Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: In the last chapter, in case you haven't read it since I changed it, I wrote 'Michael' instead of Jace, accidentally. :) Mea Culpa. I was thinking about Destiny while I wrote it and he is a character who, in my mind, looks a lot like Jace. So sorry.

Let me know what you think!

Chapter Nineteen:

Dr. Grissom made an excuse to go back to the lecture hall and leave us alone, putting an end to the whole awful, awkward affair. I breathed a silent sigh of relief when he left us, leaning more fully into Jace's embrace. Confused as I may be, his touch always brought comfort, and that hadn't changed. He kissed the top of my head and led to me to a stone bench nearby, surrounding a rather large, rather ugly sculpture the Art Department had most likely done or commissioned or advocated. He shook his head slowly. "Poor guy."

I looked up at him in surprise. "…What do you mean?"

He just smiled softly down at me. "Didn't you see the way he reacted when I asked if he was married? …He might not be right now, but he had to've been, at one time or another… He literally choked on his food at my question. …Don't you find that strange?"

I fidgeted. I had written his reaction off as a result of the situation we were in… but Jace hadn't asked anything about the pair of us. …Maybe he was right. …How much did I really know about Dr. Grissom's past? I frowned. "…I guess I didn't think anything of it. What do you think happened?"

He shrugged, slipping his hand into mine. "I don't know. Divorce…death. Maybe he's a widower. …Maybe he never got married, but he came close… I just know pain when I see it."

I leaned again him, squeezing his hand. He was such a good man. I remembered asking Dr. Grissom why he'd never been married, and him telling me there'd been a girl in college who he thought was the one, but science was more important. …Was she the woman who'd broken his heart, or was it someone else he'd not mentioned to me? Or was Jace completely off here?

I shrugged. "I guess it didn't even occur to me."

He grinned. "You were too caught up in the case, I'm sure. The food coming interrupted your never-ending questions." He teased. "But if you're not particularly interested in the maturation of blow flies, you pay more attention to other things."

I glanced at him, curiously, wondering what that was implying… but there was no suspicion in his gaze, and Jace always wore his emotions on his sleeve. When he had believed, correctly, that his sister's boyfriend was cheating on her, I knew it before he would vocalize his concerns. He was adept at hiding nothing and Dr. Grissom and I… we were both well-practiced, though I didn't know where he had gained the skill. …There was apparently a lot I didn't know about him. Why on earth did that surprise me? I hardly knew the man.

When I didn't answer, he continued. "…You gave him your information, didn't you?"

Speaking of hiding emotions… I turned a careful gaze to him. "…Yeah. Why?"

He shook his head. "I just… you should urge him to contact you. I mean, don't make it obvious… the guy's obviously in a lot of pain, but… Even if he just had someone to e-mail once in a while. …He seems like he could use a friend."

I swallowed. He was giving me permission… No, he was suggesting that I stay in contact with Dr. Grissom after we got married. Promoting the friendship. He didn't understand. I shook my head. "…He seems like a really private man, Jace. …I doubt he'd open up to me."

He shrugged. "Just a thought… human contact couldn't hurt, even if all you ever do is talk forensics." He glanced at his watch. "Anyway… I think your lecture will be starting soon." He stood up and together we moved back towards the lecture building.

"…I could skip it. Take the rest of the day off with you."

He shook his head. "You've been waiting months for this conference. I wouldn't dream of taking you away from it. …Besides, I really feel like this guy is reaching out to you. I mean, you probably didn't notice because that brain of yours was going a million miles a minute, but… he looks at you like he trusts you. …I'm not saying you have to be his friend. I mean, if that's weird to you, by all means, disregard me… but if you have a chance to help someone just by talking about a mutual interest… Why wouldn't you?"

I nodded, slowly, thinking that Jace was too good for his own good. How could I explain that the very best thing for me, and him, and Dr. Grissom, would be if we never spoke again after this week? Because regardless of whatever connection I felt to the man… surely I could feel connections to a lot of people, in my life. It wasn't that I could never love anyone but Jace… it was that Jace was not only meant for me, but the person I'd chosen. And in that choice, came a commitment. Regardless of what was between Dr. Grissom and I, it was… secondary, to what Jace and I had. So it would be better for all concerned if I made a clean break.

