Friday, March 15th

Friday, March fifteen, a day Sara had been waited for for a long time. It was not only the last day of working week for most people, not for herself as she had to work the whole weekend, but it was the last workday for her lover. Sofia was about to finish her last workday, tomorrow the maternity protection started. Together with the thirty-eighth pregnancy week. Last week doctor Blumfield turned Susan, so the baby was now in the right position for labor and from that day on, Sofia worked only half days. And today was her last one.

Knowing her fiancé needed more than her usual four hours to prepare everything and say goodbye to her colleagues, Sara decided she'd come to the department, pick her up and go out for dinner. Stephen wanted to come there too. As he said, the first time in a police department without being in trouble. Somehow Sara was sure, he'd come here more often in the next years, with a mother working as a law enforcement person.

For a moment the brunette stopped and let the crime lab and it's surroundings impact on herself. Many years a place like this had been her second home. Like the Las Vegas crime lab. Eight years, a lot of anger, problems, ghosts from the past as well as happiness, new friends, success and the love of her life. Even when it took her a little bit longer to realize, Sofia was the person, she had been looking for her entire life. Sofia, not Grissom. Although she had a really good time with her ex lover too and was happy to have him as a friend, the blonde was the one, she wanted and needed.

"Hello Sara, how are you?" Brandon, Sofia's youngest colleague, asked when he saw her. Mostly because of his age he reminded her a lot of Greg, when he started at the crime lab. But Brandon didn't have crazy hair and Sara never heard he played music in the lab, but he had this boyish charm, her best friend had too.

"Hi Brandon, I'm fine, how are you?"

"Not too bad, a little bit sad because you'll take Sofia away from us for a while."

"Six weeks and I'm sure she'll come around when she and Susan are home and had a little rest. She stayed longer than she was supposed to. I wish she had stopped working six weeks before labor and not two."

"Still, six weeks without her. How are we supposed to solve cases without your better half? I think it's only fair when you replace her for this time. You can't be too busy in the forest, can you?"

"With every day closer to summer, we have more to do. Plus I'll have a week off too, to be around when Sofia and Susan come home. A baby is supposed to be a lot of work and I want my fiancé to have some time for herself."

"Make sure you send a few photos of them."

"We can do that. Where is she? In which room has she buried herself in work, unable to let go?" Sara smiled. She wasn't mad, she understood her lover. If she was in her shoes, she'd do the same.

"Layout room five, finishing up reports of her the last cases, preparing some reports for us. Let me get you a visitor pass so security won't throw you out."

"Thanks. Our son will be here soon too. Can he come in or do we have to get him here?"

"We tell our lovely lady he's your son and you wait for him and he can come trough. Has he been here before?"

"No."

"First time visiting his mom at work."

"Yes, first time in a law enforcement building without being in trouble."

"Oh, I can remember how that felt, very strange. Hi Becky." Brandon smiled at the woman at the reception. "Do you have a nice visitor pass for Sara?"

"Sure, how are you? Are you excited to get Sofia home for a while?"

"I'm more worried that she comes back to work next week because she's too bored." Sara laughed.

"Oh, she'll enjoy the time for herself, prepare for labor and relax. Here you go, your pass."

"Thanks. Stephen will be here soon, can he come through?"

"I will escort him myself."

"Thanks a lot. I see you on my way out. Brandon? Are you hitting the same way?"

"No, I'm on my way out, Greg wants my help. Your last chance to join me."

"No, again. Sorry." As tempted as it was to work with Greg again, she preferred to take Sofia home. Plus it wasn't her job anymore. But somehow it was cute and made her proud that they all wanted her to join the team. A team she never worked with, but they all seemed to believe, she was the best possible new team member, they could have.

With a smile she went to the layout room, where Sofia sat on a computer. Quietly she stood in the doorframe and watched her lover. Busy, concentrated and not realizing she was watched, Sofia focused on the report. Devoted to her work, always highly concentrated, never missing a detail. Simply the woman she loved more than anything in the world.

"You stare at my back, why don't you say hello?" So much for she had no idea she was watched.

"I didn't want to disturb you."

"Honey, I sense when you're around. No need to see you with my eyes, my heart tells me."

"Like Greg, he told me, he knows the Sidle Scent."

"Did he tell you when he had a crush on you?"

"Why had? Who said he doesn't have a crush on me anymore?" Sara grinned, went into the room and kissed Sofia. "Got a lot of work left?"

"Only a little bit. Can you give me ten more minutes?"

"I give you fifteen if you give me Greg's coffee…I mean…a caffeine free coffee."

"Greg's coffee sounds much better."

"In a couple of weeks."

"No, get it now."

"Honey, we're pregnant."

"Make Susan and me happy and have a real coffee. Please. For waiting for your fiancé."

"I love her anyway." Sara kissed Sofia again and got up. "I get you a chocolate bar. Stephen should be here any minute. Some juice too?"

"Water."

"I see what I get." The brunette left the room and went to the break room. The vending machine in Vegas had been bad, this one was a little bit better and with her intention of getting nothing else than chocolate bars and canned juice and water, she should be on the safe side.

"Hello Sara, was a nice coincidence we ran into each other again. I haven't seen you for a while."

Sara turned and stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Mel, the lawyer who hit on her in the bar the last time she went out, was there. Did she have a new case? Gave her fiancé a bad time again? Or was she here because of the last case, the Kinney case, it wasn't closed yet, the date for the trial was in a couple of weeks.

