Picking up the Ashes

Do not own CSI or any of the characters.

Thanks again for all that have reviewed and read. I really enjoy reading your feedback.

Also I want to thank theyHAUNTme and StokesSidle for all their help! Best betas ever!


Picking up the Ashes

Chapter 7

About a month after the fire, Sara returned back to work. She was scared shit less of what would happen. The last time she had been out on a crime scene she almost died. Also, she was scared of how people would see her now with her burned skin. But she was also glad to be returning back. Work gave her a sense of balance in her life. Without it, she was a little lost.

"Okay Sidle, breathe!" spoke Sara to herself in her rear view mirror. She was trying to get up the nerve to get out of her car and walk over to the lab. The last time she had been this nervous was when she had first arrived in Las Vegas.

She closed her eyes and took deep calming breaths that she had learned in her yoga class. Sara had joined a local gym after she was released from the hospital. The gym offered yoga and her doctor said she should sign up. He said it was a great way to regain the muscles in her leg and also flexibility. Sara thought she would hate yoga but she found it surprisingly challenging and relaxing at the same time.

While she was in the middle of her breathing there was tap on her window. This completely freaked Sara out. She then suddenly opened her eyes and looking through the window to see who it was. It was Nick, grinning from ear to ear. Sara's eyes narrowed at him, giving him a deadly glaze. She then grabbed her purse and keys and got out of her vehicle.

"Thanks for scaring me Nicky!" teased Sara, hitting him playfully in the chest.

"Well it's good to see you too girl," replied back Nick still grinning. He then pulled Sara into a tight bear hug, lifting her off the ground.

Sara couldn't help but laugh at this. It was hard to stay mad at Nick. He then placed her back on her feet and released his grip. "So what were you doing in your car?" he asked curious.

"Oh…trying to get up the nerve to enter the lab," she replied softly glazing down at her feet, embarrassed.

"Why?" he asked shocked.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I guess I am afraid how people will see me now."

"That's bull! Everyone will see you as the same!" he spoke smiling at her. "Come on, let's go!" Sara looked up at this and returned the smile. Then together they entered the lab, arm in arm.

In the locker room, Sara was greeted by a very excited Greg.

"SARA!" he screamed when he saw the familiar brunette.

"Hi Greg," greeted Sara smiling at the young CSI. Greg closed his locker door and walked over to her and hugged her. Sara hugged him back. The butterflies she had earlier in her stomach were almost all gone. She was starting to feel better.

Soon after, Sara, Nick, and Greg made their way over to the break room, where Catherine and Warrick were in a deep discussion it looked like.

"Oh…hey!" greeted Warrick, noticing them entering the room. "Hey your back!" he said towards Sara, smiling.

Sara returned the smile and took a seat beside him. "Yep!"

"It's nice to see you Sara!" said Catherine, forcing a smile. She was a little disappointed by the interruption.

"So what have I missed?" she asked looking around at the table.

"Well…." began Nick explaining what had happened in the past month at the lab.

They each told her about cases and funny things that had happened in the lab and such. It felt good to catch up, thought Sara as she laughed at one of Greg's stories.

Soon, Grissom entered the room, with a cup of coffee in one hand and assignments in the other. Sara caught his eye and immediately looked down. She knew she was blushing. She and Grissom had been going out now for six months, she should be use to him staring at her and such. But she was not. Sara still could not believe she and Grissom were in a relationship together.

She could feel his glaze hot on her face as she stared into her mug. She was afraid to look up.


Just before Sara went off to her scene, which was a decomp, she knocked on Grissom's door.

"Come in," he called.

Sara pushed opened the door but did not step in. Instead she leaned against the door frame.

"Hey," she greeted Grissom, smiling.

Grissom looked up at her and his face broke out into a grin.

"Hi," he greeted back. "Take a seat!" he gestured towards the chairs.

"No thanks," she refused shaking her head.

Grissom was a little disappointed at this. The smile faded from his face.

"I would, but I got a scene to get too. I just wanted to see you before I left…that's all!" spoke Sara in barely a whisper. She then gave Grissom a shy smile.

Grissom stared at her for a second before smiling back at her. "Well have fun!"

"Oh don't worry I will!" laughed Sara as she left the office.

The rest of Sara's shift went like this. Everyone she came in contact with told her it was great having her back.


At the end of shift, she was exhausted and sweating. She had forgotten what it was like to work a scene and be a CSI. She also smelled a little from the decomp.

Needing a long hot shower, Sara opened up her locker and grabbed her shower bag and a towel and headed towards the showers.

There, she turned on the shower and piled off all her clothes from her sweating body.

She then stepped underneath the water.

The hot water felt like heaven against her skin. Sara stood like this for five minutes, just letting the water fall over her. She then reached for her shower bag and pulled out her shampoo and conditioner and body wash.

About 20 minutes later Sara appeared back in the lockers rooms, refreshed and clean wrapped up in a fluffy white towel. As she opened her locker and put her shower bag back in, Nick and Warrick entered the locker room.

"Damn girl!" cried Warrick noticing Sara. "I didn't know we got new uniforms!"

"Oh ha-ha, very funny!" replied Sara sarcastically.

Warrick and Nick just grinned at this, trying not to laugh. Sara just then turned her back to them, and began to look for her change of clothes. As she did this her towel began to slip but she just mange to catch it before she flashed Greg who had just enter the locker room. He was dazed at what he saw. Sara in a towel, dripping wet.

"Am I dreaming?" he asked towards Nick and Warrick but still staring at Sara. "Or is that really Sara in a towel?"

"No dream, Greggo," laughed Nick, slapping his friend on the back. Greg's reactions at Sara just made the whole situation even funnier.

Sara just went on ignoring the three of them as she searched for a change clothes. She was now holding her towel with one hand, making sure it didn't fall.

A moment or two later, she found a change of clothes at the bottom of her locker. A pair of dark wash straight jeans that had a huge hole in the knee and a deep v-neck, long sleeve purple shirt.

"Well sorry boys, but I am going to go change now!" she spoke standing up and closing her locker.

She then made her way to the back to the showers, were she let the towel drop to her feet and began to get dressed. She first slipped on her bra and panties. Next was the purple shirt and then last the jeans. The jeans were a little tighter then the jeans she normally wore but they would have to do.

When Sara emerged back into the locker room, she got a loud whistle from Nick.

"There's the hottie!" cried Nick grinning.

Sara couldn't help but blush at this. She just shot them all a dirty look as she passed them to her locker. She then began to brush her hair in the mirror which hangs on the inside of her locker.

"So Sara," began Warrick leaning against the locker beside hers.

Sara just grunted at this, she was still mad at them for earlier.

"Come on Sara, we're sorry! We were just teasing that's all," explained Warrick.

Sara just ignored him and put her brush away and reached for her shoulder bag.

"Sara please," begged Warrick.

"What?" snapped Sara, closing her locker and slipping on a pair of navy blue rubber flip flops. Sara's brown eyes pierced into his.

"I wanted to invite you to breakfast, everyone is going," he spoke.

"I dunno," she replied shaking her head. All she really wanted to do right now was go home and curl up in bed.

"Grissom's going," added Warrick smiling.

Sara's face softened at the mention of Grissom's name. She then smiled at Warrick, "Okay."

Warrick just grinned at her.


Thanks for reading. I know it was short; the next chapter will be longer.

Please review!!