AN: Once again thanks for the support, is the next chapter. Warning: A few questionable words.

Chapter 48: Telling them

A few days later they arrived back in San Francisco, ready to share the news on what their plans will be, like what they had actually planned for the house here or how long would they stay at the lab before making the official move to move on, so later that afternoon, when they were home, they sat the kids down in the living room and told them what was going on, which they knew before telling the kids that the twins wouldn't have been as effected when it came to school since they didn't go to one yet, nor would it have been a negative thing for Belle, in fact, quite the opposite. But there was one kid that they knew it would, and the minute the news was shared with them, Taron got upset, ran up to his room and slammed the door.

Sara and Grissom look at one another, and Sara spoke as she was getting ready to stand up. "I'll go talk to him."

But Grissom stopped her with a small smile as he stood up and walked towards the stairs to go up. "I will, this is because of me."

As Sara nodded, the twins asked if they could go back to playing, and after Sara OKed it, they headed for their toys in the living room, then Sara looked at Belle and asked. "So, what do you think?"

Belle quite honestly was still a little shocked, then she shook her head before asking. "You and dad are not leaving CSI because of me, are you? I mean this move isn't because I'm leaving, is it? And I don't mean to make this about me, but..."

Sara placed her hand on her daughter's for comfort and reassurance. "Baby, your father and I believe it's time to leave CSI, we've done our part, now it's time for the next generation to come in, the timing in all of this happening and where your father's new opportunity is, is purely coincidental."

Belle smirked. "I thought you and daddy didn't believe in coincidence."

Sara chuckled with a nod. "Ok, then call it fate."

Belle smiled at first then asked with a slight worry on her face. "But mom you are ok, right?"

Sara nodded while moving her hand to cup her daughter's cheek. "I'm fine baby, I'm just ready to move on, while I never thought I would say that at his point in my life, like your father pointed out, priorities shift and dreams change, but as long as I have my family, I'll be ok. I also hope that you're ok with us moving close to you."

Belle chuckled with a nod/sob. "While I know I have family in LA, whom I love with all my heart, they wouldn't have been you guys, so I'm 100% ok with this move, I support your decision if it's what you guys truly want."

Sara nodded with a smile as she brings her daughter into her arms. "Thank you, sweetie, that means a lot."

Right as mother and daughter were pulling back from their hug, Grissom had walked in the room, and Sara asked her husband. "How did it go?"

Grissom sighed and shook his head. "Not so well."

Belle then stood up with a smile. "Then I guess this is now the job for the older sister."

Both parents said her name, and she chuckled. "What? I'm not going to be mean about it. Maybe he might soften up a little bit coming from a sibling rather than a parent."

They both nodded then Grissom spoke. "Alright, do what you can."

When Belle left the room, Grissom looked at his wife with a sigh. "We are doing the right thing, right?"

Sara smiled while standing up, took the few steps she needed to get to him, then cupped his cheek lovingly. "Babe, you are following a dream of yours, which has technically been in the background for years, there is nothing wrong with that. We knew telling them there was going to be at least one child who wasn't going to be happy about it, and I feel for him, really I do, and understand but it isn't like he won't make new friends or that he won't know anyone, he will more than likely be in Evelyn's class."

"That is true." He then sighed. "I just don't like it when our children are upset."

She chuckled. "I know, me and you both, but we knew we weren't going to go through life without that happening." After he nodded with a slight smile, she asked. "Do you have things covered here?"

"Yeah sure. What's going on?"

She pulled back from him while she spoke. "I'm going to call Quinn and Ashley to meet me somewhere so I can talk to them before we tell the team tomorrow."

Grissom nodded in understanding. "Ok, yeah, just drive safely."

"I will, love you."

"Love you too."

After they shared a soft kiss, she tells the twins bye, then grabbed her purse, phone and car keys so she could leave the house.

20 minutes later

Quinn and Ashley pulled into the parking lot at the same time to an old, closed down, abandoned diner, seeing Sara sitting on the step by the front door, so they get out of their vehicles, headed in Sara's direction and Quinn spoke with a smirk. "I think we should be safe; she didn't text us to come here during the night."

