AN: Thank you for the continued support, here is the next chapter. Warning: Strongly suggestive/implied adult behavior.

Chapter 27: Saying Goodbye

Three days later

Sara stops in front of the closed office door and knocked, a second later she hears Peter's voice. "Come in."

Sara opened the door and stepped into an office that once had shelves lining the side walls that held textbooks of all kinds and forensic journals, even a couple of fish tanks. Behind his desk had shelfs that once held a few medium sized flowerpots, and on the desk had a couple of pictures of his wife along with a few knickknacks.

Sara sighed at the emptiness of the room, except for the two packing boxes he had on the desk. "This is it, huh?"

Peter, holding one of the pictures of his wife, gave Sara a small smile. "Yep." He then placed the picture in one of the boxes as he continued after clearing his throat. "You know with you being boss now, this could be your office."

Even though this office was a little bigger than her current one, she was going to stay where she was at, so she shook her head. "Nah, I think I'm going to stay put where I'm at, the next assistant can be in here."

Peter chuckled. "You know you could say his name. Did you tell Nick he's your assistant?"

Sara shook her head shyly. "I was at least going to wait until you're officially out."

Peter smiled. "Thanks for that, but don't wait any longer, I'm sure he would like to know where he stands."

Sara nodded. "Alright." When she saw him pick up one of the boxes after putting the office keys in the middle of the desk, she asks. "You want me to carry the other one?"

"It would save me another trip."

Sara nodded while walking towards the desk to pick up the second box, and once she had it, she started walking towards the door.

Peter took another moment to look around the office before he followed Sara out the door, and while they were walking down the hall towards the exit, many lab rats and other CSI's who worked on other shifts told him goodbye and wished him luck in the future, which he told them the same, and when he made it to the receptionist desk, the woman behind it, who had been working at the lab a few years longer than Peter has, gave him a hug.

After pulling back from her, Peter turned around to look at the lab one more time before following Sara out into the parking lot and to his vehicle.

Once they were there, Peter unlocked the trunk of his car so they could put the boxes in the back, then he closed the trunk and turned to look at the building again and sighed. "I'm only in my mid-thirties but I've been in this lab for over 10 years, and yet it feels even longer than that."

"I know how that feels, this job can certainly age you for sure." She then smiled as she continued. "But you don't need to worry, I'm here to stay for a long time, I still love what I do." She then looked at him with a determined look in her eyes. "I promise I won't let you down."

Peter shook his head with a smile, turned to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "No worries there. I told you, you were the one I wanted to take my position for a reason. And I know I'm doing the right thing, I just..."

He trailed off with a sigh as he removed his hand and looked back at the lab building, and a moment later, Sara placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke with a comforting tone. "I hope you know you're not letting anybody down by stepping down, you solved thousands of cases, helped/save so many people who could have been victims, you did your part, and while it is sooner than you envisioned on leaving, you have to think of yourself sometimes, your mental health means something too." He looked at her a little surprised that she saw 'that' in him, that that's what he was thinking in that moment, then she finished with a smile. "And know you're always welcome here anytime to help."

He smiled. "Really?"

She nodded. "Really, we value your input." She then wrapped her arms around him for a hug and whispered. "I'm really going to miss you though, Peter. You helped shaped the CSI I am today, and I can't thank you enough."

He hugged her back. "It was my pleasure, I couldn't have asked for a better 'student'."

She smirked as they pulled back from the hug. "Wow, should I tell your golden boy that?"

He chuckled in return, knowing whom she was talking about. "I hope you were never really jealous of Sam?"

She shook her head with another smile. "No, I know we were both worth something in this lab."

"Good, and you're right, you both were. Now it's your lab...well sort of, you know what I mean."

"I do, and I'm ready for this opportunity."

"I can see that, good luck."

"Thank you."

After a moments pause, he sighed one more time before he spoke again. "I guess I can't avoid my place for too much longer. I take it you're coming over for the surprise party?"

Trying to act normal, Sara shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He chuckled. "I think you very much know what I'm talking about. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you were the mastermind behind it."

