Summary: After viewing a horrific accident, Sara makes some hard decisions about her life. Obviously, a Sara-centered story, but with lots of friendship and a little bit of G/S at the end.
Rating: R for subject matter
A/N: No real spoilers. Thanks to Burked and all the others who previewed this for me.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own anything related to CSI. If I did, I'd be on a tropical beach right now.
Chapter 58
Sara quickly made her way through the concourse of McCarran International Airport, heading towards another arrival gate. Her stride was confident, her mood optimistic and her smile infectious, prompting similar responses from the various people she passed. For the first time in ages, she had looked forward to returning to Las Vegas.
Rounding a corner, her smile faded when she saw the media horde in front of her. Letting out a sigh, she slipped on her sunglasses, and worked her way around the side of the throng. She knew there would be coverage, but she never expected this.
Teresa Hernandez and her parents were due back from Baltimore in a few minutes. The little girl's ordeal and recovery had garnered national attention, and an outpouring of support. Now that her condition had improved enough for her to continue her recovery at home, local interest in her story had re-emerged.
A brief homecoming would be held in one of the airport's lounges, where Teresa's school friends and some community representatives would welcome her back. Afterwards, a small private party for family would be held at the Hernandez home.
Sara had been invited to both, and couldn't wait to see her young friend again. She had maintained contact with the family during their stay at Johns Hopkins, but this would be their first face-to-face meeting since before Sara went to California.
Leaning against a far wall, she waited patiently for the plane to taxi to the terminal. It had been nearly two weeks since her last-minute trip to visit with Grissom. Her smile returned as she remembered their talks, both that evening and over the subsequent phone calls.
She'd been afraid that her latest outburst had damaged their relationship, but instead it had served as a catalyst. Grissom had started to open to her, to trust her. Even his e-mail messages started to reveal little glimpses, as he volunteered anecdotes from his past, and mentioned concerns about cases. There was still room for improvement - on both of their parts - but things were looking better.
His increased faith in her was making the thought of permanently returning to Vegas more palatable. Sara's concerns about her self-confidence still existed, but she was starting to feel more comfortable with returning to the department. If nothing else, she was certain she could at least take a technical position within in the lab.
Unfortunately, she wouldn't have a chance to spend much time with Grissom on this trip; he had to work tonight and she to be back in Santa Barbara in the morning. She did plan on visiting the lab before leaving, and that promised to be interesting.
Despite his assurances that it wasn't necessary, Sara intended to keep their relationship under wraps. She understood the thought of the others knowing about them at this stage still made him uneasy. At this point, she didn't mind the discretion, if it helped him.
His being her supervisor complicated their relationship, but Sara felt it was something they could work around. She hadn't been surprised when Grissom told her Mobley's position that as long as they were discreet, it would be overlooked. Practically all work places had no-fraternization policies, but 15 percent of the population met their spouse at work. Far more had romantic relationships that would never lead to the altar.
Once she came back, though, they would need to let the others know. It would only be a matter of time before they figured it out, and it would be better if they told them outright. Besides, pretending nothing was going on could be fun once, but she wasn't going to lie to her friends.
His relief at her decision to respect his privacy had been noticeable, even though he tried to keep it hidden. Sara decided to reassure him she was sympathetic to his concerns when they met again. He had a three-day break coming up, and would be flying out to California on Monday.
Sara's reflection on the upcoming meetings was interrupted by a syrupy voice she had hoped to never hear again.
"Ms. Sidle."
Turning her head slowly, Sara dropped her head so she could stare at Lynda Darby from over the top of her sunglasses. Luckily, none of the other reporters had noticed them in the isolated alcove.
"Ms. Sidle, a pleasure to see you again," Darby gushed, pulling out a tape recorder. Her fake sincerity wilted under Sara's steady stare.
"I'm sure it is," she said calmly, steeling her nerves. Despite her wishes to return to the field, Sara wasn't going to burn her bridges. If she had to take a position with Public Affairs, she couldn't alienate the press, no matter how much she wanted to tell Darby where to put her tape recorder.
"Are you looking forward to seeing Teresa again?"
"Yes." Sara forced the smile onto her face. Her determination rose when she saw the reporter's irritated expression. Darby wasn't going to get to her. No way. Not here, not with a slew of cameras just down the hall.
Darby tried to match her smile, but felt her temper rising. Her dreams of riding the bus accident into glory had gone down in flames. Her sneaking into Teresa's room had backfired on her. While it gave her a great scoop, it had turned her into a pariah. She'd been shutout of the hospital. The Hernandez family refused to talk to anyone from the paper.
More importantly, her leads within the Clark County Sheriff's Department had dried out.
And something big was up. She just hadn't been able to pinpoint what exactly had been going on.
