Author's Notes: I know, I shouldn't be starting another story when I've got two others going on, but once inspiration hits, you've got to run with this. This will be a short story, probably only three or four chapters, and while it starts off as a Sara-centered story, it will turn out to be a Greg/Sara pairing in the end. I own no characters except for the ones you don't recognize.

Please be kind and let me know what you think.

Jenny

Forgive:

"I'm leaving." Sara said softly, holding Greg's hands tightly, "I thought I should let you know, I don't know if Grissom's going to say anything about it or not."

"You're what?" Greg asked, his face paling slightly as her words sank in, "No, wait, you can't leave. Why? What did we do?"

Sara sadly shook her head, fighting tears, "It wasn't anything you did, or anything Grissom did. It's just something I need to do. I need to get away from here, I need to try something new. I just can't be here anymore."

"Is it because the shifts are back together? Aren't you happy about that? You've been acting strange ever since Nick..."

Sara shook her head firmly, "It's not that, Greg, it's just hard to explain. I need to do this. Please don't hate me."

"I could never hate you." Greg replied, pulling her into a hug, "When's your last night?"

Sara looked down, sighing, "Tonight."

"Tonight?" Greg said, his voice nearly a whimper as tears filled his eyes, "And you're leaving town, aren't you?"

Sara nodded sadly, "I have to. There some...things...I need to take care of. I may come back, okay Greg? And I'll call all the time, I'll visit and write letters. You're my best friend, okay? I won't trash our friendship."

"Grissom wouldn't find it nearly as funny as you did if I blew up a toilet with dry ice." Greg commented, "And Nick and Warrick aren't nearly as good at teaching me as you are. Catherine makes me feel stupid, and Grissom makes me nervous. I'll never get to be a CSI level 2 if you're not here."

Sara smiled softly, "You can't guilt me into staying, Greg. Anytime you need anything, just call. You know I wouldn't leave if it wasn't absolutely necessary."

"Are you going to tell the others?" Greg asked curiously, "I mean, are you just telling me first, or are you just telling me?"

Sara nudged him with her shoulder, "See, you do make a good CSI. I'm only telling you. If Grissom says something, that's okay, but I don't want to answer any questions. They don't get me, you do. They're not my friends, you are."

"They are your friends!" Greg gasped, "At least they have been for the last five years...are you shortening your list or something? Setting new standards? Should I be worried about cut backs?"

Sara rolled her eyes, "Shut up, Greg. They're my friends, okay, but they're not the same type of friend as you are. You're...special. I thought you should know, end of story. They'll find out when I don't come in tomorrow. I don't like goodbyes anyway."

"Well, then I'm honored." Greg replied, giving her another quick hug, "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too." Sara whispered, slamming her locker shut, "Let's go, we'll be late for assignments. We'll talk again before I leave."

Without anyone knowing, she slipped into the locker room nearly half an hour before shift ended, packing her belongings and clocking out before any questions could be asked. Tomorrow, her team would come in and ask questions, be upset that she kept it a secret. Today, she could sneak out and pretend like everything was going to be okay.

She arrived in San Francisco at noon, having enough time to eat lunch before heading to her hotel. If she decided to stay, she'd rent an apartment, but for the meantime, a hotel would work just as well. Sitting at the small desk, she took out a tablet and began to make a list of things she would need to do. First item? Visiting her mother one last time.

Her mother was one of the main reasons she had came back to California, when years ago she had sworn she'd never cross the state line again. She had received a call from Jaysen, her brother, two days ago. That was the first sign of trouble.

Sara and Jaysen hadn't spoken to each other since the day she left for Harvard. Jaysen had been upset that she was "abandoning" him by leaving the state while he was still in foster care (although he was going to be turning 18 in a few short weeks). They had been close, before the incident between their parents. Both had been straight-A students, both had a wonderful sense of humor, compassion, and morals. After their father died and they were forced into foster care, however, they broke apart and each took a separate path. It wasn't until Sara was leaving that both realized how much they had grown apart.

Sara had made several attempts to contact him while she was in college, she had even sent him an invitation to her graduation, but he hadn't bothered to reply. When she got hired on at the SFPD, she made another attempt to contact him, considering how close she was, but he had refused her calls and attempts to visit.

Six months later, she had gotten called out to a B&E at a grocery store right outside of San Francisco, and low and behold, her brother was the main suspect. They had passed by each other briefly in the hallway, neither talking or making eye contact, and Sara had been promptly removed from the case.

