AN: Thank you to those who are still reading and reviewing. Here is the next chapter with another twist.

Chapter 25: Another Twist

While Sam and Peter looked surprised by Sara's unexpected news, Robert was a little annoyed by it, and he shook his head. "No, I guess we can't use you. Back to the drawing board then." He then turned and left the room, calling Sam to follow him. Sam gave Sara a sympatric look before following his boss out of the room.

When it was just the three of them, Sara looked at Peter. "You can't be serious, the FBI?"

Peter sighed. "I'm sorry Sara, but it's out of my hands. It's the director's call."

Sara sighed too while Grissom speaks up. "And shouldn't we learn more about the killer before a decoy plan is even set up?"

Peter replied. "You would think, but that's the FBI for you."

Sara nodded in agreement before commenting. "I just thought Sam would have more sense, he use to be one of us."

Peter sighed one more time. "I guess not anymore." He then smiled at Sara and continued. "Congratulations by the way, I'm sorry you had to say something now, which I'm betting that no one else knows yet?"

They shook their heads before Grissom spoke. "Just our daughter, we told her this morning before she was picked up for school, she's so excited by the way, she can't wait to become a big sister."

"That's wonderful."

Sara smiled in return. "Thank you." Now she sighed one more time. "And I'm sorry about..."

Peter cuts her off. "No, don't apologize, you did the right thing by backing out. I know how much you want the killer found but putting your unborn child at risk to do it, is not the way."

Grissom cleared his throat with a nod. "I agree."

After a short pause, Peter spoke again. "Continue to work the case, I'm going to try and talk some sense into the FBI."

Sara smirked. "Good luck."

"Thanks, I'm going to need it."

They chuckled before Peter turned and walked out of the room, then once they were alone, Grissom looked at Sara. "So, Sam's here."

She walked to her desk with a nod. "Yeah, it would seem so."

"Are you ok that he is?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, I mean he did decline going to our wedding, and I thought with him being your friend he would have shown up, unless there was a reason why he didn't, or couldn't, and I honestly think I figured out why that is."

"Griss..."

But he cuts her off, breaking a rule about discussing their personal lives inside the lab. "I get it Sara, you can't control how another man feels about you, I just wish you would have said something to me."

With the combination of Sam's declining of going to the wedding and the way he looked at her when she told them she was pregnant, it finally dawned on him that Sam has strong feelings for his wife, which Grissom wouldn't have been surprised if he had them from the very beginning. He just didn't see it or didn't want to see it every time he visited and would see Sam around, knowing the other man saw her every day and he didn't.

"I didn't want to upset you." She moved to the other side of her desk so she could be closer to him again while she continued. "But you have to know, what I told you about there not being anything romantic between us is true, I never gave him any signs or indication that I..."

He cuts her off. "I know you would never do that, and I'm sorry I'm bringing this up now." He then took a breath and smiled. "But really I shouldn't be that surprised in the first place, I mean look at you, who wouldn't fall in love with you." Sara shyly smiled as he finished. "Especially now, when you are practically..."

She cuts him off. "Don't say it."

He did it anyway. "Glowing."

She shook her head, then smiled at him. "It's because of you, you know. If I'm so called 'glowing' as you called it, it's because of how happy that I am... that we are finally getting what we envisioned for our lives, a life that more than likely wouldn't have happened without you. " She shook her head with a sigh. "I can't help how Sam feels about me, it's his problem if he can't handle just being friends. But friendship is all I'm offering to him and to any other man that comes along for that matter." Then with a beaming smile to the man she loved, she finished. "Because I'm all set in the romance department for the rest of my life, they are just going to have to deal with it." He just nodded with a smile, feeling like the luckiest man in the universe that it's his love she wants for better or worse for the rest of their lives.

After a short pause, she cleared her throat and started to speak again while heading back to the other side of her desk. "Alright, Dr. Grissom, we have a case to solve, we should get back to work."

"Yes ma'am."

He then turned to walk out of the room, but then stopped and turned back around to look at his wife before speaking softly. "I'm proud of you, you know. I know this case has gotten you riled up and you would do anything to solve it as quickly as you could, but you held back."

"I feel for the victims, I want justice for them so much, and I hope we get this SOB before he strikes again, but there are some things I will not risk, and that's the safety of this little one." She placed her hand on her stomach with a smile and tears in her eyes. "The risk is too high."

He felt the same way with everything she said, so he nodded, then said. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now get back to work."

He just gave her one more nod before he finally turned and walked out of her office while she sighed and sat down in her chair, knowing she did the right thing, but hoping there wouldn't be an escalation.

