What happened before: Sara knows now Jules is really her half-sister and she talks about it with Grissom.


"No. They fought a lot so it could be one of the reasons why they did it. I can't remember and frankly I don't want to remember. I want to forget. And now I've to talk about it I don't feel like therapy."

"Your sister is a therapist."

"And if she tries to make me her patient she'll be in trouble."

"You can't help people you're related with. It doesn't work out and it's ethically wrong. I doubt she'll invite you on her couch."

"Do you like her?" Being like herself not that what you called the social type or a people's person, his thoughts and feelings about Jules were very valuable to Sara.

"Yes. And I'm glad you took Sofia's offer for the dinner."

"She wanted to see you, I should scratch out her eyes."

"Only when you think I'll cheat on you."

"I don't think so. And after I was so jealous at the beginning because the two of you got on very good and acted not that professional like I wanted when I met your ex girlfriend last year, I wanted to become a little bit more calm and grown-up."

He laughed. "Don't worry you're not the only one who's jealous."

"Not?" She had never seen him acting stupid because he was jealous or saying anything, that gave her a clue about his jealousy.

"No. When you dated Hank, I wanted to tell you every day he wasn't worth your time. And I did noticed that Greg had a crush on you. I think, deep inside he still has this crush for you."

Now it was Sara's time to laugh. Yes, Greg. She knew about his crush and she knew he was over her. But it was good to know that Grissom noticed this too and it had bothered him. About Hank, she didn't want to waste a thought.

"So we both acted like school girls, good to know. No, I think, if Sofia ever was sexual interested in you, she's over that. And when she isn't that smug and annoying it's nice to work with her. I found out I even miss her at the scenes – a little bit."

"How comes?"

"You never had to worry she destroyed any evidence by waltzing through the scene. She knew what was important for us CSIs, she knew what to touch and what to leave for us. And she could give us a hand when needed."

"True. As a Deputy Chief she is in the office, doing a lot of politics and not working crime scenes anymore."

"I'm sure she misses it. She might be quite good handling politics but I'm sure she misses the field work too. The problem is when you want to get on top of the food chain you have to leave the field behind."

"A reason why we both never wanted to get a higher rank. God knows I tried to talk you into becoming a supervisor for a long time and you always denied my wish."

"It's not my destiny. I prefer to work, write the reports I have to write and that's it. I don't need more paperwork than real work. And now that my husband will be more around I'm happy about every hour I can go home earlier to spend my time with him."

"Are you becoming domestic, Sara?"

"No!" She slapped him playfully. There was no way she became a housewife, not even for him. She had tried it in Paris, it wasn't her cup of tea. She needed to work. Not as much as years ago but she needed to be busy. Healthy busy.

"Would it be all right when I ask Jules over for lunch tomorrow? She'll have the day off, I need to go back to work tomorrow night but I'd like to talk to her before we see each other again in the lab. That's not the best place to talk about…our past. And I still don't like a café neither."

"Of course it would be all right. I think it's a good idea to talk to her. Shall I see Sofia while she's here?"

"Not funny!" She pinched him.

"Ouch."

"You can go and collect some bugs or go shopping. The fridge needs to be stocked."

"You're the woman."

"Yes, I'm the woman in charge. You go shopping and I'll do the rest. And I don't want to argue about that with you." She kissed him and pulled him in her arms. A few more weeks and they could wake up together every morning…at least the mornings when Sara had the night before off. But when she had to work, came back home in time, she could wake him up with a few kisses and have breakfast with him. And the thought of spending more time with Grissom could make every day.

Part 4

"Good morning." Sofia wasn't sure how to act proper. Was she supposed to kiss Jules? Shake her hand? Only greet her with words? Hug her? So many questions and only one thing was for sure, she made a fool out of herself.

"Hey, I hope you don't have Justice in that basket."

Sofia looked at the closed basket in her hands. "No." She laughed. "No, he told me he looks forward to see you again but he doesn't want to go on a trip. He's happy in my apartment. I brought some fruits."

"Almost as good as Justice."

