AN: Thanks for the continued support, here is the next chapter.


Chapter 9: A crazy idea?

Nick then cleared his throat before speaking again. "And he lives here?"

She nodded. "In the pool house." Then she asked, now confused. "I thought you said this has something to do with my niece's case, but I don't understand how Nolan is a part of this."

"Mrs. Tuck..."

Rose cuts Nick off. "Please it's Rose."

Nick nodded. "Ok, Rose, is he home? We would like to talk to him if he is."

She nodded as she moved to the side to let them in her home. "As far as I know he is, you can come in and check for yourselves."

"Thank you."

As they walked into the house, Sara mentioned how nice her home is, and before Rose could speak, Sadie came rushing down the stairs with a smile. "Mrs. Grissom!" Before giving her a hug the moment she could.

As Sara gave the young girl a hug in return, Rose spoke in surprise. "You're Mrs. Grissom? Married to Dr. Grissom?"

Sara looked at Rose while Sadie started to move back from her. "I am, I'm helping Director Stokes on your niece's case. I am sorry for your loss." As Rose nodded sadly, Sara looked at Sadie. "And yours as well."

Sadie nodded before speaking. "Grissom said Nick was going to try his hardest at finding out who did this to my mom."

Sara smiled with another nod as she kneeled down so she was eye-level with the girl. "And he will, I've known him for a very long time, he's one of the best CSI's out there."

Sadie eyes went to Nick with a hopeful look before Rose cleared her throat and spoke again. "Sadie, honey, why don't you go back upstairs please."

Sadie nodded one more time before sharing a hug with Sara again, then she rushed back upstairs.

While Sara was standing up, Rose spoke as she led the way to the back. "Would you like anything to drink?"

Nick declined but Sara agreed while they followed her to the back door, after Rose pointed to the pool house, which was like a mini house, on the other side of the spacious yard, next to the pool, Nick walks out while Sara stayed behind and followed Rose to the kitchen.

As Rose was getting the tea for Sara, she asked with worry. "Did Nolan really do something?"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Tucker but I can't talk about an ongoing investigation, but I would like to ask you some questions about him if you don't mind?"

Rose nodded with a smile as she handed Sara her tea. "Ask away."

While Rose was getting a drink for herself, Sara started asking her questions. "How long have you known Nolan?"

Rose puts a lemon on the side of her glass as she replied. "Well, let's see, I hired him to become my driver when Hailey decided to relocate to Paris, so I say about 10 years."

"So, it's safe to say Hailey didn't know him very well, right?"

"Right, she hasn't been home since she left for Paris because it's been too hard for her, which is understandable after losing her parents and uncle here, so when I wanted to see them, I went to them while he stayed here."

Sara nodded in understanding, and she was about to ask her next question but stopped herself, so the older woman spoke softly, sensing her hesitation. "Whatever you have to ask, please do it. I'm an open book and I want to help as much as I can, regardless of the outcome. I just want my niece to have justice, she's going to miss so much of Sadie's life. It's not fair that she's going to grow up without her mom."

Sara nodded again, finishing Rose's thought. "And her aunt."

Rose didn't look shocked or surprised and just commented as a matter of fact. "So, you know."

"I do, I guess Hailey had told Nick the night they had met, which was why she was coming back to live in San Diego."

"That is true, which I told her she didn't have to, but she wanted to be here for me."

Sara cleared her throat before asking her next question. "And because you are dying, I assume you made up a will?"

"Of course I did."

"Is Nolan in it?"

"He is, I felt like he deserved something for being basically my servant for the past 10 years."

"Does he know that he is in it?"

"I'm not su..." Rose stops herself and starts to get a little more upset. "Wait, are you telling me he did this for money?"

"I'm not saying he did, but money/greed is one of the top motives, and if he felt he was going to get slighted in anyway once Hailey came back into your life on a daily basis, or wanted more than what he knew he was going to get if she were out of the picture, then..."

Rose cuts her off as she slams her hand on the table before standing up. "That ungrateful little son of a..."

