Disclaimer: CSI is the property of Anthony Zuiker and a bunch of other people. I only borrow it for a little fun.

A/n: Well, I'm not quite sure if I'm happy with this chapter. I changed it several times, and I'm okay with what came out, but I'm not sure if it's the best I could do. I would love any kind of feedback. Do you like it, do you like where I'm heading, do you hate it, is it, for the most part, in-character? Anything? Thanks to those who have reviewed so far. I really do appreciate it.

Chapter 3

Sara jerked awake as the bus pulled into the station at Barstow. She rubbed her eyes, and looked around. Everyone was filing out, and she took out her schedule and saw that they had a fifteen minute layover. She grabbed her purse and followed the rest off the bus to stretch her legs. She was surprised she'd been able to sleep at all, but hearing Grissom and knowing that he'd understood had helped her relax. Heading for a drink machine, she couldn't help a small smile. In the dream she'd been having, Grissom was showing her just how inventive he could be. She had a feeling the following weeks and months were going to be harder then she'd thought.

Poking her coins into the machine, she was distracted by raised voices coming from behind the small building not far away. A woman's angry voice was berating a man for spending most of their money on fast food. The smile that had barely started disappeared behind a cloud of memories.

Sara giggled as she dropped the fish into the bucket. "That's six daddy. Isn't that good?" She beamed up at her father who was busy threading a new worm on the hook. He finished and looked up at her with a smile. "Sure is sweetheart. Who knew you'd be such a natural?" He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sara Bella Sidle, fisherwoman extraordinaire. The smartest, prettiest girl to ever set foot on a dock." Sara giggled again and exclaimed, "Daddy, don't call me that." Bill smiled as Sara blushed. "And why not? You're my Sara Bella, and I want the world to know just how smart you are." Sara ducked her head and smiled. Her name had been the only other argument her dad had ever won with her mother. Sara pretended to be embarrassed about it, and her father would tease her about it, and they'd laugh. Sara yawned and rubbed her eyes. Bill glanced at his watch, concerned when he saw it was after eleven. "Well sugarbear, what do you say we gather our stuff and head on back home? Your brother has to be at the pizza parlor by one and your mom wants someone at the Inn just in case someone comes by." Sara nodded and started to get up. They'd been out here since half past six this morning, and Sara was ready for a nap. The drive home was nice and peaceful, and Sara would remember it later as the calm before the storm. Things had been quiet the last couple of months. Laura had been busy with promotion for the Inn, and finding a way to get customers to choose them over the fancy hotel that had finally been built. Sara's brother had just turned eighteen a couple of weeks ago, and he was planning on going to college out east come fall. Bill pulled up to the house and knew right away that something wasn't right. The front door was open wide and Laura's car was parked across the lawn. He turned to Sara and found that she'd fallen asleep. He shook her gently and when she opened her eyes she saw there was trouble in the tautness of her father's smile. "Hey jellybean. Why don't you go on around back and go upstairs and finish you nap? I'll take the fish in and clean them, and we'll have a nice fish dinner tonight." Wary, Sara nodded and climbed out of the car. She had just tuned the corner of the house when she heard her mother yell. "Where the HELL have you been!" The screech had Sara stopping her tracks. "I come home after spending all morning trying to get us one guest, and what do I find? An empty house. What if one of the people I talked to decided to come out here only to discover no one here to check them in? Do you WANT us to lose everything?!" Bill mumbled something low, but Laura's reply was loud and clear. "Well he isn't here now! And since when do you leave Brian here to take care of guests? God! I don't even know why I married you. You're worthless! Get inside; the place needs to be cleaned. And what is that smell?!" More mumbling from her father, and a shriek from her mother. "You went where?! This is what you think is an acceptable excuse? Fishing? Sara doesn't need to go fishing. She needs to learn how to be an acceptable girl. You indulge her way too much. From now on I'll decide how she spends her free time. And throw those things out. I don't want them stinking up the house just in case we DO get a guest." The door slammed and Sara saw her father, head down, throwing the fish in the trash. He looked up and saw her standing there. Shrugging, he closed the lid and headed back in. From then on Sara's free time was taken up with her mother's idea of more suitable pursuits for young girls. Ballet, piano, and what turned out to be Sara's favorite escape, the academic clubs she joined, especially the math club.
Sara was pulled back to the present at the sound of the horn telling passengers to re-board. Taking her drink she climbed back on the bus, and headed back to her seat. She watched as some new passengers boarded, including a young couple, both of whom wore aggravated expressions. They took the seats right behind her and Sara had the feeling that this was the couple she'd overheard arguing before. Regretting that she hadn't brought her Ipod, or at least a book, she made a mental note to buy something to occupy her time during the next layover.

