Disclaimer: All rights reserved for CBS.
A/n: Sorry this is so short, but the way I've been feeling this week, I was lucky to get this much done. Hopefully this gives a good jump off to the final few chapters. The next chapters should be longer, so have no fear. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed.
Chapter 17
Sara opened her eyes and knew something had changed. She could feel it in the air and in the very fiber of her being. Her limbs ached and she felt like her chest was being compressed. She slowly sat up and blinked. She didn't feel sick, exactly, just very fatigued. She turned to look at the clock and was surprised to find it after eleven. Her neck muscles were tense and the effort it had taken to perform that one action had exhausted her. She flopped back down on the bed and closed her eyes.
She heard the birds twittering in the sky, and the sun streaming through the window promised that the day was bright and sunny. Through the window blew a slight breeze carrying with it the scent of the ocean. By all accounts she should be feeling good. The last few weeks had been great, and she was confounded by this fatigued feeling.
She knew she had to get up, so she took a deep breath and swung her legs over the bed and stood up in one swift movement. She hoped a long hot shower would help her feel better.
Forty five minutes later she made her way downstairs, feeling only marginally better. She hoped that Rona had a pot of coffee going.
She found the kitchen empty and a note sitting on the counter. 'Running into town, be back in about an hour.'
Luckily there was a full pot of coffee waiting and since it was still fresh she figured it hadn't been sitting there long, therefore it hadn't been long since Rona had left. With a slight smile, she pulled down the biggest mug available and filled it to the top. She grabbed a raspberry Danish and decided to have her brunch in the garden. Hopefully the combination of caffeine, sugar, and sunlight would reenergize her. She looked around for the paper and finally found it folded on the side table in the dining room.
She made her way out to the wrought iron bench in the garden, set her coffee on the small table and settled herself into a comfortable position. She propped her feet on the small stool in front of the bench and for a few minutes she just sat there, eyes closed, inhaling the fragrance of the garden. She just couldn't shake the feeling that hung over her like a shadow, despite the brightness of the day. Finally, she sat up and sipped her coffee and nibbled at her Danish, hoping for a sugar rush. She picked up the paper and turned directly to the comics. Maybe a laugh would help lighten her mood.
Ten minutes later she'd read every comic, finished her coffee and Danish and, still, she felt like just going back to bed and curling up in a ball. With a sigh she turned to the first page of the paper where a name jumped out at her. She sat up and read the article carefully.
'Two years ago the brutal murder of three men over the course of three weeks had San Franciscans scared to leave their homes. After months of careful evidence gathering the police finally moved in and arrested Marvin Duncan last month for those murders. There has been no comment on the reasons behind the murders and Mr. Duncan is expected to plead not guilty. The trial is set to begin on March twenty-first and will be overseen by the Honorable Judge Jerold Joiner who has just returned from a long honeymoon…'
The article went on; detailing the particulars of the case, but Sara couldn't take in any more. This was the reason behind her malaise. Somehow she'd known on a molecular level that her time of relaxation was over. It was time to face her past.
By the time Rona got home Sara was packed and ready to go. She met Rona at the door and explained what had happened.
Rona smiled and put her arms around Sara in a big hug. "You come back to see me when you've finished your… when you finish what you're doing. There will always be a room available to you. I'm sure Grissom wouldn't mind a nice long vacation with his fiancé when this is all over."
Sara nodded, "You bet. In fact there are a few products I wouldn't mind trying out with him." Sara pulled back and picked up the small case of things she'd gathered in her time at the Tickle Your Fancy Hideaway Inn. "And I'll make sure to tell everyone I know what a great, and private, place this is. I know a couple of people who may appreciate it." She smiled thinking of Catherine and her predilection for bad boys and Greg and his liking for latex. Then again, Nick might just find a need for it.
"Okay, time for me to go. Wish me luck," she said taking a tremulous breath.
"Good luck, Hun, and don't worry, I know you can do this. You're a strong woman. Oh, wait…" she broke off and hurried into her part of the house. When she came back she was breathless from the run. "Here's the name and address of a friend of mine. I've talked to her and she's said that you can stay with her while you're in San Francisco. I would have mentioned it earlier, but I thought there'd be more time. I'll call her as soon as you leave and she'll be waiting when you get there."
Sara looked down at the card and stammered," Oh, Rona, I couldn't…"
Rona cut her off. "Don't you start, what are friends for? Now, go on, get going. You want to get settled in before dark."
With tears in her eyes, Sara nodded. "Thanks so much, for everything." She hugged Rona again and turned to leave. At the door she turned back. "And think about making an honest man of James. I've never seen him so happy, and you look radiant whenever you're together."
Rona blushed. "Well, he has been hinting at making our relationship more permanent, maybe I'll take the lead and do the proposing."
Sara smiled. "Well, you have my number, let me know what happens."
Rona nodded and watched as Sara turned and walked out of the house, realizing she was going to miss this woman she'd only known for a few months. A true friend was hard to find, and she only hoped that Sara could lay her past behind her and move on into her future, her path clear for what life had to bring.
Sara closed the car door and glanced down at the card. "Well, Michele Grant, I hope you're ready for a visitor." She pushed her sunglasses onto her nose and started the car, a song popping into her head. 'Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road…'
TBC…