Hello! This is my first CSI fanfic but recently, I've had a few ideas floating around my head. I finally had the courage to try and get one of them on paper..well kind of on paper. So please, be kind as this is the first time I'm trying to write Sara or Grissom. Both of them are very complex and trying to channel them was harder than I thought.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or the characters. God, I wish I did. If I did, GSR would have had many more moments in the original run of the show and they wouldn't have left each other like that did.

A/N: I know some thought Sara calling Ecklie first was out of character. And to a point it is but this chapter should hopefully clear up why he was the first call. I also want to thank you all for favoriting, following and reviewing this story. It means the world to me.

Disconnecting the call, Sara did not wait for the older man to reply to her about meeting at the time of day. He would still be at the lab, she knew that and this could not wait because if it did, she did not know if she would still have it within herself to go through it. It needed to happen and it needed to happen now if it was going to work out for the better.

Sara took a sharp intake of cool, crisp air, closing her eyes as she stood on the sidewalk. She needed to steel herself for a moment. She needed to bring the tears back into the prison and get herself back under control. Exhaling, she slipped the phone back into her pocket and started walking back down the strip of Las Vegas, back towards the lab. Sure, she knew flagging down another taxi and getting a ride back would have been faster and easier but she needed the time. She needed to think over everything and give herself a moment.

Part of it was that she was scared she would run into Grissom. That he would have already read the letter she left waiting. She knew she needed to face him but she did not want that conversation to take place in the lab. The things she wanted and needed to talk to him about needed to take place in his home...in their home. Not in the hustle and bustle of their work place. They were private people and this conversation above all needed to be held away from all things work related.

The walk to the lab didn't seem to take as long as Sara had imagined it would. During her walk, she took in the sights around her for what seemed like the first time. She had never really paid much attention to the glitz and glamour of Sin City. Yes, she knew the names of the casinos and how to get from one to the other. She knew how to direct a lost tourists to the show that they were looking for and she knew some of the best places to eat off the strip, where an apple juice didn't cost you eight dollars. But she never actually took in the sights, the sounds and the beauty of the place she called home.

The brunette stopped at the stairs that lead into the lab. Turning her head to the left, she noticed Catherine's denali parked near Grissom's and Nick's. Their personal vehicles gone for the day. That would make this slightly easier. She turned to look back to the door. Her breathe catching in her throat. She had never been the type to admit she needed help or to be open with how she was feeling. She had learned from a young age to hide it away thanks to her father. That if she put on a smile and acted happy, no one questioned you. No one worried.

It's now or never, Sara.

Her hand reached out and gripped the railing, using it to help pull herself in the direction that she needed. Her knuckles turning white from the strong hold on the cold metal.

One foot in front of the other. Baby steps. One by one, she made her way back up the stone stairs and into the building. Keeping her eyes downcast, avoiding meeting eye contact with someone who might stop and question her, Sara made her way down the all to familiar halls, turning right and then left before making it to Ecklie's office.

Another pause.

Slowly, Sara reached her hand up, fist balled and rasped on the door twice before lowering her hand back to her side.

She waited for a moment, turning her head ever so slightly as she listened for the sound of Ecklie's voice telling her to enter.

Once she heard the command of enter given from the offices occupant, Sara reached forward, took the handle and turned, pushing the door to swing in towards the office and took a few steps into the thrust-hold. She closed the door behind her, making sure it was fully closed. He already at the blinds pulled down over the windows to keep prying eyes from invading the the meeting and flying around the lab with rumors.

She was grateful for that at this moment. She wasn't ready to answer all the questions from the techs around the lab or for their stares as she made her way down the halls. Sara moved over towards his desk, pulling the strap of her bag over her head and placing it on the floor as she took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Ecklie.

Sara and Ecklie never saw eye to eye. He never really liked her, or at least that's how it always seemed. She was the one hand picked by Grissom to join his team on the graveyard shift. She had one of the highest solve rates at the lab. Her attitude and short temper at times also did not bode well with the lab director. Nor did the fact that for two years, Grissom and Sara had hid the fact they were now romantically involved. It never effected their work, it never got in the way of the cases they were paired on, Grissom never showed favoritism with her. If anything, there were times when he would be harder on her than the rest of the team. Making her push herself to be the best he knew she could be. But they were private people. They did not want their private home life mixing with their work. They also did not want to break the team up again. It was not pleasant the last time it happened and they worked so hard to all be back together.

Ecklie had pulled Sara's file, it was laying open on the desk in front of him. He had looking through the file since she had called and stated that they had to talk. He knew what had happened to her just a few short months ago. She had only taken the required time off for her arm to heal. Even then, she was back to work with her arm still in a sling. She hadn't sought out counseling but did meet once with the department psychiatrist to be cleared to return to field work.

Ecklie looked up towards the younger woman before him. "You said we needed to talk." He was trying to not sound as brash as he normally would with her. Sara looked up for the first time since entering the room, making eye contact with him. In that moment, he could see that she was barely holding on. For once in the eight years he had known and worked around Sara Sidle, he could see beyond that strong exterior that she kept on display for all around her to see. "I'd ask how you're doing..." He trailed off for a moment.

"I'm not fine." She cut in. Whenever someone asked Sara how she was, no matter what she was truly feeling, her go to answer was "I'm fine." But here she was, admitting that she wasn't. Sara straightened her back, sitting up a taller as she inhaled, willing her nerves and emotions to settle so that she could get through this.

"I need help."