A/N: New chappy time. I generally don't post new chapters of different stories on the same night but considering this may be my last chance for a bit, I thought it was the best plan. It's very fluffy in here right now, so I hope you enjoy it :) Thank you, as always for the great reviews and following. Humble bow to Calim for another brill beta. Christmas is upon us and also the Grove. Will it be a happy one for them? Next few chapters will tell…

Enjoy :)

Chapter 125

It was a little before dinner when Sara woke. She didn't actually expect to sleep so long and it was a rare thing for her to do in the daytime. More than likely all the wedding talk and stress of Grissom's fall had exhausted her more than she realized. Once she noticed the time, she quickly freshened up and hurried to her fiancé's room, hoping he was in a more talkative mood than he'd been earlier.

Entering the room, she found him awake, out of bed and sitting by the window. Hearing the door open, he looked over his shoulder to see her slowly approach, giving him a warm but uncertain smile.

"Hi," she said softly upon reaching him.

His lips twitched. "Hi," he replied.

"Should you be out of bed?" she questioned, taking a quick glance through the window to notice the snow had finally stopped.

As he took her hand, she looked down at him. "I'm fine," he insisted. "Just a little sore and…my pride is hurt more than anything else."

"Hmmm…" she mewed, her eyes narrowing a touch.

"And I'm sorry for my attitude earlier," he continued. "Lots of things on my mind today…but I had no right to take it out any anyone like I did…"

Running a hand across his cheek she pulled up a chair to sit beside him. "Would you like to talk?" she asked, retaking his hand and carefully tugging him around to face her.

Reaching behind him, he picked up the telegram from the top of the dresser and held it out. With an inquisitive look, she took the paper from him, opened it and read. Her brow inclined once she'd finished, surprised at the content.

"Oh…" she mumbled, lowering the telegram to meet his gaze.

"When your father and I were left alone earlier, he decided to tell me all about how things would be once we were married," he began, "and what he expected."

Her eyes narrowed again. "How do you mean?"

Licking his lips, he took the telegram from her, folding it into a tiny square before dropping it back onto the dresser. "You are, after all, the heir to Providence Grove, Sara," he continued. "This estate will be yours one day and as your husband, tradition merits that I would take control along with you. Ultimate responsibility would lie upon me to control the estate in totality once your father and mother had passed."

"That's a long, long, way away, Gil…" she interrupted. "Well…I would hope so anyway and…" she stopped in mid-sentence, something suddenly clicking. The telegram…Her mouth hung open but, for some reason, words suddenly evaded her and she frowned. She pointed behind him and swallowed. "Were you planning for us to leave?" she questioned, surprised and, honestly, a little shocked.

Taking a breath, he glimpsed back out the window for a moment. "I had considered the land to be our future. Maybe…"

"And you didn't ask me?"

His eyes shot back to her. "It was just a thought, Sara," he insisted. "An option. I hadn't put too much effort into any plans but, the land would have given us a new start if we had chosen it…away from here. A future…all of our own…making our own life with our own choices…I like to make my own decisions…" She just stared at him, dumbstruck and he reached for her hand again. "Sara…not that long ago, you were very unhappy. This place…this town…the people, you couldn't abide any of it. I ultimately didn't know whether we would stay here or not. That's when I really thought about the land. If you had asked me to take you away from here, I would have done it without question. I would do anything for you. I just…wasn't going to mention it unless it became a definite choice."

"But things have changed," she cut in.

He gave a nod and a sigh. "Yeah. You fought your demons and I'm very proud of you for that."

She gave a small smile, relaxing a little. "That's why father left you in the lounge, isn't it? You mentioned this to him and he wasn't very happy."

"You could say that," he replied. "I don't think he appreciated the idea of me taking you away from him. Not in that way anyway."

"Well…" she gave a shrug, "…we should at least be grateful he gave his blessing for the wedding. But no, I couldn't see him being too receptive of us moving away…"

Grissom ran his free hand over his mouth. "What if I asked you to move away with me, leave the Grove, what would you say?"

Her entire posture stiffened, her eyes becoming wide. "I…" she struggled for an answer. Closing her eyes, she took a breath. "That's a very unfair question," she mumbled.

"Why?" he asked softly.

With her eyes popping open, her lips gave him a deep pout. "Because you're putting me on the spot."

His mouth curled into a small grin. "Don't you like being on the spot?" he teased and she snorted.

