As she walked past his office, Sara silently prayed that he wouldn't notice her. She had been dreading this encounter since she had left the dinner this morning. She thought for one brief moment that she had made it to the safety of the public and oh so not private break room. A safe haven for her on this particular day, certainly. Of course this dream was broken by the deep voice of her boss. He didn't say much to get her attention. It was a well-known fact that Grissom was a man of very few words.

"Sara?" She turned at this of course, because, one her he was her boss, and two, she had to admit she did, for a short period of time, manage to convince her lonely sole that she did in fact love him. And what was even more ridicules was the idea that the feelings between them were mutual. Sara could not remember the day she had thrown her realistic mind out of the window, but she was sure it was around the day she met Gil Grissom.

His office was crowded as usual and full of creatures that she really wasn't keen on going near. He sat, and gestured for her to do so. She sat, and leaned back in the chair. She was reminded of one time when she was sent to the head teacher's office, her sitting and waiting for the 'teacher' to tell her what she could and couldn't do. Of course she never had a crush on the teacher when she was thirteen. Which only made her present situation seem worse.

"Vacation time, when did you have in mind," Grissom got right down to business, not wasting a second even to look up on his CSI. Sara took this as an insult, be decided that she'd already had one to many out bursts today. So instead she just replied in the most even tone she could muster.

"Well tomorrow," Sara answered, leaning forward waiting for his reply. She knew it was short notice, and she had been surprised when mike said he was coming so soon. Honestly, she had wanted more time to prepare for his arrival. She carried on when silence greeted her. "It would only be for a couple of days." This time, Grissom did look up, and sighed. Sara knew she wouldn't get her needed leave from this point. Sure enough she was right.

"Listen, there is no one who wants you to have time off more than me...but..."

"I don't believe this, all the pushing you do to get me to have time off and..." Grissom held up his hands to defend himself from her verbal insult.

"Warrick has already booked next week, he did so ages ago. And even though...

"Even though I deserve it, I can't have it," Sara got up and strode out of the door. This time she made her way to the break room, and nothing stopped her. Not even his voice. ****

As he stepped of the plane, a warm gust of air blew across the landscape in front of him. He was taken back for a moment, the sudden change in environment hitting him as soon as he had exited the large mechanical creature. Grunts and moans from behind made him aware that he was blocking angry passengers, and no doubt keeping them from their busy lives. But they unlike him had been on a plane as often as he had on the local bus at Tamales bay.

Mike walked down the large steps, slowly, making sure not to slip. He still couldn't understand how his life had managed to change so abruptly. Just a fortnight ago, he had been living a life that no one deserved. Scraping by on short-term jobs that barely delivered minimum wage. And then, his mother died. His sole reason for his existence had vanished from the world in mere seconds.

Locals had muttered it was the drink that did it. Her addiction had finally killed her off, leaving behind the only man who had ever cared. Her son. He had never left her, even as friends moved, he stayed. And people thought him strange because of it.

He had found her at 03.47 two Tuesdays ago. Sitting in her chair, whiskey by her side. He had thought then that this would be the biggest shock of his life, yet he ad been mistaken.

He didn't even know she had a will, but thinking back on it now, he wouldn't be surprised if she had forgotten about it herself. But when he opened that envelope, he could swear he had never seen that many naught in one sum of money.

Anger had hit him first, but it was subdued by a weird feeling of excitement. Now here he walked, in polished shoes, and a tailored suit, into the arrival area at the Vegas airport. And with no doubt about his coming back alone.

The taxi was there within seconds, and as he sat in, he liked the way the driver was intimidated by his expensive gear. He could get used to this.

"Vegas crime lab please."

**** I'm posting this now, and then going to write some more because this chapter was short, even for me. This is going to be a G/S and S/OC-Mike, sorry n/s fans. I like to read it but not write it.

I wrote this listening to mad world, because it's such a great song. The new version that is.

Should post again tomorrow.

Kate. -Review otherwise I might just disappear again.