"Now that I had my first lesson and I can't go back anymore you can tell me how much I've to pay you for the lessons and the license." Sara closed her book. Three hours of private dive lessons, that was her afternoon for today. She had enjoyed it, despite all the thoughts she had before. Being a student of Sofia. What an awful thought. When they worked together in Vegas at the crime lab, she had problems to see the blonde as a colleague, leave alone as a former acting supervisor. Now she was her teacher, she told Sara what to do and Sara had to listen. Crazy world.

"I take for a private lesson a hundred dollars usually."

"In that case this was my last lesson. I don't want to imply that you're not a good teacher but for the money you take per hour I can have half a day on this island and that's priceless." They sat under a palm, the perfect place to have a dive instruction lesson with a view on the ocean. If you felt bored by all the theory at some point you took a look at the ocean and knew right away why you did all this. You wanted to discover what was in the water, wanted to swim with al the fishes, find shells nobody else saw before you did and have the chance to come close to a turtle.

"Does that mean you've no departure date yet?"

"No. Well, I've two more weeks…"

"But you don't know if you'll leave then."

"I want to stay, my bank account will tell me otherwise."

"What about work?"

"I don't have a job at the moment." The way Sara said these words made it clear to Sofia the brunette didn't want to explain any reasons to her. That was fine with Sofia. She wasn't in a mood to tell Sara why she ended up here. They were here and that was the important thing. You don't worry about the past when you have a present on Magical Beaches.

"Do I have to pay you cash or will they add your money on my bill?"

"You'll get a personal bill from me."

"How comes?"

"Because if I write you a bill about these three hours you'll be charged with three hundred dollars. It's a hundred dollars per hour."

"If that's what I've to pay…"

"Shut up! This isn't the place to argue or fight and it's not your decision what I charge you for these three hours. If I feel like charging you three hundred bucks I can do that and if I feel like I want three dollars I'll do that. I know you hate it when you're not in control but this is out of your handsl and you've to take what I give you. Get bitchy or be relaxed and enjoy the rest of your day, it's all up to you." Sofia got up. "Whatever you choose, I want you back here by ten tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

"Home." Sofia took her empty glass of water, brought it back to the bar and walked away without looking back. She left Sara speechless.

"Smug bitch." Sara mumbled. She was left like a child in front of a shelf of candy by a mother who didn't give a damn about if the child was crying for some chocolate. Worse, she was in Sofia's hands. The blonde was right, it was her decision how much she charged Sara and if she decided it would be three hundred dollars for these three hours Sara had to pay it. That meant as well she paid for three hours dive instruction as much as for three more days in Magical Beach. A high price. She should take a look at her finances today and find out for how long she could stay here and when she had to go back to reality and find a new job. Whatever this job would be. Right now she had no idea what she wanted to work. Right now she wanted to stay here forever. Probably like everybody else did.

Sara got herself a new cocktail and made herself comfortable in one of the hammocks that were all over the beach under the palms. The perfect place to think and she had to think.

There was a piece of her past here, a piece of Las Vegas. She came here because Magical beach was exactly not like Las Vegas and now she found herself remembered of her old hometown. She found herself thinking about work, about her former colleagues, cases, friends and relationships. Everything that connected her to Vegas, everything she wanted out of her life for good.

It was over. All over. For good. No more Vegas, no more CSI, no more a life on the edge, no more dead bodies, no more families she had watch suffer because somebody took the one they loved away. For no reason. There weren't any good reasons to kill a human. No matter what people told you, tried to explain themselves, there were no good reasons to kill.

She had finished the chapter Las Vegas, put the book in a shelf and didn't want to read it or even touch it again. Now it got thrown in her face, she had to put it up, had to face it and decide what to do with it. Throw it away, put it back or take a look inside again. Because no matter how much you didn't want something anymore, when it was in front of your face you couldn't resist to think at least about having a closer look at it again. You start to think about it, you start to remember, also good things and you feel like you need to see the good pages of the book again.

What were the good pages of Las Vegas? Of course her colleagues, she missed them. Not that much anymore, she didn't think of them on a daily base, but she missed them. They were her family. Grissom. She missed him too. Even if it didn't work out with them, they had a good time and she was grateful for these months they spent together. She remembered little cat fights she had with Cath at the beginning, the fun she had with Nick and Greg's little crush on her that amused her. She missed Warrick, her last time in Vegas for his funeral. And Brass, the way he tried to look after her like a father.

But what about Sofia? Did she miss Sofia? She couldn't tell. She never wasted a lot of thoughts about the blonde. Something made her mind stay away from her, made her push every thought away as soon as it came closer to her. Why was that? Couldn't she stand the detective? Former detective now diving instructor. To be honest Sofia had never given her any reasons to be mad at her. But right from the beginning something deep inside Sara had pushed her away from the blonde. What was it? And why was it there?

