Here is the epilogue as promised. Thank you to all my reviewers. You are all Beautiful people!
Read, Review, and Enjoy!
EpilogueIt was a pleasantly warm evening in August.
Thirty years had passed since the last times they had been together on this beach. In those years, it had changed. Its sand was still golden in the moonlight, and old craggily trees still swayed in the gentle wind. The rocks still stood on the edge of the water, like old statues standing guard against the dark waters. But civilization had slowly encroached onto the small, once quiet beach, and it was no longer just their own. The once silent forest was almost gone and houses now stood where the ancient trees had once upon a time. The long winding path had given its place up for a smoothly paved road.
The sand of the beach was mussed, and half-finished sandcastles now stood by the water. There were footprints running up and down the shore, and broken shells, papers and abandoned toy littered the sands. The creatures that had once walked confidently through the place were gone; they had been replaced by the footsteps of children. Innocent laughter had taken the place of gentle birdcalls.
It had changed, but it didn't matter to them.
Thirty years had changed them as well.
His hair had changed from brown to iron gray, and deep wrinkles now creased his careworn face. Most of the lines were from pain, stress and exhaustion. He had worked his entire life. From his days as assistant coroner to his time as supervisor of the nightshift, it had never been easy. Satisfying and rewarding, but not effortless, and it showed.
But more recently, laugh-lines had joined the others, and because she didn't care, neither did he.
She was no longer a child, but a woman. She had grown tall and the awkwardness of her childhood was all but gone. The quiet, unsure girl was gone; her dedication and temper were almost legendary. There was no longer any innocence in her eyes, but the sadness was gone as well. With her hand tightly clasped in his, she was at peace.
They strolled down the beach silently, each lost in their own memories.
She was thinking about her childhood, the good times and the very bad.
She was remembering all the nights she spent here as a child, watching the stars. All the times she wished for happiness, all the tears she cried. She remembered all the nights she spent here waiting for him to come back, and save her from her life.
He was thinking about the child he had had met, and how she had changed his life.
He was remembering the one night he spent here with her. He was remembering how often he had thought about the sad little girl, and how hard he had worked to help children like her find peace.
As they strolled down the beach, they remembered their past with all its pain.
They were both thinking about how far they had come since then.
The waves were lapping at the shore and moistened their sandy feet, and a single heron stood several meters away, fishing for its dinner.
They slowly approached a pile of rocks, much smaller then they remembered. He took a seat on the familiar, round rock and opened his arms to her. She smiled down at him and then sat down in his arms. She leaned back into his chest, and grabbed his hand. It was a memorable position for both of them.
He had not remembered her when he had seen her again, fifteen years ago. Though the little girl of so long ago was never for from his mind, the small face from his memory was nothing like the strong, intelligent woman who had stood before him.
Though the stone star was sitting on his desk at home, its edges worn by his rough hands, he did not connect the small cubby hand with the slim one he had shaken that day.
The man who had held her that night was no more then a memory to her, and while her new professor seemed vaguely familiar to her, she dismissed it.
For years they had danced around each other, pretending not to notice the mutual attraction.
It wasn't until she had told him about her childhood that the first tendril of memory entered his mind. He had held her hand as she cried herself to sleep, and her tear-stained had been tense and hard even in slumber. He had sat beside her, trying to sort throughis own thoughts when the small child had entered his mind.
At first he had dismissed at, but the thought had persisted.
It wasn't until she had seen the star-shaped stone clutched in his hand that her suspicions had been aroused. It had been the murder of child, and he had taken it rather hard. Once the murderer had been locked away, she had gone to find him. For the first time, she knew that she could offer him comfort. She had entered his office silently and found him leaning against the wall, rubbed something in his hand. She had murmured his name, and he had smiled at her. He had put the object into the desk, but not before she had seen that it was a stone star. He had taken her hand and left the building.
She had kept her thoughts to herself for fear of hurting their fragile relationship.
They had fallen in love slowly and gently, not rushing, not questioning.
Neither admitted that they had known each other for years.
It wasn't until just a year ago that they had both acknowledged it. She had been lying in his arms, almost asleep, and he had just been holding her. She had murmured quietly that she had loved him her entire life, and that he was making her wish come true.
He had lain awake for hours, trying to decipher her comment. He had looked down at her peaceful, sleeping face. She has seemed so young…
They had discussed it the next morning, and put the pieces of their faded memories together. They were silent for a moment, and then he had taken her in his arms and held her. She had clung to him much as she had that day. Maybe, they thought, maybe it was fate.
Now, after so many years, they had made it back to Tamales Bay and the place of their first meeting.
No words were spoken- they had never really needed many. They both knew.
Slowly they left their past behind them in their sandy footprints, along with all the pain and confusion.
They were both dreaming of their future.
Someday, they would buy a home here, and replace her bad memories with ones of peace. Someday, their children would play on these beaches, building sandcastles by the water.. Someday, they would be able to sit on these rocks are hear innocent laughter. Someday, they would come full circle.
Once more, they watched the sunrise, entwined in each other's arms. As the sun rays broke threw the clouds, they caught on ring encircling the third finger of her left hand. It glimmered and shone much like the tiny lights fading from the sky.
In honor of their first meeting, the custom-made diamond was in the shape of a star, and set on a ring of silver.
When they were asked about the significance of the stone, they would smile secretly at each other.
The night he had given her that ring he had knelt in front of her and whispered softly. He had reminded her of their conversation that night on the beach, how she had promised to find that fallen star. He had then cracked open the small velvet box, and showed her the ring. She had gasped, and looked up at him, her eyes glimmering wit tears. He had told her that he had found the star for her, and maybe this would make her dream come true. For some reason, his eyes were uncertain and his hands had been shaking.
She had let out a tiny sob and thrown herself into his arms, answering his question with a tender kiss.
Sara smiled as she glanced down at her ring. Her life had never been easy, from her horrible childhood, to her days in San Francisco. From her time in the foster homes, to the days yearning for the love of a tired man.
But, lying here in her soon-to-be-Husband's arms, she realized it didn't matter. She would do it all over again, as long as she ended up here.
Grissom sighed happily as Sara snuggled deeper into his arms. Even two years ago, he would never have believed this was possible. Sara belonged in his dreams and fantasies, not in his arms. He might hurt her, she might hurt him. The risk of losing her had been too great.
But now that he had allowed himself to be happy, the risks didn't matter. As long as she was here in his arms, everything was all right. He pressed a kiss onto the top of her head and smiled.
The day's first light fell upon the silent couple, they let go of their past.
Together, they dreamed of the future and the wishes they would make come true.
FinisA/N-I did it! Sorry if it doesn't live up to your expectations. I swear, I tried to put dialogue in there, and it just didn't work! Please forgive
IN other news, I am working on a new WIP, so look for that posting in about a week!