Moving On

Disclaimer: I obviously still do not own the rights to CSI.

Spoilers: This story has spoilers for Nesting Dolls, Unbearable and basically anything through season five.

Summary: Sara has been getting sick of her life in Las Vegas and she makes a big career decision. It is time for her to get over Grissom and move on.

News always had a way of leaking out and traveling quickly around the Las Vegas Crime Lab. So it was no big shock when Grissom's dinner invitation to Sofia got around to Sara. She accidentally overheard a couple of lab techs talking about as they brushed past the layout room. At first Sara was not sure what to think, this wasn't entirely shocking news to her. It was in the sense that Grissom was being so bold as to invite someone out to dinner, but Sara had seen this one coming. It didn't hurt any less, particularly after she had poured her heart out to him. Now he was going on a date with Sofia. She quietly finished the case she was working on and left the lab without sticking around to say goodbye to anyone after shift.

Sara had decided it was finally time to think about saying goodbye to Las Vegas. She pulled out of the lab parking lot and headed to her apartment. She had recently heard of an opening in a Colorado crime lab and she was going to call and find out if they still needed someone. She had spent too many years in Las Vegas and it finally felt like the right time to uproot herself and move on to a new lab. Especially after her latest scene with Ecklie, as she had told Greg, it felt good, but she was damn lucky to even still have a job. In fact, if that had made it into her record, she might have a hard time getting transferred to Colorado.

At her apartment, Sara found the piece of paper where she had written down the contact information for the Denver Crime Lab. She dialed the number and waited a few minutes until she was transferred to the head of that lab.

"Hello, my name is Sara Sidle and I'm CSI level 3 at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I was just wondering if you still had that opening," Sara explained.

"I'm Fred Mayer, the head of the Denver Crime Lab. Yes we still have the open position. So you are wanting a transfer from Vegas? May I ask why? That's an excellent lab," Mayer said.

"I just need a change of scenery," Sara told him. And it was the truth. She did need to get out and be somewhere new, and it certainly didn't hurt that she was going to get away from some certain people at the Vegas lab. When she realized Grissom had moved on, she decided it was high time she did so as well. She was still upset that Grissom was interested in Sofia, she secretly hated Sofia with a burning passion and leaving Vegas sounded like a great idea.

"Okay, well have your supervisor fax me your information tomorrow and maybe we'll set up an interview. You do think you'd be able to get here for a day or two, right?" Mayer asked.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Sara wrote down the information she needed.

"Okay, I'll call you after I get your information and see about setting up an interview," Mayer finished.

"Goodbye," Sara hung up.

Sara flopped down on her couch and rubbed her temples briefly. There was no turning back now, she was really going through with this. Of course, the Colorado lab could always refuse to hire her, but now Grissom was going to know she was planning to leave. He'd have to find out soon enough anyway because if she was leaving, he'd have to sign her transfer papers.

"You want me to what?" Grissom looked at her quizzically.

"I said I want you to fax my records to the Denver Crime Lab. They have a position open and I've been thinking about leaving here for a while," Sara explained flatly.

"Sara, I don't know about this," Grissom took off his glasses.

"Grissom, this is not up for debate," Sara crossed her arms, "besides, they just want to know if they would even consider hiring me at this point."

"You don't really want to leave do you?" Grissom asked, "this isn't because of what you told me before?"

"Grissom, honestly, you are full of yourself sometimes," Sara snapped, "this isn't about you. This about me. I have been spiraling downhill, and you of all people should know that. I think a change of scenery would do me some good. I'm lucky I even have a job here."

"You wouldn't if I hadn't claimed your outburst was because of my poor management skills," Grissom sighed.

"You should have let Ecklie fire me," Sara slumped in her chair, "we all know I deserved it."

"But that would have really hurt your chances of getting a job somewhere else," Grissom said.

"That may be, but you shouldn't have taken credit for my bad attitude," Sara glanced up at Grissom's face.

"Sara…I know things have been bad between us. I just really hope you aren't leaving because of me," Grissom said, "this isn't because of Sofia is it?"

"What?" Sara feigned innocence.

"I took her out to dinner. You aren't leaving because I went out with her and not you?" Grissom asked.

"No," Sara snorted indignantly, "I really want to move elsewhere with my career."

"Okay, if you promise me that this isn't because of me," Grissom told her, "I'll fax your information to Colorado."

"This really isn't up to you, Grissom, and it certainly isn't because of you," Sara stood, "so I'd appreciate it if you could send my records to Denver. And I'm going to need to put in for two days off if I get an interview."

"Fine," Grissom stared after her as she walked away. He couldn't believe she was seriously considering leaving. Of course, it was more than likely his own fault. He had pushed her away more than enough times.

Grissom pulled out Sara's file and proceeded to fax her information to Denver. He had been really tempted to "forget" to send them, but it would be wrong for him to tamper with her career. He had already done so once by bringing her to Vegas. Of course, she hadn't protested, but then look where it had lead her. She was growing ever closer to burnout and maybe leaving Vegas would be good for her. If it came down to it, he would give her a very good recommendation.

Sara managed to avoid Grissom for most of the rest of the shift. It was easy to do lately, his attention always seemed to be focused on Sofia. Sara hated that Sofia was getting the attention that she used to want so badly. Of course since she told the tale of her tragic childhood to Grissom, she had been more than happy to get some distance from him. Even before that, she had been slowly losing her attraction to Grissom. Since telling him of her childhood though, she felt very exposed around him and she still knew nothing about his own childhood.

A/N: This story came to me a few days after watching Unbearable. Sara is interested in Colorado frankly, because that's where I live and it's easier to write about your hometown than somewhere you've never been. Thank you in advance to all who read/review. Also…for those who are reading Post-Butterflied, don't worry, it will be continued, I'm just at a bit of an impasse on where I want to go with it. I had two exams last Friday, so honestly I have not touched that story for a few days.