"Norman pushed. Norman Jumped. Norman Fell." Grissom snapped photos of each of the test dummies as they laid on the ground.

"Wouldn't you if you were married to Mrs. Roper?"

Her voice pierced through him like a bolt of energy. The corners of his mouth turned upward. "Sara Sidle." He breathed through a large smile as he spun around, no standing face to face with her, yellow tape separating the two. "I don't even have to turn around."

"It's me." She smiled back at him as she removed her sunglasses. He walked closer to her as she let herself cross the tape. "Still throwing dummies? You know, there are other ways to tell."

"What? Computer simulation?" He scoffed at the prospect, "No thank you. I'm a scientist. I like to see it. Newton dropped the apple, I drop dummies."

"You're old school" She said with admiration, staring deep into his eyes again like she had the year before. A year. That's how long she'd had to shake these feelings for the man now stood before her. She'd worked hard to push any romantic notions for him from her mind. And it had been working too. She had managed to do so easily from over 500 miles away. But now, with him just an arm length away, she realized that effort was futile.

"Exactly, and our guy was pushed."

She nodded but didn't wait a beat before switching the topic, "How's the girl?"

"She's still in surgery, she's not doing very well." The pep in his voice vanished and she could see how conflicted he was about the need to have her there. "God Sara, I have so many unanswered whys."

Sara's heart fluttered at the sound of her name used in such a way but instantly felt ashamed given the topic of conversation. She quickly regained control putting on her professional face, "There's only one why that matters right now." She was finding it difficult to sustain eye contact with him suddenly, "Why did Warrick Brown leave the scene?"

He nodded sadly as their eyes met again.

"Why don't you head to the lab and sync up with Catherine Willows, she's working the case right now. I uh—" He began to stammer uncharacteristically, "I uh, when I finish up here, we can hook up."

Her brows raised suggestively.

"Discuss the case's progress." He amended quickly.

She smiled again at him, that gap tooth smile lit up her face.

The shift was long and tedious. Sara worked tirelessly along side Catherine once she'd let her guard down around Sara a bit. Sara could tell Catherine felt threatened by her presence and she wasn't quite sure why. When they arrested Holly's killer, the two stood shoulder to shoulder, a bitter-sweet moment. But Sara counted two victories. Bringing justice to Holly Gribbs and finding her way onto Catherine's good side. A feat, she mused, typically took more time. She pegged Catherine as someone who was fiercely loyal, ruthless and hard to get close to. In the years to come Sara would come to realize how dead on her initial read on Catherine was.

She walked through the threshold of Grissom's office as she spoke, "Knock, knock.".

His eyes looked up before his head rose. "Thank you for your help with this, Sara." He stood now and began to walk around his desk. "Really."

"Of course." She pursed her lips, "Sorry it was under these circumstances but, it was nice to work together again."

"We've got the second best lab in the country. A heck of a softball league, and uh—well one of the worst crime rates." He took a small breath, "And, an open spot on the team." He watched as his words reached her. "What do you think?"

"I don't know…" She began, her voice trailing. Everything was in San Fransisco. Dave, the team she's come to know like family over the last five years, friends from grad school. She looked back up into his eyes. "Don't let Grissom go and steal you from me now."

Grissom furrowed his brows, confusion scrunched his face.

"That's what Dave said to me on my way to the airport."

"Ah." He relaxed, "So, you know— think about it."

She bowed her a touch as she walked out of his office. She had a lot to think about. Could she leave behind everything she ever worked for, everything she knew, to chase this tingle of a feeling? She barely knew the person who could entertain such an idea. She'd learn a lot though, she'd remind herself. And the team felt good to work with.

By the time her plane landed in SF she'd convinced herself right into the move.

"Even though I knew this day may come, I'm still pretty surprised. We'll have you over before you leave. I'll let Susan know. And Sara—" He paused tentatively, "You know you can always come home, right?" Dave Crow placed his palm squarely on her left shoulder.

"Grissom." He picked up the phone as he turned the page of a textbook he'd been pouring over.

"It's Dave Crow. You're stealing my girl."

"It's a great opportunity for her. She can learn a lot here."

"I don't doubt it. Look after her for me will you."

"Yeah—Okay." Was all he managed to get out before the call had ended. A small smile creeped onto his face, this is how he learned she'd accepted the job.

Sara quickly found her way to becoming chummy with the guys and various lab techs. Vegas had started to feel comfortable to her fairly quickly, much to her surprise. Catherine continued to be guarded, and seeming suspicious of her, but Warrick and Nick fell easily into a good cadence with the newest team member.

It was a thrill at first. Working scene's under Grissom's guidance, learning a new city, setting up her things in her new place. She was certain the novelty of it all would wear off soon, but she'd felt content to enjoy it for the time being.

She'd felt light and energetic. Even a bit flirtatious at times, she realized.

"Hey Griss— Come tie me up?" She gestured to the duct tape in her hands and the garage lab to her right.

"I love my job." She'd overheard him say to Catherine before making his way to the garage and walking toward the passenger side of the suspects car where she now sat.

She held out her wrists to him and he obliged. Carefully caressing her warm skin as he wrapped her wrists with the tape. She looked up at him as he tore the last bit of tape off the role. Their eyes met as he released her hands. A lump developed in his throat, warm and intrusive. He nodded his head for her to explain, not trusting his own voice in that moment.

Sara took her time, explaining the trace transfer of sheep skin from the car to the victim's sweater. Moving her arms down slowly as he cut her free from the tape. She kept her eyes on his, unwavering. Trying desperately to read him. She'd known what she'd heard. But part of her began to convince herself she'd imagined it. In the end, she came up empty though, unwilling to commit to a reading one way or the other for fear she was wrong, or worse—right.

He smiled at her, "Well done."

Praise from him felt about as good as anything. She held onto the moment for a moment before it dissipated.

November 2000

"You're putting me on babysitting duty? On a quadruple homicide?"

"I need one of us with the girl." Grissom's tone took a sharp turn. He'd seen this side of Sara a few times now and he found it difficult to butt up against. But his tone must have convinced her to stand down because she shook her head in resignation before turning and walking toward the girl.

Once again, Sara found Grissom to be correct. A rather irritating truth. The girl had proved to be in need of Sara's presence and, a big part of breaking the case. Though she couldn't admit it to him. She'd have fun with it where she could, like convincing he and Catherine that she'd left the girl alone in the parked car. Only Nick had been wise to her humor.

Catherine glanced over at Grissom seeing he'd also been surprised by Sara's joke. A friend? She'd thought to herself as she recalled the pretenses under which Sara arrived in Vegas.