Title: Blast from the past
By: Foxy Nighthawk
Pairing: Cath/Sara
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, they belong to Jerry Bruckheimer (I think.). I'm making no money on this.
A/N: I made them a little younger than they would be on the show. Cath: 39, Sara: 32, Veronica: 28, Kim: 27, Lindsay: going to be 13 and Julie: 3.
Summary: Sara meets an old friend from the past and that brings back a lot of memories both good and bad. Will she run away again or will she finally stop running long enough to let somebody get to know her?

***

She couldn't remember the last time they had had a conversation without the snide remarks. A conversation without fighting over who was the alpha-female. Everything turned into a competition between them, the only exception being working on a case; both knowing that solving the case was bigger than both of them. And most cases they worked together was solved, because they were good – an unbeatable team. Maybe it was working on such a case she realized it. She couldn't remember, but it had changed everything. The proverbial IT, that was love. She was in love with Catherine Willows. The one thing she did remember though, was her first thought after realizing IT: Hell has just frozen over!

"Hey Sara?"

"Huh?" Sara was startled, but hid it well. She had been lost in thoughts about her very secret crush again. Crush was such a small word for her feelings; inadequate really, but it was her word of choice, because she knew that her feelings would never come out in the open. It was just a crush.

"Sara? You with the living?"

A hand was waved in front of her face.

"Huh?" Why couldn't she form a simple sentence? She rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, sorry Greg. What's up?" She looked at the new CSI.

"Nothing much. It's been a slow night." He looked at the evidence bags on the table. Pointing at them he asked: "What's you working on?"

"Just going over an old case. I'm going to court with it soon, so I just wanna go in fully prepared." 'If only I could get a certain blonde somebody out of my head.' She added in thought. She looked up at Greg wondering why he was really in her lab. She knew he wanted to learn as much as possible, and she was more than happy to teach him. But right now he seemed more nervous than his usual eager self.

"Oh." He looked at the bags again playing with the corner of one of them. "Look Sara, I was thinking…"

'Please don't ask me out on a date!' The thought screamed across her mind. She concentrated on Greg again keeping her fingers crossed.

"You wanna go out for breakfast and celebrate?" He looked at her expectantly.

"Celebrate? Celebrate what?" She asked fearing that she might have missed something.

"I don't know. Life? Love? Friendship? Just something. You know just go out and celebrate something and have fun? What do you say?"

Sara was touched in way by what her younger colleague had just said. But she wasn't sure what her answer was going to be. What did she have to celebrate anyway?

"Look Greg." She started.

"No! I wont take no for an answer." He interrupted her. When she was about to speak again, he held up a hand stopping her. "The guys already accepted and I promised that I would make you come along for the fun."

"But…"

"No, they told me to bring you. Even if I had to drag you there kicking and screaming." He paused sizing her up. "Do I have to do that?"

"No." she said vehemently. "But…"

"I will drag you kicking and screaming!" Greg interrupted her again. "I don't wanna hear no or but or anything!"

"Greg…" She held up her hand when she saw that he was about to interrupt her again. "Let me speak?" She paused to find out if he would let her. When he just nodded she continued. "I'm not the most social person."

"I know. But going out once with us hardly qualifies as social." He grinned at her. "Come on! What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."

She felt tempted; she could use a beer to relax her. She wasn't an alcoholic, but sometimes you just need something to get you back down to earth in a job like hers. She looked back up at Greg who was looking at her expectantly.

"Please Sara!" He pleaded as a last resort. "I'll never hear the end of it, if I cant get you to come with me."

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Ok."

"Yes!" Greg exclaimed and started dancing a little victory dance.

"Where are we going?" She asked trying to suppress a laugh.

"This new place off the strip." He stopped his little dance and turned towards her again. "It just opened a couple of weeks ago. I hear they have live music there."

"Live music at a breakfast restaurant?"

"Well, yeah, it turns into some kind of bar/café/something at night. I don't really get the concept, but it should be fun." Greg shrugged.

"Ok. Give me the address and I'll meet you there when I finish here."

"Oh no!" Greg started gathering the evidence bags from the table.

"What are you doing?" Sara's mood changed from happy to pissed in seconds. "Stop that!"

"Shift was over 10 minutes ago. You need to get this back in lock-up. And we need to get going the others already left." He looked up from the table and saw how furious she was. He knew not to mess with Sara Sidle's evidence, but he also knew that if he let her stay alone with it and left without her, she would stay in the labs until their next shift started. So for once he tried bravery. "Come on, Foxy's waiting."

"Foxy?" Sara's mood changed back to happy.

"Yeah, that's the name of the place we're going to."

"Foxy." Sara stated and to Greg's big surprise she quickly but carefully put away the rest of the evidence, and motioned for him to go out the door.

At Foxy Nick, Warrick, Brass, Sofia, Brass and Catherine was waiting for Greg and Sara. It was a nice place with a comfortable atmosphere. It had a stage in one end for the musicians, and a couple of people was preparing for a band.

"You think he'll get her to come?" Nick asked no one in particular.

"Hope not." Catherine answered. "He's buying me breakfast if she doesn't." She looked at the others and realized how she could be misunderstood. "Not that I don't want Sara here." She tried to smooth over her previous statement. Not very successfully.

"Sure." Warrick laughed out and Brass nodded his head in agreement with the sarcasm. Nick just looked at his glass, because in all honesty Catherine scared him a little.

"What?" Catherine shot back. "I do want Sara here."

"Prove it." Warrick said.

"What?"

"Come on, Catherine." Sofia interjected. "Even the PD knows you two are like cat and dog. No pun intended."

Catherine stared at her in disbelief.

"Don't start a fight with her when she gets here." Warrick said and when she was about to interrupt, he held up a hand stopping her. "Just give the girl a chance and try to get to know her; that's all I'm saying."

Catherine thought about it a little before looking back at Warrick.

"Fine." Was all she had a chance to say before a piano started playing. They all looked towards the stage and saw a young woman sitting by the piano. She started talking over the music.

"Hi everybody. Or good morning I guess. Welcome to Foxy." She smiled at the people in the restaurant. "The band that is supposed to be up here playing are running a bit late, but don't worry they'll get here. Until then my brother has talked me into playing a couple of numbers for you. My name is Veronica and I hope you enjoy your breakfast and the music. This is you've got a friend."

Catherine stayed quiet listening to the music with a contemplating look on her face. She knew that everybody thought that she didn't like Sara. Most thought that it was because she had closed Eddie's case, but that wasn't it really. Sure she had been pissed at the time, but not because it was Sara; she would have done the same had it been any of the guys. She hadn't apologized to Sara though, but that had an entirely different reason. Catherine was getting older, she knew that. Granted, she did have a better body than most women her age, but the lines on her face was getting deeper and her body wasn't as firm as it used to be. Having Sara close by only reminded her of that. Catherine sometimes needed the attention men gave her when she walked up to them or past them. The appreciative glances boosted her confidence. It was a need she had had for as long as she could remember; a leftover from her dancing days.

Sara was young, gorgeous, intense and intelligent. Catherine knew that Sara was smarter than her, so Catherine had to be the most beautiful. She knew that her reasoning was far from well reasonable, but she was vain, that was her only excuse. She would do as Warrick had suggested, though. She would be nice to Sara today, and at least try to get to know more about her. She would try to bury the hatchet and not in Sara's back this time.

She turned back to the table and saw Sara and Greg standing by the entrance. She was just about to wave them over, when she saw the look on Sara's face. She was frozen in place staring at the lone figure on the stage and seemed lost in time. Slowly a smile spread across her face and Catherine watched in awe; that smile could light up a room. Sara mouthed a single word that Catherine couldn't quite get and just kept looking at the woman onstage and smiling.

Sara had heard her before she saw her. She would never forget that voice as long as she lived. Her and Greg was standing just inside the restaurant. Greg was looking around trying to locate their co-workers, but all she could do was stare at the stage. Slowly a smile formed on her face, she knew that she must be looking silly, but she didn't care much. She hadn't seen the other woman in ten years. The single word was out of her mouth before she even knew she had spoken it. "Foxy." And she smiled again, she had missed her.

Greg had finally seen the others and grabbed Sara by the arm shaking her out of her reverie. Catherine frowned at that, Sara had looked happy for once – and about something other than work for once. Couldn't he have let her have that a little longer?

***

"I told you I could get her here!" Greg exclaimed as he sat down next to Catherine leaving Sara a seat facing the stage.

"Well, that's a good boy, Greg." Catherine replied playfully and smiled.

"So I am not buying breakfast today." He paused for dramatic effect. "You are." He finished and pointed at her.

"I know, I know." She raised her hands in mock surrender.

"What are you talking about?" Sara looked at them questioningly.

"Eh.." Greg was at a loss for words.

"Well…" Catherine wasn't succeeding either. If she hadn't promised to not fight with Sara, she would have come up with an answer quickly, but now she didn't know how to explain the silly bet.

"You made a bet whether or not I would come with Greg?" Sara asked. Greg merely nodded.

"Well, yes. Yes we did." Catherine answered. "But…"

"I see." Sara interrupted her. She paused contemplating something. "Who's buying me breakfast then?" She asked with a smirk.

"Greg." Catherine answered immediately smiling.

"Hey!" Greg piped up. "You lost the bet." He said pointing at Catherine.

"Well, I'm already buying you breakfast, so it's only fair that you buy Sara breakfast." It seemed logically enough to her.

"Cath… erine is right." Sara said to Greg, only barely managing to change Cath to Catherine. "And you did get me here on false pretences." She added for good measure.

"You are so not getting out of this one, Greg." Nick snickered.

"Nah man, just give it up already." Warrick joined in.

"Well with that settled." Brass said. "We better order something to eat."

They ordered breakfast and just sat there chatting lightly enjoying the music. Sara was lost in the music and her thoughts, and most of the conversation around the table was lost to her. She remembered a time long lost, a time when she had been almost happy. A time when she had someone who knew every little detail about her life. A time when someone stayed beside her instead of running far away. She remembered the last time she had seen Veronica – or Foxy as she liked to call her. It was in the summer. The summer she had finished at Harvard.

