DISCLAIMER:Don't own anything associated with the show… I just like playing with the characters in it.

RATING: T – Teen (language and adult issues)

PAIRINGS: GSR & Yo!Bling pre-established in previous fics of this timeline.

SPOILERS: Sequel to "Displacement" and "Transitions"

SUMMARY: Everything is changing around Nick Stokes. Can he deal with it, and how it will affect him in the end?

A/N: How about some more Grissom? Or maybe even a little explanation about what's gonna happen at Grissom's party? And before smacky30 asks again... First Fluff is in the next chapter, but the really good stuff is coming later. ;)

REVIEWS: Reviews are the way I know if people are enjoying the work or not. So, if you leave one, THANKS! And if not, I hope you found at least a little something to brighten your day, and thanks for taking the time to read.

Chapter 17

08:55 – 2006.12.08

UNLV Administration Building: President's Office

As Grissom walked into the austere furnishings of the UNLV President's office, he was greeted by the smiling face of the man's secretary. "Dr. Grissom?"

He nodded and said, "Yes, I'm here for a nine o'clock appointment with Dr. Daeke."

The woman smiled a little broader and said, "Of course, Dr. Daeke is expecting you. If you don't mind taking a seat a moment, I'll let him know you've arrived."

Grissom nodded, but as she disappeared into the private office he remained standing. If she was just going to come right back out and get him, he was not about to sit down into the low-rise, leather sofa. And he was right, as she immediately returned to the outer office and motioned for him to go inside. He smiled and proceeded through the doorway.

He was greeted by the booming voice of the university's president. "Dr. Grissom! I am so thrilled you were available for a meeting."

The sprightly, older looking gentleman met him midway through the office with an enthusiastic handshake. "I cannot tell you how excited I was to hear that you were finally joining us in academia, Dr. Grissom."

Grissom was hoping he still had an arm when the man was finished, because at the current rate he was likely to shake it off and start beating him with it at any moment. "Thank you, Dr. Dae-"

"Please, please… Call me Donald." Grissom nodded and the man finally released his death grip from around his hand and gestured for him to take a seat.

Once Grissom was firmly seated, the older man had a question, "Is there anything I can get you, Dr. Grissom? Coffee, water, tea? Anything at all?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you." If there was one thing Gil Grissom detested, it was the ridiculous fawning that people in positions of authority perpetrated as they attempted to win a new prize. It was even worse now that he appeared to be the prize.

He listened patiently as the man droned on and on, extolling the virtues of a life spent in academia, and all the fine things the University of Nevada: Las Vegas had to offer him, but his mind was not truly focused on the obviously prepared speech. No, he was thinking about the rather emotional conversation he had with Sara about the offer he received from the Jeffersonian a few months back. He thought about how he had to convince her that people were always trying to lure him away from field work, or to their own labs and that he routinely turned down offers on a near monthly basis for numerous years.

And now, as he sat there pretending to listen to the university's best pitch man sell him on a tenure within their system, he realized that for the first time in his career, in his life, that his reputation was a benefit, instead of a burden. He worked long and hard, and sacrificed so much of his life and happiness to achieve this status, and now he was going to use it for all it was worth. He now had a reason to change his life. He had a purpose to his life that extended beyond science, and for the first time he was ready to place happiness over all other things. However, unlike most men reaching his station in life, it was not only his happiness he was concerned with, for the first time in his life he was putting the needs and hopes and dreams of another over and above his own, gladly.

For all of his espoused brilliance, the man really was a slow learner, since it took him fifty years to finally figure out what made him happy. True, he had always found joy in the work, but it did not keep him warm at night, or chase the nightmares away, or fill him with such an empowering feeling of happiness just by staring into its eyes. No, he found his key into the kingdom of lasting happiness, and it came in the guise of a tall, lithe, brown-eyed beauty of a woman who loved him with all of her heart. And she made sitting there in that office listening to the overzealous administrator blathering on about the things he could do for UNLV, and the things they could do for him, worth every single excruciating second.

Eventually the man began to wind down, and Grissom's attention turned outward again. "But I've rambled on long enough, Dr. Grissom… Please, tell me what we can do to convince you to head up our new forensic science graduate program?"

The side of his mouth turned up into half of a grin and said, "Before we go into that… May I ask how you heard I was leaving the lab?"

"Oh! Of course… I was in Washington for a conference and had lunch with an old pupil of mine, Dr. Goodman from the Jeffersonian Institute. When I told him of our plans for a forensic science program, he of course wished to gloat about having acquired your talents for his organization's work." The man gave a woeful expression when he added, "Had we known you were considering a career change, I can assure you I would have been on your doorstep in a moment. May I ask what has changed your perspective?"

The smirk appeared on his face subconsciously as he answered, "My life, actually… I'm about to be married and it has been the impetus for a great many changes of late. However, I've also grown disillusioned with the slightly skewed political nature forensic work has taken on in recent history, and I thought my knowledge would be better served helping to develop new techniques and perhaps in training a new breed of forensic scientist in the process."

"And that was precisely the reasoning behind the development of a graduate program in forensics here at UNLV." The man was practically beaming at having found a perfect segue into his pitch again. "So, again I ask, what can we do to convince you to join us?"

Grissom took in a deep breath and pursed his lips into a contemplative gesture. "First, it would have to be a position of limited involvement at the administrative level. I am not an administrator."

"Oh, but of course! What we are looking for is someone to develop this program, help it to grow, tend to its research and advise students along the way." The man was becoming a little more excited than Grissom was comfortable with, but he continued with his requirements.

"I also would not be willing to walk away from my fellowship at the Jeffersonian."

"Most certainly… It will be a great privilege for us to have one of their fellows on our staff as well."

"And I would need a great deal of flexibility for my lecture and consultation schedule."

"Absolutely! Having a touring member of our staff is an amazing recruitment tool."

"If I were to house my lab here at the university, the school would have to fully fund it, and that includes any grant writing and administration of that lab. One of the main reasons I am leaving the crime lab is my distaste for administration."

"We have the appropriate people for that type of thing, and you could conduct your experiments without ever having to worry about all of that."

"But probably the most important, I would need complete and utter autonomy from the university system. That includes all research, curriculum and degree granting through this program… Nothing that I develop in this time will ever be the sole property of the university. I would, of course, grant the school rights of co-publication and full reference to the location of the work, but it still belongs to me." Grissom knew his final condition would be the deal breaker for sure, so he fully expected the meeting to be over quickly at that point.

"Hmmm…" The man rubbed a finger over his temple as he worked through the specifics of Grissom's terms. "It might take some coaxing from a few of the board members, but I honestly believe we can pull it off. If I can do it, will we have a deal?"

Grissom sat there in complete and utter shock. He never expected them to agree to even half of his demands, and here they were nearly resolved to each of those deciding factors. Grissom struggled to retain his composure and forced the only answer he could come up with. "I'll, ah, have to discuss it with my better half before I can commit to anything, of course."

The man rose from his seat and put his hand out for Grissom to take as he said, "Well, then I won't keep you any longer…" Grissom stood and they shook hands with his parting words. "I'll let you get home and I have a board meeting to put together." He led Grissom to the door and then asked, "Now, you'll let me know as soon as you and your bride have made a decision?"

"Yes, of course… And thank you for the consideration."

"Oh, the pleasure has been all mine, Dr. Grissom… All mine."