Title: Three's A Crowd
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Catherine/Wendy
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer
Summary: Catherine and Wendy's relationship takes an unexpected turn when an ex comes to Vegas.
Spoilers: None

Catherine is working on some paper work when Wendy walks in with a mug
of Greg's best coffee, Catherine puts the mug up to her lips and
immediately smiles, "MMM Thanks hon, how did you know I needed this?"

"Well I can usually tell when you've been either working almost too hard
on a case or you've been bogged down with paperwork because you put your
head back and begin rubbing your temples which is what I saw you doing
no more than five minutes ago and knowing you didn't go out on a case
tonight I figured it was the latter," Wendy says placing a chaste kiss
on her girlfriend's lips.

"Wendy you know I love when you kiss me, but we're at work and you know
the rule," Catherine says and regrets it as soon as she says it after
seeing the look of disappointment on Wendy's face.

Wendy knew that Catherine was right, especially since they had yet to
tell anyone from the lab about them being a couple and it had only been
'officially official' as Lindsey put it once for about three weeks; the
two women knew how they felt about each other but they were still afraid
to even say 'I love you' to each other.

In Catherine's case it was because of what happend between herself and
Riley, the two fell in love so fast, Riley moved in with Catherine only
to leave before their one year anniversary because her father had died
in some jungle doing missionary work and Riley felt it that it would be
better if she honored her father's wishes and do missionary work.

In Wendy's case it was a bit more complicated, once when her mother and
father came to visit from their home in Oregon, they found out that
Wendy was marching in the San Francisco gay pride parade and haven't
talked to her since. The other reason was that her girlfriend in San
Francisco had this major fight when Wendy found her in bed with another
woman; a fact she had yet to even tell Catherine. Wendy's girlfriend
was into as she called it 'sharing the act of love with others' meaning
she was into threesomes, partner swapping and even orgies. Wendy on the
other hand was faithful to her partner one hundred percent when in a
relationship.

The musings of the two women ended when Catherine's office phone began
to ring, "CSI Catherine Willows speaking...okay Ecklie...how many CSIs
will you need...two...okay we'll be right there..." Catherine then
turned her attention to Wendy, "We have a B&E in Summerlin, go get one
of the extra kits and let's go."

"Yes ma'am." Wendy jokes with Catherine as she leaves the office to get
one of the extra kits that are used when one of the lab techs is needed
in the field when all the available CSIs are out on other cases.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About an hour and a half later, Wendy is back in the DNA lab going
through the evidence she and Catherine had collected at the Summerlin
B&E; from all indications it was a couple of punks looking to score
some money, prescription drugs or something that could be pawned so the
perps could get their next score of smack, coke or whatever their drug
of choice.

"So you almost done here?" Catherine asks as she sees Wendy testing some
blood found at the scene.

"I'll be done in a minute, that way I can get started on the paper
work...Mind if I use your office Catherine." Wendy asks with a sparkle
in her eye.

"Of course not Wendy we can both use my desk there is enough room."
Catherine says smiling knowing Wendy has something more than just work
on her mind, even if Catherine said it wasn't allowed at work, Wendy
knew the two of the could have some time together in Catherine's office.

Just as Catherine finishes, Judy come walking into the DNA lab, "Miss
Simms, you have a visitor."

"A visitor for me...did this person give you a name?"

"Not really, but she did tell me that I was to say 'tell her that her
girlfriend was here'" with that Judy walked back to the reception desk.

Wendy just looked at Catherine and the laughter and look of love that
was there a moment ago was gone; replaced by hurt, anger and sadness.

"Catherine I..."

"Just go see your girlfriend...I'll be in my office."

I make my way back to my office as fast as my legs can carry me, that
way none of the others in the lab can see the tears that are threatening
to fall from my eyes.

I walk into my office. slam the door shut, lock it and pull down the
blinds in all the windows which everyone of the night shift knows means
STAY THE FUCK OUT!!!

