February 2009

"So you're getting married here? Not back in the states?" Oliver questioned as he and Sara sat in the research lab going over numbers and data.

"We are." She smiled.

"So by this time next week you'll be Mrs. Grissom." She could sense a bit of disappointment in his tone. He reminded her a little of Greg in that way, where she knew nothing romantic would ever happen but that idea on his end had ignited what was now a very solid friendship.

"Actually, according to Costa Rican custom, the woman keeps her maiden name."

"Is that right?"

She nodded smally as put her nose down the microscope once more, "Though we haven't really talked about that..." Her voice trailed off, realizing neither had given that much thought before.

Later that night, she and Grissom laid in their bed together. Her head resting in the space of her chest where she could feel his heartbeat against her.

"Gil." She spoke softly, taking a hand of his in hers.

"Yes, dear?"

"I realized we haven't talked much, or at all really, about my surname..."

"You know, according to Costa Rican cultural rituals, the bride typically keeps her maiden name." This was met with a deep, husky laugh from sara. "What?" He questioned, sitting up now to look into her eyes.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just—I quoted that same line to Oliver earlier in the day when we were discussing it."

"I see." His eyes twinkled as his boyish grin surfaced on his lips. "You know, If you'd like—You can legally keep Sidle, and we can just call you Mrs. Sara Grissom." He grinned a bit mischievous now as he began to closed the space between them.

"Mrs. Grissom." She echoed, their faces now mere centimeters apart. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too." He breathed softly before taking her lips in his and kissing her passionately, desperately wanting.

Grissom and Sara stood together, facing one another. Her hands rested in his reassuring grip as the officiate spoke on until it was time for the vows. The officiate nodded his head in gesture for Grissom to begin:

"I, Gil, take you, Sara, to be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know, I will respect your integrity and have faith in your abiding love for me, through all our years, and in all that life may bring us." He stared deep into Sara's eyes, watching her emotions play out. Feeling the warmth in her hands rise.

Sara thought back to all the years and moments it took for them to get to this point. To have him here with here, standing in front of her likes this, vulnerable and exposed. She thought back to the lecture hall, the giddy school-girl like crush she had on him immediately. She thought about how she uprooted her life from San Fransisco all on a hunch that he may feel the same. She thought of the earlier years in Las Vegas, alone and cold, always at the brunt of his bad moods and emotional unavailability. Then that night in May of 2005 when he'd finally succumb to his feelings and let their relationship begin to blossom. That was almost four years ago now.

The officiate gave Sara a small nudge, taking her out of her daydream and reminding her it was her turn to speak.

"Gil, You know that I love you—I feel I've loved you my whole life. Today, I take you as my husband, with your faults and your strengths, as I offer myself to you with my faults and my strengths. I will help you when you need help, and turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life."

They exchanged simple silver wedding bands. Grissom let his hands linger as he slipped the band over her long slender finger. Feeling her smooth skin below the pads of his finger tips.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. Gilbert Arthur Grissom, you may kiss your bride." Grissom lifted his hand to Sara's cheek and gently pulled her toward him, kissing her lips softly.

Grissom felt completely overwhelmed as he pulled back and looked deep into Sara's eyes. Watching her smile her Sidle-famous grin—or would he call it her Grissom-famous grin now? He mused.

It had been one month since the canoe ride where Grissom told Sara about Paris. In that time their research grant had winded down and as of yesterday, ran out. They both took this is a sign to marry that week and begin their honeymoon across South America before settling in France for a while. So that's just what they did. After the ceremony Grissom and Sara retrieved their bags, shipped a few boxes to Paris and made their way for the airport.

First Stop: Mexico.

Grissom had been very insistent that they travel to Mexico once they were married, and Sara couldn't quite understand why. When she'd ask, he'd simply say, "There's something there I want to show you."

"It's about a four hour hike from here." Grissom spoke as he reviewed the paper terrain map in his hands. Sara readjusted the pack on her back.

"To where?" She tried again but Grissom's only response was a silent smile. She'd been trying to get him to give up the end destination for the whole trip from Costa Rica here, but he wasn't budging.

The two hiked through the forest and mountainy terrain, taking breaks every now and then to rest their legs and drink some water.

"These hiking legs could have come in handy out in the desert that day." She didn't need to elaborate, he knew exactly what she was talking about. The fact that she was able to bring up the incident so casually reassured him that she really was okay. This trip had done wonders for her, for both of them.

He simply smiled in return.

"Did you mail out the post card in the last village?"

