Disclaimer: see chapter one.

Special thanks to my betas Bellabrew and Mrose. Your patience with the length of this story is exceptional. This is set prior to GSR becoming canon maybe you should consider it a step in the right direction. Also all of the CSI characters are represented here, and a few new ones. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Please note that I did up the rating to M.

Enjoy and thank you for all your reviews! You are spectacular, amazing and fabulous...And you make me want to write more!

LV Crime lab

August 25th

8 am

It had been a brutal 8 hours. Not that Sara was willing to admit that to anyone for fear of hearing an I told you so from a certain entomologist. After her shopping trip the previous day she'd headed to the doctor's office and came away with written permission to go back to work.

True to his word Grissom had grounded her to the lab and no amount of pouting or arguing would change his mind. So she'd found herself for the better part of the night working in the layout room. Throughout the shift she'd sorted through all manner of items trying to make heads or tails of a hit and run. Once she'd finished processing all of the detritus from the scene she'd moved on to some sheets that Nick had brought in from his assignment. She was just hunkering down to read the file when Grissom had come flying in and taken it from her hands.

"I need your help on a bug regression." He'd told her as he literally dragged her from the room to spend a few hours in his office helping with the regression. Strangely enough it was a trip to the break room, to retrieve some fresh coffee for the two of them that had been her undoing.

"Sorry about your case Nick." She told the sullen man as he took a liberal gulp from his own cup. "Gris said he needed me to help with a regression." She tugged two mugs from the cupboard and dropped them on the counter before grabbing the half full coffee pot.

"Yeah…" He looked away and sucked back the remains of his coffee. "It's okay. I just don't know why he got all freaky deaky bug dude on me for letting you handle the trace on a simple rape case." He turned to face her, his dark eyes studying the pained expression that had crossed her face.

She shook her head and fought back the tears beginning to cloud her eyes. "There's nothing simple about rape, Nick." She told him leaving the break room hastily, the two full cups completely forgotten.

It had taken her twenty minutes in the ladies room to calm down enough and hide the evidence of her earlier meltdown. By the time she made it back to Grissom's office without coffee in hand, he'd already had a full rundown from Nick and was looking extremely worried.

"I'm fine." She held her hand up anticipating his next words. "I just… It was a little to close for comfort right now. Thank you for this." She pointed to the board with the bugs. He hadn't really needed her help, and after Nick's revelation she had put two and two together. Determining that's Grissom's desperate need for an assistant was little more than a decoy. "Just please tell me that this is from a real case and we didn't waste 3 hours making notes for nothing."

Normally she would be pissed as hell. In fact she should be pissed as hell, but emotionally she just didn't have it in her. Grissom's words from the previous day flitted through her head. It wouldn't hurt to let someone care for you once in a while. It occurred to her that she needed that at the moment and this was his way of doing that.

He grinned softly at her and nodded covering the distance between them. "Duhamel from day's pulled a nasty body dump in the desert. He did the collection with Catherine's instruction at around 4pm. They were waiting for me when I arrived." He used his chin to indicate a few collection jars set off to the side of his shelving unit. "Between the two of them they didn't do too badly, but we did lose a few of the specimens." He placed a hand carefully in the small of her back. "The basic set up I could handle, but it helps to have someone to document my ramblings. It makes things go faster. Now that this is done I have the day free, so we can go to your friend's wedding."

She nudged him slightly and smiled softly. They hadn't actually done dinner despite their plans. Grissom had, of course, been called in, so the two women had settled for some homemade vegetable soup that Catherine had brought over and tuna sandwiches created by the younger woman. It wasn't Lutece at the Venetianbut Sara had managed to keep every bite of it down.

The conversation had been light, filled with gossipy mostly political office stuff and they had ridden in together because Sara's personal vehicle was still sitting in the parking lot.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here and play with your bugs. It might be more fun…" Sara had crossed her arms in front of her and didn't move her eyes from the board. She wanted to at least give him an out.

A moment of self doubt slipped over him and he stared at her out of the corner of his eye. Maybe she genuinely didn't want him there. Swallowing around the lump in his throat he ran an affectionate palm up her back and let it rest on her shoulder. It took him a second to formulate the correct words. "Sara, if you don't want me there, then that's fine. I want you to tell me, but you should know that I do want to take you." He pointed to a dark bag hanging from a hook in the corner of the room. "I brought my suit and my shower stuff. I'll hang around here until we have to head over to the chapel."

