AN: Wow, the support has been amazing on this one, thank you. Sorry to make you wait, but here is the next chapter, enjoy!
Chapter 7: Telling Belle
When Sara woke up the next morning she smiled as she smelt breakfast coming from the kitchen, so she reaches for Grissom's shirt and slips it on, buttoning up until she reached the last two buttons, then she moves the blanket from her and gets up from the floor before following the smell, stopping in the doorway to the kitchen and watching her shirtless man cooking at the stove.
With his back to her, he smiled. "Morning dear, how does an omelet sound?"
She smiled as she walked towards him. "Perfect, and I just have to put this on the record that while I love all of your meals, that is by far my favorite."
He smirked. "I wonder why that is."
"And what you're thinking on why that is, is so right."
He turned his head to look at her with love in his eyes. "I mean it was the first breakfast I made for you after all."
She replied with love in return while cupping his cheek. "After giving me the best night of my life, which was honestly life changing in many ways."
Grissom shyly smiled, but there was also a little pride in his eyes, causing her to smile wider with a sparkle in her eyes, then he whispered. "And you still look amazing in one of my shirts."
After sharing a sweet, slow kiss, they pull back so he could go back to cooking breakfast while she got the plates and silverware out.
When he was almost done cooking, she asked if they could eat out on the deck, and he said sure before she went into the other room to change into something a little warmer, which he also did that once everything was on their plates.
Once breakfast was eaten, Grissom filled up their cups of coffee before he took the dirty dishes inside and to the kitchen while Sara stood up with her cup of coffee and stood closer to the railing of the deck, taking a few sips periodically.
A few moments later, she smiled when she felt Grissom's arm wrap around her waist, then as he kissed her temple, she sighed in content. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"I know what you're sacrificing by..."
Grissom turned her around and shook his head before cupping her cheek, cutting her off. "Honey, I'm not sacrificing anything, I'm still going to do what I love, I'll just be doing it in a different city, and best of all I'll be surrounded by my girls. It's ok, you don't have to worry about if I'm ever going to second guess this move, because I'm not, ok?"
She nodded. "Ok and knowing what you've been thinking about all of this time, I'm sorry, we should of had that conversation a long time ago."
He sighed as he ran his hand down her cheek. "You're right, we probably should have, but the important thing is we did it now, and we are changing our situation."
She nodded again with a smile as she placed her hand on top of his. "And I'm extremely happy and excited."
He smiled in return. "Me too, honey."
They lean towards one another and shared a few sweet kisses.
When they pulled back, he spoke again. "Now how about we go to my mom's so we can get our daughter then go home."
"That sounds amazing."
He nodded with another smile, then after sharing one more kiss, they started to head inside, and when they did, Sara spoke again. "Speaking of home, how would you feel if I started looking for a new place for us?"
Grissom looked at Sara a little surprised. "Really, I thought you loved your apartment?"
She got the apartment two years after Belle was born, wanting to have their own space, especially for when Grissom came and visited.
Sara nodded while walking towards the sink so she could clean her coffee mug. "I do. But while it's ok for when you visit, you got admit, it does feel a little small if three people live there on a daily basis."
He nodded a moment later. "Yeah, I guess you have a good point there."
He was about to take the last sip of his coffee when she spoke softly this time, a little unsure on how he'll take the comment/suggestion. "And maybe a place with a couple extra bedrooms."
He nearly spit out the liquid as he looked at her in shock. "What are you trying to say?"
She walked up to him with a smile and a shake of her head. "Only that maybe it's a discussion we can have in the future. But I mean, while having Belle as early as we did was unplanned, I don't think we ever wished she would be our only child."
He took a breath before cupping her cheek while speaking with a softness/sadness in his eyes. "Honestly, I never really thought about it because I knew as long as we were living like we were, I wouldn't have been able to stay away from any more kids we might have, leaving Belle was hard enough as it was."
She nodded in full agreement. "I understand."
He then spoke again with a smile as he brings her closer. "But now that our living situation will change, you're right, we can have that discussion."
She started to smile. "Yeah?" After he nodded, she continued. "So, I'll start looking for a place with at least four bedrooms."
"Sounds good."
They kiss softly before pulling back and washing their cup and putting it away, then they finished getting ready/tidied up the place and grabbed their bags before walking out of the beach house so they could go to his mom's.
The minute Grissom and Sara walked into his mother's place, Belle was running to them with excitement, and while Sara was greeting their daughter, Grissom looked at his mom, she then gave him a smile, Grissom smiled in return, causing his mother to nod in approval, like she knew what is happening, before he greets his daughter.
They spend about another hour at his mom's before it was time to say goodbye.
Belle signed with a smile. 'Bye, Grandma. Love you.'
Betty smiled with a nod. 'Bye, sweetie. I love you too.'