I get to my desk, push the paperwork to one side and lay my head on the
cold metal of the desk, finally allowing the tears to fall freely, "How
could I have been so damn stupid; first of all to once again get
involved with someone here and second of all to allow her into my home
and to interact with Lindsey...well never again as of this moment it's
all business between myself and the lab techs; no more "I'll have that
done for you asap Catherine," from now on it's "I'll have it done first
thing Miss Willows." I don't care what the others do but from now on
that's what it will be like as far as I'm concerned."

A moment later I rethink that because I realize that I am angry at
Wendy, and why should I take out my anger the rest of the lab techs
they've never done anything to me to make me feel this way towards them

After a few minutes to compose myself and get started with the pile of
paperwork that I had pushed aside earlier, not surprisingly I find
myself so involved with paperwork I forget about Wendy, but I will
forgive her for breaking my heart.

Ten minutes later I hear yelling, and I can tell it's Wendy and her
'girlfriend' then all of a sudden it stops so I decide against my
better judgment to look out the window between the slats of the window
shade and see why all the yelling has stopped, and what I see cuts my
heart into tiny pieces; Wendy Simms and her girlfriend rolling along the
wall attached at the lips like a couple of hormone-charged teenagers out
on a date.

I can't bear to watch anymore so I go back to my desk and try to get a
grip while continuing with my paperwork, I then hear the front door of
the lab open and hear Wendy scream, "YOU STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME YOU
CRAZY BITCH!!!", then I hear her nearly running down the hall towards
what I can only imagine is the locker room, not that it really matters
to me what the hell she does anymore as long as it doesn't interfere
with her work.

I know I should worry about why she called her 'girlfriend a crazy
bitch', but really I could really care less, she has her life to live
and I have my life to live and from now on the two shall never intersect
unless it has to and that includes here at the lab.

"Never Regret...Never Look Back." I say to no one special as I get back
to my paperwork.

I heard the slamming of Catherine's office door, bringing me out of the daze I was in since seeing Catherine's face when Judy said the something about me having a girlfriend; God watching the sparkle in her beautiful blue eyes disappear and a look of sadness replace that sparkle broke my heart.

I was still wondering who the hell it was at the reception desk as I passed Catherine's office and noticed the shades were closed which was Catherine's non-verbal way of saying LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!!!

I see someone sitting by the reception desk with their head buried in one of the magazines, "How are you doing babe?", I hear the question from behind the magazine and I freeze, that voice only belongs to one person; Samantha Clayton, my first real love and the woman that broke my heart worse than anyone ever had.

"I was doing great until you had to show your face...what the hell are you doing here?" I say with a note of hatred in my voice.

"Aww come on babe you're not still mad at me for that little indiscretion...are you?" Samantha asks, trying unsuccessfully to look innocent, but I know better than that to believe anything she says.  Samantha still looked the same since I saw her last;  long black hair, deep brown eyes, and as usual trying to seduce me with her tight jeans and blouse open just enough to see the top of her cleavage.

'Little indiscretion...Little indiscreation..." I nearly yell and notice people are starting to stare so I grab Samantha's arm and pull her outside, and I hear her making some comment about me still caring.

Once we are outside I let her have it, "Little indiscretion Sam....your face was buried between that bimbo's legs and it wasn't the first time I caught you, remember the barmaid...the new neighbor from our apartment building...the girl singer from your band...should I go on?"

"Don't worry babe..." She tries but I stop her.

"Don't babe me...if you hadn't noticed I wasn't that pleased to see you now why don't you just crawl back into that hole you dug yourself."

"Wendy sweety, that was the old me...you have to believe I've changed." Sam tries again going so far as to blink up some tears which didn't work while we were together and it's sure as hell no going to work now.

"SAM GO HOME!!!" I yell hoping that will work.

"YOU MISS ME AND YOU KNOW IT WENDY!!" She yells back.

"HARDLY I NOW HAVE SOMEONE IN MY LIFE THAT MAKES ME HAPPIER THAN YOU EVER DID!!!"

