AN: Please note that this idea was thought up before the finales and will continue as if they didn't happen, k?

All For Sara Beth

Chapter 1

By: RedtheBrunette

Tony Dinozzo tapped his fingers idly against the desktop, his eyes riveted on the picture on his desk and a gentle smile gracing his lips at the memory it brought on.

It was an old picture, taken back when he was just out of high school. The 18-year-old picture-Tony looked almost the exact same as he did now, in real life, but without as many stress , worry and laugh lines. He had his arm wrapped protectively, but loosely, around a girl of the same age. Her mouth was opened in a wide smile, revealing the slight gap in her front teeth, and pretty, honey-brown eyes shone with love and happiness as she leaned trustingly into Tony's side. It was obvious that the girl had been seriously sick for quite some time-her face was pale and gaunt, her frame thin and the top of her head held only the smallest few wisps of hair. Tony, Picture-Tony, that is, was also bald.

Scripted at the bottom of the photo, just above the framework, in neat, feminine script, were the words, "Tony, you are the greatest man in the world and no one could ever ask for a better friend. Thank you for all you've done and just being you. I love you. Sabby." And, carved into the top of the silver frame, were the words "Anthony and Sara Beth-Friends Forever-June 13th 1986."

Tony's fingers fell silent as they lifted from desktop to gently trace the young girl's face. It had been years since they'd seen each other, or even talked…Hell, Tony didn't even know where she lived anymore, 'though God only knew how that had happened. He missed her…

Tony turned his chair suddenly, his fingers flying over the keyboard suddenly and intently. Quickly, he pulled up the web site. Typing in 'Sara Beth Sidle', he grinned wildly as the page popped up to fill the screen with her Las Vegas address.

Glancing up from his monitor, grin still in place, Tony said, "Hey, Boss? I think I'll take my week's vacation tomorrow- I've got a special someone to see."

XoXoXoXo

Sara Sidle slammed her locker door shut irritably, pissed off. In the doorway behind her, Greg Sanders winced visibly, cursing Grissom for calling Sara in on her day off (the only one she ever took off willingly).

"Erm-hey Sara, I've got the file here for-" Greg started tentatively, wishing to be anywhere but where he was, to be away from Sara's obvious anger.

"Where's Grissom?" Sara demanded, whirling around sharply and cutting Greg off abruptly.

"With Doc Robbins trying to put the bodies back together," Greg answered promptly, having learned quickly to just obey Sara when she was like this.

"Bastard," Sara muttered viciously, before pulling herself up short, demanded, "Wait, putting bodies back together?"

"Yup," Greg nodded quickly, happy to get her distracted, "Our crime scene involves a bunch of cut up bodies spread across an accountant's living room floor!"

"Woah!" Sara's eyebrows rose, and Greg could almost see the CSI curiosity they all held whirling around her head, "How many victims?"

"Four, possibly five," Greg answered quickly, trying to keep her distracted from her earlier anger.

"I.D's?"

"Zip," Greg sighed, no longer thinking of Sara but of the crime scene he'd attended earlier, "The owners of the house the victims' bodies were found in were on vacation so we know it's not them. Cath and Jacqui are running fingerprints, Warrick's bugging Mia with demands for DNA and Nick's running the pictures of the four distinguishable faces through missing persons, DMV, AFIS and IVIS."

"So that puts me and you on combing through the evidence again," Sara nodded slightly, her earlier irritation completely dissipated as the case took over all thoughts.

"Yup," Greg nodded again, grateful for the evaporation of her anger.

"Okay," Sara grinned, looping a companionable arm through Greg's, "Let's get started then, field mouse!"
XoXoXoXo

Tony whistled cheerfully as he stepped off the plane, giving the pretty stewardess a cheeky wink as he passed. Leaving said stewardess with a blush blooming on her cheeks, Tony walked jauntily down the steps and into the terminal.

He kept up his jaunty mood through the hot, hour-long process of being cleared and then having to find his luggage. Still smiling cheerily –and earning dark looks from the other, more hassled looking tourists and the grumpy businessmen-Tony walked out of the big building, quickly flagging down a cab from the many milling about. Tossing his bag into the back seat, Tony hopped in beside it.

