AN: Thanks to the those who is still supporting me, it means a lot, here is the next chapter. Warning: A few questionable words.

Chapter 13: Nick's Arrival

Grissom looked shocked as he took the paper from his supervisor. "Nick?"

Peter nodded and spoke while Grissom looked over the paperwork. "Yes, and since you have firsthand knowledge about him, I wanted to get your opinion on if he'll be a good fit for the day shift."

He finished looking through the paperwork before looking at Peter. "You know I only worked with him for a year, and when he was first starting out at that, but even then, I could see the potential." He then handed the papers back to Peter as he continued. "And according to those solve rate numbers and the recommendations from Catherine and Jim, I would say I was correct, so if you think he'll be a good fit here, I will put in my recommendation for him as well."

Peter nodded with a smile before looking at Sara and asking. "And you would agree we still need help on day shift?"

Sara nodded. "Absolutely, we could always have help, and if he is good as Grissom says he is, then even better."

"Excellent, thank you."

After they nodded, Peter dismissed them, so they got up from the chairs they had been sitting on and walked out of the room, and once they were out in the hall with the office door now closed, Sara asked in surprise. "Did you know anything about this?"

While he looked just as shocked as she did in that office, he could have very well played it off really well.

He shook his head as they headed for her office. "No, I didn't. I'm just as shocked as you are."

They get to her office, and she heads to her desk while asking. "What do you think happened to have him do this?"

"I can think of one reason why this happened, there was a confrontation between him and Warrick."

"Oh, right, so you think he would leave because of Warrick and Catherine's relationship?"

"I could see it being hard seeing the woman you have strong feelings for being in a relationship with someone else and watching it every day, no matter how much you try to put it behind you while you're at work."

She nodded with a sympathy look. "Yeah, I would agree with that. So, you think they all know about them now, considering Jim approved his transfer?"

He was pulling out his phone as he answered her question. "That I don't know."

After hitting the correct speed dial button on his phone, he placed it you to his ear and waited until the second ring.

"Gil?"

"Hello, Catherine, you know I thought we were on better talking terms?"

"Uh we are, what's going on? What's got you frazzled?"

"I don't know, I thought maybe I would get a little heads up that one of your best was leaving your lab and coming here."

There was a slight gasp before she answered. "Wait, Nick transferred to San Francisco?"

"He sure did, or at least he sent his papers here and will have an interview with our boss, you mean you didn't know?"

"He just asked for us to sign his transfer papers and he would let us know when he gets settled where he was at."

Grissom took a breath before asking. "And do I need to ask why he left?"

"I don't believe so. He can't be in the same room as Warrick, hell right now he can't even be in the same lab as him." She sighed sadly, wishing it hadn't come down to this, but since the accident, her and Warrick have only gotten closer, she was truly falling in love with one of her best friends. "He's hurting right now, and I wish I could do something about that, but…."

Grissom cuts her off softly. "The heart wants what it wants, you can't change it and it doesn't do anybody any good lying about it."

"Nope it doesn't, and his response to us being honest with him was leaving." She sighed again. "But I guess on the flip side our loss is your gain, you were right, he is shaping out to be one of the best, you called it first."

"Yeah, I saw his numbers, he has some pretty good mentors."

"Yeah, maybe just professionally speaking."

"Please don't beat yourself up too much over this, you can't help how you feel."

"I know, this is just going to take me time."

"I understand, so with him knowing about you and Warrick, does that mean everyone else knows?"

"Just Jim, so he knows why I can't ever do Warrick's evaluations." As he nodded in understanding even though Catherine couldn't see him, she asked. "So, any new developments in your life I need to know about?"

Grissom anchored his phone with his shoulder so he could sign to Sara what Catherine had asked, and after a moment she gave him consent, which he 'asked' if she was sure, and after a nod and smile, Grissom replaced his shoulder with his hand and replied with a smile of his own. "Maybe, I did a little thing."

Catherine, on her end of the phone, smiled. "Oh, what did you do? Did you finally propose?"

"Yes Ma'am."

She chuckled, feeling happy for him. "It's about damn time, mister."

He sighed. "Yes, I would agree, but there were reasons for the wait."

"I get it, I'm just so happy for you two, congratulations."

"Thank you, and the tentative plan is for a spring wedding, we'll keep you informed as more planning gets done."

"Thank you." She then sighed. "Now I guess it's my turn to ask a favor, take care of him."

"Absolutely, he'll be fine here, you have nothing to worry about." She tried to hide her yawn, but Grissom could hear it. "I think it's time for someone to get home and get to bed."

"Yes, and before you ask, Warrick is taking me home."

"Good, I'll talk to you again soon."

"Ok and have yourself a Happy New Year."

"You too, bye Cath."

"Bye, Gil."

After Grissom hung up and closed his phone, Sara asked. "So, do they all know now?"

