Far Away

Disclaimer - I don't own CSI or any of the characters.

A/N: Hello amazing Snicker fans! This is gonna be the start of yet another multi-chapter story but I'm gonna work on making this really good, descriptive, not to dramatic, short and overall full of lovely Snickeriness! Told from Sara's POV, to me that's easier. Enjoy!

Catherine was aimlessly wandering around shop after shop. Lindsey had abandoned their planned day out when she met up with some friends and disappeared. Catherine yawned. It was the middle of the day, she should have been at home sleeping before her next shift, but stupidly she thought going out with her daughter would be quick and easy. Now Lindsey was gone, and she had nearly ran out of shops to gaze round.

Catherine found herself walking into a baby clothes shop. She was in a trance as she stared down the endless aisles of tiny clothes. She wanted to buy everything, but not having a baby or knowing anyone who did she had to leave with nothing. Catherine turned to face the door to leave but bumped into someone.

"Sorry," Catherine smiled.

However, that smile turned into an extremely surprised and excited expression.

"Sara?" she asked. "Is that you?"

"Hi Catherine," I smiled.

"Oh my God. It's so great to see you. How've you been? What are you doing back here?" Catherine asked quickly, trying to get all her questions out at once.

"I've come shopping," I shrugged her shoulders.

"In a baby shop?" Catherine questioned.

I decided not to answer, instead I swung round so I was completely facing my former colleague, bringing a pushchair round with me. Inside the pushchair was my 5 month old daughter, Olivia.

"Catherine, this is my little girl, Olivia," I beamed with pride.

"Well that was something I never thought I'd ever here you say," Catherine exclaimed. "She's gorgeous. Congratulations!"

"Thank you."

"Do you want to meet up later?" Catherine asked. "We could go and get a coffee and catch up properly. And you can tell me all about little Olivia."

"Sure. Will I meet you in Starbucks?" I asked.

"Okay. See you in an hour?" she suggested.

"Yeah, sounds good," I smiled.

"It's so good seeing you again," she smiled as she smothered me in a hug.

"I've missed you too," I smiled as she pulled out the hug. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye," Catherine waved as she turned around and left the shop.

Catherine was still completely in shock. She was so pleased for me. She thought about calling everyone and telling them she was gonna meet up with me and tell them about my baby, but decided against it in the end. I had left for a reason, a reason that no one knew, maybe after we'd chatted for a while Catherine would learn the truth. Then she could phone everyone and maybe they would all finally be able to move on from my sudden exit and replace me.

The hour passed to quickly for me. I felt like I was about to have a nervous break down. I promised myself I would explain everything to at least one of my friends one day. But now that day had come I wasn't so sure it was such a good idea. However, I had matured in the 5 months since I'd given birth. In the 9 months before that, I had battled with my demons and let go of the past. I now had a future to look into, and to look forward to.

I glanced at my watch, 5 more minutes. I started to head towards Starbucks a little early. Once inside, I found a nice window seat with a surprisingly good view. Now all I could do was wait, and hope Catherine wouldn't be too long and that she wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Well hasn't this been a day to circle the calendar. I go nearly a year without seeing you and I meet you twice in one day," Catherine smiled as she sat down opposite Olivia and I.

"Madness," I chuckled. "Coffee?"

"Please," Catherine sighed as she removed her jacket. "I'll go get them."

"No, I…," I started.

"You can stay there," Catherine smiled as she walked to the front desk.

Moments later she came back with 2 freshly made coffees.

"Thank you," I smiled as Catherine placed one mug down in front of her.

"You're very welcome," she smiled back as she got comfy in her seat. "So, you've had a baby."

"I have," I nodded. "I was overwhelmed to."

"How old is she?" she asked.

"Just over 5 months," I answered.

Catherine smiled, but then looked surprised when she did the maths. "That means you were 2 months pregnant when you left CSI. Was that why you left? Did a member of our team get you pregnant?"

I nodded slowly.

"Oh my God, Grissom?" she raised her eyebrows.

"No," I glared.

"I'm not gonna ask about Warrick," she said.

I nodded.

"Greg?"

"No," I sighed.

"But that only leaves… Nick got you pregnant!" Catherine asked.

"He did," I nodded.

"But that means you two…," she raised her eyebrows again.

"Yes, that is the normal way to conceive a baby," I smirked.

"How the hell did it happen?"

"Would you believe me if I said I was drunk?" I shrugged her shoulders.

"Go on," she rolled her eyes.

"Nick and I were on a case, that didn't work out so well. I was pissed, so I got pissed. Nick came round to see if I was okay. I let him in but did nothing but scream abuse at him. He calmed me down and I opened up to him, more than I had to any one person at any one time. I hadn't realised he was such a good listener until that day. I started to sober up after that. And Nick was about to leave when I kissed him, just to say thank you at first. Then I kissed him again, and again. He finally kissed me back, then we were in my bedroom, and the next thing we know we're being woken up by my alarm," I explained.

