Disclaimer: I don't own anything, well maybe Alex, Robert, and Bryce. Just Maybe.

Rating: R, for later chapters.

Spoilers: No spoilers for this chapter.

Chapter 3: Portland vs. Vegas

Sara got out of the car and walked up the sidewalk to the house. As the doorbell; the butterflies that had plagued her all day seemed to be in full force. When the door opened she saw his for the first tie in twenty years. He stood at six foot, and his dark hair was shaved down. His dark eyes stood out just as hers did. Sara tucked a strain of hair behind her ear and smiled at him; and he returned her smile. The just stood there for a minute looking at each other, their smiles mirroring each others.

"Sara." Alex opened his arms to her. Normally she would hold back but this time she didn't. Alex's arms closed around Sara. "I'm so sorry Sara. You know for everything." Alex released her and looked into her eyes. Before she could tell him she forgave him years ago he pulled her into the house. So how was the plane ride?" Alex asked as they moved to the sofa.

"It was great. I managed to get a couple hours of sleep. I did however, have an issue with my ride to the airport." Sara gave Alex a half smile. "But that's over." Sara sighed and looked around. "So where is everyone?" Sara was looking forward to meeting everyone if truth be told.

Alex told Sara that Karen had taken the kids over to her parent's house, so that they could catch up. They both got up and Sara followed Alex to the kitchen. Alex poured Sara a glass of juice and they both went and sat at the table to talk a bit more. They decided to talk about how they got to where they are today. When Sara was talking about getting called by Grissom to help out in Vegas Alex went into a blank stair. Sara faded off when she saw Alex's work and she got concerned.

"Alex? Alex…what is it?" Sara asked. She was scared that he was going to push her; and she was not sure that she could handle it right now. She finally felt truly happy again, she didn't want to hurt anymore. "Did I say something wrong?"

"It's just…" Alex looked down at his hands and then back at Sara. "I missed so much Sar." Alex shook his head. "I should've been there for you." He needed to know what happened after he left. He hoped that asking her wouldn't send her running away from him. "Sara…" He closed his eyes tight. "When…" he opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "After I left..." Alex took Sara's hands into his. "Tell me what all happened." He looked deep into her eyes. "Please I have to know. I..."

"It got worse." Sara cut him off. "My tenth birthday…" she shook her head a little. "That was a horrible day." Sara took a deep breath, closed her eyes, cocked her neck, and then looked at the ceiling trying to gather her thoughts. "It was a Wednesday, and when I got up everyone was gone. So I just got ready and left for school. When I got home I was still alone." Sara didn't know how to tell Alex the rest. She was afraid he'd blame himself. "Dad…he…he and mom came home around ten." Sara pulled her hands from Alex's grip and she started to pop her knuckles. "He came into my bedroom when he got home. He said he had a special birthday present for me. Then…then he…he…" Sara started to cry.

Alex got up from his chair that sat across from Sara's and sat in one next to her. He pulled her into his arms. He started to rock her slightly and stroke her hair. "Oh, Sara I'm so sorry. I should've…I didn't think he'd do that to you." Alex started to tear up. He truly didn't think their father could ever do that to Sara. True he was an evil man but that was the ultimate evil in his eye.

Later that night at the Sidle residence

Alex got in bed that night and held his wife, Karen. He kissed her and the forehead and she gave him a funny smile. "What? Do I have something on my face?" Alex said rubbing his face.

"You seem…I don't know…happier like the weight of the world has been lifted off of you. But yet…you're upset about something." Karen noticed this when she and the kids got back. She knew that seeing and talking to Sara had done him wonders. "Sara was a missing piece of your life after all wasn't she?" Karen watched Alex's face light up. She could see that he had truly missed her. She was worried about what was going to happen when Sara left. "Are you going to have Rob met her? He might offer her a job when one comes available. And he does know about your…well Laura and Gary."

"What would you say about a party? I can invite some of the gang from the department and the crime lab. That way she could meet more than just Rob. It'll give her a better feel of the people here." Alex looked at Karen for a confirmation. "I hope she'll keep an option of moving here open." Alex pulled Karen closer to him. "You know babe I really did miss Sara. I didn't know how much until today. My only regret is that I didn't to it sooner."

Alex sleep better that night than he did in twenty years. He couldn't wait until the next day when he planned for Sara to met Karen and the kids. But also he had a party to plan. If it took all he had he was going to show Sara that he wanted her here, and that she would be more than welcomed in this town.

The next night back in Vegas

Sofia walked toward Grissom's office. She could hear him talking to someone, but couldn't hear who the other person. 'He must be on the phone.' She thought. She stopped outside of his office and listened in.

"I'm glad you are having a good time…What kind of party is it? ...Sound fun…Yeah…Ok…I'll see you when you get back…Goodnight Sara…Oh Sara…I miss you…Bye." He put the phone to his chest and smiled. "Please come back Sara. I love you." He whispered. Then he placed the phone back down.

Sofia turned and stormed to the Break Room. She needed to think. She wanted Sara gone, and she needed a plan to make that happen. "Hey Greg." Sofia said to Greg when he walked in. She smiled at an idea that popped into her head. "Have you heard from Sara?" Mainly she just wanted to know where she went and why. Greg had told her that Sara was in Portland. However, as far as Greg knew it was just a vacation. Sofia was glad she didn't have a reason; she would give Sara a reason. When Greg walked out of the Break Room she got a piece of paper and wrote a few things down. She looked and smiled at her work.