"Nope, just Jim, so he knows why she can't ever do his evaluations." As she nodded in understanding, he spoke again. "And thank you for letting me tell Catherine about our engagement, I didn't want to lie to her."

"I get it." She then smirked. "I'll just tell my friends that they knew after your mom and our daughter, they don't have to know anyone else knew before them."

After around of chuckling, Grissom gets up from his chair. "I'll see you in the breakroom in a few minutes."

She looked a him with love in her eyes. "Yes, you will." When he hadn't turned around to leave and he was just looking at her desk, she asked. "What is it?"

He pointed to her desktop name plate with a smile and love in his eyes. "Soon that will become Sara Grissom."

She smiled wider. "It sure will."

He sighed in content then he finally turned and walked out of her office, closing the door behind him, then she sighed while picking up the desktop name plate and looked at it, couldn't wait for the day she could finally change it to Sara Grissom.

During Lunch time

With Grissom being out of the lab since he got his assignment, he didn't feel the new 'buzz' around the lab until he walked in to turn his evidence in, but before he could ask what was going on, he gets a text from Peter to come into his office.

Once he got there and knocked on the door, Peter told him to come in, and when he did, he now realized why it felt like a new buzz around here, it was because Nick was in the building.

The two men smiled as they walked up to one another, then Nick held out his hand. "Grissom."

Grissom took Nick's hand. "Nick."

While they released hands, Peter asked Grissom. "I was hoping you have time to show Nick around?"

Grissom nodded. "Yes sir, I just turned in my evidence so it could be a while."

"Alright, thanks." He then looked at Nick. "Your badge will be at the front desk tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, sir."

Grissom looked at Nick a little shocked. "What? You start tomorrow." He then looked at Peter. "You couldn't give him any time to..."

Before Peter could speak, Nick cuts the older man off, defending his new boss. "I'm the one that asked him if I could start tomorrow, you know hit the ground running, staying busy."

Grissom nodded in understanding. "Ok, I'll show you around, then how about some lunch? I'll even see if Sara is available."

Nick nodded with another smile. "Yeah, that sounds great. I think it's about time to get to know your woman a little better."

Grissom chuckled as they walked out of the office, then as they were walking down the hall, right before they passed by one of the labs, Grissom cleared his throat and started to speak. "Nick I..."

But Nick cuts him off. "Do you know why I even ended up in Vegas in the first place?" After Grissom shook his head, Nick continued with a smile. "It's because of you, your reputation made it all the way to Texas, and I knew the minute I decided to leave there where I was going next and who I wanted to be mentored by." He then sighed before he finished. "So, quite honestly I should have just followed you to San Francisco right from the start, you were the mentor I was supposed to always have."

"That is nice to hear, and I'm honored someone found me to look up to, but are you sure..."

Nick cuts him off again with a nod. "I'm sure I'm doing the right thing in my career, I just can't be in Vegas right now, it hurts to be there. I need a new start, so can we please not talk about all the reasons I left there."

Grissom nodded. "Ok, we'll table it for now, but you know eventually you have to talk about it."

"Yeah, but not today." He smiled again as he finished. "Now show me around the new digs."

Grissom chuckled with a nod. "You got it."

"So, while this lab still doesn't have all the 'toys' Vegas has, it has improved a lot since I've been here."

They had finished up the tour moments ago and was now in the breakroom.

Nick smirked. "I wonder why, wasn't your reputation the reason Vegas got all the upgrades and new 'toys' to begin with."

Grissom smiled shyly and was about to speak when Sara walked into the room with a smile. "I heard the new hot man was here." Grissom looked at Sara with a raised eyebrow and Nick looked a little shy at the comment while Sara continued with a chuckle as she walked further into the room. "I'm only repeating what I heard." She then looked at the man she loved. "Besides, I'm more partial to the other hot man. No offense Nick."

Nick shook his head with a chuckle. "None taken."

Grissom got another shy look for a moment before Sara looked at Nick again. "It's nice to see you again."

"You too."

Grissom then got into the conversation. "I was just about ready to call you to see if you are available for lunch."

Sara nodded. "As of a matter of fact I am, where are you thinking?"

Grissom then looked at Nick as he asked. "Where to Nick?"

"You know what, I'm craving Chinese."

After they both nodded in agreement, they walked out of the room and headed out of the lab so they could enjoy lunch together.

Once they got there and sat down at the table, they ordered their drinks and food, then as they were waiting for their food to come, Sara asked. "So, do you know where you'll be living?"

Nick shook his head. "Not at the moment, right now I'm staying in a hotel until I can find a place to call home."

While Nick was taking a drink of his water, Sara and Grissom were having a silent conversation until Grissom cleared his throat and spoke to the young man. "Why don't you come stay with us?"