Sara wasn't going to say anything, but then she shook her head with a smile. "Actually, not to throw anyone under the bus, but it was your wife."

Looking a little surprised, with her knowing he wasn't a huge fan of surprise parties, he asked. "My wife?"

Sara nodded with another smile. "Yes, your wife, and don't be too hard on her, she wanted to do something special for you because you do a lot for her. She loves you and knows how much this place and the people who work here means to you, and knows, despite being happy that you'll be away from all the death, that in the end this wasn't an easy decision for you."

He shakes his head with a wide smile after another moment. "I'm really lucky, aren't I?"

Sara gave him one more smile. "You really are sir."

Peter chuckled. "I think it's time for you to start calling me Peter, I am no longer your boss."

Sara then smirked. "Alright, Peter, let's get you home to your surprise party."

Peter just chuckled again with a nod before they get into to their respective vehicles, then Sara followed Peter to his beautiful one story but spacious four-bedroom house.

A little time later

Once the party was going on for a bit, Sara told Nick she wanted to speak to him for a minute, so it was her, Nick, Grissom and Ashley standing near the corner of the deck outside, where they had a little bit of privacy, then Sara spoke towards Nick. "While we haven't worked together that long, I felt pretty early on that our work chemistry was one of the best I ever had, I am so thankful that you decided to come and continue your career here."

There was a slight pause, so Ashley smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "As thankful as Sara is, I can say with certainty that I'm even more thankful for that."

They all chuckled slightly while Ashley released him before Nick shook his head with a smile and asked. "Thanks Sara, but shouldn't this party be about Peter?"

Sara nodded. "It is, I just wanted you to know how I feel about working with you." Before he could speak again, Sara continued. "And to officially offer you the assistant supervisor spot."

Nick and Ashley both gasp, then Ashley hugs Nick before Nick shook his head again and asked. "Wait, what? For real?"

Sara nodded with a bright smile. "For real, I can't think of anyone else I would want standing next to me."

Nick chuckled. "Ok hold on, we both know that's not true."

He then looks at Grissom, and they all chuckle again before Sara revised what she said. "Ok, you're right, but since he declined before ever being offered the position, you were next in line, is that ok?"

Nick nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I can live with that."

"Good, because I do mean it, you're an exceptional CSI and I would be honored if you were standing next to me from here on out."

There was a pause then Nick asked. "And you're sure I have enough experience for the job?"

Sara smiled. "Nick, you were already a level 3 by the time you got here, so how fast you worked your way up shows me all that I need to know, plus with the strong recommendation from Grissom and Peter, I say your perfect for the job."

Nick, feeling emotional, looks at Grissom and asked. "You really believe I can do this?"

Grissom nodded with a smile as he placed his hand on Nick's shoulder. "I do, and I can't think of anyone else I would want watching my wife's back."

After another round of chuckling, Grissom removed his hand from Nick's shoulder, then Nick turned to look at his girlfriend and spoke. "If I take this position, it could mean possibly more later evenings and doubles."

Ashely cupped her boyfriend's cheek and spoke with a smile and love in her eyes. "Then we'll deal with them as they come. If this is something you truly want, go for it, I'm 100% behind you, babe."

Nick started to smile. "Yeah?"

Ashley nodded. "Yeah."

They kiss softly before Nick turns to look at Sara and held out his hand before replying. "Sara, I officially accept your offer, I would be honored to be your assistant supervisor."

They cheered as Sara pushed his hand away to give him a hug instead, which he gladly accepted.

After they pulled back, Sara spoke again. "Thank you."

Their moment was interrupted when Peter walked over to them with a smile. "I heard cheering over here, so I'm assuming Sara has officially asked you to be her assistant?"

Nick turned to look at Peter and nodded with a smile. "Yes sir, and I can't thank you enough for the recommendation, knowing how much Sara values yours and Grissom's opinion helped a lot on her deciding to pick me."

Peter smiled as he placed his hand on Nick's shoulder. "You're welcome, and I know you're the right man for the job. Good luck."

