The Walden Pond Research Center was warm as Sara stepped foot inside. She'd taken an hour to photograph some of the nature around the center while Grissom lectured his students on entomological conservation. The topic was intriguing to her but she also knew she rarely got a chance to take photos of New England wildlife. She found the students collecting their volunteer assignments as she closed the door. The fact that Grissom had made volunteer work part of the seminar made her proud because most of time students thought seminars were just lectures with maybe a project or paper on the side. Instead, they had to identify a small collection of insects and do volunteer work unless they could provide proof of employment. That was the only way they got out of the volunteer work with Walden Pond and only a fraction of the class had been able to.

"Trail management, what is that?" One of the students inquired while speaking to another.

"Don't know, I have collecting water samples for testing."

Sara made her way over to Grissom to see him speaking with a Department of Conservation and Recreation employee. They were glancing at a map and the ranger was pointing to a specific area just off trail by one of the nearby recreation areas. As she neared them, she heard them speaking about an area that was closed off due to snow build up and steep rocks. The ranger was planning on putting up warning signs but he wanted everyone volunteering or heading a volunteer group to know.

"Thank you, Dr. Grissom." The ranger stated while folding up the map.

Once he was gone, Grissom turned to her. "Did you get all the pictures you wanted?"

"Hmm, I did. I figured we both be doing some assignment or assisting the kids where needed."

"I'm going to go oversee the trail management that I gave some of them. I thought you'd like volunteering at the farm or assisting in collecting water samples."

Sara thought for a moment before speaking. "I'll head down to the pond and help with the samples." She glanced at her watch, "what time do we need to meet back here?"

"Three, that's generally when we return and I give a ten minute lecture on Thoreau before everyone departs." He held out a radio and she took it. "Don't get lost."

"I won't." She chuckled while taking the clipboard he handed off to her, a record log that was so similar to their evidence collection log that she'd know what she was doing.

Grissom caught her gloved hand and Sara took the prompt to invade his space and kiss him. They pulled apart seconds later and she smiled at him as he squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too. You really should thank McKeen for sticking his foot in his mouth though." Sara quickly claimed a kiss before breaking away. "See you around three."

Sara found a group down by the pond collecting water samples and talking while they worked. Some of them weren't actually doing anything but Sara wasn't going to inquire with them like she'd have done with Greg or lab techs at the lab. They must have heard the crunching of the snow under the boots of a newcomer because a few turned in her direction. She knew she must look strange walking towards them with a radio clipped to her peacoat's lapel and camera across her body, the body of the camera resting against her left hip. The lens cover was on so she wasn't worried about the camera as it was an all-weather camera. Her beanie was pulled down over her hair and ears, scarf in place around her neck and tucked into her peacoat.

"I have the collection log so who has samples ready to log?" She asked as she neared them.

"Here." One of the girls raised her hand.

Sara walked over to her and pulled a sheet from the interior of clipboard, sliding it onto the sooth metal. "Alright. Here you go." She handed the clipboard off to the girl and took the capped test tube that the girl handed her. Holding the tube in one hand, she reached into her pocket and removed scotch tape she'd collecting before leaving the Research Center. Using a permanent marker, Sara put the date and glance at the girl. "What's your name and where was your water source?"

"Ashley Moore. Just the pond here."

Once initials were placed on the scotch tape, Sara tore a piece and put it on the test tube. With the test tube was labelled, she put the scotch tape around her wrist and held onto the marker. Ashley handed her the clipboard back and took her water sample in return. "Thank you, Ashley."

"Uh, so a few of us were wondering something." Ashley glanced at Sara as they started walking towards the group. "Dr. Grissom said you were once his student. What university course did you take under him?"

Sara glanced at the college girl. "It wasn't a course but a week-long seminar at the Forensics Academy Conference in 1998. He taught about entomological timelines and their relation to death, specifically murder. I was a CSI Level II and I took it to cover my yearly continuing education." Sara handed the clipboard off to another student that was waiting, accepting the guy's test tube in return. "Name?"

"Mark Shant."

"Thank you." She started writing on the roll of scotch tape once again.

The girl still seemed curious so she asked a different question. "So you started dating once the conference was over, right? Lydia said she betted it was a student-teacher thing but she's not the brightest."

"No, we started dating in April of 2005, so almost two years ago." Sara reached a gloved hand up and brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen across her face despite her beanie being in place. Her hair always had a mind of its own, especially when it was curly. "Before that he was my boss. We had a shuffle of leadership so we were able to start dating." She saw the confused look on the girl's face. "Between 2000, when I moved to Vegas, and 2005, it wasn't acted on despite mutual attraction and love."

Ashley looked skeptical. "At all?"

"There were moments we were both tempted, but no, not at all."

"How long have you been married?"

"September." Sara chuckled at the girl's expression of shock. "Yes, we're still newlyweds."

Sara accepted the clipboard back from Mark and handed off his newly labeled test tube. He glanced at her, "you're like twenty-five years apart. I think that's what Ashley can't wrap her mind around."

"Fifteen," Sara clarified. "But who's counting. We certainly aren't."

It took an hour to get through all the kids, especially given that some had shown up after collecting water from other surrounding areas. She'd even taken a moment to photograph the group, especially once a snowball fight had broken out. Sara decided to check out the other groups as the week went on to get photographs of all the kids. Her radio suddenly brought her away from her photos and laughter.

"Sara?"

She pressed her radio, "here, you guys heading in?"

