I can't believe it's been almost two months since I've updated. I'm so sorry! You're all such faithful and kind readers – and I go and take two months to post the next chapter. I know it's not a good excuse, but grad school has gotten kind of hectic. I've had some time off though and I was able to write a bit. So here is the next part. I hope you're all still reading and enjoying. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 18 You Smiled

As they closed in on Thanksgiving Day, Sara found herself with a miraculous amount of time to ponder the holidays that she usually avoided. As she sat in the living room, flipping through a cookbook, she listened to Hannah giggling from the other side of the sofa. She wasn't sure exactly what the little girl was doing; it was supposed to be a surprise. Hannah had been working intently on the surprise since they had woken up that morning. Grissom was working overtime, but only because he had done the unthinkable; he had taken Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off from the crime lab. Catherine had called Sara immediately upon seeing the requested days to make sure that they weren't planning to elope that weekend. The intuitive friend did not know why else the workaholic would have taken off four consecutive days.

As she looked outside and saw that the daylight was beginning to dwindle; Sara fought the sense of panic that was trying to overtake her. A major holiday was arriving and, for the first time in her memory, she had people to truly share it with. In a moment of joy-induced insanity, Sara had invited the entire night shift to Thanksgiving Dinner. Having never before cooked such a feast, she was a little intimidated by the coming day but knew that Grissom would be able to help if she needed him. As she was jotting down a recipe for a particular type of cranberry sauce, Hannah came bounding out from behind he sofa carting a large bag that she secretively carried to her room.

"All done?" Sara asked when the little girl returned.

"All done," Hannah agreed with a grin. "Can we cook now? Aunt Cathy said that we had to make deserts on Wednesday. And it's Wednesday."

"We're not making any deserts, baby doll. All of our guests are bringing them. Cath and Warrick and Greg," Sara explained, her voice fading along with her heart when she saw the expectant smile leave Hannah's expression. "I guess adding a few more cookies to the mix wouldn't hurt," Sara said with an easy smile that caused Hannah to grin back. Grasping hands, the two ladies found their way into the kitchen and began to pull out the ingredients for their very own special Thanksgiving cookies.

"Are you excited about tomorrow?" Sara was measuring flour, carefully sifting it into the ingredients that Hannah was painstakingly mixing with a wooden spoon. The little girl didn't answer this question away, causing Sara to rephrase and repose it.

"I know it will be a good day," Hannah said, rather stoically.

"Are you worried about tomorrow?" She had not before thought about the possibility that Hannah was just as new to the holiday season as she was. No one knew what type of Thanksgiving or Christmas the little girl had suffered through while in the company of the people who had caused her so much pain. "What's wrong?"

There was no response but Sara could see that the small child was having a difficult time mixing the batter in the smooth, even strokes she had been using before. "Hannah, sweetie," she said softly, taking the spoon away, "you need to tell me when something is bothering you. That's the only way I can help." In their time of frequent sessions with Dr. DeMaurier, Hannah was getting much better at sharing her feelings and expressing her anxieties. Sara could not remember the last time she had to work so hard to gain insight into the child.

"I'm not really afraid," Hannah assured her. "I know nothing is going to happen."

"What's not going to happen?"

"Mr. Jack came a lot at Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"I'm so sorry, baby," Sara said sincerely as she gathered Hannah into an embrace. "I'm sorry you have to remember him. But he's never going to hurt you again. And tomorrow is going to be the first of so many great holidays. Okay?" Hannah nodded, burying her face in Sara's shoulder as she bit back tears. Despite her young age, she understood the worry she caused when she cried and had begun to attempt to hold it back. Sara continued to hold her as she carefully walked around the kitchen, turning off the oven and placing the unused eggs and milk back into the refrigerator.

When Grissom arrived home from his last shift before the holidays, he found Sara and Hannah sleeping in Hannah's bed, snuggled together around the ever-wearing Griss. Although not a very old toy, the stuffed animal was well utilized and badly worn in places where Hannah held him throughout the day and while she slept at night. Grissom attempted to leave the room without waking them but his foot landed on a creaking floorboard and Sara's eyes fluttered open immediately.

