Disclaimer:  I do not pretend to own CSI or make any money from the writing of this fanfiction.

A/N:  After last season and continuing into this season, I wanted to see a fic about Sara moving on without Grissom.  This is what I came up with.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I have writing it.  There should be a chapter posted each week.  I want to thank my beta's Marlou, my sister ACatFiend, WP1Fan and LSI for their help in keeping me grounded while writing this.

We all love to hear how we're doing, so please review and tell me what you think.

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Sara Sidle is a weary traveler in the land of India.  She's attempting to set her life back on track after the dismal living she's had in Las Vegas.  Putting everything she's known for the last four years behind her, she set out on a journey of sensual discovery.

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                As several co-workers greeted her with nods and smiles, Sara Sidle made her way through the corridors of the Las Vegas Crime Bureau.   Though she returned the greetings, she continued on her way to the locker room.  Four weeks away from the lab and her return –with a smile –re-ignited their speculation.

                Her eyes, alight with a new fire, encouraged their talk.  The last four weeks had been the most glorious four weeks of her life.

                With a soft giggle, she wondered who had won the betting pool in regard to when she would return –or if she even would.

                After clipping on her badge and settling her gun comfortably against her hip, Sara took a quick look at the pictures hanging on her locker door.  They held memories of enjoyable moments of her past; there would be new ones to add after her vacation pictures were developed.  With a quick flick of her wrist the door clicked shut.

                It was time for work.

                Before she could open the locker room door, it swung open and she took a step back as she saw and heard Nick and Warrick.  Their discussion stopped abruptly when they saw her.

                "Sara!  Hey, heard you'd be back tonight."  Nick pulled her into a bear hug then pushed her toward Warrick as he leaned in to do the same.  "How was your time-off?"

                "It was fine."  Her voice held a twinge of wistfulness.   With a tilt of her head, she tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, hoping that the blood rising to her face would go unnoticed.  "I'll, uh… catch you guys in the break room –"

                "Did you know that you had a delivery at the front desk?"  Warrick interrupted.  He shared a wink with Nick then continued, "You must have made somebody miss you while you were gone."

                Her face fell at their teasing.  She could only think that it might be from Grissom –probably another plant.  Leave it to him to begin the games the first night she's back.  "Oh, well, I'll just get it after assignments."

                "You might want to do it now.  Judy has to duck around it when she answers the phone."  Nick smiled mischievously.  They wanted to see her face when she brought it into the break room.

                As she made the last turn to the reception area, she saw her delivery.  The other ladies at the desk watched with interest as she walked up to the counter.  She hesitated just a moment as she took in the sight, then leaned forward and breathed in the heady scent and a warm feeling of remembered belonging touched her memories.  It sent shivers coursing through her veins and her eyes twinkled with delight.  She touched the white blossoms and the petals danced on her fingertips.  Gathering the large vase, she smiled again at the ladies then took it with her toward the break room.

                All heads turned to the door when a bouquet with legs walked into the room.  Warrick jumped up from his seat and took the over-sized bouquet from Sara's hands and placed it on the table.  She huffed with relief and thanked him then turned to see the others staring at her, or rather the flowers.

                Catherine nudged Grissom and smiled knowingly at him.  Grissom, though, didn't know what to make of her actions.  His blank expression didn't go unnoticed by her.  He watched Sara finger the flowers lovingly.  What had he missed?  She'd only just gotten back.

                "Wow, Sara.  Those are lovely."  Catherine moved in for a closer inspection.  The aroma beckoned her closer and she took a deep breath.  "They smell wonderful."

                "Jasminum grandiflorum," a quiet voice informed them.

                All eyes turned to Grissom.  His eyes still on the flowers, he didn't notice the attention given him.   "In the wild, jasmine is said to be unscented."

                Catherine glared at him.  "Is there anything you don't know?"  She turned back to sniff the blossoms again while Sara dreamily gazed at the flowers.

                Sara shook herself out of her reverie and responded, "Actually, these are Jasminum sambac, also known as Arabian Jasmine.  They are scented.  Their heady scent will carry for long distances at dusk and they are believed to have originated in India."

                All eyes were on her now.  Grissom's eyebrows rose a bit, then, "It seems that you know a great deal about them.  A new… hobby?"

