The chapters will get longer, I promise. 1&2 are just sort of setting the stage for the rest of them.

It was the beginning of shift and everyone, Gil, Greg, Warrick, Nick and I were sitting at the break room table. Sitting and waiting. We took turns checking our watches in disbelief. It seemed impossible that Sara could be late. Sara Sidle. Late. For work. Had that ever happened before?

Ten minutes later, just as I was about to get my cell out and call her, Sara barged in. Her expression was angry and determined, but her pallor was shock white. Knowing her a bit better that the others, except maybe for Gil, I could immediately tell that something was very, very wrong. She may have seemed moderately well composed to most people, if a bit irritated, but I knew that this much emotion in her eyes and this type of posture could very well mean that Sara was on the verge of breakdown. I had never seen her look so scattered.

"Grissom," she snapped, and I could tell that she was using anger to mask the shaking of her voice, "I need some time off, I don't know how much, but I need it now."

"Sara," Gil, ever the calm voice, peered over his glasses, "is this perhaps something we should discuss in my office?"

Sara nodded, her voice was still brisk but it sounded tired somehow, "Ideally, yes, but I have no time. I need to leave now."

Apparently she seemed to think that was a reasonable way to end the conversation because she turned to go. What the hell? I know Sara is socially inept sometimes, but her mind had to have been fully loaded if she didn't find that somewhat abrupt.

"Sara, stop." Gil echoed the words that were running through my head. Sara turned at the door, trying to act impatient. Instead, she looked exhausted. "I'm afraid that that isn't going to cut it. I'm going to need a reason to put on your application for leave."

The pain and anger in Sara's leer made me want to hit Gil. Just let her go! The guys involuntarily shifted back in their seats; Sara's expression could have intimidated a professional wrestler. But I know that nothing but the utmost pain would cause her to put up these walls. Whatever was about to come out of her mouth was going to be really horrible. I wanted to reach out to her, but I didn't. Instead, I flinched preemptively as she walked back to the table.

"Fine," she said, spitting venom, "How about the fact that in the last six hours I have lost both of my closest friends in the entire world to a devastating car crash and I have also gained custody of their two children? How about that? Does that work as an excuse for your blessed paperwork?"

Sara was yelling and everyone but Grissom and I were shocked by her behavior. Her chest was heaving with the show of emotion and I thought that Gil's shell would crack at the hurt in her voice and that he would apologize, but no! He just look up at her,

"So, family emergency, then?"

And everyone, Sara and I included, just stared at him for several seconds. He seemed to be entirely unaware of the awkward silence. Rage surged through me and I found myself wanting to launch across the table and strangle him. Sara just shook her head in disbelief.

All the energy had left her tone when she responded, "Fine, sure. Whatever." With that she turned and walked out.

"Shit."

I thought I had only sworn in my head but apparently not, because when I looked up, all eyes were on me. Without thinking, I stood up and started for the door.

Gil tried to protest, "Catherine-"

I was in no mood and I suddenly found myself livid, "Save it, Gil. I can't believe the way you just treated Sara!"

"Catherine, there's nothing we can do-"

"Wrong!" My blood was boiling, "There's nothing that you can do, you cold, selfish bastard!" A very small part of my brain registered that I had just sworn at my boss, but I didn't really care, "I am not leaving her alone right now."

"Catherine," Gil tried to reason, "The team needs you, Sara will be-"

I don't think I have ever interrupted him this much in my life, "You don't know shit about it, Gil. Sara will be scared and lonely and lost just like everyone else would be in her place. And frankly, I don't care if you fire me; I am walking out this door. In fact, you better put me on leave too; I don't think I can stand to be around you right now. We both know that "the team" can live without me and I could definitely use a few days without you." And with that I stormed out of the break room intent on not thinking about the fact that I had possibly, though not likely, just lost my job. I succeeded in doing this by searching for Sara.

I found her in the parking lot, fuming, but also crying, "Sara? Sara, hang on a sec."

Sara looked up at me for a moment, but then focused on the pavement once more, "Not now, Catherine. There is no way I am going back in there."

"What?" I asked in confusion. Did she think I was calling her back? "No, Sara, I don't want you to go back in there. In fact, I want both of us to get as far away from here as possible."

She just nodded, distantly.

I noticed the ticket in her hand and the bag over her shoulder, "Where you headed?"

"San Francisco." She replied numbly.

"I'm coming with you." The words just came out of my mouth, ideas seemed to be running through my brain and leaving my lips without a stop in the middle for editing. But as soon as I said those words, I knew I wanted to go.

This got her attention, "What? No, Catherine-"

I tried to stop the flow of protests, "Sara, don't fight me on this. Whatever is happening here, you shouldn't go through it on your own."

"Yeah, but you don't need to do this. What about Lindsey? And work? You can't just pick up and leave." Her argument sounded anything but convincing and, in truth, it fell on deaf ears.

"Uhh, yeah, I can, actually. I'll just call Nancy and ask her to take Lindsay for a couple of days."

I more than half expected Sara to protest again, but she didn't. In fact, not only did she not fight me, but she actually smiled weakly, "Are you sure?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course, I'm sure."

"Because," she fiddled with her ticket, "I was actually going to ask you to come." She flushed as she held out two tickets where a moment ago there had only been one. "I bought you a ticket, just in case. But I lost the nerve to ask you when Grissom…"

"Was an absolute ass?" I supplied. I was touched that she had trusted me enough to want me come. Without thinking, I put an arm around her shoulders and smiled, "Well, I'm on Gil's shit list now. And I already asked for some time off."

"What happened?"

I blushed, "I may have cussed him out after he was so rude to you. After that, I think we both need sometime away from each other."

Sara looked at me with awe, "You swore at Grissom?"

"It's possible that the words 'cold, selfish bastard' were uttered." Not really wanting to talk about my potentially disastrous outburst, I changed the subject, "So what time is the flight? How about we swing by my house and I'll grab some stuff for the trip? We'll call Nancy on the way."

Sara nodded grimly; I could see the momentarily forgotten events of the day flooding back to her.

With the arm still around her shoulders I guided her to the passenger seat of my car. "Come on, let's get out of here."