Author's Note: For my two Elemental Ficathon Prompts at Geekfiction on LiveJournal, I wrote a pair of companion stories, the first (whirlpool) from Sara's POV and the second (candle) from Grissom's (still in my editing room, but coming soon). Either story can stand alone.

Thanks go to ddangerlove and the friendly people at the GF PowerHours for many helpful suggestions, and to my awesome betas smacky30 and chibs87 for helping make this so much better. THANK YOU!

Full Circle to Begin Again: Take I

A Life of Water: Sara's Story

Prologue

Yes, as everyone knows, meditation and water are wedded forever.

- Herman Melville, Moby Dick

Sara remembered that she had once loved the water.

It was not as if she now hated the water, or was afraid of it, she was just missing the surging joy she had once felt welling up inside her as she watched the waves on the shore, the rain cascading from the roof, or even the simple swirling of a drain.

She felt it was particularly ironic that this thought should float to the surface while she was using water as a medium to balance her mind and maintain her newfound peace. She had only recently returned to Las Vegas, to Grissom, and to his luxurious Jacuzzi whirlpool bathtub. Not wanting to fall back into the swirling morass of pain and numbness that had prompted her abrupt departure from Las Vegas, Sara used the massaging powers of flowing water to help her regroup when she felt she was being overwhelmed.

The sunken, two-person, high-powered bath was a testament to Grissom's choice in furnishing. The man had very simple tastes, but in matters of indulgence he went all out. Though he had long lived alone, he liked to have a comfortable space for relaxing. In addition to the two person whirlpool tub, he owned a king-sized bed and a large flat screen television. His stereo system was also top of the line, with speakers wired throughout the house so the sounds of music could be piped into any room. She had learned that the short cable connecting the amplifier to the CD player cost more than her entire sound system, and apparently reduced distortion and noise.

Yes, Gil Grissom loved comfort, and she had often found herself feeling extremely grateful for this, especially on days like today when she felt the need to unwind.

The warm, therapeutic bath was only a small part of her ritual. Her most recent psychiatrist, one wholly unconnected to the police department, had suggested she find an activity that engaged and relaxed all of her senses while allowing her mind to float freely. By distracting her senses, she would be relinquishing control of her thoughts and could bring her subconscious and conscious mind into harmony again. Her psychiatrist felt that her troubles arose from battles between her subconscious and her rational control. Since the relaxation technique they had developed together seemed to work, Sara found no need to question it.

When she got that sinking feeling, her past reaching up to tow her under again, she would very carefully set up the master bath for an hour of sensual relaxation. Some days, she wanted space and solitude, and created a peaceful bubble to keep the outside world at bay as she floated. Some days, like today, she found herself with excess energy to burn, an eating desire to do more, though she knew she had done all she could and the rest was up to the court system. Rather than remaining at work for extended shifts doing menial tasks until she was exhausted, she brought herself home to relax, leaving a silent invitation for Gil to join her when he arrived.

The tub was filled with water as hot as she could stand, the internal heaters maintaining the temperature as the jets circulated the fluid. Rippling currents surrounded her, buoying her body and her spirit. The heat and pressure of the water burrowed deep into her muscles, massaging away aches of which she had been unaware. A rolled towel supporting her neck allowed her to completely immerse herself in comfort as her mind to floated unanchored.

She sipped a glass of rich Merlot, its soft bouquet filling her taste buds. The flavor was complimented by a bar of Lindt dark chocolate, and she savored its rich essence, only a hint of sugar to dispel the bitterness of the cocoa. The combination of alcohol and chocolate triggered a chemical relaxation of her mind and body.

Today, the candles lining the shelf above the sink were lavender-scented, the rich musk calming. Another series of candles, these a more mellow vanilla, surrounded the far edge of the tub, the two fragrances blending gently before wafting over to her. The wavering light they emitted filled the room; the shade on the window drawn to block the unnatural glow of the city. With her eyes closed, the light seemed to dance across her lids, painting pictures in the shifting red seas of her mind.

Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" played softly throughout the house. The combination of quick beats interspersed with slow movements drew the pace of her thoughts along with the music, rushing through vast periods of time then slowing down to relive the details of a single moment. Images of the day merged together, then faded against the power of the musical imagery to be replaced with images of the past.

And Sara remembered that she had once loved the water. As she felt the gently swirling jets erode away her tension, she tried to remember when her passion had ebbed.

TBC