Now Sara cuts her off as she stood up as well to try and calm her down. "Mrs. Tucker..."

"Please, it's Rose."

"Ok, Rose. To be honest we don't know for sure if it was him, he was wearing a mask that covered the bottom half of his face, sunglasses and a hat, but she was followed today to the park by a black, chevy impala that was rented under his name."

Rose's heart started to race as she asked. "What was she shot with?"

"A .32 revolver."

Rose gasped as she walked out of the kitchen quickly, Sara following close by asking what was it. They walk to her study, Rose moved a huge, framed picture of the family that was hanging on the wall off to the side, opened the safe that was behind it and exclaimed. "It's gone!"

"He knew the combination to the safe?"

Rose turned to look at Sara. "Apparently. He's the only one to have access to it and knew where it was."

Before Sara could speak, Sadie came rushing into the room. "I think something is going on outside, there is splashing in the pool."

Both women gasped before Sara spoke. "Sadie, stay in the room with your aunt." Before she rushed out of the room and out to the back to see Nick and Nolan fighting in the pool, so she pulled her barrowed gun out and trained it on Nolan, ready to fire if she had the shot.

Finally about two minutes later, Nick finally had the upper hand and pushed him to the side of the pool so they could get out while Sara's gun was still on Nolan.

"Don't even think about making a run for it, Mr. Scott."

As Nolan was getting cuffed, Rose walked out of house and stopped in front of the young man with a deathly glare that could take Sara's interragtion look a run for her money, and just as he was about to speak, she slapped him hard while speaking in a disgusted tone. "I can't believe everything that I had done for you this is how you repay me. I never want to see your face again." She then looked at Nick. "Take this piece of scum off my property."

Nick nodded while leading him towards the back gate. "Gladly."

Rose then looks at Sara. "I give you permission to search anywhere and everywhere you need to, I want that bastard put away."

"Yes ma'am."


By the time a full shift and a half was gone, they had gathered all of the evidence they needed to put Nolan away, and they also found out that he didn't only want as much money as he could get from Rose, but he needed it as well to pay off some gambling debts he had racked up.

Team members from the day and swing shift were sitting in the breakroom, including Sara and Grissom, when Nick walked into the room, he looked at the teams with a smile. "I want to thank each and every one of you for helping out today, I know most of you worked overtime for this one, and those coming in early for their shift, but it was very much appreciated."

They all said it was their pleasure to help before Nick dismissed them, leaving Sara and Grissom alone with him in the room.

Nick looked at them, getting a little emotional. "I don't know what to say, I wish it can be more than a tha..."

Sara cuts him off with a smile as she walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Nick, you don't need to thank us, we needed to finish this as much as you did."

Nick took a breath and nodded. "Yeah." After Nick and Sara shared a hug, Nick spoke again. "I'm going to go to Rose's place and tell her in person that we solved the case, I'll meet you at my house later."

Grissom spoke after clearing his throat. "Actually, we were kind of hoping we could join you."

Nick nodded again with a smile. "I'm sure she would like that as well. I have to put these files in my office then I'll meet you guys out in the parking lot."

"You got it."

A moment later they left the room then Sara and Grissom went towards the daycare area while Nick headed for his office.


15 minutes later they had stopped their vehicles in front of Rose's house before they got out and walked up the walkway.

When they made it to the front door Nick knocked and they waited a few moments before the door opened.

Rose looked at them with curiosity before Nick spoke after clearing his throat. "I just wanted to tell you in person that we solved it. Nolan Scott is going away for a very long time. Hailey got her justice."

Rose wiped a few tears off her cheeks as she gave Nick a hug. "Thank you, Director Stokes."

Nick smiled as he gave her a hug in return. "You're welcome, but how about calling me Nick."

Rose nodded as she pulled back from the younger man. "Ok, and would you all like to come in for dinner?"

Nick shook his head. "No, we don't want to intrude, we just wanted to..."

