Well, I'm sad to say that this is the end, for real this time. Please see the Author's Note at the end of the story for more.

~/~

Catherine stood in the center of Lindsey's dorm, slightly frustrated as she watched Gil and Lindsay struggle to move the bed to the back corner of the tiny dorm room. Catherine found it hard to believe that one person could live in these small quarters, let alone two. However, the bed that was on the opposite side of the room, freshly made with a small, ratty teddy bear told Catherine that Lindsey's roommate had already unpacked and was missing in action at the moment.

She itched to help them, but the cast that was on her left wrist was a warning sign not to overdo herself. She was already getting yelled at by Lindsay and Gil not to lift anything heavier then a sweatshirt, so she wasn't about to join them in The Battle of the Heavy Bed.

After all, she was already on both of their bad sides.

Her arm was still in the sling, most likely due to the fact that she kind of went overboard at work and got dizzy while frantically attempting to finish up some paperwork before heading home at the end of her shift – since she actually had something to go home to now. The next thing she knew, Catherine had stumbled over an upturned corner of the carpet in her office and had landed directly on her surgically repaired wrist. The string of curses that left her mouth was nothing like what Nick Stokes and Greg Sanders had ever heard come from Catherine's mouth before when they rushed to her office to assist her.

A trip to the emergency room later, a scolding from Gil, Lindsay, and her doctor, and Catherine was back in her sling for at least a month. Not only that, but she had given the team an opportunity at another pool of how much she would ignore the doctor and how quickly she would return to work.

Greg won that bet.

Finally, with a grunt, Gil shoved the bed back the final few inches that they needed it to be. He and Lindsay panted in unison then glanced at each other. Gil held up his hand for a high five, which Lindsay gladly returned.

"Thanks, Gil!" she said, brushing a hand over her sweaty brow. "I won't need to workout tonight!"

Gil chuckled, hugging his stepdaughter to his side. Catherine felt her heart flutter as she watched the scene of affection before her. She supposed that she was incredibly lucky that Gil and Lindsay already got along so well, but Lindsay had accepted Gil easily to the role of her stepfather. They had always been close, but Catherine had been kind of nervous that they weren't going to get along now that he had literally taken over the father role in her life. However, after a long discussion between the trio, everything was seemingly okay. Lindsay had told Gil and Catherine that she didn't want to call Gil 'dad' in order to address him, which Gil understood. He loved Lindsay and considered her as a daughter, and knew that she looked at him as a father, but he completely accepted that she wasn't going to call him that. He'd be lying if he said that he wasn't a little relieved, too…

Gil's gaze shot over to Catherine as she subtly lifted a suitcase with her right hand and placed it on the bed, using her thigh to swing it up. "Catherine Grissom," Gil started, putting his hands on his hips.

"Gilbert Grissom," she mocked him. "I'm not using my injured wrist, so cool it."

"You're not supposed to be lifting anything, one handed or not!" Gil exclaimed. "That's what Lindsay and I are here for."

"I'm sorry, Gil, I just hate feeling so helpless," Catherine admitted. She stuck out her lower lip and asked, "Forgive me?"

"Just this time," Grissom warned, pulling her to his chest and hugging her carefully, being mindful of her arm. He pecked her on the lips, and then said, "Now let's get to work here."

A few hours later, Catherine was putting the picture of Lindsay, Gil, and Catherine on the day they were married on Lindsay's dresser, straightening it and looking at it happily. They all looked great. Gil was wearing a simple black suit with a light blue shirt and black tie. Catherine wore a light blue dress, her hair swept back in a loose ponytail. Lindsay wore a simple yellow dress, and the three of them looked relaxed and happy as they smiled for the picture.

She glanced over her shoulder, smiling to herself as she watched Lindsay tuck in the corners of her bedspread, spreading the material out until there were no wrinkles. This would probably be the only time that her daughter's bed was ever made within her college stay.

Finally, Lindsay turned away from her bed, looking at her mother and Gil, hesitation clear in her gaze. "I uh…suppose this is it?" Lindsay said uncertainly.

Catherine felt a lump rise in her throat as she saw how young and fragile her daughter suddenly looked. "Come here, honey," Catherine told Lindsay.

It didn't take more than that for Lindsay to cross the small space between the two of them and throw her arms around Catherine's waist. The older Willows cursed the uncomfortable sling restricting the movement of her left arm, hugging her daughter fiercely with her right arm for several minutes as she rested her chin on the top of Lindsay's head. Lindsay buried her face in Catherine's shoulder, sniffling. She felt tears dripping down her cheeks, landing in Lindsay's hair. She was also vaguely aware of Lindsay's tears soaking her shirt as they clung to each other. Gil watched this scene, struggling to keep the lump in his throat contained, but an occasional tear slipped down his cheek as well. He knew how much…despite the ups and downs…those two cared for each other.

