Disclaimer: Don't own main characters

Summary: A GSR first meeting and beyond with a twist. What is it? Will this twist end them before they begin? Please read and find out. Starts in Pre-Series. A little AU with Canon parts.

AN: This actually took a little longer than planned to post, but here it is now..

Title: Their Beginning with a Twist
Genre: Romance, Drama, Friendships, Hurt/Comfort
Rating: T
Spoilers: Episode mentions for the first tree season
Time-line: Pre-series
Warnings: Suggestive/Implied adult behavior, A few questionable words
Main Parings: GSR
Minor Parings: Sara/OC (past), Nick/OC, Cath/Warrick (in later chapters)
Other Characters: Greg, Brass (Mention Only), OC's

Their Beginning with a Twist

Chapter 1: The Twist

27-year-old Sara Sidle was sitting on the park bench enjoying a beautiful and perfect day after her morning shift at the San Francisco Crime Lab where she works as a level 2 CSI. She was watching the little kids play on the swing set and plastic play structure with a smile on her face when she heard her friend's voice. "Sorry, I'm late."

Sara shook her head with the smile still on her face and looked to her right where her best friend, Dr. Shelly Copper, was now sitting. "Don't worry about it, you aren't late. I got off shift a little early today."

Dr. Shelly Cooper was a few inches shorter than her, but around the same build and age, she also had long brown hair and hazel eyes.

They had met 4 years ago when one of the victims from Sara's case was sent to the hospital instead of the morgue, but unfortunately it didn't matter in the end because Shelly couldn't save her. Then not meaning to, she broke down in front of Sara, and after she calmed down and apologized, which Sara told her not to think anything of it, Sara bought her a cup of coffee in the cafeteria and they sat down and chatted for a little bit, finding out that they both suffer from nightmares from time to time and didn't grow up in the best of homes, although Shelly was never in foster care. Then when they had to go back to work they exchanged business cards, and it may have taken them a couple of days to get in touch with one another because of their busy schedules, but when they did, they slowly became friends before it grew into best friend territory, which was truly one of the best friendships either one had in a very long time, or if ever. They were always there for one anther, especially during the times they really needed it.

Shelly took a breath as she handed Sara one of the coffee's she had in her hand. "It must be nice getting off shift, I almost forgot what that is like."

Sara changed her look to sympathy before taking a drink, then after she swallowed, she asked. "You have to go back to the hospital?" Shelly nodded as she also took a sip. "Sorry."

Shelly replied after swallowing. "Part of the job unfortunately." Sara nodded in understanding, and after they both looked at kids playing for a few second, Shelly looked at Sara again. "So how was your shift?"

"Oh, just the minor stuff today, which led to catching up on paperwork."

"I see, so that's why you could get out of work early?"

She gave her friend a little smile with a nod. "Yeah." She paused before she continued. "Oh, and I was also informed by my supervisor today that instead of coming to work next week for three days, I am suppose to go to a seminar."

"Really? What about?"

"Mostly about Entomology. But other things too, it is to help us learn new ways on how to solve crimes." Shelly nodded in understanding as Sara spoke again. "I told him he should pick someone else to take my place, but he said I'm a better listener and probably ask more questions than most of my colleagues combined."

Shelly chuckled, really seeing that, before replying. "Don't tell me you deny that?"

Sara smiled a little with the shake of her head. "I can't, can I?"

Neither one would put down Sara's colleagues because they both knew she worked with some very intelligent people, but she excelled at paying attention and asking questions.

That's why in school whenever the teacher asked if there were any questions after every lesson, the students in her classes would always look at her, because they expected her to have her hand raised, which most of the time she didn't disappoint, but she never cared what anybody thought because she loved learning.

Shelly shook her head as she asked. "So what's the problem? I know learning new things isn't a problem for you."

"I don't have a problem with it really, I just rather be out in the field solving crimes, that's all."

"Well from what I understand, it sounds like this seminar could benefit you and the lab to help solve crimes so you can close them, which in turn helps the victim's families have closure, right?"

She didn't even hesitate with her response. "Very true, and you are absolutely right." Then she paused before continuing. "I guess the seminar could be a good thing, so I shouldn't let my desire for wanting to be out in the filed more dampen my desire to learning something new."

Shelly chucked again. "There, that's the spirit." Then after taking another sip of her coffee, she continued. "Now you just better hope you have a good teacher."

"Oh I know, right?" Sara paused to take a drink of her coffee again."But I was told that he has a PhD and his expertise is Entomology."

"Then it sounds like you'll be in good hands."

"It sure does sound..." Sara trials off when she saw Shelly smile while looking over her shoulder, so she turns her head to the left to see what caught her attention, and when she sees a young woman in her early 20's, her height close to 5'6, a slim build with blonde hair and blue eyes walking in their direction carrying a two, almost three year old, little girl with brown hair, Sara also smiled.

