Chapter 13

It took hours to print the place, but between the prints and the video surveillance he pulled, it was an open and shut case. After reviewing the footage with Archie, and cross referencing with the prints he pulled, Greg had an ID on the suspect. Simon Baxter had numerous wants and warrants and after a night of printing, Greg was able to add another one. All they had to do was find the guy and arrest him. Greg's work was done.

Smiling, he finished logging in all of the evidence and headed for home, his own home, to sleep in his own bed for the first time in a week. It wasn't that he wasn't thankful for the way Catherine had put him up, he was. He had needed to be with the people closest to Warrick the past week. He needed Nick and Catherine and their support and comfort, just as they needed his. After a week of leaning on each other, though, it was time for them to move on with their own lives. He needed to go home, be alone, crank his music and get back to living his life the way he was used to. He also needed to pack, because in 38 hours, his life wouldn't be what he was used to. In 38 hours he was flying to L.A. to meet with his publisher and if all went well, his life would change forever. He'd be a published writer. Despite the fact that he would return to Vegas to continue working at a job he loved, his life would never be the same. It would be better.

They found her. Fifteen hours after she disappeared, seven hours after they were called in to investigate, they found her. Pressured by the up coming final exams and the need to choose where to attend university, she panicked. Fuelled by the alcohol she consumed at her friend's grad party that afternoon, she made a rash decision and hopped on a bus headed for L.A., where she would find work and try to get into the movies. When she arrived, she checked into a cheap motel and passed out. After sobering up the next day and seeing her face plastered across the news, she came to her senses and called home. Crisis averted.

It was one of those moments when Jim Brass found himself truly thankful. The girl came home. She would not be another one of those girls who get trapped in Los Angeles, dreaming big but ending up on the street, living a life they'd never imagined. She'd be alright. She was an intelligent girl. She had a future. She'd almost lost that future in a moment of blind panic, but she'd wised up and had the courage to call home.

He reached into his drawer and pulled out the scotch, filling his glass half way. He swirled the liquid in front of him and considered it. Was the glass half empty or half full? Half empty, he decided as he began to mourn all of the girls, girls like Ellie, who didn't get out. He sighed and placed the glass down in front of him. The picture next to the glass caught his eye. He picked it up and smiled at the image before him. Ellie had once been an innocent, young girl. He recalled the pictures Erin Taylor's parents showed him of their daughter growing up. Erin Taylor came home. While Ellie made the choice to live life on the streets, Erin Taylor made the choice to call home. He set down the picture and raised his glass. The glass wasn't half empty. It wasn't half full either. The glass contained as much as he'd put into it and he could give to it or take from it as much as he chose. With that thought, he toasted all the young women who were smart enough and brave enough to face their future rather than run from it, and all the other people who rose above their circumstances to give themselves a better life.

After a short sleep, Catherine woke up and rolled herself out of bed. She got up to check and see if Lindsay was still asleep. Lindsay was sitting at the table, sipping away at a cup of coffee when Catherine found her. She entered the kitchen and shook her head. "Coffee, really Lindsay?"

"I was up late, studying for the finals."

Catherine nodded and looked around the room. "Nick still sleeping?"

"No, he left about an hour ago."

"Oh." Catherine moved behind the counter and poured herself her own cup of coffee. Mug in hand, she walked around the counter, to the table, and sat down next to her daughter. "What exam were you studying for?"

Lindsay groaned. "History."

"When's that exam?"

"Tuesday."

She examined her daughter. Lindsay looked worn out from her late night studying. When Catherine had arrived home earlier that morning, she found Lindsay passed out on the couch. She wondered if that was how Erin Taylor felt, exhausted and overwhelmed. Lindsay still had a year of school left and was already studying herself into the ground. Catherine didn't know what Lindsay would be like in a year, but she didn't want her daughter to panic and run off the way Erin had. She reached out and brushed away the bangs from Lindsay's face. "You okay?"

Lindsay looked up at her, eyes wide but soft. "Yeah. How about you, mom? Are you okay?"

