AN: A new chapter. This story is 6 chapters-one more after this one. Thank you for reading.

Thanatos

Chapter 5

The move from hospital to home, while tiring, had given Jim a sense of peace. When Sara arrived the next morning, he was dressed, with help from Greg, in a blue shirt and soft jeans and in his recliner instead of the bed. The nurse had already visited; a care aide was scheduled for late afternoon. Catherine and Greg had talked most of the night; Catherine was ready to sleep and left soon after Sara arrived but Greg decided he'd stay for a while.

Sara alerted Catherine of two children already in her pool. Catherine waved a hand, saying, "I won't hear a thing—the walls are thick and my bedroom is nearly sound-proof! I'll see you later."

Brass insisted he wanted to see Gemma and Will as well as their father so Sara sent Gil a message.

"I want to see those smart kids," he said with a chuckle, adding, "I hope Will has some new magic tricks."

Sara washed a few dishes while Greg gathered linens and pajamas for the laundry. A few minutes later, they were seated near Jim talking about their time at the crime lab. Jim added his own version of stories as they laughed at moments that occurred in life-changing events.

Greg and Sara giggled like school kids as Brass told tales about Gil Grissom—from the time Grissom tried to hide a mark on his neck that Brass was certain was a 'love bite' to the time the two men grilled and ate, with no ill effects, a pork roast Grissom had used in an experiment.

While talking about several people who work in the lab, Jim said, "The first time I knew Sara Sidle liked me was," He looked at Sara. "You must have been here four years or so—when you found the two kids abandoned in a storage shed—remember that case?"

Sara nodded, saying, "One little boy had died from—from starvation."

"We found him in a plastic bin," said Greg. "That was a hard one."

"Yeah, that's the one. When the kids' mother was coming back, Sara told me to go with the living—the dead could wait." Brass made a soft chuckle. "I knew she liked me."

Sara laughed, saying, "Jim, I liked you before then! You always had our backs—always!"

Pointing his finger at a cabinet near the television, Brass said, "There is a folder in that drawer—got your names on it. Greg, get it out—I want you to know about it."

Greg opened the cabinet finding two identical folders and pulled both out. One had Jim's housekeeper's name on it and the other had their names printed on it.

"Bring both, would you?" Jim asked. And when he got the two folders, he said, "This one's for Mirta—she's been good to me for years. I'm leaving this house to her—she doesn't know it and it can wait until—until I'm gone."

He handed the second folder to Sara, saying, "I did this years ago—before you and Gil got back together. I've left it that way thinking you and Greg would work it out." His voice had faded to a whisper. "It's a place I have up at Lake Tahoe—got it right after I moved out here—it's not fancy—haven't used it much and keep it rented most of the time."

Sara and Greg looked at each other, puzzled by Jim's words.

"Open it," Jim made a soft chuckle. "I'm leaving you two that house."

"A house?" Both said at the same time.

Greg said, "You have another house? And never invited us for a weekend party?" The grin on his face was one of jest.

"I haven't been up there much—at one time, I'd take off two or three days then got to be a few weeks a year. Now, a rental agency does all the work—sends me a check every month." When a sound of protest came from Sara, he waved his hand, saying, "I have no one else, Sara. If—If—Ellie…" His words stopped for a moment. "You and Greg have been like—like kids I would be happy to claim."

Sara did not open the folder but held it in her lap as Brass described the house located on the southern end of Lake Tahoe, water front property, at the end of a street, built out of stone and cedar with a yard on the lake.

"When I'm gone, go up there, take the kids, let them play for a few days. I'd like to know you'll do that." Making another chuckle, he added, "Sell it if you want—but I want all of you to have a few days to enjoy it."

Sara and Greg nodded, surprised and speechless at this turn of events.

The talk had weakened Jim and he closed his eyes, muttered a few words, and in a moment, was asleep.

Quietly, Greg and Sara moved to the kitchen and opened the folder; both stunned to learn Brass had a house they had never heard about, and, looking at photos in the folder, were surprised at the neat, two-level house in the pictures.

Turning the photos over, Sara read the date, saying, "These are new photos—it—it really is a beautiful place." She looked at Greg, asking, "Did you know about this—this house?"

Shaking his head, Greg was the first to laugh. "This is a strange turn of events, isn't it?"

Sara made a face at him, saying, "This is a strange turn of events." She picked up one of the photos and said, "I do believe there is a master bedroom downstairs—I'm claiming that for Gil and me." She snickered a laugh, adding, "You and the kids can have upstairs."

Still shaking his head about the house, Greg left, promising to return shortly. He said, "I think I'll bring a change of clothes and stay in one of Jim's bedroom for a few days."

Sara agreed, waved him off, and waited.

Jim woke again, insisting he felt well enough for visitors, even getting out of his chair and slowly walking around the house. He refused food, took a few sips of juice, and asked when the kids were coming.