She'd come to the airport, knowing there was no way they could prevent her from attending the homecoming in such a public place. All she'd hoped for was an interview with some of the kids, or teachers. Finding Sidle, alone, was a stroke of luck. She might get another incredible scoop after all.
"Ms. Sidle, is it true you've left CSI?" Darby asked, deciding to cut straight to the chase.
"No," Sara stated firmly.
Darby looked up at her, trying to determine if she was lying. Sidle had practically disappeared a couple months ago. She hadn't been spotted at any crimes scenes, entering or leaving the lab or her apartment. Her phone had been disconnected as well.
"You weren't at the presentation at the mayor's office when your 'special review' was commended," Darby said, placing a heavy emphasis on the phrase.
"No, I wasn't."
Sara felt the tension leave as Darby fretted. She'd been worried about encountering the press, but this was fun. She could tell the reporter was desperate for information, and she didn't have to give it to her.
"Why not?" the reporter demanded.
"I was in California visiting my parents," she said lightly, enjoying Darby's discomfort.
"Why?"
Sara actually smirked at Darby's pout.
"Why are they my parents?" she asked innocently.
Darby glared at the other woman, her temper threatening to erupt. It had been a stupid question, but Sidle was getting on her nerves.
"You passed up a ceremony to visit your parents?" she asked as if it had been a stupid move.
"Yes."
"Your parents?"
Sara kept her laughter under control. Darby had been incredulous.
"Yes. I have parents. They're a matched set. A mother and a father," she said in mock-seriousness.
Darby shifted position, moving closer to Sara, holding the tape recorder directly in her face. The intimidation didn't work. Sara straightened to her full height, towering over the reporter, although she was in heels. Darby took a step back, but maintained an aggressive stance.
"Ms. Sidle, you haven't been spotted working any crime scenes in months. Why?"
Sara shrugged briefly. "I've been in California."
"For months?"
"Yes." Sara answered honestly. There were too many ways for Darby to find out if she'd been at work. The truth was bound to come out some time, and she wanted it to be under her terms.
"Why?" Darby asked eagerly. Sidle had a reputation for a workaholic. Even if she had had that much vacation time accrued, it would have taken something to make her leave work for so long.
"I took a four-month leave-of-absence."
"Why?"
"I wanted to get out of town for a while. I wasn't comfortable with all the attention. I couldn't do my job with all the press coverage. A friend at the University of California needed a hand while one of his workers took a sabbatical. I offered to fill in for him."
Darby's glee faded quickly. Sidle was still considered a hero in the community. She probably even deserved the status. If word got out that she had been prevented from doing her job because of the press, Darby knew she'd be in even bigger trouble. Her scoop could kill her career.
"University of California? That's where you went to graduate school?" Darby asked, trying to find a story somewhere.
"Yes."
"Are you planning on returning to complete your doctorate?"
"No, not at this time."
"So, you will be returning to the crime lab?" Darby clarified.
"Yes. I will," Sara stated. In some capacity, at least, she added to herself.
A cheer caught both of their attentions. Looking up, Sara smiled sadly as she saw Teresa being wheeled into the waiting area by her father, and her mother by her side. The girl was pale and obviously tired. Angry, red scars marred the exposed parts of her body, showing the extent of her injuries from the accident.
"Excuse me," Sara said distractedly, slipping off her glasses and heading to join the Hernandez family. Teresa grinned when she spotted her approaching.
"Sara!"
Returning the grin, Sara ignored the whirl of cameras as she knelt beside the girl, and gingerly hugged her.
"Hey, I missed you," she said softly, tenderly brushing a strand of hair from her face. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm tired, but I'm glad to be home."
"I bet you are. Here," Sara said, fishing a package out of her jacket pocket. "This if for you."
"Wow," Teresa said when she unwrapped the box to find a locket inside. "Thanks," she whispered, before wrapping a frail arm around Sara's neck.
"Let me give you a hand," she said, blinking back her tears as she fastened the chain behind the girl's neck Leaning back on her heels, Sara smiled and reached to turn the locket over.
"There's an inscription on the back of it. 'Friends forever.' That's what I'll always be. You can call me anytime you need anything, okay?"
"Thanks," Teresa said again. "Can I have a photo of you to put in it?"
"Sure," Sara said, wiping at her eyes, the earnest request surprising her. "I'll bring you one the next time I visit. I'm doing some work in California for a few more weeks, so I can't visit often, but I'll try to see you as often as I can."
"Okay."
Standing up, Sara greeted Teresa's parents, before they headed to the lounge. She smiled openly under the onslaught of flashbulbs and reporter's questions. Even the press couldn't ruin her mood tonight.
Sara's smile took on a satisfied quality when she saw Darby trying to interview various well-wishers, only to be snubbed by everyone. As they entered the lounge, she saw the reported walking dejectedly away.