"Is it baby blue?" The slender brunette turned to look at him and smirked.

"Ah… No… Thank god. I think I might get arrested for wearing something that outdated." He muttered.

Sara giggled. "I never pegged you for a fashion aficionado."

He looked down at himself. He was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a matching dark green shirt. "Does that mean you think I'm a fashion disaster?"

She simply laughed. He looked outstanding in a suit and she was sure he knew it. "I think the glow in the dark bug underwear says it all."

A relaxed chuckle escaped his lips and he turned to her his fingertips lightly grazing the bandage on her neck, as he brushed aside a few random strands of hair. "Are you going home after your appointment? Do you want me to pick you up there?"

A look of total horror flashed across the young woman's face. "Oh shit…" She flushed and pulled her lab coat off. "I completely forgot." Wincing minutely, she slowed her movement and dropped the discarded coat onto a nearby chair. "It's 8:25. I uh…" She spun in place; her eyes falling on the purse perched on the edge of Grissom's desk. He'd given it to her when she'd settled in to help with the regression. "I have to go. My appointment is at 8:30." Grabbing it, she hastily made her way towards the door and then stopped. "I brought my dress. I'll change at the spa. The chapel is fifteen minutes away and I have to be there before 11." She smiled at him. "I'll meet you back here." The rapid tap of her shoes betrayed the fact that she was jogging somewhat stiltedly as she made her way towards the locker room.

Once again Sara Sidle amazed him. He didn't know any other woman that would have simply forgotten a beauty appointment. Not that she needed it anyway, in his eyes she was perfectly stunning, make-up or no make-up.

TBC

Crime lab

August 25th

10am

Sara was cursing animatedly as she entered the lab for the second time in 12 hours. This time she wasn't sporting a pair of loose jeans, a tank and a pair of flats. Instead she was dressed in a stunning yellow floor length gown, with a low pumps, and looked so entirely different that Judy the night receptionist, who was on her way home, didn't even recognize her until the lanky brunette called out an obligatory goodbye on her way past.

Judy did a double take and almost walked into the wall, before she muttered an embarrassed reply. There were a few more turned heads and the sound of several dropped items emanating from various work rooms in the lab as she wandered by looking every bit like a misplaced Miss America. Sara ignored everyone and everything as she made her way through down the maze of corridors.

It was 10am and the young CSI was peeved. As it turned out Catherine's stylist was very good, but she was hearing impaired particularly where Sara's protests were concerned. All she had asked was if the woman could please leave her hair down and simply tame the curls. That didn't happen, not even remotely. The stylist had left her hair to dry naturally into its typical ringlets while Sara went to get painted only to sweep it up leaving only a few relaxed tendrils to curl around her face. It looked good. Damn good, but it left her with a nasty problem; a blood caked palm sized bandage stuck to the back of her neck which certainly didn't match the outfit.

This is how she found herself in the break room, first aid kit in hand, and facing the rest of the graveyard shift, who'd clearly felt it was necessary to stick around and offer their appraisal. A low whistle echoed through the room.

"Well look at you girl…" Warrick was on his feet in no time and had her in his arms. "You look amazing."

Sara flushed noticeably as Nick mimicked Brown's movements and drew her into a loose embrace. "Yeah, Sar… You look absolutely gorgeous." He kissed her cheek and released her. "You might out do the bride, Sweetpea."

"God..." She grinned. "You would think that I was incapable of getting dressed up or something."

"There have been times we've wondered…" Catherine put in. It sounded like a put down, but the smile on the older woman's face told her she was simply teasing. "I hate to say it, but I told you so." She moved closer and inspected the area where Sara's bruising had been. "You look amazing. Definitely made it worth the four stores we went to."

"Yeah, this is the thing fantasies are made of…" Greg announced before tugging the slim brunette into a tight hug.

Sara groaned slightly, but returned his grip. "Let me guess Kevlar dresses and a quickie in the breakroom?"

Everyone laughed when Greg nodded and then shook his head as a second later when a harried entomologist walked in.

"You're back…" He announced surprise etched into his voice. "I thought I heard Hodges mumbling something about a super model in the hallway. I figured his head had turned to mush from messing around with all those chemicals."

Everything from a baritone guffaw to a high pitched giggle sprung up around the room.