Nick shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, really I do, but I don't want to put you guys out."

But they weren't giving up, and Sara was the one that spoke next. "You won't be, our place has plenty of space, and there is a beach right there. When was the last time you spent time by the ocean?"

Then Grissom got practical. "Plus, you'll be saving money, and you won't have to feel rushed finding a new place, so you can wait until you find the one you like."

There was a pause before Nick asked. "Are you sure?"

They both nodded with smiles as Grissom spoke again. "More than sure, in fact, at this point we won't take a no for an answer."

Nick took a moment to really look at them and could tell their offer was genuine, plus what Grissom said about saving him money would be true and he wouldn't have to feel too rushed, so then he nodded with a smile. "OK, I'll accept, and truly thank you for the offer, hopefully though it won't be too long of a stay for me. But however long I am there, I'm chipping in with the groceries, and I'm not taking no..."

Grissom cuts the young man off with a smile while holding out his hand. "Deal." As Nick and Grissom were shaking hands, Grissom continues. "And welcome to San Francisco."

While they release hands, Nick nods with a smile. "Thank you, I'm glad I'm here, I can't wait to see what this new start will be like."

A moment later their food came, and after they said thank you to their waiter they dug right into it as they talked, and at one point Nick mentioned that he had sold/donated everything he didn't want or didn't have room in his Ford truck, so he was truly starting a new life pretty much from scratch, just as he did when he moved to Vegas.

As lunch time was coming to an end, and since everyone drove their own vehicles here, Sara had to leave before they did, so Sara and Grissom share a sweet goodbye kiss before she spoke to Nick with a smile. "I guess I'll see you after work."

"Yep."

She then looked at Grissom again with a loving smile. "I'll see you later, babe. Love you."

"Love you too, honey."

She then slid out of the booth, and as she walked out of the restaurant, Grissom cleared his throat and spoke with a shy smile. "I'm sorry about..."

Nick cuts him off with a smile. "You have nothing to be sorry about, I'm just not use to seeing this side of you."

Grissom took the last sip of his tea and placed the plastic cup down as he replied. "It's a little weird, huh?"

"It will take a little time to get used to, I admit. I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable being that way in your own house with me being there, that's where you should feel the freest."

He took a breath as they both slid out of the booth. "There is no doubt there will be a little adjustment with you staying with us, but we'll work through it. I just don't want you to feel like you are an unwanted guest, we just want to make this new transition in your life go as smoothly as possible."

After they both placed money down on the table for the bill and tip, they walked out of the restaurant as Nick spoke. "Thank you, Grissom. I know finding out I was transferring probably gave you quite a shock, and you're probably still processing it, I just hope I didn't let you down."

When he said that last part softly and had looked down at the ground, Grissom shook his head with a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder as he spoke in comfort. "Nicky, you didn't let me down, you took yourself out of a situation that was hurting you and choose a place where you thought you could do the most good. In fact, out of all the places you could have picked, I'm glad you came here, and I mean this, I missed you. I've missed mentoring you, watching you grow as a CSI."

Nick looks up from the ground and smiled at Grissom. "Really?"

Grissom nodded with a smile. "Yes, you've been my best student."

Nick now gets a proud look on his face, then he cleared his throat and continued. "You know you could still teach me."

Grissom raised an eyebrow as he removed his hand from his shoulder. "You are a level III now. I don't know if there is much left..."

Nick cuts him off. "Sure, there is, entomology for one."

"Really? That's something you want to learn?"

"Why not?" Nick then smirked. "Unless you feel threatened about not being the only bug guy around here."

Grissom chuckled. "If you are serious about wanting to learn, I'm always up to teaching you. And hey, if there is another entomologist around here, it could give me more opportunities to teaching jobs outside of the lab."

As they walked to their vehicles, Nick asked. "Is teaching what you've always wanted to do?"

"Let me tell you something Nicky, I'm not getting any younger, and all that bending is slowly taking a toll on my body, I can feel it more and more as each day goes by, so as much as I love being a CSI, I know it's not something I'm going to be able to do forever, and it would be nice to know that I have something else to fall back on. So, I guess to answer your question, if CSI had never worked out for me in the first place, then me being a teacher would have been my second choice."

While Nick unlocked his door, he nodded with a smile. "I can see that. I think you'd make an excellent teacher." As Grissom gave Nick another smile, Nick asked. "Where to now?"

Grissom cleared his throat while he unlocked his vehicle door. "I have a little time before I'm sure I'll get 'paged', so how about I show you to the house and show you around."

"Sounds good. I'm right behind you."

Grissom nodded before they got into their vehicles, then after starting them, they left the parking lot and headed to the Grissom household.

AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. Hope you all have a safe and wonderful New Year, it might be a bit before another chapter is posted, but I won't make you wait too long, and until next time, remember GSR4ever!