DISCLAIMER: "CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and (c) by ANTHONY E. ZUIKER, JERRY BRUCKHEIMER Television, CBS Worldwide Inc., Alliance Atlantis Corporation, CSI Productions and CBS Productions, All Rights Reserved. This is a purely an outlet of creative writing inspired by a superb TV series. The character of Iris King is my own creation.

A/N: The handling of two otherwise routine crime scene investigations takes Jim and Iris on a poignant journey.

Episode Influences: "Fly the Friendly Skies."

Rated: K

Thanks to JoanP for her flawless beta assistance and MelO for idea hashing.

Acknowledgements: (1) "Be My Baby Tonight"; recorded By: John Michael Montgomery; written by: Ed Hill, Rich Fagan. (2) "Another Side of You"; recorded by Joe Nicholes; written by Carson Chamberlain and Jamey Johnson. (3) "Another Day in Paradise"; recorded by Phil Vassar; written by Phil Vassar, Craig Wiseman. (4) "Take Me There"; recorded by Rascal Flatts; written by Kenny Chesney, Neil Thrasher, and Wendell Mobley. (5) "This Everyday Love"; recorded by Rascal Flatts; written by: Danny Wells, Gene Nelson. (6) "Bring It on Home"; recorded by Little Big Town; written by Greg Bieck, Tyler Hayes Bieck, Wayne Kirkpatrick. (7) "Blessed"; recorded by Martina McBride; written by Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges, Brett James. (8) "Fall"; recorded by Clay Walker; written by Clay Mills, Sonny LeMaire, and Shane Minor. (9) "A Little More You"; recorded by Little Big Town; written by Songwriter(s): James Lee Westbrook, Karen Fairchild Childers, Kimberly Roads, Phillip Sweet, Wayne Kirkpatrick. (10) "Make You Mine"; recorded by Crossin' Dixon; written by Jon Stone, Rodney Clawson.

"A Brass Family Affair"

Saturday

It was quiet for a late spring Saturday evening so far as the 911 operator filed her nails between calls while fighting a yawn as well. One of her lines buzzed as she punched the computer keyboard with the keystrokes she could do in her sleep.

"911. What is your emergency?" asked the operator briskly as she then heard muffled crying in the background.

"911. What is your emergency?" she repeated and listened.

There was a brief pause and then the tremulous voice of a young girl was heard. "Mom…Mom…our mommy's on the floor. She and daddy were fighting again. He knocked her down and told us to go away. We hid in the closet. Daddy yelled so loud and went outside. I heard a bang-bang noise like on cartoons, but mommy's not moving or waking up. Mommy told me to call this number when something bad happens."

In the background the operator again heard the frightened sobs of other children and bit her lip. "Honey, what's your name and where do you live?"

"Makenzie Campbell. I'm eight years old. We live in a motel right now."

"Makenzie, my name is Shirley. Who else is there with you?"

"My little brother and sister, Conner and Heather, they're twins and five years old."

"Okay, honey, I know you and the twins are upset and scared but you're doing great. I'm going to send help for your mommy and daddy. Can you be a big girl and stay on the phone with me until some special people come where you are." Shirley's fingers went into machine gun mode as she entered commands to trace the call and within several moments the location came up on her monitor screen.

"Uh-huh. Do you mean the policemen?"

"Yes, that's right, some very nice policemen are going to come see you and make sure you all are okay. They'll also help your mommy and daddy, okay?"

"They've been here before. I always felt better when they were here."

"Makenzie, take a minute to go tell your little brother and sister that everything's going to be just fine." The operator took a deep breath as she heard Makenzie put the phone down and go comfort her younger siblings. The girl returned to the phone a few minutes later.

"Okay, I did what you told me to. I gave them each a glass of Kool-Aid that I made all by myself," Makenzie told the operator.

"Stay on the phone with me now, Makenzie. The policemen are on their way to help," said Shirley as she readied herself to keep the young girl engaged until help arrived. Makenzie kept the phone with her as she moved her brother and sister away to the couch where the silent form of their mother wouldn't be visible.

X X X X

Two cars cruising beside each other on the far north end of the Vegas strip had ended up with gang signs being exchanged followed by the vehicles racing neck in neck as gunfire was exchanged. The driver of the first car had been shot in the head and lost control of the vehicle which then hit a utility pole. The downed power lines sent out wave after wave of arcing sparks as they snaked along the ground. The other car fared no better when hit by an 18-wheeler tanker truck after it veered into oncoming traffic. The truck jack-knifed as it T-boned the second car, crumpling it and trapping the occupants inside.

