Chapter 3

Warrick moved into the room and slipped onto a stool beside her. "Hey."

She looked up and smiled. "Hey War."

He returned her friendly smile and nudged her shoulder with his own. "I'm sorry about getting you into trouble, Sara."

She shrugged and turned back to her paperwork. "That's ok."

"It's not." He chuckled. Watching her silently for a second, he nudged her again. "Was he really angry?"

Thinking about this, she decided to tell the truth. "Very."

"Oh man," He groaned and buried his face into his hands. "I'm so sorry Sar." He mumbled.

"Hey, no big deal." She shrugged it off. "I've not seen him that angry before, but it was ok."

Warrick shook his head. "It's not ok. Damn Sara, I didn't think he'd be that mad. I figured he'd be pleased, you know, just like you said."

She stared at the writing before her eyes until the words blurred. "I guess I was wrong."

He waited a moment before sitting up and glancing over her work, but work was far from his mind right now. "How come you didn't tell us he was seeing this woman, Anna? You must have known a lot longer than yesterday."

Sara sighed and dropped her pen onto the table. "I only found out last night."

"Last night?" He asked, still confused.

She nodded. "I was being a friend and checking on him. Cath said he called in sick."

Warrick sat up. "Ah, and you stopped by his place."

"I guess I saw too much." She shrugged.

"Hey, he'll get over it." Warrick stood up and squeezed her shoulders. "Bye."

"Yeah, thanks War." Sara looked back at her work and sighed. "I don't know if I'll get over it though." She murmured sadly.

Four weeks later, the gossip tree was now well informed of Grissom's life outside work. The nightshift team seemed to accept it, well, so it would seem. For one person it was still hard to forget, let alone accept, immediately.

What did it matter that he was seeing someone? He deserved some happiness after all this time. She must have blocked out all the evidence he left behind. If she'd been looking, she would have seen that she was once again the second woman, only this time nothing had happened between her and Grissom.

No wonder he had been avoiding her. He must have figured out that she was trying to get his attention personally rather than professionally. Even when it was work related he seemed to see through her.

Was she really that much of an open book?

After trying to hide her feelings for so many years, she didn't realise that it wasn't worth it. She wondered if the other's had noticed too. If Grissom had figured it out, so would have the others. After all, they are trained and seasoned investigators.

"I guess I waited too long." She sighed, her eyes drifting away from her image in the mirror to the basin of warm water. She splashed the water over her face and breathed out slowly.

Collecting her things for work, she clipped her pager to her belt as she walked out the door.

Scanning the perimeter, as was her job nowadays it seemed, she searched for evidence and collected it by the book. Though she was not one to make a mistake when it came to collection, she did everything she could to concentrate and leave her shortcomings at home.

Warrick and Nick were casting numerous footprints by the victims bedroom window while Grissom and Catherine processed the inside.

Always the same. Grissom and Catherine doing to inside, Warrick and Nick on the outside and Sara, well, she did the perimeter. When she was asked, she would help the others, but mostly it was pass this, pass that. Grunt work never really bothered Sara, as she knew the cadets did a lot of the work for them. She was never one to take credit from those who deserve it.

Racking up her swabs in her field kit, she slowly combed the area around her once more before packing up and heading back to the lab.

Reaching the door quietly, Sara folded the envelope carefully so she didn't crease it, and pushed it through the letter box.

She released a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second as she turned and started back to her car.

"Can I help?" Anna's voice asked as she stood in Grissom's doorway.

Sara turned quickly in shock.

"Sorry." Anna smiled. "I didn't mean to make you jump."

Trying to relax and think of something to say, Sara stammered slightly. "Uh. I was just leaving Grissom a note." She pushed her hair from her eyes and nervously stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets.

"Oh, well… he should be back any second. Gil just drove to the store." Anna informed the jittery CSI. She stepped aside and waved her hand inside. "You can wait." She held up the envelope in her other hand.

Sara shook her head and gave a forced smile. "No, thanks. Uh, I think I'll just go home." She turned and tried hard not to run to her car.

Anna's voice echoed into the morning air. "Sara."

Stopping in her retreat, she turned slowly.

Anna sighed. "Come in for some coffee…" She paused and looked intently at Sara. "Please?"

Dropping her shoulders tiredly, Sara nodded and dragged her tired body up the few steps and hesitantly into Grissom's home. A place she had only been in twice. The first time was when she moved to Vegas and the second was the 'strip strangler' case four years back. It was an understatement to say she was nervous.

TBC