Title: Last Chance - Chapter 19

Disclaimer: You should know the drill by now. Don't sue me.

Authors' note: This ones a little longer. This is the third chapter I've posted in six hours. So I'm sorry for all the mistakes. I'm going cross-eyed from typing. And I'm distracted by the fact that I'm tired. And no beta means all mistakes are mine. I love all of you for reviewing. It means a lot. Keeps me going, even when my muse is being mean. Which we see a little of in this chapter. :) We're in the ending stretch of this thing now . . . only a few chapters left. I have it finished. I just have to get it typed. R&R! Enjoy!

Forty minutes and some odd topic conversation later, they left the diner. Promising to meet at the precinct at two thirty, Sara left for the lab.

When she arrived, she ran into Catherine. "Hey Cath, what're you doing here during the day?"

"Oh, finishing the paperwork from the Arson . . . reports . . . you know, all the crap that comes after the fun stuff."

"Ahhh . . . " Sara smiled.

"So, I hear you got lucky last night."

Sara felt heat creeping up her neck. "What?"

"You found your girl, right?"

"Uh . . . yeah . . . sure did." Sara couldn't believe how flustered she was.

Catherine shot her what could only be called a knowing smile. "I hope he makes you happy."

This time Sara decided not to plead innocence. "I think we make each other happy . . . how on earth does everyone know?"

"Sara. The sexual tension between you two was getting so strong . . . when it was finally released the whole world heard it snap."

Again heat crept into Sara's cheeks. "We didn't . . . we just . . . but not . . . sex. We didn't have sex. Now really, how does everyone know?"

"Well I didn't think anyone besides me did . . . well, Warrick maybe . . . and Brass . . . did you know I'm a really bad secret keeper when it comes to love?"

"How." Sara was almost demanding now.

Catherine sighed. "I ran into Brass last night during shift. And he said something about you having a really rough night. So I thought I'd play the friend card and come check on you this morning. When I got to your place this morning . . . Grissom's car was parked in front of your building, there were no lights on. I took that to mean you didn't need my comfort after all . . . " Catherine grinned. "When I saw Warrick this morning, it just popped out of my mouth. Then Jim asked me if you were all right and I told him that Grissom was - uh - taking care of you . . . "

Sara could have crawled into herself and died. Because of the one person in the lab that Sara thought could keep a secret, everyone was going to know. "Try not to tell anyone else Cath. He's still my boss."

"Not for much longer I hear. I have sources that say we're losing you. That's too bad."

Sara just shook her head as she turned to walk away. "This place is a real gossip factory this morning isn't it?"

"It always has been Sara, you've just never been the product they were working on before . . . " Catherine's words were clipped off as the door shut between them.

On her way to Ecklie's office she made a quick stop to 'shush' Warrick. Though he promised up and down that he hadn't told anyone else, and wouldn't until it was official he had one thing to say. "It's about time. I was about to give up on you two."

A pit stop in the ladies room and she had sent a text to Grissom forewarning him.

Cath knows and Brass and Warrick . . . I'm not paranoid . . . S.

She then put her phone on vibrate just incase he called or texted during her meeting with Ecklie. Ecklie . . . oh God. She really hoped he didn't know. Who would tell him? But the guy had eyes and ears all over this building. But she'd already quit. What could he do? Fire her? She argued with herself all the way down the hall. She cleared her throat as she knocked on Ecklie's office door.

"Come in." His voice was stern.

She opened the door and stepped in. "You were looking for me?"

"Yes, Miss Sidle. Please, have a seat."

OhGodOhGodOhGod her mind was screaming. "Is this going to take long? I have a meeting with Captain Jim Brass soon . . . "

"No, not too long. I just need to discuss your assignments for the next thirteen . . . no twelve . . . days. And I do mean days. I'm moving you to day shift. And I'm putting you on a desk. Having you at a crime scene would only prove to be problematic for the lab. We don't need you on an active investigation when you decide to go running all over the country."

Sara met his eye. "I understand that, but what reason do you have for switching my shift."

"You'll be more useful on days. One of their desk jockeys just went on maternity leave. You'll make a fine filler for a couple weeks."

Sara's heart was pounding. She didn't want to leave her crew. Not yet anyway. She knew she was going to get stuck at a desk, but she figured she'd still be working with her friends.

"I expect you at the start of shift tomorrow."

"Ecklie . . . I . . . "

"I mean it Sidle. This decision was yours. Deal with it."

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow." She got up and left his office in a huff. "Moron!" she muttered under her breath. She didn't want to work days, she'd been working nights for so long . . . and she knew the schedule . . . which meant she knew that the likelihood of seeing Nicky, Cath, Greg, Warrick, and even possibly Grissom . . . was low. Really low.

It would have been bad enough seeing them as the came and went from the lab . . . just when things were looking up, something had to bite her right on the ass. She was fuming when her phone vibrated against her hip. "What?" She picked up her phone with a little too much attitude.

"Sara? It's me . . . "

"Yes Grissom, I know who you are."

"What's wrong?"

"Ecklie. Idiot moved me to days."

"What? Son of a.."

"At least it's only temporary . . . 12 days and counting. Then I break free from the shithole."

"Sara - he doesn't know too, does he?"

"I don't know Grissom. He didn't say anything, but you know Ecklie . . . "

"Shit."

"Grissom, we didn't do anything. It was a mistake - we were tired and, anyway, it's not like we had sex."

Grissom's voice fell almost to a whisper. "What are you saying Sara?"

"I'm saying that maybe it's a good thing he moved me . . . "

"How can you . . . "

"That way we don't have to see each other."

"You can't mean . . . " Sara heard the desperation in his voice and she felt herself cracking.

"I'm sorry Gil. So sorry. I'm leaving anyway. Maybe it'll be easier this way." Tears were burning her eyes now.

"Sara . . . it will never be easy without you in my life - I need you . . . "

"But you don't. And . . . " This was the hardest part and she wondered what the hell was wrong with her even as the words slipped from her lips. "And I don't need you either." She knew exactly what she was doing and it was ripping her apart. But she was just trying to protect herself, and Grissom . . . from getting hurt.

After her talk with Ecklie she had realized that in order to get that new start she wanted, she was going to have to give up everything. Not just her job. Her friends too. She couldn't wait to leave Vegas . . . it would be easier once she was gone.

Silence assaulted her from Grissom's end of the phone. Then he cleared his throat. "Fine. I'll see you around." His voice was void of any emotion and that was the final straw - Sara's heart broke in two.

"Yeah, Grissom. I'll see you around."

Sara hung up the phone and walked to her car. With angry swipes she brushed her tears away. What the hell was she doing? She had the one thing she wanted. The one thing she thought she'd never have. And here she was - pushing it away and running in the opposite direction. She wanted to stop running. Needed to. She started the car. She had a few things to do before the meeting.

To Be Continued. . . .