I was desperate to have him drive to her house and get to her front door and then walk away when he was about to knock but wouldn't work with the story but just thought I'd let you all know anyway.

BTW thinking one chapter left to this story, have it almost sorted in my head. Let me know what you think please, as this is now the penultimate chapter (probably).

He pulled his jeans on and a t-shirt never looking at what he was doing or wearing, he barely noticed all these routine movements, walking towards the door, locking it as he left, switching all the lights off, unlocking his car.

He was barely paying attention to the road as he drove, only on auto-pilot, his eyes staring and his mind blank, as though no thoughts were brave enough to cross it for fear he would change his mind yet again.

He arrived at Sara's, climbed out of the car straight away and marched up to her apartment and knocked on the door, his adrenalin beginning to ebb making him brace his arms on either side of the door frame for support.

"Was I the reason you were crying earlier?" he demanded as she opened the door.

"What?" Sara was still in shock from seeing Grissom seeming to pin her inside her own apartment when he had barely spoken to her before.

"When I saw you in the lockers earlier? You'd been crying. Was I the reason?"

"Who else would be the reason?" she replied slightly sadly but defiantly before turning around and walking away, indicating the conversation was over.

But she didn't shut the door, nor did she tell him to leave.

Grissom walked inside nervously and saw her sat staring at him from the couch, arms folded across her body defensively. Grissom sat down on the edge of the chair opposite her carefully and finally seemed to become himself again.

"I don't want to make you cry. I can't stand the pain it causes you Sara." He was met with a stony silence, she wasn't going to open her heart to him for it to be hurt again that easily.

"I'm sorry. I finally realised that it was hurting me more to not be with you than being with you could ever hurt me. It was time to stop hurting you. I'm sorry, I am truly sorry Sara. Please forgive me."

Sara nodded slightly but stayed silent, she was determined not to crack, like everything else with Grissom, opening up again could only lead to pain, besides it was too late.

"Sara, I'm ready to take that chance if you'll still let me."

"Sorry, Griss, but it's a bit late now." she stated simply, neither with sadness, regret, anger or happiness, just like it was a simple statement which made it harder for Grissom to think of any way around it, thought not for lack of trying.

He could only stare back at her, she had told him before by the time he decided it may be too late, but from when she had asked him out a month ago he had assumed there was still a faint chance, that she would wait for a little longer maybe.

Sara suddenly stood up, Grissom following suit. "I may as well tell you now then. I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm resigning and my apartment paid for till next week then it will be re-let to somebody else."

"When did all this happen?" it sounded a stupid thing to say even to him but it was the only words he could get out.

"Tonight. I'll self-destruct if I stay here. I can't that to myself anymore."

"I'll ... ermmm ... I'll .. miss you ... Sara." he said slowly before turning away and walking towards the door, Sara still stood forlornly and abandoned in the middle of her living room area.

As he reached the door he caught sight of something through her bedroom door.

Just a simple thing, a suitcase standing shut up and ready to be moved, by the door ready to be picked up.

It finally sank through to his brain that Sara was leaving, she'd said she was leaving, what did it matter now, he could take a chance bolder than he had ever done before.

He turned around and saw her, he strode up to her, laid a hand on her cheek and gazed into her eyes, seeing shock registering there and something else he didn't dare believe he was seeing in case it was just his hope there.

He made a split-second decision and suddenly pressed his lips hard to hers in an almost bruising way, when she gasped in shock he deepened the kiss with more force than Sara realised he could possess as kissed her properly and forcefully, his hands telling a different story as they gently stroked her cheek, ran through her hair, rested gently on her waist pulling her closer, drew idle patterns under the back of her shirt.

The difference in the two things sending wonderfully fireworks all around her brain.

She grasped the side-collars of his shirt and pulled him with her, never breaking the passionate kiss, towards the bedroom.