A/N: The last chapter. Thank everyone for reading and reviewing. Seriously appreciated. And no cannot tell you when/where you can read the academic manuscripts I've gotten published because they list my office phone number, address, and email.
Chapter 12: I'll be your man
"You ready to go?" Grissom asked Jade noticing the girl looked sad to be leaving.
"Yeah. Just give me two more seconds."
Grissom wanted to be infantile and count, because that is what Jade would have done to him, but he decided to remain the mature one. Someone had to after all.
"Do we really have to go right now?" She asked not looking up from what she was typing.
"Yes." Grissom said impatiently. "The sooner we leave the sooner we can come back and get back to work."
"Ok let's go." Jade said grabbing her laptop off the coffee shop table.
They both climbed into Grissom's car. Jade plugged her iPhone into the car radio.
Grissom quickly stated, "Don't turn on System of a Rage against the machine."
Jade shook her head, "System of a Down and Rage against the Machine are two very different groups."
"Well don't turn on either of them."
"I won't old man. How about some Theory of a Deadman? Eminem? Jay Z? T.I.? ?"
"Wait T.I and are two different people?"
"Yes." Jade answered rolling her eyes at him.
"Well I don't know half of them, but I am sure I won't like them." Grissom responded knowing he was hopelessly out of touch with modern music. What he knew of it he had learned either from Jade, Greg, and occasionally Sara.
Jade had already been working on turning on someone she knew Grissom liked. Someone Jade pretended to hate because only hipsters and wino's liked this guy, but he music was not half bad for old guy music. Not to be mistake for a dislike of "old guy music" there was good old guy music (eg Otis Redding) and there was bad old guy music (e.g. Bryan Adams). Jade laughed at her own thoughts because she also knew that as many people who hate Bryan Adams secretly listened to some of his music, as much as they hated the mans cheesy music. Sometimes cheesy music was ok.
"Good choice." Grissom said enjoying the Otis Redding. Jade who was laughing to herself. "What's so funny?" Grissom asked confused by her.
"Nothing you would understand. It's an inside joke."
"Ok. How can there be an inside joke when there is only two of us in the car?" Grissom said turning down a street that would lead them to their second office. They spent many afternoons working there simply because it made life easier on both of them.
"There just is Doc."
Small talk was easy between the two. These days it was more like they were colleagues. Jade was counting down the days until she would graduate and she already had a job lined up. Her dissertation was completed, defended, and she passed with distinction which is a rare thing from her department. Despite being on almost equal footing with Grissom, and in Grissom's eyes she was his equal now, she still called him Doc. Calling him Grissom or Gil seemed weird. He would always be Doc.
"How are things with Greg?" Grissom asked cautiously.
"Great. Things are great." Jade answered with a true smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. "You were right."
"Well it happens occasionally." Grissom joked, "But what was I right about?"
"It is much better to be with someone who is as passionate as I am about something. Jamie was an anchor. He kept me grounded in my old life. I will always care for Jamie, but he was not the one."
"Is Greg the one?" Grissom asked knowing it was a line they often did not cross, but he felt the need to ask her.
"I do not know. But I know Jamie wasn't the one." Jade answered honestly. "Ok enough girl talk old man."
"What I am trying to show interest in other people."
"Did the shrink tell you to?"
"Yes."
"You just used me to do your homework didn't you?"
"Maybe. But doesn't mean I don't care." Grissom said honestly.
"Jerk." Jade said sticking her tongue out at him. "I'm telling Sara."
"Go ahead. She was the one who suggested I talk to you."
"Fine than. How are things with Sara?" Jade said, "I know you both are still seeing the shrink."
"Things are good." Grissom said. "We are planning a vacation at the end of this project."
"Really where are you guys going?"
"I was thinking Egypt. I always wanted to see the Pyramids. But Sara wants to go to China and see if we cannot get into North Korea."
"Hmm neither seems fun. The Arab Spring riots or possibly being taken captive and made to work in a labor camp that is the size of a city. None seem very fun to me."
"Well there are other places we could go." Grissom grumbled, "I wouldn't mind seeing the rain forest again. Or there is Antarctica. I am sure that would be a nice place to go."
"Again sounds like fun. West Nile virus or freeze to death."
"Well where would you go if you could go anywhere?" Grissom asked annoyed by each idea being turned down.
