Disclaimer - I own nothing of CSI or High School Musical 2. Both belong to their respected owners. 'Nuff said.
Italics are song lyrics and thoughts.
A/N: I got this idea while I was at work on Wednesday and I had to write it down before it left. I will update Blue Skies - no worries.
A/N 2: Sara sings Gabriella's part and Grissom sings Troy's.
Summary: AU: Sara is leaving and tells Grissom that she has to go her own way. Set to the song Gotta Go My Own Way from High School Musical 2. One-shot.
Rating: T
Genre: General/None
Sara Sidle brushed back a strand of black hair as she headed into the CSI headquarters. She had just returned with Ronnie, Nick and Warrick - they were investigating a double homicide. Sara couldn't blink the images out of her head. But there was something more than the homicides that was bothering Sara - her relationship with Grissom. She was going to tell him that it was over - she couldn't deal working in Las Vegas anymore. Hank had proposed to her and they were going to California - her home state - to get married.
"Grissom, could I talk to you for a minute?" Sara asked as Catherine exited Grissom's office. He nodded and motioned for her to come inside. She wasn't sure how to tell him. Letting out a deep breath, she poured her heart out.
"Grissom – listen…" Sara began, sitting down across from him.
"I gotta say what's on my mind.
Something about us, doesn't seem right... these days.
Life keeps getting in the way.
Whenever we try,
Somehow the plan is always rearranged.
It's so hard to say,
but I gotta do what's best for me.
You'll be okay...
I've got to move on, and be who I am.
I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand.
We might find our place in this world someday,
but at least for now,
I gotta go my own way." Sara crooned, feeling tears streaming down her cheeks. Grissom reached across the table to take Sara's hand, but she pulled her hand away.
"Don't wanna leave it all behind.
But I get my hopes up and I watch them fall every time.
Another color turns to gray.
And it's just too hard... to watch it all... slowly fade away.
I'm leaving today
cause I gotta do what's best for me.
You'll be okay...
I've got to move on, and be who I am.
I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand.
We might find our place in this world someday,
but at least for now,
I gotta go my own way." Sara sang, standing up and exited the office, Grissom right behind her.
"What about us?
What about everything we've been through?" Grissom asked.
"What about trust?" Sara inquired, brushing the tears out of her eyes.
"You know I never wanted to hurt you." Grissom told her, pulling her into a hug. Sara shook her head and pulled out of the hug.
"What about me?" Sara wanted to know. Grissom started to answer, when Sara shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.
"What am I supposed to do?" Grissom asked. Sara shrugged her shoulders and handed him the 'Sidle' that had been on her vest.
"I gotta leave, but I'll miss you." Sara answered, walking to the parking garage, Grissom right behind her.
"...miss you." Grissom echoed, watching Sara drive out of the garage.
"So, I've got to move on, and be who I am." Sara sang, watching Grissom from her rear-view mirror. She could almost hear him.
"Why do you have to go?" Grissom wailed.
"I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand." Sara crooned, turning onto the strip and drove to her tiny apartment. She was going to pack up all of her stuff and leave Las Vegas for good.
"Trying to understand." Grissom echoed, tears in his eyes. He had never cried in front of other people before - except at his father's funeral.
"We might find our place in this world someday,
But at least for now." Sara sang, pulling into the parking lot of the apartment complex and turned off the ignition before heading up the three flights of stairs to her apartment.
"I want you to stay." Grissom begged, ignoring the tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I've gotta go my own way.
I've got to move on, and be who I am." Sara sang as she found a box and put everything that reminded her of Grissom in it. She then closed the box and put it on the counter near the door. She would deal with it some other time.
"What about us?" Grissom asked, going back inside. He was the only one left in the building, but he didn't care.
"I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand." Sara continued to sing as she put stuff in boxes with Hank's help.
"Trying to understand." Grissom sang back, pulling open his file cabinet drawer and pulled out a gun. He twirled it around in his hands before putting it back - suicide was not the answer right now.
"We might find our place in this world someday,
But at least for now,
I gotta go my own way." Sara crooned, blinking the tears out of her eyes. Together, she and Hank packed up the moving truck and headed out of Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Grissom sat in his office, holding a picture of Sara in his hands. It had been taken the day after her accident. All of the CSIs were around her, smiling and laughing. Grissom instantly found himself next to Sara on one side and Nick on the other. Everyone seemed so happy in that picture.
I've gotta go my own way he could hear Sara's voice echoing in his ears. Grissom sighed as Catherine walked into his office. The two of them chatted about a case they were working on together and decided to have dinner sometime. Catherine couldn't that night - Lindsey had broken up with her boyfriend and she needed some comforting. Grissom understood and watched Catherine exit the office.
As he was closing up that night, Grissom thought he heard Sara's voice in his ear, but it was just the wind.
The next morning, there was a note on Grissom's desk. He opened the envelope and saw a card with a Japanese Crane on it, about to take flight. He opened the card and read the words that Sara had written. He knew that Sara was better off on her own.
That afternoon the whole team was investigating a bank robbery when something caught Grissom's eye. It was a badge that had belonged to an EMT that had been killed on the spot. Looking down at it, he noticed that it was Hank's badge. He felt the bottom of his stomach drop.
"Nick! Warrick! Come here, please." Grissom called to the younger men. They walked over and crouched down next to Grissom.
"What is it?" Nick asked, adjusting his hat. Grissom pointed to the badge.
"Oh my God." Warrick whispered. He wondered if Sara knew about it.
"Do you want me to call Sara?" Nick inquired.
"I'll do it." Grissom told him, standing up and got out his cell phone. He started to dial Sara's number when he saw Catherine, Ronnie and Mia - the CSI trainee - rush over to a figure. Grissom recognized it as Sara. He put his phone away and walked over to her. Sara avoided his gaze when she told the other CSIs that Hank had answered a call about a bank robbery and had never come home.
"Sara, he's been killed." Catherine told her. Sara turned pale and looked at Grissom. She shook her head and walked over to the body. Grissom heard her gasp and burst into tears. Catherine, Ronnie and Mia walked over to her and tried to soothe her, but nothing worked.
After about an hour saying goodbye to Hank, Sara stood up and headed back to her apartment, Grissom staring at her the whole time.
I've gotta go my own way
A year had passed and no one had heard from Sara. Grissom looked over at the girls putting up Christmas decorations around the headquarters, Nick and Warrick were hanging a wreath on the front door and Greg was struggling to put up an inflatable Santa on the front lawn of the headquarters. Grissom smiled and went to help Greg.
"Grissom, there's a phone call for you." Jim Brass called. Grissom excused himself from the conversation he was having with Greg and went inside.
"Grissom." he said into the receiver.
"It's me." Sara's voice came from the other line.
"I thought you were going to California." Grissom told her, a little confused.
"I'm doing okay, thanks for asking." Sara teased him. Grissom rolled his eyes and talked to Sara for a little bit. She was coming back to the CSI headquarters for a bit before heading out to California for Hank's memorial service.
Sara was back from California and was back on board for her favorite CSIs. She still had feelings for Grissom, but she kept them to herself. She wasn't ready to move on just yet.
I've got to move on, and be who I am.
I just don't belong here,
I hope you understand.
We might find our place in this world someday,
But at least for now,
I gotta go my own way
A/N 3: i know the ending is kind of lame, but the org. idea i had in my head for the ending went away, so yeah.