That's where they met, Sara was four years older than Veronica, but that didn't seem to matter to either of them. Sara had been asked to help her find her way around campus, and the professor had made her understand how important it was for her to make the girl feel at home. She was valuable to the institute, was the words he had used. She was a kid genius; one of the sharpest minds in the country. Sara knew how the new girl must be feeling; the insecurities, the overwhelming feeling of dread, fearing that she would have no friends, fearing that no one would like her, being away from everything she knew. That was how she had been feeling anyway. But when she met the girl all these thoughts went flying out the window. Foxy was one of the most outgoing persons she had ever met and Sara had been trapped in her personality from the first time they had a longer conversation.

Foxy might have been only fifteen years old, but they could talk about anything – even the most dorky things that Sara had never had anybody else to talk with about. Most people called her dorky when she started talking about her interests, but Foxy was interested. She wanted to learn about it, she wanted Sara to teach her about forensics and physics. She was the light in Sara's life, she made her go out among other people, she made her do things that made her blush to this day. Whenever she dared Sara to do something, Sara had done it – even the one time she had dared her to make a move on that blonde. It had been worth it, really worth it. Foxy had to sleep at the library that night. A smile formed on her lips again. Foxy was so vibrant and full of life, so unlike Sara, and she had chosen Sara as her friend. They were friends not lovers, they had talked about it, but it had never been more than friendship. Foxy was so full of life, right up until that night.

"Sara?" Catherine couldn't keep the slight annoyance out of her voice.

"Huh?" Sara blinked to focus back to the present. "What?" She asked before realizing that it might have come out sounding harder than she had meant it. "Sorry, I was just lost in my head there for a moment." She smiled apologetically to the blonde.

"A moment?" Catherine chuckled. "I've only called your name for the last couple of minutes."

"Oh." Sara blushed a bit. "You didn't sit there before."

"Eh... No." Catherine looked at her looking slightly amused. "I switched with Nick five minutes ago. I got tired of Greg gloating." She laughed a little. "You didn't notice?"

"No." Sara blushed a little more.

"You were really long gone there?" Catherine more stated than asked. "But what I wanted to say was that I was sorry about the bet. We shouldn't have…"

"No Catherine, it's ok. It's fine really. It was a fifty-fifty chance really." She smiled at the older woman.

"Oh." Catherine was stunned that she didn't have to deflect a fight. "Well, thanks." When a smile started to grace the features of the younger woman, she couldn't help but ask: "What?"

"Nothing really."

"No, what is so funny?" Catherine asked - a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Just this." Sara said pointing a hand between the two of them. "Us." Her smile grew bigger. "Us having a civil conversation."

"Well." Catherine paused. "I kinda made a bet with Warrick as well." She admitted sheepishly.

"Oh." Sara smirked. "What do you get this time?"

Catherine just giggled. Since when do I giggle? "Next solo case." She shot out.

"Lucky girl." Sara laughed a little, not really knowing what was so funny. It felt good though. They lapsed back to silence letting the music wash over them. Veronica had just started on Independent love song.

"She's good." Catherine stated.

"Yeah." Sara answered letting the music sweep over her once again before continuing. "I know her." She said before she knew what she had said. She didn't know why she had volunteered the information, and to Catherine of all people.

"Yeah?" Catherine said telling her to go on.

"She…" She paused trying to find words to describe the girl to Catherine. "She was…" She paused again not happy with the way her mind was forming sentences. "She was the first person who ever liked me for me. The first person I ever trusted 100 percent."

"She must be special then." Catherine commented surprised that Sara had opened up to her.

"She is the second most special person I know." Again the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Only second huh? Who is number one then?" Catherine couldn't resist asking, she was lead CSI for a reason after all.

"Huh?" Sara was blushing again. "Eh, my mom, my foster mom." She just put out the first person coming to mind. There was no way that she would ever admit that she was speaking to the most special person in her world right at that moment. Sara might have admitted to herself that she had a crush on her co-worker, but that was a secret she would take to the grave. Luckily she was saved from continuing the conversation when their breakfast was served.

"The original band is finally here. I hope you enjoyed listening as much as I enjoyed playing. Have a nice day and weekend everybody." Veronica got up from behind the piano. "Please welcome Ballabaloo."

Veronica left the stage and started walking towards the bar where the entrance to the kitchen was, Sara followed her path with her eyes. She didn't get close to where the group was sitting, but for a moment she turned her head in their direction. She slowed down to almost a stop when their eyes met, and Sara saw recognition in her eyes. She picked up her pace again though and looked back towards the bar, and didn't show any other signs that she had recognised Sara.

"Why isn't she coming over?" Catherine asked her.

"We didn't part on the best of terms." Sara said absentmindedly. She saw Foxy walking up to a man at the bar, giving him a hug. She said something to him and he left her alone for a minute, only to appear next to her again with a steaming cup of coffee.

"What the…" Catherine started.

"What?" Sara asked shocked back to the table at Catherine's outburst.

"That's the guy my sister is dating." Catherine explained pointing to the guy Foxy was talking to. "He better not have that little thing on the side, or he will have to deal with me!" Just as she finished the sentence, the two disappeared into the kitchen area. "Well, that's it! I'm gonna kill him."

"Whoa, easy there Cath." Sara grabbed her by the arm just as she was about to get up. "Remember; follow the evidence."

"I am!" Catherine hissed.

"No, you're not. Would you just listen to me for a minute?" She said tugging at her arm to get her to sit back down. When she succeeded in doing so she continued. "I would be very surprised if they are having an affair."

"And why is that?" Catherine knew that her voice was far from friendly, but she couldn't seem to be bothered with that right now.

"Because." Sara dragged it out. "As far as I know he is not her type."

"Not her type, that's what you call evidence?"

"Well, yeah." Sara said looking her in the eyes.

"Well. How?" Catherine asked. "What is her type like then?"

"Oh, I don't know. Blond for starters." Sara said keeping eye contact.

"He IS blonde, Sara." Catherine said exasperated.

"Yeah, I mean more like you blonde." Sara smirked; somehow she couldn't resist teasing the older woman a little. And somehow she couldn't seem to be able to break eye contact either. She saw how realization dawned in her features and chuckled. "Get it now?"

"She's gay?"

"Bingo."

"Bingo? How do you know that's she's gay?"

"I only lived with her for a year." Sara said, then realizing how it could be interpreted. "Shared a room with her – shared a room. Not living together as in living together. We were just friends. Good friends, but just friends."

Catherine started laughing, and soon it was too contagious and Sara had to join in.

"What's so funny?" Nick asked.

"Sara!" Catherine snorted.

"What?" Sofia was curios as well.

"Hard to explain." Sara said between laughs. "Ahh!" She screamed as a pair of arms encircled her and a head appeared on her right.

"Calm down, Sass!" A light voice whispered in her ear. "I won't bite."

"Foxy!" Sara squealed and got on her feet embracing the shorter woman in a bear hug.

"Well, that's more like it! That's the kinda greeting I like!" Veronica held her out at arms length and gave her a once over, before hugging her tightly again. "It's been too damn long, Sass."

"I know." Sara let go of her and looked her in the eyes. "I missed you." She said looking down.

"God girl, you still do that?" Foxy reached out and placed her hand under Sara's chin and lifted it up so she was looking her in the eyes again. "That's better. I missed you too."

They stood there a while before someone cleared their throat bringing them back to reality. Sara looked up at the man standing next to her friend.

"Sorry, Sass this is Benjamin." She pointed at the man. "Ben this is Sara Sidle; a friend from Harvard. Ben is my younger brother."

"Nice to meet you Sara." Benjamin shook her hand.

"You too." Sara smiled.

"And I'm not that much younger. Just about ten minutes; we're twins." He looked at the people at the table. "Catherine hi. I didn't see you there." He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. "How's Lindsay?"

"Hello Ben." Catherine blushed a little because of the things she had nearly accused him of. "She's good. She's at Nancy's right now as a matter of fact."

"Introductions please!" Greg directed at Sara.

"Oh right. Sorry. Guys this is Veronica Lavisham…"

"Christiansen." Veronica corrected her. "My last name is Christiansen now, changed it when I turned 18."

"Ok, Veronica Christiansen. Foxy this is…." Sara introduced her to her friends around the table and they offered that they could join them. Continuing with their breakfast Sara and Veronica got up to date on each others lives. Sara told her all about her job, and she found out what her friend had done with her life. It turned out that she was now a doctor at a Vegas hospital, married and had a daughter.

"Really?" Sara asked a bit surprised. "You have a daughter? How?"

"How? Sara, come on! You know how that works!" Veronica laughed.

"Well, I just thought – you know." Sara laughed as well.

"Ok. You're right. It was kinda expensive, but she is worth every little bit of it!"

"I bet it was, especially if she is anything like her mother." Sara let the compliment out easily.

"Thanks Gorgeous." Veronica smiled shyly. "She's the reason I'm here by the way."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Kim kinda left me, and she had her yesterday. We agreed to meet here – neutral grounds and all. So I'm here to pick her up." She looked at her watch and then at the door. "And they are now officially late." She smiled.

Just as she had said that Sara looked at the door and saw a blonde come in carrying a little girl about three years old. 'This can't be right.' She thought. She knew the woman carrying the little girl; it was Sofia's detective partner Kimberly Shaw.

"There they are." Veronica got up and went to them taking the girl from Kimberly. They talked a little and Veronica gestured to the others at the table. Sara waved to Kim, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"What's Kim doing here?" Sofia asked.

***

"What's Kim doing here?" Sofia asked. "She said she didn't have time to go out with us. Said she had to pick up her kid at her mother's house."

"Look like she picked her up." Catherine commented dryly.

"Yeah." Sara said absentmindedly while watching the two women walking towards their table. When they reached their destination Kimberly gave a small wave to them.

