No One Said It Would Be Easy

Chapter 3 – When Your Father Pulls Up In a Mercedes Benz

Disclaimers in chapter one

Thank you everyone who has reviewed I'm glad you like the story so far!!

A/N I checked Woodstock was in 69 so it works with the bday they have for Sara. Also on the map I looked at it's spelled Tomales but on the site it's Tamales so I'm not sure which is right. I went with what the map said.

Saturday

Tomales Bay

Sara laid her head back on the sand Matthew was running and playing not far from her on the water's edge. He happily splashed his grandmother who splashed him back. Sara's father was laying next to her a magazine over his face, trying to sleep. She turned and contemplated him. Feeling her gaze he lifted the magazine.

"What's up Sunshine?"

"I think I'm going to take Matt to Vegas." Her dad sat up surprised.

"You are?"

"Yeah, Griss called and also thought it was a good idea, plus I want Matt to know my life there, to know my friends. I really need to see Nick, I can't get him out of my head. I need him to know how I feel, and I need to know how he feels. I know he may not feel the same way that I do, but it can't hurt to try right?"

"I think this is the best thing you have done in three years. Sara if you love Nick you need to tell him. Especially since the Tiger is in the picture."

"Dad, Nick isn't Matt's father."

"Are you positive?" her father asked his right eyebrow shooting to his forehead.

"Dad, Nick and I were never together that way. We were always just good friends, in my case with unresolved issues as well. If you look at Nick and look at Matt you can tell Nick isn't the father." she said flopped back to the sad with a sigh. Sara stared up at the clouds above her until the sun got to bright, and then slammed her eyes shut.

"Sunshine, do you love him?" her dad asked even though he knew the answer.

"Yes, but it scares me because he may not love me back and I have Matthew to think of now. But I think I would be miserable if I didn't at least ask, you know what I mean?"

"Yup, I know exactly what you mean. Do you know the story of how your mom and I got together?" Sara sat up and looked at him curiously, shaking her head no. "Well we met at Woodstock," Sara groaned. "Hey do you want to hear this or not"

"Yeah I do I just didn't expect you to say you met at Woodstock."

"Oh, well anyway, we met at Woodstock, and she was with a guy at the time. In fact they were engaged to be married the next summer. Plus I was with a group of buddies; we were looking to...well that's not important. Maggie started hanging out with our group and her boyfriend got mad and took her away, but Mags was able to get me an address. So I kinda was like 'well she's getting married there isn't anything I can do' so I went home. Tried to forget about the gorgeous brunette I had met. We were apart for about a year and I couldn't stop thinking about her so I wrote a letter, not thinking that I would get a response, but just under a month later I got a response. It turned out she hadn't gotten married and was still thinking about me.

"To make a long story short I went to Michigan and got her. That was in October of 1970. We got married in January of '71 and you were born in October. That's our story, I know it's not that romantic, but we had only seen each other that one time but had made an impression. We knew, just like I think you know about Nick. You can't let love like that go Sunshine, your heart will never be happy without it." Sara looked at her dad a tear glimmered in her eye, her parent's story was so similar to what she hoped would happen with herself and Nick, it was almost scary.

"Mommy!" screeched Matthew from the water's edge. "Come look and me and gramma's castle!" Sara glanced once more at her father who was settling back on the sand the magazine back over his face, who knew the old fart was such a romantic?

Monday

San Francisco

Sara walked into work with a bounce to her step; she was only twenty minutes early which surprised some of her staff. Usually she came in about forty-five minutes to an hour early. The next CSI below her came up to her anxiously.

"Sara, I thought you were coming in early. I needed to brief you on my case."

"Actually Scott I'm taking some time off you are going to be in charge," Scott stopped in shock and nearly dropped his file.

"Um, what?"

"I'm not kidding," they walked into the break room and Sara grabbed a coffee and the newest Forensic Magazine then started toward her office, trusting that Scott would be behind her.

"When do you plan on leaving?" he asked as they reached her office. She motioned for him to sit down then started rustling through her disarray of a desk.

"Wednesday."

"Next Wednesday?" he asked hopefully.

"No as in two days from today Wednesday. Look Scott you can handle this. I wouldn't leave the lab in your hands if I didn't have faith in you." Sara kept rummaging in her desk until she found a leave form.

"Well ok, but how long will you be gone?"

"Honestly right now I'm not sure, not less then two weeks though. I am going back to Vegas Scott. I have a position there that is being held for me and I'm going back to see if I want it."

"What! Does the sheriff know about this?"

"He has always known that the position was being held yes. Anyway I took this position because the lab was in desperate need of someone and I was in need for a change, but I miss home now and Vegas is my home."

"You are going to uproot Matthew?"

"He is only three Scott, and I think he would have a wonderful atmosphere in Vegas. Why are you getting so upset about this?"

"Because we are all going to be sad to see you go. We have grown leaps and bounds since you have been here Sara and we don't want to lose you."

"Well I'm sorry Scott, but my life was in Vegas and I need to see if it is still there. If it isn't I will be back I promise. But to tell you the truth I hope that it is."

"Well," Scott sat looking at his hands. "I hope whatever you decide you are happy. We will miss you greatly though Sara I hope you know that."

"I do, and I really enjoyed my time here. I also know that you don't need me as much as you used to. There are two new CSI's who are well on their way and you will make a wonderful leader Scott." Scott stood and shook Sara's hand.

"It has been a pleasure Sara, a real pleasure," Sara just smiled.