When the young woman gets closer to them, she whispers something into the little girl's ear and points, making the little girl turn her head toward the bench. Then she smiled, which the smile had a very strong resemblance to her mother, and when they were close enough, she held out her arms for her mother.
Once the young woman stopped between them, Sara placed her coffee cup on the ground and reached for the little girl, and when she was in her arms, the brown-haired girl wraps her arms around Sara's neck. "Mommy."

Sara smiled at her daughter and said. "Hi sweetie, I missed you while I was at work."

The little girl's brown eyes were beaming as she replied. "Misd yoo, too." (Missed you too)

After Sara kissed her forehead, she looked up at the young woman and said. "Thanks Mary."

Mary Olsen was a part-time college student, and Sara was very fortunate to have found somebody who was very reliable and had a flexible schedule. She also trusted no one else to watch her daughter, outside of Shelly that is, but sometimes her schedule is just as bad as her own, so it was good to have that back up when she needed it.

Mary nodded with a smile as she handed the day bag to Shelly, then asked. "No problem, same time tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Alright." She kneeled down to the side as the little girl looked at her, then Mary smiled and said. "I'll see you tomorrow Cassie."

Cassie smiled with a nod. "Ok, bye."

"Bye sweetie." Then Mary stood up, and after Shelly and Sara said bye to her, Mary walked away in the same direction she came.

Sara was about to ask Cassie a few questions about her day, but laughing from the other children caught her attention, so she removed her arms off her mother's neck and turned to see the play structure and swing set, then she pointed towards it and said. "Pway mommy." Then she looked at her mother. "Pwease, pway."

She nodded. "Alright we can play."

Cassie said yea while clapping her hands, then after they gathered their things, they stood up and started walking toward the play structure, but Cassie wanted down to walk, so Sara sets her down but kept her small hand and helped her get there.

Eventually they made it and she wanted to swing first, so after putting her in the swing that was made for the littler kids, Sara started to push her.

After a few pushes, her pager starts beeping, so she starts pushing her with one hand while checking the number before looking over at Shelly. "Can I use your phone?"

Shelly nodded while she was getting her cell phone out of her purse, then as they switched places and she was handing Sara the phone, she asked. "Who is it, or do I even have to ask?"

Sara gave her a little look and said. "I'll give you three chances, and the first two don't count."

Shelly nodded in understanding, knowing she was right, before she started pushing Cassie while Sara stepped away so she could use the phone.

Right after she dialed the number from her pager, she puts the phone up to her ear and waited, then after she heard the person on the other line pick up, she said. "Hi Brad."

"Hey Sara." He sighed before he continued. "Listen I..."

But Sara cuts him off. "Let me guess, you won't be here for Cassie's birthday next week?"

"I'm sorry, but I'll be in New York."

Sara sighed as she rubbed her hand on her forehead, then replied. "You haven't seen your daughter in almost two years."

"I know and I'm sorry about that, but I didn't want to talk so we could end up in an argument I just wanted to tell you, so can I at least talk to her?"

"Yeah, just a minute."

Sara turned around so she was facing her daughter, then spoke as Shelly stopped the swing, which made her a little upset, but Sara tried to calm her down when she said. "Sweetie, somebody wants to talk to you, is that ok?"

Cassie took a moment, then nodded her head, hoping she could get this over with so she could continue to play, then after Sara puts the phone up to her ear, she hears a man talking to her, but didn't know who he was or really understood what he was saying. She could pick out a few words, like miss you and love you, but how can she miss or love someone back if she didn't know who they were, so she kept saying ok. When she was board with what he was saying, she said bye before moving her head away from the phone, and now she was looking at the play structure. "Swide, momma."

Sara smiled and replied. "Aunt Shelly well help you with that, I'll be there in a minute."

Cassie nodded and held up her arms for Shelly while Sara stepped away again, putting the phone back up to her ear.

"Thank you Sara."

There was a lot of things she wanted to say back to him, but really a lot of her words would be unfair and she would only be saying them out of frustration. It wasn't like he was the worst father in the world, there were plenty that was worse than him. He did send money to her every month to help out with Cassie, and he did call, or in this case page more than four times a month, so the only major strike she would put against him was his lack of presence, but that was only because of his job. She just wished he would've picked a different career so he could be closer for the sake of their daughter.

So Sara just sighed again and said. "You're welcome Brad."

"Alright I better go. I'll call next week and wish her a happy birthday, and you should have your money by then too."

"Ok, thank you, bye."

"Bye, Sara."

