Sara did not dash off to San Francisco immediately. She needed a few days to get her head around it, and once the decision was made, was happy to leave it for a week or so. None of the others pushed her, following her lead, although when they did set a date she was happy to let Catherine make the arrangements for flights and accommodation. The one thing they hadn't expected was the reaction from Dianne Curtis, who when Sofia idly announced it at dinner one day, looked on with something akin to grave concern.

Sara, once again, was led to appreciate that they actually had disappeared for nearly a full year, and that their collective families were not quite ready for the group to up stakes and dash off again, let alone so suddenly. Dianne swallowed hard, and seemed mute for a moment before she found her voice.

"That's sudden," she remarked.

"Sara needs to see her mother," Sofia argued, defensive. "We've been back a month and she hasn't had the chance."

"No, I understand that," Dianne said.

But she seemed to need another moment before she collected herself.

"You're all going?" she asked, casting an eye around at them all.

"Thought we'd keep her company," Nick said, evasive.

Dianne nodded to herself, but her eyes found Sara's. Sara saw a thousand questions burning from her eyes, most of which were laced with maternal concern, and Sara quickly took pity on her.

"I'm okay," she promised.

"We'll be back the following day," Grissom said. "It's just one night."

"Well look after each other," Dianne said, with a look to Sara that made her meaning plain.

"We always do," Sofia said.

Dianne had another condition, and that was that they warn their families they were going. This turned out to be wise, as while the group had not sensed it, it turned out that Nick and Catherine's families in particular were still very worried by their situation, and by what was coming across to their families as some odd behaviour. Sara knew that some things about their situation, in particular the strength of their bond, would never be fully understood by anyone who had not been present, but it was Dianne who had done much of the reassurance to their families, and who had largely led them all through the collective crisis. Nick's family, in particular, had only retreated to Texas on the understanding that Dianne was keeping an eye on things, and Lily Flynn had long accepted her leadership. But it was Lily in particular who had a very puzzled reaction when Catherine announced the trip, not understanding at all why all six of them had to dart off so suddenly to California, and Sara realised, with an awkward feeling, that she still had no idea about Sara's past. Catherine did not fill her in, but did vaguely mention that Sara needed some support, that her mother was ill, neither of which Sara disputed. She accepted them going, extracting a promise, however, that Catherine would call as soon as they landed, and reassure them they were safe.

The video call occurred two days later, in Sara's living room, and it was then that Sara introduced all her friends, and confirmed, for the first time, that Grissom was her fiancé. Grissom had spoken to her mother a few times before, reassuring her, but the subject of their engagement had never come up. Grissom turned on the charm, at his best, and by the end of the call she appeared to quite like him, despite being initially puzzled by the age difference, and by the fact that she had evidently slept with her boss. She also took well to her other four friends, who also were experts in charming her, and though the call was not overly long it went well. Catherine informed her that they were going to visit in a few days' time, and Sara saw that her mother looked relieved and pleased, even if she was confused by everything Sara was holding back.

The trip itself occurred four days later, when Sara had finally worked up the nerve to tackle it, and together the six of them headed to the airport. She was a bundle of nerves on the flight there, anticipating all the overwhelming questions on their disappearance which were sure to follow, and with Grissom lost in a book and not sensing her agitation, it was actually Sofia who caught her eye, and wordlessly moved into the chair next to her, and squeezed her hand. When they landed both Sofia and Catherine dutifully made calls back home, assuring everyone they were fine, and the group then settled into their hotel rooms, finding, to their surprise, that they had been upgraded to VIP suites. Apparently, their faces were still very recognisable. But it was mid-afternoon that they made their way over to the psychiatric hospital – Sara's mother having been admitted again during her absence – and that Sara finally faced everything that had been waiting for her.

She entered her private room to find her mother lying in bed, dressed in old pyjamas and waiting for her, and Sara tried to her best to smile.

"Hey Mom …" she said.