                "No," she drawled.  "I learned a great deal about them on vacation."

                They all slowly began to sit at the table.

                Warrick chuckled, "Where'd you go, India?"

                "Yes, actually."

                "How'd you afford that?" Nick asked but grunted immediately when Warrick kicked his shin under the table.  "Ow, what did you do that for?" he asked, glaring at his friend.

                Warrick shook his head in disbelief.  "You don't ask things like that, man."

                "It's all right."  She glanced at Nick and gave him a wink.  "Overtime came in handy."

                "Jasmine… isn't that what they use in the Aromatherapy line?  Sensual I think is the term."  Catherine recalled as she took another whiff of the scent.  "Mm hmm… yep that would be it."  She looked pointedly at Sara.  The deep blush spreading over her face clued Catherine in that there was meaning behind the flowers.  She investigated further, but frowned when she saw no sign of a card.  "There's no card, Sara.  Who sent them?" she asked, shooting a quick glance toward Grissom.

                "No, there wasn't one."  She let the silence lengthen.  "He wouldn't need one."

                Grissom cleared his throat, ending the discussion.  They had work to do, after all.  "We do have a busy night, so we'll have to cut this short.  Nick, Warrick, you have what was thought to be a smash and grab on Las Vegas Boulevard but they've found a DB.  Take your time on this one." He turned to Catherine, handing her a card.  "You're solo tonight.  Sexual Assault, the girl has already been taken to Sunrise Children's Hospital."

                "Children's?"  Catherine asked, stunned.

                "She's a minor," he said, then glanced in Sara's direction.

                Sara didn't know if she liked the implication but she didn't allow it to bother her.  Her eyes roamed over the petals of the bouquet again, and sighed.  Nothing would get to her tonight.  Before she realized it, Nick, Warrick and Catherine had all started leaving the room.  It was then that she realized only Nick and Warrick had truly welcomed her back.  Things hadn't changed. it seemed.  She noticed Grissom's eyes on her and wondered what he was thinking.

                She wasn't about to find out.

                He cleared his throat once again, but this time not for attention.  It seemed he was gathering his thoughts.   "We have a DB out by Lake Mead.  Grab your kit.  I'll meet you at my office."  And with that he was gone.

                Sara shook her head, muttering, "Yep, nothing's changed."

                It was a long drive and, at first, there was only silence to keep them company.  Sara stared out the window, her attempts to catch a glimpse of the stars proved futile.  The lights from the city were still too bright to really see them.  She'd caught a few of the brighter ones, but that was about all.  She remembered that just a few nights prior she'd been able to see them clearly.  Before her mind could wander any further, the silence was thinly cut by a soft question.

                "Did you enjoy your vacation?" Grissom asked, almost in an undertone.

                Sara shook her head to clear her thoughts and bring her back to the present.  She looked over to her companion and wondered what he was thinking.  He surely was contemplating the flowers and who'd sent them.  Offering that kind of information was beyond her limits.  "Yes, I did.  It was very… satisfying."

                Grissom took his eyes from the road ahead and stared at her.  Something in her inflection was unnerving.  She'd meant a double entendre in her statement, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

                "Was it really a vacation or were you job hunting?" he asked directly.

                Sara exhaled a long breath.  Well, he's certainly cutting to the chase.  She would do the same.  "No, I wasn't job hunting.  The thought of taking another job wasn't even a consideration.  I honestly took the leave for a vacation."  She smiled.  And what a vacation it was.

                "Were you there the whole time?"  He questioned as though he were interrogating a suspect.  She wondered at his intent.

                "Pretty much.  Why?  What are all these questions for?"  Her head tilted, considering why he was so interested.

                He shrugged.  "Just curious."

                She stared at him wide-eyed, watching him check the mirrors as he made to switch lanes.  "Curiosity killed the cat."

                What exactly did she mean by that?  She'd returned to staring out the window and he studied her in solitude.  Her implication was that he'd get hurt by his curiosity.  He glanced back at the road, took in their location and flicked on the turn signal.  They were approaching their turn-off.  The crime scene wouldn't be much further.

                The sound of the tires rolling across the seams of the roadway resembled the sound of her train ride across India.  She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply as her mind drifted in memory of the day that truly began her vacation.