The ever-growing pain in her head brought Sara back to consciousness. She awoke to see several monitors about her, the constant sound of beeps and blips filling her ears. She could tell it was a hospital, but she had no idea where or how she had gotten there. The last thing that she remembered was seeing his hideous face lingering above hers. Looking down, she tried to take stock of the situation. She still had all of her limbs, and as best she could tell, everything externally was OK, save a few bruises about her arms and chest area. She hadn’t seen her face yet, but she could feel that her lip was swollen, and probably every color under the sun. She remembered the gashes as they were pressed into her face.

“Sara?”

His voice came as almost a whisper, and she tried hard as she could to focus on where it was coming from. “Grissom?”

She watched as he appeared from outside of her point of view, the side of his face swollen and bruised, even stitched where he appeared to have a cut. “Oh my God, Sara…you’re…you’re OK.” He fell to his knees at her bedside, his sobs audible. “I love you so much…I thought I was losing you...”

She felt around the bedside to find his hand. “Gil, sweetheart – You’re OK, too. He told me he’d killed you. I’m so happy you’re here…” Pulling at his hand, she coaxed him to stand and meet his lips to hers. “My precious Gil.”

“And my beautiful Sara.”

“How long was I out?”

“A couple of days. I’ve been here almost the whole time. I couldn’t leave you.”

Sara smiled sweetly. “You didn’t have to do that…”

“Yes, I did. I’m never letting you out of my sight again, you hear me.”

Sara nodded. “What about the guy – the one who held me captive?”

Gil looked down at the bed, his fingers tracing a pattern in the heavy blanket. “Gil, don’t tell me he got away.”

“No,” he said softly. “He didn’t. Sara, he was a threat. I shot him.” The tone in his voice made it evident to her that he wasn’t exactly happy that he’d killed a man.

“Oh, Sweetheart…” She pulled his head to her shoulder, gently stroking his hair. “Thank you. Thank you for saving my life.”

Gil stayed at her bedside for the duration of her hospital stay, leaving only once or twice to go home and get fresh clothes. On the day she was to be released, three weeks after she’d been admitted to Desert Palms, Gil had asked if it would be OK to have the entire night team down to help see her off. Sara had thought it strange, but he’d done so much for her these last few weeks – she could indulge him just this once, right?

“Sara, I want you to have this,” he said, handing her a box identical to the one he had given her on her birthday last year. “But this time, I want everyone to see me giving it to you. Sara, I’m tired of hiding it. I love you, and I don’t care who knows it.”

As she opened the box, she stared down at the piece of jewelry inside. “I had another piece…custom made just for you.”

They sat side by side inside the crowded room, eating their dinner and talking like any couple would do. He was wearing the same suit he’d worn to the banquet, once again the silver accessories accenting his graying temples. She looked deep into the eyes of the man that she loved – the man that in essence had saved her life, and smiled.

Hearing the familiar voice, he reached over and grabbed her hand, the marquis cut ring in the center, the drop band with four inverted teardrop diamonds surrounding it, and he smiled. Her wedding set did indeed look like a butterfly.

“Can I have your attention please?” Nick Stokes stood with the mic in hand, his fluted champagne glass in the other. “We’re here tonight to celebrate the marriage of two of my best friends, and two of the most loyal, devoted, and yes, stubborn people I know. To Griss and Sara – may your lives be filled with love, laughter, and happiness forever.”

The newlyweds could only smile as each of their co-workers gave them a toast, and after they were through, the deejay’s voice boomed through the loud speakers. “And now, clear the dance floor as Dr. and Mrs. Grissom share their first dance as husband and wife.”

Gil held the train of Sara’s dress as they walked toward the dance floor, a single spotlight illuminating their way. “Are you ready, Mrs. Grissom?”

“You bet.” she said, winking as she pulled his hand into hers, running her fingers over his wedding band.

As the song came through the speakers, Sara let her mind wander back to that night when they had first danced to this song. Closing her eyes, she felt it impossible that her dreams had finally come true.

She heard him once again singing the song he had sang to her that night at the banquet. He leaned down to whisper into her ear, “And, yes, this time I am singing, to you, my beautiful bride.”

A/N: OK, this is it. My baby bird has flown out of the nest, and this story is complete. I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I appreciate all of the kind remarks and support that you all gave me during this process. You guys are the greatest! Big smooches!

This story edited on 4.29.05, to comply with rule about not posting song lyrics into fictions.