No One Said It Would Be Easy

Chapter 4 – He Said He Just Happened To Be In The Neighborhood

Disclaimers in chapter one

Thanks again for all that have reviewed, I really appreciate it. You'll soon see where its going don't worry, I just hope you like it!! Had kind of a hard time writing this one because it's mostly transition from San Francisco to Las Vegas.

Wednesday

San Francisco

Sara rushed around trying to make sure she had everything ready for their flight. Matt was happily playing with some trucks on the living room floor, not noticing his anxious mother flitting around the house. Sara was just zipping her bag shut when the cab's horn sounded.

"Ok Matt lets go." Matt jumped up and Sara put his backpack on him and they were off to the airport. Sara checked their luggage and then they checked themselves in. Matt had never been on a plane before much less been in an airport so he held tightly to his mother's pant leg. Once they were checked in they headed toward their gate, making it with time to spare. Sara bought them a sandwich to share while they waited for their boarding call. Her leg danced up and down with anxiety. She was very nervous to see her friends from the crime lab, but the most anxious about seeing Nick.

"Mommy I have to go potty," Matt said doing his little potty dance. Sara gathered their things and quickly hustled him into the bathroom, when Matt had to go he had to go now! Sara looked at her son as they walked back to their seats, what would Nick think? Would he welcome another man's child into his arms? It's not like Matt or Sara for that matter knew where his dad was. She just hoped that she could at least have a decent conversation with Nick, and maybe go on from there. Finally their flight was called for boarding; they were close to the front so they were on and settled quickly. Matt sat and just stared at everything that was going on around him. They soon both fell asleep Matt was soothed by his mother's hand in his hair and Sara tired from anxiety of her first trip to Vegas in years.

Wednesday

Las Vegas

Grissom looked at his watch for the fifth time since he'd entered the airport baggage area, the only area he could go to wait for Sara and Matthew. Finally he saw her walking down the hall Matt clinging tightly to her shoulder.

"Sara!" he yelled. She noticed him and quickly headed toward him. As they got nearer he saw tears running down Matt's face. "Hey guys. What's wrong Matthew?"

"No!" he yelled and pushed his head into his mother's neck. Grissom raised an eyebrow at her.

"Matt didn't want to get off the plane and then got away from me and got a little lost, didn't you buddy?" His only reply was a sniffle.

"Long flight?"

"Not really. We both slept pretty much the entire time. I don't know why this one's crabby."

"Oh well let's get your bags then we can head to my place for dinner what do you say buddy?" Grissom still didn't get a response from the toddler. Sara smiled an apology, but Grissom waved it off. He knew they were both anxious about being here.

As they pulled into Grissom's drive Sara woke with a start, she hadn't meant to fall asleep again, but it wasn't surprised with the amount of energy she had been using on worrying about this trip.

"Morning," said Grissom with a smirk.

"Sorry about that."

"Not a problem. Have you been losing at lot of sleep?"

"No, not really. Just these past few days worrying about this trip."

"Well just relax ok?" Sara nodded and unbuckled Matt from his car seat. He had stopped crying and also fallen asleep on their trip to Grissom's so he was a little less cranky then earlier. They hauled in the bags and got settled in the guest bedroom. Sara heard a door shut outside and just thought it was Grissom going for something that was in the car, so when she walked back to the kitchen she was very surprised to see Catherine talking to her son.

"Well hello there, what's your name?" Matthew took a step back from Catherine and looked frantically for his mother.

"Tell her your name," Sara prodded from the other side of the room.

"Sara! Grissom! Is this the errand you had to run earlier?" Grissom smiled at Cath and nodded.

"Hi Cath how are you?" Sara asked walking across the room to her. Catherine met her halfway and gave her a huge hug.

"God girl don't you do that to us again!" Sara laughed lightly then sat on the couch, Matt crawled into her lap and Cath sat next to her. "Is this your son?" she asked pointing at Matt who had snuggled into his mother's chest and popped his thumb in his mouth.

"Yes, this is Matthew," she replied pulling his thumb from his mouth. "Say hi Matt."

"Hello," he then jumped up and ran to Grissom who was in the kitchen.

"How old is he?"

"Three. And don't ask about the father. It's no one you know. I'm surprised Grissom hasn't told you actually."

"Well I knew he was keeping in contact with you and had gone to see you a couple times, but he wouldn't tell me where you were or what you were up to. So what have you been up to?"

"Oh this and that," Sara laughed.

"Well I can see that!" replied Catherine pointing at Matt who was now sitting on the counter next to Griss.

"I am the lead CSI in San Francisco, in fact it's basically my lab. I got them all new equipment and three new CSI's. I'm pretty close to my folks so they get to see Matt a lot."

"Are you happy?" Sara just looked at her hands without saying anything. Griss walked in from the kitchen and noticed Sara's downfallen expression.

"What's up?"

"I just asked if she was happy."

"She's not." After a moment Sara finally looked up at them.

"No, I'm not. That's why I'm here."