Finally, after several long minutes, Lindsay pulled away, a brave look on her face. She took a deep breath, looking up at her mother with watery eyes. "Mom, I love you so much. I'm sorry for being such a brat a few years ago," Lindsay blurted out.

"Oh, honey," Catherine said, a smile coming to her face despite the tears running down her face. "You don't have to apologize. And you weren't a brat!"

"I was too! I was a pain in the butt."

"You were not!" Catherine countered. "You were a teenager, Linds. You're supposed to be a pain!"

Lindsay finally returned Catherine's smile. "You confirmed that I was a brat, mom."

"What?! I did not!"

"Yes, you did," Lindsay said wryly. "You said that it was my job to be a pain; therefore, you're calling me a brat."

Catherine paused, realizing her daughter was right. "I didn't mean it that way, Lindsay!"

Lindsay laughed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "I know, mom." With that, Lindsay composed herself. She looked at Catherine for a long time. "Thanks, mom, for helping me move out here. I know it's hard, but…I'm ready."

Catherine took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I know, honey." She worked to compose her emotions. "Lindsay…I love you, and I've loved you since the first time that I held you in my arms. Call me at anytime, okay? I don't care what time of the day or night it is, honey."

"Okay," Lindsay said softly. She hugged Catherine once more before turning to Gil. She hugged her stepfather fiercely. "I love you, Gil," Lindsay told him. "Make sure that you keep my mom out of trouble, would you?"

"You know I will," Gil replied thickly, holding Lindsay close. "Take care of yourself, butterfly."

He let go, and with a squeeze of her hand, Catherine indicated that she was ready to leave. "I'll call you when we get ready to board the plane tomorrow?" Catherine asked Lindsay.

"Okay," Lindsay said uncertainly. She took a deep breath, watching as her mom – her parents – walked hand in hand to the door. "Bye, guys."

The door shut quietly, and it was only then that Catherine and Lindsay burst into their simultaneous tears.

~/~

Catherine lay on the bed of the Pennsylvania hotel, occasionally sniffling as she stared up the ceiling of the room. Apparently, Delaware was so small that they had to fly in and out of Philadelphia due to the fact there wasn't a major airport in the entire state.

And that wasn't helping to soothe Catherine's frail nerves about Lindsay being alone in a different state.

Gil walked out of the bathroom, running a towel through his silver curls. He was dressed in a cream shirt and tan khakis, his feet encased in sandals. Seeing his wife laying on the bed forlornly in the same position that she had been laying in when he went in to take a shower, he walked over and sat down next to her. "Hey," Gil said softly, taking her hand in his. "You doing okay?"

"I miss her already, Gil," Catherine answered him.

"She misses you, too," Gil reminded Catherine. Lindsay had called them fifteen minutes after they left, and in a way, Gil was glad that he had been driving their rental car because he was pretty sure that Catherine would have made an illegal u-turn on I-95 to go back to Lindsay. In actuality, all Lindsay wanted was for them to send one of her favorite t-shirts that she realized that she had left at home. Gil had a feeling that Lindsay just needed to hear Catherine's voice, though, and even though she had promised that she would send the shirt, the two still talked for several minutes before hanging up.

"I know," Catherine finally answered him. She looked up at Gil. "I didn't think it would be this hard to let go," she admitted.

"I didn't either," Gil said. "I mean, from my point of view. She's only been my stepdaughter for a few weeks, and it was hard for me to walk out that door."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. I've known Lindsay since she was a baby, and I care for her as much as I love you. So, I can only imagine how hard it was for you to leave," Gil said simply. "It's going to take some time to get used to her not being there, but we'll get used to it."

"I know, but-"

"Hey," Gil cut her off gently. "She'll be home for Thanksgiving. That's only about three months away."

"That's true…" Catherine trailed off.

Gil wiped away a stray tear with the pad of his thumb, kissing Catherine gently on the forehead. "And then there's Christmas time, when she'll be home for a couple weeks. You're still going to see her, honey. And you know that Lindsay will constantly call you," he pointed out.

Catherine nodded slowly. "Thanks, sweetie," she said softly.

"You're welcome," Gil answered. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know," Catherine admitted. "I didn't really look up anything about Philadelphia, so I don't really know what there is to do."

"Well, I talked to some folks at the front desk, and they told me about a few different places we could go to eat and just take a walk," Gil said.

"Okay," Catherine replied, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and standing. "Just give me a few minutes to get changed." Catherine carefully moved her arm from the sling, using her right hand to tug her shirt over her head as she walked to the dresser to find an outfit for the evening.

"You need help?" Gil asked Catherine, winking at her when she met his eyes through the mirror.

