The office is the same as it always was. The desk was nearly collapsing under the weight of paperwork. The books were sticking out at weird angles, as if they were thrown to the side after their use was done. As you dig through it you go back in months, each level revealing something older then the first. Sara found torment and comfort at this desk.
Rubbing the fatigue from her eyes, Sara started leafing through a pile of papers. Not really reading them as she continued to flip through file after file, case after case. Sighing she couldn't help but be emphatic with the people in the folders. Each unsolved crime she felt guilty for not being good enough to catch the bad guys.
Families torn apart at another's hand and she couldn't do anything.
Shaking her head she let the stack slip past her fingers to the desk. She wasn't even good enough to find the one that mattered the most.
Burring her face in her hands, Sara realized she couldn't do this anymore. She shook herself a little bit, trying to get a hold of herself. Sara looked down at the chaotic desk over the tips of her fingers. That's when something colorful caught her eye. Pulling it out from the debris her heart broke even more as she realized what it was…
A butterfly.
As she brought it up closer to the light she noticed that there was writing on the edges of the wings. Bringing it even closer to her eyes, tears started form as she read:
Neither the Angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, could ever dissever the soul from the soul of the beautiful Sara and me!
"Oh Grissom!" He changed around the words of her favorite Poe poem. She read it to him on their first anniversary. The tears fell faster as images of that night danced in her mind. They were curled together, just staring at each other. He was running his fingers through her hair, when she grabbed his hand. He knitted his eyebrows in confusion, but Sara just smiled. She then started to recite Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe. She looked deeply into his eyes as she said each sentence. He caught each and every tear that fell from her chocolate brown eyes, but that was before. Now she was alone, with no one to care for her.
They fell like rain onto the desk as she let the grief overtake her. Her shoulders shook as she collapsed onto the papers with the butterfly still clasped in hand. Between each sob, flashes of Grissom materialized before her mind's eye. Pictures of him working in the lab, of when they first met at a lecture, his face glowing as he talked about bugs, or how he looked at her with his intense blue eyes.
New snapshots melted with the session of their brief but wonderful relationship. Memories of them walking hand in hand through a park, squishing ice cream into each other's faces, dancing barefoot, and even chasing each other in Sara's apartment lingered still.
Taking a few deep breaths, Sara silently stood up. Butterfly lay forgotten as she calmly walked out his office into the hall. Eyes followed her causing the pain to increase. Sara started to run full out, dodging lab techs. She plowed up the stairs to the roof. Stumbling a little, Sara whimpered as she tried to speed up.
Finally she banged out the door into the pouring rain. Gasping she looked around. Empty as usual, she walked over to the ledge.
She stepped out onto it looking over the lights of Las Vegas. A town that gave her love and then took it away. As a fresh wave of sobs overtook her Sara stretched her arms. "Grissom!" she said softly with a smile. Leaning her head back, her body started forward over the edge to her death.
Out of nowhere, a pair of very strong arms wrapped around her middle and yanked her back.
"NOOO!" she screamed as she struggled against her captor. "Let me go! I want to die!" she sobbed, "I just want the pain to stop." Going limp, she just hung there supported by their arms. The cold water soaked down to her very bones chilling her already shattered heart.
"Sara, you're not a coward!" a familiar male voice said, "You're so much stronger then this," Sara froze. "Oh God," she gasped, as she slowly turned in his arms of her rescuer to find the bug man of her heart. "Grissom!" She cried out uncertainly, not dare believing her eyes. "Hey Honey," He smiled reaching a hand up to her porcelain face. Half crying half laughing Sara leaned into his hand. Closing her eyes she whispered, "I missed you terribly!" Griss sighed, "Oh baby it's been hell. I've never left your side, but I was never allowed to help you, or hold you!" She opened her eyes and more tears slipped down her cheeks. Even though it was pointless to do so on account of the rain, but he wiped her tears away with his thumb anyway.
It seemed like to much for Grissom because one minute he was smiling down at her, then he was pulling her to him. He captured her lips with his. Sara wrapped her arms around his neck deepening the kiss even more.
Grissom took handfuls of her shirt as he pulled her, if possible, even closer. The world melted away, and for one minute it was like he was never in that car accident. Like they went out that night instead of sending him out to get dinner, so he wasn't ever hit crossing the street.
Pulling back , they sat there holding each other with fore heads touching. Grissom closed his eyes as did Sara. They both just stood in their suspended bliss, trying to make up for lost time.
"But how can this be?" Sara asked suddenly. The happiness started to drain out of her as she looked into his eyes. "You died, I held you while you died!" Sara said starting to back up.
He looked after her with pleading eyes, "Yes I know, but I've come back to help you." Sara looked at him confusedly, "How?" Her suspicious side was coming out. He looked at her in earnest, "I've come with an ultimatum for you. You can either come with me now, or you can stay here." Sara's eyes darted all over the place taking in everything; from the lights, the rain and the fact that Griss wasn't getting wet. She thought she was dreaming but she felt his hand and his kiss.
"So I could just leave with you? Right now?" She asked in disbelief. "Yes," He responded softly. "Then go where?" She laughed harshly, "Never-Never Land?" Shaking his head slowly he stepped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "We would be in paradise together, or you can stay here and we will together later on," he started to rub her shoulders, "It's up to you!" After a long moment Grissom smiled sadly.
"Okay, live a long happy life my dearest Sara," He said as his hands moved up to her neck. He pulled her to him for their last kiss; just as they did so many months ago. His tongue slipped in and out of her mouth making her moan softly. She kissed him with her eyes closed so tight because she was afraid that if she opened her eyes he would be gone. She ran her fingers through the curls she loves so much when it hit her.
She couldn't let him leave again; or at least not without her.
He let go abruptly and gave her once last smile and started to walk away. He reached the ledge and stepped onto it, "I love you forever and always" He turned his back on her when she screamed out, "WAIT!" He turned to see her running towards him. Griss grinned and jumped down.
Opening his arms Sara jumped right into them wrapping her slender legs around his middle. "You're never leaving me again, ever!" She hissed but a smile tugged at her lips. Griss laughed tightening his arms around her legs, "Yes ma'am".
"To the second star on the right please," Sara grinned her gaped tooth smile, entwining her fingers in his hair. "And straight on till morning!" he added his own smile growing. They disappeared along with the rain into the night.