"WAS IT THAT STRAWBERRY BLONDE I SAW WALKING INTO ONE OF THE OFFICES...IS THAT WHO YOU'RE SCREWING NOW?"

"I'M NOT SCREWING CATHERINE, SHE AND I ARE DATING."

"SO WHAT...YOU AND I FUCKED ON THE FIRST DATE?"

"WE WERE DRUNK AND TO TELL THE TRUTH YOU WEREN'T THAT GOOD IN THE SACK ANYWAY."

"WE'LL LET ME SHOW YOU THAT I'VE GOTTEN BETTER AT IT!!" Samantha screams before pushing me into the wall and forcing her lips on mine.

I push her away and ball up my fist and swing at her hitting her in the jaw; she recovers quickly and grabs my arm and twists it behind me, "You're gonna regret that bitch." she whispers menacingly in my ear.

Again I push her off and head towards the door and yell at her just before going in "YOU STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME YOU CRAZY BITCH!!!"

I head right down to see Doc Robbins to see if there is anything wrong with my hand or arm because they both hurt like they could be either sprained or broken.

"Looks like you have a sprained wrist Wendy, mind telling me how this happend?" he asks me.

"Well to tell you the truth someone from my past whom I hoped to never see again and it got a bit physical."

"Mind telling me what happend, and not to worry this won't go any farther...but I do strongly suggest you tell Catherine...because she will notice the ace bandage."

"An ex-girlfriend of mine came to the lab and we were arguing she then pushed me into the wall outside after which I took a swing at her and hit her in the chin, she then grabbed my arm and twisted it around my back." I tell him feeling ashamed.

"You should be okay in a few days....just don't do that again...okay?" Doc Robbins says to me as he finishes wrapping my wrist.

"Okay...thanks and don't worry I'm on my way to Catherine's office now."

 ***

 

Wendy stop in the ladies restroom to try and calm herself down before heading to Catherine's office and attempt to explain all that happend within the past thirty minutes, "Here goes nothing," Wendy says looking at her reflection in the mirror before leaving the restroom.

Wendy takes a few deep breaths before knocking on Catherine's office door, she also noticed that the shades were still down which didn't bode well for her; "Catherine may I come in I'd like to talk to you and explain everything...please Catherine let me in?" Wendy says hoping her asking for permission helped.

It seemed like an hour, but in reality it was only one minute before Wendy heard Catherine unlock her office door and she was allowed in; Catherine said nothing she just went back into her office and sat behind her desk.

"You may sit down but before I let you say anything I have a few things to say to you; First of all, no more lunches or dinners between the two of us from now on I am your boss and you are my employee no more, however if you wish to join the group for a night out then and only then will I make an exception, and also no more visiting each other's homes because I don't feel it would be right for you to see Lindsey anymore...and from now on it's 'Miss Willows' and not 'Catherine' or 'Cath' do I make myself clear."

Wendy didn't know whether to burst out in tears or run back to the restroom and throw up, but she knew she had to explain who it was that called her 'her girlfriend' she blinked away the tears and swallowed the bile that was at the back of her throat  "Yes it is Ca...I mean Miss Willows, now if I may please let me tell you who that person was and why she was here?"

Catherine nodded, "Okay Miss Willows, that woman's name is Samantha Clayton and she like myself is from San Francisco, she is my EX-girlfriend we used to live together..." Wendy emphasized the words EX and USED in hope that Catherine would realize that this girl was from Wendy's past, "but I caught more than once cheating on me but she would apologize and I would be naive enough to go back to her ...that was until the final time when I was seriously thinking of asking her to marry me and I caught her in bed with some bimbo she claimed to have met at a club she and her friends from her job had gone to for a co-worker's birthday...I left the next day after getting my stuff from the house we shared...I then moved in with a college friend and once I found out Las Vegas needed a DNA tech I applied for the job and here I am...and before you ask the reason I never mentioned her is that once I break up with someone and they are out of my life I don't give them a second thought."