"I actually have a favor to ask of one of you." She held up the kit in her hands. "Amy, Catherine's stylist, put my hair up which means I need a bandage change. Gina, the bride, passes out at the sight of blood, so this might just kill her." She waved her hand over the offensive item knowing that it looked pretty brutal. "Who wants to play doctor?" She eyed Greg expecting him to take up the offer, but he backed away. So her dark orbs traveled to each face and all were shaking their heads or waving their hands at the opportunity. "Come on guys. I seriously can't go like this. Once a friend of mine had a bloody nose in front of her and she dropped like a rock."

They all looked pensively at each other. In their eyes she'd been through more than enough. No one wanted to take a chance on hurting her again. "Really it will be okay. I won't moan, scream, assault you or anything. Promise." There were still no takers. "Please, if she passes out it will ruin her wedding day." She looked pleadingly at Greg who was studying his shoes intently.

"Sit down at the table." It was Grissom. He dropped his empty coffee cup into the sink and took the kit from her hands as she complied. He examined her closely for a second and let out a soft sigh. "Greg…" He stared at the bloody bandage a moment longer contemplating the best way to remove it. The plastic looked like it was almost fused to her skin, a collection of blood sitting beneath its clear surface. Removing it was going to be difficult with out pulling the stitches, and yanking out some of the small ringlets, trapped under the thick film. "Greg, pass me a tea towel from the drawer, please." He motioned to the drawer and cast a pained glance at the other three people in the room. Placing his hand on one slim shoulder he leaned in. "Are you going to be okay? This is probably going to hurt Sara and I'm worried about ripping out the stitches."

Her voice quivered partially at the thought of the pain and partially because of the feel of his hand on her bare skin. "I'll be fine. I can take it. Just please do it."

"Hey…"

All eyes in the room turned to Jim Brass as he entered.

"Hey back…" Sara lifted her head up to look at her friend and smiled.

Letting out a low smooth whistle, the seasoned police Captain stared at the vision in yellow. "Looking good, Cookie..." He grinned and moved into the room, dropping a thick file on the table in front of her. "I see you've been attacked by the extreme makeover team."

Sara rolled her eyes and replied sounding incredibly tortured. "Yeah their name is Catherine Willows…" She gazed at the non-descript manila folder curiously before reaching to open it. The slim brunette had just placed her hand on the cover when she felt his thicker weathered palm cover hers.

"This is yours. The hard copy has already been entered, electronically sealed and there is no other paperwork."

"Oh." She pulled her hand off the item like it burned and studied it a moment, very much aware that all of the eyes in the room were on her. Flipping it sideways, she drew the file slowly in front of her and crossed her arms over it, all the while fighting back the tears that were suddenly threatening to flow. "Can't you get into trouble for this?"

"Nah…" He waved her off nonchalantly as if giving away case files were an everyday occurrence. "Once everything has been submitted electronically the paper actually just gets filed away. So I figured you could file it for me. Just not under G okay?"

The entire room just stared at the captain dumbfounded, including the object of his attention. "Uh…yeah…" Sara stared at the folder before uttering a worried, "thanks."

"That's mighty ugly…" He leaned over and inspected the mess at the back of Sara's head. He'd known it was there, but it had been covered by her hair each and every time he'd seen her. "When I found you, you were beside the counter. I bet that's what you hit."

Sara raised an eyebrow and then nodded. "I don't remember much. There was the sensation of being shoved and then the lights went out." She closed her eyes, willing the memory into her consciousness, but there were only snippets. Opening her eyes once more Sara looked at the man in front of her and asked something that had been sitting in the back of her mind for a while. "Um…Brass was Luke near me when you found us?"

There was immediately a void in the small space, at the mention of his name but it was something that Sara needed to know. She was well aware of the disparity in the emotions of all of the people in the break room. She was fairly certain that Grissom and Brass were probably both glad that the man was dead, otherwise, the young CSI suspected that the two of them might be plotting his demise, or at the very least what they would be wearing to his execution. The other four sported varying degrees of pitying looks, which she imagined would change once they discovered the truth.

"Uh yeah…he was beside you. Why?" Brass shared a look with Grissom that told her, he wasn't sure how much to reveal about the scene.

Sara shook her head in amazement, her confusion notched up a few more degrees, as she began to work her forehead. It looked to all watching as though she was trying to come up with some internal explanation for something, but she was at a loss. The man was a paradox. "I thought I remembered him pushing me out of the way. That's when I hit my head."