"Can't say I missed you, Miss Powers. Are you here to defend another killer?"

"I'm here for the truth. What about you?"

"Chocolate bars and drinks."

"Is this how your girlfriend treats you for dinner? I know a nice restaurant."

"No, thanks."

"Oh come, don't tell me it's because I'm a lawyer. I don't believe a smart woman like you thinks all lawyers are bad."

"Only the ones who gets killer out, keeps them from getting what they deserve. Like a rich man, who kills his girlfriend and gets out on bail and can continue to do what he did and you will do everything you can to make him live his life as a free man and not in prison, where he belongs."

"It's my job."

"Be proud of yourself."

"Sara." The lawyer got in Sara's way, so she couldn't leave the room. "What is your real problem? With me. And it's not the job, so don't give me this shit."

"I plea on the fifth. And the fact it's none of your business. Now get out of my way."

"Running away doesn't help."

"Thanks for the advice, counselor."

"Want another one? Or did you organized everything about the birth of your child already? All legal bits and pieces. Like parental rights. When Sofia gives birth to the baby and you haven't legal adopted it, you have no rights to see it in case anything happens. It's most times mother and father only, or legal guardians."

Sara swallowed. That was a point she and Sofia hadn't done yet. She was aware of the fact she could be left out if Susan had to go to hospital, and they had to change that. Soon. Not that she believed Don would change his mind about letting them be Susan's legal parents, but she needed it for all other people.

"You're a defense lawyer for criminal cases, not family rights. Plus you're way too expensive."

"I give you a special price, Sara."

"Like what?"

"What do you have on your mind?"

"You forget the last three zeros on your usual paycheck."

"So boring." She smiled. "Come on, you can do better. Besides, money isn't everything. You can pay me with something else. Dinner?"

Sara blew a raspberry. Did this woman really believe she'd get Sara this easy?

"Not a good idea?"

"Are there no other women you can annoy?"

"None is at cute as you are."

"Hey mom." Stephen appeared with Becky. "I got a bodyguard to get to you. Not sure if that was for my security or because LAPD doesn't trust me. Thanks Becky."

"You're welcome and it's a rule. Get your moms home."

"I will."

"As you see, I'm busy and can't continue talking to you." Sara said to the lawyer.

"Didn't you say your fiancé is pregnant? Your baby grew up pretty fast. I saw CSI Curtis an hour ago and she looked pretty pregnant."

"Sometimes people have two kids."

"Will you become a CSI too? Or a ranger?" She asked Stephen.

"And who are you that I should tell you?" He gave her a look over, not with the friendliest eyes.

"Mel, I met your mom in a club a few weeks ago."

"She's a lawyer, gets a lot of money so killer can continue their work. Do me a favor and never become a lawyer, your mother won't like the idea of working a case against you and I think you're way too bright to waste yourself on this kind of work. Help the innocent people and not the rich ones."

"How much money do you make as a lawyer?"

"Depends on the lawyer, how good you are, I make a hundred thousand per case."

"One thousand Benjamins for one case?" He gasped for air. That was more money than he expected to earn in three years. For one case. This woman had to be rich and it was a little bit impressive.

"If you're good people pay this and even more."

"Do you need a helper? Who asks for far less money than a hundred grants."

"Stephen!" Was her son serious? Ask Mel, the lawyer, for a job?

"Hey, I tried all shops, fast food restaurants and other places, but they either didn't have any work, wanted me to work hours I can't do because of school or offered crappy money. She makes a hell lot of money, plus I learn something about the law."

"You seemed to be a smart young man, I'm sure I can find a job for you."

"He doesn't need your help for a job."

"Maybe you should discuss this with your mothers and when you come to a solution give me a call. Here." She gave him her card. "Call me if you really want a job. But I expect you to be a hard worker, use your head and don't miss any class at school. The most important rule to be a successful lawyer and make a lot of money is go to school get perfect marks and learn a lot. The more you know, the better you are." She looked at Sara. "If you let your son work at my office, just come around and we finish the paper work. See you later." She smiled and left.

"She's cool." Stephen said. "Not a snob, like I thought first. In which club did you meet her?"

"The one in WeHo…remember the night Greg and me helped a woman throwing out the belongings of her ex?"

"That was her? To me she looked more like she can do these things alone."

"No, it wasn't her, I danced with her a few minutes. That was before I knew she's a lawyer and works a case against Sofia."

"And you don't want me working for her because?"

"Because of her killers are free and not in prison."

"And I'm sure a lot of innocent people are free because of her."

He had a point, she knew. Yet, she wasn't happy about it. "Here, take the chocolate bars, Sofia should be done by now. We talk about this at home with her."

"Does that mean you haven't made up your mind?"

"It means when you find good reasons and depends on what Sofia thinks, we can think about her offer." Being a good mother was hard, she just found it out. You couldn't just tell your son to let a chance go by because you didn't like the person, who offered him the chance, you had to give him the chance, to find out himself, what was right or wrong for him.

"Cool." He hugged her. "Did I mention you're the best and coolest mom ever?"

"You better mention it a few times more. Sofia likes lawyers just as much as I do and she especially doesn't like Mel. She hit on me, not the way to make herself popular with your other mother."

"I'm sure if I decide to become a lawyer, you'd still love me." He smiled, took her hand and pulled her out of the break room. Of course she would love him, no matter what kind of job he chose - at least if he didn't decide to become a professional killer.