"Actually, as a Deputy Chief I bring justice to people all the time."

"Sure." Jules smirked. "And you're unsure what to do next, how to act."

"Don't be a therapist, I booked breakfast and not therapy." Sofia put the basket on the kitchen table and took a look around. Jules' kitchen was big, she had her dinning table in here. "How did you sleep?"

"Who's the therapist now?" Jules switched on the coffee machine. "I didn't sleep much, there were a lot of things to think about. But I'm alright, I think."

"You think?"

"Yes." She stepped closer to Sofia. "Tell me what we do with us."

"Whatever we do, we shouldn't drink cocktails anymore."

"Why is that?"

"I hate not to remember."

"Maybe it's better that you don't remember."

"I really doubt that." Sofia took Jules' hand. "Do you think we can start all over again? A little bit slower but with all our senses working."

"I think we did that already." Jules pulled Sofia in her arms and kissed her cheek. "But I like that. Waking up next to you with a headache isn't the best way to start into a day. The next time I prefer to wake up next to you later than four in the morning, let's say nine or ten, without a hangover and with breakfast in bed later."

"Sounds good to me. Shall we start with a breakfast now? I'm starving."

"I hope Justice had his breakfast already."

"Of course. He wouldn't let me out of the apartment before he isn't fed. I put some parsley next to his breakfast and he started to play with it."

"You decorated your cat's breakfast?"

"Yes doctor, what does that tell you about me? My mental state?"

"You don't want to know." Jules laughed kissed Sofia's cheek again before she let go of her. "I set the table on the balcony, it's a lovely morning for breakfast outside. I hope that's alright with you."

"Absolutely. I get the fruits out. Through the living room?"

"Yes."

Sofia walked through the living room. Jules liked green. Her couch was light green, matching the curtains and there were a lot of plants. In one corner Sofia saw a lemon tree, almost two yards tall with around a dozen lemons on it. If they felt like Tequila again Sofia knew where to get the lemons.

The balcony was two by four yards, enough place for a little table, two chairs and sunshade. Jules got the morning sun on her balcony, used the shade to protect the food she had placed on the table. A small barbeque next to the table was closed and cleaned, the perfect place to put the fruits on.

"Coffee, cream and sugar. Anything else you need? Juice? Tea?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks. It's a nice place you have here."

"Thanks. I live in Vegas since a year I tried to make it as comfortable as possible. To be honest I miss the ocean, I miss green forests so I tried to make my apartment to a little green oasis."

"It worked out. And you can have breakfast and watch the sunrise."

"Yes. Plus if I want to sit here after work the sun is on the other side of the building so I don't end up burnt. After eleven isn't any sun on this side of the building, my rooms are cooler than the ones on the other side. Their air-condition has a lot to do in summer times."

"My living rooms faces west so it's quite warm in there. The bedroom is to the north I'm happy it's this way. A fan is all right but I hate it when air-cons run the whole night."

"Cream? Sugar?"

"Cream yes, sugar no. Thanks." Sofia sat down.

"Have you ever been to San Francisco?" Jules took the second chair.

"No. How long have you lived there?"

"Until I moved to here. From kindergarten to high school, college and university, I spent my whole life in the city by the bay."

"Why did you come to Vegas?"

"I needed a change…no, that's not true. The truth is I wanted to leave for university, then my mother told me about my biological dad. I thought if I have a chance to find him it will be there. Somewhere deep inside I knew it was impossible to find him but it took me thirteen years to let go of the thought. Until I found out that Sara is from San Francisco too."

"You carried the photo with you all the time?"

"Yes. Crazy, isn't it?"

"Devoted." And you got your answer."

"Not the one I wanted. I hoped I could meet my father. Instead I had to find out he is dead."

"And you have a half-sister."

"Yes. One, who isn't…I'm not sure if she is happy to have me…"

"It's Sara."

"That means? You know her longer than I do. Tell me about her, please."

"I don't really know her. I worked with her for almost three years, then we lost contact when I made some ranks. She…she isn't what you call a people's person. Beside Grissom, who as her husband is close to her, there's Greg who's allowed to be a little bit closer to her, who she talks to."