"Well, it was the least he could have done…" Brass' angry words were acknowledged by a silent nod of agreement from the man standing behind her. Sara spotted it via the reflection in the window and turned her eyes away choosing instead to smile sheepishly at the rest of the crew. All of them bore a look that said they were now well aware that there was some important piece of information to which they weren't privy.

Nick was actually set to inquire when a tight head shake from Grissom stopped him short. "Sara…put your head on your arms. This may take a few minutes and I think you're running out of time."

"Right…" She complied grateful for the diversionary tactic.

The table wobbled as Brass leaned against it and slid a second and more suspect item towards her. It was a long slender box. "Something else," he stated tapping Sara on her hand.

She lifted her head allowing her eyes to pass from the item to Brass before he threw a silent nod in her direction.

Grissom lobbed a dark look at his friend, but Jim Brass waved him off his face devoid of information

"Holy hound dogs…Someone hand me a scorecard…" Greg was the first to verbally respond to the jewelry box the detective had offered up he was going to go on, but a caustic look from his Grissom silenced him.

Warrick and Nick just gawked dumbfounded at the detective's gesture, silently wondering if maybe there was something they had been missing all along.

While Catherine's curiosity got the better of her and she prodded the younger woman her gaze passing rapidly between both Grissom and Brass. "Open it, Sara…"

The younger woman's hands were shaking as she reached for the object, hoping to God it wasn't the damn ring coming back to haunt her, yet again. She bit her lip and cracked open the box a smile instantly brightening her face.

"You dog you!" Greg was practically bouncing with energy. "That must have set you back a pretty penny." He leaned in to get a look at the item in question just as Catherine snatched it up off the table.

The blonde woman inspected it closely, before removing it from the box for everyone to see. "It's beautiful. It must be an antique." Her eyes trailed from Brass to Sara and back again.

"Man are you gonna get me an antique watch if I get injured on the job?" Greg taunted.

"Nah man, you don't have Sara's legs…" Nick put in more confused now than he had ever been during the last few days.

Brass waved away the insinuations. "Don't look at me…" He pointed to Grissom. "I'm just the delivery man; he's the person responsible for this." He wagged his eyebrows insidiously and let the words echo about the small room.

Warrick simply stared his eyebrows practically touching his hairline, while everyone else's jaws dropped.

Grinning smugly, Grissom placed the tea towel on the table and took the watch from Catherine's hands. "Give me your wrist Sara." He ordered, slid the cool gold watch around her small wrist and latched it. " Sofia called to tell me that they had found it at Luke's apartment. It's been processed and documented completely. I had the clasp fixed and Jim was kind enough to pick it up from the jewelers."

There were tears in her eyes as she ran her fingers over the shiny surface. "Thank you." The words were raw. "It was my grandmother's." She told the rest of the people in the room. "I thought I had lost it for good."

A few sighs of relief broke through the nervous tension in the air.

"Man, you people are seriously hard up for gossip." Brass chuckled.

Nick laughed at this and shook his head.

"You can say that again." Warrick agreed and a tight guffaw escaped him; his gaze falling on an embarrassed Greg Sanders.

Catherine had absorbed everything and found that the only outstanding thing of importance at the moment was the watch itself. She gripped Sara's wrist and closely examined the item adorning it. "This looks really pricey..." She fingered the small diamonds and rubies set amongst the woven gold band. "Vacheron Constantin." The older woman read the delicate writing on the simple pearl face plate.

The slim brunette nodded a far away look gracing her countenance. "It is a family heirloom. One of the true things of sentimental value from my family, it goes back several generations on my grandmother's side." The son of a bitch hadn't won after all.

"Wow, all my grandmother ever gave me was some really bad advice about men." The blonde woman countered before letting go of the younger woman's arm.

"Listen we could get into brutal family comparisons, but that could take all day…and I would win hands down." Sara smirked.

"That sounds like future bar conversation to me," Catherine agreed.

"Hey Babydoll…" Sara's head shot immediately over to the doorway, where a tall well dressed man in a perfectly tailored black suit stood leaning against the darkened metal frame.

"Denny…" She looked confused and pleased all at the same time. Standing up she moved across the room as he came in to meet her.

"You look amazing…Darlin'" He pulled her into a careful embrace and rocked her. "A whole fuckload better than the last time I saw you."

