Title: 23 Roses
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Catherine/Sara
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer.
Summary: Catherine receives 23 roses and asks Sara their significance.
A/N: This is a sequel to Online Connection...story takes place 2 weeks after the end of Online Connection.

Catherine walks into her office and notices a single red rose on her desk, the rose has a note attached; You have been and always will be the ONE for me, Love S.

Catherine was about to call Sara in to thank her personally, but Grissom came by and told her that assignments were up and she had to get moving, heading for the breakroom she saw the object of her affection, "Sara thank you for the rose and I feel the same way you do," she then kisses Sara on the cheek before heading  into the breakroom.

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The following day Catherine was leaving her office and again noticed the same red roses, this time taped to her office door; only this time there were two roses but there was another note and it read; This morning you said 'I love you', the feeling is very mutual, Love S.

Catherine searched for Sara, but she was nowhere to be found, so Catherine took the roses and added them to the single rose from the day before, she walked to the locker room and saw Sara getting herself ready to go home, she crept up behind Sara snaked her arms around Sara's waist and whispered, "I love you Sara Sidle, always and forever.", she then went to her locker and got ready to head home in time to see Lindsey off to school.

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The next day, Catherine was a bit bummed out that there were no new roses in her office or on her office door, so she went to the breakroom to get her assignment, she found out she would be going to Lake Mead because of a drowning and she knew there was no way she could wear the spiked heel boots she had on so she went to the locker room to change her shoes and there taped to her locker were three red roses accompanied again by a note; I Love You, Love S.

As she rode with Nick out to Lake Mead, he noticed the smile on her face, "Hey Cath, why the smile...you know something about the case already?"

"No Nicky, I'm just a lot happier lately...Thanks to a certain someone."

"Oh really is that why you have those roses in your office...are they from that certain someone?"

"Yes they are Nicky my boy, and no I am not telling you they are from even if I do know who they are from."

"Damn...I thought I could get it out of you...well I am glad that this person is making you happy...I'm really happy for you Catherine."

"Thanks Nick, this person is all I ever wanted in a mate," Catherine was afraid to say too much because she and Sara hadn't told any of the others even though Greg knew and he was sworn to secrecy with the threat of painful bodily harm if her ever told anyone.

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The next day there were no roses at the lab for Catherine; none on her desk, none on her locker door, none even on her office door. Catherine went to the breakroom to get her assignment and found out she was paired with Nick once more.

"Hey Cath, why so down, where's the happy person I saw yesterday?"

"She's gone along with the roses," Catherine said with a voice between angry and sad.

"Catherine just because you didn't get any at the lab doesn't mean you aren't getting any at all...think about this like a case, if you continued getting roses at the lab people would start asking questions...Right?"

"I guess so, but why would this person stop now?"

"Maybe this person hasn't stopped, because giving a person six roses at different times is easy and if anyone asked you could say they were from Lindsey, but what if this person wanted to get you more than six, that would mean he or she would have to call a florist that delivered and as sure as the sun rises there would be questions by not only the guys, but Grissom, Ecklie and everyone else, so Catherine if I were you I wouldn't give up on this person just yet...feeling better?"

Catherine couldn't help but smile at Nick's explanation, "Yeah I am thanks Nick."

The morning when Catherine got home, she saw Lindsey staring at a box that was on the counter in the kitchen, "Lindsey where did this come from?"

"I don't know mom, but it was addressed to you so Aunt Nancy told me that we should honor your privacy and let you open it."

Catherine knew by the shape of the box what might be in there, and as soon as she opened it she knew she was right; for in box were seven red roses and another note that read; You and I together forever, Love S.

"Wow mom those are beautiful, who did you get them from?"

"I don't know sweety...there's no name."

"I think I can guess," Lindsey chuckled as she went upstairs to get her book bag for school. 

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The next day was Saturday and ever since they had started dating Catherine and Sara had dinner on Saturday whether it was before shift or a leisurely evening of movie watching at Catherine's house if both had the night off; This was one of those Saturdays when the two women were both off and would be having dinner and watching a movie at Catherine's.

Catherine was finishing up dinner when she heard her doorbell ring, "Coming...", Catherine opened the door expecting to be met by her girlfriend Sara, however she was met with a bouquet of the loveliest roses she ever saw, "Sara these are beautiful...thank you," She said as she kissed Sara passionately.

Catherine went into the kitchen to put them in a vase as she did she opened the card that accompanied the roses; You are the perfection in my life, Love S.

"Oh Sara, thank you so much, but it is you that is perfect."

"Hey Sara...wow mom more flowers...I think we now know who they were from."

"Oh I've know from the first rose...Love S.....I knew from then and there they were from Sara."

"Hey Sara, why are there only ten here instead of a dozen like most people give."

Catherine hadn't really noticed but once Lindsey said something her curiosity was peaked, "Now that you mention it Lindsey, I have noticed the roses came in unusual numbers...please tell me why you did it that way honey."

Sara sat down between Catherine and Lindsey and began explaining about the roses, "Well Cath, you mean too much to me to just give you a dozen roses besides the number is as significant as the color, I'm sure you know deep red is the color of love..." Catherine nodded and Sara continued,"well the numbers mean different things; I gave you one rose the first time and that means 'Love at first sight, you are the ONE for me'... as for the two roses I gave the next time those mean 'Mutual love and feeling' remember the day you received them you said I love you and before I could say it back Rick came into the locker room, those meant that I felt the same way you did...the three roses of course signify the words 'I Love You' which I do Catherine with all my heart and soul....the seven roses I sent here signify 'Together Forever' and that's what I want with you Catherine; the two of us together forever...and finally the ten I gave you tonight signify 'Perfection' and that is what you have made my life Catherine...for the past two weeks your love for me has made me feel perfect in every way...I love you Catherine."

Catherine could not speak because she was afraid nothing but sobs would come out because of the tears that were streaming down her face, so she grabbed Sara and held her with all her might, after a few minutes Catherine pulled back from the hug but held on to Sara, looked Sara right in the eye and said, "I love you too Sara, with all my heart...with all my soul...you are my perfect love...forever and always."