There was a chuckle before Sara spoke, while thinking of the past. "I hope you both didn't forget what the significance of this place was to us."

Ashley was quick. "This is where we met for the first time."

Sara nodded. "I had just moved back here from Boston two weeks earlier, I needed a job asap so I could stay in a motel I couldn't really afford, so the owner felt sorry for me, gave me the job as a waitress, paying me every night rather than every two weeks, even slipping in a few extra bucks. Then going into my third week, something happened, I overheard these two Juniors in College talking about needing a new roommate or else you would lose your, what did you call it back then?"

Ashley shyly smiled. "Our bachelorette pad."

Sara chuckled with a nod. "That's right, and after I had asked, you agreed right on the spot and later that evening I had a place to call home."

Quinn then smirked. "And our lives have never been the same since."

Sara shook her head with a smile. "No, they haven't, and I didn't know at the time that you two would be this significant in my life 18 years later, that you two had a part in finding the love of my life, becoming aunts to my children, that you would be there for me when I needed a friend the most. I know this has been said before, but truyly and deeply thank you for everything you have done for me."

Quinn shook her head as she tried to keep her tears at bay. "Ok, Grissom, you brought us here for more than a reminisce moment, this feels like a goodbye."

Ashley then gets sad. "Sara, please tell me that Quinn isn't right."

Sara stands up from the step, takes a step towards Ashley and spoke softly. "I'm sorry Ashley, but she's right."

Ashley started to sniffle. "Sara..."

Sara cuts her friend off with a small smile. "It's time for us to leave, it's time for Gil to follow another path, while I try and figure out my next one. I know this is hard, but I hope you understand."

Both women nodded before Quinn spoke. "We do, it just won't be the same without you here."

"I know, I'll feel it too, but the good thing is that it's just down in LA, so it's not like we are moving across the country."

Ashley took a breath with a nod and smile. "Yeah, I guess that's not too bad, and technology has come a long way since we've met."

Sara chuckled with a nod. "They sure have, we'll be in constant contact and visit any chance we get, so are we ok?"

Ashley nodded again with another smile. "Yeah, we are good."

Then they share a hug, and after they pulled back, Ashley moved to the side so Quinn could say the same thing while they hugged, then after they pulled back, Sara had a few more things to address so she looks at Quinn and spoke again. "I know that you and Brad were looking for a new place to live, so if you're interested, you can stay in ours until you find the right place you're looking for."

Quinn looked shocked. "What? We can't..."

Sara cuts her off with a smile. "We're not ready to sell it, so we are deciding to rent it out, and we would love it if our first tenants were someone we knew."

"You're really serious."

Sara nodded. "We are."

Quinn then nodded with a chuckle. "Ok, I'll talk to Brad and let you know."

After Sara nodded again, she cleared her throat before continuing. "Which brings up one more thing I want to talk to you about, can you guys not say anything to anyone until tomorrow, there is still a group of people we need to talk to, and it should come from us."

The women nodded again as Ashley spoke softly. "Your team, Nick."

Sara nodded one more time. "Yeah."

Ashley nodded. "I won't say a word."

"Me neither."

"Thank you."

After a short pause, Quinn cleared her throat before asking. "So, when do you plan to do all of this?"

"We want to give the lab a month to find a least one new person so they won't be too short-handed, and Grissom has booked a seminar towards the end of July, so it'll probably be a week or two after the 4th of July."

They nodded in understanding, and while they were still sad about the news, they only wanted Sara to be happy, and if moving made her that way, then so be it, they'll be her always supportive friends.

Next morning

Very rarely does Grissom leave the house at the same time Sara did, unless a case is really bothering him, but this morning was for a very important reason, they had to have a talk with the director of the lab, which had been a new guy the last few years.

Unfortunately, their meeting took longer than they wanted, so Sara had text Nick to start shift, and when they were done with the meeting, 1 hour after shift had started, they headed to Sara's office.

