Title: Picture this

Summary: Sara comes back from her vacation, Grissoms in a sulk. Response to Unbound challenge. I've been lucky enough to do the things that Sara does in this story and I can highly recommend Goa to anyone thinking of going (I've been 6 times).

Disclaimer: As I've said before. These characters do not belong to me, if they did I'd take better care of them!

Sara read her journal, ignoring the pouting figure seated opposite of her.

She thought people stopped sulking when they left their teenage years behind, Grissom was proving her wrong. Every time Grissom's eyes strayed to the wall behind her his face was getting darker and darker. She never thought that she would think this but Grissom was severely getting on her nerves.

After the DIU incident she had fled half way across the world and spent 4 weeks with friends of her parents in Goa. Mari (short for Marigold) and Sol had settled down in the Indian state after following the hippy trail in the early 70's. Strangely enough they had ended up in the same trade as her parents, running a guest house in Arpora on the northern coast of Goa. She had arrived in as a complete wreck and Mari had instantly taken her under her wing. She insisted that each morning started with an hours meditation and was astounded that, despite Sara's parentage, she had learned how to clear her mind and focus on her "inner being".

"Mind you your folks were always a bit strange," this made Sara laugh for the first time in what seemed like months. Mainly because as she said it Mari was shaking her hands over Sara's head trying to get rid of her negative energy.

It had been a wonderful holiday and just what Sara had needed. Whilst she was there Mari and Sol's son, Enrique, had made it his personal mission to ensure that Sara had the most relaxing time she could remember.

He had insisted on taking her all round Goa meeting family and friends. She found that the Goan people were open, friendly and generous hosts. She had washed elephants, camped out on secluded beaches, haggled with market traders and sat in peaceful temples. She had reconnected with herself and seen things other than death, destruction and chaos. Whilst there was never any doubt that she would return to Las Vegas, she had rung Grissom half way through the break to extend her two weeks leave to four. He'd not said anything at that time, but when she had phoned Nicky, which she did every week, he said that Grissom had been worried that she wasn't coming back and words like "bear", "sore" and "head" could be used to describe his mood.

She'd also kept in touch with Nick and Warwick via email and had sent lots of photo's of the places she was visiting and the things she was doing. There were pictures of her catching supper straight from the sea, pointing excitedly at dolphins, trying to learn intricate Indian dance steps, and watching the sunset going down over the Arabian Sea. The one thing all the pictures had in common was that Sara was smiling in all of them, the big knock 'em dead Sara Sidle smile of old.

What she hadn't realised was that Nick and Warwick had been printing off the photo's and had made a montage called "Sara's Great Big Indian Adventure" which was now stuck on the break room wall behind her. What she also hadn't realised was that Enrique appeared on the majority of the pictures, usually with his arm around her and a big grin on his face.

She'd heard from Nick that every time a picture went up with Enrique on it, Grissoms mood got sourer and sourer. Knowing her friend he probably went out of his way to ensure that Grissom knew what a great time she was having and how Enrique was taking care of her.

Tonight was Sara's first night back at the lab, she'd settled down with a journal waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. Grissom had walked in about 10 minutes ago and had greeted her with a smile and a "It's good to have you back, Sara". He'd sat opposite her and his mood had gotten darker as he kept glancing at the wall behind her. She hid a grin behind her journal and tried to think of a way to get Grissom out of this sulky mood.

"Enrique is coming over to Las Vegas in a couple of months time." She said. "I'm sure he'd like to meet you and the rest of the team. I've told him all about everyone." Grissom started and if anything his lips pouted further and his eyebrows looked as though they would meet in the middle he was frowning that much.

"That will be really nice for you." He ground out, as he stood up to leave the break room.

"It'll be even nicer for his girlfriend, Cristina, she works at the Rampart as a croupier." Sara lifted her eyes from the journal. "You really had nothing to worry about Grissom. I may have been hundreds of miles away, but my heart was always in Vegas. I was always coming back to you.....all"

Grissom looked up and met her eyes and had the grace to look ashamed.

"I'm happy you had a good time, Sara, but I'm even happier that your back. We've all missed you," as he turned to go Sara caught the end of his sentence "especially me."

That was easier than Sara thought it would be.