"Well, we'll see…" I said, noncommittally. He smiled and pulled me to him, kissing me softly.

"…I'll see you for supper?" …Before you go to work, I corrected in my head, but with surprisingly little bitterness. He had been wonderful, this morning and in coming to see me. I knew he really didn't mean for our night to be interrupted, last night.

"Of course."

"Have fun." He kissed me again, and we went our separate ways—he back to his car, and me into the lecture hall, and Dr. Grissom.

I sat in the back, and waved to him before I turned to leave, a couple hours and lectures later. He motioned me down and I hesitated, but turned and made the trek down to him. He frowned slightly. "…You were just going to leave?"

I swallowed. "I… Yeah, I was. I… I can't… Jace is at home, right now."

He nodded. "Okay…I didn't necessarily mean we had to go somewhere, I just… I figured you would say goodbye."

"I waved."

He nodded again. "Okay… You've made up your mind. …I… That's good. Almost a relief, actually." I frowned, noting the flash of pain in his eyes. What if Jace had been right? "Here…" He pulled out his wallet, handing me back the hundred dollar bill with my information.

I frowned. The idea of being completely out of contact with him… not just never seeing him but going back to not knowing him at all… it was overwhelming. I shook my head. "Keep it… 'til the end of the week, at least."

He frowned and opened his mouth to protest, but then sighed and replaced it in his wallet. He hadn't said as much, but now there was an understanding… he would accept me changing my mind, at least until the end of the week. We had a ticking clock, but until it ran out…

"…You'd better get home to him."

I nodded. "Yeah…"

"He's… he's a nice guy, Sara." He said, and I was struck by how genuine he seemed. …And once again, how sad.

"I know. He… He really is." I didn't mean for my voice to sound sad as well, but his next question told me he noticed.

"Is he… working tonight?"

I swallowed. "Yes. …But… I'm not going to… I won't be… I'm just gonna catch up on sleep."

He nodded, but didn't look convinced. "Well… I'll keep my phone turned up, just in case."

I opened my mouth to argue, but this time, he walked away from me.

That night, Jace was busy talking about the wedding. He'd talked to his mother today… they'd be flying in on Thursday evening, two nights from now, to help prepare for the wedding. Jace and his sisters still lived here… they'd all grown up here. His parents had moved to New York after their youngest turned eighteen and graduated high school, to care for his grandmother who needed a lot of assistance but refused to move—his grandfather was buried there.

We'd go out to eat, Thursday night, and Friday morning I would go to my last couple lectures, be back in time for lunch with the family and a day of finishing up the final details. I had wanted a very low-key wedding… so his mother and sisters were taking care of the details I hadn't been entirely interested in. Friday night, Jace was going to spend the night on one of his sister's couches and Rachel was spending the night with me. I'd invited the others—Kyleigh and Michelle, who said they preferred to sleep in their own bed—and Jace's sister… my other bridesmaid. He had three, but had picked the youngest one because his older two had each been in the other's wedding. But she too, had declined, thanking me but saying she didn't want bags under her eyes in the pictures… she was a light sleeper, and never slept well in a strange place.

And then Saturday… I was getting married.

I tried to be involved in the plan… in the favors his mother had described that Jace didn't care about but felt obligated to tell me about… but I couldn't. The whole big-wedding fiasco was something I'd be dreading since we'd begun planning it, but it was important to his mother, and he was her only son… the only child who was likely to let her have a say. I picked at my food and he asked if I was feeling alright…

I shook my head saying I hadn't slept much the night before, which was true, and he kissed my forehead and told me to go to bed and he would clean up. So I showered, brushed my hair, changing into pajamas, and curled into bed. He came in to change into greasy clothes and kiss me softly, telling me he didn't think he'd be too late tonight… one or two at the latest…and then he left.

And tired as I was, I wasn't sure that I could sleep.