Brass had been called in on his night off as he ran his fingers ruefully through the near-stubbly hair on his head, muttering to himself that the cute young thing cutting his hair had ignored his stated preference of how he liked his hair trimmed. She might as well have used a pair of dog clippers on him from the quick look he'd taken in the rear view mirror before he got out of his Dodge Charger. Sighing, he got out his notebook to get details from the other patrolmen who were first on the scene. He dodged to the side as a team of firefighters rushed to join others working with the jaws of life to extricate the young men still trapped inside the second car.

"Hey, Captain Brass!" said a patrolman with a friendly wave.

"Evening, Officer Walters, it looks pretty busy here," observed Brass.

"Yeah, three of the occupants of the car that had hit the utility pole are 419s and the two others have been taken to Desert Palm in critical condition. We're pretty sure it's The Wood and Squad-Up gangs this time around from the colors worn by the kids in each car," Officer Walters agreed as he put up more yellow crime scene tape to mark the perimeter of the scene.

"Jim, I thought you were off because you're not in your usual suit," Brass heard as he turned to see Catherine walking up to him followed by Sara and Iris. Jim was dressed in dark blue jeans, navy blue polo shirt and a lightweight black windbreaker jacket.

"I was but Sofia's been out with the flu and she's taking today off. The other three detectives on tonight are already out on-call. I got asked to pitch in tonight and had nothing else going besides catching a hockey game aside from it being short notice and not allowing me to change clothes," Jim replied a bit irritably as he'd been all geared up to watch his Boston Bruins as it was now the play-offs. "Gil sent three of you?"

"Yeah, Grissom said he could spare us for one site. Hey, Sara, you take the car at the utility pole where the 419s are and Iris gets the perimeter. I'm going to work the truck and second car," Catherine delegated as she walked on with her kit.

"Why can't kids be kids?" Sara sighed at Iris who nodded before they split up to do their tasks.

Brass walked by Iris as she was kneeling to mark and then pick up a shell casing. He gave her a friendly grin as he went by with another patrolman. She nodded as he passed her and her head cocked slightly. Her eyebrows rose as her stare continued for several moments. Iris let go a silent whistle, then shook her head as she refocused her concentration. Catherine watched the tableau from across the street with an amused expression.

Two hours later, the crime scene had been processed and evidence collected and catalogued. The next phase would ensue when the two cars would be taken to the crime lab to be check for trace evidence. Catherine and Sara stood near a tall hedge as they discussed the case between them. Iris was finishing up her perimeter check.

"Sara, I know what I saw!"

"Catherine, you can't be serious."

"Fine, I'll ask her."

Iris had put her kit in her Jeep and now walked over to join Catherine and Sara. "Can I help with anything else, Catherine?"

"Well, I do have one question to ask," Catherine said with an arched brow.

"Uh, okay, go ahead," Iris said with a curious look.

"Were you checking out Brass' backside earlier?" asked Catherine with a slight smirk.

Iris' stunned expression caused both Catherine and Sara to break out in grins.

"Well, we're waiting," Catherine persisted with a tapping foot to emphasize her mock impatience.

Iris puzzled over how to reply for several moments, deciding to be bold and take no prisoners.

"Crap, the cat's out of the bag and I'm sooo busted. Jim and I have been having a torrid secret affair for some time now. He's going to be at my place later to make my ultimate Brass fantasy a reality with whipped cream, strawberries, silk ties, velvet-lined handcuffs and a sex swing. He's going to read me my rights and then see if I can remain silent," Iris said with hands on hips. "Oh and Catherine, could you give me some exotic dancing lessons to surprise him with?"

Catherine looked thunderstruck and Sara's mouth gaped open before the women broke out in laughter as Iris began to chuckle as well.

"You had us going there for a minute, Iris! I've known Jim for years and while he's known to go by a strip bar on occasion he's never shown a proclivity for racier activities. He's never been comfortable around Lady Heather," Catherine commented as Iris had heard of the Gothic-attired, raven-haired, alluring dominatrix from other members of the team.

"I can truthfully say that he has a cute tuckuss," Iris declared with a quiet giggle.

"A cute what?" asked Sara with a raised eyebrow.

"Tuckuss is Yiddish for derriere, butt, buns, booty, arse, etc.," Iris grinned.

The women's laughter continued as they walked over to their vehicles to get ready to leave when Brass stepped out from behind the hedge with a very enigmatic look on his face after overhearing the conversation. His phone chirped as he took the call, making sure he headed to the CSI's but by a different route.

