"Survived!" Sofia dropped backwards on the bed. They survived the afternoon and evening with her parents. There had been a few critical moments when Sofia and her mom were close to start a fight but Sofia's father managed to get his two strong minded women apart and kept the peace.

"They were happy to see you." Sara took off her shoes and sat on the chair.

"Yes. You know what my dad promised me before we left?"

"What?"

"He'll talk mom into coming to Magical Beach over Christmas. For at least a week. No matter which reasons she'll find to stay away he'll get her there. So great. I'm sure he's after a week or two of staying on the beach, sipping cocktails and fishing."

"I had the impression your mom makes the plans."

"She does most times. Sometimes my dad stands up and gets what he wants. Mom has not really something to put against it when he says most times they do what she wants and he only asks for favor when it really matters to him. Plus her daughter should matter to her too. I'm sure he'll get them over."

"Hopefully. They were fun to be; when your mom didn't talk about CSI work like it was kindergarten." Sara was surprised about the easy going atmosphere. No cop or crime stories, only a few times when Sofia's mother complained about the new life of her daughter and no hard time for Sara because she changed from law enforcement to beach life too.

"My parents like you. Dad thinks you're good for me and mom is sure you'll keep me closer to the real world than a surfer boy would do."

"She told me a diving instructor isn't what she wanted and she hopes I get you back to the law enforcement – even if it's only as a CSI. Why do cops think a CSI less worth than a cop?"

"Because we've the better guns."

"You had. And it doesn't matter how good your gun is, it mattes how good you are with a gun."

"Better than you are."

"Is that a bet?"

"Yes. But I suggest we fight with something else than a gun: bow and arrow."

"I've never tried them."

"Me neither. I'm sure Rhys knows somebody who can teach us. Would you enjoy that?"

"Do we have to make a competition out of it or can we just do it for fun?"

"It can be a fun thing."

"Good then I like the idea."

"Make a note in your little book. I take a little trip to the bathroom."

"Stay in the non-swimming area."

"No need to. If I need some help I call you. Don't miss me too much." Sofia got up.

"I know where to find you in case I miss you." Sara opened the wardrobe. Time to change into her sleep shirt. The last night in Vegas for a long time. She wasn't sure if she was happy or sad that their flight was tomorrow night. It felt good to be back… home. Vegas still felt like home to her. It was good to feel, see and taste the city again. On the other hand it reminded her of all the crimes, blood and bodies she had seen here during her time as a CSI. All the pain, the destroyed families and her own …problems. She had thought a lot about the night in the desert and Nathalie. It was better for her when she stayed away and started somewhere else new.

"You'll start the smoke detector if you don't stop thinking." Sofia got Sara out of her thoughts.

"Won't happen. I'll cool my head down in the bathroom."

"Call me if you need some help in the shower."

"Later baby."

Sofia sighed and changed into her sleep outfit. Why was she always turned down?

Okay she couldn't complain. Until last night she thought she had to stay in her own bed, in reality she shared a bed with Sara. They had breakfast in bed, got two big suitcases with Sara's old stuff in their room, arranged a transport for some furniture to Los Angeles and spent the rest of the day with Sofia's parents. They got along good and all had a really good time. And when they come over for Christmas they could repeat this day.

"Bed time." Sara turned off the light and slipped next to Sofia.

"Yes. That was a nice birthday."

"There's one hour left."

"True."

"And I haven't given you your present."

"You paid the room, I thought that's my present."

"No."

"And I got a kiss with the room and the king size bed. Wasn't that enough?"

"No."

"Not? What else?"

"I thought I give you something you can't buy with money."

"Another kiss?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"You've got fifty-nine minutes of your birthday left and for these fifty-nine you'll be in total control. That means I'll do whatever you want me to do."

"Are you kidding me?" Sofia stared blank at Sara. This had to be a joke.

"No. I'm yours."

"Sara…that's not funny."

"Because it' not a joke. So what would you like me to do?"

"I…okay…I want to be in your arms."

"Your wish is my command." Sara pulled Sofia in her arms. "Any other wishes?"

"Sara, you're playing a very dangerous game. At least if you're serious with that my wishes are your command."

"I am serious, Sofia. It's my present to you."

"You know what I can do with it."

"I'm aware of that."

"You do it anyway?"

"Yes."

Sofia turned and kissed Sara shortly. "Thanks. Sleep tight, Honey." The blonde snuggled deep into Sara's arms.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sleep tight."

"Sofia…"

"Sara I appreciate your offer, I really do and there are a lot of things I can think of I'd like you to do and I'd like to do to you but you offered me this present because you trust me and for me it's more important to show you that you can trust me than having the chance to make you do everything I want. I know you're happy with me in your arms, so am I. What I want is that we're both happy with what we do."

"You're amazing."

"Thanks. Are you fine with my decision?"

"Yes. And if you change your mind the present is available until midnight."

"I won't change my mind." Sofia turned so she faced Sara. "I made my decision because I believe in it. Sleep tight, we need to be up early to meet the guys."

"Yes. They want to see us at half past seven."

"That's like a blink away." Sofia closed her eyes. A short night for a holiday night.

"It's a dream away. Good night Sofia." Sara bent forward and kissed Sofia softly on her lips. "I'm glad I can take you with me tomorrow and don't have to say goodbye to you and leave you here."

"Me too….I think my head is deep red again."

"Suits you."

"You suit me."

Sara laughed quietly. She should have know that Sofia wouldn't ask for anything else than being in Sara's arms. No matter how tempting the offer was, it was more important to Sofia that Sara felt comfortable. This was the best proof that she could trust the blonde endlessly. It was like she got a present too even if it wasn't her birthday.