"You don't know any personal stuff?"

"No. Only where she's from. So I know as much as you do."

"You think…I'd like to talk to her…about…our family."

"Do you have her phone number?"

"No. Only the work number."

"I can help you out with her private cell phone number but I can't tell you if she'll talk to you."

"I'll give it a try."

"When?"

"I don't know. Not today. Today is for…us." Jules smiled. "For the present and the future."

"Sounds like something to look forward to." Sofia took Jules' hand. The day and everything after it belonged to them.


Sara thought it was a bad jokes when she was called in ten hours before her shift started. No explanation, only an address. Cursing, because she had other plans for the day, she left her car in front of the crime scene tape. She saw Greg in a distance. At least she was working with him. Immediately she felt guilty for this thought. He had worked the last night, this was either a double shift for him or a very short night. Was dayshift short handed again? Why couldn't they keep their team together? For years now Sara and her team had to work cases for the dayshift because they were short handed.

"Hey, you got nothing better to do than working another scene?" She greeted Greg.

"Neither have you. And it's not just another scene." He stepped aside so she could see the body.

Sara held her breath. This couldn't be true. Something had to be wrong with her eyes. They were done with this case, this couldn't have happened.

"What the…this can't be true."

"That's what I thought. But it is true."

"Damn it." There was a naked woman and through her left nipple was a butterfly pin pinned. Just like the two other victims. Their serial killer, who was supposed to be somewhere else, was supposed not to kill for a while anymore, was back. Or more likely, he was never gone only took a break of a week and killed again.

"Can it be a copy cat?"

"So far it doesn't look like that."

"Shit." Sara kneed next to the victim. She guessed the woman in her late twenties, early thirties. There were multiple bruises on her body, her throat was slashed and she looked at Sara with eyes wide open.

"Looks like we were wrong, he is still here."

"And so will the Feds in a moment."

Sara and Greg turned. Sofia stood behind them, next to her was Jules. Sara hated the fact that she had to face the profiler at a scene before she was able to talk to her in private again. This wasn't what she had planed. Then again, it was surely not what the dead woman on the ground had planed.

"Are we supposed to back off?"

"For now we're only supposed to cooperate. But I'm sure they'll take over later."

"So why did they call us? Why not let Days handle the scene until they're here?"

"They want the best." Sofia smiled.

"They owe me half a day off. And Greg some sleep."

"It's always a pleasure to work for and with the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Greg yawned. "Jules, didn't you tell us, the killer is gone?"

"That was how it looked like after we got the information from San Francisco. The question is, were there more than two bodies and they didn't notice that or does he increase his amount of bodies from town to town? The M.O. seems to be the same."

"A serial killer on the loose in Vegas, great." Sofia sighed. "Why do all the crazy people come to Vegas?"

"They blend in perfectly here." Greg smiled. "Just like Venice Beach, only bigger. Sara, do you want the body and the close area around it? Then I start with the outer area."

"All right." Until they got told to leave the crime scene they could do what they could do best. Or at least Sara thought investigation a crime scene was what she could do best. Maybe she was wrong, after all the killer, who wasn't supposed to be here anymore, was still here. And they didn't have a single piece of evidence to get closer to him. But the last time he left them something, maybe they found another piece of the puzzle today. A piece he didn't intent to leave behind. A piece, that helped them to catch him.


"Sara, Greg, this is Agent Snyder, Agent Snyder, CSI Sidle and Sanders." Sofia introduced the man with the black suit. "Agent Snyder would like to take the evidence, the FBI will work the case from here on."

"Of course." Sara knew her words sounded more like a threat or a curse than like she agreed on what she was told to do.

"Thank you. I have two men picking up everything in an hour. Deputy Chief Curtis, I'd like to talk to supervisor of the lab."

"I'll take you to him."

Sara and Greg watched Sofia and Agent Snyder walking away.

"Aren't we lovely, friendly and very cooperative?" Sara asked bittersweet.

"Absolutely."