She took a deep breath and thought about the past week. She'd lost an amazing friend and she'd feel that loss forever. She thought about her investigation the previous night; it was going nowhere until Erin Taylor phoned home. Erin Taylor was only one year older than Lindsay. She had two loving parents who were terrified of what had become of their daughter. Then, after hours of worrying, Erin Taylor phoned home and admitted her mistake. It was obvious that her relationship with her parents was a good one. Catherine's own relationship with Lindsay had improved dramatically over the past couple of years. Lindsay had become her best friend. Catherine smiled softly and looked up to see her daughter awaiting the answer. "Yeah, I am." She paused and studied Lindsay, still perched over the cup of coffee. "Hey, what are your plans for the day?"

Lindsay sighed and took another sip of coffee. "Studying."

"Why don't you put the books away for today? We'll go out to the lake, do some boating and swimming and relax." Lindsay looked at her skeptically. Catherine smiled. "You need a break and you still have a year of school left. I know I'm always preaching to you about the importance of education, but you still need to remember to be young and have fun. Besides, I know you'll do fine, even if you miss a day of studying. The rest will probably do you good."

"The lake, huh?"

"Yeah, it'll be fun."

"Can we rent jet skis?"

Catherine laughed. "We'll see."

For a moment, he forgot all about the past week. Looking over at the girl laying next to him made it so easy to forget. He smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Nick, what?"

"I'm just watching you. What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing. The weather. It's such a beautful day and we actually have clouds, so I'm just looking up at them."

"Really?" He glanced at her again, smiling with amusement. He'd picked Jessica up from the diner after her shift, hoping to retry the walk. So far, it had gone much better. They'd walked to a nearby park and ended up laying on their backs, gazing at the sky. "Just looking?"

She smiled shyly. "Well, sort of. I'm imagining what their shapes could be." He laughed. "What, you never did that as a child?"

"Actually, yes. My sister and I would lay out on the grass at our Texas ranch and try to name every cloud. They'd spend hours doing this. I usually got bored and went off to find some friends to play football with."

"I used to do this every time I saw a cloud, which wasn't often when you grow up in Vegas."

Nick smiled and turned on his side to gaze at the red head. "What do you see now?"

"Well that one," he followed her arm as she pointed to the sky, "kind of looks like the Starship Enterprise."

"They Starship Enterprise?"

"You know, off Star Trek."

He groaned. "I know. Don't tell me you're one of those."

"What?"

"A trekkie."

"No, but if I was bored, and it was one, I'd watch it. Besides, you don't have to be a trekkie to know what the Starship Enterprise looks like, and that cloud looks like it."

"You're right, I'm sorry." He rolled onto his back and raised his hands in mock surrender. He crossed his arms across his chest and turned his head to look at her. "So, what else do you see?"

"Well, that one could be a horse."

"A horse? Now that's something I could relate to."

"I love horses. Did you have horses on your Texas ranch?"

"Yes m'am." He smiled and let his accent drawl out.

"Is this your way of turning on the Texas charm?"

"Why, yes m'am."

"Tell me, does it really work?"

He laughed and turned on his side. "Sometimes. Is it working right now?" He grinned widely when she blushed. He rolled back onto his back and looked up. "Anything else up there, in that sky?"

"Well…"

"Come on."

"No, you're teasing me."

"I'll be good, I promise."

"Okay." He watched he bite her lip before continuing. "You see that cloud over there?"

He followed her arm to see where she was pointing and nodded. "Yeah?"

"I see a ship."

He frowned slightly, examining the cloud. "What kind of ship?"

"A big ship, one the explorers would have sailed. It could be Cook's ship…no, it's Columbus's ship."

"Which one?"

"The Santa Maria."

"The Santa Maria? Not the Nina or the Pinta?"

"No, the Santa Maria."

"Why the Santa Maria?"

"It has the most beautiful name."

He drew his arms up under his head and looked up. "Saint Maria."

"Saint Maria," she repeated softly.

"Well," he grinned, "I don't know. It looks like Francis Drake's ship to me."

