Author's Note: I'm not sure what drove me to writing this, but there was something there. I heard something about next season, and as much as the finale was sad, I'm actually looking forward to the season premiere. Anyway, I hope that you guys read and review. It's still hard seeing Sara gone, but it just seems fitting that she be there, you know?
She came not because she wanted to, but because she felt like she had to. When Sara received word of Warrick's passing, she felt compelled to return to Vegas for the funeral. On her trip back, she told herself that it wasn't to stay, but to pay tribute to an old friend.
The trip itself had been one of whim; she hadn't even booked a hotel or called Grissom in hopes that she could stay. It was partly because she hadn't wanted to intrude, but also because if he asked, Sara was almost certain she would stay.
Due to the sudden plans, she didn't have the chance to inform anyone that she was coming. She watched her old team, thinking of how torn apart they had to be feeling at losing a member so close to its core. If it wasn't enough that she herself made the choice to leave, Warrick was taken from them in a single act of violence. Shuddering at the thought, Sara lifted her gaze to the gray clouds that circled overhead. It wasn't often that it rained in Vegas she thought, but how fitting it was for the occasion.
Words were spoken, and a few people stood up, speaking about the kind of man their friend and colleague had been. A single tear traced its way down Sara's cheek, but other than that, there was no real movement.
After the funeral, she caught his eye. It was unexpected, though when she did, there was no surprise there. Instead, what she saw was acceptance. Grissom extended his hand in her direction as the crowd began to disperse, and she went to his side. "I was hoping that no one would mind. When I heard, I felt like I had to come."
Nodding, Grissom moved his thumb across the back of her hand. "I think he would have wanted everyone here. I'm glad that you came, Sara."
She nodded, and took in the faces of everyone around them. Catherine, Nick, and Greg were all standing close by, along with Brass. They all seemed to be waiting; unsure of what to do next would have been a better way to put it.
Somehow, they had all settled on coffee at a nearby diner. They'd all managed to squeeze into a larger booth by adding chairs at the end for Brass and Greg.
"You know, I probably shouldn't say anything, but I think it's really great that you came, Sara. We've all been missin' you to say the least, but with you here...it almost made today a little bit better." Nick said before resigning himself to staring into his cup of coffee.
Sara nodded, and after sending a look in Grissom's direction, replied. "I came as soon as I could. Granted, my stay isn't as permanent as some would like..." She glanced down at the table, unsure of how to continue. There they were, all friends brought together by a sad event, and she'd just handed them a piece of news that could possibly make it worse.
Grissom had apparently caught on, and gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "No one is asking you to come back sooner than you want to, dear. Take all the time that you need."
Sara smiled softly, thinking of how much she'd not only missed the team, but how much she'd missed him. They'd talked on the phone a few times, catching up on things that had been happening around the lab, or the progress she'd made that week. He was the only one who was aware of the fact that she'd actually been speaking to a therapist. Granted, Sara wasn't entirely happy about it, but the more she talked, the more she began to slowly heal the wounds that had been open for years.
Conversation soon shifted as Catherine brought up an experiment the guys had pulled in the lab just a few short days before. They'd been trying to determine the weapon used in a crime, and as such, just happened to get some of the gel used all over her new shoes. She hadn't minded much at the time, but as she'd left the lab, she also discovered that some had gotten on her coat.
It surprised Sara in a way how completely normal it seemed to have them all together. Conversation was sparse, but when it happened, it was mostly light. Eventually though, people said that they needed to leave. Nick and Catherine were both going home, Greg had something else to do, and Brass needed to follow a lead. It left Grissom and Sara, and as everyone else had left money to help pay for the bill, they knew that they both should probably get going.
He watched her, unsure of what to say. Her skin was a bit more tan, and her hair was just a shade lighter. Grissom wasn't sure that anyone else would notice, but it seemed to him that Sara's eyes weren't as...dark as they had been before she left. It appeared that her time away had done some good after all. "You're welcome to stay, you know."
