Part 1

Hawaii, one of the most popular holiday spot dreams in the world. The islands in the Pacific were part of many fantasies, part of many ideas of a perfect holiday spot. Waikiki Beach apparently one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The Island Oahu with Honolulu the first stop for most tourists to discover the Hawaiian islands.

"Are we still in America?" Sofia lifted her shades and looked around.

"Well I can't remember that we were asked for our passports, although there was a lot of fuzz when we arrived, but the last time I checked, Hawaii was a part of the United States." Sara yawned. They had worked the last night and drove from the department straight to the airport to catch their over six hours flight to Honolulu. Yesterday the couple who was staying for this week in Sofia's apartment arrived in Las Vegas and they had met each other. Sofia had showed them around, told them something about Vegas and got the keys and useful information about Hawaii. Now, in the early afternoon of this Monday, they were standing in front of the airport in Honolulu.

"All I see is Japanese. Japanese people, Japanese signs, Japanese flags. And why didn't I get one of these flower things? What are they called?"

"Lei."

"Lei? What is a lei?"

"It's the Hawaiian word for 'garland'. And it looks like you don't get one if you're not in a Japanese tourist group."

"We should join them then."

"Yeah, we both look absolutely Japanese. Especially you, blondie."

"Shut up."

"That would be 'damare' in Japanese."

"Why do you speak Japanese? Isn't it enough that you know everything?"

"I'm smart and open-minded." Sara found a sign - in Japanese – and looked at it for a few seconds. "The shuttle bus is nine dollar one way and fifteen return."

"Show off, I don't believe you a single word."

"Whatever. Do you believe me we're right here because everybody seems to wait here."

"Yes, I do believe that." Sofia sat down on her suitcase. What a strange place. Everything was in Japanese and it seemed like, the tourist industry didn't bother to put up English signs. Everybody, who wasn't Japanese, was supposed to guess where the busses stopped and how much they were. It made no sense to her, all Japanese people she had seen so far, were in groups, they didn't need these signs, they got picked up and escorted to their – probably Japanese – hotels.

"What was the name of the shuttle they have told us off?" Sara asked.

"Baskin Robbins?"

"Honey, you think of ice cream and not of a bus."

"It's hot enough for ice cream."

"Roberts Hawaii?"

"Almost like Baskin Robbins."

"Sure. There's a bus of them."

Sofia got up and watched the greenish bus that stopped a few yards away from them. A man with a lei got out. Immediately people were around him and handed their luggage over.

"They don't get anything from him, I'll save two seats for us." The detective left her suitcase with Sara and entered the bus. Hot. It was humid in here, air-condition wouldn't be too bad. But the bus was turned off and no air came in it. Maybe it would have been better to wait outside with the suitcases. Now it was too late. She sat down in the middle and closed her eyes.

Being awake for twenty-four hours let her wish for a bed and a shower. Why had they made the decision to take the shuttle bus instead of a taxi? They saved money on accommodation, they didn't have to save it on everything.

"I wonder how long we'll have to sit in the bus until we're at our flat." Sara let herself drop next to Sofia.

"So do I. I'm afraid I'll fall asleep while we're in here."

"I might do the same but I'll try to stay awake. What did they say? Half an hour drive?"

"With the car, yes."

"Great. We'll be on the road for the rest of the day." Sara closed her eyes. Now she was on Hawaii and was too tired to enjoy it. Life was a bitch.

"May I have your attention?" Sara didn't bother to open her eyes. She could listen with her eyes closed and if it was anything important, this woman would make sure, she'd do what she said.

"If you want to have a single ticket it's nine dollar per person, if you want a return ticket it's fifteen dollar." Sara opened one eye and looked at Sofia.

"Okay, you were right, I'm sorry."

"I'll get us two return tickets."

"Thanks." Sofia's head fell on the window. She wanted a shower and a bed. How was she supposed to watch the sunset when she was this tired? And sleeping was wasting time. They were on Hawaii, for Christ's sake, they couldn't sleep.

"So tell me why can you read Japanese?"

"I had a Japanese roommate in college. For a year. I picked up some things. To be honest, the sign was more a guess. I saw the nine and the fifteen, thought we're at the shuttle stop so it makes sense these numbers are connected to the shuttle."

