From West To East Chapter 3

They finished processing the room and made their way back to the lab. Sam started working on the bed sheets, not speaking another word to either one of them.

She sighed as she tested the biologicals on the bed for DNA. She had seen the looks exchanged between Mac and Stella at her total silence. She wasn't usually like this but she didn't want to get too close to anyone here. She didn't want to lose anyone. She closed her eyes as the memories poured back.

"So are we still on for beers tonight?" Cody, a fellow CSI and one of her closest friends asked her and her best friend Megan, as they approached the Crime Scene.

Sam smiled. "You know it! I bet I can still whoop ya at pool too." She said raising her eyebrows in challenge. Megan laughed.

Cody frowned. "Hey! I've been practicing!"

Megan shook her head. "Cody, just face it. You suck at pool."

Cody glared at Megan. "I'll show the both of you." They reached the rickety old house.

"Sam, take the outside. Megan and I will go in." Cody said.

Sam nodded and began processing some burned grass she found about 20 yards away from the house.

The explosion that resounded 15 minutes later knocked her off her feet and sent her flying.

She woke up in the hospital two days later, only to find she had lost two of her best friends.

Sam sighed as she snapped back to reality. It had been nearly two months since she had lost her friends. She had run, far away from San Francisco to New York City. She had promised herself she wouldn't let anyone get too close. She wasn't sure if she could stand to lose another friend.

Stella was walking by the Trace lab when she saw Sam, leaning against the table with her head bent.

Stella walked into the lab. "Hey."

"I don't have anything on the bed sheets yet. DNA is still processing."

Stella's mouth dropped open in disbelief. That was it. This girl needed some schooling.

"Hey!" She snarled making her way around the room so she was facing the new CSI. "What the heck is your problem? I mean, you can't even strike up friendly conversation with a co-worker. I've got some news for you, honey. In this job, your co-workers are the people you spend the most time with. These are the people who will know you the best, who are willing to befriend you. We are a team here and we all support each other and work together. We don't need our newest member giving everyone the cold shoulder!"

Sam stared in shock at a very angry Stella Bonasera. She had expected to be left alone, not told off for just minding her own business.

She dropped her head. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

Stella noted the closed, guarded look coming over Sam's eyes. Oh no, she wasn't going to get off that easy. They were going to solve this problem now. She wasn't going to let the new girl go on like this, never letting anyone in. In this job you needed friends. It was hard to cope without them.

"You wanna tell me what the problem is?"

Sam was silent.

"Sam," Stella said, moving closer. "We are going to fix this now. You wanna talk?"

Sam found herself backed into a proverbial corner. She new Stella wouldn't leave her alone until she spilled. She took a deep breath.

"I worked as a CSI in San Francisco for almost 9 years. My best friends were on my CSI team. An explosion at a Crime Scene we were working killed two of them. I only survived because I was working the outside. I ran after that. Quit my job and moved here."

Stella smiled kindly and put an arm around Sam's shoulders. She noticed the way the girl was shaking.

"Hey. Come here. Shhh. It's going to be alright." She said soothingly, allowing Sam to cry.

The sobs eventually reduced to sniffles. Sam pulled away.

"I'm making a great impression, huh?" She said sarcastically.

Stella smiled. "You can still fix it. I'm sure your friends wouldn't want you to turn new friends away."

Sam nodded and brushed away her tears. "Thanks."

The computer beeped. Sam gave Stella a smile and walked over to the printer. She studied the sheet.

"DNA on the bed sheets matches a Colby Mann," she said.

"Let's go round him up then," said Stella, with a smile.