"Sofia…how's it going girl? Have you guys been busy since Sara's been away?" Warrick asked as he and Nick walked into the Break Room.

Sofia huffed in anger and decide now was as good as any time to put her plan into action. "Yeah…but I guess we'll have to get use to it if she gets the job in Oregon." Sofia got up and walked to the door; but before she walked out she turned back to Nick and Warrick. "She said she hated us here" Sofia shook her head and watched the two's reaction to what she just said. "She called Catherine a self-wretches bitch. She called you a dunce with a gun Nick. And, you Warrick she said that you would bet on day turning to night if you could." Sofia walked out of the room. 'I'll get Grissom, Sara just wait.' She thought as she walked down the hall.

Catherine walked into the Break Room and could see Nick and Warrick were more than just a little upset. "He guys what's wrong?" Catherine listened as they told her about what Sofia had just said. "WHAT!" Catherine's anger began to rise, to boiling point. "I can't believe Sara. Where does she get off saying stuff like that? I hope in hell she gets the job. Then she can be some other lab's problem." Catherine stormed out of the office to go look for Ecklie.

Party Night, Portland

Sara looked around the crowded room hold a cup of tea and standing next to Karen. "So this is some of Portland's finest huh." Sara turned her head to Karen and smiled. "So…who is everyone?" She asked then took a drink of tea.

Karen laughed and pointed across the room to a fairly short, pudgy, bald headed man. "That's Rob…Robert Nelson…he's the Crime Lab's Assistant Director." Karen looked around for more people from the crime lab. A man had gone to walk by but Karen grabbed him. "Bry this is Sara, Sara this is Bryce Logan. He works for the Crime Lab. He's a CSI three for the graveyard shift. That's kinda like you huh." Karen decided to let them get to know each other. "Why don't you to talk. Bry maybe you can introduce her to others from the lab." Karen turned to Sara, "I need to call my mom and check and the kids.

Bryce stood just under six foot. He had blonde curls that seemed to dance on his head, when he walked. And there were his eyes; they were the most stunning green. "So…Alex says you work in Vegas. That's the number two lab...right?" Bryce asked Sara. He looked in her eye. 'God I can get lost in her eyes.' Alex had told Bryce that a guy blew her off in Vegas; and Bryce stood there not knowing how anyone could blow her off. He thought she was so breathtaking. At that moment he hoped she would move to Portland because he wanted to show her not all guys are creeps. The two stood there for a couple hours just talking. "Oh hey let me introduce you to Rob." Bryce took Sara's hand and led here through the house and to Robert.

Robert and Sara talked about the prospect of her moving to Portland. He had told her he thinks there might be a job opening in the next couple months, and he would keep her in mind when it came open. He also told her that she would be a great addition to the lab. "Oh, and please call me Rob."

"Thanks Rob. I'll have to think about it" Sara was truly grateful for the offer, but moving here would be a big step. And that was one step she was not sure she was ready to make. "My friends there would be hared to leave. For the past five years they have been my gamily. It'd be hard to leave them; but now…" Sara looked over and saw Karen and Alex talking to another couple. "I guess I have a…well a true family now." Sara, Bryce, and Robert talked for a few more minutes then Robert excused himself and left.

"Between you and me Sara…I hope you take the offer and move here. Bryce looked in Sara's eyes once again. "Our lab here could sure use someone as smart and beautiful as you." Bryce winked at Sara when she gave him her half smile. "You know" Bryce leaned over and whispered, "You're even more beautiful when you smile like that", in her ear. "You want to go outside?" Bryce asked holding his arm out for Sara to take.

A night club in Vegas

Nick, Greg, and Warrick all sat at a table in the night club. "I can't believe Sara would say that stuff about us." Nick stated before taking drink of beer. "I thought she…I don't know man…I can't think straight right now." Nick wasn't sure what to believe. On one hand there was Sara. She was more than a friend to him. He thought of her like a sister. And he could trust her with his life. Then on the other hand there is Sofia. Nick did not know Sofia all that to well. He couldn't think of why she would lie about something this. He couldn't think of why Sofia would want to turn everyone against Sara. Nothing make since to him.

"I personally thing we should wait for Sara to get back and ask her about this. Something tells me not to trust Sofia. You know now that I think about it she was asking me about Sara's trip before all this started up." Greg was trying to get the guys to calm down. He knew that Sara couldn't have said those awful things about everyone in the lab.

Portland Airport, Portland Maine

"Bye sis." Alex said as he hugged Sara. Alex and Karen had brought the kids to the airport to they all could say goodbye to Sara. Alex let go of Sara smiled at her. "I'm going to miss you." He looked past Sara and laughed. "I think someone else is to." Alex pointed to who he was looking at. "I think someone's in love with you." Alex nodded to the man as he came up to them.

Sara turned around and smiled at the man who came to say goodbye to her. "Hi Bry." Sara couldn't believe he was there. "You came…I thought you would've forgot or something." Sara got to know this man very well so fast. She could tell they were going to be good friends for years to come.

Bryce pulled Sara into a hug and then gave her a small kiss on her check. "I told you I would be here." Bryce released her from the hug and asked her to call him when she got in. He didn't care what time she called as long as she did.

Sara gave everyone one last hug goodbye and went to board the plane. If only Sara knew what was waiting for her back in Vegas. If she only knew what Sofia had done she would've stayed right there in Portland.

Please R&R