I decided to cut the chapters about the trip because they took the story in a direction I hadn't intended to go. I may add them back in later in another part of the story. So, this will be taking their place in the timeline.

CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI

Grissom walked up next to Sara. Without even looking, she knew it was him standing there.

"What?" she asked, still a bit steamed from the night before.

"How many vacation days do you have on the books?" He asked. I'm worried about you.

"About …" she started to think about it, then turned to him, "... ten weeks, I guess. Why?"

"I think you should take a week or two," He suggested. Because I care about you.

"I-I'm still on the case. I just didn't do the interview for once in my life," she said. Grissom nodded and glanced inside the room. "When was the last time you took vacation?" she asked, "Never, right?"

"Okay," he consented. For now.

Getting Sara to take some time off turned out to be easier than he'd expected. Later that night, after shift, Sara had gone out with Nick and Warrick. Apparently they had been bar hopping. Sara was pulled over and brought in, even though she wasn't charged with a DUI. They called Grissom.

"Come on, I'll take you home," he said gently taking her by the hand.

They walked out to his car in silence. Sara was embarrassed. It's not like I go out drinking all the time, but the one time I do go out, this happens. She thought as they got into Grissom's car.

"You know I'm going to have to put something in your record about this, right?" Grissom said, wishing that he was not her boss.

"Yeah," she answered, looking out the window, half distracted, "You want to know the whole story?"

"Sure," Grissom answered.

"I went out with Nick and Warrick to celebrate Nick's almost promotion. We had a few drinks, that's all. I guess I just didn't wait quite long enough before heading home. It was a simple mistake."

"I see," Grissom said, mostly believing her. "So, how about taking some time off from work?"

"Are you suspending me?" Sara asked, taken aback by such a harsh notion.

"No," Grissom answered, slowly. "I'm suggesting that you use some of that ten weeks of vacation time you have stored up."

"Why?" she asked, now somewhat defensive.

Grissom just smiled. He had expected that reaction and was prepared for it. "We all need to step back sometimes and take a break. I may not go on vacation much, but I do leave the lab for seminars and conventions. There is plenty to do to get away from the day in day out intensity of it all."

Sara disagreed, but was not in the mood to argue with him. "Are you talking as my boss right now, or my friend?" she asked.

"Both," he answered, "As your boss, I have to tell you that this will go on your record and you're going to have to talk to a P.E.A.P counselor. I can't get you out of that, it is the required disciplinary action for a first offense of this nature. As your friend, I am asking you to take time off."

Sara thought about it for a while as Grissom drove to her apartment. There wasn't anything she wanted to take time off to do. As the car pulled into her parking lot, she wished she could just say, "to hell with it all," and disappear. Grissom pulled the car into a parking space and Sara got out. She mumbled a quick thank you for driving me home, and closed the door.

Grissom watched her as she walked up the stairs to her apartment. He was about to drive away when he realized that she hadn't gone inside yet. She was standing outside her door looking through her pockets. She doesn't have her keys. Seeing that she was getting frustrated, he got out and walked up the stairs after her.

"I can't find my keys," she said, her voice betraying her frustration and something that Grissom couldn't quite place.

"Do you have a spare key or can you call maintenance?"

"I don't hide a spare, that would be stupid around here. If I call maintenance, it will take them all night to get out here, and they'll probably charge me for it."

"Where was the last place remember you had your keys?"

"I thought I had them back at the police station."

"Well, we have a few options. We can go back to the police station now and look there for them, you could come home with me and we can go back to the station in the morning and get both your keys and your car, or we could attempt to break in," Grissom said, half smiling at the thought of one of them trying to climb in through the window.

"I wouldn't recommend trying to break in," Sara said, "I've seen way too much on this job to make it that easy to get in."

"What did you do? Booby trap the place?" Grissom asked.

"Not exactly," Sara said with a tone that said, "Yes."

"Ok, so that's out," Grissom agreed, wondering just what Sara had done.

"We could go back to the station tonight, but that still leaves me needing a ride back again to get my car tomorrow."

"You're more than welcome to come home with me," Grissom offered, "I have a spare bedroom, so you wouldn't even have to sleep on the couch."

"I guess, if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

The ride to Grissom's townhouse was spent in an uneasy silence. Sara was still upset with him for recommending Nick for the promotion. She was angry with herself for the error in judgement that got her pulled over. She appreciated Grissom's concern for her, but at the same time, it made her uncomfortable. She wasn't used to having people looking out for her.

Sara was still quiet as Grissom led her inside to the spare room.

"I'll be back in a second," he said, leaving her to look around the room.

It was simply, yet tastefully decorated. The full size bed had a light blue comforter. The lamp was on a nightstand to the right and there was a small chest of drawers on the opposite wall from the bed. On the wall was a framed picture of various sketches of plants and insects. On closer inspection, Sara saw that Grissom's signature was hiding in the corner. Sara smiled, she didn't know he could draw.

After a couple of minutes, Grissom returned with a pair of sweats and a t-shirt for her to sleep in.

"Thanks," she said quietly, finally breaking the quiet.

Grissom shook his head a little, "It really is no problem." I'd do anything for you, if you'd let me. He left the room.

After closing the door, Sara changed into the clothes that Grissom had given her. They had the clean smell of having just been washed, but she could tell they belonged to him. Somehow she found that comforting. Pulling back the covers, she got in the bed and turned out the light. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep quickly. She felt safe there.