Next Half Of My Life
Part II My Life with Sara
The next shift every one could tell there was a change in Grissom. There was a smile on his face and Catherine thought she seem a spring in his step.
Nick was the first one to see the difference in Sara. She was much more relaxed and even giggled for no reason.
The gang was sitting in the break room waiting for assignments. Sara had excused herself to the restroom.
When she was out of earshot Greg asked, "What is going on with them two?"
Catherine smiled, "I think I know."
"Tell," Nick said.
"Grissom and Sara sittin in a tree," Catherine said in a sing song voice.
Everyone laughed.
"No!" said Nick shaking his head, "Not….."
All talk stopped and all eyes turned toward her when Sara walked into the room.
"Is my blouse buttoned crooked?" Sara asked.
Nick shook his head, "No. What makes you ask?"
Sara just laughed, "This place was noisier then a hen house before I walked in. I could hear the laughter half way down the hall, now it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop."
No one else said anything, they just quickly picked up either a book or a magazines and pretended to read, just to avoid Sara.
Gil walked in to dead silence, he looked at Sara.
She shrugged her shoulders, "Beats me."
Gil handed out the assignments for the first time since he had taken over the shift no one said anything - no smart-aleck remarks - no complaints, nothing.
"I'll find out," Catherine whispered to Nick.
Grissom had put Catherine and Sara together on a 419.
Nick nodded as he picked up his kit and headed out the door.
Catherine grabbed the keys, "I'll drive - you talk."
Sara looked at her, "About what?"
Catherine started the car, "About your giggling like a school girl and Grissom smiling like the cat who ate the canary."
"Nothing to tell," Sara said, her face as red a beet.
"Sara Sidle," Catherine said in her best motherly tone, "Are you not saying what I think you are?"
Sara just laughed, "Depends."
"Did you have company last night?" she asked.
Sara just giggled, "No."
"Did you spend the night with a friend?" Catherine asked, figuring she was going to have to play 20 questions to get a straight answer.
"Yea," Sara said.
"Who?" Catherine asked.
"We can talk later," Sara said, opening the door, "Right now Mr. Hudson needs us to find out who ended his life."
Before she had left Gil's house they had decided that if anyone asked they would tell the truth, they were just not going to offer any information but right now Sara was having fun with Catherine. Now was not the time for fun, it was time for work.
Meanwhile, in route to their crime scene, Nick as wondering if he should say anything to Grissom about their suspicions.
Nick grinned to himself, he decided to let Catherine handle it. Mainly because she didn't hand out assignments and Nick didn't want to take a chance of ending up with decomp.
With evidence gathered and safely secured Catherine looked at Sara.
"If you don't start talking YOU will be the next dead body that is investigated," she said.
"Are you sure you wanta know?" Sara asked.
Catherine let out a long low GRRR sound, "YES!"
"Grissom and I had dinner last night," Sara said.
"And…..," Catherine answered.
"He makes a mean Vegetarian Lasagna," Sara said, not at all lying.
"And….," Catherine said.
"We talked," Sara answered.
"About?" was Catherine's next question.
Sara decided that she had been pussyfooting around long enough, mainly because Catherine was starting to get a killer look in her eyes.
Sara told her everything, about Grissom's case the other day and his thoughts on life in general. Then, leaving out all the details, told her how their night ended.
"You and Grissom…" Catherine said.
Sara just smiled, "Yes."
"So is this just a…..," Catherine was trying to find out a way to ask if this was a one night thing or more, "Never mind it is none of my business."
"No it's not a one night shot," Sara said, "He loves me. I guess it just took poor Mr. Lindsey passing away for him to realize it."
"And you?" Catherine asked.
"I have loved him since the first time I looked into those dreamy blue eyes," she said, "I just never dreamed he could feel the same way."
They pulled into the parking lot at the lab.
"The fellas are going to want to know all about this," Catherine said, "What should I tell them?"
"Gil and I said we would not lie about it," Sara told her, "If they have figured it out then great. Gil and I intended to talk to you all about it soon anyway."
