Disclaimer: I still don't own CSI and I am beginning to think I never will.

Caution: Contains spoilers for Mea Culpa if you haven't seen it and don't want it ruined, don't read this. This takes place directly after Mea Culpa.

Breaking Grissom

Chapter Three: Heading Home

"You heard me, I quit. Grissom brought me here, I only came as a favor to him. If he's not here anymore, I certainly don't need to be here," Sara was on the verge of tears again.

"You can't just leave us," Greg said.

"I can and I will. Grissom was the reason I came here and he'll be the reason I leave," Sara said firmly.

"He may have brought you here, but don't you care about the rest of us?" Catherine was shocked.

"Of course I do, but my reason for coming here is gone, so I don't want to be here anymore, I'm sure I can get a position back in California," Sara told them, "I'm done here."

"Don't tell me you're all quitting," Ecklie said.

"We should," Catherine glared at him, "you can't go Sara."

"Grissom left and so can I," Sara walked out.

Greg chased after her, leaving Catherine alone with Ecklie.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for everyone to leave," Ecklie tried to apologize, but didn't even sound sincere.

"Way too little, way too late, Conrad," Catherine turned to follow the others.

"Sara wait," Greg caught her arm.

Sara spun around looking as if she might hit Greg, but instead just stopped.

"You can't go too Sara," Catherine repeated, "Grissom left us suddenly and I don't want to lose you too. You're a good CSI and a good friend Sara."

Sara slumped to the floor and no longer fought back tears, "I hate this."

Greg kneeled down and hugged her to try and help comfort her. Sara leaned into the embrace and cried hard. Catherine stood, rubbing her head, trying to figure out what to do or say.

Sophia returned to the lab at this point, "I take it you couldn't find him."

"He was gone. Left a note that just said goodbye," Catherine explained.

"I'm sorry," Sophia said, "I know I barely knew him, but I liked Grissom too."

Grissom packed all of his things and rented a moving truck. He was ready to leave Las Vegas for good. The second he quit his job, he no longer had any reason to stay in Vegas. He had all of his belongings into the truck and he headed back inside for a last survey, to make sure he hadn't left anything behind. He didn't want any reason to have to come back. As he was about to lock up, he realized he hadn't even let his friends know he was leaving. He didn't want to see them, he was afraid they might talk him into staying, so he decided on a quick note. He wrote a simple message that let them know he had cared for them, "Goodbye to my family." He stuck it an envelope and wrote Catherine's name across the front. If he knew his old friend, she'd come here looking for him. He tucked the note carefully under the door mat.

"You're leaving town, Dr. Grissom?" Elizabeth, his neighbor asked.

"Yeah. I had to leave kind of suddenly, so if any of my friends show up looking for me, tell them there's a not for Catherine Willows under the doormat, please," Grissom said, bending down to scratch her dog behind the ear.

"Sure thing," Elizabeth said, "if I'd known you were leaving, I would have helped you out."

"It's okay, I didn't even know I was leaving for sure until this morning," Grissom said with a sad smile, "I'd better be going now, I have a long drive ahead of me."

"Goodbye Dr. Grissom," Elizabeth called as he got into the truck.

"Goodbye Las Vegas," Grissom said as he pulled away.

Grissom had decided that he would head for California. He would pay his mother a visit for starters. Then he would start looking for new job. He wouldn't limit his search to California either, he'd search crime labs nationwide to see if they could use an experienced CSI. He knew his mother would enjoy his visit. He was not looking forward to her questions though, he knew she would wonder why he had come to see her and brought all of his belongings with him. He would worry about that later, when he was actually close to home. For now, he was just free. He hadn't been free in a long time, he had always been tied to the lab.

It didn't take long before Grissom started to wonder about his friends. He knew they would not be happy with his sudden departure. He only hoped they didn't take it personally. It was no one's fault but his own. Of course, Ecklie had helped push him to the breaking point, but he had needed a change of scenery for a while. Ecklie just set the wheels into motion.

He had the feeling that some of them might take his abrupt leaving poorly, but it was the way he had always planned to leave. Sara would probably take it the hardest because she was always an emotional person and she had the habit of taking things personally. She had been the closest to him that anyone had ever gotten. Catherine would probably take it pretty hard too because she had known him for a long time. She was tough though, and he knew she would be fine. Warrick and Nick would both be fine. Even if it did upset them, they wouldn't let it get to them. Greg might take it a little harder, sure he had his times when he'd set Grissom off by annoying him, but it was obvious that Greg looked up to Grissom.

Grissom almost regretted leaving like he had, but he had it firmly set in his mind that this was they way he wanted to do it. He couldn't crack and call to let them know he was okay. He just had to be gone and never look back, that was the easiest way. Of course when he had planned his escape years ago, he hadn't been quite so attached to his CSIs. He turned on the radio, hoping it would clear his mind of all his troubled thoughts. He wanted to just drive and not have to think for a while.

A/N: I just want to say thank you for the great response to this story, I'm glad that everyone is liking it so much.