A huge snort of air escaped her lungs and she tightly gripped onto his hand.

"Gil…I love you and no matter what happens, I will always be by your side. Whether or not I would be happy leaving here is another matter but, if you asked me to, I would follow you to the ends of the earth."

Grissom swallowed hard, his heart suddenly fluttering at her dedication and a bright smile found his lips now. Raising his free hand he crooked his finger at her. "Come a little closer," he requested.

Giving him another frown, Sara did as he asked, leaning into him and, before she could even blink, his lips descended upon hers in a warm and loving kiss. She smiled into him, her left hand clinging strongly onto his while her right slipped to the back of his neck, fingers gliding tenderly over his smooth skin.

"Hum…" she mewed dazedly when he pulled back, a slight pang of dizziness washing over her. Grissom certainly knew how to kiss a woman. And at that point in time, Sara felt like the luckiest woman in the world to have him as her own.

He didn't retreat by much and their noses still almost touched as his eyes wandered over her face. "I'm going to sell the land," he breathed quietly, his tongue drawing over his bottom lip.

Moving her hand to cup his right cheek, her eyes questioned his as they met. "Why?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter why. I will sell under one condition."

Her right eye twitched with suspicion but then she sighed when his hand rose to slide over her ribs and then up to her throat where he softly ran the tips of his fingers over her flesh. A tingle shot down her spine and she became a little breathless.

"And what might that be?" she squeaked.

Both his hands cupped her face now and he looked deep into your eyes. "That you are going to be happy staying here."

"Are you happy with that?"

"That's irrelevant. This is your birthright, your inheritance, your name, Sara. This is Sidle succession..."

Finding a smile, her hands raised to slide over his. "You know I don't care about money. And, in a few weeks, I won't be a Sidle anymore…"

"Sidle is your blood, Sara. That will never go away. Please, answer the question," he urged. "Will you be happy staying here?"

After a few moments, Sara gave a nod.

"Okay. Then, this is where we will stay."

Suddenly they both jumped, lowering their hands when someone cleared their throat behind them and there stood Laura. They had been so engrossed in each other they hadn't even heard her enter.

Giving them both a smile, Laura clasped her hands in front of her. "My…" she chuckled. "I could have set a cannon off then and I doubt if you would have heard."

Sara cleared her throat, shuffling around on the chair to place a little distance between herself and her fiancé. "We were talking, Mother."

Laura's smile just grew. "Well…I came to check on Gil and to tell you dinner is ready." She glanced at Grissom. "I can see you're looking a lot better."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "I'm feeling okay."

"Good. Rana will bring a tray up for you shortly. Sara, are you coming down to join us?"

Exchanging a quick glance with her fiancé, Sara puckered her lips. "Can I eat up here with Gil?"

Laura thought about the request. "Your father probably won't be too thrilled with that."

"Please," Sara shot back. "I will come speak with father afterwards. In fact…" She reached for Grissom's hand again. "I think we both will. It's not nice eating alone all the time especially after the day he's had. Please?"

Now Laura sighed. "Fine…" she mumbled. "But don't be making a habit of this. Dinner should be eaten at the dining table, unless, of course, you are sick. Hopefully, it won't be too long before Gil can join us for meals downstairs."

Grissom clicked his lips together. "I hope not," he said.

"Shall I tell your father you wish to speak with him afterwards, clear up this bad air?" she asked.

"Yeah," Grissom answered, squeezing Sara's hand. "We've made our decision."

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December 6th 1859.

Just over two weeks had passed since Grissom's clash with the coffee table. During that time both he and Sara sat down with the captain and Laura to discuss their future. Apologies were made, feelings were expressed and, ultimately, his decision to remain at The Grove after their wedding was what put a smile on the ranch owner's face. Clasping Sara's hand, Grissom tucked away the idea that his place in Alexandria would still be there if they should need it and smiled back.

Grissom's main focus of the past few weeks had been getting mobile. He'd been set back a little by re-opening his wound but that didn't deter him all that much. In fact, it made him more focused. In less than a month, he needed to be fit for his wedding and, before that, Christmas. Those were his top priorities. And, of course, he needed to venture out to buy Sara a ring and Christmas gift.

The rancher had lots of support during his walking sprees. Sara spent a lot of time with her mother planning the wedding, so he was left with other company throughout the day. His main helpers had certainly become Nicolas and Gregory. Those boys would do anything to get out of work around the estate, especially given the weather, so both were happy to become Grissom's main minders when he didn't have Sara by his side.