"What? That pirate?" Nick felt her arm come across his chest. "No, it's the Santa Maria."

He laughed. "I stand corrected."

"You promised you wouldn't tease me."

"I'm sorry. It was just so tempting."

"Well, it's your turn now."

"What?"

"Your turn. Look at the sky and tell me what you see."

"There are only, like, three clouds left."

"Pick one."

"Okay, well," he pointed, "that one looks suspiciously like a cloud."

"Smart ass." He grinned. She turned towards him. "Suspend yourself from reality for one moment and look. You'll feel lighter, I promise."

"Okay." He scanned the remaining clouds before glancing over at her. She was on her back, gazing up again. She was beautiful and funny and sweet and he already felt so much better just hanging out with her. He smiled moved his eyes back to the sky. "Okay, I've got one." When she glanced at him skeptically, he grinned. "No, really, I really have one."

"Alright, what do you see?" It was clear from her tone of voice that she didn't really believe him, but was for the moment, willing to play alone.

"Well, I see a building."

"A building?"

"Yes. That cloud over there looks like a building."

"What kind of building."

"Well," he paused and pretended to think about it. "I think…I think it's a restaurant."

"Does this restaurant have a name?"

"I'm not sure. It must. I'll have to gaze at it for awhile and try to make one out. I'll let you know tonight when I pick you up and take you to dinner there."

She sat up and faced him. "Dinner?"

He sat up beside her and smiled. "Yeah. Is seven o'clock okay?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Great." He stood up, extending his hand to help her. "You'll see, when we get there, the restaurant will be the spitting image of that cloud."

"I'll bet."

"I'll take that bet." He took her hand and began walking.

"Hey Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"How are you going to pick me up when you don't know where I live?"

He smiled. "I guess I'll need an address then." When she smiled shyly and gave it to him, he turned to face her. "Jessica, you were right. I do feel lighter."

She wasn't sure if she had the strength to do it. Leaving him the first time had been hard enough. She was sure, having to do it all over again would kill her. Yet, there she found herself, standing by the line up, waiting to go through security. She stalled, not yet ready to step into the line, because once she did, it was goodbye.

"It's not goodbye." His soft, reassuring voice broke her thoughts. It amazed her that he could know what she was thinking. Maybe he was thinking it too.

She allowed him to him to tilt her face to his. God, it was so hard to leave him, even harder face to face. The last time, she was able to leave, scratch that, run away, and disappear, leaving him with a kiss he didn't know was goodbye. The face to face farewell was infinitely harder. Yet, here he was, encouraging her, reassuring her, promising her. She met his eyes. "No, it's not goodbye."

"No goodbyes, remember. Never goodbye."

"No, Gil."

"Soon, Sara. It won't be long. Soon we'll be ready and we'll get married." The inflection in his voice rose a little at the end and she knew it was as much a question as a statement. He needed the reassurance as much as she did. She nodded and placed her hands on his hips, closing her eyes as she felt his lips on her forehead.

"There's nothing I'd like more."

She felt his hands drop from her face and sneak under her arms, pulling her to his chest. She released his hips and moved her arms around his shoulders, returning his embrace. His hand came up behind her neck, holding her to him. Then, he let go.

She clung to him a little longer, feeling the pain of his release. A tear slid down her cheek. Immediately, his hand came up and tenderly wiped the tear away. He tilted her head up and pulled her in for a long, lingering kiss.

It took her a moment to open her eyes after the kiss ended. She stepped back. "I should go." He nodded.

"I'll miss you."

"Yeah, me too." She brushed his cheek before stepping into the line and being swept forward by all of the people around her. As the line moved, she allowed herself one last glance at him. He was watching her, hands in his pockets, shoulders slumped, looking as lost as she imagined he'd looked when he read her letter. "This isn't goodbye," she repeated, steadying herself and moving forward. She was going to do this. She could leave him, because after this time, she was never going to do it again. She looked ahead. She was going to piece her shattered life back together because what was waiting for her at the end, was everything.

