Title: Giving Solace
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Sara/Catherine
Rating: PG-13 (rough language)
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer
Summary: Just where did Catherine go after leaving Acid Drop.
Spoilers: Post 'Viva Las Vegas' and a mention of others
A/N: This is my version of what happened after Catherine left the bar after seeing her boyfriend Chris cheating on her.

Catherine hesitantly walks up the stairs to Sara's apartment, not really knowing what Sara would say to her especially because their relationship is tentative at best, because of the fight she and Sara had after Sara had to close the case of who had killed Eddie without ever finding out who was the killer. 

Things were getting better however, because hers' was the shoulder Sara leaned on after finding out she was 'the other woman' to her EMT ex-boyfriend after she found out one of the victims of an older woman driving her car into a crowded restaurant was the EMT's real girlfriend.  By the time Catherine snaps back to reality she finds herself at Sara's apartment door.

She stands there for a few minutes before rapping lightly on the door hoping not to startle Sara, after tapping a bit harder she hears Sara, "This better be good, because I just got to bed an hour ago and I hate to be awakened....", Sara opens the door to see a dejected and deshelved Catherine, "Cath what are you doing here, what's wrong?... is everything okay?...Is Lindsey okay, she's not sick is she?"

"That Bastard Chris is what's wrong...I caug....I caught him...." was all Catherine could say before breaking down once more.

Sara grabs Catherine who was about to fall and leads her to the couch in her living room, all the while whispering soothing words in Catherine's ear as she holds Catherine tight, once Catherine calms down and gets some composure back Sara asks her again, "What happend between you and Chris, I thought you were happy together...you caught him doing what?"

"I caught cheating on me with one of his whore waitresses and the worst part about it was you know what that asshole said when I caught him."

"What?"

"His exact words were and I quote 'What do you expect? I run a nightclub.' I can't believe I fell for a son of a bitch like that..." Catherine begins to cry once more.

"I can't believe he had the nerve to cheat on some on as caring and wonderful as you..." Sara was going to continue but thought better of it, because unbeknownst to Catherine, ever since she took Sara out for drinks after Sara's break up with Hank, Sara has had a strong crush on Catherine and that is not something Catherine needed to know at this time and place.

Catherine just looked at Sara in disbelief, "Sara Sidle are you in there, because this isn't the real you right now."

Sara had to think of something fast before her secret was out and her tentative friendship with Catherine was gone, "I mean it Catherine, I've seen how you are with victim's families, with the guys, and how you helped me get over Hank, and especially how you are with Lindsey...how can I not think you are caring."

"Thanks for being here for me Sara, now I think I should get going."

"You will do no such thing...you are in no condition to drive, you are staying here and that's final...it's the least I can do for you."

"No Sara I couldn't."

"Yes you can, you are staying, just let me get a pillow and blanket...so you call Nancy and tell her you are here and I'll be right back."

As Sara gets up to get the pillow and blanket, Catherine calls her sister to tell her what happend and where she will be, and tells Nancy to call her cell so she doesn't wake up Sara.

Sara gets back with the pillow and blanket as Catherine is ending the phone call, "So is Nancy okay with everything?"

"Yes she is, thanks again Sara...see you in the morning," Catherine says as she get ready to lay on the couch after Sara has made it up to resemble a bed.

"No you don't Catherine, you are not sleeping on my couch...you my dear are sleeping in here," Sara says as she leads Catherine to her bedroom.

"I couldn't Sara, this is your room...I'll be fine on the couch, really."

"I insist you need your rest besides, I've fallen asleep many a night on that couch so it's no big deal."

"Thank you again Sara, I appreciate this...," Catherine says and before Sara has a chance to leave, Catherine grabs her hugs her tight, kisses her cheek and softly whispers, "Good night sweety...pleasant drams."

Sara walks out of her bedroom and into her living room in shock, not only at the events of the evening but mostly at what just happened in her bedroom between herself and Catherine.  Sara lays down, closes her eyes and sleeps soundly for the first time in a long time.

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

Sara wakes up about 6 hours later to the sound of someone softly singing to a radio turned down very low and to the smell of coffee and eggs cooking in her kitchen.

Catherine sees Sara getting up from the couch, "Good Morning sweety, I hope you slept well."

A still dazed Sara just stands and blinks at the scene before her; Catherine in her favorite Harvard baseball jersey type shirt and cooking breakfast, for a moment before she is unable to speak, "Yeah..yes I did thanks, Catherine why are you cooking breakfast for me?"

"As a way of saying thank you for what you did for me last night, I am cooking you breakfast and doing the dishes."

"There's no need for you to go to all this trouble for me...I'll do dishes later"

"Oh no you don't Sara, you were kind enough to give me your shoulder to cry on and your bed to sleep in, this is the least I could do....come on over it's ready...two vegetarian completes with rye toast."

"How..how did you know what I liked for breakfast?"

"Sara you order it every time we go out after shift."

Sara just smile shyly and walks over to the kitchen table and sits down next to Catherine, "MMM Cath, this is even better than at the diner."

"My pleasure and after we eat, you go take your shower and I'll clean up in here, is it okay that I take a shower after you."

The thought of a nude Catherine in her bathroom makes Sara choke on her coffee, but once she gets her breathing back to normal she says, "Go right ahead, use whatever you need."

Breakfast was pleasant, the two women chatted over anything and everything that wasn't work related, and true to her word Catherine did clean the kitchen while Sara got showered and dressed. Catherine then went in and showered and dressed in her clothes from the night before after Sara was done.

As Sara opens her door and Catherine was about to leave, she turned again to Sara once more, "Thanks again Sara for everything, you are a real friend and you know what?"

"What Cath?"

Catherine leans in, and whispers to Sara, "I'm not the only one who is caring and wonderful..." Catherine then kisses Sara on the cheek once more and whispers, "See you tonight, sweety."