"But according to this Samantha Clayton, you two are still together?"

"Yes, God only knows why...I'm sorry she showed up her and caused such a disturbance now if you'll let me have my paperwork for the case we worked on together I can get it started before I leave Miss Willows,"  Wendy says standing up to leave Catherine's office holding out her hand to get the paperwork from Catherine, forgetting it was wrapped in an ace bandage.

"Wendy what happend, why are you wearing that bandage?" Catherine asks with a worrisome voice.

"Oh it's nothing, when Samantha tried to kiss me I let her have it and punched her in the chin...before I came here I had Doc Robbins check it out and he said it was a sprain and he wrapped it in this bandage...Can I have the paperwork so I can finish before I go home because I don't want to leave anything hanging because I have tomorrow night off."

"You go home and rest I'll finish the paperwork...just be here the next night on time...have a nice day off." Catherine says trying to hide a little smile and blush.

"Thank you Miss Willows...see you in a couple of days." Wendy says as she opens the door of Catherine's office to head for the locker room and grab her belongings and go home.

"One more thing before you leave Wendy..."

"Yes..."

"Please call me Catherine." Catherine says her smile in full bloom.

Wendy's smile mirrors Catherine's, "Good Night Catherine."

"Good Night Wendy."

Lindsey notices that her mother wasn't listening to her while she was reciting the speech she was doing for her speech class, "Mom you're not listening to me and you know how important this speech is for me...tell me what's the matter?"

Catherine knew she couldn't keep things like this from her daughter, especially when the situation involved her as well, "Honey it's about Wendy...she and I had a fight at work."

"What happend between you two that you would have a fight at work?"

"Well this woman came looking for Wendy and called her 'her girlfriend' and I got upset..."

Lindsey interrupted her mother,"Girlfriend...Wendy has a girlfriend....God not another one like Riley..."

It was now Catherine's turn to interrupt, "Lindsey calm down and listen...the woman that came to the lab was an ex-girlfriend that Wendy broke up with after she saw this other woman cheating on her and from what Wendy was telling me this wasn't the first time she had cheated on Wendy, and once Wendy saw this she left this other woman and came here to Vegas.  The problem is the other woman still thinks she is Wendy's girlfriend and came to the lab looking for her and I got angry about this and nearly ended it but Wendy told this other woman that she and I were dating and told her to leave."

"But that's not all is it?"

"I also saw them kissing...and before you get all upset, Wendy told me the other woman started it and she actually punched the other woman and sprained her wrist because of it."

"And you have that look on your face because you got angry at her before hearing her side of the story and you are thinking of someway to apologize to her...am I right?"

"Yup but I can't think of anything that won't seem cheesy."

"What about roses mom, that seems cool..." Lindsey sees the reaction on her mom's face, "mom why not go online and check what the best flower is to say 'I'm sorry'"

"Sounds like an idea, let's go." Catherine and Lindsey head for the computer and find out online that fifteen roses is the perfect thing to say 'I'm sorry', but instead of red roses Catherine decides on orange roses to be unique.  Catherine then calls a local florist and tells the woman on the phone what she wants and where and when to send the flowers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wendy is awakened by the ringing of her doorbell, "Coming...Coming, just a minute," Wendy says as she puts her robe on and leaves her bedroom.

"May I help you?" Wendy says to the delivery man after looking out of her peep hole and then opening the door.

"Sun Valley Florists we have a delivery for a Miss Wendy Simms," says the delivery man.

"I am she, may I help you?"

"I have a delivery from a Miss Catherine Willows...here you are." says the delivery man as he hands Wendy the flowers.

"Thank you so much...here you go." Wendy says as she tips the young man.

Wendy the open the card with the fifteen peach roses;Please forgive me...I still care deeply for you    Catherine.

Wendy can't help but cry at the show of forgiveness and compassion from Catherine, she has to dry her eyes when she hears another knock on her door.

"May I help you?"