"Catherine!" Brass called out to the women before they got into their SUV's. Iris could feel a slight blush starting and shifted her glance away from Brass as he approached, busying herself with putting Sara's kit in the Jeep and finding her keys. She then stood by Sara with a neutral expression.

"Dispatch reported another homicide, two 419s called in by a motel clerk who heard gunshots at one of those low-end places people rent week to week. Gil got the call too but has requested female CSI's only. He wants two to go and can send Nick to help who stays here," Brass said crisply.

"I can have Warrick join me at the lab as he was off today, why don't you and Iris go?" Catherine suggested to Sara.

"Jim, we'll follow you," Sara said as she climbed in with Iris.

"Can you keep up?" Brass asked as he rested his hands on the driver's door, pointing at Iris' older Jeep.

"I'm from Indianapolis, home of the 500, so you mean can YOU keep up?" Iris challenged with a quick raise of her eyebrows.

"Point taken," Brass chuckled as he strode back to his Dodge Charger.

X X X X

Sara and Iris pulled up beside Brass in the parking lot of the High Rollers Motel which was now a place where those just above homeless or a prostitute needing a quick room or a drug addict having to crash needed a roof overhead and a door to shut out the world. Beside the two squad cars was an ambulance, striking Iris as odd given the fact that this was supposed to be a homicide. Jim had wasted no time in finding the clerk to question as the women pulled their kits and walked toward the open door. Passing the ambulance, Iris glanced over to see three young children huddled together under a blanket. The older girl was under age ten for sure and the little boy and girl clinging to her were a few years younger. The little boy was inconsolable as he wailed, "I want my buppy."

"Sara, hang on a minute," Iris said as she knelt by the sobbing boy. "Sweetie, where's your buppy?"

The little boy shied from her outstretched hand and hid his face in the older girl's side. Iris moved slowly as she sat on the ground beside them so as not to frighten them further.

"Hi, I'm Iris and this is my friend, Sara. What are your names?" Iris asked softly.

The older girl squared her shoulders and tried to look taller. "I'm Makenzie Campbell. This is my little brother, Conner, and sister, Heather. They're twins. Are you the police ladies?"

Sara had also joined Iris on the ground by the children before she responded, "No, but we help the police look for bad guys."

"Makenzie, where is Conner's buppy?" Iris queried as Conner shyly looked at her as he continued to cling to his older sister.

"In there," Makenzie pointed at the motel room.

"Conner, can you help me find your buppy?" Iris stood up slowly and held her hand out.

Makenzie nodded at Conner as he sniffled loudly and wiped his nose on the back of his shirt sleeve. He put his small hand in Iris' as they walked on to the room. Sara remained with the two little girls as she waited to be given permission to enter the crime scene.

Jim had finished taking cursory notes from questioning the motel clerk as he saw Iris walking up with Conner. "Iris, you can't go in yet let alone with a kid."

"I only need to find a buppy and I hardly think that's going to be a key piece of evidence," Iris said as Conner suddenly begged to be picked up. He clung to her as his arms wrapped around her neck.

"Jim," Iris whispered with a pleading look in her eyes.

Brass bit his lip, stepped away to speak to one of his officers, and jerked his thumb at the door.

"Conner, this is Captain Brass, one of the police officers. He's a good guy and he'll stay with you while I go get your buppy," Iris said as she gave Conner to Jim to hold.

"Hey, Conner, want to see my badge?" Jim asked the little boy who nodded wide-eyed at him. Brass had recalled the fascination the little girl named Emily had when he'd investigated the death of a person aboard a commercial airline jet with Grissom's team. It served him here too as he explained to Conner what he used his badge for. The little boy seemed to hang on his every word as he touched Brass' badge.

Iris entered the motel room which had a large king-size bed, small kitchenette area, a smaller sleeper couch pulled out for a full-size bed, and a bathroom. Dirty dishes soaked in filthy water with bits of food were floating about in the kitchenette sink. Fast-food bags and wrappers littered the floor. A pile of dirty clothes had made opening the door difficult according to one of the officers first on the scene and there were other piles of clothes within. Iris saw the still form of the mother lying on the floor in the kitchenette area. The odors inside were noisome and caused an officer who had gone in ahead of her to come back outside gagging for fresh air. Odors tended not to bother Iris as she turned on her flashlight and swept the interior, the beam finally illuminating a small stuffed floppy dog looking careworn but loved. Iris picked it up and came back out quickly.