The rancher could now walk on his own with minimal discomfort although he still used his cane for support. He'd even begun venturing outside and today Sara had promised she would escort him to the stables. He hadn't seen Dante since he'd been shot and he looked forward to saying hello to his friend. The horse must be pretty upset with him though so, oddly, he was a little nervous. Grissom found it a tad humorous that he felt that way about seeing a horse.

Now Sara…Sara got more and more nervous as each day passed. Yes, she was occupied with the wedding planning and Grissom's recovery but the closer they got to the 'date' the more butterflies grew in her tummy. And it was only the first week of the month. How would she feel the week of the actual wedding? She did a good job of hiding it though. No one actually saw how nervous she really was. She did relish the thought of being Grissom's wife, it filled her with more joy than she could ever express. To love a man like him? To have him love her in return? It was the most amazing feeling in the world. But, could she give all that a wife should when that night came upon them?

Fine, their intimacy had grown. The amount of times he'd sent shivers down her spine and indecent thoughts through her mind by something as simple as kiss had become a regular occurrence but, it was all about stepping over that line, that boundary that was more than just a kiss, or touch, or stroke.

She was scared. It was as simple as that. Scared that, when the time came to cross that point, she wouldn't be able to do it. That night, when she'd been taken against her will had hurt her more than she ever thought possible. Would she be able to forge through it, to let him make her his once and for all? It's what she wanted, wanted more than anything. But could she do it?

But now, as she wrapped a scarf around her fiancé's neck, tucking it snuggly into the top of his jacket to prevent any cold getting to him, she put aside her worries and fears. The smile on his face just made them fizzle away, at least for now.

"Now…are you sure you're up to this?" she asked, taking his hat from the hall closet and twiddling it between her fingers. "Because it's a long walk to the stables…"

He tapped his cane down in front of him, placing both hands upon the top. He simply stared at her with nothing but a grin.

"Why are you…looking at me like that?" she asked suspiciously.

"No reason," he replied. "I like looking at you…"

"Hmmm…" she mumbled, plonking the hat on his head. "That still doesn't answer my question now, does it?"

"I'll be fine," he insisted. "I've been outside half a dozen times this week already."

Her eyes narrowed as she reached back into the closet for her own scarf. "Yes, but…" She wrapped the scarf around her neck before taking two pairs of gloves from the shelf, "…you haven't wandered far from the house, have you? The paths to the stables, although clear, will still be very icy and some are downhill. I don't want you slipping…" She crooked a finger at him. "Hands…."

One by one, he held out his hands and she slipped on his gloves. "I need to see my boy, Sara. He'll think I've abandoned him. I promise I'll be careful. Besides I'll have you with me. I'm sure you will protect me…"

Sara laughed and rolled her eyes, slipping on her left glove. "Yeah, Gil. I'm great at preventing you from flying flat on your ass because you caught a patch of black ice. And, if you did slip badly, you're a lot heavier than me. You'd probably pull me down with you."

"Well…" he shrugged, "…I can think of worse things than being flat on my back and you being on top of me…"

She slapped him lightly on the left arm with her second glove but couldn't quite help the smile that found her lips. "Fine," she sighed. "Let's go see your boy…"

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The couple headed along the final path towards the stables. It was indeed icy but not as bad as either of them thought it would be and, despite what Sara had previously said, she'd looped her right arm through his left. If he slipped, she was going with him It was as simple as that.

However, they made it to the stables without incident, stopping outside the main door. Grissom thumped his cane down with a satisfied sigh, a breath of frozen air floating before them.

"This feels good," he said, sucking in a deep breath before happily exhaling, glancing around at the glorious sheet of white that surrounded them. He did love the winter time as it brought out nature in all her fine glory. "Fresh, cool and crisp…"

"And getting dark," Sara reminded him. "So, we really shouldn't be too long, okay?"

He gave a nod, understanding that walking back in the dark certainly wouldn't be a great idea.

Giving him a smile, she unbolted the door and pulled open one side to give them access, ensuring she closed it behind them to keep the warmth in. Instantly, they heard a loud snort quickly followed by a stomp.

"I think he knows you're here," Sara chuckled.