"YES YOU CAN THIS IS FOR YOU BITCH!!!" Samantha yells as she grabs Wendy and shoots her with a taser gun

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later Catherine is growing nervous as she paces in her office wondering where Wendy is, "I guess I shouldn't have trusted her after all." she was about to call Wendy but notices it's time to hand out the assignments and takes them from her desk and heads for the conference room.

"Nick, you and Greg have a suspicious circs off the strip...Ray and Sara, DB in MGM parking lot.... " Judy interrupts her.

"Miss Willows, sorry to interrupt you I forgot to give this to you as you passed the front desk," Judy says handing Catherine a manilla envelope with her name on it.

Catherine opens it pulls out the content and slumps down in the nearest chair in tears, "Catherine what's wrong...what's in the envelope?" Nick asks with worry.

All Catherine can do is point to the picture that had fallen to the floor: The picture is of Wendy with her hands and mouth bound with duct tape,and a look of horror on her face with the caption IF I CAN'T HAVE WENDY NO ONE CAN!!!

Catherine wakes up in her office, "What the hell am I doing here, I
don't remember coming in here all I remember is seeing the picture of
Wendy..." Catherine then begins to panic; Ray is passing by Catherine's
office and makes his way in, "Catherine...Catherine stop this...it won't
help Wendy if you start panicking again."

"Again what do you mean again...how did I get here in my office....how
long have I been out cold...Ray please we have to do something about
Wendy."

Ray had his suspicion about Catherine and Wendy but never said anything
and now with the way Catherine was acting he knew there was something
going on between them, "First of all, you've been asleep for about a
half an hour; you were at first very panicky, then became hysterical
that's when I gave you a sedative and I carried you here into your
office ...and as for Wendy we checked the envelope and picture for
prints and came up empty. Nick sent Sara and Greg to her place to see
what happend, they just got back and have the security tape and Archie
is looking into that. I called Brass and told him what happend and he
told Ecklie so some of the day shift will be working the cases you gave
us."

Catherine looks over at Ray with sad puppy like eyes, "Thanks Ray..."

"So how lomg have you and Wendy been seeing each other?"

"Three weeks...How'd you figure....my reaction after seeing her
picture?"

"Kind of a give-away...the rest of us talked about it and we aren't
going to say anything unless you want us to...do you love Wendy?"

Catherine ignores the Wendy question...for the moment, "Well Ecklie's
going want to know why I reacted in such a manner."

"I'm a doctor, I could tell him you haven't been feeling well and the
stress of this was too much for you too handle and besides you have been
working alot of overtime."

"That's what bosses do Ray."

"As you tell us we are no good unless we are at 100%"

"I know as my daughter tells me I'm better at giving advice that at
taking it...and as for Wendy; Yes I do love her, I was going to ask her
to my place for breakfast and tell her after shift."

"We'll make sure you two have that breakfast."

"Thanks Ray...for everything."

"My pleasure Catherine...oh that's Archie he thinks he has something on
the tape from Wendy's apartment." Catherine and Ray walk towards the A/V
lab

"Hey Archie what do you have?"

"Catherine nice to see you up and about...check this brunette here she
looks familiar but I can't place where I've seen her before."

"I have too Archie...does she look familiar to you Catherine."

"That's Wendy's ex that showed up here at the lab and her name is
Samantha Clayton, she must have Wendy now all we have to do find out
where she lives and anything else we can find out about her."

"...Again ladies and gentlemen please if you have any tips on the
whereabouts of either of these two women please call the LVPD tip line
at 555-8477 or 555-TIPS...Once again the LVPD tip line number is
555-8477, Thank you."

"Oh look honey, they have our pictures up on the TV screen together...as
is should be." Samantha says as she looks lovingly at Wendy, who is
shackled to a chair in the back of a makeshift apartment with a cot for
a bed on one side, a television and stereo on the other and recliner
which is where Samantha is sitting next to where she has shackled Wendy.