"That's the idea. Am I hearing laughter?"

"Impromptu snowball fight broke out; I was taking a moment to photograph your students. Figured I'd be able to catch photos of the entire class before it ends next week."

Grissom's voice floated through the radio. "See you in a few."

"Copy." Sara removed her right glove and whistled using her fingers, which brought eyes to her and she waved her hand. "Come on, everyone is headed in. We need to get these samples in to the Center anyways."

Sunday was a day that Sara could drag Grissom away from the Research Center and class, meaning he was all hers. She managed to surprise him with a trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History and their Arthropod exhibit. It was something she knew he'd enjoy and she wasn't disappointed in the slightest. The man spoke in depth of the various insects as he held her hand and Sara found herself asking dozens of questions, knowing he'd answer every single question without care of how many she asked.

After hours at the museum, lunch was at a nearby diner that had Sara telling the complete story of how she was able to get away from Vegas. Grissom watched her as she told the story, spaced out between bites of food. He was finding it quite bewildering what she was telling him, but if he was honest, he wasn't surprised. The fact that Nick had taken charge to handle the situation had been surprising though. He'd half expected Sara to be the charging bull, but Grissom knew she'd lost a lot of her hotheadedness. Her temper was always at risk of being set off if someone angered her but she'd mellowed out since they'd started dating. Likely due to him being a calming influence behind the scenes and not just on an official front after her temper got away from her.

"…so then in the end, Catherine had her arm twisted." Sara reached for her glass of water in front of her. "Was she culpable, sure, but it was really McKeen who was spearheading this despite everyone but Keppler telling him it wouldn't work."

Grissom set his spoon in his bowl and reached for his coffee. "What's her take on Keppler?"

"I think it's equal bits fascination and wariness. I think after she pitted herself against the team, Catherine is less likely to go against the grain. She's headstrong but she's always had our backs and us hers, so to be without that support really did a number on her." Sara set her glass down and picked up her fork, taking a moment to stab her salad. "I do give her bonus points on knowing it wouldn't go over well when I found out. I believe her when she said she tried to read me in."

"Next time reverse forensics is discussed at the Forensic Academy Conference, I'll contact the instructor and request the lecture." Grissom watched Sara eat, reassured to see she was eating more than she did before she was pregnant. "I assume you've given the boys the full rundown on why it's a failure at every level."

Sara nodded, "Catherine too once I was calm enough not to yell at her."

"Hmm, how close was Keppler to receiving the full Sara Sidle temper?"

"Jury is still out on that one." Sara told her husband. "Every time I look at him, I'm close to yelling about something or another. I found him in your office the day before I left. He was examining the models and being who I am, I asked what he thought. He assumed you built them and then compared you to a serial killer he had in Philly at one point. I had to walk away before words came out of my mouth that would have been firing worthy."

He chuckled softly and reached for his coffee. "I doubt it would be that bad."

"Probably not, but he rubs me the wrong. Not just me, but both Warrick and Greg have said something. It's like he's hiding something. Not just the normal stuff we all hide from one another but he has this way of thinking that only a killer has. It's not just how you or I get when we try to get into the head of the victim or killer. It's as if he's been there."

Grissom was silent for a moment before he asked the question on his mind. "Do you think he's killed before?"

"Possibly. I don't think he presents a danger to the team if that's what you're asking." Sara shrugged, "maybe it was an accident as a youth. We've all made bad decisions as teens." She smirked slightly, "well, maybe not you."

"There are stories I have that you'd be shocked by." He told her.

Sara smirked, "okay, tell me one."

"My neighbor ran an extermination service. Once I found out, I slit his tires every day until he caught me and I found myself being forced to work for him one summer."

Laughter bubbled out of Sara and she pointed her fork at him. "Unlike you, if our child commits a crime, they won't be caught doing so."

"Hmm, I believe that." He watched her go back to eating. "Do you think you'll have energy to go to a dinner Wednesday night? I got invited by Dr. Richardson to have dinner with him and his family. He's one of the entomologists based out of Harvard."

Sara nodded. "Absolutely." She set her fork down, her bowl empty. "Catherine has kind of left me to my own devices in the lab if I'm not on a case and I'm not allowed near a vehicle or evidence. Your office may have suffered some reorganization. The supply closet too. I even found time to go over recerts for the lab techs and update them on the upcoming lectures covered under C-Ed requirements."

Finished with his lunch also, Grissom wiped his face with the napkin and reached for his coffee once again. "Is there a particular reason why she's not letting you near vehicles or evidence?"

"Potentially toxic or dangerous in her mind. I get she's worried about me and my pregnancy but we have protective equipment for a reason." Sara shrugged, "at the rate she's going, I might as only work half a week."

Grissom thought before speaking. "Maybe you could speak to Ecklie about seeing if there's any admin duties that have been neglected or fallen through the cracks."

"No, and only because if I start, he'll want me to continue after I've given birth." She picked up her water glass. "You know with Ecklie, it's a 'once you start, you continue' mentality."

"Hmm, that is true."

Sara smiled as she set her glass down. "So, what else is on the list of things to do today?"

"If you're up for it, I was thinking of the New England Aquarium in Boston."

"I haven't been since I was a student. Some things have probably changed. I'm more than up for a game of 'spot the difference' with you." Grissom chuckled and moved to stand, pausing for a moment to held out his hand for her to take. Sara accepted the offered hand. "Thank you."

Filler Chapter done, second to come.

Let me know what you think of this chapter if you so choose.