Do not own CSI or any of the characters.

Here is Chapter 20 of Picking up the Ashes but do not worry it is not the last chapter, but 2nd last one.

Picking up the Ashes- Chapter 20

All heads looked up and watched as Grissom walked down the hallway of the lab, toward his office. The looks that he received weren't of their usual sympathy ones but of confused and bewildered ones. Grissom was not dressed in his usual attire of dark pants and button down shirts but of a tuxedo.

Today was the day where he would lay out of all his cards on the table for everyone to see. The day he was going to confess his undying love for Sara Sidle to everyone they knew and worked with. The day he proposed.

Grissom stood in the middle of his office, staring down at his cell, he was waiting for Catherine to call him and give him the clearing. Until then, he was supposed to sit in his office and wait.

He threw himself into the chair opposite of his desk and reached into the pocket of his pants, pulling out a black velvet box. He straightened his back as he open it up and stared down at the ring. Catherine had helped him pick it out. It was single sapphire stone on a white gold band. It was different but classic and beautiful like Sara.

As he stared down at the ring, thinking about all the things it symbolized, his cell began to buzz.

This made Grissom jump to his feet in surprise, dropping the ring onto the floor.

"Shit," he swore under his breath as he flipped open his cell phone and got down on his knees to retrieve the ring which had bounced underneath his desk.

"Gil, we're ready. The semen is positive." Spoke Catherine into the phone.

"What?" asked Grissom as he slide his body underneath his desk.

"The SEMEN is positive."

"Catherine I have no fucking idea what you are talking about!" he cried as he bummed his head on the desk, trying to get out.

"Gil, the semen….Sara is on her way." She cried giving up on code talk. She had been in the break with the guys; it was half way through the shift. Sara had just come back from a scene. Catherine had told her that Grissom had wanted to see her. Sara on hearing this had made a face but after a moment just shrugged and nodded her head.

The plan was for Sara to go to Grissom office and find it locked, that is when he will come out behind her and get down on one knee.

"Okay, okay," spoke Grissom into the phone as he got to his feet and hung up, placing the ring back into his pocket.

As Sara stood up to leave, she noticed that everyone was looking back at her smiling.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"It's nothing," spoke Nick, trying to hide the smile that was curving on his face. He had known there was something going on between Sara and Grissom. And since they had broken up, the whole shift had known. Just a couple of days ago, Grissom had come to him, Warrick and Greg for help on how to propose and such. When it came to romance, Grissom was a little hopeless in Nick's option.

"No Nicky, what's up? Why are u all staring at me?" she asked, annoyed, her hands on her hips. She looked around the table at her fellow co-workers, her eyes narrowing.

"Sara, it's nothing!" spoke Warrick, placing at hand on the crook of her elbow. Sara looked down into Warrick's green eyes and eased up a bit.

"Okay," she whispered running her hand through her hair. "I guess I am just nervous to see Grissom that is all."

"Just go," spoke Catherine getting up from her seat and ushering Sara out the door.

Sara through the blonde a confused looked as she began to walk down the hall. Once Sara had turned the corner, Catherine turned back to the guys and smiled.

"Let's go!"

With that all four of them left the break room and followed Sara down the all. The half of the lab was buzzing about the proposal about to happening. At least the night shift half was. All the lab techs knew what was about to happen and casually left their stations as they noticed Sara walked by, heading in the direction of Grissom's office followed by Catherine, Nick, Greg and Warrick.

Not noticing the swarm of people behind her, Sara stopped in front of Grissom's office; letting out a deep breath before knocking.

There was no reply.

She knocked again, still no answer.

He must be having a migraine, through Sara to herself as she noticed the lights where all off inside. She knew how Grissom had to be in total darkness and silence when a powerful migraine came over him.

She tried knocking one more time, this time a little softer. "Grissom, it's me Sara," she cried into the door. "Cat said you wanted to see me."

Still no answer.

With a frustrated sigh, Sara reached out and tried the door knob. It was locked.

Great, thought Sara. Now what was she suppose to do? As she stared at the door, thinking of what to do next, music began to play over the announcements of the lab.

It was Collide by Howie Day, one of Sara's favourite songs playing softly. As she looked up at the ceiling surprised to hear music playing, she heard someone say her name.

"Sara."

With this, she turned around; facing away from the door.

"Grissom."

There he stood before her, his blue eyes piercing into her. There was a microphone in his hand.

"Sara," he spoke again, this time into the mic; Making his voice ring over the PTA in the lab. The whole lab could hear him now.

"Grissom, what the hell is going on?" she asked. Why was he dressed in a tuxedo and why did it seem like everyone was crowded around the two of them? What was he up to?

"Sara, shhh," replied Grissom taking a step towards her.

A blanket of silence fell over them for a moment before Grissom spoke into the microphone, talking to the lab but also to Sara.

"Sara Sidle," he began. "Everyone is the love of my life. She has been since the day I met her almost nine years ago, at a conference. She was as beautiful then as she is now. It might come to surprise to most of you that I, Dr. Gilbert Grissom am speaking these words to you, out loud. I know I come off as a very private person at times but there is something that I should had spoken out long, that couldn't wait any longer. I love you. Sara Sidle I am in love with you. You make me feel like a difference person. You don't make me feel like a loner or a creep. You make me feel loved and accepted. You bring out the depths of me that I have shown no one else, not even myself. I have made mistakes Sara. I know. That I wish I could take back but I can not." Grissom then took another step closer to Sara. This time he was only talking to her.

"I was scared Sara. Scared of what we had together. Scared that if I spoke it out loud and told someone that it would all be gone in a flash: our life together, you. And now I realized by keeping it all hidden and not telling, that it ruined us even more. I'm sorry Sara. I wish I could take it all back and agree with you. But I can not. However I can stand here and tell everyone who we work with how much I adore you. You are my sunshine in the morning. You bring to me brightness and light. You bring to me hope and a happiness I have never experienced before. You make me feel whole and excepted. Sara being around you, I feel like I don't have to pretend. I can be myself. My bug loving self, and you still love me. You accept my flaws and all. And that is what makes me love you. You are always there for me. Even when I am not the nicest to you. You see past all that though. When I look at you, I can't believe that you love an old man like me. I don't know why? You could have anyone and you choose me, that is why I love you. I might not always see the picture but you do, Sara Sidle. All the time. That is why I want to ask you this question. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." With that Grissom reached into his front pocket and pulled out the ring and dropped to one knee.

"Sara, Will you marry me?"