Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

A/N: Thanks to Cybro for the great beta job.

Chapter Three: The E-Mails

Nick had just got home. He was unable to sleep due to the guilt. True, he knew better than to yell at someone for being emotional. He decided he would check his email before going back into work. His inbox only had one email, from Sara. He slowly clicked on it in fear what it would say. As the email opened up he closed his eyes and began to cry. He didn't know if he could read it just yet; but he knew he had to. He had to find Sara tell her he was sorry for not trusting in her. He opened his eyes and began to read the words:

Nick,

I don't know what to think anymore. I am sure that you have already been to my apartment. I can't believe that you and the others can be so cruel. I thought that you were like Vinny. I thought of you as my brother. I thought of you highly. I still can't believe what you said to me the other day. I thought I knew you. But I guess no one really knows anyone, no matter how close they are to each other. I wished otherwise.

Nick, I'm sorry that I ever wasted your time; I won't be a bother anymore. I've gone away where I will start a new life. Don't try to make contact with me or try to find me. I am not coming back. Nick, I don't know what to do. I can't trust anyone except myself and Vinny now.

-Sara

Just as Nick had done, Warrick sat at his computer after he had tossed and turned all night. He wished he would've said something before Sara took off. There were plenty of changes. Maybe if he'd stood up for her she would've taken off. He went and got a cup of coffee then returned to his computer. As he sat down, he noticed he just got an email. He was shocked when he noticed whom it was from; and as he read her words he cried:

Warrick,

I'm sorry that things didn't work out. I would have liked to stay at least a bit longer in Vegas. I have to know one thing though; why didn't you stand up for me back there? I know that you didn't want to be with the rest of them on this. I know you cared about me. I understand that you are closer to Catherine and Nick, but... I thought maybe you knew it was wrong and would have stopped them.

I know that from the beginning our friendship has been rocky. We never did talk much and I regret that. I know that you are a very kind person. Was all of this because of what happened when they first brought me in? I mean, bringing me in to investigate you would surely had to have set off some alarms in your common sense, telling you that I wasn't a trustworthy person. Especially after I told Grissom about you going gambling instead of working. I'm sorry. Please never try to contact or find me, and I will forever be out of your way.

-Sara

Warrick couldn't believe what he reading. What he was feeling before now felt a thousand times worse. He started to question himself, on the reasons why he didn't stand up for her. He knew one thing, there was no way he was going to let her leave thinking the way she was. There had to be someway he could find her and at least talk. He picked up his phone, "Hey Nick, it's me…so did I…Look lets meet at the diner and talk. Call Archie maybe he can get a track on the email…yeah…see you in a few." He hung up the phone and left.

Catherine opened up her laptop to get some work done. She didn't feel all that guilty about Sara leaving. She never really liked her much anyways. She was checking her email when she noticed one from Sara. 'Maybe I should just delete it' She thought. Catherine started to move the mouse over the delete key when for some odd reason couldn't click it. She might as well read it. She crossed her arms and read what Sara had to say:

Cath,

I don't know what to say. I never told you but I always felt like you were my sister. A sister I was never lucky enough to have. There was no way I could tell you about my past. How I grew up, all the pain I went through. See I know you would cry because you have Lindsey. You always get angry and upset when you know a child is being hurt. Now how would you feel if you knew someone you worked with went through something so horrible?

There was another thing, wasn't there? It was Eddie's murder. Maybe I should explain. I knew that if I could get the case to court they would've thrown it out. How do you think Lindsey would feel if the person on trial for her father's murder was found not guilty? That is no justice. Tell Lindsey I'm so sorry. Also don't look for me, not that you would.

-Sara

Greg looked around the lab for something to do. It was a slow night and he wanted to keep his mind off Sara and what he had done to her. Archie was right; he didn't have to be mean like that. There was no logical reason to join the others in their rage-fest. All for what? Sara to leave them? It wasn't worth it. He checked his email and surfed the web. Greg perked up when he noticed a letter from Sara in his inbox. The words were solemn:

Greg,

I thought if there was one person I could count on at the lab it was you. You were one of my truest only friends. What happened back there changed my mind. I want to understand why. Before this happened, you had me thinking that I might be happy with you. Funny huh? Now there is no way I could be with someone who hates me as much as you do.

I watched you grow from a lab rat to a great CSI in the works. When you became a CSI, things changed. You became one of them. Your hair, your clothes, the way you act, and the way you treated people. Before you would want to listen to all sides; but now you hear one side and go with it. Your actions left me wondering if you even care. Like I told the others don't bother finding me.

-Sara

Greg was no longer bored. He called up Nick, Warrick, and Cath and told them what happened, "Wow...So you guys got one too? Wanna meet for breakfast? ...Okay...sure...the diner across from the lab...Got it. See you then!" Greg pulled into the diner's parking lot about the same time Nick, Warrick, and Cath did. They sat down to eat.

