*Authors note: I don't own CSI or the characters. This will not be directly in line with the show, story wise, it's my version of how GSR came to be! Or at least one of my versions. It's also my first CSI fic, so please be patient with me :-). Please review!*
Sara Sidle sat in the locker room, of the Las Vegas Crime Lab. It had been a long night, and a long case, and she was exhausted. She stood up and flicked her hair over her shoulder, she was ready to go home. Taking her phone, purse and keys out of her locker, she closed it and walked out of the room. As she walked towards the exit, she passed Grissom's office. The door was closed so she knocked and opened it slightly, popping her head through. It was empty. She was disappointed he wasn't there, it would have been good to see him before she left. She hadn't seen him much lately and she missed him.
Things have always been complicated between the two of them, but since this case started it had gotten worse. She was getting tired of his mood swings, once second he was with her all the time, the next he was pushing her away. It had always been that way, she just wished she knew why.
"He's not there." Nick's voice came from behind her. She turned and smiled at him.
"I've gathered that." She closed the door and walked down the corridor, Nick following.
"Greg, Warrick and I are going to grab some breakfast at the diner, do you want to join us?" he asked.
"No, I think I'm just going to head home." She replied, clearly exhausted. Taking her elbow, Nick stopped her. He looked at her, concern on his face. "I'm fine, Nick. I just want to go home." He nodded, seemingly happy with her response. She put a hand on him arm, thanking him for his concern. She had never had anyone who really cared about how she was doing, until she joined this team. Nick, Greg and Warrick were like the brothers she never had, and they were all protective of her, and Catherine. Just as she was protective of them.
It was a special, if not slightly dysfunctional, family and she was eternally grateful for Grissom asking her to come. Not that they had always been so close, she butted head with both Warrick and Catherine when she first started. However, after her first year in Vegas, they had all become very close. Nick studied her for a few seconds longer, confirming that she was really ok.
"Well, if you change your mind, that's where we'll be." He raised a hand in farewell, and left her. Sara made her way to the labs car park, got in her car and left. En-route to her house, she stopped at her favourite café. She'd go there at least 4 or 5 times a week, kind of like a tradition. It was right in between her apartment and the lab. Not many people knew about it, thanks to its location, so it was never crowded. She only found it by accident. She had been wondering around, during one of her rare days off, and stumbled across it.
It was a small, family run business and Sara loved going there. She loved getting some peace and quiet, especially after a particularly draining case. Plus they did the best pancakes she'd ever had.
She parked her car and walked through the door, the bell chiming letting the owners know there was a customer.
"Sara!" Mark Carson cried, when he saw her come in. "It's good to see you again, we haven't seen you round here for a while."
"It's been 3 days, Mark." Sara said, laughing with familiar ease.
"Well, we've missed you." Mark said, smiling at her. "I'll let Mags know you're here, she'll get your pancakes for you." Sara grinned at the older man. Mark and his wife Maggie owned the café and the three of them had gotten to know each other well over the years. Sara paid for her food, and sat at her usual table. Someone had left a newspaper, so she picked it up and started reading. After a few seconds, she skipped to the crossword, got out a pen and got to work.
"Sara!" Maggie Carson called, walking towards the younger woman. Sara, putting down her pen and the paper, stood and hugged her. Maggie pulled back and held her at arm's length. "You look tired, Sara. When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?"
"A while ago." Sara said, a little sheepishly. Maggie shook her head and dropped her arms.
"You work too hard, girl. Take some time off, go out, enjoy yourself." Maggie said, sternly.
"I will."
"You better. Now, are you eating here today?"
"No." Sara replied. "I've got to head home."
"Long shift?" Maggie asked, concerned.
"You can say that." Maggie didn't like that response. She nodded to Sara and walked back to the kitchen. She liked Sara Sidle, she was sassy and kind and more than capable of looking after herself. She was the type of woman she wanted her daughters to grow up to be. She came back a few minutes later, carrying a box with Sara's pancakes in. "Here you go. You go home and get some rest."
"I will, thanks Mags." The women hugged once more, and Sara left. As she got to her car, she took out her phone. She debated calling Grissom, maybe just a text. She opened her car door. That was when it happened.
One of her windows shattered, then another. Sara dropped everything and fell to the floor, taking cover from behind her car. She had no idea where the shots came from, but all of a sudden the noise of gun fire was all around her. She could feel her car rock as the impacts of the bullets hit it.
She took her gun out of its holster and held it ready. Taking a breath, she looked over the bonnet, trying to see where the fire was coming from. There was a black SUV across the street. She saw two men in black hoodies holding their guns out of the window. She ducked down just as another round of fire began. She took another breath and put her gun over the bonnet, returning fire.
Grissom and Brass pulled up at the lab, they had just spent the last hour or so going over the paperwork of the night's case.
"How's Sara doing?" Brass asked, before Grissom had the chance to leave the car.
"I'm not sure." The other man replied.
"Jones really had it in for her, didn't he."
"Well, she was the one who put him away." Grissom said, with some pride in his voice. Sara was one of his best CSI's, her intuition was uncanny. Even when everyone back off Vincent Jones, Sara kept at it. She knew something wasn't right, and it wasn't. Without her, the man certainly would have walked free.
"Do you think he'll make good on his threat?" Brass asked, concerned for his friends safety.
"I'm not sure." Grissom said, with the same concern. "I'm hoping to talk to her, before she leaves. Make sure she's going to be careful." Grissom didn't want to think what would happen if Jones made good on his threat, just the thought of it filled him with panic. He was desperate to get in the lab, just to see that she really was ok.
Brass's radio went off then, Grissom said goodbye and got out the car as Brass answered. He hadn't gotten very far when his team came rushing out, all except the one he really wanted to see.
"Where's the fire, Cath." Grissom asked as the four of them ran up to him.
"Ecklie got a call, there's a shooting near Sara's. Officer in distress" Catherine said.
"Where's Sara?" Grissom asked, sharply.
"We don't know, she left about half an hour ago." Nick said.
"Has anyone tried calling her?"
"We've been calling her." Warrick said, his phone still to his ear. "She's not answering." Grissom's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.
"Gil." Brass called from his car. "We've got to go, there's been a casualty. The EMT's are on their way." He looked at the team in front of him, wishing with everything he had he didn't have to say the next sentence. "It's Sara."