"Yeah…sure…whatever…What are you doing here?" She eyed him up and down. Immaculate as always…every sun-kissed blonde hair in place… She could see out of the corner of her eye. Catherine was enthralled to say the least.

"I love you too…" He grinned and nodded at Grissom. "I just came to make sure you weren't planning on beggin' off."

She moved away from him and held her hands out at the side. "Would I do something like that?"

"Hell yeah." His eyes skimmed the face of the people in the room and noted that they were all agreeing silently with him. "See they know you, too."

Sara rolled her eyes and couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe, but not today and not to Gina," she clarified and started by pointing to Nick. "That's Nick Stokes, Warrick Brown…" She turned and continued, "Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows, Greg Sanders and Jim Brass." Slipping a slim hand around his forearm she nudged him. "Everyone, this is my friend from San Francisco, Dennis Maitland."

"Hey…" He nodded and winked at Sara. "So do you need a ride over?" he asked, hoping at the same time that Grissom had taken his advice.

The slim brunette squinted at him warily. "Where's Christine?"

"In the car…"

Sara trained a dubious look in his direction.

"Promise…"

"Then I guess you know the answer to your question." She turned went to take her seat at the table.

He made claws out of his two hands and made a nasty hissing meow sound. "Cat fight…"

"May I remind you that it's your girlfriend who hates me?" She dropped back into her seat in front of a staring Grissom. "Oh and I would win any cat fight… hands down dude…" She smiled triumphantly and dropped her head onto her hands as Grissom rested the Tea towel over the delicate band of material encompassing her neck.

The blonde man laughed heartily and moved over to get a better look at what Gil Grissom was doing to his friend. "That I don't doubt." He smiled flirtatiously at Catherine as he moved by her. "Captain Brass…" His hand was out immediately and the two men shook vigorously.

"You know Christine is going to come in here mad enough to spit tacks, if you don't hurry." Her words were muffled, as she was speaking into her crossed arms. "Go I'll see you there."

"Just checking out what Dr. Grissom is up to…" He moved over to his friend and shook his head. "Man that's disgusting."

"Good thing you don't have to look at it then," was Sara's wry reply.

"Damn you're testy Honeybunch; you should get some more sleep." He rested his hand on her shoulder and shot a telling look at the man beside him. "Nice to see you again, Dr. Grissom…"

The bugman merely nodded and squeezed Sara's free shoulder. "You ready?"

Sara simply bobbed her head against her arms.

"This is going to hurt." Grissom began, his fingers beginning to tug at the bottom half of the bandage.

"I can take it." She mumbled, her teeth tightly clenched against the pain as he began to pull the clear dressing away from her neck, taking some of fine hairs there with it.

In the beginning it seemed to come away easily, small flakes of dried blood chipping off as Grissom slowly worked it away from her skin, but then it became more difficult closer he got to the wound. He was terrified of tugging out the stitches. The night shift supervisor was so focused on his task that he didn't notice the tall dark haired man who'd moved up beside him until their shoulders were practically touching.

Grissom started slightly and was about to ask him who the hell he was when he noticed both Dennis Maitland holding a finger to his lips. A slightly oversized navy suit clung loosely to the guy's wiry frame, so Grissom figured he was an old friend, maybe someone attending the wedding. Squinting suspiciously at the two men, he complied with their silent request and continued working the edge of the bandage as the man pulled a chair out beside Sara and dropped into it.

There was something familiar about the man's eyes…

The brown haired man's hands were shaking as his long lean fingers reached out and grasped Sara's. She clearly thought that it was Dennis because she didn't move, just returned his grasp with a slightly grateful squeeze, her body visibly relaxing at their shared touch. That is, until the man leaned in and whispered into her ear. "Suck it up Princess… It'll be over in a flash." Those words caused a reaction that had Grissom cursing and his patient out of her chair immediately.

Sara gaped dumbfounded, a haunted look marring her beautiful features. She'd recognized the voice and words immediately. It was the face, however, that was almost her undoing. One tremulous hand was over her mouth and she shook her head slowly while the man returned her stare a soft smile plastered on his face.

Everyone else in the room was on guard, uncertain as to whether this guy was friend or foe. Brass even went so far as to reach for his gun; his fingers tensing around the butt of it. After all she'd been through he was more than willing to shoot the shit out of someone who was trying to hurt her. It might even help his own heightened frustration level.

