Title: Traces of the Past

Author: Chaos

Rating: PG, so far

Summary: A part, a small part of Sara's past is revealed.

Warnings: I'm still ticked about 'After the Show' so this is not a Catherine friendly fic.

Additional Info: Cross over w/Without a Trace

Legal Stuff: The characters in this fic belong either to 'CSI' and its creators or 'WaT' and

its creators and of course the all powerful CBS. I am making no money from this little fic

I am simply using it for therapy. Please don't sue.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Martin's head swung around repeatedly as he looked into each of the labs. "Man, you think

they put 'Must be a babe' on their job applications? Nearly every woman I've seen here is

a beauty." His three teammates shook their heads and he felt a thump on the ear that had to

have come from Sam. "Here's the room Jack told us about." Martin held the door for the

others and elbowed Danny to get his attention. "Speaking of, look at this one."

Danny smirked as he turned around but recognition quickly colored his face.

Sara ambled down the hallway, her face buried in a casefile.

"Sara? Sara Sidle?" A male voice called from a doorway. She stopped, looking around,

eyes halting on a young man standing outside of one of the interrogation rooms. She

narrowed her eyes. He looked....familiar. Her eyes flew open.

"Danny Taylor, right? What are you doing here?" She moved toward him to shake hands only

to have him pull her into a hug.

The clearing of a throat behind them separated the two and Sara looked up into the face of

an amused looking man of about her age. "Sorry, Sara, this is Martin Fitzgerald, a member

of the team. Martin, Sara Sidle, CSI extraordinaire." She swatted Danny's arm before

reaching out to shake hands with the other man.

"So, you're here on a case?" She asked excitedly.

"Yeah, but we're waiting for our boss before we get into it. I'm sure some of your team is

going to be working with us."

Sara's grimace was questioned by a female voice. "Is that a problem?" A short black woman

inquired from beside Martin.

She shook her head. "Not really, it's just that some people here don't do too well working

with the fed, uh, FBI."

"Why's that?" A blond this time.

"Um, we had a case a couple of years ago where an agent came in and took over. He needed a

decoy and since I looked like the women who had been murdered I volunteered. The bad vibes

had already been there but I didn't help any by insisting on doing what Agent Culpepper

wanted."

"Culpepper? I don't blame whoever has the problem. I've worked with the man before, he's

an idiot." Sara laughed at the vehemence in the older woman's voice. She had a feeling

she was going to enjoy this group.

Danny looked at the two men approaching. "Jack, you finally get to meet someone special.

Sara, Jack Malone. Jack, THIS is Sara Sidle." He presented her like the ultimate clue to

a mystery.

Sara reached out a hand to shake with Jack. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Jack tilted his head as he searched his memory. "Sara Sidle...you're voice sounds familiar."

"It ought to, we spoke daily for nearly two weeks."

At the lifted eyebrow Danny clarified things. "My first case. San Francisco?"

Jack's face lit up. "Oh, yeah, you solved our case for us. I also remember I tried to talk

you in to coming to work for the agency." She realized he was still holding onto her hand

about the same time Grissom cleared his throat. The glare he gave her carried down to the

joined hands and she gently withdrew from the agent's clasp.

"I remember, that was what 4, 5 years ago? I'm Vivian Johnson, we spoke several times as

well." Sara smiled at her. "And, this is Samantha Spade she was new to the department at

that time."

The blond reached out a hand for a quick greeting. "I remember that. Danny and I flipped

for who got to take the first out of town trip and he won." She looked up at her cohort.

"Now, I know why he was reluctant to come back."

Sara glanced at Danny seeing a deep berry blush on his cheeks and turned away as color

infused her own face.

Catherine and Warrick walked up and Grissom took that as a sign to get things moving again.

"Agent Malone, Catherine Willows and Warrick Brown will be working with us on this

particular case."

Jack looked them over then turned to Grissom. "I'd really prefer for Ms. Sidle to be in on

this, Dr. Grissom." He couldn't help notice that Catherine looked pissed at his statement.

Too bad, he didn't like prima donnas and from the intel on this group this woman was a grand

stander and he couldn't afford that. "Most of us have already worked with Ms. Sidle so we

are familiar with each other's methods and personalities."

Sara and Catherine both looked to Grissom for a ruling. He sighed. He knew Catherine

believed she should get this assignment just because she wanted it but Malone was right.

Sara's pre-knowledge of this team would make things go smoother. He sighed. "Catherine,

I've already given Nick a DB on Hampton Circle, go with him."

She looked at him as if he'd spit on her. "Grissom, since when do you let outsiders

decide who's going to work a case?"

"That would be around the same time he let suspects pick their own investigators." Catherine

turned, ready to slap Sara.

"Is that procedure? I always thought that when a suspect asks for someone specific that

would be the last person to work the case." Jack was amazed at how the Las Vegas lab was

run.

"Warrick, Sara, go on in and get set up. I'll be in in a minute." He nodded to the two

CSIs as well as the federal agents.

Sam was the first to speak. "I take it she's the senior CSI?"

"No, Griss is, but she is the assistant supervisor." Sara was very politic in her reply.

Sam looked at Vivian. "I'm glad we don't have the problem they seem to."

Viv lifted the right side of her mouth while shrugging. She had been the one to do the

back ground checks on these CSIs and Director Cavallo had outlined each person's

achievements and short falls in detail. "You know, I never connected your name with the

previous case. It should have wrung a bell somewhere." She told Sara.

The brunette smiled. "It was a long time ago and we never met face to face. I'm sure

you don't recall every single person you've ever spoken on the phone with."

"That's true. So, do we wait for Dr. Grissom or get started?"

Grissom and Catherine walked in the door. Sara rose from her chair anticipating the

humiliation of being taken off yet another case. He motioned her back down.

"Catherine is going to sit in on this meeting in case we need more hands." He looked

at Sara only to find that she was concentrating on Danny Taylor.

Warrick sighed. This was gonna be one hell of a case.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Okay, this has been on my brain for awhile. When searching for ways to get Sara the

respect she wants and so desperately deserves I went back to her LOA 'to explore' the

federal system. So, what better way than to put her together w/WaT in a back story?

Well, there a re probably many better ways but this is mine.

Also, I seem to remember a case where the suspect wanted Jack but he sent in Martin

first. Or, am I really screwed up?

Please, read and review. Should I go on w/this or what?