotten. It was also wearing a Dodgers jersey, even though like this father, if he had to pick a baseball team to root for now, it would be the Chicago Cubs. He smiled as he walked up to it, picked it up, and after looking at it, he walked out of the room, up the hallway and knocked on the door-frame to the next bedroom, his sister's room.
"Hey, can I come in?"
Faith, who looks so much like their mother, but had her father's eye sight when it came to reading, removed her glasses as she looked up from the book she was reading and asked. "Sure."
He walked into the room and cleared his throat as he handed out the stuffed bear to her. "I uh, I thought you might like this. He's going to be pretty lonely once I'm gone."
Faith loved stuffed animals, she's had more than she could count, and while she loved the gesture and took it from him with an appreciative smile, she looked down at it with sigh. "Do you have to leave?"
He kneeled down with a sigh of his own and replied. "Do you want me to be honest?"
Faith looked at her brother with a nod. "Daddy said you should always be honest, no matter how much it hurts."
He nodded with a smile. "That is true, so honestly, no, I don't have to leave." He then smiled. "I could stay here and start my, hopefully long, career at the best restaurant in town." He then sighed again. "But knowing that, I want to go out there, to a different country, test/work on my craft with some of the best chefs out there in the world." He cups his sister's cheek and finishes. "I know it's hard to see me leave, and despite how much I want to do this, it's hard leaving, but it's only for a few years, then I'll be back, and plenty of time to shoo all those boys away that will be coming around soon."
When he said that last part with a smirk, Faith gets a disgusted look on her face. "Boys? Yuck."
He chuckled. "Dad will love the response just as much as I do, but you're going to respond differently pretty soon, trust me."
Faith wasn't fully sure, but she nodded anyways, and after setting the stuff animal down, she moved so she could wrap her arms around her older brother's neck and whispers with tears in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you."
Feeling emotional, he whispers in return. "And I'm going to miss you too. Just remember we'll have video chats, phone calls, and there will be visits, I promise, ok?" As she nodded, he continued. "And while I am gone, you're going to be the 'older' one in the house, so I hope you help out mom and dad a little more."
"Ok, I love you."
"I love you too."
Once they pulled back, he stands up and kisses the top of her head before walking out of the room, then after walking to the next bedroom, the one closets to their parents room, he knocked on the door-frame as he watched his younger brother looking at his newest entomology book.
While Billy looked more like Grissom, in terms of physical appearance than Even did, there was no doubt that Even was more Grissom in what he liked to do, outside of cooking. His brother knew more about bugs/insects than he knew when he was his age, he loved anything that dealt with entomology, which their father did try with Billy, and even though there was some interest here and there through the years, it just wasn't anywhere near the same passion for the subject as Even had, so Billy wanted to ask Even something when he finally looked up at him once he was aware of his presence. "Hey buddy, would you like my entomology book collection?"
Even stood up in excitement. "Really?"
Billy nodded his head with a chuckle. "Yeah, why not, you're always borrowing them anyways."
Even looked down shyly. "I'm sorry."
Billy walked up to his brother, kneeled down and lifted his chin up before cupping his cheek with a smile. "It's ok, they were made to be used, and you're the perfect person for the 'job'.
Even's eye brightened up before he hugged his brother. "Thank you, Billy."
"You're welcome. You know how much I love you, right?"
"Yeah."
"And that I'll miss you."
Even sighed with tears in his eyes. "I'll miss you too."
After a few more comforting words, Billy stood up, took his brother's hand and they headed towards his room so they could grab the entomology books.
When it came time to go to the airport, the Grissom family, and the other family members who was still around from yesterday's goodbye party and had been with Stephanie and Nick all morning, all met up at the airport.
After everything was taken care of, they headed for the gate and Billy said his goodbyes to the other family members and his siblings again, then came the hardest two, he turned to his father first, and while the tears weren't there as he tried to hold them back, there was a lot of emotion on his face and so much he wanted to say to the man who taught him a lot, including the biggest thing he ended up wanting to do as a career, even though he didn't know it at first.
"Dad there is so much I..." He stopped and shook his head before trying again. "I..."
But Grissom cuts him off, also feeling emotional. "It's ok son, I know."
They wrap their arms around one another and Billy whispers. "I love you, I know I can say that."
Grissom smiled as he hugged his son a little tighter. "And I love you, son."
After pulling back, they smiled at one another before Billy turned to his mother, which she had little control of her emotions, and that seemed to break Billy, so he sniffled while hugging his mom before smirking. "Thanks a lot mom."
She chuckled as she held her oldest. "Sorry baby, I can't help it. This will be the furthest and longest you'll be away from us, I have a right to be a little more emotional."
He just laughed, then when they heard the last boarding call, they pull back with a sigh before he spoke again. "I hope you visit."
He looked at the rest of the family and said the same thing before looking at his mother again, and she nodded. "We'll see what we can do."
He nodded, then brings his mother in a hug again and whispered. "Love you mom, and thank you for everything."
"You're welcome son, it was my pleasure, and I love you too."
Once he pulled back again, he hugged his father, siblings and the rest of them one more time before walking away with his carry on bag while the whole family watched him until they could no longer see him.
After he was out of sight, they headed for another part of the airport, so they could say goodbye to the other family members who were heading back home.
Later that evening
Throughout the rest of the afternoon, night and evening, the Grissom family tried to go about their business/play time like nothing was different in the household, and even though the feeling of it might get a little easier in time, they knew things wouldn't be the same again until he came home. Then when it was bed time, and while Grissom was locking up the house and turning the downstairs lights out, Sara was tucking in their youngest.
After Grissom was done downstairs, he walked upstairs to find Billy's room light on, so he headed to the doorway and saw Sara sitting on their son's bed with her head down. He then walked up to her and sat down next to her before slipping his fingers through hers, which she wasted no time in holding it tighter.
"I already miss him so much."
"I know honey, me too."
She then lifted her head up to look at her husband and asked. "And we are going to try and visit, right? That wasn't just talk."
He nodded with a smile. "Of course, maybe we can plan for a holiday visit."
Sara started to smile a little with a nod. "That sounds amazing."
He then cleared his throat and leaned forwards before whispering. "I heard it was one of the most romantic cities in the world."
She smiled as she cupped his cheek. "Then it will be even more romantic with you by my side."
He just smiled before they moved toward one another and kissed softly before they placed their foreheads together and took a breath, closing their eyes while reliving the moments they spent with their oldest son, from the unborn moments to every moment after.
They sighed as they pulled back a few minutes later, then after standing up, Grissom helped Sara before they headed towards the door and walked out, turning out the light and closing the door behind them.
AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. Stay safe.