"Gil, we're going to get through this," Sara assured, keeping her voice to a whisper.

Sara held Grissom's left hand between her hands and rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand. He hadn't yet regained consciousness following the surgery, and he was still on a ventilator, but the nurse had granted her a few minutes to see her husband. Kissing the back of his hand a final time, Sara returned his hand to its place beside his body, beneath the sheet, and carefully brushed her hand across his forehead. "I'll be back soon enough," Sara stated, feeling slightly odd about the prospect of talking to her unconscious husband.

Avoiding the multitude of wires and IV lines, Sara leaned down to kiss Grissom's forehead. Pulling back slightly, she whispered, "I love you, Gil; you get your rest," and exited the room.

The following morning was the first time Sara was able to visit Grissom when he was conscious. When Grissom saw her walk into the room, he smiled. "How do you feel?" Sara asked, walking over to his bedside.

"Sore," Grissom admitted, "and I'm ready to go home."

"It's going to be a few days," Sara informed him, "When you decided to end up in the hospital, you really went all out."

Grissom cleared his throat. "Sara, I need you to take care of some things for me," Grissom explained, "take that letter off of the table and bring it to Ecklie."

"What is it?" Sara questioned, interrupting and turning to pick up the envelope.

"Then I need you to clear out my office," Grissom continued his instructions.

Sara stiffened and slowly turned back around when she heard Grissom's words. "You can't be serious," Sara stated.

"Sara, I've had a lot of time to think, and this is what I want," Grissom attempted to tell her how he felt.

But you're not going to discuss this with me. Not wanting to aggravate him in his current condition, Sara decided to acquiesce. "I'll go take care of this now and come back in a little while," Sara spoke.

Turning away from Grissom before he could reply, Sara took a deep breath and walked toward the door.

After leaving the envelope with Ecklie's secretary, Sara walked down to Grissom's office. Using his keys, she opened the door and closed it behind her, not wanting to have an audience while packing Grissom's things away. While Sara worked, she periodically brushed tears away from her face as she realized what Grissom was doing, what he was leaving behind.

Upon completion of her task, all that was left were some holes in the wall where Grissom had hung his various pictures and certificates – the only physical evidence of his existence at the lab.

Walking by Grissom's office before the start of her shift, Catherine glanced into the empty room. "Gil Grissom, what did you do?" Catherine said sternly.

Turning to make a beeline to the break room, Catherine ran into Warrick. "Woah, what's going on?" Warrick asked, taking a step back from her.

"Just a minute," Catherine spoke, holding her hand out while she punched Sara's number into her cell phone.

"Sara, it's Catherine," Catherine stated when Sara picked up, "Is Gil okay?"

"He's fine Catherine. Why, what's wrong?" Sara questioned, curious as to what she was calling about.

"His office is empty," Catherine spit out.

"I know," Sara replied.

Not bothering to ask about anything else and not wanting to partake in meaningless small talk, Catherine closed her cell phone. "He quit," Catherine stated plainly, the significance not sinking in quite yet.

"He quit!" Catherine yelled, her voice fueled by anger and pain.

Showing only a grim smile, Warrick recalled one of Grissom's telling statements; "When I leave CSI, there won't be any cake in the break room. I'll just be gone."

Sighing, Warrick said the only fitting thing that he could; "He's gone."

The End