AN:Thank you for the reviews, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 16: Graduation

June, 2027

Grissom and Sara, along with their girls, were sitting on the couch in the living room when William walked in the room from his temporary room, wearing a red cap and gown, and Sara stood up with tears in her eyes as she looked at her young man. "Look at you baby, I mean..."

William cuts her off as he took a step towards his mother with a smile. "It's ok mom, you can still call me that."

She hadn't really broken the habit of it calling him 'baby', and William felt bad every time she tried correcting herself, so this was one battle he will concede on.

She smiled as she asked. "Really?"

He nodded with a bigger smile. "Really, but please not at school."

They all chuckled before Sara cupped her son's cheek. "You got it, and congratulations."

He took a breath before bringing her in his arms. "Thanks mom."

After a few moments, Grissom cleared his throat and spoke. "Alright, when is it my turn to hug the graduate."

Today was a very special day, their oldest child was graduating today.

They chuckled again as William pulled back from his mother before going to his father for a big hug.

A moment later, while they were still in the hug, there was a knock the door, but before anybody could head for it, they hear Bella speaking with a smile as she headed down the stairs as quickly as she could. "I got it, I got it." Then she opened the door and shouted. "You're here!"

They hear the sound of Bella's Uncle Jeff. "Like we would miss this day." Before he brought his niece in a huge hug.

Once the greeting was done, Jeff and Shawna walked into the house to greet the Grissoms, and of course he went to William first with a serious tone. "You treating my niece the way she deserves?"

William nodded, replying in a strong, confident tone. "Yes, sir."

Jeff then chuckled while seeing the truth in his eyes before he replied. "Enough of this 'sir' crap, how about Uncle Jeff."

William smiled as he looked at Bella first, and she nodded with a smile, saying that it was ok with her, before William looked at Jeff again and held out his hand. "Ok, Uncle Jeff."

While they released hands, Katie asked, very curious. "Can we call you Uncle Jeff?"

Before Sara could speak, Jeff looked at the youngest Grissom child and smiled. "If it's ok with your mom." He then smirked as he looked at Sara and Grissom. "After all we are like family, even more so when they tie the knot, am I right?"

Sara nodded with a nervous chuckle, not ready for that yet, before she looked at her daughter and cleared her throat with a nod. "It's ok with me."

After a moment of awkward silence, Grissom suggested it was time to go meet everybody else at the school.

When it was just William and Bella in the house, Bella shook her head with a smile. "I'm sorry about what my uncle said, he's just really happy that I'm..."

William cuts her off with a smirk, but his eyes showed her he was serious. "Why be sorry about him saying the truth? It will happen one day, won't it?"

While she didn't answer with words, he saw the shy look she gave him before looking down, and that was all he needed to know before he started walking towards the door with a smile on his face.

She shook her head with a smile before turning and walking out of the door herself, yep that boy was trouble to her, but in the best way possible.

When they got to the school, and made it to the football field, there were a lot of families around, but William honestly believed that there was no bigger family there than his, which not only included the full Brown family (Eli and Cassandra included) and the full Bolden family, but the Hughes, Stokes and Sanders families as well, not to mention Amy and her family, Kelly and her family, then there was also the day shift Los Angeles CSI team and their kids, and while his parents and siblings got the better seats, everyone of them was happy to watch the first born Grissom 'child' graduate, because the ones that knew Sara and Grissom the longest, honestly never thought they would ever get together, let alone have children, so it was a milestone moment for sure, one they didn't want to miss out on it.

Once it was time for the ceremony to start, everybody was seated, then after a few hours it was time for the Valedictorian and Salutatorian speeches, so William was the first to speak, and once he stood up, everybody, mostly his family, started cheering, then after they all calmed down, William took a breath before speaking. "Anybody who knows me, knows I'm not into speeches, I mean there was a reason why I have been, one time or another in every club, but debate." Everybody started chuckling before he continued after clearing his throat. "So, I would like to turn the mic over to the real Valedictorian and light of my life, Isabella Adams."

After everybody said 'aww' and started clapping, Sara and Grissom looked at one another, and she whispered. "Did you know about this?"

Grissom shook his head and replied. "No." Then he smirked. "Although, I mean we shouldn't be that surprised."

Sara nodded with a chuckle. "I guess not, and I guess she's just as surprised."

They look at the podium to see a shocked looking Bella looking at the crowed, she then took a breath and said. "Well, as you can tell I'm just as surprised as everybody else, so if you'll bear with me for a second."

There was a polite silence while Bella gathered her thoughts, then she took a breath and continued, speaking like she had been prepared, drawing inspiration from the people who mattered the most to her, especially her uncle, William and his parents.

