Author's note: This is the final chapter of this story. It was partly inspired by the song "Goodbye to you" by Michelle Branch so the words in italics are some of the lyrics to that song.

What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no; it's curved like a road through mountains-Tennessee Williams

A few days after her conversation with Sophia, Sara drove into the parking lot outside the lab. She pulled into a parking space and sat there for a while, sipping on her coffee. After a few minutes, she saw Grissom walk out through the doors and into the parking lot. She placed her coffee in a cup holder, left her car, and caught up with her boss.

"Um, Grissom, hey" he turned towards her.

Of all the things I've believed in, I just want to get it over with.

"Oh, hey Sara," he said, "It's good to see you. How was your night off?" Sara smiled.

"It was…it was great," she said. Grissom gave her a suspicious look. "Meaning that I didn't touch an alcoholic beverage, go to a club, or sleep with a total stranger," she added. Grissom smiled.

"There's…there's something I've been meaning to tell you," Grissom said nervously, "these…these past few weeks were…well, they really frightening for me, actually. I…when I saw how out of control you were, I was…Sara, I was so worried that something would happen…it…it was like nothing I've ever felt before. Sara…I think I'm in lo-"

"Don't say it," she interrupted in a pained voice, holding up a hand in a defensive gesture. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

Tears form behind my eyes, but I do not cry.

"But…but…Sara I really do feel that way about you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. Sara smiled sadly.

"I warned you about this, Grissom. 'When you finally figure it out it could be too late'. Do you remember that? Well… I think that it's just too late now. This whole relationship thing with you has been so emotionally draining for me, that…well, it's the whole reason I started drinking. I just can't live like that anymore. I used to love you, Grissom, but I can't anymore…I just can't."

"Sara, please," Grissom sounded close to tears, "give me one more chance…to make things right."

I've been searching deep down in my soul, words that I'm hearing are starting to get old.

"Grissom," Sara took a deep breath, "I talked to Ecklie. I'm transferring to the day shift. I'm sorry…I just…I can't be near you anymore." Grissom looked as if he was trying hard not to cry.

Feels like I'm starting all over again, the last five years were just pretend. And I said:

"Goodbye, Grissom" Sara said softly. He looked up at her and she saw tears glistening in his eyes.

Goodbye to you, goodbye to everything I thought I knew. You were the one I loved, the one thing that I tried to hold on to.

"Goodbye," He whispered. With one last heartbreaking look in her direction, he turned and left.

A single tear slid down Sara's cheek as she watched Grissom walk away, and out of her life, forever.

Sara sat in her car, crying softly as she reflected on her conversation with Grissom. She pulled out her cell phone and dialled a number.

"Hello," said a voice on the other line.

"Hey, Archie. It's me…Sara," she said, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, "you sound like you're crying."

"I'm just…I just experienced probably the saddest and most heartbreaking moment of my life, and…I… I finally feel free."

"What happened?" Archie asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it….I mean…It's just a feeling." She swallowed, as she remembered the man whom she had loved and hated at the same time, the man who had torn her apart and pushed her to her breaking point, "But maybe…maybe it's a start."

The End

Okay, yes, I know that this is a horrible ending and you're all going to be extremely pissed and I'm sorry. I'm still a GS shipper, I just wanted to write a more unconventional story and maybe show that Sara is a stronger person than most people give her credit for. But anyway, it's been really fun writing this and reading your feedback, so thank you guys so much!