DISCLAIMERS: The characters and any other references to CSI episodes are not mine.

Spoilers: Season 5 up to Committed. Small refs to earlier Season's also possible.

A/N: This is a post-ep for Committed and G/S, of course. For those of you who read my last story, I know that was also about Sara's family, but I wrote that before NHI, ND and Committed so much of it was just my own imagination hard at work. I wanted to do another story incorporating the new back story info and then elaborate. This is a non-case related G/S story and it might just be too complicated to incorporate everyone on Swing shift. I may change my mind later, but for now that is what I am thinking. I am also hoping for Spork free story, but there are no guarantees – you have been warned! I started this weeks ago and although I have a general idea of where it is headed I may take awhile to update so I apologize in advance. Thanks for reading and please review, all constructive critiques welcome!

The sky was a vibrant synthesis of orange and pink with crimson streaks dramatically accompanying the setting sun in the warm Nevada desert. It reminded Sara of a sherbet she used to enjoy as a little girl during the hot California summers. She had recently found herself desperately wanting to remember childhood memories that didn't make her heart seize up from fear and grief. Even little things helped: Her mother's rare smile. Her favorite tricycle. Ice-cream.
Sara sighed deeply and slid off the hood of her compact, grasping a letter in her right hand. The sky was darkening and she shivered slightly at the sudden drop in temperature. Slipping on her jacket she settled into the driver's seat. She started the engine and slowly pulled onto the highway, making an illegal U-turn to head her in the right direction. Sara had one stop to make before she went to work.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Grissom sat his small kitchen table and slowly finished his dinner as his thoughts wondered to familiar territory. Sara. It had been nearly a month since Adam Trent had held her hostage in the nurse's station of Desert State Mental Hospital. Grissom had watched Sara closely in the days and weeks that had followed the incident, wary of her apparently immediate recovery. Sara didn't seem to mind his attention and Grissom was glad that her confidence in him seemed to be a permanent shift in their precarious relationship. He was so grateful to rebuild their friendship and hoped that one day she would be willing to give him another chance for more. His thoughts of Sara took him places he frequented more often than he cared to admit. He stopped himself just short of needing another shower. Grissom finished dressing and started packing up case files in his briefcase. He had planned to get into work early to finish some paperwork from the previous shift, but a knock on the door signaled a probable change in his plans. He leaned into the peephole and then quickly retracted in shock. What is she doing here? Grissom made a deliberate effort to suppress his pleasure at seeing her and successfully appeared impassive when he opened the door. Sara offered a shy smile, which he returned in spite of himself.

"Sara?"

"Hi. I'm sorry to just drop by like this; I needed to talk to you. Is this a bad time?" Sara asked quickly, shifting nervously on her feet.

"No – no, of course not." Grissom replied with pseudo confidence as he stepped aside with a silent gesture inviting Sara to enter.

Sara complied and cautiously crossed the threshold into the dimly lit living room. It occurred to her that she had only been to his townhouse once and that he had actually been to her apartment a few times recently. Sara frowned slightly as she remembered two distinctly disturbing occasions that inspired his presence. Maybe the next time he visits, I'll have my shit together and we can just order Chinese food and then for dessert we -

Grissom cleared his throat and Sara turned around. A small blush crept up her cheeks as she returned to the present and she scolded herself internally for letting her dreams invade her thoughts unchecked.

"Are you ok?" Grissom asked, puzzled at the flush on Sara's face.

"Yeah, yes. I just have something to talk to you about and it's um…difficult for me." Sara stumbled for words and quickly withdrew a crumpled paper from her pocket. "This is a letter from my mother. I don't really have anyone else to confide in about this so I hope you don't mind."

Grissom was relieved that Sara hadn't come to discuss anything personal that had to do with him. He shook his head emphatically in response and sat on the couch. Sara relaxed a little and followed his lead. She parked herself in the leather chair opposite the couch and leaned forward, clutching the pale blue letter in her hands.

"After the case we had at Desert State I've been dealing with a lot of memories and, um, emotions. Like I mentioned before, my mother was evaluated at a mental facility but she was eventually sent to prison at Northern California Women's Facility. Although the domestic abuse was obvious to anyone with eyes, it wasn't enough to provide a defense for pre-meditated murder. They said it wasn't self defense because she stabbed my father in his sleep."

Sara cleared her throat and quickly blinked back tears before continuing. Grissom leaned forward but suppressed the urge to reach out before Sara was ready.

"So my mother took a plea – 2nd degree murder – 20 to life with the possibility of parole. I visited her once while I was in foster care, but it upset her so much to see me that she asked my foster mother not to bring me back. I was hurt and angry with her for so long, but now, I don't know, I guess I just needed to find out what happened to her. Two weeks ago I decided to write to her. It turns out that she was paroled three weeks ago. The prison forwarded my letter to her new address in Carmel. I just got her letter this morning. I won't read you the whole thing but basically she wants me to visit her. She's staying with a friend who says that I'm welcome anytime. She claims to have a lot to tell me."

Sara paused and placed the letter back in her pocket. She leaned back into the chair and sighed deeply.

"Are you ready for that?" Grissom inquired gently.

"Honestly, I have no idea. It sounds stupid right, I mean I wrote to her first." Sara replied sadly.

"Maybe you needed to make a connection but you aren't really sure what it is you are looking for." Grissom offered.

"Yeah, maybe." Sara sat up and caught Grissom's eye. He smiled briefly before standing and disappearing into the kitchen. He returned a few moments later with a glass of water and Sara mumbled a quiet thanks, graciously accepting the cold drink.

"Well, I want to think about this a little more but if I need to take some time off can I let you know at the end of shift tonight?"

"Certainly. You have more than enough vacation on the books and I'd be willing to let you go as soon as tomorrow if you need to."

"I don't think Greg and Sofia would appreciate that."

"Then it's a good thing I'm the boss."

TBC?

A/N 2: I really am not sure if I should continue this so please let me know what you think!