Today had been fine, she had no problems to talk to Sofia, listen to the things she explained. It was a little bit like working together on a project they both enjoyed. Even when Sofia was the instructor Sara had never the feeling she was telling her what to do. It was like she guided Sara through an unknown area, was happy to explain everything to her and answered all questions the brunette

It was a good position to continue their partnership the next day. If Sara could pay the bill Sofia wrote for her. There was no way she would pay a Benjamin per hour.

Wednesday

It was the first morning Sara woke up in Magical Beach with a plan for her morning. The first time she wasn't free to choose what to do after breakfast. She expected to feel something like a little pressure but she woke up as relaxed as she did all the mornings before. Putting on a top and a knee long skirt over her bikini she walked to the bar for breakfast.

"Good morning, Beauty. Did you sleep as good as you look?"

"I slept better."

"Impossible." Rhys smiled while he started to mix Sara's breakfast cocktail. It was strange since she was here she hadn't had any coffee, something she lived on, depended on, and she didn't miss it. If anybody had told her a year ago one day she could consider a good breakfast and a good start in the day without a coffee she had called this person nuts. Now here she was, free of caffeine and happy.

"Are you ready for your another lecture?"

"I prefer to find out first what she charges. I can't pay a Benjamin per hour."

"As far as I know my Golden Treasure she'll make a reason-able for price. Whatever your relationship with her was before she is a fair woman and won't try to ruin you."

"We'll see. Thanks." Sara took her cocktail and fruit salad. "How did you end up here, Rhys?"

"I was born on the mainland, made my way through high school and college only to disappoint my parents when I told them I'd become a bartender. They had other plans for me, a doctor, a lawyer, anything but a bartender. It's a job to get you through college, they used to say, not to live on. I worked as a bartender while I was in college and I loved it. I love to spend my day with people, watch then, talk to them, listen to their stories. It's what I really like, what I'm good at.

After I worked for a few months in a hotel the owner of Magical Beach saw me one evening when he stayed at the hotel. He asked me if I want to work for him, described this place and I told him, if it really looks like he said I'd take the job. He described a paradise I was sure he made most things up. When I came here I found out he didn't make a single thing up, it was all true and even better. I took the job and now I'm allowed to spend my days here, mix cocktails, make salads, talk to beautiful women and enjoy an ocean most people can only dream of. I can live in paradise.

My parents visit me frequently and since they've been here the first time, they know why I want to do this and nothing else. I come from a family that lived for a lot of generations in the Caribbean, this is like home. The culture of the Caribbean tribal is still a huge part of our life and we meet every evening on an island not too far away from here for ceremonies. But no place is as wonderful as this one. "

"You work hard to be in paradise."

"I do and I love it. That's the most important thing, do something you truly enjoy. No matter if you make big money, work in a beautiful place like this or stand behind a counter of a fast food restaurant, surrounded by the smell of French fries, burger and fat the whole day. It's all about what makes you happy and come back in the morning with a smile on a face."

"True." She couldn't agree more.

"Does your job make you happy, Beauty?"

"I don't have a job anymore. I quit."

"Then it didn't make you happy and you're better off without it."

"Maybe. The thing is I need a new job because my bank account doesn't refill itself."

He took a good look at her. "You'll find what's right for you, Sara. I'm sure about that."

The fact that he called her name for the first time made her believe it too. Since the first time, when she introduced herself as Sara he had called her only Beauty. Because it fitted her so well he had explained. Her amused comment he'd say that to all women got proofed wrong. He never called another woman Beauty, he had nicknames for all of them, no other one was Beauty. When she asked him why she was Beauty and not something else he gave her a smile and told her again that it fitted her best.

"Thanks Rhys."

He blinked at her before his eyes moved over her shoulder. "Good morning Golden Treasure, can I serve you in any way?"

"No thanks Rhys." Sofia sat next to Sara. "Good morning."

"Morning." Sara had to admit she wished she could start in her work day the way Sofia did. The blonde was relaxed, she looked like she had slept more than well and who could say about themselves that they could work in shorts, top and bar foot?

"Ready for some more theory?"

"Depends."

"On the bill." Sofia knew exactly what Sara thought, it wasn't difficult to find out.

"I told you I won't have another lesson if I can have another day here for two hours."

"So you want a solid amount now. Not a 'don't worry about it' or anything like that. You want an amount to calculate."

"Yes."

"The whole course will cost you three hundred dollars, theory and five dives."

Sara had no idea if that was cheap or not but it sounded good to her. "All right."

"That means we're ready for the next part? One hour theory then we'll hit the water. I want to introduce you to your gear. It's easier to learn the theory if you have a clue about how the real world looks like."

"Sounds good to me." It actually did. Sara looked forward for another lesson and her first time in water with her gear. Another step closer to her goal to dive around the bay.

Note of author: I'm off to discover the Coromandel Bay in lovely Aotearoa and might not be able to update the next days. Sorry for that :-(