"Hiya!" Tony greeted, excitement coursing through his veins and making him extra hyper.

The cabbie grinned, "You know, son, I think it's been quite a while since I've seen someone so cheerful come out of the airport."

Smiling wildly, Tony answered the unspoken question, "I'm here to visit an old friend of mine- we haven't been able to see each other since just after high school."

"Those are the best ones to visit," the cabbie nodded with his own wide smile, "So then, my boy, where to?"

"A hotel- any hotel, so long as it's near the crime lab," Tony answered, a wildly excited look in his eyes.

He was going to see his Sabby again!
XoXoXoXo

Sara blew out a frustrated breath, blowing a few stray hairs out of her eyes in the process. Greg, at her side, was in a similar mood.

They'd been over, and over, every dust of evidence- and nothing! Not a hair, not a fiber, not even a sprinkle of DNA other than the victims (of which there were 5.).

"Sometimes," Sara muttered grouchily, "I hate frikken' forensics!"

"You don't hate forensics, you hate criminals," Greg corrected absentmindedly, leaned over the evidence for what had to be the 6th time.

"Whatever," Sara grumbled, her earlier irritation returning full-fold.

"Sar, why don't you take a break?" Greg suggested, taking his attention off the evidence spread on the tables in front of him to glance over at her weary face, "Go and see how the others are doing, 'kay?"

"Greg-"

"Sara, you were called in on your day off and this is pretty frustrating stuff. Take. A. Break!" Greg commanded firmly, sounding much too serious for himself.

"Yes, Dad," Sara said with a slight, humorous pout, turning and about face to leave.

"Get out!" Greg laughed at her, tossing a spare rubber glove at her retreating back.

Sara threw a grin at him over her shoulder as the glove hit the ground, falling short. Greg stuck his tongue out at her and she giggled, giving him a little half wave before she disappeared from sight into the maze of halls.

Greg shook his head with a sigh, his eyes dropping despairingly back to the evidence, 'though that was not what had prompted the sigh this time.

God, how he did love that girl!
XoXoXoXo

Tony yawned widely, scrubbing tiredly at his eyes in a habit Sara called "little boyish", as he rolled out of the big bed in his hotel suite. Refreshed from his quick little cat nap, he hurriedly threw open his black suitcase, pulling out a simple outfit. Calling down to order for a cab, he hopped into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Emerging exactly 7 minutes later, Tony slipped quickly into his black boxers and pulled a fitted white T-shirt over his head. Towel-drying his hair, he put gel in both hands and ran both through his hair. Wiping his hands off on the towel he'd used earlier, he pulled on his dark blue jeans, slipped his feet into his black sneakers and left the room, locking the door behind himself.

Filled with too much excited energy to wait the short time for the elevator, Tony bypassed it and jogged down the stairs. Barely out of breath he waved a cheery goodbye to the desk clerk, smiled a goodbye at the doorman, and jumped into the waiting cab.

"The Crime Lab, please, my good sir!" Tony asked, wild smile in place once more.

The man raised his eyebrows, as if to ask, "What's this guy on and can I get some for cheap?", but he obediently pulled out from the curb. Tony vainly tried to get a conversation going, but the man still seemed to be under the impression that Tony was on drugs and didn't seem inclined to speak to him. So, instead, Tony bounced excitedly about in his seat, paying no attention to the bright lights of Vegas that attracted so many others.

He was getting closer!
XoXoXoXo

Greg cursed violently at himself as he slid down the building, trying desperately to erase the image of the girl, so much like his little sister, from his mind. He pressed the heels of his palms hard into his closed eyes, reminding himself that his sister Tara was safe at home in California with his parents and grandfather and the girl on the metal slab in the Morgue was not her.

Sighing, he let his head fall back against the wall, pulling his cell phone free of his belt. He didn't even have to open his eyes to dial the familiar number and press the phone to his ear so he didn't bother to.

"Hello?" came the gentle, female voice Greg knew and loved, picking up on only the second ring.

"Hi Mama," Greg murmured, smiling gently.

"Gregory!" Eleanor Sanders called out with delight, "How are you, my kjære?"

"I'm doing okay, Mama," Greg answered honestly, her voice alone making everything just that much better, "I'm just taking part in a bit of an upsetting case right now."