Rating: R for subject matter
A/N: No real spoilers. Thanks to Burked and all the others who previewed this for me.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own anything related to CSI. If I did, I'd be on a tropical beach right now.
Chapter 58
Sara quickly made her way through the concourse of McCarran International Airport, heading towards another arrival gate. Her stride was confident, her mood optimistic and her smile infectious, prompting similar responses from the various people she passed. For the first time in ages, she had looked forward to returning to Las Vegas.
Rounding a corner, her smile faded when she saw the media horde in front of her. Letting out a sigh, she slipped on her sunglasses, and worked her way around the side of the throng. She knew there would be coverage, but she never expected this.
Teresa Hernandez and her parents were due back from Baltimore in a few minutes. The little girl's ordeal and recovery had garnered national attention, and an outpouring of support. Now that her condition had improved enough for her to continue her recovery at home, local interest in her story had re-emerged.
A brief homecoming would be held in one of the airport's lounges, where Teresa's school friends and some community representatives would welcome her back. Afterwards, a small private party for family would be held at the Hernandez home.
Sara had been invited to both, and couldn't wait to see her young friend again. She had maintained contact with the family during their stay at Johns Hopkins, but this would be their first face-to-face meeting since before Sara went to California.
Leaning against a far wall, she waited patiently for the plane to taxi to the terminal. It had been nearly two weeks since her last-minute trip to visit with Grissom. Her smile returned as she remembered their talks, both that evening and over the subsequent phone calls.
She'd been afraid that her latest outburst had damaged their relationship, but instead it had served as a catalyst. Grissom had started to open to her, to trust her. Even his e-mail messages started to reveal little glimpses, as he volunteered anecdotes from his past, and mentioned concerns about cases. There was still room for improvement - on both of their parts - but things were looking better.
His increased faith in her was making the thought of permanently returning to Vegas more palatable. Sara's concerns about her self-confidence still existed, but she was starting to feel more comfortable with returning to the department. If nothing else, she was certain she could at least take a technical position within in the lab.
Unfortunately, she wouldn't have a chance to spend much time with Grissom on this trip; he had to work tonight and she to be back in Santa Barbara in the morning. She did plan on visiting the lab before leaving, and that promised to be interesting.
Despite his assurances that it wasn't necessary, Sara intended to keep their relationship under wraps. She understood the thought of the others knowing about them at this stage still made him uneasy. At this point, she didn't mind the discretion, if it helped him.
His being her supervisor complicated their relationship, but Sara felt it was something they could work around. She hadn't been surprised when Grissom told her Mobley's position that as long as they were discreet, it would be overlooked. Practically all work places had no-fraternization policies, but 15 percent of the population met their spouse at work. Far more had romantic relationships that would never lead to the altar.
Once she came back, though, they would need to let the others know. It would only be a matter of time before they figured it out, and it would be better if they told them outright. Besides, pretending nothing was going on could be fun once, but she wasn't going to lie to her friends.
His relief at her decision to respect his privacy had been noticeable, even though he tried to keep it hidden. Sara decided to reassure him she was sympathetic to his concerns when they met again. He had a three-day break coming up, and would be flying out to California on Monday.
Sara's reflection on the upcoming meetings was interrupted by a syrupy voice she had hoped to never hear again.
"Ms. Sidle."
Turning her head slowly, Sara dropped her head so she could stare at Lynda Darby from over the top of her sunglasses. Luckily, none of the other reporters had noticed them in the isolated alcove.
"Ms. Sidle, a pleasure to see you again," Darby gushed, pulling out a tape recorder. Her fake sincerity wilted under Sara's steady stare.
"I'm sure it is," she said calmly, steeling her nerves. Despite her wishes to return to the field, Sara wasn't going to burn her bridges. If she had to take a position with Public Affairs, she couldn't alienate the press, no matter how much she wanted to tell Darby where to put her tape recorder.
"Are you looking forward to seeing Teresa again?"
"Yes." Sara forced the smile onto her face. Her determination rose when she saw the reporter's irritated expression. Darby wasn't going to get to her. No way. Not here, not with a slew of cameras just down the hall.
Darby tried to match her smile, but felt her temper rising. Her dreams of riding the bus accident into glory had gone down in flames. Her sneaking into Teresa's room had backfired on her. While it gave her a great scoop, it had turned her into a pariah. She'd been shutout of the hospital. The Hernandez family refused to talk to anyone from the paper.
More importantly, her leads within the Clark County Sheriff's Department had dried out.
And something big was up. She just hadn't been able to pinpoint what exactly had been going on.