Warrick gripped her arm lightly to steady her and for moral support, while Nick stepped in a little closer behind her.

Everyone else simply watched on in amazement at the silent conversation Sara and the stranger seemed to be having. Her face said it all; pain, fear, love, frustration… It took a few moments, but the slim brunette finally came to terms with the man in front of her.

"Wow…" Sara let out a hitched breath and did her best to slow her booming heartbeat. Waving one of her hands in front of her she looked as though she was trying to shake away something disturbing. "You cut your hair." The words came out raw. "And ah…shaved." She was openly trembling.

His was the face of a ghost. The man nodded silently and then turned to Dennis. "Told you the hair cut was a bad idea, bro."

Maitland simply shrugged.

"Sorry…" He grinned sheepishly. "Now you know why I kept it long for all those years. You can't tell me you didn't see it, Sara. Every time you looked at me. I sure as hell did."

The truth of it was she hadn't really looked at him for a very long time. It had hurt far too much. She shook her head. "No…" She moved over to him and placed a careful kiss on his cheek. "You look…" She was finding it difficult to find the words. "You look good." She reached for his hands and squeezed them, her eyes seeking out his, and in them she saw clarity. "Just grow your hair out a little more." As if to make things a little easier she reached up and mussed it before resuming her seat.

Today was already a shit storm and it was only 10:25. Jesus 10:25 Sara eyed her watch. "Sorry…" She turned a worried eye to the man behind her. He was holding the tea towel again. It had fallen to the floor with her sudden departure.

"You're Dr. Grissom." It wasn't a question. "Dennis mentioned you. Sir…why don't you hold my sister's hand while I get this thing off." He elbowed the older man aside and inspected the bandage.

The entomologist's mouth chin hit the floor along with everyone else's in the room. Recovering quickly, he took a closer look at Evan Sidle. Despite the coloring and similarly shaped eyes, the two siblings didn't look very much a like. Evan's nose was wider, lips thinner, and his face shape was more squared. Yet, he was still an attractive man, though the years of wear and tear his addiction had put on his body were clearly evident in the tension lines worn into his face.

Nodding Grissom placed the tea towel back across Sara's neck and took a seat beside her, his hand snaking out and gently enveloping hers. The warmth of her palm was alive and electric against his own tepid skin, and he felt a gush of emotion roll through him.

"Ev. This isn't a good idea…" Sara looked apprehensively at Grissom, her mouth twisting like she'd bitten into a lemon.

"Please, we've done this a few hundred times. So quit your bellyachin'"

"Exactly and it hurt each and every time." She reminded him petulantly. Memories from far too frequent hospital visits flooded her already overwhelmed mind.

"Hold on little girl…" He'd whisper and then would pull whatever it was that had been applied to her bruised and broken skin; she in turn would holler and kick him.

"Consider it payback for all the shit you've done to me over the years…" He grinned.

The dark haired CSI turned back to him eyes wide in amazement. "You have got to be kidding me…" She looked like she was going to strangle him on the spot.

He simply laughed outright at her expression, and winked. "Come on sis, isn't that what big brothers are for?" He leaned in and cast a knowing sideways look at her. "We're supposed to be a pain in the ass…right?" It was a shadow of an apology though no one else in the room could hear it.

"Right…" She let out a heavy sigh and dropped her head onto her arms. "Just get it over with already or I'm going to be late," she bitched her fingers tensing around Gil's.

"Okay little girl."

"I'm hardly little…"

The older Sidle sibling chuckled. "Sure..." He laid his fingers just below the wound to where the bugman had managed to remove the bandage, and then pressed. "On the count of three…" He counted and just before he actually said three he rolled his finger against the stitches and ripped the bandage off. This drew a yelp of pain from the woman leaning over the table, and tears instantly flooded her eyes.

It was a damn good thing that the makeup they'd applied had been done with a spackle.

"Fuck Evan…" Was all she managed; her free hand instinctively going to the mess on her neck."

"Be good, Sis or I'll put you over my knee." Evan Sidle warned lightly, his long fingers massaging the bruised and reddened area below the wound, causing dark brown flecks of blood to drop off onto the table and the folder beneath her arms. He fended off her inquiring hand with one of his.

The whole process had taken mere seconds, but Gil Grissom contemplated the fact that in that short time she might actually have broken his fingers with her grip.