When she was done, there wasn't a dry eye and they all stood up and clapped, then came the last of the speeches before the class of 2027 was officially declared graduated, and all the hats were thrown up in the air while family members laughed, cried and clapped again, especially Sara and Grissom. They were so proud of their son, the little boy that became their light and joy the second he was born, before he was even born really.

Once the graduates made it to their immediate families first, William looked at his parents a little shyly. "I hope you're not disappointed that I..."

Sara cuts her son off as she hugged him. "No way are we disappointed, we couldn't be prouder of you."

Grissom placed his hand on his shoulder and asked. "So, what was that?"

William shrugged as he pulled back from his mother. "I guess she wanted it more than I?"

Both parents looked at him like they didn't believe his story, and he sighed before continuing. "Ok, yes, we had the same GPA's, but I wanted her to have it out right, she deserves it, so I talked to Mrs. Davidson, and she said it was up to me, so that was my decision. I just wanted it to be a surprise, so I didn't tell anybody else."

Sara then smirked. "Well, she was definitely that."

William looked over at Bella, who was laughing with her aunt, and started speaking like he was in awe. "But I knew she could get through it, like everything else thrown her way."

As Sara wiped a few tears off her cheeks from the compassion her son spoke in, and Grissom sighed in happiness as he brings his son in his arms. "Son, you are a wonderful young man, I couldn't have asked for a better son."

William smiled as he hugged his father right back. "I got that from you guys."

While they were pulling back, Bella walked over to them and Sara and Grissom congratulated her, so did Katie and Isabella.

A moment later, Sara, Grissom and the girls walked away to give the couple a minute alone, which the minute they were out of ear shot, she lightly hits him on the shoulder with a smirk. "I can't believe you did that, you're lucky I didn't get sick up there as freaked out as I was."

He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I couldn't tell." When she smirked and shook her head, he continued. "I couldn't, you held your own and I'm proud of you. I don't regret what I did."

Accepting what he did, she asked a little uncertain. "And your parents? I know deep down they have to be a little disappointed."

He took a breath and replied. "Maybe a little, but they knew my reasoning and trusted that I did the right thing." He then smirked before nodding his head towards his sisters. "Besides, I can pretty much guarantee that one of the Grissom kids will come away with Valedictorian on their graduation day."

She smiled, knowingly. "Really?"

He chuckled, knowing his sisters pretty well. "When they start competing against one another, I don't see anybody else coming close."

She then smirked. "And you can't wait to see it happen?"

He looked at her and replied. "Aww, you know me so well."

She started to smile as they leaned toward one another and kissed softly, and as they pulled back, they hear Jason clearing his throat. "Hey guys, I'm sorry to interrupt."

The couple pulled apart from one another, before Bella walked up to Jason and gave him a hug. "Congratulations, Jason."

Jason smiled as he hugged her in return. "Yeah, you too."

After they pulled back, Bella looked at her boyfriend. "I'll give you two a minute."

William nodded with a smile before she walked away, and while William was looking at Jason, Jason spoke. "She's a good woman, you're lucky man."

William nodded again with another smile. "Thank you, and believe me, I know it."

Jason nodded with a smile before he cleared his throat and continued. "I uh, I just wanted to wish you good luck on your future. I know things between us fell apart, but you have to know I never once regretted being your friend. In fact, the one thing I do regret is letting the line between jocks and..."

Jason trailed off, and William smirked. "Go ahead, say it, I know you want to."

Jason chuckled and nodded. "Nerds, get in the way of our friendship. I hope one day you can forgive me."

William held out his hand and replied. "Already done, the day you saved my life."

Jason cleared his throat before taking the other man's hand. "And I would do it again in a heartbeat."

William nodded, feeling touched by his honesty, then as they release hands, William continued. "And don't forget your more than sports, don't let anybody tell you any differently."

Before Jason could speak, they hear Sara's voice. "William, we are ready to go. Hi Jason."

"Hi Mrs. Grissom."

"Ok mom, I'll be right there." When William and Jason had eye contact again, William continued. "We are having a party at the park if you want to join."

"I wish I can, but I can't bail on my own party. Thank you for the offer though, I sincerely mean that."

"OK, and good luck on your future, show USC what you're made of."

Jason smirked while shaking his head. "You of all people rooting for the enemy, I never thought I would see the day, you better not tell your dad that."

William then replied with sincerity. "No, I'm rooting for you."

With one more smile, William turned and started walking away, but stopped after few steps when Jason said his name. "Hey William." William turned around to look at him as he smirked. "I wonder if Timothy is still playing with play-dough."

William chuckled, remembering that day like it was yesterday as he turned back around to go with his family, and as Jason turned around to meet his friends, they both have a flashback on when they first met.