"Oh, no kjære! What is it?" Eleanor's voice had changed instinctively to that of a mother concerned for the welfare of her child (A tone Greg found familiar and comforting after the many years of late night phone calls and unexpected visits they had shared to create their close bond.).

"It's nothing, really Mama. Just…Just, where's Tara, Mamie?" Greg asked, knowing it was stupid to have to force his voice not to break with concern and fear, and knowing his sister was safe, but still having to ask.

"She's in the den, playing chess with Papa Olaf," she answered promptly, before asking, "Why, kjære?"

"I just miss her, Mama, that's all. I miss all of you." Greg sighed softly, feeling relief flood his body, "Look, Mama, I've got to go back to work, but I'll call again soon. Give everyone my love okay?"

"I will," Eleanor promised, pausing before adding seriously, "I love you, my kjære."

"I love you too, Mamie." Greg murmured back, "Be safe."
XoXoXoXo

Tony waved cheerily to the disgruntled cab driver as he stepped up onto the sidewalk. His amusement grew as the man threw him a dark look and peeled out of the parking lot, unmindful of the many police cars that could be lurking around the lab.

Grinning impishly, he turned towards the rather imposing building, walking forward with a bounce in his step, his heart light with happiness. He'd just about reached the doors when a slim blonde man fell unconsciously into step with him as he, too, headed towards the building.

"Hi!" Tony greeted, sticking a hand out jauntily.

"Hi," the blonde returned with a light laugh, shaking the proffered hand, not at all unnerved, as Tony had expected him to be.

"Tony Dinozzo," he introduced, liking the other man instinctively.

"Greg Sanders," Greg returned simply, before cocking his head to one side, a habit he'd picked up from the Cocker Spaniel he'd had from birth to the age of 13, asking curiously, "Do I know you? I don't think I've ever seen you around the lab before, but you do look familiar."

Grinning, Tony winked at the blonde man, teasing, "Are you trying to pick me up, sir?"

Greg's eyes widened in surprise and Tony burst into laughter, doubling over at the expression on the other man's face. Moments later, Greg was laughing too. Straightening himself with a little chuckle, Tony wiped at the laughter-induced tears that clouded his eyes, Greg doing the same.

"Man," Tony said, with a slight chuckle, "You should have seen your face!"

Greg smiled good-naturedly at the teasing, quite used to it from his lab-family. With a shake of his head and his own chuckle, Greg said, "You know, dude, I am serious- You do look familiar."

Tony shrugged, replying simply, "I don't think I know you."

"You don't work at the lab…"Greg stated thoughtfully.

"I don't even live here in Vegas," Tony cut in to say.

"Oh…" Greg's brow wrinkled in confusion., asking, more to himself, "If you're just a tourist, then why do you look so familiar to me?"

"Well," Tony said slowly, "I'm not exactly a tourist- I'm here to visit an old friend of mine."

"Oh yea? Who? Maybe I know him." Greg said curiously, the other man's familiarity forgotten for the moment.

"Her name is Sara Beth- Sara Beth Sidle, actually." Tony said, with a touch of a laughing smirk on his face.

Greg seemed to visibly fight within himself for a moment, before he 'casually' said, "I don't think I've ever heard someone call her Sara Beth in the entire time I've known her."

"Oh no? That's what everyone used to call her that in high school." Tony grinned in remembrance, "Man, those were good times."

Greg was doing his best to smile courteously, instead of slamming his fist into the man's face for coming to see his Sara, when he felt eyes on his back. Frowning, he turned, seeing Tony do the same from the corner of his eye.

Both men were each met with a baseball bat crashing into their skulls by the two men who'd snuck up on them while they were busy in conversation. Security guards flooded the parking lot only minutes later, but they were too late, much too late.

Tony and Greg were gone.
XoXoXoXo

AN Hey there people how are ya? Ready for back to school, my fellow students? Well, as a back to school consolation gift, I decided to give you all my story. It will be posted in both CSI and NCIS and, I realize that it's a little late, but live with it dearies. Anyway, I g2g if I want to get this posted before my mom kicks me off the computer to go to bed so that I wont be cranky for school in the morning!

Next one will be up when I get the time!

Luv,

Red.