"Hi guys."

"What are you doing here?" Sofia asked. "I thought you were going to spend time with your kid?" She looked at Kim questioningly.

Sara was about to say something when she felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up she locked eyes with Veronica, who silently shook her head for her to stay quiet.

"No." Kimberly paused. "Actually I was just picking her up from my mother's house, so I could get her back to her Mommy." She pointed at Veronica with a thumb.

"Her Mommy?" Brass asked.

"Yeah." Kim sat down on a vacant chair. "You know, the woman who gave birth to her."

"But I thought it was your kid?" Sofia needed a little more clarification.

"Well, we had her together, but…" Kimberly didn't finish the sentence.

"But nothing." Veronica took over when she saw no indication that the other would finish the sentence. "We are her parents. Apparently not together anymore, but we are her parents." She looked at her daughter sitting securely on her left arm. "You wanna just sit with Mama for a little while, Jules? I just gotta go get another cup of coffee." She asked the little girl who nodded shyly. Lowering her she put her on Kim's lap and turned towards the kitchen.

The little girl buried her face in her Mama's shirt after looking around the table.

"She's a little shy around people she doesn't know." Kim apologized looking down at her daughter lovingly.

"She didn't get that from her mother." Catherine commented.

"Which one?" Sofia snickered, earning a glare from Brass. She slapped him lightly on the arm. "Come on, can't you take a joke?" She looked at Kimberly. "Why didn't you just tell us? What's the whole secret thing about?"

"Yeah. What's that all about?" Catherine said smiling.

Kimberly looked up, first looking at Sofia then Catherine. She addressed the latter first.

"Don't even act like you didn't know!" She said to the older blonde. "You should be backing me up here."

"It's much more fun to see you squirm." Catherine offered as an explanation accompanied by a big smile.

Kimberly turned her attention back to Sofia and was about to explain when the other woman beat her to it.

"She knew and I didn't?" Sofia asked incredulously. "What's wrong with this picture? I thought I was the partner here."

"Look, it just didn't come up, ok?"

"Didn't come up?" Sofia looked as if her eyes were about to pop out of the sockets. "You know you're gonna do better than that!"

The boys kept quiet during this conversation, knowing better than to get between two women about to have a fight. Besides they all wanted to know the ending of this new revelation.

"Ok." Kimberly sighed slightly moving the little girl into a more comfortable position. "I just didn't want to be the stereotypical cop. You know the one where people smile politely then point at you behind your bag and whisper about the butch dyke cop, big bad-a…"

"Baby with ears on your lap." A gentle voice interrupted her as a cup of coffee was placed in front of her. Veronica lifted the girl from her lap and up into her own arms. "You don't have to be shy, Jules. These guys work with Mama, and I'm sure that they are all really nice." She caressed the little girls chin.

"Well, if you don't want to have a label put on you, how come Catherine knows and I don't?" Sofia asked wanting to get to the bottom of this problem.

"Hey!" Catherine said.

"No offence Catherine, but I do work closer with her than you do."

"Catherine knows because my mother's house is near her house. My mother sits for Lindsay when Catherine's in a jam. That's why." She wanted to explain further, but she was interrupted by a low chuckle. She looked around to find the source. "What?" She asked her wife, who had sat back down next to Sara.

"Nothing." Was all she managed to get out concentrating hard trying not to laugh out loud. Feeling Sara's shoulder bobbing up and down next to her didn't make it any easier. She turned towards the tall brunette who was also trying hard to contain her laughter. "Stop it, Sass!" She whispered. And as on cue they both starting laughing hard.

They people around the table looked at them as if they had both grown a second head simultaneously. Firstly they weren't used to seeing Sara so carefree and secondly this whole conversation was not a laughing matter. Both Kimberly and Sofia were starting to get a little pissed.

"What?" Kimberly demanded again.

The tone of voice got Veronica to sober up again and she stopped laughing drying the tears from her eyes. She looked up at her wife and was about to say something. But the look on her face was just too priceless and she broke down laughing again, bringing Sara right along with her. The little girl didn't like the bobbing of her mother's legs, so she crawled over to Catherine and buried her face in her shirt.

Nick was the first to break, he just couldn't seem to stop his lips from forming a smile and from thereon he was lost. His low chuckles soon broke into laughter and Warrick followed shortly after. After that there was no going back and soon the whole table was laughing except for Sofia and Kimberly, who, instead, was shooting death glares around the table.

After laughing for a full fifteen minutes Veronica and Sara finally tried to sober up. Laying her head on the table, Sara addressed her old friend.

"God, Foxy. You're killing me." She let out a final little chuckle.

"Don't blame me!" Foxy defended herself. "She started this." She pointed at Kim.

"What?" Kim spat out, but she only achieved another burst of giggles from her wife. "Would you please tell what I'm doing that's so funny? I really don't see it. I'm coming out to my co-workers here, what's so funny about that?" She said in the sternest voice she could muster up.

"Sorry, hon." Veronica offered wiping her eyes once again. "It's just…" She took a deep breath to steady herself. "It's just such a small world."

"What?" Kimberly looked at her dumbfounded. "You've been laughing for fifteen minutes because it's a small world?"

"Well yeah. First I meet Sass for the first time in over ten years. Then I find out that my brother is dating one of her co-workers' sister. Then it turns out that you kinda work with her as well. Then I find out that you haven't told anyone about me, except for said co-worker, whose daughter my mother-in-law baby sits from time to time." She looked up at Kimberly as her smile grew wider and wider. "Please don't tell me there's more. I don't think I can take any more."

"I've met your daughter before." Sara offered.

"What? Where?" She asked surprised laughter evident in her voice.

"At Catherine's." Sara explained. "I dropped off something she forgot at work and she was baby-sitting."

"Ok. Excuse me!" Veronica got up from her chair and bolted towards the bathroom; her shoulders hopping up and down with laughter.

"It'll take her a while to get back." Benjamin said. "Once she gets started like this, she just can't stop. And she hasn't done it in a while, so it'll probably take her at least half an hour." He smiled at the others and then looked at Kim. "Remember that time when she had to lock herself in the bedroom for the entire day?"

"Yes." Kimberly answered smiling a bit at the memory.

"Now she has hardly laughed for the last four months." Benjamin said. "I have to work hard to even get her to smile. Any idea why that is?"

"I'm not in the mood for this now Benjamin." Kimberly sighed.

"Ok. Fine." He said getting up. "But when you are ready, you might just be a little too late."

"Baby with ears on my lap." Catherine said to both of them.

"Sorry." Ben offered. "It was nice meeting all of you, but I better get back to work."

He left the table and the rest sat in silence for a couple of minutes. Just when it was about to get uncomfortable a voice interrupted it.

"I left her four months ago." Kim sighed. "We're on a break." She looked around at all of them. "I know that's what you all wanted to know!"

There were a few murmured okays and a couple of nods before they lapsed into silence again. After a few minutes conversations started up gradually again. Nick, Warrick and Greg started discussing the latest ps2 games, Sofia, Brass and Sara talked about a case they had just solved and Catherine talked quietly with the little girl sitting on her lap.

"Sorry guys." Veronica came up to them again. "I think I scared a couple of ladies in there." She pointed at the bathroom. She grabbed her purse, took out a card and wrote something on the back. She gave the card to Sara. "You better give me a call, missy." She said. "Or The Tickle Monster will come and find you!" She winked at her.

"I'll make sure to call then." Sara said smiling.

"Good." She leaned in over Catherine and lifted up the little girl. "Thanks Catherine. Hope she didn't bother you too much.

"No problem." Catherine said. "Reminds me of when Lindsay was that age."

"Well, we better get going." Veronica shifted her daughter so she faced the table. "Can you wave goodbye?" She asked her and the little girl waved and all of them waved back. "That's good. Kiss Mama goodbye." The little girl leaned down and gave Kimberly a kiss.

"Bye Mama."

"Bye Julie. See you Monday." Kimberly waved up at her daughter.

"Ok, now Uncle Ben." She looked around the table. "Where's Ben?" She asked.

"Uh. He went back there somewhere." Sara offered pointing towards the kitchen.

"Ok, thanks." Veronica backed up a bit. "Nice meeting you guys. Bye."

The rest of the table offered their goodbyes and Veronica went to search for her brother. They talked a little longer enjoying the last of their coffees. But after a little while Sara got up.

"Well, I better get going too; I have some sleep to catch up on."

"I think I'll join you." Catherine said getting up as well.

"Uh." Was all Sara managed to say but her mind was going into overdrive. 'You won't get much sleep if you join me.' "Greg gave me a lift here. You think you could give me a ride?" 'A ride? Eloquent Sara!'

"Sure." Catherine had already started walking away from the table. "You coming?" She asked as Sara was still standing at the table.

"Huh?" 'Coming? I wish!' Sometimes Sara just wanted to shut down her brain and work on autopilot. "Yeah. See you tonight guys." She waved and followed Catherine. 'Swish swush, swish swush. Left right, left right. Nice ass, great ass, fabulous ass. Legs to die for. Going all the way… Door!' Yes autopilot sounded just fine.

***

Getting to the car wasn't as hard as she'd thought it would be. The only slightly embarrassing moment was when she almost walked into the restaurant door.

Getting into the car wasn't hard either, but actually sitting in this close to Catherine in such a confined space was beyond hard. They never got along very well in the first place, but now having realized that she had feelings for the older woman just made it so much harder.

What were they going to talk about? How on earth could they just have an ordinary conversation after all this time?

Catherine apparently didn't have this problem, because she started talking as soon as they got in the car.

"Well, that was really something in there." She said questioningly.

"Yeah." Sara replied, thinking that sticking with as few words as possible would make this easier.

Catherine looked over at her raising an eyebrow, silently asking the question: 'Is that all you have to say?' When Sara didn't respond further, she continued on her own.

"I mean, I knew about Shaw, but it must have been a big surprise for the rest of you."

"Yeah."

