As We Live

Part 1: A Girl Named Holly and A Girl Named Sara

Chapter 6- Decisions: Part 3

Greg had summoned Nick to the DNA lab to tell him the results of the samples he had been given. He picked up the papers, but delayed handing them to Nick. "So the new girl, Sara, is supposed to be coming next week right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"She's beautiful."

"You've met her?"

"Yeah, when she was on Holly's case. Golden brown hair, nice tan, great smile..."

"And an attitude from what Warrick and Cath have been telling me."

"So, I doubt if she can be my younger sister's temper."

"Hey, I'm one of seven kids, I know tempers. I just don't know if we can handle someone as fiery as they say Sara is working here. Now, the results?" Greg shook his head in resignation before telling Nick the results of the samples.

---

"Well, it looks like everything's packed." Sara scanned her apartment, which was bare except for a few boxes and parts of her bedroom furniture. "Thanks for your help Felicity. Steven's a pretty good packer."

Felicity laughed. "Even for all the annoying things he does, he's good for some things."

"He's a good criminalist... it's just that he's a lousy boyfriend."

"For which everyone still questions your sanity. You knew he was a player and a self-absorbed jerk, what on earth possessed you to date him?"

"I was lonely, and he was available. It's not like we were ever serious. Come on, let's take some of the boxes out for him to put in the moving van." So Sara and Felicity both picked up some boxes to take outside. Steven, who was standing by the truck took the boxes from them and placed them inside the small trailer where most of Sara's belongings already were. Then the three of them went back into the apartment to get the rest of her boxes and furniture. Within three trips, all of her stuff was packed.

"Thank you both for your help. If you need anything on the cases I handed you, call me, I'm keeping my cell, or e-mail me, because that's not going to change either."

"Why are you leaving," Felicity asked.

Sara paused, considering what to say. "It's complicated. I want to advance; I want to leave this city; I want a change. I'll miss you." She looked at Steven and smiled a little. "I think I'll miss you too."

"I'm glad," he replied. "Especially after all the hard work I just did for you."

"You still have to hitch my car to the truck."

"You're perfectly capable of doing that."

"I know, but I like to make a man do some work."

He shook his head, but still smiled. "So you know where you're going to?"

"It's not that hard to get to Vegas from here, and I went the other week to look for apartments. The one I'm going to is nice, it's actually bigger than this one. Everything went through with my applications for the job and apartment. I just need to drop off the keys for this one and start driving."

"How are you going to unpack there," Steven asked.

"I have a hand-cart, and most of my stuff isn't that heavy, it won't be hard."

"Do you want us to wait for your landlord with you," Felicity asked.

"No, it's ok."

"Well then, I'll get finished here," Steven said, before turning to Sara's car. Together, the three of them hitched her car to the truck, and then gave Sara a hug before leaving. Ten or so minutes later her landlord arrived, and did a final walkthrough with her. Shortly there after, Sara Sidle was on her way to Las Vegas.

---

“And,” Holly emphasized the word while looking at Warrick, she was waiting for an answer.

“Well I lived,” he replied with a grin.

She frowned. “No really.”

He sighed dramatically. “Fine, the car was totaled, but my girlfriend and I managed to get out fine and not get into that much trouble.”

She shook her head, and then looked at him with curiosity. “So what happened between the two of you?”

He frowned. “She was from a moderately wealthy family, a lot more money then my family, and after the car wreck they wouldn’t let me anywhere near her.”

“Even though the crash was both of your faults,” She asked in disbelief. He nodded. “After a month or so they moved to Reno.”

“What was her name?”

“Sayuri Maureen Yamoto.”

“Interesting name.”

“She was an interesting girl. Her father was Japanese and her mother was Irish.”

“That explains the name.”

“Yeah, it worked for us though. Being bi-racial isn’t easy now, and it was worse then. We could relate to one another about everything.”

They were quiet for awhile, and Holly saw the distant look in his eyes. “You loved her didn’t you,” She asked quietly.

Warrick answered casually. “I guess, but we were teens, everything’s different when you’re that young. Did you ever fall in love?”

“Not really, there were guys I dated and cared about, but I don’t know if I really loved any of them.” They were quiet for a moment before she spoke again. “Switching subjects, you’re a lot more fun to hang out with then my parents or sister and nephew. I’m also very glad to be back in my own apartment.”

“How’s your recovery coming along?”