"Here you go, honey," Iris said as she handed Conner his beloved toy.

"Buppy, buppy," Conner squealed as he bounced in Brass' arms.

Sara watched Brass in action as he had calmed the little boy while Iris had gone inside. He was good with kids, great in fact, she acknowledged. Brass could be crusty and irascible, but his soft side showed when dealing with youngsters as Sara had seen on more than one occasion.

Brass and Iris walked Conner back over to rejoin his sisters, the little boy holding Jim's hand tightly and clutching his buppy close in the other. Makenzie hugged him close as he sat back down by Heather.

"Captain Brass?" asked a patrolman who'd been one of the first on scene.

"Yeah, Officer Tarnasky?"

"We're ready for the CSI's. The medical examiner just released the bodies. We're waiting on the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to send someone over," the young officer said as he looked down at the children with a sympathetic smile. "We've dealt with the…decedents…before and I'll ask the case file be pulled for your review."

"Thanks. Ladies whenever you're ready," said Jim with a wave of his arm.

"Are you gonna go away too?" piped up Conner fearfully at Brass who stopped and walked back to kneel beside the child.

"No, I just have to help the ladies for a little while and then I'll be back," Brass promised as he ruffled the boy's hair.

"You won't leave either?" asked Heather who had held Sara's hand fiercely.

"No, honey, we're going to go inside to see your mommy and daddy, but in the meantime you get to sit in this big shiny ambulance and drink hot chocolate," Sara reassured the young girl as the EMT's helped the children in and closed the door.

"Are they okay?" Iris asked the female EMT.

"Yeah, just scared to death but physically they seem a little underweight but we'll know more after the DCFS okays taking them to the hospital to be checked out," shrugged the EMT as she opened to the door to stay with the children.

Iris went to rejoin Brass and Sara. On the way to the motel room, Brass gave them what information he had gleaned thus far from the motel clerk and the officers on-scene. "First victim is the father, Duncan Campbell, age 35, long rap sheet for drug possession and dealing, running a meth lab in his kid's bedroom, fencing stolen goods, burglary, driving while intoxicated, etc. He's in that beat-up heap serving as the family wagon truckster, gunshot wound to the head that looks self-inflicted. Second victim is Lydia Campbell, age 31, chronic alcohol and drug abuser, and a known hooker to support their habits. Her rap sheet reads pretty much like her old man's. Yeah, these two get my nomination for Parents of the Year."

"Makenzie had mentioned the police had been here before, so how could they keep the DCFS from taking the kids?" wondered Sara.

"The motel clerk said the family had been here about two weeks and barely kept their bill paid. He said the couple fought nearly every night, the arguments so loud he could hear the wife being accused of cheating and other sordid activities. The mother had offered her so-called services to keep the tab square as recently as two days ago. The DCFS had been threatening to take the kids but the family always moved every couple of weeks so keeping track was next to impossible," Brass continued before finally closing his notepad with a heavy sigh.

They all peered into the old beat-up Taurus station wagon that looked ready to fall apart any moment. What was left of Duncan Campbell's head was slumped to the left with a crimson spatter with gelatinous globs of brain covering most of the driver's side window. A handgun was clutched in the dead man's right hand.

"Let's get on with it then. Iris, I'll take the father and car. As soon I finish, I'll help you with inside the motel room," Sara set her kit on the ground to open and pull out a pair of gloves.

"On it," Iris murmured as she got out her flashlight again to go through the open door and make her way to where the mother lay prone on the kitchenette floor. Brass followed.

"What a mess, let alone smell" Brass exclaimed as he gingerly stepped over refuse littering the floor and waving a hand in front of his nose.

"Seems the folks spent more time concentrating on staying high than any remote attempt at looking after their kids," Iris commented as she knelt by the body of the mother and opened her kit to remove a pair of latex gloves and her digital camera. Iris offered him a pair of gloves which he accepted.

"Uh, so, you CSI's haven't invited me out to eat with you for quite a while," Brass remarked as he'd started picking delicately around for evidence in the morass of what constituted the family's personal belongings. He picked up a crack pipe with a grimace as Iris quickly snapped a shot of it before he placed it in an evidence bag.

"You're right but that can be remedied, Jim, I'll just invite you along," Iris replied casually. "Grief, it looks like he kneeled on her chest to strangle her. Check out the finger marks on the neck and ecchymosed bruising on the shoulders!"

Brass knelt by her as Iris got a good inhale of his Drakkar Noir which mixed with his own personal scent all too well she found appreciatively. An angry frown crossed his face.