"You and I will never, ever be together again...Catherine and
I...Arrrggghh..." Wendy's statement ended once again with a shock from
her captor's taser.

"HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU NEVER SPEAK THAT WHORE'S NAME IN MY
PRESENCE...IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!!!"

"Aww now look what you made me do...you made me hurt you again and you
know that is something I never want to do....would you look at the time,
by now your CSI friends are probably frantic wondering where I have you
so I best go to where I'm sure they will try first...my apartment."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\
~

At the lab, the team meets in the break room to see what they have come
up with in Wendy's disappearance, "Greg and I went to her place and
nothing seemed out of place, looks like she had just gotten some flowers
because they were in a vase by the sink waiting for the water...the
peephole was open so she probably wanted to see who was at her door."

"Wendy wouldn't have let Samantha in by choice though...what do you
think happend?"

"Sara and I think that the person that delivered the flowers was an
older male with possibly a voice that through the door may have sounded
female, and Samantha was on her way up to Wendy's apartment and heard
the voice..."

"And was able to imitate it well enough for Wendy to open the door
without looking through the peephole a second time," Ray finishes Greg's
statement.

Mandy walks into the breakroom with some news, "You've got to check this
out...I pt the suspect's fingerprints through the system and this came
up..."Mandy then shows the assembled team Samantha's rap sheet.

"Damn, this is one nasty woman....2 counts of battery....3 counts of
assault....a couple of charges of menacing and even one of stalking."

"Looks like most of them are from ex-girlfriends, even two or three from
Wendy...not only is she nasty, she is a complete nut job." Greg says
looking at the sheet.

"Check this out, she has two addresses...," Catherine notices, "her
apartment at the Cactus Flower Apartments 6629 Sunset Lane, she lives in
apartment 5C...and a home near the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and
9th Street which is owned by a business called Samclay Decorators that
address is 4284 Lincoln Avenue...Ray, you and Sara check out the
house...call Ecklie on the way and have him meet you there with a search
warrent...Greg and I will do the same at the apartment building...okay
let's get going."

"I'm on my way honey," Catherine whispers as she head and Greg head for
her SUV.


"Greg, call Brass and have him meet us at the apartment house with a
search warrant." Catherine tells the CSI level 1 as the two of them
drive to Samantha's apartment address.

Greg phones Brass, "Brass will meet us there with the warrant in about
ten minutes...now do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Catherine pretty much knowing what the question is going to be just
answers it, "About three weeks."

Greg is shocked, not at the answer but at how Catherine knew what the
question was going to be, "How did you know what I was going to ask
you?"

"Because when I woke up after I fainted after seeing that photo of
Wendy, Ray asked me the same question...and he told me that you all
talked about it and that you were okay with it...are you telling me
you're not?"

"It's not that at all, I was just going to ask how long you two have
been seeing each other because we all noticed the times you leave
together, and how you are personally looking over her work."

"Greg get your mind out of the gutter, yes we do care for each other but
have yet to tell each other, I was going to invite her over for
breakfast after shift and tell her but that was a few nights ago when
this all started...and now God only knows what that maniac bitch has
done to her." Catherine says trying not to break down.

"Don't worry we have our best people looking for her."

"Thanks Greg...well there's the apartment building looks like we're
here...and there's Brass."

Catherine parks her SUV near Brass's car, "Hey Cath...Greg, take a look
at that license plate." Brass motions to the car Catherine parked
behind.

"That's not probative...we have to find something more to get this
psycho." Catherine says.

"Well the hood is hot meaning the car has been in use recently...let's
see what Madame Nutjob has to say." Greg says as he leads the way into
the apartment.

"Samantha Clayton...LVPD please open up." Brass says as he knocks on
Samantha's door.

"Yes what can I do for you sir?" Samantha says wearing a robe and towel
as if she had just had a shower.

"Can the crap sister, we know you were arguing at the LVPD lab with
Wendy Simms who happens to be a friend of mine and we know you have a
past with her," Brass says and shows her the search warrant.