“I get shooting pains down my legs when I walk, but I’m able to manage with the crutches. My doctor says that there’s still one bullet in me, and he wants to remove it soon. They didn’t get it out the last time because they wanted me to heal some and stabilize first. They think the pains will stop once the bullet is removed, but aren’t guaranteeing anything. It’s all so expensive, and the case is going to take months, and I can’t bring up a civil suit before the criminal suit is finished. The problem with a civil suit is that he doesn’t have any money.”

“That’s why a fund was set up for you.”

“I know, and I’m very glad that so many people are willing to help pay for these expenses. You know, someone gave five thousand dollars?”

“What,” he exclaimed in shock.

“Someone within the crime lab gave five thousand dollars, but wishes to remain anonymous. The contributor is also willing to pay whatever expenses are not covered by the other money that is raised. Who has that kind of money in the lab?”

Warrick shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, Cath’s family has money but she wouldn’t go anonymous, and I know Grissom makes money from his books as well as from the lab and the lectures he does, but he’s the type to give it to you directly. Maybe someone from days?”

“Well, this sounds like a mystery that we may not figure out, but we should try our hardest.” They both grinned.

“Yeah, in between all the cases I’ll try to figure out who is loaded.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

He was about to say something in response when his phone rang; it was Judge Cohen. He unwillingly answered the phone, and after a short conversation, he got ready to leave.

“Hey, I’m sorry Holl, but I’ve got to go.”

“It’s ok, just don’t do anything stupid.” She didn’t see his guilty expression because she was getting up from her seat, and couldn’t see his face. When she was standing, she gave him a wry grin. “You know, like off-roading with your girlfriend and crashing your car because you’re making out at the same time.”

“I’d need a girlfriend first.”

“Weren’t you just dating someone last week?”

“She said that I spent too much time with you.”

“You do, but what difference does that make?”

“I don’t know, but I have to go. I promise that I won’t crash my car.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

They were both smiling broadly. He then hugged her before leaving to do Judge Cohen’s bidding.

---

Catherine nearly threw her purse at him, but given that it would have made things much worse, she refrained. Eddie had decided to try to obtain primary custody of Lindsey. He had a somewhat genuine claim because Catherine worked so much, but the fact that he would stoop so low infuriated her. For the moment however, their custody was still split, and until the court decided to change things, which would be awhile, they would have split custody. However, his actions had caused Catherine to hate him more than ever before. To make matters worse, Lindsey had started to rebel against both of them, and she still refused to speak more than a few words to either of them.

---

TBC...

Notes on the chapter: Nick being one of 7 kids was from a companion book to CSI, although in that he was the youngest, in this he is the second youngest. I realize that in the show, Greg was made an only child, in this he isn't. You'll learn more about the families of the characters as things go on. Warrick's talk with Holly... try to keep it in the back of your mind.

Other Notes: I'm sorry about the long wait, and that this was a rather boring chapter (that's one of the reasons it took so long to write, the later chapters are much more interesting to write/reade ;) School and my job didn't help. I also had a Star Trek story that hadn't been updated since Oct. or Nov. (they deserved an update.) I've also been writing a Miniature Killer story on my other account (go to my profile page for that). Oh, and then I saw POTC: At World's End... I hated it, disliked it, now I kinda like it... but the plot bunnies ran to me after seeing the film. So now I have an active POTC story as well as one for the future :)

Good news, I have a beta! (Although I didn't give her this chapter... Sorry Medha!) I just wanted you to get an update before I'm gone for awhile. (I'm going to California for a little over a week starting Friday.)

Thank you to all my reviewers! Drusilla Braun, Just Thinking, megslife- that may be the best review I’ve ever gotten, necira, StoryDreamer, ericloca, csifreak04, Sassysasha19, Dorothy Of Kansas- your re.view was so wonderful!, and Special Agent Meg. (and anyone else I might have forgotten)

WAIT, there's more! Since I haven't revealed ships yet, I'm gonna do the following, but only if get responses. I'll reveal the crossover ships (usually strictly in-show shipping) If you didn't remember about the crossovers and want to know what they are, look on my profile. I'll also reveal one of the main ships for one of the characters. I'll go with the most popular response. The only one you can not ask is Grissom, because this is the answer I'll give-- it's complicated. So, when I update with Chapter 7 (within the month probably) I'll reveal the answer to your responses. :)