"Hmm?" Sara called, though she was already aware of his implications.
"At the house. I'm not sure if you've made reservations, but in the event that you haven't...the door is always open."
Sara smiled, holding her cup to her lips as she thought. It made more sense, even if she wouldn't admit that she'd be staying for selfish reasons. "It would be nice to stay someplace that felt like home."
The next week carried on as normal as possible. Grissom continued his work at the lab, but was home whenever he could be. She surprised him the first day, as he'd come home to find that she'd already prepared him a meal. He wasn't sure if he could have been happier, until Sara mentioned she'd seen an ad on the television for the documentary on entomology, and how it related to finding clues in forensics. It had already aired, but she offered to watch it with him seeing as she'd taken the liberty of recording it.
So, they sat in comfortable silence as they watched the documentary. Grissom commented out loud, mentioning species' that he'd found while investigating, or commenting on a line that one of the people had said. The whole time though, his primary focus had been on her.
Sara was similar to him, in that she was watching, but more importantly focusing on him. They sat close together, though not quite touching. It seemed more comforting than anything she could have predicted though, because she felt more at home than she had in weeks.
The next few days filtered by. A few people from the lab stop by to visit when they could, though none of them stayed for long. Brass warned her, saying that she had better keep in contact for fear that he'd be forced to track her down himself. She laughed, telling him that she'd try the best she could. While she made no promises, she was sure that somewhere in their conversation, she'd inadvertently promised to come back again soon. It didn't bother her as much as it made her feel like she was growing closer to what it was she needed to be doing. She'd left in an effort to ease the pain, and to get rid of things that littered her past. Seeing everyone again made Sara realize that she was getting closer to her goal.
She did the best she could by busying herself whenever Grissom wasn't home. She'd gone out a few times to buy the things she needed to make them meals, and once to buy him a gift she intended to give him before leaving. It wasn't much; a novel that she'd seen him admiring once when they were out walking together. They spent their awake hours together, and when they slept, she didn't find it as awkward as she expected. The first night, they'd slept separately due to his fear of making her uncomfortable. He'd later admitted that he didn't want to push her, to which she replied that he wouldn't.
The week ended though, and Sara knew it was time. She'd purposefully made an effort to avoid the lab, but he was there, and it seemed like an easier place to tell him. Had she said goodbye in his-in their-home, Sara was certain that it would have made things harder.
The sharp knock on his office door made Grissom look up from a stack of papers, and as he saw her standing there, he immediately knew what it meant. Sighing, he removed his glasses before setting them on his desk. "I suppose I knew this day would come."
"But you didn't think it would be this soon," Sara surmised, walking closer to him as he got up to greet her. Her arms linked behind his neck as his hands rested firmly against her waist.
"I'm afraid not." Grissom sighed, taking in her overall demeanor. "I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss you, Sara, but I trust that you're doing what you feel is right."
Sara nodded softly, and there was a tinge of sadness as she spoke. "I know that things haven't exactly gone the way that you planned, and they haven't been for me, either. Trust that I'll be back one day, but for now...I still have a few things to handle before leaving."
Grissom read something in her gaze, and understood what she meant. "You're going to visit Warrick."
Sara shrugged, and feeling a few tears prick at her eyes, moved a hand to brush them away. "There are some things I regret about leaving, but my entire purpose is still being fulfilled. I never really got the chance to tell him goodbye."
Grissom nodded, and knew on some level that things were working out the way they were supposed to. "Call me when you get there safely."
Sara smiled again, feeling like the absence wouldn't be as painful this time. "I will do that."
Reaching forward to brush away a stray hair, Grissom breathed out a sigh. "I love you, you know."
"And I love you," Sara replied, finding it equally important to say. She leaned forward and kissed him, knowing that in that moment, all she needed was to feel him. As she pulled back, she saw something kin to acceptance, and nodded quietly. "I'll call you as soon as I get there."