"Ok." Catherine drew out the word. And the ride continued in silence. The silence was no better than actually having to talk to Catherine, so Sara bit the bullet and started talking again.

"It wasn't that big a surprise to me, really." She offered.

"No?" Catherine asked waiting for her to elaborate.

"No, I am a CSI after all." She turned towards Catherine and flashed her a half-smile.

"Yeah right!" Catherine laughed out. "Now tell me the real reason."

"I don't know. I just thought she might be, you know."

"Be what? The mother of a beautiful little girl?"

"No. Gay." Sara said directly. "And I like Shaw, so I just thought it was her own business. But I might have to reassess that opinion now."

"What?" Catherine looked over at her briefly before looking back at the road. "You're gonna start spreading the news that she is gay, married and the co-mom to the wife's daughter?"

"No! That I like her, she is messing with my girl you know."

"What are you now? Gangsta?" Catherine chuckled.

"No. It's just that…" She paused. "Veronica has been hurt enough in the past, I know that. I just don't want to see her hurt anymore."

"Ok. And she needs you to protect her?" Catherine asked. "What makes you think that she didn't make Kim leave? That it might not be all Kim's fault?"

"Ronnie was wearing her wedding ring – Kim wasn't."

"That doesn't really prove that Kimberly is entirely to blame."

"I know Ronnie." Was all Sara had to say.

"No, you don't really. You said it had been a long time since you've seen her, and people do change."

"Veronica doesn't." Sara saw Catherine was about to argue and opened her mouth before she had a chance to do so. "Not that much. She knows my innermost secrets, the secrets I don't want anyone to know about. And I know her secret. And I know that she would not have even considered having a kid with Shaw if she didn't love her unconditionally."

"I loved Eddie once." Catherine responded.

"Yeah, but you didn't go through what she went through."

"How do you know?"

"You wouldn't have been with him if you did."

Catherine didn't have a response to that. She could hear that Sara was being serious, but a part of her was still offended that Sara would say such a thing about her marriage. She kept silent not wanting to get into a fight in the car.

"Look, Cath." Sara started. "I didn't mean it the way you might have taken it." She looked over at the blonde getting lost in how beautiful she really was. She quickly snapped out of it as Catherine glanced her way. "It's just that she is very…" She paused searching for the right word. "Fragile." She settled on.

"She could have fooled me." Catherine commented. "The way she acted around us, I mean. She acted like she had known us for years."

"That's all an act she puts on." Sara explained. "Julie really got the shyness from Veronica. Veronica just doesn't let a lot of people see that shyness." Sara stopped realizing that she had revealed a lot more than she had wanted to. She really had to get her emotions in check again around Catherine. Who knows what else she would accidentally tell the gorgeous blonde. "Look, Cath, please don't tell anyone that I told you this?"

"Your secret's safe with me." Catherine said. After sitting in silence for a couple of minutes she decided to lighten up the conversation. "So why is she calling you Sass?" She asked.

"Huh?" Sara feigned ignorance.

"Don't pull that act with me, Sidle. You know exactly what I'm talking about." Catherine smirked.

They sat in silence a little before Sara decided to answer, and in that time Catherine realized that she really enjoyed spending time like this with her younger co-worker, spending time without the fighting. She decided that she really wanted more of that.

"It's an easy explanation really." Sara started. "She started out calling me Sassy, I think mainly because she thought that I was anything other than sassy." She looked at Catherine and gave a smirk. "And she was right. She'll probably still insist that it's a combination of my names, but I think I'm right. She says she took the Sa from Sara and Si from Sidle and put the two together coming up with what sounds as Sassy. That's it."

"What? That's just it? You didn't have to earn your nickname?"

"Let's just say that I got the name before I earned it and leave it at that."

"No, you can't just say a thing like that and then leave me hanging." Catherine protested.

"Sure I can." Sara shot back. "Because you just turned down my street and we don't have the time to get into that now."

"Ok. Well, you know what that means then." Catherine said.

"What?" Sara asked, clueless as to what the other woman was getting at.

"You owe me another breakfast." Catherine smirked as she stopped outside Sara's apartment building.

"Wait a minute. I owe you breakfast? You're the one who was betting against me."

"Your point being?" Catherine asked playfully.

"You should be buying me breakfast." Sara said slapping her arm lightly. 'Ok Sara, when did the conversation get all flirty? What are you doing even thinking about flirting with her? And breakfast? That's like a date, right?'

"Well, I am the single mother trying to get her only daughter through school. You can't spare a breakfast on me?" Catherine asked batting her eyes for good measure, after all she wanted that breakfast. 'Catherine Willows! What on earth are you doing? That is Sara Sidle you're flirting with here! You two don't even like each other.' She looked at Sara and noticed a short flash of confusion in her eyes, but it was gone before she had a chance to act on it.

"Ok, don't even go there, I know when I'm beat. I'll buy you breakfast sometime." Sara smiled at the woman of her dreams. Well she wasn't really sleeping yet, but she knew that once she was, Catherine would in fact be in her dreams. "Well, I better get up there, my bed misses me. It wants me to get some sleep."

"Lucky you." Catherine commented. "I have to get home and start planning Lindsay's birthday party before I can get some."

"Yeah? That's in about a week right?" 'Get some? You can come right up and get some. I'll give you anything you want. Sleep, Sara! She meant sleep! I know, I know, but a girl can dream, can't she? And she definitely will now.' Autopilot where are you?

"Yeah, February 1st. Thank God, she doesn't want a big party. Just a couple of friends and the family."

"Yeah? That should make it easier on you. Well good luck with it." She opened the car door not really wanting to go but knowing the other woman would find it odd if she stayed much longer. "I'll see you tonight at work." She said and got out.

"Yes, I'll see you." Catherine said. "And Sara…" She added just as the younger woman was about to close the door.

"Huh?" Sara looked up.

"Don't think I'll forget about breakfast. I still want to know how you earned your nickname and how Veronica knows that you're ticklish." She smiled as Sara blushed immediately and closed the door. She waved one last time before driving off.

Looking at the car leaving Sara tried to pull herself together. She wanted to go upstairs but her legs didn't seem to agree with her. The only thing she really wanted to do was stand there and follow the car with her eyes until she couldn't see it anymore. 'Boy, you are in so much trouble Sidle.' She thought to herself as she turned around, going up to her waiting bed.

Once in bed, Sara couldn't fall asleep. The events that morning kept playing out in her head. She had had more than one civil conversation with Catherine in the same day. In fact, they had been flirting at the end of it, she was sure of that.

She loved the way Catherine kept her hair nowadays – long and wavy, framing her face perfectly. Her cute little button nose, those big beautiful blue eyes that expressed her feelings when you looked deep enough, those luscious lips just sitting there being an invitation to paradise.

The perfect curves of her body. Everything just perfectly matched together, like a beautiful peace of art. Perfect size breasts, one of the best asses Sara had ever seen, and legs to die for. Catherine knew what she had and dressed to show it the best way possible. The button-up shirts were Sara's favourites. Catherine left the top three buttons open showing just the right amount of cleavage. You could really get lost in that cleavage. Lost looking down that…

Shaking her head of those thoughts, because it was not getting her any closer to falling asleep, Sara let her mind sweep over her old friend Foxy.

She had gotten smaller in the years that had passed. She had always been tiny, but she was even smaller than Sara remembered her. She might give people the impression that she had everything under control, and that she was fine, but Sara knew better. Maybe food was her way of gaining control - again. That was what she had used after waking up from the coma, claiming that if nothing else, at least she had control over what she would eat.

Sara remembered that night as if it was yesterday. She had spent longer than she expected at the library, and when she came back to their room it had been a mess. Things were thrown around the room like somebody had been fighting. And then as her eyes landed on Foxy's bed, she saw the beaten up naked little body lying perfectly still. She had paused for just a second before rushing in the room. She didn't remember much of what she had done, but the next minute the ambulance was rushing her best friend in the world to the hospital, the paramedics saying it looked really bad. She remembered looking down noticing the blood on her hands, seeing how her white shirt had red stains on it. Even then she knew better than to throw up on a crime scene. She had sprinted to the bathroom. That was the only time she had thrown up looking at a scene.

Sara shook her head again and got up from the bed. She went to the living room and turned on her police scanner; maybe a little noise could help her fall a sleep. She threw herself on the couch and after a long while she finally drifted into a light slumber.

***

Sara woke up five hours later when the phone started ringing. At first she was confused since no one ever called her on her home phone, but as it kept ringing she leapt up from the couch to answer it.

"Sara."

The line was quiet a little while before a low voice answered her.

"Hey."

"Ronnie?"

"I hate it when people call me that." She didn't sound mad though.

"Sorry."

"No. It's ok." Veronica sighed on the other end. "Somehow it sounds ok when you say it."

"How did you get my number?" Sara asked, wondering why her friend had called her so soon.

"I know people who know people." There was a pause. "Did I interrupt something? Oh God Sass, I'm sorry. I'll just…"

"No! No, I was just resting." Sara reassured her. "So, what's up? Miss me already?" She smiled into the receiver.

"No… I mean yeah… I mean…" She sighed again. "I just didn't expect this. Meeting you like that. I never saw it coming."

"I know what you mean." Sara said. "I couldn't believe my ears when I heard you."

"Sara." Veronica started.

Sara knew that things were a little off with her friend whenever she called her by her real name. She would do it sometimes when they were with other people, but almost never when they were alone.

"Yes?"

"Please don't take what I am about to say the wrong way?"

"Ok."

"I hated seeing you again. That's why I didn't come and say hi right away." She sounded as if she was close to tears.

"Ok." Sara thought about it for a second before continuing. "I understand. I know how you must have felt when I left like I did…"

"No. That's not the reason." For a while all that was heard on the line was breathing. "I love you, Sara. And I don't blame you for leaving; I would never blame you for anything. It's just…seeing you brought back memories…memories I don't want to think about. But it seems that I can't think about anything else today."

