Brass found her out behind the lab, sitting on a curb with her head in her hands.
When she didn't reply to his pages, he set out to find her.

"Sara?" He said, cautiously.

She looked up and gave him a weak smile.
"You found me"
His heart broke at how exhausted she sounded. He had never seen her so weak. Over the past month, he had seen her suck on more than a fair share of cough drops. She was a fool to think he wouldn't notice. After all, he had before.

Carefully sitting down beside her, he focused his eyes on the same spot of parking lot she had been staring at.

"Want to tell me what's going on, kiddo?"

She put her head back down into her arms.

She didn't trust her voice enough to speak. Of course, she had felt like this many times before but never in front of people. She generally had enough control to wait until she got home before she broke down and cried.

His soft voice wasn't helping matters either. She wanted to cry now more than ever.

Realizing she wasn't going to talk, Brass pushed further.

"I noticed the cough drops again, Sara, and I don't think you have a cold.."

That was all it took.
Brass felt her body shake beside him. He had never seen her cry before.
Slipping his arm around her shoulders he pulled her close to him, resting his chin on her head.
Her sobs got louder as she struggled to find the right words.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered between sobs. "I .. I …"

"You need some time off" Brass finished. She nodded. "I'll drive you home, and arrange for you to take a few weeks leave. I want you to go home and sleep, Ok?"

That was the last thing she wanted to do, but she nodded anyway.

He waited until her tears had dried before taking her to his car.

The ride to her place was silent. She stared miserably out the window, thinking up excuses so she wouldn't have to let him into her apartment.
She didn't want him to see how messy she had let her place become. She was barely there anymore, now that her days consisted of working – the bar and a few hours of sleep.

Pulling up into her parking space, it was like he could read her mind.
"You probably want to be alone right now. Don't worry. I won't follow you in."

Sara couldn't help but smile. Allowing herself one more moment of weakness, she reached over and gave him the biggest hug that her awkward position would allow.

"Take care, kid" he told her as she left his vehicle and ran to her apartment.

He sat in the driveway for a moment, not sure what to do.
He couldn't help her, and he knew that. She wasn't planning on telling him what was going on.

Grissom could make her open up. Brass had heard about the times Sara had ran to him to cry.

Then it was decided. Brass was going to go to Grissom. He doubted Gris would need little persuasion to come to her aid.
Someone had to.