A.N.: So this fic went wa--ay longer than it was originally supposed to, but I couldn't help it, okay? Anyway, thanks to all of you who sent me such nice feedback, I really enjoyed reading it.

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Grissom

A sharp desert wind had kicked up when they reached the cemetery, turning the sky a foreboding shade of grey and shifting the clouds with a swift power, as if some heavenly force was aware they were in mourning and had adapted the weather to befit their mood, and was mocking Grissom for doubting in their existence.

The funeral party assembled around the shallow hole, waiting in hushed, monotonous whispers for the casket to arrive and the silent permission to return to their everyday lives.

Grissom stared straight ahead, standing on the fringes of the crowd, unable to maintain his mask of indifference as the reality of the situation washed over him.

He remembered delivering the eulogy, and staring out into the faces of his team. His family.

Brass, on the end, hard features grim and stoic, but with some deeper emotion swimming behind his eyes. Catherine, strong and beautiful, smiling slightly through the sudden tears that clouded her eyes, like some terrible burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Greg hunched in his chair so small and lost, looking a mixture of guilty and relieved with every new word. Sara, so ethereal and delicate, gazing up at him like some of her inner strength had been restored. And Warrick, staring at him with renewed faith shining in his eyes, relieved that his mentor had redeemed himself so thoroughly.

It didn't make it any better. They believed in him again, and it didn't make the pain in his heart lessen at all.

After that, the funeral was a blur, and he barely remembered how he drove here, or walked through the gates and stopped to stand where he was now.

He accepted the blank in his consciousness with little concern. Not remembering dulled the pain. He just wished he wasn't so singularly aware of this moment, as they prepared to lower Nick's body to the ground.

His attention was focused so levelly on the coffin as the priest began his final solemn speech that he barely felt the presence beside him until warmth brushed his side.

Sara came to a silent standstill at his shoulder, keeping her dark brown eyes on the priest instead of glancing at him. Grissom swallowed, returning his gaze to the casket just as the final prayer was uttered, and they began to lower him into the earth.

Sara didn't even peel her eyes away as she slid her hand silently through his, and for the first time in too long, he felt himself quietly accepting the comfort of another human being. Her fingers slid smoothly through his, and he closed his eyes at their warmth, feeling the tension and anxiety ebb from his body.

Sara gently rubbed the back of his palm, soothing him tenderly, and he realised in that moment that the power she had over his heart would only be handled delicately, that the trust he had resisted giving her had been set in place.

He released a deep sigh as he opened his eyes again, and he realised the service was over and mourners were beginning to move away, having finished paying their final respects.

"Mr. Grissom?"

A female voice broke through their silent communication, and both of them glanced up as a slightly plump, silvery haired woman stopped in front of them, biting her lower lip in what was probably a nervous habit. Her round, earnest brown eyes were red-rimmed but dry, and held a level of strength and silent courage Grissom immediately recognised.

"Mrs Stokes".

She nodded, smiling dimly. "I just wanted to tell you… what you said up there meant a lot. I don't know if Nicky ever told you… but I never entirely approved of his line of work. I never realised… that he helped people too. I'm glad to remember him that way. My son idolised you, Mr. Grissom, and I'm beginning to see why".

She touched him gently on the arm as he blinked back at her, helpless for words, but she didn't seem to need any. She nodded gently at Sara, and then strode away.

Grissom stared after her, drawing in an unsteady breath as he felt a burning start up in his throat.

Sara released his hand, striding around in front of him as he continued to blink. He felt the smattering of repressed emotions well in his heart and threaten to explode, and he stared down at Sara, struggling to convey to her the overwhelming forces threatening to break him.

"Sara…"

Wordlessly, she stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around him.

He felt himself leaning into her, closing his eyes as he bent his face into her neck, beard brushing against her soft skin, and felt the tears stain his cheeks before he realised he was crying.

She softly stroked his back, whispering senseless comforts in his ear as deep shakes ran through his body. He clutched her tighter; mindless of their surroundings as he clung to the only thing he knew or wanted at that moment.

Across the cloudy cemetery Catherine, Warrick, Brass and Greg stood in a quiet group, the only other figures left in the cemetery. They watched the goings on in silence; each individually relieved it was finally over.

Catherine quietly turned away from them, and touched Greg on the arm before moving forward. "Come on. Let's go".

The other three obediently followed her. They had lost one of their own but they had survived and they were still a family. That was what mattered.

FIN