AN: Thanks for the reviews, and continued support. Warning: Implied/Suggestive adult behavior.

Chapter 2: Still have it

June 12, 2032

Sleeping in her childhood room, there was a knock on her door, and after Isabella yawned and stretched, she sat up while saying. "Yeah, come in."

The door opened a second later, and in came her parents, Grissom carrying the breakfast tray while Sara was holding a wrapped present, so she smiled. "You guys didn't have to do this, I could have came downstairs."

They shrugged it off while they headed towards their daughter's bed, and once the tray was in place, Grissom spoke. "You did this for us plenty of times, so we wanted to repay the favor." He leaned down, kissed her forehead and whispered against her skin. "Happy 18th birthday, butterfly."

He pulled back as Isabella nodded with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, daddy."

Grissom nodded with a smile, and Sara handed her the present. "Here you go sweetie, happy birthday."

Isabella took the wrapped gift from her mom, already knowing what type of present it was by the look of how it was wrapped and the handle of it, then she started to unwrap it, and once the book was in view, she looked a little confused at first since she already had this book. In fact, it was her favorite book. But then she gasped when she realized it was the first edition of her favorite book, meaning it was not cheap by any means, so she looked up at them with more tears in her eyes. "Mom, dad, I can't..."

Sara cuts her while wrapping her arms around her daughter for a hug. "You can and you will."

She hugged her mom in return, thanking her.

Sara nodded as they pulled back, and Isabella cleared her throat and spoke again. "This couldn't have been cheap, and very hard to find."

Grissom hugged her daughter, replying. "You're right, but you're worth it." He then smirked while he pulled back from his daughter. "Besides, your mother is an investigator, she is good a tracking even the hardest items down."

Sara smiled shyly. "Now don't give me all the credit, one, I had the best teacher for that, and two, this was your idea to begin with."

Isabella smiled as she watched her parents hug and her father kiss her mother on the forehead. She'll admit, like her brother, it took her some time to get use to seeing her parents so affectionate in front of her without feeling completely embarrassed, especially when they were out in public. But now that's she's gotten older, she didn't mind it as much, especially when she hears a lot of her friends, outside of Andrew of course, say that she is lucky that her parents are still together after so long when theirs are going through an ugly divorce, or have already divorced and not speaking to one another, or had remarried to someone else, so when she thought about it like that, she would say she was pretty lucky, and she would never take this scene between them for granted again.

When tears started to come to her eyes again, both parents looked at her in concern as Grissom asked. "What's wrong, butterfly?"

She shook her head with a smile. "It's nothing, just thank you for the gift, and everything that you've ever done for me, really. I love you guys, you know that, right?"

They might not hear the words from their middle child that much these days, and they knew she did, but to hear the words sent a warm feeling through their hearts as they both walked up to her with smiles as they replied with their love.

After one more hug and kiss from both parents, they pull back before Grissom spoke after clearing his throat. "Ok, we'll let you eat. Do you have plans for dinner later?"

"Actually yeah, Andrew and a couple of my friends from college are going out to dinner." When she saw their parents look a little disappointed, she asked. "I could cancel if you want me to?"

But they shook it off before Sara replied. "No, honey, it's ok."

Then she replied with a smile, knowing what her parents wanted to do. "You can ask people over for lunch if you want."

That brought a smile to their faces while they nodded before Sara spoke again. "Thank you."

She chuckled with a nod. "No problem."

As the parents headed towards the door, Isabella started opening the book, but before she could read the first word, Sara, who never looked back at her, said with a smirk, knowing how her daughter is with a book in her hand. "Please eat first, then read."

Isabella shyly smiled, even though her parents never looked back at her before replying while closing the book and placing it on her nightstand. "Yes, mom." Her parents chuckled as they walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

While the door clicked shut, she looked down at her pancakes, finally seeing they were animal shaped, making her laugh and shake her head, some things will never change, and she was ok with that.

A few hours later

After Breakfast, Isabella did manage a few chapters in her story before she got ready for her day, and while she was tying her shoes, there was a knock on the door, so she stood up and said. "Come in."

The door opened a second later, and Isabella was a little shocked to see that it was Jason, which he noticed, so he cleared his throat and asked. "I hope it's ok that I stopped by."

Her shocked look changed to a smiling one as she nodded. "Of course. I guess I just wasn't expecting it."

He smiled as he handed her a rolled up art paper that had a tied up red ribbon. "I had to give you your gift."

Isabella smiled and shook her head. "You didn't have to do that."

Sincerely, he replied. "I wanted to, please."

She nodded as she took the item from him. "Ok."

Once she untied the ribbon and took it off, she placed it on her desk before unrolling the paper until she could see the picture, and when she did, which was of her, in great detail, with an open book while her back was resting against a tree, she gasped. "Wow, this is a amazing."