"I can't believe I wanted to go there, wanted to work for them. I must have been very… confused."

"Or broken hearted?"

"I don't make decisions because of feelings."

"Of course not, everybody does make such decision but not Sara Sidle. You can switch off your feelings whenever you have to."

"You're cheeky." She slapped the backside of his head softly.

"Don't slap your colleague." Sofia was back, this time alone and closed the door. "If you have an anger issue, you can go to the gym and work it out."

"Want to work it out with me?" Sara dared.

"No, I don't want to hurt you. What did you find so far? Anything new?"

"We don't work the case anymore."

"See it as your final report."

"This time he suited up, no traces, that connects this vic to the others. Same M.O., again the woman was killed by a right handed man, around six foot."

"I found a footprint at the scene, we don't know if it belongs to the killer or was left behind by anybody else. It rained a bit last night, whoever was in the alley could have left it. This alley is less than a mile from the other away. You see here." He got a map of the crime scene on the table. "The first vic was found here, the second here and the third here. All three in the same area of the city, all less than a mile away from each other. If we suggest that he picks them up in a bar, there are a few around, all not places, you want to go to for a drink."

"It's an area with working girls but they all didn't strike me as them. Plus I asked my colleagues, they didn't recognize them." Sofia said.

"What does…Jules say?" Somehow it was strange to talk about Jules now. Sara knew she really had to talk to her in private.

"She said maybe the second victim was a key victim. The first time he didn't use a condom, maybe it wasn't intended. The question is what did him make to lose the control, the power?"

"And why did he kill again?"

"If he is somebody who wants power, somebody who wants to get a higher position, he might be here on a business trip and got the order to stay longer. Anger? Need to be in charge? Or just the possibility to kill? She can't tell yet."

"Will she get pulled off too?"

"Yes. It will be all covered by the Feds now."

"I hope they've more success than we had." Greg said.

"Agent Snyder acted like they had the killer already. He's very confident that they'll have him in custody before he can kill another woman."

"We will see if his arrogance can live up to reality." Sara snorted.

"I pretend I didn't hear that and leave you alone. Thanks for coming in early or rather staying here longer."

"Our Sunday got ruined just like yours."

For Sofia's surprise Sara smiled a bit. Did they just take another step in their relationship? Towards friendship?


"Got a second?" It took Sara only a few seconds to find out where Jules' office was and how long her office hours were. After not having any time to talk to her after the FBI took over their case because she got a new case right away, she waited for the next late afternoon to see the profiler and psychologist.

"Well." Jules checked her watch. "Actually I've got more than a second, that was my last patient and I'll close my office now. I'm sure you know that."

"How should I know that?"

"Please, you're a smart woman who prepares before she does anything."

"Am I? Thanks."

"We can have a talk here if you want."

"At your work place?"

"I put the 'Closed' sign on the door, we call the delivery service, eat something and talk. I don't mind if we talk here, I like my office."

Sara took a look around. Palms and cactuses, comfortable chairs, a water bar.

"All right then."

"What would you like to eat? There's a really good fast food restaurant a few doors down, they deliver. You're a vegetarian, right?"

"Yes."

"They make great salad, you can choose between a lot of dressings, good fresh home made bread, even tofu."

"And you know that why? You're not a vegetarian."

"No, I'm not. But I do have two days per week without meat."

"I take a salad with tofu if they have."

"They do. Wanna go through into the next room? There's no need to sit here in the waiting area if we can sit more comfortable. I'll order some food."

"Okay. Thanks." Sara went into the next room. One wall was only windows, one was covered in a huge photo wall paper of a forest, one of a Caribbean shore and one a green meadow with cows. Sara made the decision not sit on the sofa, that was too much therapy in her eyes and chose one of the armchairs. This was where Jules worked, where she got into people's head to find out what their problems were, how to help them. Almost like Sara did with the evidence. Trying to understand people, why they did what they did.

"Our food will be here soon." With two coffees Jules came in the room. "Cream and sugar?"

"No, thanks. Is it okay that I'm here? I mean, probably you had other plans?"

"My plan for tonight was to drive to your place after work to talk to you."

