A/N: Hi everyone. Here we are with chapter 1 of my new baby. I would love to know what you think and thanks to everyone who left a review on the prologue.

Please come over to my pat reon (all one word) for advanced works and lots of great goodies. More info in the prologue, on Facebook, or you can message me. Chapter 2 is going live on there today!

A huge thank you to my current supporters – Nat, Mrs Crabby, Dbackfan, FlorenceG, Amanda T, Walkertangr, AliceC, ChristineS, TraceyW, DawnS and Jillian.

Thank you to calim as always for the fantastic beta and to Nat for your support.

Away we go….

Chapter 1

The evening before in San Diego

Looking at herself in the mirror, Sara clicked the hair clip into place and grabbed her bottle of perfume, squirting a little on her throat and wrists. Smiling to herself as she smoothed hands down the reasonably tight fitting lilac dress, she spun around and headed into the bedroom with a swagger in her hips.

Seeing Grissom standing by the window, her smile grew even brighter when he turned to face her.

The look he gave her, the one he only ever had for her, was a mixture of adoration and lust.

She slowly sauntered towards him, shuddering a bit as his eyes travelled down her body and back up again, keeping that look on his face.

"Ready?" she asked, reaching out to slightly straighten the knot of his tie.

She just adored her husband in a suit and it was a pity he didn't wear them more often. But hey, she'd take what she could get and just ogle him as much as possible.

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close, entwining his fingers behind her back.

"With you looking like that, I feel like getting undressed again."

Running her tongue over her bottom lip, which she knew drove him crazy, Sara draped her arms over his shoulders and fiddled with the back of his shirt collar.

"Tempting," she said.

Sara watched his lips twitch, feeling as he pressed her a little tighter against him.

"Hmmm," he breathed. "Very."

Giggling, she ran fingers through his hair. "I suggest if we want to make our reservation then we need to fight that temptation until we get back."

"If you insist," he replied.

Smirking at the husky tinge in his voice, she lowered her arms and took his hand.

"Come on bug man."

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Vegas earlier that day

Opening her locker, Catherine dropped in her bag, smiling as she took her ID and clipped it to her jacket. After a week's break it was good to be back. It was still such a bizarre feeling that she was here, working at the lab again. She'd retired, left it all behind her but it just felt right. She'd missed it. It was home.

Closing the locker, she heard footsteps and looked to the doorway just as Max came skidding through it.

"I thought that was you I saw. You're back," Max exclaimed, catching her breath.

Catherine nodded then smiled. "Looks like it."

"I need you," she said, flapping her hand through the air in a 'come hither' manner. "Come with me."

Tipping her head back, Catherine looked a little surprised at how flustered Max seemed.

"Is everything okay?" she asked as she approached.

Max's mouth opened and then she frowned, a very uncertain expression hitting her face. "I don't think so."

Blinking at her co-worker, Catherine was immediately confused. "I swear I didn't do it," she said.

Managing a smile, Max took hold of her arm, and they headed down the corridor.

"Don't worry, I don't suspect you."

"Thank goodness for that," Catherine joked as she followed Max into one of the many layout rooms the glorious new lab housed.

Inside, Penny, who was sorting photographs laid out on the centre table, immediately looked up at the arrival of the two ladies.

"Hi," she greeted, flashing Catherine her usual enthusiastic but slightly nervous smile.

"Hey," Catherine said back, turning to Max. "So what am I missing?"

Max stepped up to the table and nodded to Penny. "Spread those out would you?"

"Sure," Penny replied.

"Tell me what you see," Max told Catherine, gesturing to the table.

Feeling an uneasiness wash through her, Catherin drew closer to the table. Slipping on her glasses, she began to scan the photographs. After a few seconds, her eyes widened a little at what she was seeing, flicking to Max for a second then returning to what was laid out before her.

"Does that look familiar to you?" Max asked, rounding the table to stand by Penny.

Looking up at her superior with a shocked expression, Catherine deeply frowned before returning her attention to the photos.

"When was this?"

"Yesterday," Max told her.

Shaking her head, Catherine ran an unsteady hand over her forehead. This just had to be a coincidence.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

San Diego

Dropping the fork down onto the empty plate, Sara sat back.

"Wow. I think that was the nicest risotto I've ever eaten," she said, holding a hand to her tummy. "Although I feel like I've eaten a house."

"As long as it's a nice cosy house," Grissom returned, throwing her a wink and making her laugh.

Reaching for her wine glass, she nodded down to his almost empty plate. "And how is your steak, Professor?"

Taking a sip from the wine, she watched her husband dab his mouth with a napkin.

"Very nice."

Sara smiled as he finished the last few mouthfuls, reaching out to stroke her fingers across the top of his as his hand rested on the table.

"Feeling okay?" she asked.

Ever since his diagnosis of Mal de debarquement, she'd asked that a lot. But since they'd left their life at sea and returned to land, it occurred to her that she was asking it more than she probably should. He never got irritated which was a relief. She'd tried not to worry so much but after all they'd been through over the years, she couldn't help it.

Finally, she had the man she'd always loved, thoroughly and properly. They were happier than they'd ever been even now after that giant wrench that had been thrown into the works barely a month before….

