Curled up at one end of her couch, Glyn heard her front door open as Jim came in form work. He frowned as he entered the room, having expected that she would be sleeping in what was becomming 'their' bed. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No, just couldn't seem to get comfortable. I did much better here on the couch. Somehow I can just prop up the shoulder better."

For the thousandth time in the last couple of days Jim felt a pang of guilt over her injury. If only he hadn't been such a klutz. She kept telling him that she was the one that knocked him over and caused her injury, but he still felt like it was his fault. Not that he minded taking care of her and seeing to her every need. It was after all what he intended to do anyway, as long as he had breath in his body. But last night had been the night he'd planned to ask her to marry him. Somehow getting all dressed up and taking her out on the town with her high on pain meds didn't seem like the perfect proposal. And he wanted the occassion to be perfect for her. After all, she wasn't getting much in the bargain. He thought the least he could do was make it romantic. Maybe next Saturday, he reflected.

He settled in next to her and reached over for a kiss. Her green eyes were shimmering and he couldn't tell if it was from the drugs or if it was an amorous shimmer. Probably the drugs, he thought.

"So, quiet shift, I hope? You're home almost on time so I'm taking that as a good sign."

"Yeah, not much going on for a Saturday night in Vegas," he replied. "Nick and Greg held down the CSI fort. Grissom actually took two consecutive days and arranged Catherine's schedule to match. Everyone's buzzing about that."

"Really? I know he was grieving when I arrived but I've always had the feeling that there's more between those two than the 'just friends' that they insist on being."

"Has been ever since I've known them. They've danced around each other since they first met almost twenty years ago. Sparks were flying when I moved here and started working with them. She was married though and Gil's not the sort of guy that makes a move on that. Not that he's the sort of guy that makes moves anyway. Only time I've seen him get flustered, I mean really flustered, over a woman was Lady Heather. I tried to tell him that a sports car would be easier and cheaper in the long run, but he didn't seem to listen."

"Lady Heather?"

"Dominatrix. Had quite a business going...internet and all. We ran across her on a couple of cases and then Gil ran the case when her daughter got killed. Somewhere in all that she managed to entangle Gil in her web and he seemed to be a willing volunteer. Never could figure out who was dominant there though. Anyway, she popped up last spring again in some twisted plot to get paid a lot of money for some nut to kill her and she'd leave the money to her daughter's baby. Somehow Gil figured it all out though and she's still around. When Cath and I went to interview Heather and inquired about her whereabouts the previous night...well, we both got a jolt when it turned out that Gil was her alibi. Sara was not happy when that bit of news hit the wire. But the whole Sara/Grissom thing was still underwraps then. I had it figured out but I'm not sure anyone else did."

"Grissom with a dominatrix? Somehow I just don't see it..."

"Oh, she's an unusual woman. Very intelligent. I think he enjoyed the mental chess matches. And she saw right through him. Pinned his ears to the wall a couple of times. I think they're just friends now. Something changed between them after he had a warrant served on her in one of the cases. Guess his job got in the way."

"Our jobs have a way of doing that...But now you think there's more to the Grissom/Catherine story?"

"Maybe. I know he's restless. Told me that the job just isn't enough for him anymore.I know he misses Sara; but I think that he misses having someone too. He's always been a loner, but after Sara he seems to want more in his life."

She smiled in his direction and reached with her good wing to stroke his cheek. "Yeah, life is so much sweeter when you have a cuddly-bear next to you in the bed."

Jim snickered. "Cuddly-bear? First you're calling me Thumper and now I'm a cuddly-bear. Somehow that feels like a demotion."

"Oh no...I'm just greedy. I want my Thumper AND my cuddly bear around all the time."

She watched as a contented smile settled into his expression. His warm blue eyes fixed themselves on her face as his fingers stroked her jaw. He was marveling at the phenomenon of her appearance in his life. It seemed he'd been on a downward sprial for years and here she was, lifting him to places of which he had never dared dream. It was unbelievably exhilarating and frightening at the same time. And he wasn't going to take one minute of it for granted. He wanted the full experience and if it meant that somewhere down the road he'd crash miserably into the earth, then that was the price he was willing to pay.He'd never felt this way before, never loved like this, nor had he ever felt love like this. She watched his eyes as his expression changed from contentment to elation to apprehension to determinationa and then joy. Tiny pools formed in the corners and threatened to seep out. "Jim, what is it? What are you thinking?"

