Disclaimer: I don't own CSI but if I did this season would not be quite so unexciting.

a/n: The ginormous lack of GSR seems to be creating much disillusionment of late, and has motivated me to try to capture some moments we all wish would happen. This is still primarily angst because I love the drama, but definitely more fluff than usual.

Thanks to Aus for the beta read, and to Jos for enduring my CSS questions…I know, nothing to do with fanfiction, but I need to thank her somewhere

Summary: Sara's survival, search and rescue training is called upon much sooner then anyone thought

Holding On

Chapter 1

Sara wiped the dirt from her face; the sweat running down was mixing with the dust and creating a thin layer of mud. Low-crawling the best she could through the maze of debris, she watched carefully for metal shards and unstable pockets. Knowing one wrong move could cause the entire structure to collapse she completed the checklists in her mental notes.

Pulling the backboard behind her, she was starting to tire. She had to be getting close. Her right arm rubbed against a layer of plexi-glass as the tunnel narrowed. 'That's gonna leave a burn,' she grimaced trying to ignore the stinging pain. "Can anyone hear me!" she called out.

"Here! I'm here!" a man's voice called out.

She was close.

Moving forward carefully, more dirt rained down on her. Finally spotting the figure ahead of her, Sara felt a surge of strength as the adrenaline kicked in.

Reaching her goal, she maneuvered the best she could in the small opening. She began looking the person over, assessing his potential injuries. "Hi, my name's Sara. We're gonna get you out of here," she explained surveying the situation. His right leg was clearly trapped. "What's your name?"

A small smirk crossed his face, "Matt. Who's we, or do you always refer to yourself in plurals."

Trying to remain serious she couldn't hide the slight smile. "It was the royal 'we'. Does your neck hurt?" she continued with her checklist.

Shaking his head, "No just my leg. It's stuck."

Sara leaned over him and tested the weight pinning him. They both felt a slight rumble. The urgency kicked in again, "Ok, I'm going to lift up and I want you to pull yourself forward. Do you think you can do that?"

"I'll try," he offered.

Sara lifted the weight. Fear gripped her as the ground beneath her began shaking. She looked at the man below her as he pulled himself forward. Once he was free, she let go of the metal, and grabbed Matt's shirt.

"No! You can't pull me the entire way. Leave me," he pleaded as dirt and debris fell down.

"I'm not leaving you, use your good leg to push," she yelled at him. "We're getting out of here!" Hoping she would keep that promise she continued to pull, feeling the muscles in her arms and shoulders strain.

She focused on the light ahead of her. "We're almost there, keep pushing!"

The structure rumbled in response. Dirt blurred her vision, and suddenly the light disappeared.

Sara collapsed.

---/---

"Stop! Everyone stop!" a booming voice commanded.

Sara felt the plexi-glass to her left move as the wall opened. Looking up, her eyes locked on the man that owned the voice. 'He only smiles on test day,' she thought to herself as she considered their instructor.

He reached out, and grabbed her hand, lifting her out of the 'rubble' in one smooth motion as if she didn't weigh a thing. "Thanks Sarge."

Sara watched as another classmate did the same for Matt. "Leave me he says," she said to him.

Matt stood, and smiled down at her. "They tell us to say that," he replied, eyes sparkling.

"He was right," Sergeant Whitford interrupted and began instructing the rest of the class. "The hardest decision to make in search and rescue is making The Call."

Sara walked past Matt, trying to get to her seat.

He leaned in. "So are we a princess or a queen?" he whispered.

She punched him square in the chest, causing him to fall back into the training device. Walking away with a smirk, she looked over at her instructor.

"Sidle, no matter how big a pain in the ass the victim is, we generally don't put them back after we rescue them," he explained, humor threaded through his statement.

"Sorry Sarge, it won't happen again," she answered smiling at Matt as he awkwardly stood again and headed for his seat.

---/---

"To not dying!" Matt yelled as he brought the shot glass up to his mouth, Sara followed suit along with the rest of her class.