They rode in silence for a while, and Sara closed her eyes and hoped for sleep. Her wish wasn't granted and instead she was left listening to the conversation going on behind her.

"I just don't know what you're thinking sometimes." This was followed by a sigh. "But I don't want us to argue any more. Let's just make a promise not to waste any more money." There was silence for a few moments, then a low rumble of a voice. "Sure babe. I don't like when we fight either. No more wasting money." Sara heard the unmistakable sounds of kissing, and she closed her eyes, trying to close it out.

Her heart constricted at the thought of waiting so long to kiss Gil again. He'd said that's he be thinking of the last kiss, but she hated that she'd given it on such a sad note. Their first kiss though, that one was worth remembering.

Sara watched as the ambulance pulled away with Nick in the back. She felt bone weary and cold. As the siren faded away, she heard Grissom tell Ecklie that he wanted their team back together. She couldn't agree more. The last few months without Warrick, Nick, and even Catherine had just been weird. Their team was like a family, and with them split up, it felt incomplete. They all made their way back to their cars, Sara going with Grissom and Greg hopping in the car that Warrick and Catherine had driven. Grissom drove for a while in silence, then he pulled over. The sky was dotted with stars you couldn't see in the city, and a breeze washed over the desert. Sara watched as Grissom closed his eyes and breathed deeply. His hands gripped the steering wheel, and Sara felt helpless to help him. She knew him so well, and yet in some ways not at all. In the last couple of months she'd learned so much about him that she hadn't known. Their relationship had gotten so much better since she'd told him about her past, and he'd asked her out after they'd finished a particularly difficult case involving a mother's incestuous relationship with her son. They'd only gone out a couple of times, but it had been more friendly outings, rather than romantic, and Sara had contented herself with that, even if a little devil had whispered to her every now and then that she wanted more and her lips ached for the feel of his. She'd be patient, and hopefully one day, he'd be ready for more.

Suddenly he opened his eyes. "I feel… I feel as if there's this hand that just keeps pushing me. I've been trying so hard to change, but I'm still the same guy who's always felt safer with my bugs and the job I do. In the last few months I've been shown over and over how easy it would be to lose you, and I keep telling myself that there's plenty of time, but what if there isn't? Ecklie could have fired you, Adam Trent could have killed you, and it could have easily been you tonight. I-I don't want to get to the point where I don't have you, and to know I've never really known you." Sara watched, speechless as he turned to her. "I need you. I know that the rules don't allow for team members to date, but I could no more stand to not work with you, as to not have you in my life on a more personal level. I-what I'm trying to say is I need you, and I need to do this before one more second goes by." He reached over, unbuckled her seat belt, then his, and pulled her to him. His lips were warm and dry as they pressed into hers. Sara's mind froze. Suddenly she was jolted by the slick feel of his tongue tracing her lips, seeking entry. She moaned and gripped his shoulders, pulling herself as close as she could, her own tongue circling his in a dance as old as time. Long minutes passed before they pulled apart, and when they did, their breath mingled in ragged gasps. Tears glittered in Sara's eyes, and he wiped them away with his thumbs. Sounding uncharacteristically nervous, he whispered. "I hope these don't mean you didn't like it and you're tying to find a way to let me down gently. I didn't wait too long, did I?"

Sara's answer was a shake of her head, and she pulled him to her and buried her face in his neck, the soothing feel of his whiskers on her cheeks. She whispered into his ear. "No, there's nothing I want more." She pulled back and smiled, kissing his lips lightly. "I'm not sure it would ever have been too late."

Sara opened her eyes and watched as the sparse trees and bushes whipped by the window. She decided then and there that she owed him one spectacular kiss to make up for the last one she'd given him. On that thought she closed her eyes, and was finally able to sleep.
TBC…