Once they walked in, where Sara knew her case details would be on her desk, she picked it up before looking at her husband with a smile. "So, do you want to go join someone else on their case, or do this last one with me?"

Grissom smiled. "You know I think it will only be fitting if we do our last case together."

Sara nodded with another smile. "Ok, I'll meet you in the parking lot."

Grissom nodded before heading out of the office.

Sara took a breath before walking towards her CSI kit that was on the other side of her desk, picked it up, placed it on her desk, and after seeing that everything she needed was in it, she closed it, picked it up again before walking out of her office, ready to start and finish her last active case as a CSI.

After shift

When Sara and Grissom walked into the break room, where the other team members were talking amongst themselves, they immediately stopped talking, and Sara smiled at Nick. "Thanks Nick for starting shift today."

Nick waved it off but did nod and smile. "You're welcome." There was a slight pause, and everyone started to feel a shift in the air, so Nick lost his smile and asked. "Is everything ok?"

Sara and Grissom look at one another, then Sara looked at her team and spoke after clearing her throat. "I never wanted to hide anything from you guys. With this job you're supposed to trust those who you work with, but how can you trust someone if they're not being honest, so to answer your question honestly Nick, no, not everything is ok, and really hasn't been completely ok for me in a while, so after talking to Gil, I've...We've come to the difficult decision to leave CSI."

No one had honestly seen this coming, so they all looked completely shocked as Nick asked. "What?"

Sara nodded while taking a breath, then she continued with emotion. "I know this has completely blindsided all of you, and as I've said it was a difficult decision to make, but it's a move I need to make, I can't be the supervisor you all deserve/need anymore. It's time for Nick to take over."

Nick shook his head and cleared his throat. "Sara, I can't..."

Sara cuts him off with a smile. "You can, and you should. Nicky, you're ready for this. Hell, you've been ready for years now, it's your turn, your team now."

Nick cleared his throat again before asking softly. "And you're sure there isn't anything we can do to convince you to stay?"

Sara shook her head with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, but no, our minds are pretty much made up."

"I uh...I won't let you down, Sara."

Sara smiled at Nick with teary eyes. "I know you won't." After another pause while they processed what just happened, Sara continued. "We know you'll be short staffed, so while we won't be leads, Grissom and I will be here for a month until you guys find at least one other person while we finish closing our older cases."

Lizzie then asks softly. "Then what will happen? It feels like there is more to this move."

Both Sara and Grissom nodded before Sara looked at Grissom, then Grissom was the one that spoke after clearing his throat. "Once the month is up, Sara and I will be moving down to Los Angeles, where I will hopefully become a professor at UCLA university."

That only shocked them even more, and Nick asked. "Wait, you're moving too? Does Ashley know?"

"She does, along with Quinn, but please don't be mad at her, I told her not to tell you anything, this was on me, I needed to be the one to tell you and the team."

Nick shook his head. "I'm not mad, it's just seemed Ashley was a little upset last night after her visit with you, now I know why."

After Sara nodded, Latoya was the next one to speak, overcoming her shock. "Thank you Sara for taking a chance on me, letting me become a part of this fantastic group of scientists." She then smirked. "And who would have thought that our kids would become best friends, and my son ends up dating one of her best friends."

Sara chuckled while shaking her head. "I did not see that one coming, but I'm glad it did, it means we still have a connection outside of work."

While Latoya nodded with a smile, Finn spoke next after clearing his throat. "I'm just going to go and say it, we are the best damned team in the lab, hell probably in the country."

Sara shyly spoke. "I don't know about that, Finn."

"Well, we have to be pretty close, and it's because of you two, hell all of you. I'm so glad I got to be a part of this team, that I stuck with my gut when Peter left, and knew we were going to be in the best hands possible. I couldn't have been trained by a better group of people, so thank you, and while I'm really going to miss you both, I support whatever decision you make."

Sara and Grissom smile warmly at the young man before Sara spoke. "Thank you Finn for the nice words, but remember we still have a month, this isn't goodbye yet."