"I did." He responded simply. Grissom and Sara were trying their best to keep their former co-workers in mind, knowing they'd appreciate even the most subtle communication from the couple. Each city they passed through, Grissom and Sara had formed a habit of sending out post cards. One for the team back in Vegas, one for his mother, and one for the Crow family.

It was around this time that the team in Vegas received their first post card from Costa Rica. This postcard, however, was in an envelope since Grissom and Sara had added a photo to the message. The post card read:

Hello from just north of the equator in Costa Rica!
Grissom joined me here nearly two months ago at this point.
He's been assisting in determining insect migration and reproduction changes due to climate change
While I've been studying and classifying marine life.
Today we got married and are now headed across South America for our Honeymoon

We miss you all.

Love,
The Grissoms Xx

Catherine nearly lost her balance in reading the post card. She shook out a small photo from the envelope to see Grissom standing just behind Sara, his arms wrapped around her, smiling. The photo looked to have been taken just after getting married. Her heart swelled with happiness for her friends.

She quickly made her way to the break room to share the news with the rest of team.

From then, Catherine had started a timeline of sorts of the post cards. Each one received, the team would get together in the break room and read it. Then she'd pin it on a bulletin board in the office Nick, Greg and Reilly now shared—Grissom's old office—and post them in chronological order. She even used the little tacks that Grissom used to post up pupae for his linear regression timelines.

Grissom and Sara continued to trek on. "We should arrive in 30 minutes or so." Grissom spoke through slightly ragged breathing.

"Lets take another break here then." Sara took a few more steps and sat down on a large log. She pulled out the water from her pack and threw it Grissom's way.

"This place must be really special if you were the one to volunteer such a long hike." She smirked knowingly.

"It is." He smiled simply. "I've been here once before."

"You have?"

He nodded, "Yes. During college I took a trip to this location—" He stopped himself from expanding, "But that's all I'll say. I don't want to give it away."

"I really thought I had you there." She laughed easily.

"Stay still." Grissom spoke seriously, causing Sara to freeze.

"What..." The apprehension in her voice was evident.

"Stay still, but look to your left. about three feet."

Sara glanced with her eyes to her left to see a large insect, the size of two fists. "What is that?"

"I believe it's an Elephant Beetle." Grissom took a few steps closer to the beetle, slowly, "They typically lay their larvae in large decaying logs."

"Oh." Sara slowly stood and grabbed her pack, realizing she was, in fact, sitting on a large decaying log.

"They're typically active at night. It's rare to spot one around this time of day." Grissom looked up to the sun, "What is it? Around five?"

Sara checked her watch, "Yeah, 5:30." She smiled as she watched him crouch down near the bug, "Lennon? Rebellious, yet eternally idealistic?"

Grissom smiled without looking up, remembering the Beatles joke she'd made all those years ago in San Fransisco when they'd first met. Her material hadn't changed much over time, but he liked that.

"Okay." He stood now wiping off his hands after having snapped a quick shot of the bug, "Let's keep going. We're very close."

Grissom and Sara threw their packs on their backs once more and continued on. Passing more bugs along the way that Grissom forced himself not to stop for. It would take them too long to get to their end destination should he keep stoping, he realized, and he wanted to make sure she could see the destination in the daylight.

"Look up." Sara spoke as she halted in her path. "Are those Monarch Butterflies?" She watched as the fluttered over head, weaving through the canopying trees.

"We're getting close." Grissom spoke without looking up, urging her to keep going.

"Oh, wow." Sara fell speechless as they approached large Oyamel trees completely covered in Monarch Butterflies. Grissom caught up to her and stood beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"It's called the Mountain of Butterflies." He spoke as she gazed in awe at the trees that looked alive with each flutter of the Butterflies' wings. "When I was a freshman in college, there was a team of zoologists from Canada who were trying to find the overwinter location of the Monarch Butterfly—Ken Brugger and Catalina Trail. They'd been search for near a decade at that point, and I joined the team of volunteers just at the tail end of the search. We found this location just a few months into me joining the team. I was 19 at the time—God, feels like forever ago." He looked at her now, watching as she took in the overwhelming site,

"They migrate here in mid October. But February and march is their mating season, so we came at a perfect time to see a lot of activity."

He smiled widely as she now turned to him.

"I have no words." She said simply, still in awe at the beautiful sight. The pair sat together and watched as the butterflies swirled through the air like autumn leaves. Sara took out the camera and snapped a few photos, trying her best to capture the spectacular sight, knowing full well that no photo could do this scene justice.