Needless to say, a call from Jaysen meant serious trouble. The conversation was short, yet meaningful. Their mother had been diagnosed with cancer several months back, she had been hospitalized, but had requested that her family not be notified. Since neither Sidle child visited their mother, neither had any way of knowing she was becoming weaker by the day as the cancer cells rapidly multiplied and infected more and more of her organs.

Now, Hospice already being called in, she decided she needed to say goodbye to her children. The doctors had given her less than a week to live, and by the time Sara had arrived in San Francisco, 3 of those days had passed.

As angry as Sara was about the events of her childhood, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken that her mother was dying, so slowly and painfully. She hadn't visited her mother since she was transferred from a psychiatric hospital to a women's prison, and within a year of her mother being convicted, she hadn't bothered to even write anymore. Five years after the incident, she had even grown accustomed to forgetting her mother even existed.

The only time it had really struck her that she had no family left was when Nick had been buried alive the summer before. She had seen his parents, worried and inconsolable, and her heart had broken for them. The more she thought about what it would be like if she were in Nick's shoes, the more she realized that only Grissom, Greg, Nick, Warrick, and Catherine would be hoping for her safe return to them. Jaysen would, as always, ignore her, and her mother wouldn't be able to come and show how worried she was for her child's well being.

She probably would have been killed, since Catherine wouldn't have gone out of her way to get the ransom money, and no Sidle on earth had even 10 dollars they would spend on Sara. The thought to this day, nearly a year later, sent chills up and down her spine. Ever since that night, she couldn't help but realize how much she had isolated herself from everybody. She had thought she was happy, that she was protecting herself and others by doing so, but since that night, she realized just how miserable she actually was. Knowing, however, wasn't enough to bring her friends and family back, and she had no idea of how to start mending broken bridges. With her mother, now, she wouldn't even have the chance.

She flipped open the phone book, searching for Jaysen's number. A few seconds later, she was dialing his home number, hoping he would answer.

"Hello?"

Sara bit her lip nervously, "Jaysen? It's Sara."

"I know who you are."

It wasn't quite the warm welcome she was hoping for, it wasn't even close. She cleared her throat, "Look, I'm at the Radisson, and I was hoping you could come and pick me up."

"I was wondering if you'd bother to come."

"Don't be a jackass, Jaysen. If you won't want to pick me up, I'll call a cab." Sara hissed, Jaysen's attitude irritating her quicker than normal from the anxiety she was already feeling, "I just wanted to see my big brother."

"Oh, just settle down peanut, I'll be there soon."

"Don't call me that!" Sara said angrily, "You know I hate that!"

"Okay Sara, I'll be there soon. You'd better be waiting out front for me."

Sara rolled her eyes, "I'll be waiting, Jaysen. See you soon."

She hung up the phone, moving over to her suitcase and unpacking a few outfits, trying to decide what to wear. She couldn't wear the jeans and tank top she had worn on the plane, it was too warm out for that and too sloppy to see her mother and brother for the first time in so many years.

She settled on a pair of brown capri pants and a beige button up shirt, along with a pair of brown sandals. It wasn't the best looking outfit, but it was nice enough to show she was doing alright for herself, yet simple enough so it wouldn't look like she was trying to dress up for them. While she doubted her mother would care, in her condition, she knew Jaysen would have some sort of comment about her clothing.

Looking in the mirror, she debated on whether or not to try and straighten her curls before Jaysen arrived. She quickly decided to just grab her purse and head downstairs, not knowing how far away Jaysen lived and not wanting to keep him waiting.

He had just pulled up when she walked out the front doors of the hotel.

"My, my, little Sara..." Jaysen said, the hostility from his voice fading rapidly as he pulled Sara in for a hug, "Look how much you've grown up. You look great."

Sara blushed, "Thank you, you look amazing as well. Have you been to see her?"

"No, I was sort of waiting for you. I thought it would be easier as a group effort, you know...I'm not looking forward to it, I really never wanted to see her again."

Sara nodded, taking a seat in the car and sighing, "I know exactly what you mean. I never thought I'd see her again, especially not like this. You think it's going to be a fight?"

"When has it ever not been a fight with Mom?" Jaysen asked, snapping his seat belt, "Just prepare for the worst, that way no matter what happens, you can't be disappointed."

Smiling, despite her apprehension about the whole trip, Sara leaned back and let the warm California breeze whip around her as Jaysen sped out of the parking lot. There was no turning back now.

TBC