Chapter 23

After Ecklie had ordered Sara back to work, the Lab Director had seen this as his chance to get rid of Sara. He knew that it wasn't a possibility to fire the CSI. He still hadn't found that one thing or mistake that would make that an option. That was the reason he was trying to encourage the CSI to quit. He didn't do it openly, but it had it's advantages being Lab Director. Everything had to go through him. It hadn't been easy to get an unnoticeable influence on Grissom's team. Even though Ecklie had loathed the slowness of getting his plan realized, it worked out better that way than he had anticipated. It hadn't looked as suspicious. The hardest part had been Grissom, the night shift supervisor had come to him with some concerns. Ecklie had been able to talk his way around the real subject, and after that Ecklie implied that some changes had had to be made, and that it was out of his hands.

If Grissom had bothered to know anything about the lab politics and the Under Sherif's authority, he would have known that Ecklie had the final say in how budget cuts were to be carried out. Ecklie wasn't sure why Grissom had so easily been dismissed on the subject of one of his CSIs. But he didn't care why Gil was willing to leave his protege hanging. It wasn't the Grissom, Ecklie was used to, but he didn't intend question a good thing.

rrrr

It had taken some time for Catherine to notice Sara's downward spiral. First noticing that Sara seemed to work every night, but had at first put it up to Sara coping with being a new mother. At first Catherine gave Sara some time to work out her own problems. She started noticing the cases Sara was put on were the ones they all tried to avoid. They all worked them occasionally, but usually it got changed around, so it wasn't just one of them.

That was what started Catherine looking back through the past months cases and schedules. This was one of those times were being Grissom's second came in handy. Catherine had access to things she otherwise wouldn't have. Once she started looking into things, Catherine quickly found the pattern she had started to suspect.

Catherine's first reaction was to go tear Grissom's head off. She managed to at least stall herself for the time being. She knew it was a bad idea to talk to anyone when she was that angry, except maybe a suspect.

rrrr

Catherine's encounter with Grissom at the end of shift, had gone better than she had expected. At least she didn't get fired, though Gil hadn't looked pleased by the time Catherine left his office.

Gil hadn't denied the accusations Catherine had thrown at him. She hadn't expected much, Grissom wasn't much for explaining when it wasn't something about evidence.

When Gil had refused to answer or say anything, Catherine had said some things she had regretted the moment the words left her mouth. Hurrying out of the building to keep from saying more. There was a limit to what Grissom would let slide, even if she was his friend.

Besides Catherine would rather talk to Sara than to Gil after what he had let go on, or worse done. That was easier said than done. Catherine couldn't find Sara in the lab. When she thought about it, she had hardly seen the brunette in the last month. She had even forgotten their breakfast 'dates' since Emily had come to Vegas. She didn't know why she had let a time she looked forward to go and hadn't thought more about it.

Catherine knew Lindsey's Saturdays with Sara hadn't been possible for some time, due to Sara's work schedule. Lindsey wasn't as understanding after the first two Saturdays Sara had cancelled.

Now that Catherine finally had her eyes opened to Sara's problem, the trouble was to figure out how she could help her friend. Catherine knew that being a CSI was a large part of who Sara was. Work was the one thing that Sara was always confident about. So with everything that was happening in the brunette's private life, Catherine knew that what was going on at work would only add to the stress Sara was bound to be feeling already.

Catherine didn't know how to help, but she had some ideas as how to make it better at work. She might get problems with Gil, but Catherine was good at getting around him if need be. She had no doubt both Warrick and Nick would help out, and Greg adored Sara, and was a close friend of the brunette's, so the lab rat would be in no matter what. Catherine thought that Greg might be a good source on information on how to help Sara.

Catherine knew very little about Sara and even less about Sara's past. They hadn't been friends for long and they both liked keeping their private life just that, private. Most of what she knew about Sara's personal life, Catherine had found out through Lindsey and Emily. And that hadn't been Sara's choice.

Catherine tried to find Sara, but the brunette had left while she had been in with Gil. Instead of risk waking Sara from what little sleep she knew the brunette probably got having a 6 year old, Catherine decided to start with Warrick and Nick. She didn't mind possibly waking them.

Warrick and Nick was easier to find then Sara. They hadn't been in a hurry going home, and were still in the break room discussing where to go for breakfast. Catherine didn't have to ask them to join her when she stepped into the room, Warrick was quick to include her in their breakfast plans.

By the time they had their food, Catherine still didn't know how to broach the subject of Sara. Not finding the right words had never been one of her problems. Being frustrated with this inability to just say what she wanted, was making Catherine act more somber and quiet than usual when with the guys.

It didn't lessen the conversation around the table, but both Warrick and Nick had noticed the change. Both waiting to mention anything, hoping the other would say something first.

When the waitress had left them with their food, Warrick didn't want to drag his feet any longer.

"Okay Cath, spill it."

When Catherine didn't seem to be coming up with an answer anytime soon Warrick continued. "You jumped at our invitation for breakfast, you only do that when you have something on your mind, Cath. So out with it."

