SUNDAY AT THE AIRPORT WITH SARA

Author: Celievamp (jo.raine@ntlworld.com)

Disclaimer: Jerry Bruckheimer, CBS and various others own CSI, not me. I just played in their sandpit for a while. Set around between Season Five and Six.

Pairing: Sara Sidle / Mia Dickerson PWP

Rating: MATURE

Synopsis: All things end eventually.

Written for the Femslash Advent Calendar 2006: The Dog Days of Summer
Date in Calendar: 24 June 2006

For the one I love as always.

SUNDAY AT THE AIRPORT WITH SARA


They had known for three weeks that this day would come but it didn’t make it any easier. Mia took another sidelong glance at her partner. Former partner she should probably think of her now. Her dark eyes were still redrimmed, her expression slightly sullen in repose. There was a lot going on in that head though you would never know it from her expression.

She took another sip of her coffee. It hadn’t been that good when it was hot. Now it was cold, it left a lot to be desired. Sara had abandoned hers as well. The Danish she had bought had been reduced to crumbs. She had taken perhaps one bite from it.

“… it’s karma, it has to be,” Sara said suddenly.

“What do you mean?” Mia asked. Ever since she had got the call from her former grad supervisor asking her to come out and head up a DNA research unit in Seattle, Sara had been distracted. It wasn’t just that Mia had said ‘yes’ and then and only then thought… oops, what about Sara.

“The same thing happened to me five years ago when I left San Diego and came here. Gris called and I just came running. I dropped everything and everyone…”

“You left someone in San Diego… I didn’t know…” Mia said. Sara never talked much about the past. It truly was another country to her, one to which she had deliberately forgotten the map and much of the language. Of course, given what Mia did know about Sara’s past that was entirely understandable.

“Her name was Cassie, Cassie Stuart. She was a cop, a detective in Narcotics. We’d been together about 18 months, kinda in the same situation as we were, not quite living together but looking on it as a real possibility for the future. Then I got the call from Grissom to come out here and… I was on the next plane. I broke up with Cassie over the phone. I’ve never… we never talked again.”

“Seattle isn’t so far away, Sara,” Mia said softly. “I know it won’t be the same but I’d still like to think we could be friends.”

Sara smiled. “Of course. I’d like… love that. We were friends before…”

The call for the 20.15 flight to Seattle came over the speakers. “We should go,” Mia said reluctantly.

As they left the coffee shop they saw a small group of people waiting by the security check-in. It looked like Night Shift and some of the Day shift had come to see Mia off as well. Sara was slightly annoyed and at the same time greatly relieved to see them. Though she hated having an audience for this she really didn’t think she could do it on her own.

Greg stepped forward and enveloped Mia in a hug. “Just when I’d got you trained up,” he joked. “Gonna have to start all over again now.”

“Wendy’ll do fine,” Mia said. She had spent the last three days handing over to her replacement and had been quietly impressed with the young woman.

Grissom smiled at her. “You’ll still be missed, Mia. Keep in touch, okay. And we expect a heads up on any new techniques you come up with in Seattle. You know we’re always keen to try new things.”

“Of course,” Mia smiled. Warrick leant in, kissed her on the cheek.

“Nick’s sorry he couldn’t come see you off. He’s working a case with Catherine. She told me to tell you good luck and take care of yourself. This is from both Nick and me...” He handed her a slim package which could only be a CD. “It only came out a day or so ago so we figured you hadn’t time to get it yet.”

It was more Nina Simone to add to her growing collection: a live set from Ronnie Scott’s legendary jazz club in London. Tears glistened in her eyes as she scanned the set list. Warrick had told her the truth when he said the woman knew how to sing heartbreak. She was going to listen to this a lot over the next few weeks.

Sofia who like her had moved on, though in her case it was over to the police, working alongside Jim Brass also gave her a hug to Mia’s surprise. She had always got on well with the tall blonde, but hadn’t really considered her more than a work colleague. “You take care,” she said. “And keep in touch.” She moved to stand next to Sara was fighting back tears again. Mia noticed Sofia’s body language. She had figured months ago that Sofia might have a thing for Sara. Hopefully the blonde would now get her chance. She would be good for Sara.

Last call for boarding. She had to go. The others stepped away, giving the two of them some space. Sara stared at her. “There’s nothing I can say to persuade you to change your mind?” she asked softly.

Mia lowered her eyes, shook her head. “Sorry, sweetheart, but this is the right move for me. We both know it.” It was true. After their winter holiday their relationship seemed to have hit something of a plateau. They had both been under a lot of strain at work, pulling a lot of double shifts; Nick’s kidnapping and the aftermath had almost been the last straw. Sara had fallen back on old habits, not sleeping, barely eating, seemingly resentful of any attempt Mia made to take care of her. And Mia cared too much for the other woman to just stand back. It wasn’t her way. They had fought about it and made up and fought again. Emil Ganza’s call inviting her to come for interview in Seattle had come out of the blue. It had saved them both a lot of heartache.

Mia missed her family. Moving back to Seattle would put them an hour’s drive away at most. Her father had gotten frail over the last year and her mother’s concern over him had grown. She hadn’t asked – would never ask - for her daughter to come home. Momma was fiercely proud of her little girl’s achievements. The new job gave Mia the best of both worlds. The work she loved and the closeness to her family she had missed so much.

If only she didn’t have to leave Sara behind.

But knowing what she was potentially giving up made the move strangely sweeter. Mia had always been driven. Sara was the same, which was why the break up had been as amicable as it was. And Sara envied her the family ties. She would never let Mia do anything to jeopardize that. Even if it meant giving her up.

Last night… their last night, had been so special. They had talked for a long time, reminiscing about their Colorado skiing holiday, the fun times they had had together. They had lain together on Sara’s bed, almost nose to nose, entwined around each other. Mia had always loved the contrast of their skin tones, dark against light. They had fallen asleep in each other’s arms, their heads almost touching and had woken within seconds of each other in the early hours, their bodies already moving together, skin on skin, Sara’s breast nestling in her palm, Sara’s fingers curling through her folds, wet throbbing heat moving through her like a flash fire. Her breasts pressed against Sara’s long lean back as she cradled the woman to her, her fingers trailing fire across Sara’s abdomen and thighs, the almost buttery soft warmth of Sara’s centre enclosing her fingers as Sara’s breath sobbed against her throat. The smell and taste of Sara on her fingers as she brought them to her mouth then lowered herself to taste Sara directly, Sara’s fingers winding through her hair as she chanted her name. Remembering, she stared intently into the other woman’s dark eyes. “I will always, always love you. Remember that.”

Sara’s breath came out in a sob. “I know. I know. I…” she reached up, brushed Mia’s cheek with her lips then gave her a kiss that took Mia’s breath away for a moment. “I love you, Mia. I always will. Give me a call when you get to your parent’s okay?”

“Of course.” It was tearing her up inside. She didn’t know what to say. Any more would only bring her to tears. Hearing her name called over the public address system to come board her flight gave her the impetus and the excuse. “I gotta go. I love you, Sara, I...” She brushed Sara’s cheek with her lips then quickly moved off. At the last she turned to see them all watching her, surrounding Sara. Sofia’s arm was around Sara’s shoulders, her head lowered, speaking softly to her. Warrick was at her other side, his hand raised in farewell. Mia raised her own hand in response, then looked ahead again turned the corner and headed for home.


END