"I know." Sara went to the kitchen and started the coffeemaker while talking. "I've been doing some remembering of my own."

"I'll never be able to forgive myself for what happened to you." Veronica's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Honey…"

"I knew what you'd been through in the past. I should have done something to prevent it. I should have protected you."

"Ronnie." Sara put as much emotion in her voice as possible. "You were in the hospital. You had just woken up from a coma. There was nothing you could have done."

"I told you that I wouldn't let anyone hurt you again…"

"Veronica, stop." Sara's voice was gentle but firm. "We can't have this conversation on the phone. And you can't keep blaming yourself. He hurt you much worse than he hurt me, and he's in jail now. He can't hurt either of us anymore." Sara poured a cup of coffee; she needed something to ground her. "I'm ok, Veronica. I'm ok."

"Are you?" Veronica's voice was so soft that Sara had barely heard her.

"What?"

"Are you ok?"

"We can't have this conversation now, Foxy."

Sara was not ready for this conversation. She wasn't sure she'd ever be. Foxy had always been able to see right through her, and the part of Sara that for more than ten years had craved absolute privacy couldn't bear the thought of having to let the other woman inside her walls again.

"And that just answered my question." There was a pause again. "I'm sorry Sass. I shouldn't have called."

"Don't be sorry. I hate it when you're sorry." Sara smiled slightly.

"We have to talk though." Veronica said, her voice getting stronger.

"I know." Sara sighed. "I know…but I can't tonight, I have work."

"Me too."

"Tomorrow?" Sara didn't really want to have the conversation, but she did want to see her friend again.

"I'm starting a 24 hour shift in a couple of hours." She chuckled slightly on the other end. "That's work for ya, always getting in the way."

"Yeah." Sara said unconvincingly.

"Ok, so you probably live, eat, sleep and breathe work. But this time it's in the way, Hon." Even if they hadn't seen each other in over ten years Veronica had seen right through Sara. "Oh, Julie's crying, Sass. I gotta go see what's wrong. We'll talk later. Find a time, ok?"

"Yes. I have to get to work anyway. I'll call you. Go check on Julie."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye."

Sara hung up with a sigh. She had hoped that she'd left that part of her life behind. She never wanted to hurt like that again, never wanted to have someone being that close to her again. She lived her life just fine without the distraction of having to care deeply for another person. Not for another person who knew that she cared anyway. She cared for all the people on the graveyard shift, but it was just better for her to keep her distance – that way no one would have the chance to hurt her.

Catherine was the only exception. Somehow she had gotten under Sara's skin without her even noticing it. She had been too open this morning in the car. She had unintentionally let her in on parts of her past, let one of her many walls fall down. It felt good at the time, but having taken the time to think about it, she realized that it was a bad decision. She had just given her more ammunition to hurt her with.

Maybe breakfast wasn't such a good idea after all.

"You're early, Sidle." Catherine said entering the break room. After getting a cup of coffee, she sat down next to Sara. "Earth to Sara." When Sara still didn't answer, she waved a hand in front of the other woman's face.

Sara had been lost in thoughts about the phone call earlier, and she hadn't seen Catherine entering the room. 'I don't need this in my life. I've lived over ten years without her, I can live another ten years not having her in my life. I have a good life… I have my work and… and I love it. It makes me feel good…'

Sara was startled when the hand came in front of her face. She stared at it a bit before looking confused at the owner of said hand.

"Catherine?"

"Sara."

Sara looked around the room, trying to find out if she had missed anyone else come in.

"When did you get here?" She asked the blonde.

"Eh… Five minutes ago." Catherine looked closer at the brunette, and noticed the slightly haunted look in her eyes. "Are you ok, Sara?"

"Yeah…" Sara looked at Catherine seeing the concern in the other woman's eyes. "I didn't get that much sleep."

"Ok." Catherine didn't really buy that explanation, but she let her get away with it for the time being.

"Hi guys." Nick entered the room heading for the coffee. "Anything interesting on tonight?"

Sara couldn't deal with having a normal conversation, so she let Catherine deal with Nick. 'Why is this happening now? I have enough to deal with. I have to fight this… thing… with Catherine.'

"I don't know, Nick. I just got here myself. I haven't had the time to talk to Grissom." Catherine smiled at the Texan. "I needed my coffee first."

'And how dare Foxy say I'm not ok? What does she know anyway, she sure as hell doesn't know anything about what my life is like now! Sure she does, Sidle. She hit the nail right on the head.' The little voice of her conscience would not be drowned out by her rage. 'You love Foxy, let her help you, let her inside again. SHUT UP!' Sara concentrated on the people in the room, she needed to focus on something other than her thoughts.

"Did I hear someone mention coffee? Please tell me it's the good stuff. I could really use a cup!" Warrick was standing in the door to the break room looking tired.

"It's ok. Not the best I've ever had." Catherine answered him.

Sara glanced at the other woman slightly before returning her gaze to the table in front of her. 'I could be the best you've ever had. No, stop it Sara. Distance, remember? You have got to keep your distance from her!' She was saved from going further into that line of thinking as Grissom came in the door. She really needed to get her thoughts in check.

"Assignments people." He said and got their attention. "Nick, Warrick, you have a missing person." He handed them a slip of paper and they headed out.

"Catherine, Sara…"

Sara's head snapped up. She was working with Catherine. How was she going to get through an entire night working side by side with her? How was she going to keep her distance?

"… You have a DB in the desert." He handed Catherine another slip of paper and the blonde got to her feet. Looking down at Sara she asked:

"Are you coming?"

'Coming? Twice in one day? You've got to be kidding me! Forget about the distancing, how am I going to keep my mind out of the gutter? I don't need this now.'

"What about Greg?" Sara asked the supervisor.

"He's with me tonight." Grissom smiled. "We have bugs."

Greg, who had just come in the door, frowned upon hearing this. Sara shrugged her shoulders at him, there was nothing she could do to help him on that one.

"We should get going, Sara." Catherine threw over her shoulder as she went for the door. Something was up with the lanky brunette, but Catherine was determined not to start a fight with her. She had enjoyed this morning without fighting, and she had liked that Sara had opened up to her a little. She didn't want to let a silly mood swing ruin the truce they had going.

Sara got up from her chair and followed her goddess out the door. For the first time since she could remember, she wished her shift would end soon.

***

"So…" Catherine said when they when they were on the way to their crime scene. "Do you wanna talk about it?" She glanced at Sara, who was gazing absently out the window. 'What happened between me dropping her off this morning and now? It's like she's a completely different person.'

"Talk about what?" Sara answered. 'I can't let Foxy in, I can't let Catherine in. Protect yourself first, worry about others later.'

She was determined not to be friendly with Catherine. It was safer to stick with being barely tolerable.

"Oh I don't know, the weather maybe…" Catherine said sarcastically. 'Stop it Catherine, we're trying to get her to talk here.' "Or how about why you're in such a bad mood today." She added in a more serious tone of voice.

"Let's just stick with working the case." Sara answered, continuing to stare out of the window.

"Okay…" Catherine drew out the word. The ride continued in silence. 'This is not going well. Maybe I should just give up. I can avoid her at work, it's not like we work that many cases together anyway. And we hardly ever see each other out of work.'

'It's for the best this way. I won't get hurt, and I won't hurt her. We'll just go back to the way it was before, that'll make everything so much easier.' Sara thought, as she watched the scenery fly by outside the car window. 'Besides, she is not even interested in me, why would she be anyway? I am too screwed up to be with someone like her. I shouldn't be allowed anywhere near her or her kid ever; they've had enough to deal with.'

Since Sara didn't seem to want to talk, Catherine started fiddling with the radio. She stopped when she heard Eva Cassidy singing Fields of Gold.

"I just love this song." She said, and glanced shortly at Sara who was still looking lost and far away.

'When was the last time you gave up because of a little bump in the road, Catherine Willows? If this was anyone else, you wouldn't take no for an answer, what makes this one different? She's not male, is that it? You need female friends as well, you know. We'll try again, here goes nothing.'

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm not really in a talkative mood, Catherine. Can we just forget about it." 'Does this woman ever quit? Sara, you know you don't really want her to.'

It wasn't really a question as much as a request and Catherine didn't argue.

She knew that Sara was a very private person, close to being a ghost really. Were it not for her job, no one would even know that she was alive. Catherine had always respected this. Well, if she was being completely honest, it was rather that she hadn't been interested in getting to know her younger colleague. Sara was a woman who was absolutely clueless as to how beautiful she really was, something that was unbelievable to Catherine. She had spent her younger days earning a living on her looks, and she knew how to use it to her advantage. When Sara had joined the team - beautiful, talented, and the most intelligent woman she'd ever met - Catherine had been jealous of her, fearing that she would take over from her. Worried that the boys would like Sara better. That was the reason she had treated the younger woman badly and she regretted that now. After having spent just one day not fighting with her, she had found that she actually wanted to get to know the enigma that was Sara Sidle. She felt bad for how she'd treated her. Now all she could do was to try to make up for it.

They had gotten out of the city by now and were halfway to the scene. All Sara wanted to do was throw herself into solving this case; to keep her mind from going anywhere else. Suddenly she felt the car come to a halt. She looked around and, not seeing any yellow tape, she turned and looked questioningly at Catherine.

"Why are we stopping?" She asked.

"Look, Sara." Catherine turned in her seat so she was facing Sara. "We don't have the best relationship in the world…"

"I know that. You know that. Let's just leave it there, and get on with the case." Sara interrupted. 'Why is she trying so hard? I can't let her get to me. Just don't look at her and everything will be ok.' She averted her eyes from the form of Catherine and looked back out the window. 'Why don't you at least try to explain to her? Why not let her help? What is the worst that could happen?' The voice of Sara's conscience could not be drowned out. It sounded a bit like the young Foxy Sara remembered.

"No, let's not." Catherine had to concentrate hard not to snap at the other woman. "I liked us being civil this morning, and I would like for that to continue." 'God, woman! You're driving me crazy! I'm running out of ideas here!'