He simply laughed when her shirt hit him in the face.

~/~

A few hours later, Catherine and Gil strolled down the dock, the sun setting as the pair looked at the Philadelphia skyline from the Penn's Landing dock. They had just dined at an amazing pizza shop where they had foregone the typical salads and water that they normally would have eaten and focused on one of Philadelphia's famous cheese steaks and beers. Now, in order to walk off the calories, they decided to go to Penn's Landing at the recommendation of both the hotel clerks and the staff at the pizza parlor. This was the first time either of them had been to Philadelphia, and they had to admit that the skyline was simply spectacular. The buildings were outlined with bright lights, their reflection falling across the Delaware River as the sun set. The duo was somewhat fascinated by the history here: the founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn, had docked at what is now Penn's Landing in 1682. It was a huge difference from Nevada, which hadn't even been admitted into the union until 1864. There was so much American history in Philadelphia that it was almost difficult to keep up with it.

Catherine snuggled closer to Gil, the air cool despite the late August evening. She kind of wished that she was wearing something heavier than the loose cotton pants and tank top she donned, but the warmth radiating from Gil was enough to hold her off until they were back at the hotel.

Still, Gil noticed her shiver, and asked, "Are you cold?"

"A little," Catherine admitted. She allowed Gil to pull her to the side of the walkway, watching as he briefly let go of her hand to shrug off the light coat that he wore. He placed it over Catherine's shoulders, unable to weave the sleeve up the arm in her sling. Still, she felt a little warmer.

"Is that helping?" Gil asked as they resumed walking.

"Yes," Catherine said gratefully.

They walked in silence for several long minutes. They were simply taking in the sights and sounds of the busy dock. Families walked together, parents chasing after their children. Couples snuggled together just like Gil and Catherine. The younger couples couldn't keep their hands off each other, many of them playfully shoving each other or their hands trailed dangerously low as they stole a kiss. There were older couples were moving slower, their hands dangling together at their hips.

Gil noticed Catherine's steps slowing, and wordlessly, he guided her to an empty bench overlooking the water. He sat down first, gently pulling Catherine into his lap. It didn't take much coaxing for her to settle in his lap, her right side leaning against his chest, her arm snaking behind his back to hold her husband tightly. Gil reached up and tightened the jacket around Catherine before moving his hands down to securely hold her against his body.

Catherine pressed her lips against Gil's, a wave of giddiness rushing through her body as she and Gil sat on the bench, making out like teenagers. For several long moments, there was no one on the dock except for her and Gil, and the fiery make-out session that they were currently having.

Gil pulled back, gasping for air as he pressed his forehead into Catherine's throat. She felt his hand creep underneath her tank top, his fingers trailing over her smooth stomach. He smirked to himself as he felt Catherine's body naturally react to the motion. Gil knew the special spot that got her fired up, and it didn't matter that they were surrounded by hundreds of people.

"Gil," Catherine groaned, reaching her hand up behind his back and pulling on his bicep. "We need to stop this before we end up arrested for having sex in a public place."

He laughed in response, the rumbling against her throat sending shivers down Catherine's spine. Gil's hand moved from her stomach to her back, and they leaned in for another kiss, this time equally as passionate but not as desperate.

When they finally pulled apart, Catherine rested her head against Gil's chest, and the pair of them looked out to the water. "Are you happy?" Catherine asked Gil softly.

"I've never been happier in my life," Gil told Catherine. "How about you?"

"Same here," Catherine answered. She buried her face in Gil's hair, kissing the top of his head. "I don't ever want to be away from you. We waited too long for this, and it's just…perfect, Gil."

"Well, honey, I hate to break it to you, but I'm not going anywhere," Gil told Catherine. "You're stuck with me until the end."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Catherine admitted. They sat in silence again, until Catherine said, "I wish that we had a bottle of wine or champagne right now."

"Why's that?" Gil questioned curiously.

"So we could make a toast to each other," Catherine told him.

"Hmm," Gil pondered, shifting slightly as Catherine crossed her legs. "What would you toast to?"

"Well, to Lindsay's new adventures in life, first of all," Catherine said. Gil let go of her hip, lifting an imaginary glass in the air. Giggling, Catherine did the same with the arm in the sling.

Gil raised his eyebrows, opening his mouth to chastise Catherine. "I'm not going to hurt myself lifting an imaginary glass, Gilbert," she told him. "Look at it as therapy."

"Okay, okay," Gil grumbled, keeping his arm up. "What else would you toast to?"

"Hmm…" Catherine pondered. "To the grave shift of the Las Vegas Crime Lab."

Gil nodded. "They're going to be in the hands of Nick and Greg," he pointed out.

"I think we prepared them well," Catherine pointed out.