He swallowed back the tears he felt forming and blinked. Barely able to speak he finally whispered. "Nothing really...just that I'm so...happy. I didn't know that this much happiness existed. I love you." He leaned forward and gently kissed her. There was no lust, no desire, no need in his kiss. It was a simple,yet euphoric expression of his love.

His tenderness overwhelmed her. Anyone who knew Jim, knew he had a tender side. They also understood that much of his dark humor and gruffness was an attempt to protect that part of himself. But here...now, she was only just really understanding the depths of his tenderness and his vulnerability. She recognized the trust he was placing in her by exposing himself so completely to her. Deploring the pain and despair that had seemed to follow him, she was awed by his strength of character. She'd seen other good men crack under such grief, yet he had somehow survived it all and preserved the best of himself through it. She snuggled into him, resting her head on his chest. The steady beat of his heart was comforting and peaceful to her. "I love you too. But somehow 'love' seems too small a word to express what I'm feeling right now." She thought of her childhood, her marriage, the loss of half her family, and the years of raising a child on her own. And a realization came over her. With him she had something she'd never really had before...she was home.

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That night at work, Grissom found Jim in his office. "Jim? How's it going?" he said as he sat in a chair across from the detective.

Surprised but happy to see his friend in a non case context, he replied, "Okay...you?"

Gil tried to keep a straight face but couldn't manage it."I have some news that I thought might interest you. But first, have you asked Glyn yet?"

"No, I was going to Saturday night but then I broke her and it didn't seem like the right time.I'll let her get off the pain pills. If she said yes now, I wouldn't believe her."

Gil smiled. "Well, you inspired me..."

"What? How?"

Gil brow furrowed a little as he tried to think of how to say it. Finally he decided to just jump in. He'd been soing a lot of that lately and it seemed to be working for him. "I asked Catherine to marry me and she said yes." His face was beaming.

After the shock subsided, Jim chuckled. "It's about time!" He popped out of his chair and shook Grissom's hand. "She actually said yes?"

"Yeah, I know." His whole demeanor was lighter than Jim had seen him in years. It was as if ten years had washed away.

"Hey, Gil...I was thinking the other night... I mean this probably isn't the time and all, but after Sara's funeral you quoted something about Purgatory...from Dante, I think."

"Yeah..." he paused as his brow gathered; his expression suddenly somber. "I guess that's where we've both been for awhile...purgatory.

Purgatory; a place where good souls twisted by the evils of the world go seeking restoration and redemption. Rehabilitated by celestial beings and renewed, they are lifted up on gossamer wings to witness paradise."

Jim couldn't place the quote and the style didn't sound like any of Grissom's usual favorites. "Dante again?" he guessed.

Gil's expression changed...softened. "No...Grissom. With some inspiration form Brass."

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As Grissom headed back to the lab, he thought of one more mission for the night. Catherine had been showing her ring to everyone and as he walked through the door, Grissom was greeted by congratulations and smug smiles. He located Nicky in the break room and asked him to come to his office.

"Hey Griss," Nick was smiling. "I think it is really great about you and Catherine. I mean, you two are so good together and you seem so happy. A few months ago I wouldn't have thought it was possible."

"About that Nicky..." Grissom wasn't quite sure how to approach it but once again he decided to dive in."Jim told me what you did...arranging her funeral and all. I know that took a lot...after you're own burial. And he told me what you said..."

"Ah, Griss, it's okay. I wanted to do it for her and for you."

"Yeah...that's what Jim said...it was the 'kind of thing a son does for his father,' were I think the exact words. Well, I have one more favor to ask. Nicky, would you be my best man? I mean, well...it is the kind of thing a father might ask of a son, you know."

Nick was unable to speak. He did something he knew Grissom would hate. He hugged the man. But Grissom didn't flinch. He was after all, headed for paradise.

THE END...Maybe

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Author's note; I have ideas for a continuation of the story. Especially the Brass POV. But this is way longer than I intended so I'll write those later. I must admit that I have acquired new respect for those who write for a living. Keeping up witht the threads and what I have or have not already written is daunting. Even more, I've grown a tremendous amount of repect for the writers of CSI and the actors that make the characters real. Paul Guilfoyle and William Petersen are remarkable, I believe. To write the characters of Brass and Grissom has been fun but would have been impossible without the flesh and blood that these two thespians infuse into them. Many thanks to those who have followed the whole story. All your comments were and are appreciated. It's more fun to write if you think someone else might be enjoying it too!