"Really?"

"Yes. We stopped more or less right in our conversation on Friday, yesterday came the case between a conversation, I thought, if we wait too long it can't be good. There's always a possibility that we'll bump into each other – like yesterday – and I'd like to have some things out of our way."

"Like what?"

"You wanna jump in right away?"

"Sorry doctor, do I need a few warm up phrases first?"

"Yes, right after you swiped your credit card through the register at the front." Jules chuckled.

"I pay the dinner, will that pay our session?"

"Not if you mean the dinner, I ordered for us. I take more per hour than that."

"Why do you work for the LVPD when you make better money here?"

"Because I like variety. I like to work with my patients like I like to support the police in finding people who harm other, to get them off the streets."

"Noble."

"Why did you become a CSI?"

"To right the wrong of the world."

"Noble."

"Your point." Sara took a sip of coffee. "Did you stay much longer on Friday?"

"A little bit. I helped Sofia to clean up."

"You and her get along well?"

"Yes." Jules smiled a bit.

"Did you know her before this case?"

"I saw her, I said hello when I passed on the hallway, that's it. What about you? Are you and her get along good?"

"I'm sure she told you."

"I prefer to hear both sides of a story. The thing is, you let a dozen people watch the same thing, you'll get a dozen different impressions. Out of all these impressions you can build your own truth."

"There's only one truth."

"If we talk about science this might be right, one and one is two, no matter how you turn it. But in the world of feelings and emotions are many truths."

"That's why I prefer to be a scientist."

Somebody knocked on the door. "They're fast today." Jules got up and left for a minute before she came back with a white bag. "Dinner's served. One salad for you, one for me. I ordered coke in case you want something cold with your salad. Otherwise there's only water here."

"Coke is great, thanks." Sara had to admit the salad looked good and it was a big portion. Four tofu burger were in her box also four different dressings.

"Is that how you cook?" She asked Jules.

"Sometimes. When the day tired me out that much that I've no head for cooking I order something and pick it up on my way home. Can't see anything bad in having a salad. If I did that a few times a week with burger and fries I should worry."

"Or your boyfriend will worry because you'll put on some weight."

"I don't have a boyfriend and if I had and he gave me a hard time because I put on some weight he would be my ex boyfriend. Or would Grissom give you a hard time when you put on some weight?"

"I did and he doesn't mind."

"You're a lucky wife. Especially when he'll stay in Vegas."

"Yes." Sara sighed happily. "I know it's not entirely fair but I can't wait for him to settle down again. I know he's happy when he's traveling around, working with different people but I really miss him."

"Nevertheless you came back to the lab instead staying with him."

"I missed the guys, I was bored and I missed the work somehow. Being a wife doesn't help to make the wrong right."

"Not that much, no." Jules paused for a moment. "Sara, how comfortable are you on a scale from one for not at all to ten for very much that I'm your half-sister?" Time to start the topic why they were here together.

"Can I divide this in different sections?"

"Sure."

"Knowing my father cheated on my mother four, knowing I have a sister the same, knowing you are the sister…I don't know yet. But more than four. It wasn't smart to run and leave you without an explanation in the department, I'm sorry for that. I had a few days to get used to the thoughts, the new information and I've to say I'm not that mad anymore. Mad at my father…our father. What about you?"

"It took me hard to hear he was dead, when you told me he was your father too I was very surprised. It's more likely to win the lottery than asking your half-sister if she knows your father when you haven't known any one of them. It was a surprise and I like this surprise."

"Why?"

"Because when you're not pissed off and bitchy you are a really nice person and I enjoy a conversation with you."

"Thanks. Jules…do you…have siblings?"

"No. I'm an only child. Was. You?"

"I've a…we've got a brother. Matt."

"Really? Does he live in San Francisco?"

"No. Yes. I don't know…God, there are so many things…do I have to tell you every detail?" Scared that she ended up on the couch, Sara felt like running away.

"No."