Brass was still wincing and Nick, Greg and Warrick had turned away, leaving only Catherine, Dennis and Grissom to stare on in aggrieved interest.

"I dare you…" Sara grinned her wayward palm making another attempt to sooth the pain in her neck.

"Hand on the table now…or you're gonna mess this up." The older Sidle ordered. "And you might want to give Dr. Grissom back his fingers…before gangrene sets in," he stated easily.

Sara complied with both requests, her cheeks flushing at the fleeting look of pain on her boss' face. "Sorry…"

He shook it off and pumped her forearm once before standing to get a better look at the wound.

There was little or no blood as a result of the vicious bandage removal, so Evan just wiped away the rest of the dried stuff and grabbed an alcohol swab from the nearby kit to finish up the cleaning job.

Grissom assisted, passing him the items needed to clean and redress the wound. He noticed the tremors in the younger man's hands as he went about his work, and speculated as to whether it was nerve damage from years of drug abuse, or simply nervousness.

He really didn't have much time to ponder, as a piercing voice rolled down the corridor outside the breakroom…

"Denny!!!!" She was wondering through the hallways looking every bit like a bridesmaid gone astray crossed with a mid-scale hooker and she was clearly pissed. Her voice actually jumped an octave as she drew closer, the shrillness of his name having the effect of nails on a black board, as she stuck her head into labs and offices calling it out.

"Sweet fucking Jesus!" Maitland moved like lightening, a look of utter fear plastered on his handsome face. He dropped the coffee he'd helped himself to onto the counter and wrapped his fist around the arm of a shocked looking Greg Sanders'. Tugging the young CSI into his girlfriend's line of vision he ordered him to stay there and ran off down the hall to placate her.

"Told you so…" Sara called out as he cleared the doorway.

Everyone in the breakroom gawked through the floor to ceiling glass partitions trying to get a look at what kind of a woman could possibly make such a heinous sound.

Evan chuckled. "That boy is so whipped." He peeled the backing off the bandage and pressed it to his sister's skin. He inspected his handiwork momentarily and the dropped a soft kiss on top of it. "All better," he announced. His hand finding her shoulder, he gripped it tenderly.

"Evan…let's head…"

It was Denny. His arms were around the dreaded Christine and he was leading her away towards the elevators, the boom of his voice trailing behind him.

"I think that's my cue to leave…" He nodded to the other people in the room. Not really knowing anyone, but grateful that they were clearly close to his sister.

Sara's head was up off the table and she was staring at her brother uncertainly. "Yeah thanks…"

He held a hand out to Grissom who took it and shook it. "Goodbye, Dr. Grissom…"

Concern was evident on the older man's face and he cast a look at Evan Sidle that told him in no uncertain terms that he knew exactly what he was about. "Mr. Sidle..."

A cringe hijacked the younger man's body. "Uh…Mr. Sidle is my dad…Evan will be fine." Leaning in he planted a soft kiss on his sister's cheek."

"I'll see you at the wedding," he told her with a wink.

A look of confusion flashed across her face. "You know Gina?"

"I know everyone, Sar." He flashed another smile in her direction. "Gotta go my date's waiting for me..."

"Date…?" She almost choked on the word and rose from the chair a little unsteadily. "God, isn't this all very Twilight Zone to you?"

"Yeah…" he grinned sheepishly. "We'll talk there." He moved towards the door waving a hand behind him. "I gotta go ref Denny and the Beast, and I promised Jules we'd be there on time for once."

"Jules…? She's not your date, is she?" Sara's friend was bright and attractive, and went through men like they were used tampons.

He simply nodded.

"Jesus…She'll eat you alive, Ev." Sara's hand was up and she kneaded her forehead contemplatively.

"That…" he wagged his eyebrows at her. "Is exactly what I'm hoping for..."

Almost every guy in the room laughed at the innuendo, while Sara simply looked ill. "That is way too much info…" She called out as he left the room.

He happily waved her off and dashed down the hallway.

Sara felt like she was running, but would never catch up. Someone somewhere had taken hold of her life and cruelly turned it on its end. Her eyes moved in the faces of the people around her. Some looked amused, some looked confused…

"I didn't even know you had a brother…." Catherine stared at Nick and Warrick who were both chuckling.

"Neither did we, until yesterday…" Greg put in. "You never talk about him, Sara…" It didn't come out as a question, but she knew it was.

How come?