Nick looked at the menu for a minute and then threw it down. "I can't eat." He crossed his arms. "I don't know what I was thinking. Sara was like one of my sisters. How did we get here? We hurt her so bad. What if we can't find her?" He looked at the others who just looked at him. "We need to do something now. I printed off the email maybe they have clues." He placed the copy of the email on the table for the others to read.

They read it over and over and over but didn't find anything. "We can ask Archie to trace it!" The idea came to Greg's mind. Maybe he can find out where she sent it! "I really wanna know! We NEED to find Sara and bring her back. If not for us, we should do it for Grissom. We owe it to him." They all agreed and headed over to Archie's to see what could be done.

Archie saw them walking in his direction. He knew that at some point they would be there. Nick had called him earlier and explained he and Warrick had gotten email. He was inclined to not help them, because he was still angry. Then he thought of Sara alone, upset, and possibly scared. As they walked in Nick handed him a piece of paper. He took the copy of the email he was handed and read it. "Huh, I never knew Sara had a brother." He looked up at them and then to the computer. "This is going to take awhile." He didn't even notice as they walked out.

Archie's scan indicated that Sara sent the email from a small town in California called Rancho Cordova. Archie doubted that Sara was stupid enough to send the email from her brother's house, and he was right. He paged Nick and the gang to meet him in the A/V Lab after lunch. They showed up before, so he gave them the results. "Sara is in Rancho Cordova, California. She has sent the email from an internet-ready cafe right in the center of town. I don't think she is there anymore, and if she is, she will be leaving soon. I don't think Sara is dumb enough to have sent an email this early from her destination town. She sent them on the way. My guess is that she is going to San Francisco or somewhere near because that is her hometown. Where she grew up. Her alternate life is there. Good luck guys." The gang looked at each other and then nodded and headed out the door with no words except a thank you to Archie.

"Should we talk to Brass or Grissom yet?" Greg looked at the others. "We have her brother's name, where she sent the emails from, and we know she is more than likely heading back to San Francisco." He couldn't believe they weren't moving. "Guys, come on, we have to find her. What if…" He didn't want to think about it; but he had to say it. "She gave us copies of articles. She sent us emails saying goodbye. I don't want to say it, but what if she…if she." He suddenly broke into a sob; he finally realized that he might not ever see her again.

Grissom sat in his apartment. Life was harder for him somehow. Life seemed to be meaningless now that she was gone. He had no purpose, no desire to do anything anymore, and no passion for his work like he used to. It was dull. He used to think of the saying, 'No Pain, No Gain' but this was far too painful to go any farther. He had to do something. Grissom was scared but afraid to admit it.

Grissom had got a call from Ecklie stating he should check his email. He knew the others had got emails for Sara; but he was afraid to look. He was scared that she might not have emailed him; but also if she did. He feared what the words would say. What if she was angry with him as well. He secretly wished he were with her. He wanted to find her and hold her. He knew that wouldn't happen just sitting where he was. So he gathered up his courage and checked his email.

There he found five emails, three of them junk. One from an insurance company and the other... 'Sara' he thought. He hesitated with the mouse for a few moments. Should he open it? What if she was angry with him as well and, even worse, never wanted to speak to him again either? But on the other hand, what if the email held clues to where Sara was? He thought of that and told himself that he needed to open it. He did, and he read it silently to himself:

Grissom,

What can I say? I'm sorry I left without thanking you. Thank you for being there for me when I needed you the most. Also thank you so much for the opportunity to work with you, even though I was a bother to you. I never meant to stay this long; but I loved you. I loved you more than I have ever loved anyone else in this world.

I never wanted to hurt you. You can be happy now. Since I'm not there to cause you trouble or…Sorry Gil. I can't go on, it just hurts too much. Goodbye Grissom, please don't come look for me.

-Sara

Grissom didn't know which he was. Happy? Sad? Miserable? Joyous? No, none of those, or maybe all of them. He was glad she hadn't been mad at him, but he was depressed because she was still gone. He couldn't live without her. No, not after she had told him that she loved him. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Who now! He wasn't angry. Just frustrated. He got up to get the door anyways.

Grissom opened the door but went to close it right of way. Catherine pushed the door back open. "Gil, just listen to us, please." She didn't wait for an answer, she just pushed her way in followed by the boys. "We have a lead on her. Archie was able to track her to a café. Knowing Sara she sent them then left. Archie also suspects she might be heading to the San Francisco area." She couldn't understand why Grissom was just standing there. She would've thought he would have said something about the information. "Well aren't you going to say something?"

"I am not talking to you guys," Grissom said, clearly still upset. Their information was helpful, but he was in no mood to discuss it. "Please leave." He told them before forcing the door closed on them and locking it. He walked over to his computer again and booked a flight on Jet Blue to San Francisco in the morning. Then, he went to his bedroom, packed, and tried to get some sleep before the morning. 'God, I hope I find her.' were his last thought before drifting into a deep sleep.