"I'm not saying anything," Catherine said, "I'll just let then keep guessing until Grissom wants to tell them."
Catherine took the evidence to the proper labs and Sara headed for Grissom's office, "She knows."
Gil nodded, "Thought she would figure it out. Catherine is a good CSI. How about I invite everyone to breakfast and we tell them?"
"Sounds good to me," Sara told him.
"Um, could you close the door please," Grissom said, "There is something I want to talk to you about before we say anything to the others."
Sara closed the door, "OK."
She had no idea what it could be but by the sound of his voice she was sure it was serious.
Gil blew out a deep breath.
"I know everything that has happened between us is kind of sudden and if you want to take time to think about it I will understand," Gil said more nervous then he had ever been, "But I feel like I have wasted enough of my life and I don't want to waist anymore of it."
Sara looked at him, now more then a little confused.
"What is it?" she asked.
Gil smiled, suddenly realizing how foolish he sounded.
"Sara, I love you. I guess I have since the first day we met. It was just my foolishness that kept me from admitting it. I know this is not the place to ask you but….," Gil opened his drawer and took out a small box.
"This has been in the GRISSOM family for over 100 years," he said, "I would be honored if you would wear it."
Gil opened the box, inside was a diamond ring, "Sara, I don't want to spend one more day without you in my life. Would you do me the honor of allowing me to become your husband?"
Sara could not take her eyes off it. Never had she expected anything like this.
"Yes," she was finally able to say.
Gil took the ring from the box and placed it on her finger. Gently he kissed her, "I love you."
Sara stroked his check before returning the kiss, "I always have."
After a few minutes of silence Gil said, "Why don't you go get us a table at Over Easy and I'll talk to the gang." Sara nodded and left.
Gil waked into the break room, "Breakfast at Over Easy. On me, if anyone is interested."
"Free food? Count me in," Greg said, laughing.
The rest of the gang agreed.
"Where's Sara?" Nick asked, "She not joining us?"
"She's getting us a table," Gil said.
Everyone started to stand. "Before we go there is something I want to talk to all of you about," Gil said. Everyone sat back down.
"It appears that a few of you have noticed a change in Sara and myself," he said, "I know it is kind of sudden (here he chuckled a little) well I guess not really if you take into consideration that we have known each other for at least 10 years. Sparing all of you the complete details, Sara and I have taken our relationship to the next level."
Everyone nodded, they all had expected something like that mainly because of the way they were acting.
"I have spoken to Conrad, he's not to thrilled with it but he'll get over it. We wanted all of you hear it from me before all the rumors start. Now if there are not questions, lets go eat," Grissom said, smiling and heading for the door.
There were questions, a bunch of them, they would be asked and answered over breakfast.
Sara waved to the group as they entered the dinner. Gil was first to reach her, he bent and kissed her cheek. "Half way through," he whispered.
Sara knew what he was referring to. They had agreed that he would tell the team that they were together but the other news they would break together. Questions were asked and answered over food. Sara had kept her left hand under the table until after the meal was over. They were sitting having a last cup of coffee when Sara placed it on the table top, Catherine was the first to notice the ring.
"I take it you two are hiding another secret," she said.
The guys looked at Catherine then looked in the direction that she was pointing, at Sara's hand.
Gil lay his hand over Sara's, "This beautiful woman has agreed to become my wife. I just don't want to waist any more of my life."
TEN YEARS LATER
Their tenth anniversary was a fantastic day, filled with family and friends. Gil and Sara had bought a place out in the country, they didn't want to raise their children in the city. A year after they were married, Sara gave birth to their son, two years later they added a little girl to the Grissom family. Gil and Sara were cuddling together on a wicker sofa that was on the porch.
"I never thought my life would take this turn," Sara said.
Gil agreed, "I can't believe I thought that everything was just the way I wanted it. I never thought that I could find so much happiness."
Sara smiled, "And to think that it took a death to make us realize how important life really is."