The rest of the day was spent mostly exploring the grounds and the lake surrounding their cabin. Grissom relished the feel of being able to hold her hand in public, and show her in his own unique way just how much he loved her.
They stopped at the edge of the grass verge that overlooked the lake. Moonlight sparkled on the rippling water, casting more beauty to cascade around them. Sara leaned in closer to Grissom when a cool breeze blew across Sara's face. She shivered slightly, unwilling to reveal just how chilled she felt.
"Cold?" Grissom asked softly, his voice puffing visibly into the cold evening air. Smiling down at her, he clasped her hand tighter in his before bringing their joined hands into his warm coat pocket. "Maybe we should start heading back."
"Yeah," she sighed, her heart aching with the intensity of her feelings for the man beside her. Clutching his hand inside his pocket, she leaned into his arm. "I can't believe this is all ours Grissom. It's just so…so…"
"I know," he smiled, placing a kiss into her hair. "As soon as I saw this place I knew you would love it. It's somewhere for us to escape to when we have time off together, and somewhere for us to forget about work."
Sara lifted her head, her lips seeking his in a silent acknowledgement that conveyed how much she loved him. "Let's head back," she whispered throatily.
Darkness blanketed around them as they walked up the wooden steps that led to the door. "This is so beautiful," she gushed, her eyes still unable to take in the sheer beauty of this place and believe it.
"It is isn't it?" he smiled, opening the door to usher them both inside. The warmth from the fire greeted their cold bodies as they entered, both of them enjoying the heat it directed around them.
Taking off her coat, Sara made her way into the kitchen and turned on the coffee percolator. Moving around to the cupboards, she didn't notice Grissom watching her as she worked. Pulling out two mugs, she started to hum along with a silent tune inside her head.
Grissom watched her in awe. She moved around the kitchen as if she had been here all her life, and he felt something burst inside his heart. They had only become close over the last few months, but if truth were told, he had always loved her. Nothing was more certain to him now than the knowledge of needing her in his life forever. Stepping forward, he entered into the kitchen to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
Sara leaned into his back, her hands coming up to clasp his hands. Their eyes watched the coffee level rising, the only sound in the kitchen the slow dripping and fizzing of the percolator. "This is nice," he whispered.
"Hmmm," she smiled, inclining her head to collect a kiss from his descending lips. "This is perfect."
Grissom's hands left hers to run up and down her arms before turning her around so that they were facing each other. Her eyes gazed into his with so much love that he had to fight to breathe. Lifting his hand to her face, he stroked her face with his fingers. "I've been thinking."
"Well dear, you know that is always dangerous," she teased, a smile lighting her face.
"I know," he laughed, his own smile dying away when he heard the serious thoughts emerge inside his mind. "Come and sit down with me."
"Ooookkkaaaayyy," she dragged out dubiously. She knew the seriousness in his eyes all too well, and for a heartbeat she almost dreaded what he was about to say to her. Holding onto his hand as he led her to the couch, she sat down with him and waited silently for him to speak.
Grissom reached out with his other hand to clasp both of hers and swallowed before he started speaking. "I've known you for a long time Sara," he started shakily, "and I've loved you for most of that time." Sitting forward, Sara clasped his hands tightly, urging him to continue.
"These last few months have been enlightening for me, and well, let's just say you have opened my eyes to many different things."
"Griss, what are you telling me here?" Sara asked quietly, her heart beating wildly inside her chest when she felt the emotions in his eyes pierce her soul.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I know," she smiled, "I love you too…"
"No, I mean I really love you," he told her, "I don't want to live a day of my life without you."
"Honey you'll always have me," she smiled warmly, "whether you want me there or not!"
"Oh I want you there," he told her seriously, releasing her hands to stand up and walk over towards a drawer in one of the kitchen cabinets. Reaching inside, he pulled out a small object and looked down at it thoughtfully before closing his fingers around it. He could feel her eyes upon him, and he turned back around to face her. She took his breath away, even after all of this time.
"Grissom please talk to me." She whispered worriedly, her voice quivering slightly as she spoke. She watched helplessly as he made it back over towards her and sat back down beside her.
"I'm not very good at this," he told her quietly. "I've never felt this way about another human being before in my life."
"You're doing fine Griss," she soothed, "just tell me what's on your mind."
When he made another move away from her she started to panic, until he shifted to kneel on the floor so he was between her knees. Sara could hardly hear anything beyond the thumping of her heart in her ears. Was he doing what she thought he was doing?
Grissom looked up into her eyes and opened the small velvet box in his hand and watched as her eyes started to collect watery pearls. His own heart beat wildly inside his chest as he caught the onslaught of love that emerged from her eyes, and he found himself having to take a breath before he could speak again. "I've never wanted to share another persons life as much as I want to share mine with you. You bring feelings to me that I never knew I was capable of feeling." Taking the small diamond ring out, he let the box drop to the floor before taking hold of her left hand. "Marry me?"
Sara's eyes filled with tears as she allowed him to slip the ring onto her finger. No words would emerge from her quivering body, so she settled for leaning forward to hold him, drawing him into her arms as the tears finally fell freely from her eyes.
"Is that a yes?" he asked, his own voice breaking under the strain of his emotions.
"Yessss," she croaked out, holding onto his body tighter as they both unleashed all the love and happiness they had allowed themselves to feel. Sitting back slightly, she gazed down into his eyes. "Yes."
"What happens next?" he asked, his voice still immersed in the soft waves of happiness that found its way into his voice.
"Do you want the others to know about us?" she asked, her eyes drawn to the ring sparkling on her finger. "I want to wear this all the time, but if you're not sure…"
"I want what you want," he told her. "I don't care what anyone else says or thinks about us anymore. All I know is that I'm glad I didn't screw things up between us by being too late."
"You could never be too late," she whispered, leaning in for a brief kiss before sitting back again. "I'd have waited my whole life for you to come to your senses."
"I'm glad I finally did," he told her sincerely. "Seriously Sara, if you want the others to know about us then I'm fine with it."
"What about Cavallo?"
"What about him?" He asked with a smile. "Listen honey, I'll handle Cavallo and anyone else who thinks they have a right to interfere."
"And you're going to be okay with this?" she asked worriedly, lifting a hand to stroke his face softly.
"Perfectly," he told her. "Maybe in a couple of weeks we'll go and visit my mother."
"A couple of weeks?" she gasped, grinning at him wildly. "I can't learn ASL in two weeks!"
"I'm an entomologist," he told her. " I'm sure I can teach my fiancé how to sign."
Sara felt her heart flip silently when he referred to her as his fiancé. "I like that."
"What?"
"You calling me your fiancé. It's nice." Reaching down to his fingers, she clasped his hand tighter in hers. "I think it's time you took me to bed."
"So do I," he whispered, leaning in closer to collect a kiss before standing up to pull her up beside him. Holding onto her hand, he clicked off the lights and switches as he led her past the kitchen. This had been a most memorable Christmas, one that neither of them would ever forget.
The End