Here's the conclusion! I hope it makes up for the depressing last chapter.

This story was fun to write, and I hope it was just as fun to read.

Thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it.

ONE YEAR LATER...

I woke up in a cold sweat, trying to ignore the dream I just had. In this dream, which I had at least twice a week, Warrick and I were happy. We lived together, and when I'd wake up from a long and dreamless sleep, he'd make me dinner before it was time for both of us to go off to work again. We had a dog, and we talked about kids. Sometimes there was a wedding in these dreams, just to torture me even further.

But at the end of the dream, right before I woke up, something tragic always happened, like a plane crash or a murder or something. It was like my subconscious was saying, "Here it is, you can have it, but not without a price." Sometimes I hated my subconscious.

I liked it in San Francisco, I really did. It just seemed easier to come to work everyday without having such intense feelings for the people I worked with. I liked the people I worked with, don't get me wrong. But none of them were like Gil, so into his work, so oblivious to social graces. And none of them certainly compared to Warrick, who was so passionate about his job it was like he took each case personally sometimes. I knew the feeling.

I missed Warrick. I missed waking up next to him, kissing him when he woke up, bad breath or not. I missed watching him get into the shower and tune out the outside world. I missed watching him get absorbed in a case and work his magic to solve it. I missed his empathy for the victims, and the drive that kept him going. We only talked once before I moved, and that was when I went to his house to bring him what he left at mine. We cried together, held each other until time ran out and it was time to go. We never said goodbye, but we never said we'd leave our options open, either. I tried to keep my eyes open for someone else, anyone to make the memory of Warrick get out of my head, but to no avail. I didn't want anybody else.

I tried to keep myself absorbed in work. I was lucky they even took me back, and I'm sure Gil had something to do with that. After working there for a month or two, I got my groove back and I was once again one of the best CSI's they had. I knew they valued me, and I worked extra hard to keep their respect. I worked so much that I hardly had time to let Warrick creep into my thoughts, but he did. He was sneaky.

On one frenzied night I was in my office (yes! I had my own office here!) absorbed in the diary of a young girl that was found murdered in her own bedroom. I was hoping we might find some clues in it. It was absolutely a heartbreaking diary, but I couldn't take my eyes away.

"Sara!" Someone in the hallway said.

I quickly turned my head to see Gil Grissom standing in my office.

"I called your name about seven times!"

"You know me. I'm so absorbed in work that I didn't hear anything," I said, trying to get past the shock of seeing him standing there.

"So, you have your own office here, huh?"

"Yeah, nice isn't it?"

We had a moment of awkward silence.

"Gil, what are you doing here?" I asked. I was long past going through formalities with him. If I wanted to know something, I was going to ask him about it.

"Sara... I know you must love it here. You have your own office, you have your own cases, and I know you're making more money. But Las Vegas needs you. You know me, Sara.. you know I wouldn't come here if I didn't absolutely feel like I had to. And I have to bring you back. The replacements we found for you and Nicky just aren't working out. They're fine, just fine, but they aren't you. They don't have an ounce of the work ethic you have."

I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything. I just stared at him.

"Don't look at me like that! What do you want me to do, get on my knees and beg? I'll do it. The whole department is suffering, we're behind on cases, and with you, that never happened. It's like you were part of.. a puzzle. And without you.. that puzzle just wouldn't fit together."

I finally found my voice.

"What about the sheriff? What about those cases, Gil? I left for a reason. It's not like I ran off to San Francisco for shits and giggles."

"The sheriff is drowning in bad publicity. He would hire a chicken if he thought it would help his image. We need you. Please."

"What about..." my voice trailed off.

"Warrick? I didn't want to tell you this while I was here, but he's lost without you, Sara. I know it's cheesy to say, but he really is. He just goes through the motions on his cases. I know he wishes he could just pick up the phone and call you, but I think he also knows its best that he doesn't. He's lost. We all are."

"Gil, do you know how ridiculous this sounds? What if we get back together? Then you're still going to have a conflict of interest on your hands! Then nothing has changed and what's the point?"

Gil shook his head.

"That is true, and one of you will definitely have to join the day shift. Nicky is coming back too, and Catherine has decided to take the day shift so she can be with Lindsay at night. They are getting married next month! It's just amazing."

I thought about coming back, working on the day shift, and finally seeing Warrick's face again. Just to know that I'd have a chance to even work with Warrick again made me weak.

"I'll do it, Gil. I'll take the day shift. I want to help."

He finally smiled, one of those rare toothy grins that was definitely not a trademark of Gil Grissom's.

"We'll be waiting for you."

Three weeks later I found myself back in Las Vegas. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I was happy to be back. Las Vegas, with its glitz and glamour and violence and crime, was my home.

As soon as the movers left my new apartment, I grabbed my keys, jumped in my car, and drove straight to Warrick's. I knew I'd probably be waking him up, but it was absolutely necessary that I see him.

He answered the door, wiping sleep from his eyes. When he saw it was me, he stopped abruptly and did a double take.

"It's me," I said, stating the obvious.

"Sara-"

"Warrick, listen. I'm sorry it had to happen that way. I'm sorry we got caught, and I'm sorry we got so caught up in the romance that we sometimes neglected our work. I don't need to start where we left off.. I just want to be in your life again."

Warrick looked befuddled.

"Damn girl! Relax! Just get in here!" He grabbed my hand and brought me inside his house.

"Warrick-" He quieted me by pinning me against the door and kissing me with a year's worth of missing passion. I lost all interest in speaking at all and surrendered to his kisses.

Soon we were in his bedroom, engaging in a rythem we both knew so well.

After, when he was holding me, and we were enfolded, skin to skin, he whispered in my ear, "It's going to be okay. We're together in this, and if it's up to me we always will be. I'm so glad you're back, Sar Bear."

I wanted to talk about the last year and what it meant for us, how much I missed him and how much I regretted some of the things that happened in the past, but for now, this was good.

He kissed my forehead and laughed a little at the curious expression on my face. Soon, he fell asleep. As I watched him sleep, I knew it would be okay.

That night I didn't have any dreams.