"Good. I haven't seen him nor did I had any contact with him since I was twelve. He is seven years senior me, I can't tell you where he is and to be honest I never wanted to find out where he is, what he does. I tried pretty much to leave my childhood out of my present. It wasn't a happy childhood and I prefer not to think too much about it."

"Did our father has anything to do with that?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I won't ask for details, Sara. You told me he wasn't a nice man, I do believe you."

"Thanks. Especially for not pushing."

"I hope we'll have a lot of time to talk, there's no need to squeeze everything into one conversation."

"No. I've a sister." Sara smiled a bit. "I always wanted to have a sister."

"Really?"

"Yeah…like I said, Matt is older, he wasn't interested in his baby sister who only got him into trouble. I wanted a sister to have somebody to talk to. Now I have one and she's smart. A doctor."

"Not every doctor is smart."

"You are, you're my little sister."

"So it's more the sister part that makes me smart than the doctor part?"

"I won't say I'm not a fan of doctors, my husband is one so I'll say I'm not very fond of people, who think because of a title they're something better."

"Like a Deputy Chief."

"I know you and Sofia are friends, she and me had a…start, that wasn't that great. I think we're at a point now that we can work together without a problem and even enjoy some private time together. If you plan a house party and she'll be there too, I come anyway."

"You came to her place on Friday."

"The perfect place to talk to you in private."

"We'll need a few more talks like this, I'm sure there're a lot of things to talk about. That doesn't mean you have to make a soul strip, you can tell me whatever comes to your mind, I'm glad about everything I can learn about my new sister and of course, you can ask me things."

"Is there anything urgent you want to know?"

"No, you gave me a few things to think about. What about you?"

"Does your mother know…that you met me? What I told you about our father?"

"Yes. I talked to her on the phone for a while. She says she wants to meet you one day."

"We can talk about that when she comes to Vegas."

"She more than due to come here. In the one year I live here, she hasn't visited me once."

"You're a psychologist, you can talk her into coming here."

"She's a psychiatrist she knows all the tricks."

"A family full of mind poker. Great."

"Just like you, my big sister, you try by analyzing evidence to understand people." Jules grinned. Sara's and her job weren't that different. From the right angle their jobs were the same.

"That's different."

"Of course."

"Yes." Sara smiled. Al lright, maybe she also tried to get into people's head. But she did that through the evidence and not with asking them questions…all right, she that too when she was in interrogation. Damn it, she could twist it like she wanted, somehow she and Jules were alike.


"You're late." Grissom embraced Sara and kissed her.

"Sorry, I had dinner and a talk with Jules…don't smile like that!"

"Like what?" His smile widened and took over his eyes.

"Like…like it amuses you what I did and you want to tease me for it, knowing that I can't be mad at you and can't say anything, that will prove you're wrong because we both know you're right."

"I love you."

"You won't get off the hook that easily, husband."

"Husband?" Now he had to laugh.

"Shut up! If you're not nice I won't take you with me."

"To where?"

"Jules invited us to lunch on Saturday. Late lunch because I've to work Friday night. If you're not nice to me you have to stay home alone."

"I'm not Kevin, nothing will happen to me when I'm home alone."

"You'll miss me with all your heart and soul."

"I always do that when you're away."

She kissed him. How couldn't she after those words? Even if that meant she lost the word fight, it didn't matter when he was like this. Moments like this were the best evidence that he was more than a scientist, who wasn't capable of maintaining a love relationship. They both had their problems with socializing and acting the way most people did but they completed themselves perfectly and there was no other man she could think of as a better husband for herself.

"You're not playing fair." She mumbled.

"Which isn't as half as bad as the fact that you like it when I don't play fair. So, what time are we invited to your sister's place?"

"Half past two."

"All right. I'll write it down in my little black book, where I notice all my important social dates. We can squeeze her in between the meeting with the mayor and dinner with Andre Agassi."

"Who?"

"A former famous tennis player, I read an article about him this morning."

"Since when are you interested in tennis?"

"I thought I could start to play tennis when I work at the university. Some sports can't be bad, I need to be in shape for my young wife."

"Usually when men want to get in shape, there is another woman than their wife involved."