Sara Sidle walked through the front doors of the Las Vegas Criminalistics Lab for the first time in almost three years. She'd left after her disastrous confrontation with Gil Grissom. The man she had been in love with; the man she still loved. She'd bared her soul to him; told him what she wanted and what she felt, holding her breath, waiting on his response. And it wasn't what she expected, wanted or dreamed of in her numerous fantasies of him.

******

"What?" Gil blinked. He was sitting at his desk, filling out the numerous forms and trying to put his lab back together after the explosion.

"You heard me. God, Gil don't make me repeat myself," Sara tried to keep the pleading tone out of her voice.

Gil took his glasses off slowly, formulating in his mind what to say to her. It wasn't easy. To say she'd come out of left field with this was an understatement. He had no idea she felt that way about him. He didn't think about Sara, not outside of work. She was a coworker and he tried to foster the skills she had and develop the ones she needed. That's what he did with all of them. Except for Catherine. Cath was…well, Cath and she was a damn good CSI on her own. The only thing she really needed was to learn to not let the cases affect her.

"Sara, I think that maybe you mistook my interest in you as a CSI as something more." He took a deep breath and continued. "You are a great person and while I'm flattered tha…"

Sara interrupted him, holding up one hand. "Don't. Don't you dare say it. I wasn't wrong, Gil. I know you feel something for me. Everyone does. Even your precious Catherine knows it. You asked me to come here. I dropped everything for you."

Gil didn't say anything. There was no need for her to get nasty about it. This was exactly why he'd taken her under his wing. She was impulsive and quick to judge; two traits that were the death of any CSI. You had to remain objective in this job. There was no room for emotions. So he kept his emotions intact even though he felt his hackles rise at her not-so veiled barb at Catherine. Why he always felt so protective of Catherine was not something he wanted to think about. He never did. He forced his mind from thoughts of Catherine and back to Sara.

"Sara, I'm sorry that you feel that way," he began, desperately trying to salvage some kind of working relationship out of this mess.

"Never mind," she said, pulling an envelope out of her bag. "I was so sure I wouldn't need this, but here," she handed it to him. "It's effective immediately." She looked at him for a moment, waiting for him to stop her, like he had in her fantasies. But this wasn't a fantasy, this was reality and Gil didn't stop her.

"Good luck to you, Sara."

Sara's eyes widened and she turned and left before he could see her tears.

********

That was the last time she spoke to Gil Grissom or anyone from Vegas. She'd moved to Boston; she'd liked it there, and got an unlisted number, not wanting anyone from her past to be able to contact her. And they hadn't. Why she was here now, she didn't really know. Maybe it was to lay the past to rest. To stop the dreams of him and what they could have had. Maybe it was because she knew she'd given up too easily. She should have fought harder. If only Catherine hadn't been there. But Catherine was always there. Always. She didn't know what feelings Catherine had for Gil, but she knew that whatever they were, they were keeping Gil from being able to be with another woman.

The thought that Gil might truly love Catherine didn't enter her thinking. She knew now that she was wrong in leaving. But Catherine had better watch out, Sara was back. And she was going to have what was hers all along; Gil Grissom.

Sara walked through the building heading towards the break room, noticing the new lab and trace. She rounded the corner she ran smack into Warrrick Brown.

Two large hands came out to steady her. "I'm sorry. Sara?"

"Hey, Warrick. Long time no see."

"Yeah, it has been a long time," he answered. He was stunned; this was one person he thought he'd never see again. 'Wait til Cath sees her,' he thought. 'Or rather she sees Cath.' As far as he knew, no one had been in contact with Sara since she left, so he was certain she had no clue of the changes that had taken place in her absence.

"How have you been?" Sara asked politely, although she really just wanted to get to Gil's office and see him.

"Fine, I've been fine and you?" Warrick looked over his shoulder into the layout room at Catherine, who was sitting at the table, sifting through evidence.

Sara followed his gaze and watched as Catherine stood, stretched, one hand going to her back and when she turned to the other table, Sara's mouth dropped open in shock. Catherine was quite obviously pregnant.

"She's pregnant," Sara breathed. She looked to Warrick. "Isn't she a little old to have a baby?" She didn't regret her words, but had enough breeding to feel a little guilty at the disapproving look Warrick gave her.

"Actually, Catherine is very healthy and so is the baby. And I see you haven't learned tact in your absence." His voice showed his disgust at her comment. He took her arm and led her away from the window before Cath could see her.

What he said was true, to a point. Catherine was healthy and so was the baby, but her blood pressure was running high and Gil had put her on light duty. She could process evidence, but she wasn't allowed out in the field. Catherine chaffed a little under the restraints, but complied, willing to do everything she could to bring this baby to term. One more check-up that revealed a continued high blood pressure and she was on leave. Gil had been firm on that. They'd all gotten very protective of her and they did their best to create a stress- free environment. But for Cath to see Sara would be stressful. Warrick was well aware that the two had never been the best of friends, tolerating each other only because of work. And Warrick knew, as they all did, of Sara's feelings for Gil. He hoped that Sara was not here to cause problems, but was afraid that she still had feelings for Gil.

"Hey, why are you so hostile?"

"Sara, you left us in a bind. You didn't give us time to replace you; you just up and left. Don't be expecting a joyful reunion here, because you won't get it."

Sara ignored his comments and asked instead. "Where's Grissom? In his office?"

"Sara, don't," Warrick warned.

"Don't what? Can't I say hi to an old friend?"

"As long as that's all you do."

"Really, War. I just stopped by to say hello," Sara quickened her pace; she wanted away from him. "Track down Nicky for me. I'd like to say hi to him too. Oh and Greg." She waved over her shoulder and hurried down the hall.

"Great!" Warrick sighed, his hands on his hips. "This is just great."

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