They share a hug and kiss before Belle headed for the rented vehicle while Sara and Betty looked at one another, then Betty signed first this time, still with a smile on her face. 'Thank you, Sara for making my son so happy. I'm glad you came into his life.'
Sara smiled with a smirk on her face. 'Is this your way of saying I finally proved you wrong?'
'I would say so, which makes me happy.'
'I'm glad and know that your son makes me just as happy as I make him.'
Betty nodded with a smile before they share a hug, then as they were pulling back, Grissom had walked outside with their daughter's bags.
Sara smiled as she told him she'll take them while he said goodbye to his mom, so after Sara took them and headed for the vehicle, Betty looks at her son with a smile on her face and love in her eyes. 'Well done, son. I'm so proud of you.'
He does a small sigh as he signed in return. 'I found out we should of had that conversation a long time ago. We are both more than ready for our lives to continue forward together.'
'Yeah, I would agree. But the important thing is that you had it, and now things will be the way it should be.'
'Yes, they will be very soon. I still have to put in my transfer and wait until they have someone to take my place."
'So, you are the one that will be moving?'
He nodded, and she could see in his eyes that the decision was final, no one was going to change his mind that he will be the one making the move. 'Yes, they have a good life in San Francisco, and I don't want to take that away from them. Besides, it puts you and I back in the same state, which means we can do a lot more family visits. I thought that would make you happy.'
Betty smiled with love as she signed in return. 'What makes me happy is seeing you happy, and I haven't seen you happier. You're a good man, son and father, all three of us are lucky to have you.'
'I'm the lucky one, mom, and I wouldn't trade you three for anything. I love you and I'll see you soon.'
'I love you too, sweetheart. Have a safe flight, or should I say flights.'
He nodded before sharing a hug and kiss with his mother, then after pulling back, he headed for the driver's side of the vehicle.
As Betty watched her son drive away, all she could think about was she wished his father was here to see the man he became, one he would be very proud of.
Later that night, and after dinner, Grissom and Sara were watching their daughter play with her toys on the floor when they looked at one another and each gave a nod, telling the other it was time to talk to their daughter, so they looked at her before Grissom cleared his throat and spoke. "Hey sweetheart, can you come here for a minute?" Belle stopped what she was doing with a nod before she gets up from the floor and ran to the couch where her parents were, then Grissom picked her up and placed her in his lap before he started speaking again. "So, your mommy and I have been talking, and we decided something very important, one I think, or more like hope, you would like."
"What is it, daddy?"
"How would you feel if I moved here, and we find a new place to live?"
Belle's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Wait, you're staying? No more leaving?"
"Well, you see, I do have to leave one more time, but the next time I come for a visit, I won't be leaving again."
"You promise?"
"Absolutely sweetheart, no more leaving without you and mommy ever again, unless it's something I really have to do."
She started to nod with tears in her eyes. "Then yes, I would very much love it."
With tears in his eyes, he whispered. "I would love that too. And I love you so much."
She hugged him as tight as she could. "I love you too, daddy." After she pulled back, she then asked. "Can I play for a few more minutes?"
Once Sara said it was ok, Grissom helped his daughter off his lap, then Belle took a few steps towards her toys, but stopped suddenly and asked something they weren't expecting. "So, does that mean I'm getting a brother or sister?"
They looked at her in shock, not knowing she had actually had that thought, before Sara spoke after clearing her throat. "Is that something you want?"
Belle thinks about it for a moment before she shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know, yet. I'm still going back and forth on the idea, but can I get back to you on that?"
They chuckled with a nod, and she nodded with a smile before she goes back to playing with her toys on the floor.
Sara and Grissom look at each other and share a smile while slipping their fingers through one another's, happy where their lives were heading.
October 21, 1998
Leaving his girls this time was just as hard as ever, but he took solace in knowing that the next time he goes to San Francisco he won't have to leave them anytime soon.
Now currently, Grissom was at the lab in his office when there was a knock on the doorframe and Catherine Willow's voice was heard. "Welcome back."
Grissom looks up from his crossword puzzle and smiled at Catherine, who had been hired in 1991 as a blood splatter specialist, then it wasn't much longer before she was out in the field, and he became her mentor and very good friend.
"Thank you."
"How was your trip?"
He motioned for her to come in the room and close the door, which she did, then as she walked to one of the chairs that were in front of his desk, he replied. "I would have to say life changing."
Catherine sits down and studies him for a moment, which was probably the easiest read she ever had when it came to him since she met him, before she replied with a smile. "And I take it with that look it was a good life changing decision. So, you guys are finally doing it, you two are moving in together?"
While Catherine had never met Sara, she knew about the relationship and that he was a father. In fact, she and Jim Brass, who was their supervisor, were the only two to officially know about his 'second' life. Which they only knew because with Brass, he was the one to approve his 'vacations' and with Catherine it was actually by accident. He had gotten a call from Jo that Sara was going into Labor and he blurted it out to her while he was leaving the room and she got the rest out of him, or at least what he was willing to share, while she was driving him to the airport.