Next Evening

The FBI went ahead with the decoy after finding someone else who fit the prototype, and honestly it didn't surprise, Sara, Grissom, Peter, or even Sam for that matter, that it didn't work, and while they were still investigating their case another body popped up, which the CSI's eventually believed it wasn't the serial killer who did it this time, it was just a man wanting to kill his wife and blame it on him, but Robert still wasn't listening and pinned all the other murders on the 'husband', even going as far as having a news conference saying they had the 'Striper Strangler' locked up, to which Peter didn't agree with and voiced his opinion, and when a reporter found out and he went on record saying that he didn't believe who they got was the true killer they were looking for, it got him a two week suspension so Sara was now in charge for the time being.

It was now a little past their latest shift when Sara walked into the breakroom and asked Nick, who was at the table looking at pictures of one of the crime scenes. "Where's Grissom?"

"Following up on a lead."

"What lead is that?"

"I found an inconsistency from the security guard that we talked to earlier, and I told him."

Sara's eyes get wide. "Did he go alone?"

"Yeah, I believe so."

"Did he have his gun on him?"

Nick frowned. "I don't know, but does he ever?"

Sara cursed while turning and running out the door before Nick could say another word, and while running out of the lab, Sara almost laterally runs into Sam, and he asks with worry, seeing the look in her eyes and the hurriedness of her actions. "What is it?"

"I hope nothing, but Grissom went to a potential suspect's apartment alone, and more than likely without his gun."

No questions asked, Sam nodded as he started leading the way to his vehicle. "I'll drive, just tell me where to go."

After arriving to the suspect's apartment complex, they see the door to his apartment is opened, then Sam looked down and saw some liquid leading towards some trashcans. "Sara look!"

She looked down and imagined Grissom following it, so they did the same.

Moments later they heard the washing machine, which was down in the laundry room, getting off track, then after hearing a thud noise, Sam wasted no time going down the stairs, Sara following close by to see the security guard go down from Sam shooting him a second later, which was a good thing he did because the guy had a shovel in his hand and was going to hit Grissom while he was down on the ground.

"Grissom!" Sara exclaimed as she rushed past Sam and headed towards her husband. "Are you ok?"

While Grissom was standing up, still in a somewhat daze state of how fast things escalated, he asked. "How did you know I was here?"

As she was holstering her gun, and while Sam was on the phone, Sara replied, still looking worried. "Nick said you were following a lead, and I followed my instincts when it comes to you."

Grissom nodded then cupped her cheek. "Honey, I'm ok." She took a relieved breath before bringing him into her arms for a hug.

After a moment, they pull back and Grissom looked at Sam, who was now down to their level, then held out his hand to the younger man. "Thank you."

Sam nodded while taking Grissom's hand. "You're welcome."

As they released hands, sirens were heard before Robert and his other group of FBI agents came down the stairs to check out the scene.

Once they were back at the lab Sara told the team that the case was officially closed, and that they could do the paperwork tomorrow, so they were dismissed.

When they got home, after picking their daughter up at Ashley's place, they had dinner, spent time with their daughter, tucked her in and read to her when it was time for bed, then once they were inside their bedroom, Grissom closed the door and looked at Sara, who was sitting at the end of the bed taking her shoes off.

"Honey, what is it? You've been pretty quiet since we got back to the lab."

Now that they were finally alone, where she didn't have to be a boss or show her stronger side, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Griss, I can't have you going out there alone anymore, or at least not without your gun. I understand how you feel about using guns, but my heart, after finding out from Nick where you were going without your gun, was literally in my stomach, you can't do that anymore. I can't lose you, not now, not when our lives are so good."

He walked up to her with a nod. "Ok, I promise from now on I'll always have someone with me or take my gun when I don't."

Feeling a little shocked that there was no pushback from him whatsoever, she couldn't help but smirk. "That felt too easy."

He sighed as he cupped her cheek. "No, you're right, I shouldn't have gone alone, I should have had Nick with me when he told me what he found out. It's just my mind, once something clicks in it, I don't think about anything else, I just go follow the next lead."

She smirked again with a sniffle. "You think?"

He chuckles slightly, then very sincerely while wiping her tears away with his thumb, he spoke. "I'm sorry I scared you liked that, and honestly I think I scared myself there too because when I saw him lift that shovel up and was about to hit me, all I could think about what was you, our daughter, and if I would get to see our little one. I don't want to lose you guys either."

She brings him to her, and they kiss passionately, like it was their last kiss ever, then after they pulled back and placed their foreheads against one another, they caught their breath and whispered 'I love you' to one another.

A moment later, Grissom pulls back and kissed her forehead before whispering. "And while I am surprised you let Sam take the shot, I'm glad it was him and not you, knowing how you feel about taking another person's life."

She took a breath and pulled back so she could look into his eyes. "I would have done it to protect you, to protect my family, no second thoughts." She then sighed before admitting. "But I'm glad too that it was him and not me."

He leans to kiss her forehead again and brings her into his arms to hold her, and after a few minutes, she whispered. "Can you just hold me tonight?"