As he nodded, Peter's cellphone rings, so he pulls it out of his pocket and smiled after seeing who was calling before answering it. "Hi Sam."

Sara smiled as she spoke. "Tell him I said hi."

Sam unfortunately couldn't make it to Peter's party, so he thought he would call and wish him the best for his future.

Peter nodded and walked away as he spoke on his phone.

When it was just the four of them again, Nick asked with a smirk. "So, what's the first order of business, boss?"

Sara chuckled before she replied. "For you to enjoy the party, we'll talk work stuff tomorrow."

Nick nodded. "Ok." Then he cleared his throat before continuing. "And thank you again Sara, this opportunity really means a lot to me."

"I know. Now go enjoy the party."

Nick nodded one more time, then after Ashley and Sara share a hug, Nick slips his hand into his girlfriend's and they head back inside the house.

Once it was just Sara and Grissom, Grissom asked. "You ready to go back inside?"

Sara shook her head. "Not yet, I need air."

Grissom looked at her with concern. "Feeling nauseous?"

Sara nodded. "Yeah, I'm glad Nick walked away when he did." She then turned around so her forearms were on the railing of the deck and Grissom's left hand moved up and down her back in a comforting motion.

She sighed slightly after a few minutes before asking. "Am I crazy for attempting this while I'm pregnant?"

He shook his head. "Not crazy."

She then raised an eyebrow as she asked again. "I'm sensing a 'but' though?"

He smiled as he kissed her cheek before continuing. "But maybe you should tell Nick that you're pregnant so he'll know what's going on when you don't think you can handle being out of the lab."

She sighed again. "Yeah, but then you'll know what will happen, he'll have to keep it from Ashley, which I don't want them keeping secrets from one another, even if it's my secret to keep, and if Ashley does know then the other two would have to know, then all of these people would know before your mom, and I..."

He cuts her off in a calm tone before she worked herself into a frenzy. "Hey honey, it's ok, and honestly I don't think it will matter when we tell my mother, she'll just be happy it's happening."

She chuckled with a nod. "That's right, I remember you telling me she told you it was time to start giving her another grandchild that night we visited her two days before the wedding." She then smirked while turning to him and cupping his cheek. "Not knowing it already happened."

He smiled proudly as he wrapped his arms around her waist and brings her closer to him. "I love you so much."

"I love you too and thank you for taking my mind off what I was feeling." He nodded as they leaned toward one another and kissed, then she sighed as she pulled back and spoke again. "I've never been a superstitious person before, but I'm afraid that if we tell people about this baby too early, something might..."

He cuts her off, not wanting her mind to go there. "Nothing's going to happen to this baby, especially because he or she is part you, this little one is going to get stronger every day until he or she is ready to come out into this world and meet us." He cupped her cheek as he finished. "And honey, you shouldn't worry if some people know sooner than others that you're pregnant. It's a baby, they should just be happy for you that it's happening, like how I feel my mother will be."

"I know you're right, but I still stand by with what I said, I don't want there to be any secrets between Ashley and Nick, especially when it involves me."

"Ok, then how about we tell them first, and we can tell the others when you feel comfortable enough."

While a part of her wished she could wait until that certain time to start telling everyone she's pregnant, her husband was right, it would be nice to have Nick behind her if she feels too sick to go out of the lab because she doesn't want to contaminate the crime scene, so she nodded. "Ok, we can do that."

He smiled, practically beaming that a few more people will know that he's going to be a father for the second time, as he asked one more time. "You sure?"

She smiled in return, seeing her husband so happy, as she nodded. "Yes, let's tell Nick and Ashley the good news. But not right now, this is supposed to be Peter's night."

He chuckled with a nod and kissed her forehead. "You got it." After he pulled back, he asked. "You ready to go back inside now?"

Sara nodded with one more smile as she took his hand, then they walked back inside the house to enjoy a good man's party.

Next evening

With them being extremely short staffed that day they had a few people from other shifts filling in, and thankfully the cases were pretty much open and shut, so when shift ended, they didn't have to stay longer. Then after Sara and Grissom left the lab they headed for Nick and Ashley's place for dinner, which Nick was going to get pizza for the occasion.