"We are."
There was another pause before Catherine commented. "And you were the one to decide to move."
He sighed. "I can't take them away from the life they built there, it just wouldn't make me feel right."
"I understand, but you know you will be missed around here." He tries to wave it off, but she continued. "I'm serious, I think the team is becoming special, and you are part of what makes it special."
He gives her a shy look. "I don't know about the 'me' part, but you are right, I see the potential in the young guys and a good leader in you, and while a part of me is sad to be leaving, the bigger part of me of me knows I have to do this. It's time for me to leave and for you to become second in command."
She took a breath as she asked. "You really think I'm ready?"
Grissom smiled as he threaded his fingers together and leaned forward as he replied with a smile. "Catherine, you are more than ready, you got out of lab faster than anybody that I have trained."
"Thank you, Gil. Not just for the comment, but for your guidance, you've been the best mentor I could have asked for."
"Thank you, Catherine. Now I hope you can do me a favor?"
"Anything"
"Watch over the guys, will you?"
Catherine nodded with a smile. "Absolutely."
"Thank you. I have a very good feeling they'll be two of the biggest assets on the graveyard shift."
Catherine nodded in agreement as Grissom looked down at his watch that was around his wrist, then he looked at Catherine. "I guess it's time."
Catherine nodded again while they both stood up from their seats, then as they were walking to the door Grissom spoke again. "And hey, another good thing about me leaving is that you'll get this office, you won't have to share with the guys anymore."
Catherine sighed while Grissom opened the door and stepped to the side let her out first. "Honestly, if I had a choice between you staying here or me getting the office, I would pick you staying here." Grissom was about to speak, but she continued before he could as she stepped out into the hall. "But like I said before I completely understand, and your girls are lucky to have you."
He steps out into the hall as he replied. "Like I told my mom, I'm the lucky one."
When they made it to the break room the whole team, which included, Jim Brass, Nick Stokes and Warrick Brown, were already seated. They all said good evening and welcome back to Grissom while him and Catherine sat down at the conference table.
There was a moments pause before Jim Brass cleared his throat then spoke. "Alright, before I officially start shift, Grissom has some news he needs to share."
When all eyes were on him, Grissom cleared his throat before he began. "I know there have been many rumors through the years on why I leave periodically, and the reason I never responded to or acknowledged any of them is because I am not one to put my personal life out in the open, they all can talk and make as many assumptions all they want. But now something has changed that warrants me to say something about it."
Grissom paused for a moment and Warrick took the opportunity to speak with a smile, feeling this was the right time to finally get an answer to one of the main rumors floating around the lab for years. "So, is it true you have a woman in another city?"
Grissom smiled brightly. "Yes, and she is the mother to my daughter."
The guy's eyes grew wide in surprise as Nick exclaimed. "Wait, you have daughter!?"
"Yes, a beautiful, smart, amazing six-year-old, and they are both my whole world." As the table remained speechless, Grissom cleared his throat again before finishing. "And to tell you all the truth it's been hard going back and forth all of this time, and missing a lot of Belle's life, at least in person. Her mother did manage to get a lot of those important firsts on camera, and she sent them to me, but it isn't the same, and I don't want to miss any more time than I have to, so as hard as this was, I've...we've made the decision that I'm moving to San Francisco to go be with them."
Nick was the first one to finally speak. "Wow, I was not expecting to hear all of that."
Warrick then finally replied. "Me neither."
"I imagine not, but I want you both to know that what I've seen in the two of you the last year has been a joy, you guys are exceptional and there is a lot of potential in this room, so I expect to hear it continue."
Both of the young men nodded with 'yes sirs' before Jim finally got their attention so he could start shift, giving all of them their assignments except for Grissom, so he can stay in the lab and wind down his case load.
When they were all dismissed, everyone stood up but Grissom, and they all headed towards the door and walked out, but Warrick stopped and looked back at him and spoke. "I hope everything works out for you in San Francisco, really I do. But I am going to miss you man, your willingness to take a chance on me is what got me into the door in this lab. I won't let you down."
Grissom stood up from the seat, walked up to Warrick and held out his hand. "I know you won't, and good luck to you."
Warrick nodded with a smile as he shook the older man's hand, a man he felt had his back the moment he walked into this lab only a year ago.
Once they release hands, Warrick headed out of the room, then Grissom did too a moment later, the countdown on his last day here started now, and he was ready for it, he wanted to his with his girls again as soon as possible.
AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. Sorry about the delay in posting, I wasn't home last weekend, and the week was exhausting in terms of work. I hope you are all having a safe/wonderful weekend. And to those who do Halloween have a safe/good time, until next time. GSR4ever!