He smiled against her temple. "Absolutely. Do you want to change first?"

She shook her head. "No, I just want to lay in your arms right now."

"Ok."

They did however finish taking off their shoes before moving up towards the head of the bed, then once he was laying down comfortably, he held out his arms, which Sara smiled as she snuggled in them, getting as close as she could to him, wanting to feel that safe and protecting feeling that he was always able to give her, especially after the evening they had.

Next morning

It was very rare that Grissom wouldn't be cooking his family breakfast before the start of the day, but on this particular morning they did things a little differently once they got up and dressed, they went to McDonald's for a special reason, or at least to Sam it was a special reason.

Sam wanted to see Belle before he headed back to Los Angeles, and when they all got there, Belle's reaction to him was lackluster to say the least, but Sam kind of expected that since he hadn't kept in touch and she was three the last time she saw him, so after the little greeting Belle gave him, she looked at her parents and asked with a smile. "Can I go play now?"

They had a little play area for the kids.

Sara nodded with a smile. "For a little bit, but once your food comes you have to come back here immediately, you still have school today."

"I know, mommy." Then she was off to the play area.

Once it was just the three of them at the table, Sara looked at Sam and spoke softly. "I'm sorry."

Sam shook his head with a smile. "I was kind of expecting that reaction, it wasn't like I kept in touch or anything, so of course she wouldn't remember me. But still, it was nice seeing her, thank you."

They both nodded while Sara spoke again. "You're welcome."

After they all took sips of their coffees, Sam spoke about them. "I'll admit at first I didn't understand what you saw in a guy that was 15 years old than you and that you could be so loyal to someone who lived in another city when he had a daughter..."

Sara cuts him off, almost in a warning tone. "Sam..."

But then Grissom cuts her off while placing his hand top of his wife's. "Sara, it's ok."

Sam then smiled as he watched her instantly calm down with Grissom's touch. "But I get it now, I see the type of love that you two have, it is very special and real. I hope one day I'll get to be that lucky."

"I hope you do too." She then smirked. "And hey, you know what they say, there is always room for improvement."

Sam chuckled with a nod. "Ok, I deserved that."

As they all chuckled, the TV, which was muted, that was up on a shelf caught Sara's eye. "Look at that, Robert is no doubt taking the credit for a successful case." She then looked at Sam and raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to be one of them?"

Sam took a drink of his coffee then shook his head and replied. "Actually, I changed my mind, I'm going back to being a CSI. Working this case, I realized that's where I truly belong, so I turned in my resignation last night."

"Wow, so you are going back to the good side."

He nodded with a smile. "And I never should have left it."

They all smiled, then not long after their food came, so Belle was back at the table and Sam got to know the slightly older version of Belle.

After breakfast was done it was time for the Grissom family to leave so they could get Belle to school and themselves to work, so Sam said his goodbyes to Belle and Grissom before they walked out, leaving Sara and Sam alone.

They share a hug a moment later and he spoke. "Congratulations on your soon to be new addition to the family."

As they pulled back, she nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Sam, and despite the circumstances that led you back into my orbit, it was nice seeing you again."

"Likewise, and I'm sorry I didn't attend your wedding. Maybe if you ever do a vow renewal, I'll show up."

"I would like that, but I hope it doesn't take that long for us to see one another again."

"Then maybe I'll just keep in better touch this time around."

"You should, especially considering we are in LA a couple times a month to visit Grissom's mom." After he nodded, she continued. "Take care Sam."

"You too. Bye, Sara."

"Bye."

Sara then turned and walked towards the exit as Sam watched with a smile on his face, this time truly happy for the life Sara had created for herself and hopes only for the best going forward.

Two Weeks later

With Sara getting a phone call from Peter the night before, saying he wanted to speak to her before the start of shift, Grissom woke up a little bit earlier so he could make Sara breakfast, and once she was done, she took her empty plate and glass to the sink, placed it in there and walked towards Grissom, who was at the stove cooking Belle's and his breakfast, then kissed his cheek and spoke with a smile. "Thank you, babe."

"You're welcome, honey. Drive safely, and I'll see you at the lab shortly."

"Yes, you will. Love you."

"Love you too."

After sharing a soft kiss, Sara turned to walk out of the kitchen, and just as she reached the living room, her daughter was coming down the stairs, so she spoke with a smile. "I'm sorry, baby. But it's just dad taking you to school today, my boss wants to talk to me before shift."

She frowned as she asked. "Is everything ok?"

Sara waved it off. "It's probably nothing. He just might want me to update him on what he's missed the last two weeks, to see if anything major happened."

If her mother wasn't worried, then she guesses she shouldn't be either, so she nodded. "Oh ok. I love you, mom."

"Love you too, and I'll see you later this evening."

