A/N: Now this story is really finished. Thanks for staying with me, I know it ended up taking longer than I assumed it would. That's the last time I ever make predictions! Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed this story. You can't know how much those reviews meant to me. And thank you to brandie.d for her awesome beta-ing job. And it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, any mistakes left are purely my own.

As always, I own nothing of CSI but five seasons of DVDs and a neat little cap.

Epilogue

It seemed to Sara that the next minutes had happened in fast-forward. As soon as she'd hit the call button, Grissom's room erupted in activity. Nurses rushed to his bedside, checking his vitals, asking inane questions that Grissom barely tolerated, poking and prodding him till Sara was almost afraid he would slip back into the coma just to escape them. When the doctors arrived, not long after Grissom had growled at having his temperature checked, Sara felt his hand slip from hers as she was pushed to the side of the room. She tried to keep eye-contact, tried to reassure him that she was still there, that she wasn't going anywhere but white-clad bodies kept getting in her line of vision.

By the time Catherine arrived and the room had cleared out Grissom was sleeping again. But the young tennis-shoes clad doctor, whom Sara had dubbed "Dr. Doogie" in her mind, assured her that this time, he really was just sleeping.

That was all the encouragement Catherine needed, and she'd turned immediately on Sara and insisted that the younger woman go home, eat, shower, and sleep. "Hell, who knows? You might even show up at the office Sara, and save your job."

Sara resisted even then-not wanting to leave while Grissom was still asleep. But Warrick's arrival and his quiet promise to stay with Grissom until she returned had her capitulating. "But you'll call me; if he needs anything or…just…you'll call?"

Warrick nodded as he pulled her into his arms. "The second he needs anything. Promise. Now go. Get some sleep." He smiled as he let her go, his green eyes peering warmly into hers. "You did good, Sara."

That has been nearly twenty hours before. Sara slept through ten of them before taking the promised meal and shower. And she went into the lab, spoke with Ecklie, worked her shift. She'd been surprised at how quickly he'd agreed to keeping her on-she'd expected to keep her job in the long run, she'd had over nine weeks vacation time, but she hadn't expected him to be so gracious and forgiving about her sudden three-week departure. The eight-hour shift had crawled by, but now, finally, she was back at the hospital.

Sara was almost nervous as she hovered outside Grissom's door, hand raised to knock. Would he really want to see her? She knew what he'd said when he woke, how tightly he'd clung to her hand…but he'd been confused, just coming out of a three week coma. She knew everything had changed for her, but what if nothing had really changed for him?

She was saved from knocking when the door flew open, Warrick grinning down at her from the other side. At her look of surprise he just chuckled, "What? I'm a trained observer, Girl. I heard you sneaking around out here." He turned back toward the room then, "Told you she'd be back Griss." He leaned in to place a soft kiss against Sara's hair, "It's all I could do to keep him in bed…he's been itching to get up and come find you. Go on…and please put you both out of your misery, once and for all."

Suddenly Warrick was gone, striding down the hall, and Sara was alone with Grissom.

"Sara…"

Her eyes snapped to his, his gaze so intense she couldn't bring herself to break it. She was mortified to feel the tears welling in hers, but seeing him awake, staring at her when she'd been afraid she'd never see his eyes alive and aware again was just too much. She blinked quickly, managing to sever the breathless contact. "Griss…I'm…I'm so glad you're awake. I…Do you need anything? Are you comfortable? Can I…"

"Sara."

"…get you anything or…"

"Sara!"

She stopped abruptly, her eyes once more going to his. "Sorry. I…over talking?"

"Yes." Grissom lifted his hand, his fingers extending slowly toward her. "Come here." He paused, a smile hinting around his dry lips, "Please."

She crossed the room slowly, almost hesitant as she reached out to take his outstretched hand. As his fingers closed tightly on hers she let out a small sigh, letting her eyes drift shut as she savored the feeling.

"I ah…I was afraid you weren't coming back…"

Her eyes flew open, "No Griss I…"

"It's…" He paused, his voice breaking off dryly as coughing replaced his words. Sara released his hand, taking a cup from the bedside stand and filling it with water from the plastic pitcher. She held the straw to his lips as he gulped the liquid. "Thank you…"

"Griss. Maybe you shouldn't be talking."

"No Sara. I…I have something to say." Once she replaced the water he took her hand again, his fingers closing tightly around her own. "Warrick told me…how long you stayed. He…explained. I…God Sara. I knew then…that you would be coming back. I'm…I'm glad. Happy. I want you to stay."

"Of course I'll stay, Griss. I…God. Of course I'll stay."

"Always Sara. I want you to stay, always."

"Griss…"

"No. I should have said it years ago. I was…a fool. And afraid."

Sara stared at him, her eyes breaking away from his only to drop down to their joined hands, his grip so tight on hers that she could see his knuckles begin to whiten. As she lifted her gaze to his again, she could feel tears beginning to burn her vision. "Griss. What…what are you saying?"

"That I'm sorry. I'm….I'm sorry. And I hope I didn't wait too long to tell you. I was…a fool. And I might have lost you, and…I don't want to lose you. Because…because I love you."

"You….you love me?"

"Yes." With his free hand, Grissom reached up very slowly, tracing the line of a tear as it fell down her cheek. "Yes."

"You love me." A sob escaped before she could stop it and she leaned her head into his immediately comforting hand. "God." She looked up, blinking tears away, "Okay. I uhm…You know I love you too." She looked back down then, letting a smile blossom across her face. "Anything else we should talk about?"

Grissom smiled, his fingers gently stroking her cheek, "Yes. How do you feel about the name Jessica?"

End