Grissom smiled brightly, or to rephrase…he giggled, and as fast as his body would allow, he moved through the stable, rounded the corner to the line of stalls and stopped right outside the first one as another snort came. He looked like a five year old who had just been given a bag of candy and Sara really did find the look of excitement on his face amusing and heartwarming.

Unlatching the top half of the door, the rancher pulled it open and came nose to nose with his steed. Suddenly, Dante emitted a loud neigh, causing Grissom to take a quick step back. The horse frantically shook his head from side to side, over and over and then, without warning, bolted up onto his hind legs with another impressive neigh, his front legs kicking wildly in front of him. Airborne for a few seconds before thudding back to the ground he stared his master in the eye.

"I don't know if he's happy to see me or mad at me," Grissom said hesitantly.

The horse kicked the door and Grissom jumped. Snorting, Sara moved closer to the stall taking hold of her fiancé's arm.

"Are you mad at him?" she asked the horse. Dante's head shook again. "You missed him?" she continued.

Now Dante gave a healthy nod and Grissom's smile returned.

"He was told about your condition, Gil," Sara said, reaching out to pat the stallion on the nose. "And because he's just so amazing…" She shook her head, "…in fact I'm still trying to take in just how amazing he is….he's been very understanding and patient. Haven't you, boy?"

Giving a healthy snort, Dante offered another stomp with his back leg.

Confident he wasn't in trouble and, at the risk of a major kicking, Grissom unbolted the bottom door and stepped into the stall, instantly reaching out to run his hand over the horse's muzzle and down along his back.

"I've missed you, my lad," the rancher said sincerely. "I don't think we've ever spent this much time apart since the first day we met…"

Dante shoved his nose into Grissom's shoulder and gave a soft whinny.

"He'll be in need of a really good run when you can ride again," Sara informed her man, moving into the stall to give Dante a pat on the back. "He hasn't been very accommodating to anyone else trying to mount him. So, he's just been taken for walks."

Grissom knew the only other person Dante would be happy riding him was Sara and she'd had enough to do without having to take his horse for regular exercise.

"Is that right?" he questioned, cupping both sides of Dante's face and staring him in the eye. "Are you still as stubborn as always?"

The stallion gave a nod and Grissom gave a smirk.

"He's been pretty occupied though," Sara admitted.

"Oh?" the rancher questioned, stepping back out of the stall to grab an apple from the bucket on the work bench.

"Yeah…" Sara replied, pointing over her shoulder as he reappeared. "Pandora keeps him busy, every, single, day. They are inseparable."

Giving a light chuckle, Grissom held the apple out and Dante happily nibbled on it. "Is that so? Are you smitten?"

Taking the now half-eaten apple in his mouth, Dante gave another nod, stepped back and approached the divide into the stall next door. Pandora popped her nose through a gap in the wood and Dante passed her the apple with a cheerful snort.

"Wow," Sara sighed, slipping her arm through her fiancé's. "Would you do that for me?" she asked, watching as Dante gave the filly's muzzle a light lick.

"What? Give you a half-eaten apple?"

Sara poked him, snuggling closer, placing her head on his shoulder as he sniggered. "It's so cute."

"Well, come the spring, it may be a lot more than cute," Grissom retorted. "Imagine when she's in heat…"

Clearing her throat, Sara frowned. "I'd…rather not think about that…thank you. And that's why there is always someone watching them. Don't want him teasing too much. A foal at this time of the year is definitely not an option."

He sniggered again. "Certainly not…"

"Well…" Sara sighed now, pushing herself straight, "…we should think about getting back while we still have some light left."

"Okay," he agreed, giving his boy one last healthy pat on the neck. "I'll be down to see you a bit more often now and, as soon as I'm able, and the weather clears, we're off for a long run, all right?"

Dante gave a snort, doing a few circles of the stall before returning to the divide to watch Pandora. Grissom gave him one last smile before they left the stall. He re-bolted the door and took a healthy deep breath.

"Feel a bit happier now that you've seen him?" Sara asked.

Grissom's smile remained and he gave a nod.

"Good." Sara took his arm again. "Come on. Let's get you back before it gets too icy and you can have a nice hot bath before bed…"

*** - "He embraced her, and humbly thanked Heaven for having bestowed her on him. By-and-bye, they went into the house." (Slightly adapted)

A/N: Awwwwww...I really need to get evil hat back in here. It's too cute! Lol. Happy Christmas guys, don't forget to hit that review button. It makes santa happy :P