After mother and daughter share a hug and kiss goodbye, Sara was finally out of the door so she could head to the lab.

Not long after getting to the lab, Sara went through her normal routine before heading to Peter's office and knocked on the closed door.

A second later, she hears his voice. "Come in."

Sara opened the door and smiled as she stepped into his office. "Hi, it's nice to see you back here."

He gave her a small smile before clearing his throat and asked. "Can you please shut the door and come and sit down."

Now the feeling that she had when she was talking to her daughter about this meeting not being bad suddenly went away, and she tried to lighten the mode after she had shut the door and was walking to one of the chairs that was in front of Peter's desk. "Woah, I just had a sudden feeling of being sent to talk to the principle in his office."

He raised an eyebrow as he asked. "That's something you experienced firsthand?"

She sits down with a chuckle. "Unfortunately, yeah." She then cleared her throat and continued. "I uh, I had a harder time at keeping my temper at bay during those middle school/ early High school times." After Peter nodded in understanding, there was a pause before Sara asked. "So, what's up?"

"First of all, I got glowing reports on how you were as supervisor, good job."

She smiled before replying. "Thank you, but you are welcome to take the reins back any minute now."

There was another pause, and this one felt a little ominous before Peter clears his throat again and spoke. "Unfortunately, that's not happening, or at least after this week."

Sara gasped then her eyes get wide as she spoke in a fiery tone. "Wait, is this coming from the director? Is he pushing you out? He can't do that..."

Sara was about to stand up and pace when Peter's next words stopped her from speaking and moving from the chair. "No, this isn't coming from the director, this is coming from me, it's what I'm deciding myself. These last two weeks really let me think about my future and what I want going forward, and I've decided that I don't want to do this anymore, I'm tired of dealing with the dead."

Still feeling shocked on what was going on right now, she took a breath and shook her head before speaking. "Wow, I mean I know we talked about this could happen a few months back, but I didn't think it would be this soon, so there is nothing that can be said or done to change your mind?"

He shook his head. "No, I've made my decision and it's pretty final. Now it's your turn to decide whether you want the supervisor position. It's all yours if you want it, I made sure you would be approved before I turned in my resignation. But, on the off chance that you decline the offer, remember someone from swing, nightshift, or even outside of this lab could take the position, and I'm just telling you that I would feel a whole lot better leaving if it was you that would be replacing me."

"I understand, but how long do I have to decide?"

"I would assume by the end of the week. I'm sorry if that's not enough time for you, he just wants to get the ball rolling on finding someone if you don't accept long term."

She nodded in understanding before taking a deep breath and speaking. "Dang, this kind of sucks. It won't be the same without you."

Peter gives her a smile. "You guys will be fine, more than fine actually, especially if it's you that is taking my spot." He held up the feedback reports from when Sara was the supervisor for those two weeks. "The reports don't lie."

"Yeah, but that was when it was temporary, they knew you were coming back. It could be a whole new ballgame when they know you're never coming back, at least in terms of a supervisor. The team might not stay the same, some are very loyal to you, you know."

"Then if that's the case, build around the ones that do stay because we know you at least have two loyal ones behind you."

Sara nodded with a smile. "That is true." When Peter kept giving her an expected look, she shook her head with a chuckle. "I know you would like my answer now, but this is something I should talk to my husband about."

He nodded with a smile. "Fair enough, and you're right this could be a big step for both of you." He then sighed again. "I'm just sorry it's happening now with you dealing with a pregnancy."

"It's ok, we'll deal with it. But how you feel is important too, and if it's something you can't deal with anymore, then you should take a step back. I'll miss you of course but I also support your decision."

Peter nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Sara, your support means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, so when are you planning on telling the team?"

"Well, if you can talk to Grissom tonight, I'll tell them tomorrow, I just don't want to tell them at the last minute, they deserve better than that."

Sara nodded in agreement. "Ok, then I'll give you my answer tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good."

As Peter looked at his watch, Sara spoke. "I guess it's that time."

Peter turned his attention back to Sara with a head nod. "Yes, it is. I'll see you in the breakroom."

"See you in there." Sara then stands up. "And I know it's only for a week, but I did mean it, I'm glad you're back."

He nodded. "And despite my reasons on leaving, it was a hard decision to make. This is all I have known, I actually thought I could do this forever."

"We all have our limits when it comes to a job like this, you've just happened to hit yours sooner than you wanted, and I'm sure there is something out there you'd be great at just like you were as a CSI."

He gives her one more nod before she turned and walked out of the room, and when the door shut, he sighed, knowing in his heart he made the right decision, but sad that the only career he has ever known was coming to an end, or at least on a daily basis, he bet he could come help when they needed it.

AN: Thanks for reading, and please review. Find out her answer next chapter. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. Until next time, always remember, GSR4ever!