"What makes this different than any other night for this happily wedded couple? They're having another knock-down drag out. He's accusing her of cheating. She's just as high or drunk as him. Lover boy backhands her to the floor then squeezes the life out of her. He then yells at the kids and they hide as best they can. Now the head of the house fully realizes what he's done and feels remorse, so honorably goes outside to the car and offs himself," Jim said with a derisive snort as he looked the body over.

"I'd say she didn't go quietly, Jim. Looks like tissue under the broken fingernails and there are scuff marks on the floor like she struggled mightily," Iris commented as she photographed and then collected scrapings.

"Well, I'm going to help look through the rest of this pigpen," Brass insisted as he turned on the lights afraid of stepping on something he'd regret later or encountering something on four or six legs. He was fastidious by nature and the thought of such was repugnant to him.

Several minutes later, Sara stepped into the motel room as Iris continued her processing of the interior crime scene. "Iris, you need help? I'm done out here. One bullet through the right temple but we'll need daylight to find it. The car can be taken back to the lab for final processing."

"Shouldn't be much more in here either, Sara. Jim's been a blessing helping in here. Ye gods and little fishes, it's a disaster area," Iris said as she peeled off another set of latex gloves.

Just then one of the EMT's poked a head inside the door. "Hey, Captain Brass, we've gotten a call to head to a major accident out on north I-15. No one's come from the DCFS yet and we've paged them again. Could you take the kids, sir?"

"Yeah, I'll be right out," Brass replied with a weary sigh, not at taking the children, but wondering how to explain to them what had happened to their parents and the drastic changes happening to their small world.

Sara helped Iris take the bags of evidence collected to her Jeep, and then the women went to join Brass who'd taken the kids to his car. Makenzie peered out the window of the back seat as the twins had fallen asleep beside her as she kept vigil over her siblings. Brass was on his cell phone when another car pulled into the parking lot. A haggard-looking African-American woman with graying black hair got out and approached them.

"Can I help you, Miss…?" asked Brass as he showed her his detective's ID badge.

"Uh, yes, I'm Carlene Evans from the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services for Clark County. I'm a child welfare caseworker and was assigned the case involving the Campbell children. I'm sorry I'm late but I was home asleep when I got the call," Carlene said in a rush.

"Miss Evans, these are crime scene investigators Iris King and Sara Sidle," Jim introduced the case worker who shook hands with the other women.

"Look, it's unfortunate about what happened to the parents but I see it all too often. Kids abandoned or parents lost to overdoses or homicides like this. This family always stayed just out of reach of us in our efforts to help the children. The father refused to go to substance abuse counseling or the mother would say she was leaving him but never tried to go to a shelter," Carlene said with a sigh as she gazed into Jim's car at the children.

"You can't tell me these were fit parents, ma'am! There's drug paraphernalia all the place in there, liquor bottles, trash everywhere, mounds of filthy clothes, hardly a safe place for young children," Jim said sarcastically with a pointing finger at the motel room door now sealed with crime scene tape and signs.

"No, I'd agree, Captain Brass, that these two should've let the state have custody of the children long ago. Now I have to figure out what to do with them," Carlene said as she began to scroll through phone numbers on her cell phone.

"Miss Evans, what do you mean?" Iris asked.

"At this hour of the night I have to try to find emergency shelter-care placement for the kids and that's my predicament. All of our care providers are full and my only option is to split to them into different homes until a different arrangement if any can be made," Carlene said sadly as she began to make a call.

"Wait, you can't split them up! They've lost their parents and now you're saying you'll send one here and one there?" Iris protested.

"You can't do that, it'll traumatize them further being separated," Sara chimed in.

"I gotta agree with the ladies, Miss Evans, surely there's a better alternative," Brass said in appeal.

"I'm sorry, Captain Brass, but my hands are tied here. I'm not heartless about this but I must see the children are in a safe foster care setting," Carlene said wearily.

Sara saw Iris' chin shift twice like Samantha's nose twitch in "Bewitched" and knew Iris was contemplating something.

"What if I took them?" Iris suddenly entreated as Brass shot her a surprised look.

"Miss King, you'd have to pass a background check and home study amongst other requirements," Carlene replied when Iris interrupted her.

"My background check is in my personnel file, Miss Evans, and I passed with flying colors. Please, you can come do a home study tomorrow if you like. It's just me and my two dogs. My record is spotless and my supervisor, Gil Grissom, can confirm anything else you need to know," Iris said persuasively. "Detective Brass and Investigator Sidle can vouch for me on the spot."