Once Nick arrived home with the food, they sat at the table and enjoyed their meal while Nick and Sara talked about who they thought would be good additions to the 'new' team, which by the end of dinner they both agreed that they would like one person who is already established, like a level 2 or 3, and another one who is very new to the job.

After dinner was fully consumed and Belle was back in the living room doing her homework, the four of them were still sitting at the table doing a little small talk, then when there was a break in whatever conversation they were engaging in, Grissom placed his hand on top of Sara's, and Sara cleared her throat before speaking in a somewhat more serious tone than what she was previously talking in. "So, you guys, there is something I have to tell you." Which with the tone she was using they knew it was serious, and as much as they tried thinking it was positive they couldn't help but feel something was terribly wrong, but they didn't have to go through the worst-case scenarios in their minds very long before Sara started to smile as she told them the news. "I'm pregnant, we are going to have a baby."

Both Nick and Ashley gasped first with wide eyes, then they smiled before Ashley excitedly gets up from her seat and walks towards Sara, who was now also standing up. "Oh my god girl! This is amazing!"

Sara chuckled as she hugged one of her best friends. "Thank you." They share a hug, then as they were pulling back, Sara continued. "Now it's still early, and..."

Ashley cuts her off, knowing the assignment. "Say no more, this stays between us until you're ready to tell the others." Ashley then smiled again. "But wow, after all this time, another baby."

Sara nodded with a wider smile as she hugged Nick. "Yep."

While they pulled back Ashley then asked. "And I take it from your happiness this was completely planned?"

After another confirmation from Sara that Ashley was correct in her assumption, Nick asked after he congratulated Grissom. "Not that I'm not happy you told us now, but why are you doing it if it's still early?"

Sara nodded with a sigh. "With me being boss while going through this pregnancy, there might be days that I just won't be able to get out of the office with how bad I could be feeling, which I'm not saying it will happen, I got pretty lucky the first time around, it was practically smooth sailing with Belle, but every pregnancy is different, and I would like a little extra backup for when or if those hard days come."

Nick nodded with a smile. "You got it, you just say the world when or if those days come."

After another round of hugging and congratulations, they sat back down at the table and Ashely asked how Belle was taking the news, assuming of course that they already told her.

Sara confirmed that their daughter did know and like they told Peter, she was excited about becoming a big sister, she's been waiting for this amazing news almost as long as they have.

Eventually the Grissom family left, and as Ashley was cleaning up, Nick walked up behind his girlfriend with a smile and wrapped his arms around her before kissing her on the cheek, then he spoke. "Did you ever think Sara would have another child?"

Ashley nodded her head with a smile. "Yeah, I did." She then cleared her throat before she continued. "When I first met her, and whenever we were around kids, I could tell she wasn't really keen on them, but the first time I saw her hold Belle, I knew that feeling changed for her, especially knowing she had Grissom by her side, so I always thought that it wasn't a matter 'if' there will ever be another child for them, it 'was' when, when they could get their lives exactly how they wanted it before they expanded."

Nick nodded in understanding before he asked after clearing his throat. "And what about you? Do you see kids in your future?"

She cleared her throat this time as she asked. "Do you?"

They had never talked about kids before, so this was their first serious conversation about it, and they both could tell this was a serious conversation for the progression of their relationship in general as well.

Nick shook his head with a smile. "I asked you first."

She turned around in his arms so they were facing one another, and she asked. "And you truly want my serious answer?" Nick nodded before Ashley continued with confidence. "I do, I always felt that if I had found the right man, I could see myself with a few kids."

It was only seconds before she got a reaction from him, but it felt like minutes, when he smiled wide and cupped her cheek. "Oh, you don't know how happy that makes me."

She chuckled then smiled. "Yeah?"

He nodded as he brings her closer to him. "Oh yeah, because I would like a few myself."

They were both smiling wide until their lips touched for a passionate kiss.