"Australia."
"Great idea. Australia is full of creatures meant to kill humans. You know they have snakes right?"
"Yeah. I figured I could feed Greg to the snakes and they might leave me alone. I always wanted to see a Kangaroo."
"Where else would you go?"
"Amsterdam."
"Where else?" Grissom asked knowing exactly what attracted Jade to Amsterdam.
"Russia. Germany. I hear the black forest there is beautiful."
"It is." Grissom smiled and changed the subject, "We have to fly back next week so you can graduate."
"Do I have to doc?"
"Yes it is a big accomplishment and you will be the first graduate student that I will likely hood. It is a right of passage."
"Fine. Is Sara coming?"
"Yes. And Greg if you wish? Ecklie offered to let the entire crew take the weekend off."
"Really?"
"I know I was surprised to, but he seems to like you." Grissom said not hiding his true feelings about his former boss.
"Probably because I'm nice to him, and make him feel important and intelligent. Unlike some people I know."
"Well it is up to you. The entire group wants to go. You grew on them."
"That would be nice." Jade said smiling at the idea of all of the people who she had come to call friends over the past year, to show up in support of her achieving her final goal in life to become Dr. Jade.
"Then it is settled. You can tell the group at dinner tonight."
"Everyone is coming to dinner?"
"Yes. Sara insisted." Grissom said smiling because he knew it was more than just a dinner tonight.
Pulling up outside of the townhouse Grissom now called home again, he and Jade climbed out of the car and walked into the house.
"Welcome home." Sara said from the spot on the couch she sat watching the news.
Grissom walked over and kissed her.
"What was that for?" Sara asked.
"Just missed you." Grissom said smiling he was truly happy and for once he was not afraid that the happiness would slip away because if it did, Sara would be there to help him bring it back.
"Did you got to your appointment today?" Sara asked knowing Grissom had a solo appointment with their therapist. They both had made quite a lot of progress over the past year. They learned to communicate and most of all they learned they had to be completely open with each other. Grissom opened up kicking and screaming, but he was open to telling her what was going on in his head when she asked, and sometimes even without her asking.
"Yes." Grissom answered "Jade made sure I got there."
"Good." Sara said looking at Jade. "How are you Jade?"
"I am good." Jade answered, "But you need to teach your boyfriend to like better music. He forced me to listen to Van Morrison the entire way here."
"He didn't?" Sara said mockingly at the girl.
"He did. It is cruel and unusual punishment."
"No cruel and unusual punishment is hearing him sing Van Morrison's Brown Eye Lady."
"He doesn't." Jade said knowing instantly Grissom did at some point because he was turning red from embarrassment.
"oh yeah. Get him stinking drunk and he will sing."
"I have to see this."
"You'll have to get Brass to help. Brass is the only one who can seem to get Grissom to drink to the point he singings."
"You have to tell me the story now." Jade said sitting down on the ouch next to Sara.
"It was after he proposed to me. Brass and the guys took him out for his bachelor party. I expected him to come back with I don't know bugs or something. But no, he comes stumbling in at 4 am smelling of alcohol. He was so drunk and Brass was too, they were practically holding each other up. Warrick was the sober one of the group. He sings the first two verses by himself and when he gets to the chorus Brass joined it."
"No way?" Jade said laughing out loud at the idea of Brass and Grissom singing the song.
"Yes way." Sara said laughing herself, "It was interesting to say the least."
"Can you even sing Doc? Like really hold a tune."
"Not when I'm drunk." Grissom grumbled handing Sara and Jade a bottle of water from the fridge. "Enough of story time. Sara you need to get ready for dinner. Jade you need to call Greg and see if he can pick up the wine we forgot to buy today. I need to cook."
"Fine." Jade said grabbing her phone out of her laptop bag to call Greg.
Sara hugged Grissom, "I have other embarrassing stories. Did you do your homework?"
"Yes. I asked her about Greg." Grissom said walking down the hallway to their bedroom together.
"And?"
"She likes him, not sure if he is the one."
"Nor sure or not willing to say it yet?" Sara asked. She had an interest in the young couples relationship Greg was one of Sara's best friends, and she knew him to be madly in love with the young girl.
"She didn't say. But in my opinion, she's just not ready to day it yet."
"Good."
"Now you stay out of it Sara Sidle."
"I will."