"Wow," Catherine sighed.

"I know. We just forgot about it, brushed it off, blamed heat of the moment," I said.

"You didn't think about using protection?" she asked.

"To be honest, at that moment in time I didn't really care," I smiled.

"Until you found out you were pregnant?"

I nodded. "I felt sick all the time, so I went to the doctors. Next thing I know I'm a month pregnant with Nick's baby and I don't know what to do."

"Does Nick know?" she asked.

"No," I shook my head. "I went to tell him about 10 times, but chickened out. One day I over heard Nick telling Warrick about his new girlfriend. That was it, I had to leave, I knew I wouldn't have been able to cope watching him move on. I hovered over his locker for what felt like hours, trying to decide if I should have slipped the a picture of my first scan in through one of the cracks. Greg walked in, I crumpled it up and shoved it in my pocket. I packed my things that night and left."

"You should have told him Sara," she insisted.

"I know, but I didn't want to get my heart broken again," I sighed.

"He wouldn't have done that to you," Catherine protested.

"I couldn't risk it."

"Where did you go?" she asked.

"Denver, Colorado," I smiled.

"How the hell did you end up there?"

"I drove, and drove. I ended up half way through Utah by the end of the first day. I booked into a motel and actually got some sleep. I drove again in the morning. When I got to Colorado, I stopped to stretch my legs for a bit. I was there when I thought I was having a miscarriage. I wasn't, obviously, and somehow found myself renting an apartment the next day," I explained.

"God, it must have been so tough," she speculated as she drank more of her coffee.

"Yeah, it was, the birth especially. I booked myself in after my waters broke on my due date, 2nd October. My midwife was fantastic. She helped me all the way through, and never left my side. 8 hours of agonising labour later, my baby girl entered the world at 7 pounds 4 ounces," I smiled.

"Awww," she smiled back.

"I know, but she didn't feel that small when she inside me. The cravings I had were unbelievable," I chuckled.

Catherine smiled.

"Oh my God, you haven't even held her yet," I exclaimed.

I leaned down into the pushchair beside the table to carefully pick up my very sleepy baby. I stood up and walked round to Catherine who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Olivia, meet your Auntie Catherine," I smiled as I placed Olivia down in Catherine's arms. "Watch her head."

"I have done this before Sara," she smirked.

"Force of habit," I shrugged her shoulders. "She likes you."

"Of course she does, I'm her Auntie Catherine," she smiled. "Wow, I've never been an Auntie before."

"You're a natural," I smiled as I sat back down. "So how is everyone? Not being to mean to my replacement I hope."

"We never replaced you, they were big shoes to fill. We nearly hired a rookie but no one was really interested in training someone, and at the end of the day we wouldn't have been any better off," Catherine explained. "And everyone is fine, still missing you though."

"After a year?" I asked in disbelief.

"Uh-huh, you left a big dent in our team, and 'cause you left with nothing but a message on Grissom's answering machine we all half expected you to come back eventually," she nodded.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, I took small sips of my coffee, all those quick fire questions were making me thirsty. Catherine spent those few precious minutes staring down at Olivia.

"She really is beautiful," she smiled, although she wouldn't part with Olivia's eyes for anything.

"Have you see her parents?" I asked sarcastically.

She smiled. "What are you doing back in Vegas anyway?"

"Liv is growing really fast. I remembered about this baby shop on the high street and thought it might be a change," I tried to explained.

"You crossed through 3 state borders for a change?"

I nodded.

"That can't be it, surely?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Maybe it did cross my mind that maybe while I was here I could leave a letter with Judy at reception, to say I was fine, to apologise for leaving the way I did and to even tell you all about Olivia," I said.

"Tell Nick the truth?" Catherine questioned.

"Even if I couldn't bring myself to tell him face to face, he still deserves to know about his only daughter," I sighed.

"You still gonna write that letter?" she asked.

"Actually, I was gonna ask if you could say you met up with me," I smiled sheepishly.

"You want Nick to find out he has a daughter from me?" she asked, wondering if she'd heard correctly.

"No, I would still give you a letter, but just addressed to Nick," I reassured her.

"I don't know…"

"Please, Catherine," I interrupted.

"I think you should come with me to the lab when shift starts. You can tell them your story and tell Nick he got you pregnant," she suggested.

"Oh I don't think so," I protested.

"I'll be right there with you," Catherine said. "If you're not gonna do this for yourself, do it for Olivia."

"But they're all gonna hate me, and that's before they find out Nick fathered my child," I argued.

"Did I hate you?" she asked.

"No," I sighed.

"So they won't either," she insisted. "Come on, face your fears."

"Okay, fine, I'll go with you," I sighed again.

Catherine nodded and smiled.

"But if it goes horribly wrong I'm out of there in a flash," I insisted.

Thank you for reading. Sorry this is long, it's just 'cause it's the start and this idea has been nagging me for a while. What do think will happen next? Review please.