A/N- Ok, one more chapter! I had too much to say to end it here. Thank you for the reviews – much appreciated!

Thanks to Nessa for being a great beta and friend. Who knows what this story would have looked like without her!

-------------------------------------------

To say that Alex was tired was putting it lightly. He should be sleeping right now with Sara by his side, not sitting alone on his couch watching the muted news channel, wondering how he lost all control of his life.

Ever since they'd come back from California, he had gone through his list of who was to blame for the bomb that hit his love life. He first blamed Grissom for his out of line interference and then Sara for her lack of strength. He finally came back to Grissom for being a world-class ass to Sara in the first place.

If Grissom had given Sara's feelings the respect that they deserved years ago, none of them would be in this situation now. He would never have known the pain of his bleeding heart, preparing for their pending breakup or how it feels to know that he could never be "The One" for her. As much as he wished that he'd never asked Sara out, he also knew there were now things he never wanted to live without. Like the feeling of wonder when watching Sara wake in the morning or the amusement he felt finding out that she secretly loved the color pink. He loved her fiercely and this hurt.

The space that he was giving Sara was more for his benefit than her own. In his gut he knew that this was over and that every ounce of Sara's heart, no matter how big it was, belonged to Grissom. He needed this time to come to grips before he could let Sara go gracefully.

A soft, persistent knock pulled him from his thoughts and he made his way to the door. Vigorously rubbing his face, he hoped that he could get rid of whoever was one the other side. When he opened the door, however, he wanted to take that wish back.

"Sara."

"Hi, Alex."

"You, uh, didn't use your key."

"I know. Can I come in?"

Alex stepped aside and let Sara cross over the threshold into his home, sensing that this was the last time she would ever do that.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he asked nervously, leading them to the kitchen, trying to buy some time.

"No. I shouldn't stay long." Sara sat down on the barstool opposite him. "Please don't think that this isn't hard – that I don't care."

"I don't think that."

"Alex, I –"

"You don't have to say anything, Sara," Alex interrupted. If he couldn't have control over his life, he could at least have control over this conversation. The last thing he wanted to hear was an apology. "So, I guess this means that you're going to give Grissom another chance."

"I know this seems sudden -"

"Does it seem sudden? Oddly enough, it doesn't seem that way to me," he spoke, realizing that it was the truth. There was nothing sudden about this – sad, but not sudden. What was sudden was his urge to now help her along – she was all that mattered. "He loves you, you know?"

"Yes."

"And you … love him."

"Yes," Sara answered softly, not really able to meet his eyes.

Alex turned away to grab a glass from the cabinet. Closing his eyes, he spoke, "Then why should you waste another moment?"

"I would hardly call this a waste, Alex."

He turned, watching as she left her seat at the bar and joined him by the sink. "I know, babe. It's not like I want to let you go it's just that … I want the best for you – the best for your heart."

"You believe that? That he's the best for my heart?"

"I think that you believe that and that he believes that – that's all that really matters."

Sara ran her finger along the counter, letting out a nervous laugh. "This whole conversation is … odd."

"I know, huh? These words keep leaving my mouth and I can't stop them. I want to stop them – stop you, from leaving. I want …" he stopped, knowing that he would never get what he wanted and didn't want to burden her with his dreams. "You know, all this time I thought that it was because he didn't love you enough."

"What was?"

"Him not being with you," he replied, grabbing her hand and pulling her into one last embrace. "Now, I realize that it was because he loved you too much."

"How do you know that?"

Kissing the top of her head, he closed his eyes and tried the control the lump forming in his throat. "Experience."

------------------------------------------------------

Her foot was just a little heavier than usual as she drove her way through lunch hour traffic. Sara anxiously checked her watch for the millionth time, noting that no matter how quick she got there it was still early afternoon. Grissom would most likely be asleep.

Her talk with Alex this morning went far better than she'd hoped for. She knew that it wasn't the easiest thing for him to do – letting her go – and she doubted he would ever know how grateful she was. While she felt the sadness of their breakup … she also felt excitement. She would be claiming a love that she'd buried deep in her soul for too long - claiming a man who she craved desperately. Alex was right – she couldn't wait another moment.

Finally arriving at his townhouse, Sara jumped out of her car and ran to the door. With confidence, she raised her hand up to the door and gave three good knocks. She stretched her head from shoulder to shoulder and bounced on her toes, trying to rid herself of her nervousness. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the lady next door was sitting on her front porch and giving her odd looks. Rolling back on the heels of her feet, Sara raised her eyebrows and gave a shy wave.

She checked her watch again and knocked once more. "He's asleep," she said to herself, "you are going to wake him up, Sara." She was only mildly concerned that she was talking to herself – no more than the neighbor was. "I want to wake him up," she decided, rapping on the door for the third time.

Taking out her cell phone, Sara dialed his home number and waited for him to answer. She put her ear up to the door and could hear the ringing on the other side stop as the machine picked up.

"You know, that man keeps odd hours," came the voice of the nosy neighbor.

"I know, he works nights," Sara replied just as the beep from his machine sounded. "Grissom, you home? It's Sara. Please pick up."

"He doesn't come out during the day much."

"That's because he works nights," Sara snapped. Giving up on him answering she dialed his cell next. Hearing his cell ring on the other side of the door, she closed her phone and sat on the step.

"What I was trying to say, miss, is that he doesn't come out during the day much, but not too long after he came home this morning he left."

"He left?" Sara asked. Watching the lady nod in response, Sara gave a sheepish smile, "I'm sorry – thank you." Opening her cell once more she dialed another number.

"Grissom."

"Why are you at work?"

"Sara?"

"Why aren't you at home? You should be sleeping."

"I'm working," he replied, his confusion obvious. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Grissom," she whispered, closing her eyes wanting him to just appear before her.

"Sara, where are you?" he asked, his tone taking on a gentle quality, bringing tears to Sara's eyes.

Sara leaned her back against his door and lightly ran her hand along the doormat beneath her, "Your front door. Come home, Grissom."

"I'm on my way."

TBC...