Sara shook her head looking slightly pained. "Sorry I should have introduced you all…" Her eyes dropped to the table in front of her and she stared at the folder flakes of her dried blood decorated it. It was an epiphany of a sort. The people around her were her friends and yet she really hadn't allowed them entrance to her life. "Dennis has been my friend since I was very little and Evan…well he's had some problems."

"He seems okay now?" Nick offered his thick muscular arms folded across his chest.

"Yeah…" was all Sara said. There had been times in his life that he had been okay before, but it hadn't ever lasted very long.

"How long has it been since you've seen him?" Warrick leaned against a table off to the side of the room.

"Guys…" Grissom was going to stop the interrogation, concerned that this was something she wasn't ready to talk about just, yet, but Sara simply turned to him and shook her head.

"It's only been about 10 months." Sara reached for the folder off the table and walked over to the counter her back to everyone in the room.

"Oh…you looked like…" Greg shrugged. "I dunno, like you hadn't seen him in a while."

"Yeah…" Opening the folder she sucked in a wavering breath, at the stack of pictures sitting on the top. "I used to go back to San Fran every few months to see him and everyone else, but it's been a while…" The last time she'd been to visit she'd found him slumped over a dirty toilet, vomit covering his shirtless body, with a needle sticking out of his arm and his face was so blue she thought for sure that he was dead, but there had been a pulse, a faint one, so she gave him mouth to mouth until the ambulance arrived. Then once she was certain he was out of the woods she'd called Denny and told him she was done. She simply couldn't do it any more.

"Oh…" Greg's eyes flitted over the slim brunette's back and he watched as she flipped through what looked like a series of photos.

"He…ah…" The first set of pictures was from the original accident at the scene, they had been taken at the hospital after she'd arrived. She left them in the file. "He cut his hair. It used to be much longer." The next set was from when Brass had taken her to the hospital. These she put aside into a smaller almost empty folder. "When I first saw him it was a surprise, that's all. He used to have this stubbly beard." Her hand involuntarily went to her chin, but voice was steady - despite the horror of what she was looking at. Flipping through the notes she found the one other thing that she wanted, her financial records, so she set them into the smaller folder and closed both. "He actually looks remarkably like my dad, with his hair short and no fuzz." This time her voice did waiver slightly as she turned with both folders in her hands. Sara smiled painfully.

Brass' expression was solemn and he stared at her compassion written into the deep lines of his face.

Grissom had moved up beside her and was still wearing the apprehensive look from earlier. His eyes flicked from his watch to her stoic features and he tapped his wrist. "Time for the princess to leave for the ball…"

"Right…God I hate weddings…" She cast a glance at her own watch and passed the smaller of the two folders to Grissom. "Uh...I know you all have questions and thanks for being so patient." She held up the remaining folder and chewed the inside of her lip. "Most of the answers will be found in here. I think it would simply be easier if you each had a chance to read it and um…" She threw a quick look at Grissom who nodded at her silently. "Then when you are finished just give it back to Gris." She handed it over to Catherine. "I have to clean up this stuff and then go. Gina's gonna kill me."

"Get out of here then, I'll clean up the mess…" Catherine smiled at the younger woman and shoved her towards the door. "And put a bib on when you're eating…" It was condescending, but terribly funny so everyone laughed, providing a much needed break in the tension.

"Okay…" Sara grinned and headed towards the locker room. She was going to be at least five minutes late.

She'd just slammed the door to her locker when Grissom appeared in the doorway with his suit in hand.

He was smiling timidly at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" She stared at the grey green metal in front of her and reconsidered. "Actually, no, not really..." her dark eyes were swollen with unshed tears. "Seeing Evan…" She didn't know how to explain the pain she felt, so she just shoved it aside. "Wow…he really looks a lot like my dad…it kinda freaked me out." Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. "He almost died ten months ago…"

Grissom moved over to her and was going to take her into a hug, but she held out a hand to stop him.

"That wouldn't be a good idea bossman, well, at least not here." She grinned shyly.

Hooking the suit bag onto an open locker her, he eyed her warmly. "Let them talk…" His words were thick with caring, as he drew her into a liberal embrace. The heat of their two bodies mingling made him almost sigh with relief. "I showered earlier. It'll only take me a minute to dress. Let me drive us, okay?" He whispered into her ear.

Sara he nodded silently and grabbed her purse. "I need some air. I'll meet you at your car." With that she was gone.

TBC