4 weeks earlier

Grissom and Sara sat in the doctor's office waiting to be called in. Sara knew her husband was frustrated, she could see it on his face, in his eyes and the way he irritably chewed on the inside of his lip. But this had to be done. Thankfully, he'd agreed, largely due to her concern but what the outcome was going to be, she didn't know, although she had a suspicion and she suspected he did, too.

Dropping her hand over his and sliding their fingers together, she smiled as he looked at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked tenderly.

His lips twitched. "If I was, my dear, I don't think we'd be here, would we?"

Her eyes playfully narrowed. "You know what I mean."

He managed a smirk but as his mouth opened to answer, his name hit the speaker.

"Mr. Grissom, Room 4, please. Mr. Grissom to Room 4."

"Come on," Sara said, tugging on his hand and pulling him up.

Keeping his hand in hers as they headed down the corridor looking for Room 4, they finally found it. A plaque with 'Doctor Raymond Jensen' was on the wall next to the door. She was thankful it was their regular doctor. Nothing was more annoying than having to explain yourself over and over.

Rapping her knuckles lightly against the door, she let go of her husband's hand and opened it once they heard 'come on in' from the other side. Gesturing to Grissom to go in, she followed after him.

"Hi, Gil, Sara," the doctor greeted, getting to his feet as Sara closed the door.

"Hi," Grissom replied.

"Take a seat," Doctor Jensen continued. "What can I do for you?"

Sitting beside him, Sara again took his hand, giving him an encouraging smile as he looked at her.

Sighing softly, Grissom tipped his head back in the doctor's direction.

"I've been having issues again with my balance and dizziness."

Popping on his glasses, the doctor tapped away at his keyboard, eyes scanning the screen as he read notes from their previous appointment some months prior.

"Ah, yes," he said. "Mal de debarquement."

"Yeah," Grissom agreed.

Returning his attention to the patient, the doctor entwined his fingers upon the table. "So, tell me what's been happening."

Sara watched her husband shuffle a little in the chair as he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.

"I've been getting dizzy, having some disorientation, and it's getting worse," Grissom told the doctor.

The doctor nodded. "When did it start again?"

The room went silent while Grissom thought. "Probably about a month ago. It, erm, maybe happened every other day."

"But it's worse than that now?"

Grissom nodded. "Pretty much every day and sometimes multiple times a day."

The doctor frowned a little, glancing back to the screen. "Last time we spoke you were planning to go back on your boat, correct?"

"That's right," Grissom confirmed.

Sara thought back to when they'd been to see the doctor about it, not long before they'd said goodbye to Vegas. Yes, the condition seemed to have cleared up since he'd not had any dizziness for a while. But for her own peace of mind since they were going back to sea, she'd convinced him to get checked. Thankfully, he'd agreed even if it had been just for her. He hated going to the doctor but, then again, who didn't?

"And if I recall," the doctor continued, "I advised it probably wasn't the best place to be considering the condition."

Grissom bit down on his lip. "You did."

"We talked about it," Sara cut in. Grissom wasn't a fan of disagreeing with medical advice and opted to have the blame fall on her if any was coming. "But the boat is such a huge part of his life of both our lives, and it's how we do our job. He didn't want to let it go so easily."

As she squeezed his hand, she melted as he looked her way and gave her the most adoring smile.

"My wife and I have changed personalities in our old age," he said, looking back to the doctor. "I'm now the stubborn one."

"Enough of the old age if you don't mind," Sara laughed, trying to lighten the tense feeling a little as the doctor chuckled. It seemed to work.

"So, you've been living back on the boat?" Doctor Jensen asked.

"We have," Grissom confirmed.

The doctor gave a nod and stood. "How about you lie down on the bed, and I'll give you a quick check just to make sure we're covering all angles."

"Okay."

End of flashback

"Feeling okay?" she asked.

"I feel great," Grissom replied. "And I can think of only one more thing that might top the evening off nicely."

Sara's lips pursed at him. "And what might that be, Professor?"

Before he could answer, she looked up as the waiter stopped at the table and picked up the wine bottle, refilling their glasses with what was left.

"Can I get you another bottle, sir?" he asked. "And would you like to see the dessert menu?"

Grissom's head tipped in his wife's direction and gave her the option. "Sara?"

Narrowing her eyes a little at him after his previous unanswered statement, she glanced back at the waiter.

"Is it possible to get dessert to go?"

"Of course. Let me take your plates away and I'll bring you a menu."

Sara nodded, watching as he took the plates. When her eyes found her husband again, he was smirking at her.

"And what are you grinning at?" she asked running a finger over the top of her wine glass.

"Just wondering about the many ways I could use a dessert when we get home," he said, his voice turning a little deeper.

Her lips pursed as a tingle shot down her spine and then she laughed. She just couldn't help it.

"You mean like eating it?" she dared.

Clearing his throat, Grissom leaned forwards and Sara swallowed at how dark his eyes suddenly became.

"I guess it depends on what I'm eating."

Sara literally shuddered at his words and the cool but dominating way in which he said them. Damn. If she was ice cream, she would have just melted into a puddle. Shuffling a little, she looked around for the waiter.

"When he gets back, we're getting the check."

"What about your dessert?" Grissom asked cheekily.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "You just wait until we get home. I'll show you what the best dessert looks like."

A/N: The nice before the bad? Haha.