"And when it's your birthday I'll throw a cake in your face." Sofia mumbled, kissed Sara's throat and fell asleep.

Friday

Coming home from work had been always a kind of coming back into another world. A world that was made to rest, drop into bed, sleep, get up, shower, eat, go back to reality. The difference between Sara's former work life and her private had been that she lived during her work and only existed during her time off. Maybe that had been a reason why she tried to work more than it was good for her. There hadn't been anything to do for her after work. When she and Grissom were a couple it was different. Kind of. They both were workaholics but when they were off and together there was a reason for Sara to be at home. There was something to look forward to. Private time wasn't time to read another forensic magazine or catch up with the newest crime posts on the internet, suddenly it was time for herself, time for somebody she loved.

Now she had been back in the world of working people for a week and every day she came home she felt good, relaxed and spent time with other people. Of course her workaholic nature came through and of course she had accumulate a little bit of overtime already but it was fun. She and Willy spent the whole day on the island, on the water or in the water. She had learnt a lot about the nature here, where they had problems because of the tourists and what they could do to make it possible that nature and people lived together in harmony.

"You made yourself very unpopular!" Sofia knocked on Sara's door.

"Huh?" She didn't bother to lift her head. It felt so good after the shower, dressed with nothing more than a towel, to drop on her bed and close her eyes.

"The designated diving areas."

"Oh." Yes she and Willy had asked for designated dive area around the island. Their goal was to have parts of the coral free of humans. A place animals could go to and have a break of diver looking at them.

"Yes. Oh. Did you forget you share your house with a diving instructor?"

"No. I thought my landlady understands that animals need a place without humans annoying them and that if we don't save the environment there won't be much to look at for diver in a few years."

"I knew you'd come along with something like that."

"Because I'm right."

"You're a lot of things, not dressed is one of them. If you're right that's in the eye of the beholder."

"Wearing nothing else than a towel was my tactic. I knew you'd be pissed so I thought I wear my towel, show you my long legs and get your thoughts away from the ocean to something that you enjoy more."

"You're playing with your sex appeal."

"If I have one then I'm doing that right now. Yes. Guilty."

"And proud of it."

"A little bit." Sara grabbed Sofia's hand and pulled her next to her. "So how much time will we spend with a fight?"

"Why? Do you have any other plans for tonight? Some dates? Save the environment demonstrations?"

"Yes. I overheard how your ex made plans with a blonde and I want to ruin his date."

"He asked me out for dinner, yes."

"What did you say?"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you going."

"Why's that?"

"Because I want you here with me."

"That should be enough for me to tell him I've no time but after you made me mad you have to do better than that. Give me a very good reason why I shouldn't meet him, have an expensive steak he'll pay for, a huge chocolate sundae and some exquisite champagne. You have to offer something really good. Better than just a look at your sexy long legs."

"You want to make it hard for me."

"Yes."

"Doesn't work I know something good that's not a punishment for me."

"Like what? And are you sure it will be enough?"

Sara bent over, slipped onto Sofia and kissed her softly. Not only a short kiss her lips met the lips of the blonde and started playing with hers. Softly, carefully and gently she bite and kissed Sofia, smirking when she heard the little moan escaping from Sofia when she realized Sara's kiss was a real kiss and not a little short one.

"Is this a good start?" Sara whispered when she let her lips run over Sofia's cheeks.

"Are you playing me or are you serious?"

"Sofia." Sara stopped to find the deep blue eyes of the other woman. Eyes more beautiful than any ocean could be. "Do you really think I'd play with you and your feelings?"

Eyes brown like old whiskey looking softly at her, the taste of red lips still on her own lips and a shiver that still ran over her body. No, Sara didn't look like she wanted to play Sofia. She looked like she wanted this kiss as much as Sofia did.

"No."

"Good."

"But why…what made you change your mind? Suddenly."

"Not suddenly. I took me some time, that' right. I wanted this last week when I made myself your birthday present. You, being somebody who cares a lot about people you like, didn't take the chance. That made it obvious to me that I was right with my feelings about you but on the other side it made it clear I've to do the first step. Something that's really hard for me. In my head I worked on a good strategy and the only thing I came up with was this one. I knew when he asked you out for dinner I had to do something, I was too jealous to let him have you tonight.

And I was afraid you might want to take him back. After all I didn't make it easy for you and he wants to make it very easy."

"He isn't who I want."

"Sometimes people settle with the second best."

"No, I won't. I took the second best once I won't do that again."

"If you consider me as the best you can have the best."

"You are the best." Sofia kissed Sara. Finally she could kiss her. And she didn't feel guilty after it. She didn't feel like she pushed Sara into something, like she only responded the kiss because she didn't want to hurt Sofia. It felt like Sara wanted it as much as she did.

"Does that mean you will have dinner with me?"

"What if I told him already I'll have dinner with him?"

"I'll be jealous."

"Really?"

"Yes. I might scratch his eyes out."

"Keep your claws to yourself, come with me to the main island. I will have dinner with Marcus but I'll be your dessert."

"Why can't I kill him?"

"Because even if I'm not a cop anymore I had to call them. Or run away with you. We both like it here so why don't you have a chat with Rhys, keep an eye on me and after dinner I'm all yours?"

"Watching my beautiful girlfriend having dinner with an arrogant model." Sara made a grimace that got kissed away from Sofia. She had called her her girlfriend. She was serious. And had no clue how happy she made Sofia with her last sentence. She was Sara's girlfriend. Sara did the first step, she really wanted her. Right now there couldn't be a person on this planet who was happier than Sofia.