He shyly asked. "Yeah?"

She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Yeah, and knowing I didn't pose for this picture, it's even more amazing that you did this by memory, you have a true gift and it's a shame you're hiding it from the world."

He smiled with his eyes sparkling in return. "Or maybe it's just because I had a lot of inspiration for this one."

There was a long moment of them just looking at one another, and just as their hearts started to race, their moment was interrupted when Andrew's voice was heard after he cleared it. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Isabella shook her head before looking at her best friend in her bedroom doorway. "No."

Jason cleared his throat and shook his head. "I should go anyways."

She looked at Jason again and asked. "You're not staying? You're welcome to if you want."

He shook his head again with a smile. "Thanks, but I have some orders I need to get done. Like I said, I just wanted to drop off your gift."

She nodded with a smile. "OK, and thank you again."

After one more nod, he turned and left the room while Andrew walked in, who had his hands behind his back, and when he saw the art drawing she was holding, he admit he was impressed. "Wow, he really do this?"

She nodded as she rolled the picture up and sets it on her desk. "And by memory too."

He smirked. "So, I guess there is more behind that Jock look he puts out there."

She smirked in return. "You're the one to talk, Mr. baseball player, who is an excellent baker."

Andrew, who just gradated high school at the top of his class, has played baseball for as long as he could remember, even had the privilege of his father being his coach for a few years, now he'll be going to UCLA on a Baseball scholarship this next school year.

He looked at her with wide-eyes and said. "Shush, no one needs to know that."

Isabella shook her head with a chuckle. "You jock guys and your macho pride. I happen to know two very special men in my life who love both art and baking/cooking, and I don't think any less of them. Frankly, I don't see anything wrong with it."

Knowing she was talking about her father and brother, he nodded a little shyly, then he smiled and replied. "OK, if it will make you happy, on the first day of Baseball practice, I'll give the guys cupcakes that I make by scratch."

She chuckled with another nod. "That is something I'll definitely want to see, just tell me when and I'll be there." After he nodded, she cleared her throat and continued, looking at him as he still had his hands behind his back. "Now, what do you have behind your back? And what ever it is, is it for me?"

He shook his head and replied sarcastically. "No, it's for your sister." When she gave him a hard look, he chuckled as he moved his hand forward so she could see a wrapped present in his left hand. "I'm kidding."

She took the gift after lightly hitting his shoulder with a smirk. "So not cool."

He just smiled and watched her open the gift, which while it was another book, it was a limited edition of her favorite poetry writer, and she was impressed by this gift too.

"Wow, thank you, Andrew."

He waved it off with a smile. "It's no problem."

She placed it down on her desk and brings her best friend in a hug. "I mean it, it's a beautiful gift."

He wrapped his arms around her for a hug. "You're welcome."

They pull back a moment later, and after a smile, they walked out of her room.

30 minutes later

While Isabella was sitting at one of the tables that was set up on the deck with Andrew, Bella, Emily, and her siblings, which William had gotten her another butterfly case and Katie had gotten her a necklace that had half a heart since she had the other half that had 'Sister's for life' written on it, she saw her father greet his teaching assistant, Mitchell Green, who was 8 years older than her with brown, medium length hair, green eyes, around 5'10 and an average build, and as he looked her way, she cleared her throat and stood up from her chair. "Anybody want anything to drink?"

William smiled at his sister. "I can get you another drink."

But Isabella shook her head. "No, it's ok. I got it."

After everybody declined, Isabella turned and headed inside so she could go into the kitchen, where she placed her hands on the kitchen island and closed her eyes while taking a breath.

A moment later, she hears Mitchell's voice behind her. "Hey."

She took a second before she turned to look at him. "Hi." As he walked further into the room, she narrowed her eyes as she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Your father invited me."

"Well, you didn't have to accept."

He sighed as he walked closer to her, but she moved so she was on the other side of the island so she can be further away from him, making him stop his feet as he continued. "I figured it was the only chance I would get to talk to you, you've been avoiding my calls for three months now."

Now speaking in a hard tone. "You are smart, you should have figured it out by now."

"I just don't know why."

She chuckled humorlessly before replying. "You want to know why?" After he nodded, she spoke again with a hard tone. "OK, well seeing you come out of your apartment, half-dressed while you're making out with, who you promised me, was an ex-girlfriend, was a very big reason why."

Mitchell looked at Isabella with wide-eyes as he was about to say. "Izzie, I'm..."

She cuts him off with one more hard tone. "You have no right to ever call me that, and I don't want to hear whatever clichéd BS you're about to say to me." She took a breath and finished. "This was on me, I just put my trust in the wrong man. I was naïve to think that you would actually wait for me when you said you would, but not anymore. Whatever this was between us (She moved her hand between them), whatever I felt for you, is gone. I'm done with you."