"Did you get the stuff wrapped today?"
"Yes I did."
"Did you talk with Catherine and Ecklie?"
"Yes. Catherine was fine with it. There are some new folks joining the lab so we will have enough coverage. Ecklie was not very happy about the idea of losing two people, but he knew he did not really have a choice. Plus he seems to like Jade."
"I know. She said it was because she made him feel important and intelligent."
"I wonder how she does that with a straight face." Sara joked.
"Damned if I know. Now get ready. I need to go get started getting the food ready or else no one will eat before your shift starts tonight."
"Are you sure you want to tell them tonight?"
"Yes. I think it is better before we take off."
"Catherine is going to be pissed."
"I know. But she'll live."
"Jade can you help me set the table?" Grissom asked.
"Are we eating inside or outside?"
"What do you think?" Grissom asked not sure. Inside meant setting up a bigger table, outside could mean bugs.
"Let's eat outside. It's nice on the new deck, and a bit more room."
"Ok outside than." Grissom said handing her the plates. "I'll be out with the silverware once I check on the food in the oven."
Sara and Greg were discussing work and working on a case they had caught the day before. When Grissom and Jade were outside Sara asked Greg, "How would you feel about going on vacation with Jade?"
"Jade's going on vacation?"
"Grissom and I bought her tickets, and got her a hotel to go to the Black Forest in Germany."
"Really?"
"Her graduate gift."
"That is a really nice gift." Greg said surprised by the gesture.
"Well she means a lot to Grissom." Sara said, "And me too."
"I know." Greg said, "Grissom gave me a talk."
"He didn't?" Sara said laughing, she had not known Grissom had talked to Greg.
"Yes. It was weird." Greg said, "And scary because I know he could come through with everything he promised to do, and probably get away with it."
Sara laughed, "SO what do you think?"
"I would have to see if I could get the time off, and tickets."
"You have the time off if you want it and the tickets."
"For how long?"
"A month." Sara said, "It's almost all paid for. Jade will also have a chance to meet with some of the folks who do her research while she is there. A tour a couple of their crime labs, which I thought would interest you. That little survey you all have been working on is getting a lot of press everywhere I guess."
"Good we worked hard on that thing. It finally measures something useful for researchers."
"Well?"
"you need to know now. I cannot talk to her about it."
"Nope. We are telling her tonight."
"Do you think I should?" Greg asked, "I am not sure if she loves me."
"She does. She is just like Grissom and it'll take a little more time and work to get her to say it."
"How do you know?"
"Grissom talked to her. He knows her better than any of us. Plus she let you meet her mom."
Greg cringed at the memory of having the woman out for Christmas. T hey had to pull her from the slot machines at the casino's just to have dinner with Sara and Grissom. The woman complained the entire time about having to leave the machine, it was hot she said, it was going to hit soon. Never mind he had heard the woman ask Jade for more money to play the slots, and Jade had just handed it over even though it was all she had to get by until the end of the week.
"Yes. Why not. What is the worse that could happen. An entire month? Ecklie agreed."
"He likes Jade. She makes him feel important and intelligent."
"I try that. He just ignores me."
"You've been tainted you are one of the night shift."
"She hangs out with the night shift and she is dating one of the night shift people."
"I know." Sara said, "Does it really bother you that much Ecklie doesn't like you?"
"No." Greg replied.
"Ok lets go help them set up. Don't breathe a word of this to her. It is a surprise."
"Does she know everyone is flying out for her graduate?"
"I believe Grissom asked her this afternoon if it was ok."
"Good." Greg smiled he truly did love the weird girl that entered his life unexpectedly.
Dinner had been enjoyed by everyone, even if they only could have a glass of wine a piece because everyone but Sara had to work tonight. The conversations had been comfortable, the group of friends truly had become a family, everyone had welcomed the newest member and would agree it felt like she had been apart of the group for years.
It was over dessert that Grissom stood up, "We have some news we would like to share with everyone."
Everyone started at Grissom waiting for him to tell them the news.
"But before I share that news, Sara and I want to give Jade her graduate gift. What do you give a smart ass graduate assistant. That was a difficult question to answer. I thought maybe some of Richard Feynman's books, but no she would remind me what he thought of the social sciences. Than I thought a bug, but than Sara told me that was a gift I would like."
