A/N - hello, here is the final chapter. I almost ended it with Chapter Nine, I think that may have worked quite well but me being me couldn't resist making the chapters to a nice round number and throwing in another surprise for you all. Anyway please enjoy.

24/Feb/2006 - sorry to anyone who just got an alert saying i'd updated this chapter. I haven't i just wanted to leave a message for all you people who reviewed to say thank you and to let you know that I am in the process of writing a sequel to this story but I don't want to post it until it is finished this time because I've been struggling to keep the style similar and I don't want to post it chapter by chapter and realise I can't finish it and leave an unfinished story on here. If anyone would like to read a sample of the story for me before I post it or give suggestions as to what they would like to see happen in the sequel, that would be so cool. You should be able to contact me through my profile. In the meantime, feel free to re-read this one and recommend it to your friends (i'd like to get the reviews up to 20 LOL)

Ten

My heart pounded as I walked down the corridor. It had been a long time but everything still seemed so familiar. I didn't think I would ever be pleased to see Hodges arrogant smirk again but surprisingly I was. I gave Mia a quick wave and she smiled gently at me as I passed. There was still a hint of sympathy there but it seemed to have faded somewhat.

The smell of the flowers stung my nostrils as I sat in her living room. Waiting. My stomach rumbled inappropriately and several mourners looked at me scornfully. Like I had done it on purpose! I was feeling irritated. I didn't know anyone here and no one knew me. There was an inaudible hum of quiet voices as people chattered amongst themselves, occasionally glancing nervously out of the window. Waiting.

I took a deep breath and stood up, straightening my tie as I heard the words 'It's here.'

My footsteps seemed to echo loudly as I wandered towards the locker room. Nick and Warrick greeted me with broad smiles of recognition.

'Hey Greggo, how're you feeling?' Nick asked, standing up and giving me a brotherly hug.

'Better.'

'It's good to have you back, man,' Warrick added giving me a friendly slap on the back.'

'Thanks.' I said, tripping forward slightly at his strength.

We fell silent for a moment or two. I knew they wanted to carry on as normal but weren't sure how appropriate it was yet. Two months had felt like a lifetime to me. To them it was two pay packets, no time at all.

'So, are we in for a busy night?' I asked.

'Looks like it, briefing starts in…' Nick began.

Warrick looked at his watch. 'Dude, like five minutes ago.'

The two CSI's scrambled to put their things into their lockers and headed towards the door. Nick dashed out into the corridor and took a left towards the break room. Warrick turned in the doorway and looked at me. His entire frame almost filled it.

'Dude, you coming?' he asked, casually.

'Be there in a minute,' I said and watched as he nodded understandingly.

I sighed and took off my jacket, pulled open my locker and reached for the hangar to put it on. I stopped in mid-action, my eyes resting on my CSI waistcoat.

'You're so pathetic,' she mocked. 'You're supposed to be a man, be more manly.'

'Yes ma'am,' I saluted her as she grabbed her handbag and left the room.

I smiled to myself and listened for the familiar clunk of my front door, signalling that she had left the building. I gazed out of the window for a moment, watching the dark orange of the sky. The sun was beginning to set. It felt like it was going to be a great night. My phone bleeped, shattering the calm of my moment of contention. It was a message from Grissom. Car wreck on boulder highway. All CSI's to attend.

I sighed, half irritated by the interruption and got off the bed, pulling on my waistcoat. I felt the left breast pocket and smiled to myself. This was too important to lose.

I looked at it, hanging there in my locker. The last time I remembered taking it off was after the car wreck investigation. Before I took a break and went to see her at home. Before I found her…My heart pounded in my chest as the numbing shadow of that night pawed around at the back of my mind, teasing me. Pretending it was going to come back and get me.

I touched the pocket. It was still there. I had never taken it out. Never used it. We never got to her birthday. The meal. It all seemed like a lifetime ago. Someone else's lifetime.

Slowly, I pulled back the tab at the top of the pocket and took out the small velvet box. I stroked the top of it absently with one finger for a moment. I debated whether to open it or not, like it contained some dangerous item that would destroy me as soon as I looked at it. Like Superman's Kyrptonite. I took the plunge and flicked the lid open.

The ring sparkled under the dim light of the locker room as I felt my heart pound even faster. The last time I had held this ring, I had been a different person. Before that night I had been whole. The night when I had lost more than I had thought it was possible to lose. The night I lost her. My best friend. My reason for living.

The woman I had intended to marry.

A/N - there you go, story's all over. I hope you're not all too disappointed with the ending. It's not one of my favourite chapters but I wanted to show that Greg was getting on with his life, returning to work etc but also show that he wasn't ever going to forget this in a hurry. That's why I had to put in the little tragic thing at the end.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has or intends to review this story. It has meant a lot to me and considering I only intended it to be the one chapter, and I only started it 4 days ago I'm really happy with the response it has had. It's given me a lot of confidence in my writing. I personally thought I wasn't very good at all (if you read my other fics you will understand why LOL).

Anyway thank you very much, please let me know what you think of the whole thing and if you are reading this a month or so down the line, please still review if you like it.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate at this time of year). I'd better go get on with something productive now - like uni work!