Even though what she said was the truth, and while she had a few crushes/boyfriends before him, he was the first guy she fell really hard for, or at least the first one where the strong feelings were reciprocated, so this one still hurt.

Respecting her choice, he nodded, then he cleared his throat and pulled out a box from his pocket and placed it on the table. "I really am sorry that I hurt you. If you want I'll rescind my recommendation from your father."

She shook her head. "No, despite everything, I don't want you to disappoint him too. I won't say anything to him."

"I know I don't deserve it, but thank you."

She just nodded her head and looked away, willing her tears to stay inside, she didn't want him to see her crying, and after a moment, he whispered 'Bye' before walking out of the room.

When it was just her in the kitchen, she looked towards the table, where the present was, and wiped a tear off her cheek as she walked over to it, and while a part of her wanted to just pick it up and toss it, the curiosity part of her wouldn't let her do that without looking to see what the gift was, so she took a breath and opened the lid of the ring sized box, and gasped a little at the butterfly necklace now in view, causing more tears to come out of her eyes.

As she wiped them away, she felt a presence, then her brother's concerned voice. "Hey, what's wrong?" While she shook her head, he saw the gift on the table. "Wait, Mitchell was just in here, wasn't he?" When brother and sister had eye contract, he put the pieces together instantly and he looked at her with wide-eyes. "You and Mitchell!?"

She sniffled as she wiped the remaining tears off her cheek. "Please, no lectures."

He nodded as he moved closer before wrapping his arms around her, then he sighed as he ran his hand up and down her back. "I'm sorry."

One more sniffle, she asked while feeling comforted by her brother. "For what?"

"I made a promise that I would always protect you, but I don't know how to protect you from this type of hurt."

"Just hold me."

He smiled as he held her a little tighter. "That, I can do." After a moment or two, he spoke again. "And I can always go to dad, let him take care of that jerk."

She smirked. "Believe me, I thought of that too." Then she sighed. "But going to dad will have a potential to ruin Mitchell's future career."

He smirked. "Yeah, and you're point is?"

As they pulled back from one another, Isabella shook her head with a smile. "Despite everything, I couldn't do that to him, which deep down I know you couldn't either, you don't have a revenge bone in your body."

"I don't know, you could be surprised on what a brother would do for his sister when someone hurts them."

Isabella smiled. "Or what a sister could do for her brother." He smiled in return, happy that his sister would have his back if he needed it, for a moment before she sighed. "Please, don't tell dad."

He cupped her cheek and wiped the last tear off her cheek with a nod. "OK, but only because you asked me not to, I'm not doing it for him."

While he removed his hand, she nodded. "Thank you."

"Just promise me, if you can help it, tell your heart to pick someone better next time."

She smirked. "Easy for you to say, your heart already had someone picked out at 4 years old."

He couldn't help but smile. "I know." She chuckled as she pushed at his shoulder, then he sighed as he lost his smile. "But that doesn't mean I never felt heartache."

Isabella nodded as she grabbed her brother's hand. "I know, and if I never said it before, I'm so happy for you guys."

William smiled a little wider with his blue eyes sparkling. "Thank you."

She removed her hand from his. "You're welcome."

As he walked towards the fridge, he asked. "So, what are you guys doing after dinner tonight?"

While she took the box from the table and placed it in her pocket, she replied. "Oh, we were thinking about going to Andrew's new apartment."

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow as he smirked. "Oh, for a little sleepover, I see."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Don't say it like that, he's just my best friend."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes." Then she smirked. "Contrary to what goes on in this big family of ours, not everyone falls in love with their best friend."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that, then he asked in a more serious tone. "And you guys had that talk?"

"I didn't think we had to."

He shook his head. "I don't know sis, sometimes feelings have a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it from the last person you ever thought it would." He shrugged his shoulders. "Just saying."

With his back towards her, she took a moment to think about their moments together, then she shook her head.

There was no way, was there?

Later that Night

Once the party ended and everybody left the house, including Katie, who was going to stay with Emily, Sara and Grissom cleaned up the rest of the dishes, which wasn't much since everybody was pretty good at cleaning up after themselves, before going into the living room, grabbing a photo album that had Isabella's specialized name on the spine of it (They also have one for William & Katie) from the bookshelf before heading for the couch, sat down and opened the album, seeing the first page, which had the first, third and last sonogram pictures of their little girl.

They smiled with tears in their eyes as Sara spoke with emotion. "You remember how you felt when you found out it was a girl?"

He cleared his throat from emotion. "I'll always remember that feeling. At that point only one moment could rival it, and the other two moments come at a close second."

"The day we found out we were having a boy, and the other two moments?"

He cupped her cheek and whispered. "The day I first met you and when we got married."