"What did you get me than?" Jade asked surprised she had gotten anything.
"In time I will tell you."
"Come on old man. You know I hate surprises."
"I'll give you a clue, what would you get a cross-national researcher who has barely been overseas?"
"You didn't." Jade said surprised.
"Jade you and a companion will be spending a month traveling Europe. Specifically, your trip will start in the Black Forest of Germany, and than you can choose to stay there or if you wish to move we have arranged so that you can go anywhere else you wish."
"NO way." Jade said.
"That is not all." Sara said standing up, "I got you a tour of some of the crime labs in Germany, and Grissom arrange for you to meet some criminologist."
"Seriously?" Jade was excited.
"And that is not all." Catherine added not standing up, "If you do not mind Greg will be joining you for your month long trip to Europe."
"For real reals!" Jade was extremely exicted now.
"Not for play plays." Greg finished for her.
Nick of course had to join in the fun, "And there is a bit more. We all got together, the entire office, and scrounged up some spending money too." Nick handed her a check with a lot of zeros.
"None of you should have. This is too much." Jade said not even looking at the check yet.
"We should and we did." Sara said smiling at the girl, "Enjoy your trip. It is the last you'll have for awhile. When you start work at UNLV next year you will be extremely busy."
"Greg do you want to go to Germany with me?"
"Of course." Greg said, "If you will have me."
Jade looked at the check finally, "I cannot accept this. It's too much."
"You can." Nick said, "It is from everyone at the lab. We have been taking up a collection over the past month."
"Did everyone know about this?" Jade asked.
"I didn't" Greg said, "Well not until Sara told me earlier while you were helping Grissom set up out here."
"We couldn't tell Greg." Grissom said, "We knew he'd tell you."
"Thank you everyone." Jade said almost in tears. She could not believe this, any of it.
Jade hugged Greg burying her face in his chest, not wanting anyone to see the tears of joy she was fighting back. She had never had this many people care about her, or do something this nice for her. It really felt good, to know there were people who cared.
When she got herself under control, she looked at Grissom, "You said you had some news too?"
"Oh yes." Grissom responded, "You sure we don't want to ruin your moment. It can wait."
"More surprises. I hates them." Jade said.
Grissom smiled and grab Sara's hand. "Last Friday when Sara was off work, well we went to the court house and got married again."
"WHAT!" Catherine said shocked by the news.
Sara pulled a necklace out from under her shirt. "We are married again. This time for good."
"But how?" Catherine asked upset because she had been looking forward to throwing them a wedding. They did not get to do a wedding for the first time the two got married, and now again.
"Grissom's mom and her friend were our witnesses." Sara said, "I know you are upset Catherine, but it was something we wanted to do for us. You know Grissom and I don't like all the attention, and it was just a thing for us."
"NO bachelor party." Brass said sadly, "The last one was so great."
"So I've heard." Jade said, "How about you sing Brown Eyed Lady again!"
"Who told you?" Brass said laughing at the memory.
"Sara. She is giving me a lot of blackmail material." Jade said.
Brass laughed, "I am sure she has a lot too."
"Do we get to at least throw you a wedding reception?" Catherine asked.
"If you must." Sara said knowing it was the least she could do to make Catherine happy.
"I guess we'll have to do it before you two leave." Catherine added. "Did you decide where you were going?"
"Sara gets to choose this time." Grissom said.
After everyone left, Grissom hugged Sara and kissed her again, "I love you."
"I know." Sara said, "I love you too."
"Jade did not know what to say tonight."
"We could not have gotten her a better gift."
Grissom pulled out of the embrace, "Why don't you go take a warm bath. I'll put the dishes in the dishwasher, Jade already helped me clean up most everything."
"Come join me when you are finished."
"I will." Grissom replied.
It did not take him long to finish cleaning up, and he ran out to his car grabbing what he needed to present the final surprise of the night. Walking back in he made his way to the bedroom. He undressed so that all he had on now was his boxer shorts. He pulled the strap over his head and felt it rest against his shoulders. Wishing he could practice one more time before he started this. The story from Sara at first made him think Greg had told Sara, but no one seemed to know about his new hobby. Sara had complained about his calloused fingers, wondering where he had gotten them, all he told her was that it was a new hobby. The new hobby the shrink had recommended he start up, something that would allow him to release his emotions. Something that did not have to deal with bugs or his work.