"You noticed!" Catherine knew she was still trying to stall for more time.

Warrick didn't bother with a verbal response, but he did send her a look that said everything he wanted.

"Either of you noticed something different the last couple of months?"

Catherine still didn't quiet know what to say. Getting the guys to look closer at their memories would make it possible for Catherine to only have to guide the trip down memory lane, instead of having to be the one talking.

It took some time before Warrick and Nick started to put together what Catherine was getting at.

They were both embarrassed when they became a where of how little they noticed Sara. Especially Nick when he found that he had hardly talked to Sara since the forced change in the woman's life.

He more than Warrick considered himself a friend of the brunette. Nick found he hadn't bothered to offer his time in any way Sara might need it. He had been so caught up in his own life, that he hadn't noticed his friend struggling, not only personally but also professionally. The latter surprised him more.

The Sara he knew had always been secure in her work life. What hit him hardest was that he hadn't even meet Emily. He wasn't surprised that Sara hadn't brought the young girl to work, but that he hadn't done anything to meet Sara's daughter bothered him.

Warrick had never been close to Sara, but he still considered her a friend. They hadn't got the best start to their acquaintance. That along with Catherine's animosity toward Sara hadn't helped matters. Catherine had been a great friend and mentor to him. With the two women's clashing he hadn't done much to get to know Sara outside work, or even been eager to get to know the CSI. Now he couldn't remember his reasons for ignoring a friend that in hindsight was so obviously struggling with the one thing Sara had always been confident, being a CSI.

Now that both guys saw the same thing as she did, Catherine wanted them to focus on finding someway to help Sara. Instead of continuing down the road of self blame that they were on.

They couldn't come up with a solution to everything. And as the morning dragged on their idea's became less feasible. Before they left to get some sleep, they did agree that Sara wouldn't admit she had a problem and ask for help. Also that as a start they would try to move shifts so Sara could get at least 2 nights off in a row. Something they all needed occasionally to be able to deal with what they saw.

rrrr

"Hey Sara, wait up." Nick was running to catch up with the brunette as Sara was about to get into her car.

"Can't it wait Nick? I have to get home."

Sara wasn't in the mood to talk to anybody. She was late getting out of the lab, after another long and lonely night. Her mind and body was exhausted after months of too little sleep, and no real promise of being able to catch up any time soon.

"It'll only take a minute. I just wanted to ask about switching shifts."

This was the first time in a while Nick got a good look at Sara. It only confirmed his wish to help his friend.

"I don't have that many nights off, so it'll probably be better to ask someone else."

Sara wasn't trying to blow him off, but she needed to get home before she fell asleep. And with the one night maybe two a week Sara got off, she really didn't have much in the way of taking one of Nick's shifts on her off nights.

Sara hadn't stopped when Nick called out to her, and was at her car just about to get in when Nick caught up with her.

"That's fine, I was hooping to pick up some extra shifts. I'm going all out on the anniversary, Shauna deserves it for putting up with me for the last year. So I need some extra cash."

Nick knew he had to be quick if he was to make their plan of getting Sara some more nights off.

"If you don't mind, I'll take some of your shifts, give you some time with your kid."

He hoped that last part would sell the idea to Sara.

Sara wasn't short on money, that had never been a reason for her longer than most hours every months. And with so little time off work, she hadn't had much time to use the money she earned. Most of her paycheck had been set a side every month since she moved to Vegas. Even before that Sara had always reserved part of her paycheck for savings.

Her number of shifts each month had been a choice on Sara's part when she first started in Las Vegas. And now that she wanted to decrease her hours it was harder than expected, actually nothing had happened even though she had asked several times.

So letting Nick have some of her shifts was sounding like a great idea.

Normally Sara would have teased Nick before agreeing, but she was too exhausted.

"That's fine Nick. Which shifts do you want?"

Sara was trying to remember which night she had off, but quickly gave up, the only thing she remembered right now was that she was working again tonight.

Nick knew Sara had Thursday off, because he had checked before running after Sara. Part of their plan was to give the brunette nights off in a row.

"What about Friday and Saturday nights? Shauna's having a girlfriends weekend, so I would just be watching TV anyway."

That wasn't really the case, but it was now. Shauna and him had had plans for both days, but Shauna had been okay with postponing to let Nick help his friend.

"That's fine if I'm working, but I don't remember right now."

Two nights off on a weekend to spend with Emily sounded like heaven.

"I've checked, you're scheduled to be off Thursday, but not Friday or Saturday. So it'll be a long weekend for you."

That Sara didn't remember her schedule at the top of her head, convinced Nick that he was doing the right thing. Sara usually knew the schedule for the entire month.

The exhaustion was clearly visible on Sara's face, now that Nick knew to look, and he would gladly give up weekends to help.

"Thanks Sara, I owe you. You go get some sleep and spend some time with your girl. Maybe we can have a barbecue soon, and I'll get to meet her."