They share a soft kiss before turning their attention back to the album, turning a few pages before they chuckled when they got to one of their favorite first birthday picture, their little girl sitting in her highchair with cake all over her face with a happy grin. Then came a picture when she was about 4 years old, dressed in a whole baseball outfit for Halloween, making them sigh a little before Sara spoke with a small smile. "I'm sorry her baseball phase came and went faster than we could blink."

"As hard as it was to accept that baseball was something we wouldn't end up sharing a like for, I'm glad art became our 'thing'."

She smirked. "Until her art ended up on our walls."

He chuckled. "Well, you got admit, they were pretty good, even at that age."

They may have chuckled again, and thought it was funny now, but when it happened, they didn't find that funny at all, more Sara of course, but Grissom, in most cases, would be united with his wife, so he went along with what ever punishment their little girl received.

When they got to Isabella's five year old birthday picture, Sara sighed again. "I just wish this phase would have ended just as quickly."

It was a picture of Isabella's first kid sized motorbike with training wheels, something she wouldn't stop begging for.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. "I know honey, but you know her, when something gets in her mind and she wants it bad enough, there is no stopping it, eventually she's going to get what she wants." He then whispered. "Just like her mother."

She smirked as she looked at him with sparkling eyes. "And look where that stubbornness got me, a life with you."

He cupped her cheek with a smile and nod before they shared another kiss, and as they go back to looking at the pictures, he smirked. "And hey, if you think about it, we don't have to worry about her falling for someone who has a motorcycle, because she's the one that has it."

She chuckled while she shook her head, remembering that conversation when she was pregnant with their daughter, while lightly hitting his shoulder. "Ok, you."

As more pages were turned, they were getting a little more teary eyed, reminiscing all the moments from the pictures, then they reached the last major event picture they had at the moment, high school graduation, where both daughters ended up sharing valedictorian, even though Katie insisted that she take the full honors, but Isabella wasn't having it, it was either they both make their speeches or neither one would, and watching them both up there was a moment Sara and Grissom would never forget, it was one of their proudest moments when it came to their daughters.

They sighed as they looked at their oldest daughter in her red cap and gown before Sara sniffled. "Our little girl is 18 years old today, and already finished her first year of college." She looked at her husband and asked. "How did we get here?"

He smiled while cupping her cheek again. "By taking it one moment at a time."

She then smirked. "Are you sure, because it felt like a blur to me."

He chuckled with a nod as he leaned closer to her. "Oh, it might have felt like that at times. But believe me, and for the most part, it's been one glorious moment after the other." After another kiss on the lips, he moved to her ear and whispered, making her eyes close. "And I can think of another glorious moment I would like to share with my wife right now."

She smiled as his lips traveled down to her neck. "Oh, really? And what would we do for this glorious moment of yours?"

He smiled against her neck as he whispered. "You know me, I'm better at showing than telling." He pulls back and looks at her with passion in his eyes, making her body tingle, while he whispered. "And it just so happens we have the house to ourselves."

She cups his cheek with another smirk, remembering what he said a few months ago. "And here I was thinking you wanted more kid's voices in the house."

He smiled. "Well, maybe for certain moments we could do without."

As much as they were looking forward to grandchildren now, and loved their children as they were growing up, they still very much enjoyed what alone time they got, that's a part of them they were thankful they still wanted, even after all these years together.

"I second that. " Her eyes now got passionate as she moved closer to him. "I'll meet you upstairs."

They kissed a few more times before pulling back, and after one more look, they got up from the couch, and after Sara puts the album back in its place on the shelf she headed upstairs, while Grissom locked up the house before joining his wife.

Wrapped up in the sheet and in each other's arms, they sighed in content, then he kissed her temple before she spoke with while slipping her hand in his. "I say after almost 25 years of marriage, we still got it."

He smiled in return. "I second that." She moved their hands to her lips and kissed his ring, then he ran his thumb over her hand and whispered with emotion. "And even though this isn't all of who we are, or ever been, thank you for loving me the way that you do, even after all this time I still feel/see your passion for me."

She smile as she moved so she could look into his eyes. "The same could be said to you."

This time he brings her hand up to his lips and kissed her ring. "That will never change. I love you Sara, all of you, even what you find imperfect, it's perfect to me."

She moved up so she as in line with his lips as she whispered. "That will never change for me either, I love you too, Griss."

When their lips touched again, and that passion ignited once again, they pulled back and she looked at him, seeing the desire in his eyes while catching her breath. "Again?"

With a passionate tone, he whispered. "I suddenly have more inspiration I want to share with you."

They moved so he was above her while she wrapped her arms around his neck then whispered. "Well, then Dr. Grissom, share awa..."

She was cut off when his lips were on hers again, nothing but their actions speaking once again, and while this wasn't all that they were, there was no denying how amazing/passionate they were when they were together like this, even after almost 30 years as a couple.

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