"Catherine it's all yours," Brass tells the CSI.

"Let's get started Greg...Miss Clayton please step outside." Catherine
says.

After searching the living room, bathroom and bedroom; during the search
the two CSIs find evidence of the kidnapping of Wendy, the CSIs come to
a closed door, "Open it Greg."

"Oh My God," is all Catherine can say as she see the pictures of Wendy
since her time in Vegas, but what scared her the most were the pictures
of Wendy like the one that was sent to the lab.

"WHERE IS SHE YOU BITCH....WHERE'S WENDY!!!" Catherine yells at Samantha
who only smiles and says nothing.

"Calm down Catherine all we have to do is check her last GPS setting and
see if the address we have for her house is on the GPS and then we will
know we have her cold..."

"YOU'VE GOT NOTHING...I'M CRAZY...I'LL PLEAD INSANITY...YOU'LL NEVER
HAVE WENDY"

"You do that and with all this evidence will prove you weren't and you
will be put away for life...get her out of here." Brass tells one of the
accompanying officer.

"Now let's hope Ray and Sara find Wendy where we think she is...I'll
call Nick and tell him we are on our way back with the evidence from
this place."

"They will Catherine, don't worry...let's get back and start processing
all this stuff.


"Here we are Ray, there's Ecklie's car." Sara says as she pulls up to
the house that is owned by Samantha Clayton.

"Ray...Sidle...here's your warrant...I hope this isn't some wild goose
chase," Ecklie says as he walks up to the two CSIs

Ray looks over at Sara, wondering why she didn't correct Ecklie on
calling her by her maiden name and not her married name; she gives him a
look as if she is telling him it wasn't worth the trouble to correct
Ecklie.

"Clark County Sheriff's...please open up." Ecklie knocks on the door.

Wendy hears the commotion outside walks as far as the shackles will
allow her to, "HELP....I'M DOWN HERE IN THE BASEMENT!!!"

Outside Ecklie again knocks on the door, "Clark County Sheriff, we have
a search warrant please open up."

Sara's phone rings while Ecklie is knocking on the door,
"Sidle...Catherine what's the matter...she's not there but you have
Clayton...okay, I'll tell Ecklie...we'll find Wendy, I promise."

Sara returns to the two men at the door, "Give it up Ecklie...no one's
home."

"How would you know?"

"I just got a call from Catherine, they found evidence that it was
Samantha Clayton that kidnapped Wendy, but no Wendy so either she's here
or God only knows."

Wendy again yells with all her strength, "HELP I'M DOWN HERE PLEASE HEAR
ME!!!"

Ecklie then has some deputies knock down the door, "Clark County
Sheriff...she's not here...it's a dead end let's go."

Ray thinks he hears something, "Wait Sheriff, I think I hear
something....HELLO, IS ANYONE ELSE HERE?"

"I'M DOWN IN THE BASEMENT...RAY PLEASE COME GET ME!"

"I think I heard Ray's name...it must be Wendy, let's look for a door or
even a trap door in the floor."

After a few minutes of searching, Sara finds a trap door next to the
staircase going up to the bedrooms, "Door is locked with a padlock."

"I have a pair of bolt cutters in my car let me get it," Ecklie says
before he goes out and get the cutters from his car; he returns with
them and cuts off the lock.

Wendy hears the door being opened, "Hello...who's there it's me Wendy."

"Wendy thank God you're alive...Sara give some water while I go back to
the SUV and get my medical bag.,,," Ecklie tries to protest, "You forget
sheriff, I am a doctor...so let me get my bag and check Wendy over while
you call in the ambulance."

Ecklie just nods and over his radio, "Control this is Undersheriff
Ecklie, we need an ambulance at my location."

Sara is with Wendy trying to find a key for the shackles around Wendy's
hands and leg, "Found it...looks like she hid it in case you tried to
move around and look for it."

"I tried once while she was out, that's why she shackled my hands."