"Sorry," he whispered. She shook her head, indicating that he didn't need to apologize. Maneuvering herself carefully out from under a sleeping Hannah, Sara was eventually able to free herself and cross the room to greet Grissom with a kiss and a long hug.

"Rough day?"

"A little," she admitted tiredly. Her hands clasping his, she led him into their bedroom and away from the peacefully sleeping child. "How was your day?" She closed the door and joined him at the foot of the bed, falling once more into his warm embrace.

"I closed the Strademeyer case," he said before dropping a kiss along her throat. His nimble fingers were busily working the tiny red buttons on her blouse.

"The wife?"

"Just like you said," he answered quickly, finally liberating her from the red blouse. For the next hour, nothing bad existed in the Grissom household. Gil and Sara were finally able to consummate the love that had been blossoming for more than five years.

Sara's left hand roamed lazily over Grissom's arm as she snuggled deeper into his chest, trying to warm herself without actually moving to grab a blanket. He must have read her mind because, within a matter or seconds, she was covered in the heavy navy comforter.

"Aren't you even trying to sleep?"

"I'm not tired," Sara answered back softly. "You knew you were getting an insomniac before this started," she teased.

"I was hoping to reform you," he answered before dropping a kiss on the crown of her tousled curls.

"I've been this way since birth. My mom used to say that I was the only baby in the hospital who was wide awake for 18 hours of the day."

"Is that so?" Grissom knew it was a lame answer, but he was surprised at the passive way in which she mentioned her mother. Usually, Sara was hesitant to even admit to having a mother, never mind mentioning actual childhood memories. If it weren't for the background check that the city had conducted upon Sara's hiring, Grissom wouldn't even know the woman's name.

"Yeah. I guess things weren't so bad back then. People actually liked my parents enough to visit when I was born."

"Sara," he said, starting to argue.

"This probably isn't a good topic. I want to talk about what we're doing here—"

"Honey, you're awfully good for someone who doesn't even know what it's called," he teased, earning a light smack.

"That's not what I mean. What are we doing with us? The marriage? Hannah?"

"We're building a life," he answered easily, as though he had known the answer all along. "Sara, I want this more than anything."

"Me too. But I worry—"

"I know you do," he answered calmly. Dropping a kiss on her forehead, he pulled away a bit so that their eyes could meet. "But let's try to stop. No more worrying. We're going to enjoy tomorrow." Sara diverted her eyes and silently rolled over, seemingly giving in and attempting sleep. Twenty minutes later, just as Grissom was in those vital moments when consciousness drifted into sleep, she spoke again.

"Do you ever think about having your own kids?" Grissom's eyes shot open, his heart immediately beginning to race.

"Do you?"

"I asked you first," Sara said defensively.

"I never had before. But ever since Hannah's come along, I have thought about it. They were always our kids," he said emphatically, drawing closer to her in the dark. "You?"

"Oh, I always thought my kids would belong to Brad Pitt," she said dryly, her animated voice carrying her bright smile through the darkness. "But you were always plan B," she said, her assurance mocking.

"I don't know if I can play second fiddle," Grissom said, his tone overly serious. "You may have to give up Brad." After a pregnant pause, Sara answered in a tone that gave away how difficult it was for her to repress her bubbling laughter.

"I guess Brad and I will just have to wait for the next live time."

"Oh, I don't think so," Grissom answered, his voice warm and serious as his arms wrapped around his soon-to-be-wife. "I can't bargain for anything less than forever. This life, and everyone that follows."

"When was it?" The question threw Grissom a bit, but he went with it, realizing that Sara in an unusual mood - she was not nearly this emotionally open.

"When was what?"

"When did you know you loved me?"

"That's easy," he whispered softly, his breathe gently tickling her ear. He then offered his explanation using one of his Shakespearean lines of wisdom in a tone so lovingly that it sent a shiver down Sara's spine – "When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew."