A/N: This chapter leans towards the melodramatic, for which I apologize in advance. Usual disclaimer applies as it always does (because let's face it, if I owned 'em, the season finale would not have gone down like that).

Chapter 23- Right Here Waiting

"I wonder how we can survive this romance
But in the end, if I'm with you, I'll take the chance

Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you"

Right Here Waiting as sung by Donny Osmond

Sara knew something was wrong when she went home and Greg wasn't there. Instead, Grissom sat in her living room, head in hands. Sara didn't even ask what was wrong; she knew. "What does he have?" she asked quietly, shutting the door behind her and setting her keys on the table.

Grissom looked up at her, pain in his eyes. "He…he has AIDS," he said, closing his eyes as if trying to block it out.

Sara stopped and stared at him. "No…" she whispered, unable to believe it. "It can't be. He…we…Oh my God." She sat down right where she was, in the middle of the floor, and started to cry. Grissom rushed over to her and took her in his arms, rocking and soothing her like one would a child. When her sobs had ceased, she pushed her hair back and sat up, wiping her cheeks half-heartedly. "I got your shirt wet," she said, pointing at the wet, clinging material.

Grissom looked down at it and shrugged. "It'll dry." Sara shrugged too and stood. "Do you want to go to the hospital?" he questioned quietly, standing as well. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and led the way to his car.

Sara sat next to Greg, who lay asleep on the bed. The sedative had yet to wear off, but when it did, Sara was going to be there. She held one of his hands in her own, gently stroking the long fingers and massaging the calluses. She squeezed his hand and sighed, then started when he squeezed back. She looked down at him as his eyelids slowly fluttered open. "Hey," she whispered, trying to smile. "How do you feel?"

He just looked up at her, the pain evident not only in his eyes but etched all over his face. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he croaked, "Sara…"

She leaned down and wiped the tear away. "Shh…I'm here…and I'm not going anywhere."

"Sara, I…you…we can't," he said finally, shutting his eyes.

"Can't what?" asked Sara, confused.

"Can't get married."

Sara sat still. "Why not?" she asked slowly.

"Sara, I have AIDS!" exclaimed Greg. "I'm going to die!"

"So are we all," pointed out Sara mildly.

"But I have a year, maybe! Sara, I'm not going to make you a widow."

"But don't you love me?" whispered Sara, not quite comprehending.

"Sara, I love you more than anything in this world. But I won't make you a widow before you're forty. I won't do that to you." He paused, his dark eyes begging her to understand. "Besides," he continued, attempting to smile. "We can't consummate our marriage."

"Why not?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're still capable, aren't you?"

Greg blushed. "Of course, but I won't! Sara, I could give you HIV!"

Sara shrugged in a debonair manner. "I'm willing to take that chance."

"But I'm not." Greg took her hand and held it, looking down at the ring on her finger, and sighed. "I won't take that chance, Sara. I can't. The thought of giving this to you…I couldn't do it. I would never forgive myself."

Sara didn't respond, she just held onto his hand tighter, trying to keep from crying.

"Sara, sweetheart, you can cry," he whispered, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "It's ok to cry." She couldn't take it then; the tears started pouring down her cheeks like Niagara Falls. "Oh, honey," sighed Greg. "Come on, climb in here with me." He scooted over and she slid into the hospital bed next to him. He held her against him as she sobbed into his hospital gown. "Shh…it's ok, sweetie. It'll be ok," he soothed, rubbing his hand in comforting circles on her back.

"Greg," she sniffled, raising her head off his chest. "We can still get married. We can still make it work."

He took both her hands in his. "Sara, if I could see even one way that we could be married without it ending in heartbreak, I would take that chance. But the way I see it, you'll just end up a widow in an unconsummated marriage that wasn't much of a marriage at all. Besides," he said, turning away from her in embarrassment, "the money I need for my treatments…I'd leave you destitute," he whispered. "Destitute and a widow. I couldn't do that. I…I just couldn't."

Sara began crying again softly. "But Greg," she whispered, "either way you'll leave me heartbroken." He didn't say anything, just gripped her tightly and sighed deeply. "Do…do you want the ring back?" she asked awkwardly, twisting it with her other hand.

"What? No. It was a gift…keep it. I have no use for it. Besides, even though we're not getting married, at least it can always remind you of how much I love you." He paused then, and when he spoke next, his voice was thick with unshed tears. "I suppose if you…if you wanted, we could…we could break up, so you can find someone to be with."

Sara sat up, staring down at him. "Greg, I love you. I would never leave you."

He nodded slowly, but explained softly, "Sara, you deserve someone who will always be there for you. I can't do that; I can't be that for you. No matter how I try for however long I have, I will never be good enough." He was crying now, tears splashing from his big brown eyes as he struggled to continue. "I'm…I'm broken, and nothing you can do will fix me."

Sara tightened her grip on him and whispered fiercely, "Don't say that. Don't ever say that. You have a disease, Greg, yes, and that disease will kill you, but it will never kill my love for you. In my eyes, you will always be perfect. And no matter what you think I deserve, or need, you're the one that I want, and I will never let that go. Never." She kissed him then, hot and angry and trying to make him understand that nothing could change her love for him. "I'll keep waiting for you," she whispered as she pulled back. "Until the end of time. You are mine, and I am yours. Always."

They kissed once more, long and sweet, until a nurse came in and demanded she let Greg get some rest. He held onto he hand for a moment more and she whispered reassuringly, "I'll be right here waiting, no matter what. Right here waiting."