"Oh, indeed," Gil agreed. He paused, then said, "In a way, I always looked at Warrick, Nick, Greg, and even Sara as our kids, as silly as it is."

"It's not silly," Catherine replied. "I thought the same way. You and I guiding our kids through life, except our kids were in their twenties and life was crime scenes."

"See, I knew we were meant for each other," Gil said, squeezing her waist with his free hand. "We think too much alike."

Catherine chuckled, glancing at Gil. "What do you want to toast to?"

Gil was pensive for a moment, then said softly, "To Warrick."

Catherine nodded in agreement, lifting her hand to toast their deceased friend. In a way, he was the one who brought the two of them together. It was Warrick's death that drove Gil away from the crime lab, and it was then that the pair realized that they loved each other. "To Warrick," Catherine repeated.

Gil was silent again, then he said, "To you, Catherine Grissom. Without you, I wouldn't be complete."

"To you, Gilbert Grissom," Catherine answered. "I'll always love you no matter what."

"To us," Gil replied simply.

"To new beginnings," Catherine concluded.

And with that, Catherine pressed her lips to Gil's again.

~/~

End 14/14

Wow. I can't believe that what started off as a one shot turned into a full fledged story. This is the longest story I've ever written, and hopefully when all is said and done, it will be my most reviewed story too!

There are a few people I'd like to thank.

First of all, thanks to my friend Katy for looking over certain parts of the story, and for the constant yes/no replies of "Does this make sense?!" or "Is this too OOC?!" Thanks also to my amazing friend Kristen and her encouragement of the story. Also, her help with this chapter and her insatiable knowledge of the epic city of Philadelphia deserves a thank you, too. I love that city, from the crazy ass wrestling fans to the Liberty Bell. If you ever want to explore a city that is full of the rich history of our country, go to Philly. Thanks also to my friends Chris and Dan for their encouragement, though Dan's "helping" probably only is classified as pwning everyone in sight and then marking over someone getting their ass whooped. Chris – I'm glad you're giving CSI a shot, and I can't wait to send the Martian texts and IM's once spoilers start coming out, ;) Thanks also to HappyHarper13. She set me straight on a lot of the finer details of this story, and I really appreciate it. A lot of things would have probably been different had it not been for her advice. She's an excellent writer, folks, and I highly recommend her works.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story, especially the ones that stuck with me throughout the entire thing and reviewed each chapter. You guys are the reason that I write, and each review makes me smile and want to get out the chapters as soon as possible. I personally feel that this is one of my best stories I've ever written, and I am very proud of it. If you happen to stumble upon it years down the line, feel free to review. I'll probably still be around then. =)

Now…Time for a shameless plug. I have a story that I'm going to be debuting soon. It's not gonna be Grillows (*ducks*) but it's going to be very Catherine heavy, and is going to be YoBling. BUT there will be some strong Gil/Catherine friendship in there for you. I hope that some of you will hang with me for that one. Catherine's an amazing character, and Marg Helgenberger just brings her to life in a way that very few can.

Because of the fact that I'm such a nice person, here's a brief preview of my new story entitled "Trials". It's set around season 7, and has spoilers for Built to Kill 1 & 2. Enjoy, and I'll see you soon!!!

-Katie

~/~

Catherine felt like her head was going to explode by the time that she got to her house. She eased her stiff body out of the Mustang, stretching a little as she stared at her house. Lindsey sat inside, waiting for her mother. Catherine had called Lindsey earlier and told her that she wasn't going to school. Despite Lindsey's protests and questions, Catherine had firmly informed her that she would explain what was wrong when she got home.

Every muscle protested as Catherine made her way into her house. Her back, ribs, and neck still ached from the jolt that had occurred when her car was struck. Her knees creaked with every step, the many years of squatting and standing at crime scenes…not to mention dancing…finally seemingly catching up to Catherine. She silently resolved to herself that she would purchase some non-heeled shoes after Sam's funeral in an attempt to salvage her calves and kneecaps. Heels gave her some advantage when going face to face with uncooperative suspects, and Catherine hated to give that up. She also loved the way that her legs looked longer thanks to heels, and she felt sexy as she sauntered up to a crime scene, but vanity be damned if she was going to have double knee replacement surgery before she was fifty.

With a slight sigh, Catherine set her keys down on the kitchen table, her trained ears picking up on the fact that the television was playing. Saying a quick prayer that God would help her through telling Lindsey what had happened to Sam, she made her way into the living room. "Hey, Linds," Catherine called tiredly.

Lindsey was sitting on the couch, watching the news. She brought her gaze to Catherine's, glaring at her mother, unshed tears shining in the younger Willows' eyes.

Confused, Catherine looked at the television…

…And the headline that crawled across the bottom was enough to send a cold chill down Catherine's spine.

Casino Mogul Sam Braun Murdered