After pulling back, she spoke once she had her breath back. "But this is still future talk, right?"

He nodded as he ran his thumb up and down her cheek. "Yes, there is something I would like us to do first before kids come into the picture, if it can be helped."

She raised an eyebrow as she asked. "Oh, and what would that be?"

He shook his head as he removed his hand with another smile. "For me to know and you to find out some other time."

She just shook her head with a smile and light chuckle. "Ok, fine."

After another kiss, softer this time, she turns back around at the sink to finish up the dishes, then he spoke with a smile and love in his eyes. "I do love you, Ash."

"I love you too, Nicky."

She had picked up on his nickname from Grissom and they both love when she says it.

Once the Grissom family made it home, and Belle was in bed, Sara and Grissom headed to their own room and did their nightly routine, then after they made it into their bed, things took an unexpected, romantic/intimate turn, not that either one was complaining though.

They started kissing and as their kissing became more passionate, they both were very aware of how each of them was feeling in the moment, and when there weren't feelings of being rejected on what was going on, they went with it.

Little time afterwards, while they were laying in each other's arms, Sara cupped her husband's cheek with a smile. "That was a little unexpected, not that it was a bad thing, we don't have to plan every intimate moment. But what has gotten into you, you seem to be the one glowing now."

He smiled brightly as he placed his hand on top of hers. "I'm just really happy."

She smirked. "I bet."

He chuckled and shook his head while taking her hand off his cheek so he could kiss her knuckles, then very sincerely he replied. "And not because of what just happened, it's everything that's been happening to me, to us. Our life together is finally where it should be, and I finally get a second chance to do this pregnancy the right way."

She sighed. "Griss..."

And he cuts her off with a sigh of his own while shaking his head. "I know, it's about thinking forward, but I can't help that it still eats at me at times that I wasn't there for every movement, every kick, going to get you any craving you have during the evening the first time around." He then took a breath and smiled brightly. "I finally get to experience everything without missing a day."

She moved her hand to cup his cheek again before smirking. "You didn't mention the best part, seeing me get bigger by the second."

His smile this time could have lit a room up while he placed his now free hand to her stomach as he replied. "And that's the part I'm mostly looking forward to."

She chuckled and pushed his chin away with her hand before removing it while speaking. "Oh, get out of here."

But he was dead serious when he continued in that sincere tone that always gets to her. "I'm serious Sara, you're carrying a baby, our baby, a baby we created out of our love, and to watch him or her grow inside of you will be an amazing thing to witness, especially when I get to see it day by day." Sara shook her head while wiping a few tears off her cheeks, and he smiles softly as he moved his hand to cup her left cheek to wipe her off it. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"It's just I don't know how I got so lucky with you."

He smirked. "I could tell you the story, but I'm sure you know it already, and very well I might add."

She chuckled before replying in a more serious tone. "Now I'm being serious. I love you so much and thank you for opening up this side of me, helping me experience something I never thought I would get to or want to, for that matter."

He ran his thumb up and down her cheek and whispered. "You're welcome and thank you for helping me experience something I know for a fact I wouldn't have done without you. And I love you too, more each second I'm with you."

They smiled at one another then they slowly moved their faces towards one another and kissed, and like earlier there was a certain energy between them, but unlike last time they didn't start kissing with abandoned, they pull back to gauge each other, then instead of him moving above her, she moved so she was at his waist, both gasping at the connection, then she slid the shirt off she had put on a few minutes earlier, and he just admires her natural beauty, which normally she would be a little shy on the attention he was giving her but not in this moment, before he wraps his arm around her waist and slowly moves so he is sitting up, now she has her legs wrapped around his waist and he slides his other hand to her stomach, runs his thumb up and down it softly while they moved towards one another with smiles on their faces again until they started kissing, but this time they took everything slower, more sensual, building on an already strong connection between them.

AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. This might be the last chapter for a bit, depending on how much I can get done this week, but hopefully I won't keep you all hanging for too long. Thanks again for the continued support, I hope you are all having/had a good weekend, and until next time, always remember, GSR4ever!