Sara unlocks the shackles and helps and unstable Wendy upstairs and
outside and gets a quick looking over by Ray as they wait for the
ambulance

"Thanks guys for everything...God only knows what would have happend if
you didn't find me," Wendy says and begins to cry.

"Hey that's what we do...well looks like you'll be okay...a little
malnurished...ankles and wrists are pretty raw...I'll go with you once
the ambulance gets here."

Sara collects all the evidence from the basement and brings it out as
they are putting Wendy into the ambulance, "I'll call Catherine for you
while we head back to the lab."

"Thanks Sara," Wendy says trying to hide her blush.

While Ray puts the evidence in the SUV, Sara pulls out her cell phone
and dials Catherine's number.

"Willows."

"Catherine, it's Sara."

"Did you find her?" Catherine asks holding her breath as she walks into
her office, closes the office door and sits on her couch,

"We did and not to worry she's fine...just a bit malnurished and has
some bruises from something and her wrists and ankles are pretty torn up
because she was shackled in the basement of the house, so Ray is
accompanying her to Desert Palms Hospital."

"Thank you Sara," Catherine says trying to swallow the lump in her
throat.

"I'm on my way back to the lab with more evidence, once we're done
processing we can visit her."

"Sounds good, see you when you get back."

"See ya."

As Catherine closes her phone, she let's the tears she's been holding in
since Wendy went missing fall from her eyes.

After checking and double checking all the evidence found from all three
places; Wendy's apartment, Samantha's apartment and her second home not
to mention a screaming admission of guilt from Samantha herself, the
team including Brass made their way to Desert Palms Hospital to check on
Wendy's condition. The rest of the so-called 'lab-rats' told the
investigators to tell Wendy they would be by to see her in the next
couple of days

""Can you please tell me the room for a Miss Wendy Simms?" Catherine
asks the nurse at the information desk.

"Oh yes, A Dr. Raymond Langston told me you would all be coming in to
see Miss Simms, she and Dr. Langston are in Room 310...just up those
elevators."

As the team gets out of the elevator, they all notice Catherine is a bit
nervous, "You okay Catherine?" Brass asks; since Sam Braun's death Brass
has taken over the 'father' role in Catherine's life.

"I'm fine...would any of you mind if I went in myself to see Wendy?"

Knowing the reason why they all agree to let Catherine not only go in by
herself but last because that way she can have all the time with Wendy
she wants without having to worry about anybody else wanting to see
their friend.

After about 30 minutes everyone had seen Wendy, and now it was
Catherine's turn and she nervous, but she really didn't know why.

Catherine sees Ray checking Wendy's bandages and IV, who has slept
through all the visits "Will she be okay?"

"Oh hi Catherine, yes she's is doing fine she's was so exhausted from
her ordeal that she has been sleeping since they brought her into the
room, the IV is just fluids to help her get her strength back; as for
her wrists and ankles, those scars should heal in time....it's the other
scars that I think will have a harder time healing." Ray then leaves.

Catherine sits next to Wendy's bed and takes hold of her hand, "Hey
there honey it's Catherine and have I got some news for you ,Samantha is
on her way to prison for a long time and from what I heard some of the
other women she had relationships with want to come to Vegas and testify
against her...." Catherine's emotions became too difficult for her to
hold in and she again begins to cry, "Oh Wendy please you have to come
back to me, I want you here with me and Lindsey we've gotten so used to
you being around the two of us...I know Lindsey adores you and as for
me, I might as well tell you now even though I'm not sure you'll hear me
and before I lose my nerve...here goes nothing or everything...Wendy
Simms, I love you."

Wendy who has been awake since she heard Catherine enter her hospital
room, squeezes Catherine's hand, turns her head and hits the remote
button to raise herself to a sitting position and with tears in her eyes
looks at Catherine, "Catherine you and Lindsey have become important to
me to and I adore Lindsey just as much as she does me and as for my
feelings for you...Catherine Willows, I love you too." The two women
then kiss and embrace.