Greg had been the one to recommend the guitar. Grissom at first was not sure, he was never very musical. He liked music, but he had never been one to be able to play it. Greg promised it was easy and so the two took lessons together. Learning to play the guitar actually had been something Grissom enjoyed. Plus it gave Grissom more time to get to know Greg, who he felt like he should know since Greg was now dating Jade. Grissom looked to her as the daughter he never had now, and he did not mind those feelings.
"Gil come on it's getting lonely in here." Sara said hearing him in the bedroom.
Grissom walked into the bathroom.
"What is this?" Sara asked.
"This is a guitar." Grissom said, "My guitar."
"When did you learn to play?"
"Remember when the shrink told me to get a hobby outside of work? This is my new hobby."
"And why are you telling me now?"
"Do you know what day it is?"
"Friday."
"Besides Friday."
"One week since I became Mrs Grissom again."
"Besides that."
"You got me." Sara answered playing along. She knew very well what day it was.
"It is one year since you gave me my third chance." Grissom said.
"And you are going to play me a song as a gift."
"The greatest gift is a portion of thyself."
"Ralph Waldo Emerson" Sara said, "That was an easy one."
"You already have me, so I hope this is a distant second."
I'll be your man
I'll understand
Do my best to take care of you
Yes I will
You'll be my queen
I'll be your king
And I'll be your lover too
Yes I will
Sara watched Grissom as he played, first looking at his fingers, unsure of himself. His voice was much better sober. Listening to him, she felt the love he had for her through the song he played for her. The song he had chosen specifically for her. The only better thing might have been a song he had made up. Yes this might be highschoolish or even movie ish but it was perfect for her. He was showing her he loved her, that she was h is everything. Doing something just for her. How did she ever live without him in her life?
Derry down green, color of my dream
A dream that's daily coming true
When day is through
I will come to you
And tell you of your many charms
Grissom was more relaxed now, he had decided on this song because it was a song he thought of when he thought of Sara. He loved her, how he could ever think he could live without her he did not understand. Life without Sara was empty. He had made it through the day, but he always felt empty. She was his one love. Even if he was being selfish, he did not care, he needed her to be there in his life. He would not screw up again. A promise he made and meant to keep, he would give her whatever she wanted, whatever she needed. The past year had not been an easy one. The shrink had found all of the chinks in Grissom's armor and with the help of Sara they had poked holes in the wall that once was Grissom's safety zone. They had worked hard both of them facing their own demons, and the demons they shared. There had been a few times he wanted to walk out, to protect himself from the pain of opening up, but he stuck through.
And you'll look at me
With eyes that see
And melt into each other arms
And so I come, to be the one
Who's always standing next to you
Sara was immensely proud of her husband. It was nice to think of him as her husband again, not that she had ever truly thought of him as her ex-husband, though he had been. Wiping tears from her eyes before they had a chance to fall, she listened to him. His voice was comforting along with the song. This was the life she had always wanted. She had the big family, one she made for herself, and she had the husband that would always be there. He had worked hard to show her he was not going to run away again. Some of the things he talked about while they were in therapy, his fear of her leaving him, how he thought he would never be good enough for anyone, the reason he thought he would never be good for anyone, it had been painful for him and for her. She remembered how it broke her heart when she heard him say he knew he would never be good enough for Sara because he was never good enough for his father, or his mother, or anyone else. It was a session where Sara cried, and held him in her arms. He was her everything, didn't he understand that. He was everything to her, the sun, the moon, the stars in the night sky, the oxygen she needed to live, he was all of that.
There were a few nights where they slept in separate beds, but those were rare nights, and usually because Sara, not Grissom, was the one who needed space. He had been an open book to her, just as she had asked him to be. He tried so hard to let her in, and now she had a permanent home inside. Even Betty had seen the change in her son, and she cried tears of joy as she thanks Sara for making her boy whole again. Betty had told Sara she was her daughter, and always would be her daughter. It meant a lot to Sara to be accepted by Grissom's mom finally, to be apart of the family.
Reach out for me
So I can be alright
The one who's always reaching out for you
Yes I will, yes I will
You'll be my queen
I'll be your king
And I'll be your lover too
A/N: Song is by Van Morrison and i can tell you it works.
Seriously thank you all for reading hope you enjoyed the little journey.