"Smart but not that smart."

"Damare."

"What?"

"Shut up."

"Oh yeah, I'll try to remember that. Did you know this Island is like a Japanese colony?"

"I read the guide but it didn't really say so. Or I didn't read it."

"Impossible. Sara Sidle reads everything, she's a geek."

"As a former acting supervisor you are the bigger geek."

"I didn't get this job because I was so great. I mean, I am always great…"

"Smuggy."

"…but that was because the Sheriff pulled my papers. And Ecklie wanted somebody who is exact."

"Up his ass."

"One more comment like that and our friendship is over. I suffered enough under you and your hate the first weeks."

"I didn't hate you."

"You did. And you didn't trust me."

"I wasn't that nice."

"Just like right now."

"Right now I'm nice. I joined you, I got our tickets back, I make sure you won't miss our stop and I'll let you use the shower first."

"Otherwise I'd join you under the shower."

"I've to share a bed with you, I think that's enough."

"Other people would pay for that."

"There's a word for woman who let them do that."

"Rich."

"Yeah." Sara laid her head on Sofia's shoulder. "They did say we can use their food in the fridge, didn't they?"

"Yeah, everything in the fridge is for us to use. We don't have to go shopping today."

"Good. I want a shower, a short nap and then the sunset on the beach."

"Do I have to go there too?"

"Yes dear, I want you in my arms when I take the picture of the sunset. The sunset and us, to be exact. We have to send that to the department, make them all jealous."

"You want to make yourself some more friends."

"Yes."

"And Grissom will never let you go on holiday again."

"Not with you."

"Don't you dare to send anything to him! I'm planning some more trips with you."

"You've got plans with me?" Sara chuckled.

"You bet! Quite a few. Even for this trip."

"Like what?"

"Snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, skydive, a luau, parasailing and a sunset cruise on a yacht."

"I'm with you. Sounds like fun."

"Oh and a lot of soaking sun, burying feet in the sand and a huge sunshade for the beach. I don't want to be burnt when we are too lazy to walk back."

"You'll get one."

"Thanks."

"That looks beautiful." Sara sighed happy. They had make it to the beach and found a spot at the water to watch the sun slowly going under in the ocean.

"It is." Sofia had her arm around Sara's shoulders, leaning lazily on Sara. "Do we get some sushi when we go back?" Their apartment was only a five minute walk from the beach. They couldn't see Waikiki beach because of all the huge hotels in front of them, but that didn't matter. Four blocks and their feet were in sand, that was more worth than an ocean view from a mile away from the beach.

"If you want."

"This place is full of Japanese, the sushi must be perfect."

"Rice beer."

"I can't imagine that tastes good."

"We'll give it a try."

"And then we'll sleep. Real sleep! I don't plan to be awake longer than 9pm."

"Right or left side of the bed?"

"I don't care. Where would you like me to be?"

"Left side so I can see the sunshine on your face when we wake up tomorrow morning."

"Awww, that's sooo sweet." Sofia kissed Sara's cheek. "You can be really cute, do you know that, Sara?"

"It's the damn sunset, it has a bad influence on my personality."

"It makes you not bitchy"

"As I said, bad influence."

"I like that. But I also like Grumpy Smurf."

"Smuggy, watch your tongue."

"It's safe where it is, you can't do anything to it."

"Don't be too sure."

"That sounds like sexual harassment."

"Didn't you tell me it's only harassment when you don't like it?" Sara countered with a laugh.

"Shit, I knew I should have kept that to myself. This woman is too smart, she reminds things like that."

"You bet."

"Didn't I also say real friends bring breakfast to my bed in the morning?"

"Oh, you'll do that for me? That's sweet, Sofia."

"I thought about you…never mind. We'll have both breakfast in bed. Eight o'clock?"

"Latest."

"I thought this is holiday."

"We'll lay around at the beach, the whole day."

"Right. Paradise. A beach, an ocean and you."

"Cocktail, fruits, swimming."

"Do we have to go back to Vegas?"

"I'm afraid so."

Sofia sighed. She wouldn't mind staying here. Maybe they should sacrifice an hour or two to find out if the law enforcement here needed a detective and a csi.