A/N: If Jorja Fox's departure from CSI did anything, it was to spur a million different theories as to how Sara might return. For this story, I plan to take a few of them and spin them into my ideas of what could have happened. I intend to post a new chapter presenting a different scenario each week until the premiere. After that, I'll wind this up with my take on Sara's actual homecoming.

I hope you enjoy this story. Thanks for starting this journey with me!

I don't own CSI.

Four Ways Sara Sidle Could Have Come Home … And, One Way She Did

Theory One: The Surprise

Nine months.

It had taken Sara nine months to lay her ghosts to rest. She had been on a journey that had emotionally taken her to places she had never been, even as she had physically crisscrossed the country visiting all the places of her past. San Francisco, Boston, San Francisco again … Now, there was only one place left to go.

She sank back into her seat and sighed with contentment. Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco, but she had left hers in Las Vegas. It was time to go back to reclaim it.

As the plane descended over Las Vegas, Sara pressed her face against the window. She grinned as she picked out familiar buildings and landmarks. She wasn't just looking for the buildings that everyone associated with Vegas – she was looking for the places that she associated with home. She suddenly found herself wishing that their flight pattern could have taken them over the lab. She wanted so much to see it. It was such a reminder of him.

Sara didn't look away from the window until the plane eased onto the runway. As soon as the flight crew declared it permissible, she, like her fellow passengers, took out her cell phone and pressed the power button. As she waited for it to turn on and find service, she realized that she was bouncing her feet on the floor. She slowly stopped jiggling her legs and looked down at her hands. They were twisting nervously in her lap. She took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"Calm down," she whispered to herself. "Just calm down."

The plane docked at the gate and the slow deplaning process began. Glad for the excuse to delay the inevitable, Sara rationalized that it would be useless to call him while she was fighting her way off the plane. She'd likely drop the phone. She'd wait until she was inside the airport.

Fifteen minutes and a trip to the restroom later, she realized that her excuses had run out. She found an out of the way spot where she thought it would be unlikely that she'd be trampled and slowly pressed the buttons to call Grissom.

The phone rang twice before he picked up.

"Hi," he said, his smile carrying to her.

"Hi," she replied, trying to sound calm.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "You sound … odd."

"I'm fine," she said. "Actually, I'm more than fine."

"Well, that's great," Grissom said, his voice conveying surprise and … hope. "What's got you in such a good mood?"

"I guess that would be where I am right now."

"Where are you?"

"Where are you?" she countered.

"At home."

"Are you working tonight?"

"No, I'm off. Why?"

"Good," she said, suddenly feeling an inexplicable rush of delirious happiness, "because I need a ride."

"A … ride?"

"Yes."

"Sara, where are you?"

"I'm at the airport."

There was a long pause. "What airport?" Grissom asked at last, a determined calm holding his voice steady.

"McCarran."

This time, there was no pause. "I'll be there in thirty minutes."

"I'll be waiting," Sara said happily.

"Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

A warm feeling spread through her. "I love you, too."

She was sitting in baggage claim when he arrived. After scanning the room for a moment, he saw her, alone on a bench, staring off into space. Two suitcases and a duffle bag sat on the floor in front of her. He wondered how she had come up with so much luggage when most of her things were still in their house.

It wasn't until he was halfway to her that she turned and saw him. As soon as their eyes met, a beaming smile lit up her face. She leapt to her feet, and he began to run, desperately trying to close the distance between them as quickly as possible.

She was in his arms as soon as she was close enough to touch. They clung to each other, both murmuring tender, senseless endearments as they relearned the feel of each other's embrace. Grissom finally pulled back enough to look into her brown eyes, watching the tears shimmer across them even as they sparkled with utter happiness. Momentarily unable to speak, he leaned down to kiss her.

Sara responded at once, kissing him with all the love and passion that she had been saving during their time apart. She felt his fingers in her hair and moaned softly. Oh, she had missed him. So very, very much.

Grissom broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers for a moment. "I missed you," he whispered.

"I missed you, too," Sara said, a tear escaping and sliding down her cheek. "I never want to have to miss you again."

"You won't," he promised. "You won't."

She hugged him tightly for a moment, feeling several more tears fall. She finally pulled back to look at him, smiling in spite of the tears. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Grissom brushed her tears away and smiled at her. "Welcome home."