Rose cuts him off. "It wouldn't be an intrusion, please come in. I mean it's nothing fancy, only pizza, but I know I'll have plenty."

Before any of the grown-ups could speak, Willliam spoke with excitement. "Piazza, yummy!"

Rose chuckled. "I think the little boy has spoken."

Nick looks back at Sara and Grissom, then Grissom spoke with a smile. "If it isn't really too much trouble, we'll be happy to join you."

Rose moved to the side to let them in her house. "It's really not, come in."

They all thanked her as they walked into the house, then after she shut the door once everyone was inside, she was formally introduced to William before they all headed to the kitchen, where they met Sadie, who was happy to see them all.


Later that evening, once the Grissom family and Nick made it back to his place after dinner and some firework watching, they put a tired William to bed and said goodnight themselves, but while Sara did eventually fall asleep, Grissom could not, no matter how much he tired, so he gets up and heads out of the room to go downstairs to get some water before sitting out on the deck, listening to the calming sound of the waves as he closed his eyes with a heavy sigh.

About 20 minutes later, he hears the back door open and Sara's concerned voice. "Babe, are you ok?"

He opened his eyes and looked over at his wife, who was wearing one of his old Cubs t-shirts and her sweatpants, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I couldn't fall asleep, and I didn't want to disturb you, so..."

She cuts him off with a smirk as she walked closer to him so she could sit in his lap. "But you know you disturb my sleep when you leave my side."

He nodded with another small sigh as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Yeah, I also needed some air."

She nodded in understanding before cupping his cheek while looking at him with those concerned eyes. "Is this about Hailey?"

He sighed. "She still had so much of her life to live. Not to mention Sadie, God Sara. (He ran his hand down his face before he continued) she just lost her mom and is about to lose her aunt, the last of her relatives, at least those who actually care about her." He sighed one more time with a short shake of the head. "I told her I would figure out what happens next for her."

She ran her thumb up and down his cheek to calm him down while replying softly. "And if I know my husband like I do, I bet he figured it out."

"What I've been thinking about all day is crazy."

Sara tilted her head a little and asked with a smile. "And why is bringing her into our home a crazy idea?"

Grissom now looked shocked. "Sara, how did..."

She cuts him off with a smile. "For one, like I said, I know my husband and how he thinks, and two, honestly I was thinking the same thing since talking to Rose earlier today. Sadie is going to need a loving home, and what better place is that than ours, we have plenty of love to give and we have the room."

Still not believing they were having this conversation, he asked. "Are you sure this is what you want to do, Sara?"

No hesitation on her part, she replied. "I am, are you?"

Not seeing an ounce of doubt in her eyes, he nodded with a smile slowly building. "I am." He then smiled wider as he cupped her cheek this time. "I love you, so much."

"I love you too, Griss." This time she sighed. "Now we just need to figure out how to bring up the subject to Rose."

Now feeling like the biggest thing on his mind that had been keeping him up was talked about, he suddenly felt tired, so not able to stop a yawn, it came through.

Sara gave him a warm smile as she ran her thumb up and down his cheek. "Why don't we try and figure that out in the morning before we go over to her house."

Rose decided to have a celebration of life for Hailey tomorrow so Sara and Grissom could be a part of it since she knew Sara had to get back to her job, if they were unavailable for the actual funeral in a few weeks.

Grissom nodded then spoke after another yawn. "I agree."

They kissed softly before Sara got off her husband's lap, then they took each other's hand and headed to the kitchen so he could place the glass in the sink before they headed back upstairs, first to check on Hank and William before going to bed, completely exhausted every way possible after the unexpected day they had.


AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. Three more chapters to go. Hope you all had a safe/wonderful weekend.

On a side note: Those who don't know, on the 20th of this month was my 11th year anniversary of one of my first stories posted here, and I want to give everyone a big thank you for sticking with me all these years, you guys are what's giving me confidence of continuing year after year, and hopefully I'll continue on for many more. It's been a wild ride so far, and I'm not done yet! And last but not least, always remember GSR4ever!