"Oh! Honey …"

Her mother's face collapsed into a tidal wave of maternal concern, and she even eased out of bed, moving a few steps to hug her. Sara let her mother embrace her, tightly and agitatedly, and tried to inject some reassurance into the hug before they at last parted.

"I'm okay," she said. "We're all right."

"What the hell happened?" her mother asked, face scrunching up with worry. She looked from one of them to the next, searching for answers.

"A little bit of a mishap," Nick supplied. "But we're okay."

"She wasn't hurt," Catherine assured, mother-to-mother. "She's okay."

"It's under wraps for now," Grissom added. "But we're actually doing quite well."

"Oh …"

Thankfully, this turned out to be more information than Sara's mother could handle, and Sara watched as much of it, and its implications, rolled straight past her, like a flock of birds that failed to stop. Instead, she said only one thing.

"You're not hurt?" she repeated.

"I'm fine," Sara assured, strongly. "I'm still in one piece."

She smiled to reinforce it, and her mother then, only finally accepted it.

"We looked after each other," Grissom said.

"Thank God …" she breathed.

But Sara watched as her mother finally relaxed, and only then seemed to notice that there were other people in the room. Wondering if she had forgotten after the speedy introductions over the video call, Sara introduced them again, just to be safe, but it was Grissom whom she was interested in.

"Weren't you her boss?" she queried, an air of puzzlement on her features.

"Yes, I was," Grissom admitted.

"Is that allowed?"

Sara saw the others give the slightest hint of a smile to themselves, sensing where this was heading.

"We're not in the lab anymore," Sara said.

"When it's right, it's right," Grissom said.

"Oh."

Little more of significance was said after that. They made small talk for a while, steering firmly away from any talk of what had happened to them, and then Nick charmed her, talking for a while about San Francisco, and some of its charms. She complimented Dianne and Jim, calling them "so kind and helpful", and after half an hour or so they wrapped the visit up. Sara, feeling a sudden burden of responsibility that she had neglected for twelve months, stopped by the nurses' station and arranged to speak with the doctor, getting an update on her condition, and after that they went back to the car.

It wasn't until they got back to the multi-deck car park, and Sara leaned against the side of their car, obscured from view, that she let out a long-held breath, and took a moment to take it all in.

"You doing okay?" Grissom asked, stopping beside her.

"That was intense," Sara complained.

It was almost too much to take in. It was extraordinary, now that she thought about it, the twists and turns her life had taken.

"She didn't seem too bad, Sara," Nick said, encouragingly, lingering with them between the cars.

"Didn't ask as many questions as I thought she might," Warrick added.

"She's not capable of it," Sara admitted. "It's too much."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Catherine said.

Sara nodded. It probably was.

She took a moment, letting the deserted quiet of the car park wash over her, and glanced out through a gap in a concrete window to see the view outside, the city beyond, all the way to the sunlit bay. It was a beautiful day, tranquil and peaceful, and for the first time she saw her entire life stretching out before her, its previous trials and tribulations, leading all the way up to where she stood now, with five of greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. Despite all their own problems, they were here even now, and their presence meant more than Sara ever knew how to express.

"Thank you for being here," she said, earnestly.

She looked around at them all.

"You're welcome," Sofia said.

"We're glad to help," Warrick echoed.

"You okay?" Catherine asked.

She looked at her keenly, concerned, the sunlight shining slightly on her red hair, and not getting an answer, she stepped slowly forward, and took her in her arms. Sara hugged her back, tearing up, and suddenly she fully appreciated why Catherine hugged them every day, why she kissed them often, why she expressed all of her emotions in a way that she hadn't previously. They had dodged death together, been through hell together, and all of them owed their lives to each other, to a bond that was stronger than anything Sara could ever have been blessed with.

"I love you guys," she whispered.

"We love you too, Sara," Nick said, eyes shining.

And that was all that needed to be said.

Thanks to everyone who has been supporting me on this fic - much appreciated. Thank you!