She'd come to the airport, knowing there was no way they could prevent her from attending the homecoming in such a public place. All she'd hoped for was an interview with some of the kids, or teachers. Finding Sidle, alone, was a stroke of luck. She might get another incredible scoop after all.
"Ms. Sidle, is it true you've left CSI?" Darby asked, deciding to cut straight to the chase.
"No," Sara stated firmly.
Darby looked up at her, trying to determine if she was lying. Sidle had practically disappeared a couple months ago. She hadn't been spotted at any crimes scenes, entering or leaving the lab or her apartment. Her phone had been disconnected as well.
"You weren't at the presentation at the mayor's office when your 'special review' was commended," Darby said, placing a heavy emphasis on the phrase.
"No, I wasn't."
Sara felt the tension leave as Darby fretted. She'd been worried about encountering the press, but this was fun. She could tell the reporter was desperate for information, and she didn't have to give it to her.
"Why not?" the reporter demanded.
"I was in California visiting my parents," she said lightly, enjoying Darby's discomfort.
"Why?"
Sara actually smirked at Darby's pout.
"Why are they my parents?" she asked innocently.
Darby glared at the other woman, her temper threatening to erupt. It had been a stupid question, but Sidle was getting on her nerves.
"You passed up a ceremony to visit your parents?" she asked as if it had been a stupid move.
"Yes."
"Your parents?"
Sara kept her laughter under control. Darby had been incredulous.
"Yes. I have parents. They're a matched set. A mother and a father," she said in mock-seriousness.
Darby shifted position, moving closer to Sara, holding the tape recorder directly in her face. The intimidation didn't work. Sara straightened to her full height, towering over the reporter, although she was in heels. Darby took a step back, but maintained an aggressive stance.
"Ms. Sidle, you haven't been spotted working any crime scenes in months. Why?"
Sara shrugged briefly. "I've been in California."
"For months?"
"Yes." Sara answered honestly. There were too many ways for Darby to find out if she'd been at work. The truth was bound to come out some time, and she wanted it to be under her terms.
"Why?" Darby asked eagerly. Sidle had a reputation for a workaholic. Even if she had had that much vacation time accrued, it would have taken something to make her leave work for so long.
"I took a four-month leave-of-absence."
"Why?"
"I wanted to get out of town for a while. I wasn't comfortable with all the attention. I couldn't do my job with all the press coverage. A friend at the University of California needed a hand while one of his workers took a sabbatical. I offered to fill in for him."
Darby's glee faded quickly. Sidle was still considered a hero in the community. She probably even deserved the status. If word got out that she had been prevented from doing her job because of the press, Darby knew she'd be in even bigger trouble. Her scoop could kill her career.
"University of California? That's where you went to graduate school?" Darby asked, trying to find a story somewhere.
"Yes."
"Are you planning on returning to complete your doctorate?"
"No, not at this time."
"So, you will be returning to the crime lab?" Darby clarified.
"Yes. I will," Sara stated. In some capacity, at least, she added to herself.
A cheer caught both of their attentions. Looking up, Sara smiled sadly as she saw Teresa being wheeled into the waiting area by her father, and her mother by her side. The girl was pale and obviously tired. Angry, red scars marred the exposed parts of her body, showing the extent of her injuries from the accident.
"Excuse me," Sara said distractedly, slipping off her glasses and heading to join the Hernandez family. Teresa grinned when she spotted her approaching.
"Sara!"
Returning the grin, Sara ignored the whirl of cameras as she knelt beside the girl, and gingerly hugged her.
"Hey, I missed you," she said softly, tenderly brushing a strand of hair from her face. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm tired, but I'm glad to be home."
"I bet you are. Here," Sara said, fishing a package out of her jacket pocket. "This if for you."
"Wow," Teresa said when she unwrapped the box to find a locket inside. "Thanks," she whispered, before wrapping a frail arm around Sara's neck.
"Let me give you a hand," she said, blinking back her tears as she fastened the chain behind the girl's neck Leaning back on her heels, Sara smiled and reached to turn the locket over.
"There's an inscription on the back of it. 'Friends forever.' That's what I'll always be. You can call me anytime you need anything, okay?"
"Thanks," Teresa said again. "Can I have a photo of you to put in it?"
"Sure," Sara said, wiping at her eyes, the earnest request surprising her. "I'll bring you one the next time I visit. I'm doing some work in California for a few more weeks, so I can't visit often, but I'll try to see you as often as I can."
"Okay."
Standing up, Sara greeted Teresa's parents, before they headed to the lounge. She smiled openly under the onslaught of flashbulbs and reporter's questions. Even the press couldn't ruin her mood tonight.
Sara's smile took on a satisfied quality when she saw Darby trying to interview various well-wishers, only to be snubbed by everyone. As they entered the lounge, she saw the reported walking dejectedly away.