The Reasons I Have For Leaving You.

The Reasons I Have For Leaving You.

Chapter One
*Notes:  Lyrics used in this chapter are:  "The Reason" by Hoobastank.

He had said it to everyone and he meant it too. He was leaving and not returning. There would be no cake in the break room for him. All of his things were boxed up in his office and were being sent to his new job in California. The movers traveled back and forth from their moving truck to his workspace and back out, placing his stuff in to the boot of the vehicle. He kept some of his things in the boot of his black GMC Envoy Denali, ready for the long drive ahead to the Sunshine State.

The remaining CSIs just stood there, watching everything happen. Everyone... except Sara... She was in the conference room, sitting at the table, quietly letting tears roll down her face. Nick and Warrick stood by, not assisting Gil at all. They didn’t want him to leave; he was their quarterback, their mentor, their friend. Their dad, even... They were mad that he would do this, only thinking of himself and not thinking of everyone that he would be leaving. To just get up and decide to leave Vegas for California was crazy in their books. They never thought he would do this in a million lifetimes. He loved being a CSI & he loved Las Vegas, so there had to be another reason; there had to be something else, making him leave. It had to be something huge.

Catherine was in the her office, talking to Lindsey, telling her that Grissom was leaving today, knowing how much her daughter loved the Bug Man. As soon as her phone call was finished, she walked to Gil’s office, but on the way there, she found Sara in the conference room, still crying a bit. She knocked on the doorframe, before entering the partially darkened enclosure. Sara turned her head to see her. She wiped her face off quickly, which Catherine immediately noticed. The older woman wrapped her arm around Sara’s neck and shoulders, holding her close.

“It’ll be okay, Sara. He’ll be okay.” The blonde stated.

“Why is he doing this, Catherine?” the brunette asked. “Why is he leaving us? Leaving all of this? Why would he do this?”

She started to sob loudly, causing a couple tears to fall down Catherine’s face too.

“Oh, Sara. He’s leaving all of us, because he’s scared.” She answered.

“Scared? Him? Scared of what?”

“He’s probably scared that his feelings for you will change him somehow and he’s scared that the Sheriff will fire him for being with you. He told me that he went to McKeen and found out his options. He was told that leaving Las Vegas and the Crime Lab would be the only alternative he would have to be with you and to be safe.”

“But, why? I mean, California. He could have just gotten a job here at UNLV or at West LVU and taught.”

“I know, but he was offered the job in California as an assistant head of the department. He would get to teach again; he would able to be with you; and, he would not have to worry about losing his job ever again. Sara, he’s doing this all for you...”

Sara looked at Catherine softly and smiled, knowing that she was right. Gil was probably doing this all for their relationship, but it didn’t seem like it to her just yet. Catherine let her friend go and walked out of the conference room. She got up from her seat and went to Grissom’s office. The last of his stuff was being loaded into the SUV as she found him. He was standing in an empty space, wearing a pair of blue jeans, a navy long-sleeve tee shirt, and a backward baseball cap.

‘He looked great’, she thought. ‘I’m gonna miss him this way.’

She walked out behind him and touched his strong back with her full head. He jumped slightly, before turning to see Sara standing there. He saw the tear stains on her face and knew she had been crying.

“Sara, I’m --” He started to say.

“Don’t you dare say that you are sorry, Gil Grissom! Don’t you ever be sorry for anything!” She demanded.

“Sara, I never meant to hurt you.”

“Goddamit, Gil! Don’t say stuff like that to me! You never mean to do anything, you know that?”

“I know, Sara. Don’t you think I know that? I hurt every time I see your face, knowing that I have no chance of being with you. But now... now, ‘we’ have a chance to be together.”