After she hung up the phone, she walked over toward Shelly and her daughter, which Cassie was just coming down the small slide, so Sara smiled and clapped. "Good job, sweetie, you want to go again?" Cassie nodded before trying to crawl up it, but Sara chuckled and picked her up. "No honey, you go down the slide, not up it." She placed her daughter at the top and watched her go down it with another smile.

Shelly asked while Sara was handing the phone back to her. "You ok?"

After placing her daughter in the play structure and keeping a good eye on her so she doesn't go up too high, she replied to Shelly's question. "Yeah, and believe me I know there are worse men out there, ones who abandoned their children completely, but I just wish he was here more for Cassie's sake. He's missing out on so much."

Shelly smiled as Sara was helping Cassie get ready to go down the slide again. "Just for Cassie's sake?"

Sara looked up at her friend since she was kneeled down at the end of slide, and said with a chuckle. "Oh yeah, that ship has sailed my friend."

She picked up Cassie once again and puts her in the play structure again as Shelly continued. "You sure about that?"

Still keeping an eye on her daughter, Sara replied. "It was great while it lasted, and of course a part of me will always care for him as the father of my child, but yeah I am." She looked at her friend for a second before watching her daughter. "Which by the way I still blame you for it starting with him in the first place."

Shelly chuckled. "Me? What did I do?"

Sara smiled as she walked over to her daughter, who was now looking up at the monkey bars holding her hands up, so Sara replied while helping her out. "Oh, I don't know, I remember a certain evening when you took me to a club where a live band was playing."

That certain evening was on Sara's 24th birthday and Shelly had wanted to take her out to a club, which it wasn't the scene she was use to going, but she deserved to have a good time, plus it was a special occasion, so she decided to live a little. But what she didn't expect was to catch the eye of one of the band members, Brad Maclin.

Before meeting him, she never would have thought that she would be interested or even consider going out with some one in a band because she had always been attracted to men more in her line of work or the type with the same interest, but she did fall for him.

Things were very good and they actually made it to one year, which up until then, his band had only played around the San Francisco area with the occasional gigs down in Los Angeles because the drummer had an uncle who owned a club and he let them play in there a couple times a month. However, on one of those trips it changed everything for everybody when a producer told the band that he liked their stuff and wanted to sign them so they could start producing albums and possibly going on tour, and it just so happened to be around the same time Sara found out she was pregnant.

It had always been a dream of his to go on tour and it could have been his only shot, so she told him to do it since she would have never wanted him to stop living his dream because of her. They had promised each other that they would still be a couple, but they found out rather quickly that it was easier said than done, so after a few months of his band touring the country, they both called it quits on their relationship, but she promised that he could see his daughter whenever the band was in town, which as she learned, the band got more popular in the east so it hardly happened and the result being he's only seen his daughter a handful of times, and hasn't been around in almost two years.

Shelly smiled as she watched Sara continue to help Cassie with the monkey bars, then replied. "Well, if I had something to do with that night and in the end it gave you that precious little girl, I'll gladly take responsibility for it."

After Cassie was released from the last monkey bar, Sara brought her closer to her and kissed her head while speaking with a smile. "She is pretty precious, isn't is?" Shelly nodded as Cassie asked to do it again, so they walked back over to the start so she could, and as Sara was helping her once again, she couldn't help but smile bigger as she watched her little girl be as concentrated about her task as she was the first time.

Sara never thought she would ever want to be a mother, but the moment she found out she was pregnant she knew she was going to be one because the other options just didn't appeal to her. She didn't care what hardships she had to go through or if she was going to be alone doing it. That was her flesh and bone, and to give her baby up without a second thought, would just kill her.

Of course the moment she told Shelly that she was going to have a baby, she knew she would at least have her, and she wasn't disappointed in that thinking, because she was right there with her for every doctor's appointment and baby classes she had go through when Brad wasn't there, which it only solidified their friendship even more.

Once Cassie was done with the monkey bars the second time, Sara kissed her head again and said. "Alright sweetie, we better go so we can get something to eat before Aunt Shelly goes back to work."

Cassie gets a sad face as she pointed to the swing. "Swing, momma, pwease?"

Sara smiled. "Alright, just a few more minutes, ok?"

Cassie smiled as her mother carried over to the swings again. "Ok."

After Sara puts her daughter back in the swing, she started pushing her, then she looks over at Shelly and said. "Just promise me something, ok?"

"What?"

"Remind me not to fall for the smile again."

Shelly chuckled, knowing that it was Brad's smile that got her in trouble, then nodded as she walked up to her and placed her arm around her shoulders. "I promise Sara."

Sara nodded as she continued to push her daughter on the swing, not knowing that the next time she falls for someone it wasn't the smile that catches her eye first.

AN: I wanted to try something different, so I hope you guys like it and want more. Please review.