At Brass's for Catherine's birthday party:

"Happy birthday sweetheart!" Grissom said while he pulled Catherine into his arms for a hug and a kiss.

"Thank you Grissom!" She said kissing him back.

"Where is everybody?"

"Well, Brass is over there; Warrick is coming but Nick, Alyson (the intern) and Greg are stuck at the lab. Dr. Robbins isn't here because Nick and Alyson needed him for an autopsy." Before she could say anything, Brass came to join them.

"Hey, how's the birthday girl?" Brass asked.

"Fine! I'm glad this case is over but I will be even happier when the phone calls stop."

"What phone calls?" Warrick had asked as he joined in on the conversation.

"Hey, Warrick. I have been getting these phone calls at exactly 6 p.m. asking for you, Grissom, but I keep telling his mystery woman that we don't live together."

"Me, I swear Catherine, I am not cheating on you." Grissom said. Brass and Warrick laughed at how red Grissom's face was getting when she said mystery woman.

"I know! Where would you find the time?" she said. "What's weird is she isn't asking for Grissom or Gil. She keeps asking for Love bug." When she said `Love bug' only one name popped into Grissom's head, `Sara'.

"I'm sorry Catherine, I suddenly have to go take care of something. I'll call you later tonight." He said as he kissed her on the cheek.

In Grissom's Tahoe:

He didn't know where he was going, all he knew was that they needed to talk and he needed to tell about Catherine and him. There were things in his past that where holding him back from telling Catherine how he completely felt about her. So he drove to a diner just outside of Las Vegas. It had been their favorite spot to go. It was the only spot he could think of.

Back at Brass's house:

"What about Sara?" Warrick asked Brass.

"Do you remember that one case involving that one little girl? Well, after we were done with the case, Sara asked Grissom out to dinner. About 2 months into their relationship something happened to Grissom. When you and Warrick were in Miami, Grissom was out on a case and he had been shot once in the chest. Anyway, he was in the hospital for about five weeks. When he woke up, Sara had told him that she had gotten a job offer in San Francisco and she wanted to take it. He told her she could go herself but he wasn't going because he loved his job way too much and he needed to catch this guy who shot him. He told her he would keep in touch with her. About 2 months after that, he went out to see her but she had transferred. She left a note with her landlord explaining that they couldn't be together because being a CSI meant more to him than her and she wasn't going to wait for him to get himself shot at again. It happened about 3 months before he got together with you."

"So, was he in love with her?" She asked.

"Oh boy, if you could call it love." As the words left his mouth Brass realized he had made a mistake and said, "But Cath, I can tell you this, he has never ever looked at Sara the way he looks at you." There was a silence and then Brass continued, "I think he just needs to talk to her to let things out in the open and allow himself to really tell you how he feels about you."

"Yeah Catherine! He has to settle the past before he can really move on, right." Warrick said but it made Catherine start to think.

Before she left, she looked at them and said, "But what if he really wants is his past." She looked down at the floor and said, "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow, `night."

At the ROADHOUSE CAFÉ:

"Hi Love bug, I have been expecting you." Sara said.

"Why didn't you just call me then?" he said with a hint of an angry tone.

"I wasn't sure what to say. I thought you could help out with that."

"What do you have to say that made you come back?"

"I wanted to say I'm sorry and ask for your forgiveness."

"I accept your apology and I forgive you for leaving but why didn't you call me and let me know? I have been falling madly in love with a wonderful, intelligent and gorgeous woman but because of my being her supervisor and you leaving, I haven't been able to admit to her how much I really love her and how much I want to be with her."

"Catherine Willows."

"Yes, Catherine. I care so much about her."

"More than you cared about me?" she asked.

There was a long silence but he proceeded to say. "I'm sorry Sara, but yes. I love her more than I ever thought that I could love anybody, even you. I'm not going to lose her, I can't."

"Then you know what to say so go tell her. Tell her everything that you just told me. Let her know, otherwise you are going to lose her and you'll never forgive yourself."

"Thank you!"

"Your welcome! Just know that all I want is for you to be happy."

"I know and I want the same for you." He said kissing her the cheek.

The next day at Catherine's house:

He knocked on her door and waited for her to open it. She opened the door and she looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep, she had no makeup on and her hair was everywhere. She looked a little shocked to see Grissom was standing there waiting for her. "Hi! Where's Sara?" She asked.

"Hi! She is on her way back to San Francisco. She has a job you know. Can we talk?" He said with a voice that sounded like it was two tones: nervous and sad. Catherine didn't really want to talk because she already knew what he was going to say and she was afraid that he would tell her that he loves Sara and they were getting back together.

"Sure, come in. I need to talk to you too." She replied. He walked by her and as she shut the door, he had grabbed her and brought his lips to hers in a kiss that promised the world.

"Listen Grissom, Brass told me that you were engaged to her and that you loved her very much. I have to adamant that it hurt. I was really hurt really badly. I just don't want my heart broken again and especially from you. The one I want to be with for the rest of my life; the one I want to build a family with; the one that make me happy, makes me smile; the one Lindsey loves to death; the one I...uh... the one I fell madly in love with." She sat down putting her hands to her face and started to cry. "So, you wanted to tell me something before you left San Francsico?"

"No!"

"Do you want some coffee before you leave my life, a kiss for me to remember you by? What do you really want?"

"No to the first question and yes to the second. Catherine, I came to tell you th..."

"Listen Grissom, if you don't need me in your life or with you then will you please leave me alone. I'm not great at saying good byes to people I love." Before she could get to the door, Grissom blocked it with his body.

"Catherine Deanna Willows, will you please stop being so independent and listen to me for once. Catherine was a little shocked by what he said. He sat both of them down and said, "I love you! I have from the first day I met you. I know that if Sara had stayed all of this time it wouldn't have worked between us because I would always be thinking about you! I only want you Catherine. You're the one that I was meant to be with. My heart, body and soul belong to you. There isn't anything anybody, not even Sara, can do to get rid of my feelings for you.

By this time Catherine had started to cry. "Grissom, I don't know what to say. Only five words pop into my head and they are: I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! I was worried that maybe you would realize that you still loved Sara and I was going to be dumped to the curb by you."

Before she could say anything else he kissed her and said, "I only want you Catherine."

"Good because I want you too." She said while kissing him back. "Grissom, we have been together for 3 months now. Ever since that night we slept together, when I woke up in your warming arms, I loved it! I want to feel that again. I want to feel warm and protected. I want you to wake up with you beside me."

"Catherine, what are you trying to say?"

"Will you stay the night? Could we make up in my bed?" After she said that he picked her up off her feet and carried her to her bedroom.

"What do you have in mind?" He said while shutting her bedroom door.

The End!!!