Synopsis  

Hannah and Marlon West return as the prime suspects in the death of a college girl. Hannah killed the girl, Marlon’s girlfriend, because she was in love with him. When Marlon learned of his sister’s co-dependent adoration and that she was framing him for the murder (in order to lock him away so that only she could see him), he kills himself.

The two cases are just the final straws for Sara – she leaves Las Vegas, and she leaves Grissom.

Review  

The episode revolves around Sara’s decision to leave Las Vegas.

Sara comes in from a scene and runs into Warrick, who is having trouble sleeping. So is Sara; Warrick says she’s tough and that he’s not worried about her. She finds blood on her boots and throws them away before going with Ronnie to her next scene.

What looks like a home invasion turns out to be a domestic dispute. The husband and wife fought, leaving the wife with a knife stuck in her back. When the husband returns to the house, he assaults his wife, yelling at her. Sara appears completely numb as she watches the attack; she leaves the scene, saying there’s nothing to be done. She says that they’ll be back for the wife’s corpse next month, or the husband’s, or both.

A college girl falls from a building, having been apparently thrown out a window from her room. One of the suspects in the case is Marlon West, brother of Hannah West. When Sara finds out, she insists on working the case, admitting to having kept some track of Hannah since the previous case. Unknown to Sara, Hannah transferred from Harvard to go to graduate school with her brother. During her interrogation, the girl causes Sara to lose her temper, by bringing up Sara’s recent kidnapping.

Sara lets the case get to her, and when it turns out that Hannah killed the girl, Marlon’s girlfriend, and framed him because she was in love with him, Marlon kills himself. Sara shows a photo of Marlon’s suicide to Hannah, who breaks down.

When Sara returns to the lab, she kisses Grissom in front of Hodges and the rest of the lab (he doesn’t respond), cuts her name off her vest and puts it in Ronnie’s locker. Then she takes her keys from her locker and throws the name-tag away, leaving the locker room for good. The only thing she takes with her is a picture of herself and Grissom from several years ago. When Grissom goes looking for her, he discovers that she’s left the lab forever, leaving him a note.

_Note: according to writer David Rambo, Sara’s final note to Grissom was written by Jorja Fox herself.

Notes  

• Sara is numb and unresponsive in a case of domestic violence.
• Sara kisses Grissom for the first time on screen.
• Sara says that she loves Grissom (in her note), and says that he is her ‘one and only’ on screen.
• Sara finally admits (in her note) that the kidnapping has affected her.

Quotes  

Warrick: Yeah, it’s to help me sleep – I’ve been having the hardest time lately.
Sara: Me too.
Warrick: Well you’re just coming off of grave after all these years, it takes a while to adjust. (puts his hand on her shoulder) You’re a tough cookie, I’m not worried about you. Take care of yourself. (walks off)
Sara: (watching him leave) Thanks.

Grissom: The one that got away?
Sara: We’re not supposed to let them get away, right?

Grissom: Look, I’m worried about you.
Sara: That just makes it worse. Look, I, I can’t talk about this right now.

Brass: Well, he gave it a shot, but she’s way out of his league.
Sara: She’s out of mine, too.

Sara: (her note to Grissom) Gil, you know I love you. I feel I’ve loved you forever. Lately… I haven’t been feeling well. Truth be told, I’m tired. Out in the desert under that car that night I realized something, and I haven’t been able to shake it. Since my father died, I’ve spent almost my entire life with ghosts. Even my close friends. And, out there in the desert it occurred to me, that it was time for me to bury them. I can’t be like you. I’m so sorry. No matter how hard I try to fight it off, I’m left with the feeling that … I have to go. I have no idea where I’m going, but I know I have to do this. If I don’t, I’m afraid I’ll self destruct, and worse, you’ll be there to see it happen. Be safe. Know that I tried very hard to stay. Know that you’re my one and only. I’ll miss you with every beat of my heart. Our life together was the only home I’ve ever really had, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love you, I always will. Goodbye.

Gallery  

Images ©CBS (2007) - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from the episode 'Goodbye and Good Luck'.