"Yeah? Well, I don't. Now can we get on with this?" Sara said, firmly but calmly. She didn't want to fight with Catherine, but she didn't want to do as the little voice in her head told her to either. 'Keep yourself protected. No one else will protect you. They say they will, but they will get hurt in the process. I don't want anyone else to get hurt.' Her thoughts were irrational, but it was what she knew and she stuck with that.

"Well, tough!" Catherine snapped. "I will not fight with you on this! I have been a bitch in the past, and I'm sorry about that…" Catherine paused. "Mostly I'm sorry for the way I behaved during Eddie's case. I should not have challenged your capabilities as a CSI, because you are one of the most intelligent and capable people I know." She tried unsuccessfully to get eye contact with Sara, so instead she took her hand.

'She's touching my hand! Why is she touching my hand? Wait, she is holding my hand! I can't even look at her. Don't break your resolve, don't let her get to you. Just let got of her hand and that's it. She has such soft hands, the softest hands I've ever held. How can she have such soft hands with a job like this? Wait, did she just say that she think that I'm one of the most intelligent and capable people she knows? Is she trying to build up my confidence, so she can tear it down again? Why is she doing this? I can't let her get to me – I can't let her in. I need to protect the both of us.' Sara's head was spinning.

"I don't want us to fight like we've been doing. I would like for us to be friends, or at the very least for us to act civil around each other." Catherine sighed, frustrated. She doubted that she had gotten through to the other woman, but she meant every word she had said - she really did want to have some kind of positive relationship with Sara.

"Fine." Sara sighed. "We'll act civil around each other." 'That means I can still keep my distance. Civil means not having to spend any more time with her than absolutely necessary.' "Can we go to the scene now?"

Catherine sighed, but started driving again. She knew that she still hadn't gotten through to Sara, but decided to just keep trying, no matter how the brunette felt about that.

"I'm not convinced that you want to improve our relationship." She said to the unmoving form next to her. "But I'll keep trying. I know when I've done something wrong, and I know when I need to fix it. I should have figured this out sooner, but it's too late to do something about that now. I can't promise we won't fight, but I do promise to apologize if and when it happens." She pulled the Tahoe to a stop once again. They had arrived at their crime scene.

***

Getting out of the car, Sara automatically noticed the apparent lack of evidence on the scene before her. She knew better than to assume that that was the case, though. She went to the back of the Tahoe and got out the kits, as Catherine went to talk to Kim and Sofia who were watching over the scene.

"Why are they wasting detective time on this one?" Catherine asked as she approached the two women.

"I don't really know." Kim offered.

"I think Captain Brass has a hunch about this one." Sofia continued.

"Hunch?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, we have a 418 downtown, and Brass thinks this is the one."

"Who found the vic?" Sara asked as she joined the other three.

"A Mr. Johnson." Sofia confirmed, looking at her notes. "He was out driving – apparently, he'd had a fight with his girlfriend and needed some air. Bad for him, lucky for us. She wouldn't have been found for weeks if he hadn't stumbled upon her."

"Anyone touch the body?" Sara asked, all business.

"Mr. Johnson checked for a pulse, but other than that, no." Kim answered, just as efficient.

"So, we don't have an ID yet?" Catherine took over. Both she and Sara knew this game by heart, and they complimented each other perfectly.

"No, we waited for you. If this is who we think it is then we'll need all the evidence we can get." Sofia explained.

"Who do we suspect she is?" Catherine asked.

"Siobhan Rowan."

"Who is she?" Catherine asked confused, not recognizing the name.

"She is the daughter of Paul and Stella Rowan." Kim informed her.

"The Chief of Staff for the Governor of Nevada?" Catherine asked. If the girl was in fact Siobhan Rowan, then they had a nightmare case on their hand. The media coverage would be unbearable and the pressure from the sheriff and the Governor would be relentless. This could possibly be a VIP case.

"God, this is all we need right now." Sara sighed, locking eyes with Kimberly.

"I know."

There was a silent understanding passing between the two women that had nothing to do with the importance of the case.

This didn't go unnoticed by Catherine and Sofia, who looked at their colleagues and waited for an explanation. Catherine was the first to speak.

"Care to fill us in here?"

"I don't think it has any relevance to the case." Sara answered cautiously. "Besides we should get a positive ID before getting ahead of ourselves." She added, walking carefully towards the scene with a kit in hand.

"She's right. We'll panic after she gets the ID." Sofia smiled to show that she was only kidding.

They watched as Sara carefully looked for an ID on the body. When she found one she got up and walked towards them again.

"I got something."

"What does it say?" Catherine asked.

"We've got trouble." Sara said flatly. "Siobhan Meghan Rowan."

"Shit." Catherine breathed out.

"You said it." Sofia added quietly, looking towards the dumped body on the ground.

They stood for a couple of minutes in silence, each processing the magnitude of the case they had just been handed.

"Look." Kimberly broke the silence. "I don't know if this is going to be a problem…" She waited until she had everyone's attention before continuing. "…but I'm married to the oldest of the Governor's daughters."

"Wha…" Catherine was speechless. 'Veronica is the daughter of the governor of Nevada? And my sister Nancy is dating her twin brother - That means that my sister is dating…Oh my God!'

"Somehow I doubt that it'll make a difference." Sara said in a low tone of voice. "Have you ever actually met him?"

"You know I haven't." Kimberly shot back, looking her square in the eyes.

"No problem then." Sara stated. She looked towards the scene and turned towards Catherine. "How do you want to do this?"

"Wait a minute." Catherine stopped her from moving closer to the scene by putting her hand on her arm. "Let me get this straight first. Veronica is the daughter of Governor Lavisham?" She looked between Kimberly and Sara for one of them to answer her. When Sara nodded in confirmation she continued. "But her name is Christiansen? And not because of marriage." She looked at Kimberly.

"She changed it when she turned 18. She kept Lavisham as a middle name, I think because of Benjamin. Look, this has nothing to do with the case; I just wanted to know if there would be any kind of conflict of interest with me working it."

"She's right Catherine." Sara said. "We need to process the scene and get her moved, before the press gets hold of this and sends out photographers."

"Fine." Catherine was not pleased, but let it go for the time being. "I'll take the body. You do perimeter and talk to Mr. Johnson."

"Fine. Let's get this over with." Sara grabbed her kit once again and walked towards the man standing with a uniformed cop. Catherine grabbed her kit as well, and moved carefully towards the body, leaving Sofia and Kimberly standing alone together.

"You want to tell me about this?" Sofia asked.

"Not really." Kim answered. "Besides, we'd better give the Captain a heads up."

"Sure." Sofia said, getting out her phone. "I'll call him."

----------

"Are you ready to go?" Catherine asked.

"Yeah." Sara got up from her crouched position. "There's nothing left to find here. This isn't the primary scene; she was dumped here."

"Yeah, poor girl. She was only 17 years old." Catherine sighed. "We'd better talk to Nick and Warrick. They have the missing person's case, and I'll bet we just solved it for them."

"I'll call them and arrange to meet with them back at the lab, if that's okay with you?"

"Sure, I'll go tell Curtis and Shaw that we're heading back while you do that." Catherine said, and started walking towards the two women.

---------

The drive back was uneventful, mainly because they both had their minds on the case in hand. Catherine was curious as to why Shaw had never met her in-laws, but she didn't press the subject. With the mood Sara had been in all day she knew that the brunette wouldn't tell her anything.

"Hey, Ladies." Warrick greeted them as they walked into Cath's office, after leaving their findings with the right lab technicians.

"Hi guys." Catherine said sitting down behind her desk. Sara, who had seated herself in a vacant chair next to Nick, nodded her hello.

"Who was your missing person?" Catherine asked, getting straight to the point.

"A Siobhan Rowan," Nick answered. "She's the…"

"…Daughter of the Chief of Staff in the Governor's office." Catherine interrupted him.

"Wow. You've sure got your politics down." Nick sounded impressed.

"Well, as much as I would like for you to think so, not really Nicky." Catherine smiled. "We found the body. It seems we're working the same case, and it is one political hot potato."

"You're telling us!" Warrick interjected. "It was big when she was just missing; this is going to be hell."

"Hell is not a strong enough word for this case." Nick said. "And the Governor has, what…three kids, and the youngest is the same age as the vic."

"He has five." Sara, who had been silent during the entire conversation, spoke up suddenly. "He and his wife have five kids." She clarified, before looking at Catherine. "I guess you have lead on this one. What do we do?"

"Erm…" Catherine thought about their course of action for a minute before speaking up again. "Warrick, I want you down at the morgue with the body. Nick, I need you to process the vic's clothes and get the lab results together for a later meeting…"

"But…" Sara interrupted.

Catherine held up a hand silencing her.

"I know that's your speciality, but I need you with me. We're going to meet up with the detectives at her parent's house. She still lived with them and we need to go through her room." She looked at each of them before continuing. "I know I don't have to say this, but we talk to nobody about this. The press does not get anything from this office."

The others nodded. She really didn't have to tell them, but they understood her doing so.

"Ok, let's get to work." Catherine finished. "Sara, I'll meet you outside in five, I just need to catch Grissom up. He's gonna love this."

Sara nodded and they all left the office, each going off their separate ways to do what they had been asked.

As Sara walked through the reception area, she spotted something white out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw a familiar figure wearing a white lab coat standing near the doors.

"Veronica?"

"Sara. Sorry to bother you at work." Veronica came nearer.

"Foxy, I really can't talk right now. I'm busy with a case."

"I know, I have to get back to the hospital as well, it's just…" Veronica paused and went up close to Sara lowering her voice. "Kim called me and told me something. I need for you to tell me it's not true."

"She shouldn't have told you anything." Sara deliberately evaded the question, and Veronica picked up on that.

"God. That poor kid." She sighed, sitting down on the chairs next to them.

"Sara, you ready?" Catherine had appeared out of nowhere. "Veronica?" She said, noticing the other woman sitting in the chairs.