"That's right, Miss Evans, isn't it, Jim?" Sara declared as Brass slowly nodded.

Brass and Sara could see the internal struggle in Carlene as they waited to see which way the scales tipped.

"Miss King, this is a highly unusual request but I'm going to go with my gut feeling and let you take the children for the night," Carlene said slowly after several moments. "You might as well call me Carlene."

"Carlene, you won't regret this and it's Iris from here on out," Iris said happily as she grasped Carlene's hand in hers.

Jim's raised eyebrows were his only immediate response as Sara was all grins as she looked in at the children. Makenzie's nose was pressed on the glass as she tried to understand what was transpiring outside and what it meant to her and her siblings. Iris stepped away to call Grissom who answered on the first ring as he was still back at the lab.

"Gil, its Iris and I know its short notice but could you give me a few days off, please?" asked Iris in a rush as she felt a trifle nervous.

"No one else is off right now and the case loads are light so I don't see why not. You haven't taken off any time since you joined the team," Grissom replied practically. "Are you going somewhere special?"

"No but I will go into more detail tomorrow," Iris promised before she hung up with him.

"Iris, I think it's awesome what you're offering to do here!" Sara told her with a dimpled, gap-toothed grin. "I used to be in foster care and, man, if there'd been an Iris there for me. If I can do anything to help I'm in." Sara gave her a hug for additional emphasis as she went to open the car door and talk to Makenzie a moment.

Jim suddenly took Iris by the arm and walked with her a short distance from the car as Carlene had gone to join Sara to speak to the children. He wanted to be sure they were out of earshot of the children.

"Iris, do you think this is a good idea? I mean I applaud your reasoning but…," Jim said out of concern when Iris held up her hand to interrupt.

"Jim, I know I sound impulsive and that's rare for me but something inside tells me to do this. Those kids need a temporary stable home and I can provide that. Grissom's giving me some time off and I know I can do this. You don't think I can?" Iris asked softly while shyly looking up at him.

Brass cleared his throat and chose his words carefully. "It's not that I don't think you can, I believe you'd do great, it's just I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Well, knowing I have your unofficial blessing means a lot," Iris accepted as she patted his arm before they walked back to his car.

Carline and Sara each held a sleeping twin as Iris knelt by Makenzie.

"Makenzie, how would you and Conner and Heather like to come to my house and spend the night?" Iris asked the little girl who met her eyes unwaveringly.

"A real house?" Makenzie asked with a hint of suspicion.

"Yup, you get to meet my dogs too," Iris answered honestly with a smile.

"We get to stay together, right?" Makenzie now asked fearfully.

"I promise and pinky swear, Makenzie," Iris vowed with an upraised hand.

"Okay," Makenzie agreed as she and Iris hooked pinky fingers. The little girl followed it with a hug as Iris checked the tag on her shirt. She glanced up at Carline and Sara to do the same on the sleeping twins.

"Miss King, I'll follow you to your home with the children," Carline instructed as the children were placed in her back seat. The twins awoke briefly while being seat-belted in but fell back asleep.

Iris had taken out her notepad and was writing furiously on it and then tore off the page to hand to Sara. Sara scanned what Iris had written out and gave her a nod in agreement.

"Jim, can you give me a ride back to the lab with the evidence bags because Iris is heading on home with the kids?" Sara asked quietly.

"Yeah, sure, but…," Brass replied as he curiously pointed to the piece of paper Sara held.

"The kids need clothes and other things while they're with me," Iris interrupted as she gave Sara a folded over wad of bills.

"So after I drop off the evidence at the lab and log things in for the case, I'm headed to Wal-Mart," Sara added.

"I could go if you need help, Sara. All I have to do is initiate the case file for Sofia who's expected back on duty tomorrow. I've got to testify on the Constantine murder-for-hire case at court starting Monday so I'm on desk duty for the duration until the trial's over," Jim offered as Sara and Iris shared a surprised look.

"I may take you up on that, Jim, since I'm not sure when I can get away from the lab," Sara said honestly.

"Thank you both for being my partners in this," Iris thanked them. "Carlene will follow me home and then things are going to get interesting."

As Iris pulled away in her Jeep followed by Carlene, Sara walked with Brass to his car and got in. Before Brass got ready to put the car in drive he had to know, "Why's Iris really doing this, Sara?"

"Because if she hadn't then I would've, Brass, and I know Grissom would've supported my decision," Sara replied honestly as he pulled the car out of the motel parking lot to head to the lab.