She winced as the tequila burned down her throat. Slamming the shot glass down on the bar, she blinked rapidly. Being a workaholic was murder on her tolerance.

"Don't like the hard stuff?" her suitemate asked.

"Not so much Beth," she replied honestly, squeezing her eyes tightly.

Matt draped his arm around her shoulders. "Are you drunk already Sidle?" he asked with a slur.

Pushing his arm away, Sara rubbed her eyes, "No it's the smoke, but I think I'm getting inebriated off your breath Mackenzie."

Before they could say more, and enthusiastic officer rushed past, "Sarge started a game of crud!" His statement cleared out the bar area as their classmates moved to the pool table in the adjacent room.

Sara smirked as she noted Matt Mackenzie was not going anywhere she wasn't.

Throwing cash down next to his drink he signaled the bartender. "Lee, two more!" he ordered.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she warned him.

"Oh com'on. Anything with you is a good idea," he commented placing his hand on hers.

Strategically spinning her stool to place a small barrier between them, she sighed. "Matt, I'm seeing someone."

Mustering his most serious face he whispered, "I'm seeing you, and you're beautiful."

The laugh she tried to stifle erupted, "But if I wasn't, and I was a sucker for cheesy pick up lines, you would be high on the list."

Their shots arrived and his smile returned, "Bottom's up!"

Sara groaned, and took her shot like a champ. In truth the survival, search and rescue course proved to be some of the hardest training she had ever experienced. After three weeks of demanding course work, and even more grueling physical training, she was ready to celebrate. The class of 30 law enforcement personnel had bonded quickly, but the night before graduation was the only night their hard nose instructor permitted them to party.

Her companion looked her way again, "So Sidle, what brings a CSI from Las Vegas up to Spokane for search and rescue training?"

Finally feeling that he had given up on making a move on her, Sara relaxed slightly. "I volunteered to be on call as a special duty. It's doubtful I will ever really need to use it, but it's good training to have," she explained. "The team is brand new, that's why we had six people here from LVPD too."

"I know, I saw. I was jealous. You're whole team got to train together. That's going to be a huge advantage if you're ever called up," he replied knowingly.

"I heard you hit it off with the guys," she commented finding herself enjoying the time to socialize.

He nodded, "I'm going to crash with O'Donnell for a week on my way back to Denver."

Looking toward the officer in question in the next room, she couldn't help but shake her head, "Mackenzie and O'Donnell hitting the Las Vegas strip? I'll make sure the female population is thoroughly warned.

Placing his hand over his heart, he staggered theatrically, "You wound me Sidle."

Before she could reply, a loud shout echoed from the pool room, "That can't be good," she noted and headed toward the action.

---/---

'1 a.m.' Sara glanced at her watch as she stiffly climbed up her stairs. Their last test had left her so sore every step was painful. She had also been in such a hurry to get home, she only stopped for gas along the way. Her muscles were protesting loudly.

Finally making it to her door, she entered, dropped her bags immediately, and headed for her bed.

Removing only her jeans, she flopped comfortably onto her pillow. "Oh I missed you," she mumbled snuggling into the covers.

An arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, "I missed you too."

Sara smiled, "I was talking to my pillow. But now that you mention it, I missed you too Grissom. You didn't wait up," she finished sounding disappointed.

Grissom pulled her tightly against his chest, "I just worked 36 hours straight. Someone left me short staffed for three weeks."

Relaxing against him, she wrapped her fingers around his and brought his hand up to her mouth. She placed a soft kiss on the back of his hand, and twisted to look at his face.

His lips quickly met hers, drawing her into a passionate kiss.

Breaking away, Sara put her hand up to his mouth, and studied his face for a moment, "That was nice."

He hummed quietly, "I try."

A wicked smile crossed her face, "Ok, well leave me alone now. I've been dreaming of some quality time with my pillow for three weeks."

Grissom watched her roll over and fluff said pillow. Leaning over he whispered in her ear, "I bet I can make you forget all about that pillow."

Sara's laughter echoed through the bedroom, as he trailed kisses down her neck.

TBC…