The Boston sea air smelled sweet and bitter at the same time as I sat sharing dinner with a professor of mine…or an old professor of mine now, I guess.
"So Sara…where are you going from here?"
"I think…I'm going to San Francisco…I got a job offer there you know." I said happily taking a sip of the ice tea that sat in front of me.
"Really? San Francisco? Right out of college? I'm impressed Sara."
I beamed…praise from my professor was the best. "That's Jack…that means a lot."
There was silence and then "You know…if you ever need it…there will always be a place for you in New York…at my lab."
I looked at Jack with wide eyes, almost choking on my ice tea. "Jack…seriously…why?"
"You were my best student…my lab would do well and be lucky to have someone like you on our team…I'm not saying come now…give up San Francisco, but should the predicament over arise where you need a job…call me up, anytime…and you've got a job."
I didn't know what to say to that, so I stood up, walked around the table, and hugged him.
Grissom walked briskly into the break room, files in hand. As far as I knew there hadn't been any new murders…and we were going to work off of what we had already collected. Tonight, as far as I could see, would be a night were we would just collaborate the evidence we had both collected, so we were all on the same page. Swing was picking up our shift, I think.
Grissom sat down and set the files he had in his hand on the table.
"I'll be leading this investigation." He said to the table, there was a collective nod and agreement. "Sara will be senior on this one." That brought about protest from Catherine.
"Jack…it's Sara."
"Sara…how are you? I haven't heard from you in awhile."
"I know, I'm sorry about that…I just wanted to call and let you know, I'm moving."
"Moving? To where?"
"To Vegas…Gil Grissom has offered me a job."
Silence. "Sara, that's great!"
"Thank you Jack, I'm really excited about it…how are you?"
"I'm good…keeping busy."
"That's good, well listen, I'm at the air port, my flights about to take off…I'll talk to you later."
"Bye Sara... and Sara?"
"Yes?"
"My offer still stands."
"Grissom…I'm senior CSI in this lab." Catherine objected.
"Not anymore…Sara has rank over you now…she promoted quite a bit in New York…and she was leading the investigations back in New York…it's only fair." Grissom said looking at Catherine.
Catherine was about to make a without a doubt, stupid retort when Nick interjected "So the investigation…what do we have?"
Nick held my hand tightly as tears un-willingly came down my face.
"I'm going to call him."
"Sara…think about this…please."
"Nick…I have…I'm doing this."
I brought out my cell phone and hit a speed dial.
"Hello?" A familiar voice said on the other line.
"Jack…it's Sara."
"Sara…how are you? Are you alright?"
"Jack…does your offer still stand?"
"Of course…why?"
"Things haven't worked out the way…" I stopped I couldn't finish "Jack, I need a job."
"Then you have one…give your two weeks' notice…I'll have a spot ready for you."
"Jack?"
"Yeah Sara?"
"Thank you."
I hung up and broke out in sobs, which Nick just held me.
Mike talked animatedly to the table about our investigation. Everyone listened intently, except for Catherine who seemed a little too put off to care about what anyone was saying.
Mike left off for a moment and looked at me. He wanted me to add in on the first murder…I did, without the previous emotion I would have before, I tried my hardest to not let cases like these get to me anymore.
The familiar, but older Jack, stood waiting for me at the baggage claim. When he saw me, he opened up his arms to me. I walked into them and was enveloped into the kind of hug I sometimes wished me and my father could have shared.
"Ready to move on?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
I finished talking and Mike took over for me again. I looked at Grissom for a moment and met his horrified eyes…yes he knew…I knew it…I had been broken…I had burnt out…and there was no emotion that could fix it. But I had started new…and Grissom hadn't been there. Could I blame him…no…could he blame himself…of course.
"Moving onto the second murder…" Mike was still talking…and we…we were still hurting.
A/N Short chapter i know...i'm sorry, but i thought that it needed to be written. I might re-write it later if i come up with anything better. And i hope to get things really moving in the next chapter, which i hope will be soon. Thanks for all the reviews.