They all nodded while Lizzie spoke. "We know, but we want you to know how appreciative we are of you, especially me. Sara, we got here the same time, and while you outranked me pretty quickly, I am thankful you were always there for me, giving me a hand when I needed it." She then sighed as she spoke softly. "Forgiving me when I probably shouldn't deserve it."

Sara shook her head with a smile. "Lizzie, you did nothing wrong, I don't blame you for leaving and 'seeing' what else was out there. I'm just glad your back." She then smirked. "And you made the right choice." As Lizzie nodded with a bright smile, Sara continued. "It has been a pleasure working with you all these years, hell all of you. And Finn you're right, we are pretty good damned team, one of the best I've ever worked with." They all cheered for that, then Sara cleared her throat before finishing. "I know change is hard, but I have faith in every one of you to continue to make this lab proud, to make me proud. There are still a lot of victims out there, and I need you guys to try your hardest to get justice for them."

Nick nodded with a smile. "You have our word, Sara, we'll still do our best."

After the rest of them agreed with Nick, Sara wiped a tear away before speaking again. "Alright, I guess there is nothing left to say right now, except, you are now free to leave."

They all smiled as they stood up, then Finn walked up to Sara and asked. "Permission to hug, boss?"

Sara nodded with a smile. "Granted."

Finn smiled and they shared a friendly hug, then after pulling back, he turned his attention to Grissom and held out his hand, and while they shook hands, the rest of the team one by one followed Finn's actions.

Eventually they all left the room, leaving Sara and Grissom, and when they looked at one another, Grissom asked his wife softly. "You ok?"

Sara nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, and I know this is the right decision, but it still feels hard."

"I know, and despite how quick I said I wanted out too, it was hard for me too. But I just can't imagine coming here without you, it just wouldn't feel right. Besides, the lab will be in good hands."

Sara nodded with a smile. "That I know is 100% true."

He smiled before asking. "Meet you in the parking lot?"

Sara shook her head. "Actually, I'm going to stick around here for another hour or so, so I can get started on closing up some cases and finishing a little paperwork."

"Ok. Then is pizza ok for dinner?"

Sara nodded, but smirked. "I see someone is trying to butter up a child of ours."

All the kids love pizza, but Taron seemed to love it the most, he would have it every day if he was allowed.

He smirked this time. "Hey, drastic times call for drastic measures."

Sara chuckled, then they said bye to one another before both of them left the room, but he went in the direction of the locker room while Sara headed for her office.

Not long after Sara was in her office, there was a knock on her door, so she said. "Come in."

The door opened and Sara smiled at her visitor. "Hey Latoya, what can I do for you?"

Latoya walked further into the room after closing the door, then she spoke after clearing her throat. "I'm just going to come out and say it. When it comes to Nick picking his second in command, I hope you highly recommend him to pick Lizzie."

Sara replied with a shocked look on her face. "To be honest, I'm quite shocked that you would say that."

Latoya shook her head with a smile. "Now I don't mind doing it every once in a while, but the thought of doing it more than nesscarry...well, I've thought long and hard about it and I feel that I don't belong behind a desk long term, being out in the field is where I truly belong. Plus, to be honest, I like having the freer time as a Level III CSI then I would if I was an assistant supervisor, or even supervisor for that matter."

Sara nodded with a smile in understanding. "And your son is going to UNLV, so you thought you would take some time in the near future to visit him at school."

Latoya nodded shyly. "Yeah, exactly my thought."

After a short pause, Sara nodded again. "Ok, if that is your wish, I'll pass that along to Nick."

"Thank you."

After Sara nodded, Latoya wished Sara a goodnight before she turned and left the room, then Sara sighed as she started her paperwork, which while she did enjoy this job as a whole, she had to admit she won't miss the paperwork one bit.

AN: Thanks for reading, please review. I hope you are all having a safe/wonderful weekend. Two more chapters to go, I hope you are all still enjoying this story, until next time, always remember, GSR4ever!