He could do nothing but watch as she was ushered forth to the security screening. There was so much he'd wanted to show her, but never, so much he wanted to say, but couldn't. He'd seen the fear in her eyes when she was faced with leaving him again. He should have told her how he felt about her, just once, and maybe it would have made it a little easier. He wished he could have that moment all over again. Who was he kidding? He could be given the opportunity a thousand times and the result would be the same.

She was gone from his sight, through security, on her way to her gate. He closed his eyes, recalling how she looked when he kissed her the first time and when he kissed her the last time. He needed to see her again before she left, even if it was only for a moment. "Sara!"

He stepped into the line and made his way through the people to security, pulling his ID as he moved forward.

"Boarding Pass?"

"I don't have one. I'm Gil Grissom, I'm with the Crime Lab. I need to get through."

"Is there a problem, sir? We weren't informed of anything."

"No, I'm not here as part of an official investigation, but I do need to get through." He looked past the screening as Sara's form moved further and further away. "Sara!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but if you aren't part of an investigation and you don't have a boarding pass, I can't let you through."

"Please. Phone the manager of the airport. He can tell you who I am. Please, let me through. Screen me if you have to."

"I'm really, very sorry, but we've had to tighten security again. I will call the manager, though."

"Thank you."

Grissom waited while security called the manager. He kept looking forward trying to find Sara amongst the crowd, but couldn't. "Sir?" He looked up. "Sir, I'm sorry, I can't get a hold of the manager. You can wait here while we try again."

"No, it's okay." He'd lost his chance. Sara was gone and he'd have to wait for her to land before he could speak to her. He'd have to wait even longer to see her. He dropped his head and turned away, making his way back through the line and towards the exit.

"Gilbert."

The sound was the sweetest thing he'd ever heard. His head flew up. He could scarcely believe the sight in front of him. "Sara."

In an instant, she was in his arms, throwing her own arms around his neck. He held her tightly. Her tears spilled onto his shoulder. He began to rock her gently. "Sara, what are you doing here? You should be at your gate."

"I know. I know, but I have time. We were ridiculously early, as usual. I was walking down the corridor and I thought I heard you call me. I realized, I just wanted to see you again."

"You heard me call?"

"You did call? I wasn't imagining it?"

"No, I tried to get to you. I couldn't get through security."

Sara laughed. "Did you tell them who you are?"

"It didn't work." He cupped Sara's cheek and gazed at her. "Listen Sara, I know you're scared, but everything will be alright. You have my full support, you know that, right?"

"I know. I just don't want it to be months before we can see each other again."

"I don't either. Whenever you need a break, you can always visit, and I'll book some days off and visit you in San Francisco, if that's alright?" He held his breath, waiting for her answer.

"I'm so glad you suggested it. I didn't want to ask you to take time off to see me."

He smiled, feeling immensely relieved. "Anytime Sara." He paused and gazed at her. "You know, I wanted to relive our parting. Thank you for coming back."

"I didn't want to leave without you knowing just how much I love you. You're my life, Gil. I love you."

"I know." He pulled back to look at her tear filled eyes and swallowed. "I love you too, more than anything."

An announcement over the intercom interrupted their moment. "You should go. I'll see you soon, as soon as I can get away if that's alright."

"I'll be waiting." Sara moved forward and kissed him. It was a short kiss, a chaste kiss, but so full of promise. Then, she was gone again. He was smiling as he watched her go. He got to relive his moment, and by some miracle, got a different outcome. She could leave to banish her demons, but he'd never lose her. They could be hit with tragedy, but they'd face it together. Having her there for him made everything easier. They could move past his insecurities and her past and Warrick's death. They had something to fight for and he was going to fight for it. He would be leaving in a few months and Sara would be closer to exorcising her ghosts. Grissom smiled. It would be the beginning of everything.

The beginning…

A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I know you wanted them to catch Warrick's killer, but I wanted this story to be about the team coming together and their process of healing and I also didn't think they could get the Under Sherrif based on what they had to go on. BUT, this is only beginning. Again, I'm really, very sorry.