Sara sent a short message to Grissom; a few minutes later, she got a confirming answer.

"They are on their way, Jim." She walked over and placed her hand on Jim's shoulder, saying, "Tell us if they get to be too much."

When Grissom and the kids arrived, Brass seemed to have an uptick in energy. At first, Will and Gemma were shy, hesitant to approach the man they knew well but was not his usual self.

Grissom prodded, saying, "Gemma brought you a gift."

The little girl held a rolled paper in her hand and opened it to show a hand-drawn colorful picture. "I made you a drawing," she said, keeping one hand on her mother's leg.

Brass smiled as he took the drawing. "Tell me who is in this beautiful drawing?" He pointed to one of the figures thinking it might be him. "I think this might be your mom, right?"

Gemma giggled, moving closer. "No, Big Jim, that's you! This one's Mom and me on my scooter. There is Daddy and Will is over here." Her finger pointed to the figures and then the dog. "We left Skip with Uncle Nick for a few days but I put him in my drawing."

Brass praised her for the gift, bragging on her use of beautiful colors.

Will, older but determined not to be left out of the conversation, said, "I have two new tricks!"

"Give your old buddy a hug, will you? I'm not feeling great but I'm happy you came," and immediately both children crowded into his outstretched arms.

With that, the kids entertained and Jim laughed. He had been the one to introduce a young Will to magic tricks and the young boy continued to learn new tricks to show Jim. Today's tricks were disappearing coins and when he pulled one from behind Jim's ear, everyone laughed and Jim rubbed his hand over his head saying he knew there was more money hidden there.

The first day and for the days that followed, a pattern developed in the care and nurture of Jim Brass in his last days.

The nurses and care aides came as scheduled with the nurse warning them Jim's decline would be swift but smiled and told them to enjoy their friend while they could. Greg simply came and stayed, sleeping in the spare bedroom. Catherine, Sara and Grissom were there—sometimes all three—quietly talking, surrounding their old friend with love and familiar faces as they talked and retold memories of shared experiences.

For an hour or so each day, Will and Gemma, several times with Catherine's granddaughter, provided a happy, lively noise to the sadness felt by adults.

And every day Jim seemed to wilt in front of their eyes. In a week, he had lost the strength to move from bed to his recliner. He slept for hours, yet had times of wakeful lucidity.

When Grissom and Greg moved additional chairs to Jim's bedroom, the children sensed a change but when they arrived each day, Jim seemed to rally enough to listen to their jokes and magic tricks, watch them dance and sing, and laugh with them. Afterwards, he would immediately fall asleep, waking later to find one or two of his friends at his bedside.

Late one afternoon, Brass requested music and wanted to listen to it in the living room. Sara offered to bring a CD player to the bedroom but the suggestion was dismissed. Sara did not argue. Greg and Grissom lifted their frail friend and carried him to the living room.

When Jim was settled in his chair, Catherine covered him with a light blanket and sat beside him.

Sara was thumbing through the collection of CDs when Brass said, "Play Whitney Houston—I always love her voice." He waved for Gemma and Will to come near and said, "There's one song I really like—and I want to see you two dancing to it. Okay?"

The two children nodded and when Jim said the name to Sara, she smiled.

"Oh, I know that song!" She said, searching for the CD.

A few moments later, the music of a worldwide hit from the 1980s began to play. Brass smiled, indicating she needed to turn up the sound.

Greg took Gemma's hand, laughing as he said, "Everyone knew this one!" He twirled the little girl around several times as the music launched into a long familiar tune.

Sara, knowing her husband had chosen to sit this one out, took Will's hand, and moved her feet and hips to the rhythm of the song. Not his first dance with his mother, Will shuffled his feet, clasped hands, and made several spins around his mother.

The four dancers laughed and Sara and Greg sang along. About mid-way through the song, Catherine joined them as they danced around the living room until breathless as Whitney sang "Oh, I wanna dance with somebody—with somebody who loves me…"

The song ended and Sara turned to lower the volume; Greg and Catherine were laughing as the kids, in full dance form, were ready for the next song.

Grissom had moved, standing beside Jim, when he quietly said, "Sara."

Something in his voice immediately caught her attention. He was looking intently at Jim's face, his hand pressed against his friend's neck, and as she stepped toward the two men, the others sensed the significance in the placement of Grissom's hand.

"He's gone," Grissom said, gently caressing his old friend's shoulder as the words to the next song began to play as if Brass had planned his last breath to be followed by the next song on the CD. His face was caught in death in a peaceful, restful expression.

It took a moment for the adults to realize the words were a farewell as Whitney Houston's voice sang "Don't cry for me; don't shed a tear…"

A/N: Thank you for reading. One more happier chapter to this story! We appreciate hearing from all of you.