Flashback

It was William's second day in his advanced class and he was getting picked on when six year old Jason walked into the room, who had missed school yesterday, but knew about the 'new' kid from other kids talking about it, then he sighed and walked up to the crowd surrounding the new boy's desk. "I don't know why you guys are picking on him, he's five years old and he's in a class filled with 6 and 7 year-olds, that's pretty impressive if you ask me." Then he looked at the main kid who was doing most of the picking on and asked with a smirk. "I mean what were you doing at five years old, Timothy? Still playing with play-dough?"

Every kid started to chuckle as the bell rung, then the teacher came in as the students sat in their seats before William looked over at the kid who protected him and said with a smile. "Thank you, my name is William Arthur Grissom."

Jason smiled. "Hi, William, I'm Jason Tyler Walker."

End of Flashback

Later that night

After the outing at the park, Rick, Elizabeth and William left to hang out by themselves while Bella left with her Aunt and Uncle so they could have a little time together, then once William made it home, which his parents also had the Stokes kids (Sanders kids were with Catherine and Warrick) with them, they all had a family dinner before William retreated to his room.

About an hour and half later, Sara walked to William's room, and knocked on the opened door before walking in the doorway, smiling. "We are all going to watch a movie, you want to join us?"

William, who was holding a picture frame, looking down at the photo, shook his head. "No thanks. I'm kind of exhausted, I don't think I would make it through the movie anyways."

She smirked as she walked further in the room. "Did those kids wore you out?"

William chuckled with a nod, not afraid to admit it. "I felt like was being torn in a lot of different directions today."

She then walked up to her son. "Aww baby, they just wanted to play with their favorite cousin." William just chuckled while Sara looked at the photo her son was looking at, which was a picture of him with Max the first day he got him.
In fact, the picture was taken at his grandmother's house, and it made Sara feel even more emotional as she spoke again. "You two had a very special bond."

William nodded and cleared his throat. "Yeah we did, I still miss him."

She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "I know, we all do. He was the best dog anybody could have asked for."

When he sniffled, Sara wrapped her arms around his shoulders to comfort him.

As he started to calm down, Sara kissed his head again and saw the book that he had on his bed and smiled. "That use to be our favorite book to read together."

Even though he could probably recite it, in the exact words, without looking at it now, it was still one of his favorites to read because it was one of the first ones he read with his mom when his parents realized his reading level was higher than he let on.

While Sara was removing her hands from it, he asked. "Would you, for old times sake?"

Sara smiled with her brown eyes sparkling. "Like you really have to ask. But one second, let me tell your father to start the movie without me so the kids can start watching it."

William nodded before Sara walked out of the room, while he gave his photo one more long look before putting it back on his nightstand then placing the covers over himself and getting comfortable in bed.

A few moments later, Sara walked back into the room, sat down on the empty spot beside her son, took the book from his hands and started reading.

About ten pages into the story, William, who doesn't normally interrupt a story, cleared his throat and asked. "So, when does our thing becomes me and Bella's thing?"

Knowing what he was talking about, she spoke with a little emotion. "I guess when you are ready for it to be."

William nodded before looking at his mother with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry mom."

She shook her head with her eyes watering. "For what, growing up?" She sighed as she took his hand. "It's part of the deal, and one of the best deals I've ever made, because watching you grow has been amazing."

He squeezed her hand and whispered. "And you'll see more of it, I promise. I love you."

She kissed his temple and whispered. "I love you too." Then she cleared her throat and went back to the book.

30 minutes later there was a knock on the bedroom door, making Sara stop before they turned to see Bella come in the room with a shy smile. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I came in to say goodnight."

William's eyes lit up, and Sara spoke a second later. "You know what, why don't you continue."

Bella looked at Sara with wide-eyes, knowing how special that moment is for them. "Sara, I coul..."

But Sara cuts her off as she stood up. "No, I insist, it's your time."

She looked at her son and smiled, he nodded with a smile in return. "Thank you, mom."

"You're welcome, have a goodnight."

"You too."

Sara then walked up to Bella and handed her the book. "You have a good night."

She nodded as she took the book from the other woman. "And you too."

Sara watched Bella get to the bed and sat in the spot she just sat, before watching them share a sweet kiss, and as she walked out, she could hear them talk about their time away from one another, then heard her start the story as she closed the door.

When she had eye contact with her husband, who was sitting on the couch, he gave her a raised eyebrow that she would close the door with both of them in the room together, but she signed as she walked up to him. 'I trust them.'

He just nodded, and once she was near, she sat down next to him and cuddled at his side before he kissed her temple and whispered, so it wouldn't ruin the movie. "I love you."

She sighed in content as she whispered. "I love you too."

While today felt hard for her, it went better than she thought it would because her pride over her son was higher than her sadness.

AN: The next chapter will be the last of the story, and more on what happens next will also be mentioned then. Thanks for reading, and please review.