"Catherine, nice to meet you again." Veronica got up and shook the older woman's hand. "I heard this rumour, and I needed confirmation." She offered as an explanation as to why she was there.

"Is this rumour something that we should be discussing in the reception area?" Catherine asked Sara.

"No." Sara knew that she was being rude, but she couldn't help it. She really didn't need for these two women to get familiar with each other. She knew that Foxy would pick up on her feelings for Catherine and demand that she acted on them, something that Sara was not prepared to do – ever.

"Ok. Let's take this to my office, then." Catherine turned and walked back towards her office, with Veronica following close by.

'This is not happening!'

Sara had no other option but to follow the two of them.

***

"I need you to tell me about how she was… about how she died." Veronica said as soon as the three walked into the office. She looked at Catherine for an answer.

"Look," Catherine started sympathetically. "I know you probably know this girl, but that is classified information. I'm sorry, but we can't tell you. Kimberly shouldn't have told you anything in the first place."

Veronica seemed to fight an internal battle. She absentmindedly touched one of the ducks placed on Catherine's desk, then jerked her hand away when she saw what she was touching. Sara smiled to herself knowing how much Veronica absolutely hated ducks - even the fake ones.

"Veronica, we're in a bit of a hurry." Catherine continued when neither of the other women spoke. "We need to get to a scene." She didn't want to reveal anything other than what the younger woman already knew.

"Catherine, I'm not… I did know Siobhan once; I don't anymore. I haven't had anything to do with her for, God, thirteen years now." Veronica sighed, not knowing how to continue without telling Catherine her deepest, darkest secret. A secret that not even her wife or twin brother knew anything about. The only person who knew was Sara because she had lived through it with her. "My parents disowned me when I was 15, because I told them about my sexual preferences. I haven't heard from them since."

"I'm sorry that happened." Catherine offered. "But this has nothing to do with this case."

"No, I know…" Veronica offered a ghost of a smile. "Thank you, but I'm just trying to explain why I need to know about how she was…" She trailed off and turned towards Sara.

'Something is wrong'

The words flew through Sara's mind. She hadn't seen Foxy in years, but the look in her eyes right now was the same as the one she'd had after she'd been attacked. Before Sara could give it anymore thought Veronica started talking again.

"Ok, I won't ask you to say anything. I just need to ask one question, and then I'll know. Is that ok?" She was looking at Sara, but it was somehow implied that she was asking permission from Catherine.

Sara glanced at Catherine, noticing her raising her left brow as if to ask her if she was ok with this course of action. She shrugged in answer, letting the older woman know that it was her decision.

"How will you know from asking one question?" Catherine asked.

Veronica turned and looked Catherine in the eyes for a brief moment before turning back towards Sara.

"Her reaction. She won't be able to hide it from me."

Catherine doubted that. Sara could hide anything from anyone; that was one thing she was sure of. After all, she had worked with the woman for the last five and a half years and she knew hardly anything about her.

"Ask your question. Though I doubt you'll get anything from it. But after that we have to leave."

"Ok. Thanks, Catherine." Veronica took a very small step closer to Sara and looked her in the eyes. She hesitated before asking: "Was it similar?"

Sara tried to not let her emotions show. She had seen the body. Seen how her throat had been slit, and heard when Catherine had told her that most likely she had been raped. She had seen the similarities between this body and the way she had found Foxy years ago.

"Oh, God…" Veronica's voice was pained and she dropped into the nearest chair holding her head in her hand. "Oh, God." She mumbled again.

Catherine got up from behind her desk wanting to give some kind of comfort to the girl, since Sara didn't seem to do anything about it. As she brushed past Sara, she felt the other woman's hand on her arm, effectively but gently stopping her. She turned towards the brunette wanting to ask her what the hell she was doing, but stopped when she saw the look in her eyes. She had seen the same look in the victims who survived a brutal crime, or in the ones the victims left behind; it was grief.

"She doesn't like anyone touching her when…" Sara stopped. "She just needs a minute."

Catherine nodded her consent. Sara hadn't let go of her arm and she looked down noticing how nice the other woman's hand really was. The thought was unexpected seeing how this was Sara Sidle she was thinking about, but it was not an unwelcome one. Catherine had been with a couple of women in her life, she didn't really have a preference. She mostly dated men, but that was mainly because it was easier; it was easier to show off in the real world.

She really did have nice hands.

Sara had followed her gaze and quickly removed her hand, hoping that she wasn't being too conspicuous. She met Catherine's deep blue eyes again, but the other woman just smiled slightly at her. She turned her attention back to Foxy and was surprised to see her looking intently at the two of them.

"You ok?" She asked her friend.

There was a pause before the other woman answered, but keeping eye contact Sara knew that her secret had been found out.

Veronica knew.

"Not really," Veronica offered rubbing her hands over her face. "I've been getting letters." She continued, meeting Sara's eyes again.

"Letters?" Sara whispered.

"Yeah. Warnings, ramblings, things like that." Veronica was intent on not giving away too much. "I never took them seriously, but it seems that I have to now."

"But… they would have told you if he was out." Sara was shaken.

"What is going on here?" Catherine asked, in a tone of voice that demanded answers.

Sara looked at Veronica, who returned the look and then sighed deeply. Her secret was about to go public.

"I, eh… I need to talk to Kimberly first." She said.

"You haven't told Kimberly?" Sara asked incredulously.

"You are the only one who knows, Sara." Veronica said seriously. "I didn't need the pity, but I have to tell the world now." She got up from the chair she had sunken into and threw her arms around her friend desperately needing a hug. When they parted she dried her eyes and turned to look at Catherine, who was clueless as to what was going on.

"I think I might have some, eh, clues for you, but I really need to talk to Kim first. I can't tell you this before I tell her." She paused. "Besides, the letters are at home so I need to go get them, and I need to call the hospital to have someone take over my shift." She searched her pockets and got out her phone.

"Ok, this is not protocol," Catherine stated. "I'll let it slide this once because you came here to help us, but we need to have that talk soon." She looked at Sara. "While she talks to Shaw and gets the letters, you and I will go to the Rowan house and search the vic's room." She started ushering them out the room, when Veronica stopped and turned towards the both of them.

"Look, my parents are probably at the house with Mr. and Mrs. Rowan." She started.

"Great…" Sara mumbled.

"Sass, you need to be on your best behavior." The younger woman warned. "This is the Governor we're talking about here. If you can't behave, let Catherine do the talking. Promise me?"

"Why should I treat him nice after all the shit he put you through?"

"Just promise me, Sara."

"Ok, I promise - I will let Catherine do all the talking." Sara held up her hands in surrender.

"That's as close I'll get to getting you to behave isn't it?"

"You know me too well." Sara answered. They knew that their attempt at lightening the mood was in vain.

"You have to make Daddy understand that Bridget and Anita have to be protected at all times." Veronica was now addressing Catherine, knowing that Sara would not get through to her father when she was in a bad mood.

"I'll tell him." Catherine promised.

"No, you have to do more than that. You have to insist that they are protected. If this is what we think it is, then one of them will be the next victim. Bridget is most likely the main target, but they both need to be protected. Please make him understand that!"

"I'll have Brass post a couple of uniforms with them." Catherine said, hoping it would calm down the other woman.

"Thank you." Veronica sounded relieved. She surprised Catherine by giving her a small innocent peck on the cheek and a brief hug. "I may not have seen them in years, but I need my sisters to be safe. No one deserves this kind of thing to happen to them."

"I have a sister of my own," Catherine explained. "I know how you feel."

The three women separated once they got outside the lab. Veronica was talking on the phone while catching a cab, while Catherine and Sara went to the Tahoe to drive to the Rowan residence.

"You want to give me some kind of preparation for this?" Catherine asked once they got in the car.

"It's bad." Sara said quietly. It could have sounded sarcastic, but it didn't. It just sounded sad.

"Ok." Catherine got her thoughts in order. "And you can't tell me about it?"

"I can tell you parts to prepare you, but I think I should do the driving, just in case." She got out of the car and Catherine scooted over to the passenger seat, wanting to be ready for what she would hear later.

"So…parts." She said, when Sara didn't start talking or driving.

"Yeah." Sara said, shaking her head to clear her thoughts she started driving. "When we were in college, Veronica was attacked. That part I can't tell you about because she should be the one to do that."

"That's ok." Catherine said. She wanted to know about the case, but a big part of her also wanted to know something personal about Sara.

"I was the one who found her; it was pretty bad. After the paramedics had rushed her to the hospital I puked my guts out." She laughed a hollow laugh. "That's the only time that's ever happened… The guy who attacked her wasn't too happy that I had saved her, so he attacked me one night when I got home from the hospital. Luckily I was taller and stronger than Veronica, so he didn't succeed. Somehow I got a hold of a lamp and smashed him over the head with it. He had beaten me up pretty bad, but he was down and didn't get back up."

"You killed him?" Catherine couldn't help but ask.

"No. I dragged myself to the phone and called the police. That's about it." Sara finished.

"No, it isn't." Catherine said looking at the brunette. "There's more, you're hiding something else."

"Not case related." Was the short answer to Catherine's unasked question.

"You can still tell me." Catherine said softly. "I can keep a secret." She looked at Sara. "And you look like you need to tell someone."

"I don't think that you are that someone, Catherine."

"Sara, I meant what I said earlier. I want to be your friend. You can trust me."

"Can I?" Sara stopped at a red light and looked at Catherine.

"Yes, you can." The blonde answered.

Sara saw nothing but honesty in the beautiful blue eyes in front of her and made a huge decision. She decided to let Catherine in a little bit, and that was a big thing for her to do.

"She was in a coma for a week."

"Veronica?"

"Yes. The hospital staff called her father but they were informed that he had no desire to see her."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I mean, he was her father and he didn't care that his daughter could die! How can an otherwise good parent act like that just because he doesn't agree with the people she falls in love with?"

