Disclaimer: CSI belongs to Anthony Zuiker and a whole bunch of other people, but not by me.

A/n: So yeah, this is exactly what the title inplies. Sara's journey to lay her ghosts to rest. I've taken a different take on this them most have. I just always thought that it could have happend this way. This fic is written in conjunction with my new casefile fic, Masquerade. You don't have to read that one to get this one, but there will be interaction between the two, mostly with telephone calls between Grissom and Sara, for now. I will be updating this one every Wednesdays or Thursdays, and Masquerade on Mondays or Tuesdays. Thanks is advance for reading.

Chapter 1

Sara stared out the window, not really noticing the dancing lights. Right about now he was reading the letter. Her heart hurt with the thought that he wouldn't understand. She'd written that she didn't know where she was going, but now that she'd thought about it, she had an idea. She had to go back to the beginning, back to the place this all started.

Sara watched as her mother slammed into the house, startling the cat lying on the hearth. Sara sat curled up on the end of the couch, where she'd been watching the leaves dance on the cool autumn breeze. Her eight-year-old heart froze in her chest at the dark look of her mother. Things must not have gone well in town. The local merchant's association had held their monthly meeting, and up for discussion was the building of a new hotel off the interstate. This had put her mom in a foul mood, and Sara knew by the look on her face the proposal had been approved. Laura Sidle had been very vocal against it, telling anyone who would listen that it would be the ruin of the community. The real reason why mom didn't want it was that it would take away potential guests to their bed and breakfast. Her parents had taken over the old Victorian house a few years before Sara was born, and had turned it into a modest, but successful B&B. Her father, the dreamer, had named it The Eternal Bliss Inn. Her mother had wanted something simpler, like Sidle Bed and Breakfast, but her father had won, the first of only two arguments her father had ever won. Now, as her mother stormed through the house, Sara shrank back into the couch and watched as she searched out her father. He was down in his studio, where he usually was, and Sara knew that that would only fuel her mother's anger. She could hear her start to yell as she thundered down the stairs. "Bill! Bill where are you! Those idiots approved that monstrosity. You should have been there; maybe they would have listened to two voices, more than one." Sara could hear her father's voice replying, but not what he said, but it didn't matter because her mother cut right over him. "Of course you weren't there to support me. You're never there; you're always here, tinkering around with this wood!" Sara heard a crash and knew her mother had pushed one of her father's projects to the ground. Sara cringed at the thought of her fathers beautiful work being destroyed. She decided to escape outside before things got too bad. She ran out and down to the beach, watching as the ocean ebbed and flowed. She loved watching as the water pulled back, like it was gathering strength, pulling itself up into a wave only to dash itself on the sand. She'd read at the library that the moon affected the ocean, controlled the tide. She loved to figure out the way things worked. Found solace in it. Later that night at dinner, her father smiled at her, asking her about her day. He grunted and held his side as he reached for the rolls. Her mother ate in silence. At least this time they didn't need to go to the hospital.

Sara looked up as the cab pulled up to the bus station. Paying the driver, she climbed out. The bus would be slower, but she needed time to get her thoughts in order. Paying for her ticket, she pulled out a pack of pictures she'd just picked up at the film place. Opening the flap, she gazed at the first picture. It was of her and Grissom at an amusement park. The whole team had gone to the Adventuredome theme park, and the pics were from that day. Grissom had been disappointed that they hadn't had any real roller coasters. She smiled. When she got back, they'd plan a trip and go to the biggest coaster in the world, wherever that may be. Tucking the pictures back in her purse, she saw her cell phone. She'd call him later. If she called now, she might decide not to go, and that wouldn't be good for her. They called for loading for her bus, and she followed her fellow passengers.She sighed and whispered. "Ready or not, here I go."

TBC…