"I don't know." Catherine really didn't know. She would always love Lindsey no matter what the girl chose to do. She would rather die than not have her in her life. "I really don't know, Sara."

The rest of the ride was silent, both women lost in their thoughts. As they pulled up to the Rowan residence Catherine turned towards Sara.

"I think Veronica is right. I'll do the talking and you can start processing the room."

"Yeah, I think that's the best idea too." Sara agreed. "I don't really trust myself when it comes to talking civilly with the good Governor."

With that she got out of the car and took out the kits from the trunk. Catherine waited for her and together they went to the door and rang the bell.

***

As the pair waited for someone to open the door, Catherine turned towards Sara.

"Should we have Veronica protected as well?"

"I don't know," Sara sighed. "It can't be the same guy. He got 25 to life and there's no way in hell he could be out on parole after just twelve years."

"But if Veronica was the one he wanted in the first place, shouldn't she be protected?" Catherine didn't want the petite doctor to be hurt. She liked her, and she liked how she could get Sara to show some feelings.

Before Sara had the chance to answer Catherine's question a young woman opened the door.

"May I help you?"

"Hello, I'm Catherine Willows with the Las Vegas Crime Lab and this is Sara Sidle. We're here to ask Mr. and Mrs. Rowan a couple of questions."

The maid showed them inside and took them to a big living room where the victim's parents were sat, surrounded by several people. The room was quiet; the silence only interrupted by sobs which they presumed were coming from the victim's mother. Sofia was sitting in a chair close to Mr. and Mrs. Rowan and stood up as they entered the room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Rowan, these are the people I was telling you about; Catherine Willows and Sara Sidle from the Crime Lab."

Catherine took the lead and shook Mr. Rowan's hand as he got up to greet them.

"Mr. Rowan, Mrs. Rowan. We're very sorry for your loss. I assure you that we're doing everything in our power to find the person who did this."

"Thank you, Mrs…"

"Miss Willows... Catherine." Catherine offered a small smile. "This is Sara Sidle." She gestured to her colleague.

"I'm very sorry for your loss." Sara said, shaking the man's hand.

"What can we do to help?" He asked. "I… We just don't understand how this could happen. Siobhan was such a well-liked girl; she didn't have an enemy in the world…she was only seventeen."

"Sir, I would like to see her room, if that's ok with you." Sara asked gently.

"And while she does that, I have some questions I'd like to ask you about your daughter." Catherine explained.

"Sure… sure, I'll just get someone to show you to her room." The distraught man looked around helplessly.

"I can show Miss Sidle to the room." A male voice offered.

Catherine looked back and panicked as she realized who had spoken.

"No!" She nearly shouted the one word.

Sofia looked at her questioningly; it was not like Catherine to act that desperate.

"I might need information from you as well, Governor." She added quickly to cover up. The last thing she wanted was that man and Sara alone together. She looked around at the other people in the room and was surprised when she saw the girl standing next to the Governor. She was just like a younger version of Veronica Christiansen. She glanced over at Sara, and saw that she was looking at the girl too.

Sara had frozen as she heard the Governor offering to show her the room. When Catherine dodged that bullet she sighed gratefully, and looked more carefully at the man who'd sent away his oldest child. He looked normal, he even looked nice. 'That just shows you that you can never judge a book by its cover.'

Her eyes fell on the girl standing next to the man and found herself looking at the woman she had loved more than anyone else thirteen years earlier. 'No, it's not her. The eyes are a bit further apart, the nose a little bigger, mouth not nearly as full, and the eyes…not nearly expressive enough to be her.'

Both women were shook out of their thoughts when Paul Rowan spoke again.

"May, could you show Miss Sidle to Siobhan's room, please?"

"Yes, Sir." The young woman who'd shown them in looked at Sara expectantly.

"Sofia, Catherine, could I speak to you for a second?" Sara asked the two blondes.

They went to the door leading out of the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sofia demanded in a whisper. "Catherine, you just offended the god damn Governor of Nevada!"

"Where's Shaw?" Sara asked in a hushed voice.

"She got a call from the wife and took off. Said it was important." Sofia answered. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"We've got a possible lead." Catherine took over. "We've found similarities to a thirteen year old case. I don't want Sara alone with the Governor, because… God, this is too long a story to tell here. Just follow my lead – trust me – and you'll get the full story when we get out of here." She looked towards the people in the room. "You need to place uniforms with two Lavisham girls; one of them might be the next victim if we don't protect them."

"What? I can't just do that! How the hell am I going to explain that to the Governor?"

"Just do it, Sofia." Sara told her. "Tell him that we need them protected until we've made sure that they're not in danger."

"As soon as we get out of here, I'm getting that explanation."

"I promise." Catherine promised. "Sara, go process the room. Sofia, call Brass and have him send the uniforms. I'll go talk to the parents. Ok?"

"Good luck." Sara mumbled and went for the stairs where the maid was waiting for her.

"Yeah, sure." Sofia got out her phone and called Brass.

"Good." Catherine sighed. She didn't need two sulky colleagues on a case like this. She put on her game face and went back into the room.

--------

As Sara came down the stairs a couple of hours later, Catherine exited the living room.

"You all done?" Catherine asked.

"Yes. Nothing much there, really. The only thing that might give us something is a diary; but I need a warrant for that."

"No need. Mr. Rowan signed a release form giving us permission to take whatever we need to solve the case."

"Great. Good thinking."

"Thanks, you did good too." Catherine smiled.

"Thanks."

This was new; they never gave each other compliments. There was a short awkward silence.

"So, is Sofia all done?" Sara said, breaking it.

"Eh… Yes, I think so. The uniforms have been posted, so I think we can get out of here."

"Great…" Sara sighed.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, it's just…" Sara looked around.

"Just what?" Catherine prodded.

"I always knew that Veronica was made of money, but I just never… realized it I guess." She looked around again. "I mean, look at this place!"

"It's impressive alright, and this is just the Chief of Staff's house. Just imagine what the Governor's house looks like."

"Catherine? Sara?" Sofia joined them. "Are we done here?"

"Yes, I don't think we'll get anything useful from them right now." Catherine answered her. "We should question Bridget Lavisham some time tomorrow, I think. She was best friends with the vic, so she might know something the parents don't."

"Why not do that now?" Sofia inquired.

"We have another witness to question tonight." Sara told her.

"There's a witness? Who?"

"Ver…"

"Excuse me Miss Willows," Governor Lavisham interrupted. "I need to know what you've got so far on this case."

"You what?" Sara asked incredulously.

"Sara." Catherine placed a hand on the other woman's arm to calm her down. "Take the evidence to the car and wait for me there." When the brunette didn't seem to have heard her she continued, "Now, Sara! I'll meet you out there."

"Sure." Sara spat out. She threw one more evil look at the man standing in front of them and left.

"I'm sorry, Governor, but we can't give out that kind of information at this point." Catherine addressed the man.

"I am the Governor of Nevada; I think you can tell me what you are doing to solve the murder of my Goddaughter!"

"I cannot break the chain of evidence." Catherine explained. "If I tell you the things we've discovered so far, we could risk that the case is thrown out of court because of a technicality. Neither of us wants that." There was a reason that Catherine was the people person of the group.

"I see…Can you tell me if you've got anything solid to go on?" The Governor had calmed down a little.

"I can't tell you much, sir. I can tell you that we have leads to follow up on, and we're taking this very seriously. What you need to do is make sure that your daughters are safe. You need to have people look after them and make sure that they are not alone at any time."

"You think this happened because of me and my position?" He asked brokenheartedly.

"No." Catherine said. "Not because of you. But it might have some relation to your family. That's all I can give you right now. We have police officers looking after them." She gestured towards the living room. "But if you need additional protection that will be ok with us, as long as they are safe. I have to get back to the lab now, but if you or the Rowans have any questions you can call this number." She handed him a card with her number on it.

"Thank you, Miss Willows."

She turned to leave but the Governor's voice called her back.

"Miss Willows… I…" He paused. "I have another person who will need police protection."

"Another person?" Catherine asked. "Who?"

"Her name is Veronica Lavisham, she's our oldest daughter." He looked away from Catherine's face. "If the person responsible for Siobhan's death is after my family then she needs protection as well."

"I see." Catherine didn't know how to respond to this information. She knew that Veronica was his daughter, but he didn't know that she did. She hadn't expected him to ask her to protect Veronica; she hadn't expected him to tell her that he had another daughter.

"We… I made a mistake years ago concerning Veronica, so we have no contact with her. I don't know how to get in contact with her, but I'll get some people on it right away and let you know…"

"I… Eh… My colleague who just stormed out of here knows Veronica." Catherine said, deciding that honesty was best in this situation. If this had – God forbid – been Lindsey, she would want to know that her baby was safe. "I'll see if she wants protection."

"You need to do more than that! You have to insist that she is protected. Please." He begged. "I need for her to be safe!"

"I'll try." Was all Catherine could offer.

"Thank you, Miss Willows." He said gratefully. "Will you tell her… that I'm sorry?"

"I can't do that. I'm not the one who needs to apologize." She looked him in the eyes one last time before turning to leave.

---------------

Cath met a fuming Sara at the car.

"What did you tell him?" She demanded when Catherine reached her.

"Nothing about the case. God, Sara, what do you think of me?" Catherine shot back.

"Well, how the hell should I know? You dismissed me in there like I was a rookie!"

"You acted like one!" Catherine all but yelled back. "What the hell were you thinking? That is the Governor in there! He could have you fired for this!"

"Who cares! I don't need this job if it means I have to bow down to people like him!"

This was turning into a full-blown fight, and this was definitely not the time for that. Catherine took a deep calming breath before continuing.

"He asked me to protect her, Sara." She told the agitated woman in front of her.

"What?"

"He asked me to protect Veronica and to tell her that he's sorry." Catherine took the keys out of Sara's hand and got in the car. "Get in the car, Sidle. This is not the place to do this. Sofia will meet us at the lab."

"But…"

"Get in the car!"

***

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