Title: Step By Step
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Catherine/Sara
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer
Summary: Tragedy brings two people together...
A/N: Scene in 'Nesting Dolls' between Sara and Grissom never happend in my universe... Vivid descriptions of child abuse.
Spoilers: None

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

"Okay everyone assignments are up..." Grissom says as he enters the lab breakroom, "Warrick, you and Nick have a smash and grab at Moreland's Jewelry Store, owner says preps shot up the place before the robbery...Catherine and Sara, suspicios circs in Seven Hills, Greg you and I have a body dump."

"Hey Sara, trade you my body dump for your suspicious circs."

"Not on your life, besides this will be a good learning experience about what insects do to the human body....Right Grissom?"

Grissom chuckles as he answers Sara, "Right now let's get going these cases won't be solving themselves," Grissom then leaves with Greg a step behind.

"Is it just me or did Grissom just channel Ecklie?" Nick asks as he and the rest of the team leave the breakroom.

"God I hope not, the one thing this world does not need is another Ecklie....," Catherine says as the two pair of CSIs go their separate ways, "Good luck guys."

"You too," Rick says as he follows Nick out.

The drive to the Seven Hills address took about 20 minutes and all the while the two female CSIs were making small talk; "How's Lindsey doing?" Sara asked.

"She loves her classes, but of course the homework is harder in junior high then it ever was in elementary school and she always complains about the amount of homework each night."

"Sounds like us when we are bogged down with paper work," Sara says laughing and showing Catherine a full blown smile.

She looks so cute when she smiles, 'Where the hell did that come from' Catherine thinks as she hears Sara's voice, "Hold it Catherine we're at the address you almost passed it."

"Oh...Okay sorry, just zoned out there," Catherine says as she turns the Denali into the long driveway and gets out hoping Sara didn't detect the blush on her cheeks.

See unbeknownst to anyone including the other woman, Sara and Catherine had crushes on one another, their friendship was growing stronger every day which surprised everyone at the lab consider the animosity they had toward each other since Sara came to Las Vegas.

"So Jim what do we have here?" Catherine asks Brass as she and Sara walk toward the house that was set back from the street by a tree shaded winding driveway.

"Good evening to you two as well..." Brass says giving the ladies a smirk before putting on his 'game face', "Well the neighbor, a Mrs. Helen Davis said she and her husband Eddie were sitting watching the late news when they heard someone trying to get in the house next door, so they walked over and noticed a couple of shadowy figures in the backyard."

"Could it have been the neighbors coming home late for work or something?" Sara inquired.

"Mrs. Davis said that the owners; a Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Mead were on a second honeymoon in Lake Tahoe for the week, they always ask the Davis's to get the mail and newspaper while they are on vacation, which they did when they left yesterday."

"Do the Mead's have any family in town?" Catherine asked.

"No that's why Mrs. Davis called us, most of the Mead Family lives on the east coast, Mr. Mead's job transferred him here about 3 years ago according to her, and they have been living in this neighborhood since."

Catherine and Sara made their way into the house, "Damn looks like a tornado blew through this place," Sara commented on seeing the furniture overturned and lamps and pictures lying broken on the living room floor.

"Looks like the perps were looking for something, notice all the drawers of the desk are dumped out on the floor,"

As the two CSIs investigated they noticed that the places that were disturbed were places that someone would keep money or important papers, "Looks like the perp or perps knew what they were looking for." Catherine said

After about 2 hours the house and perimeter were cleared and all the evidence was bagged and tagged, Sara and Catherine were putting their kits in the trunk.

Catherine was walking towards the drivers side door when Sara noticed a glint of metal coming from beside one of the trees, "CATHERINE LOOK OUT!!!", Sara screamed as she pushed Catherine to the pavement.

Brass who heard the commotion came running to the Denali and immediately got on his radio, "Control this is Captain Brass we have gunfire at my location, send backup..." it was then he saw blood pooling underneath Sara, "OFFICER DOWN...OFFICER DOWN."

Catherine is pacing back and forth in the surgical waiting area of
Desert Palms Hospital when Grissom and the rest of the team come in,
"Catherine, any word on Sara's condition?"

"Nothing yet Gil, and she's been in there for only 30 minutes so I don't
think we will hear anything anytime soon."

The officer in charge is sitting as far away from the team as possible
knowing how badly he screwed up, "Officer Wheeler I'd like a word with
you...outside, NOW," says Brass quietly as he steps up close to the
policeman.

Once the two policemen are outside Brass opens up with both barrels,
"WHAT THE HELL HAPPEND OUT THERE OFFICER....YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE
SURE THE GOD DAMN SCENE IS SECURE...NOW A FELLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
MIGHT LOSE HER LIFE THANKS TO YOUR FUCK UP...MIND TELLING ME WHAT WENT
SO FUCKING WRONG?"

"I...I made sure the house and garage were clear, it wasn't until the
shot rang out that I knew what happend and we investigated where the
shot came from we noticed he left somehow he was able to come back and
climb a tree that was behind the garage and that's where he shot CSI
Sidle from....is she going to be okay?"

Brass let out a heavy sigh, "We don't know yet, she's in surgery...lucky
for you another team of CSIs were retrieved the rifle so hopeful we can
find this son of a bitch and put him away for a long time."

"Please Captain let me know how she is when she comes out of surgery,
I'm going to go back to the precinct and make out my report."

"I will...." Brass was about to yell at the officer, but thought better
of it when he realized the officer was truly sorry, "next time be more
observant."

"I will sir....I promise...could you make sure Miss Sidle gets this when
she comes out of surgery..." Wheeler then takes the crucifix from around
his neck and hands it to Brass.

"I will, I'm sure she'll appreciate it," Brass says as he puts the
crucifix in his pocket, tells the officer he better go and heads back
into the hospital.

Brass walks back into the hospital and sees the night shift team sitting
and just waiting, Nick hands him a cup of coffee from the cafeteria.

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

Two hours later a nurse asks if there is anybody with Sara Sidle, the
whole team stood up and ran over to the nurse Gil spoke for the team,
"We are all, I'm her direct supervisor, she doesn't have any family in
town I guess you could say we are the closest thing she has to a
family."

The nurse nods and looks at the chart, "Well the bullet nicked the
spinal column and the spinal cord but luckily we were able to fix it
thankfully that was the extent of her injuries."

"Will...will she be able to walk again?" the question came from Greg,
but the looks on all the faces the question was on everyone's mind.

"That has yet to be determined, because if the damage to the spinal cord
we still aren't sure, she was lucky the ambulance got her here
quickly...all we can do now is hope and pray."

"Thank you is it okay if we see her now?"

"Sorry but she is in the ICU and those visiting hours are from 8 am to 8
pm, but you can come back tomorrow and see her but only two visitors at
a time in the ICU."

"Thank you ma'am...okay guys let's go, Ecklie told me we can head for
home after we found out about Sara, so let's go home and get some
sleep....You coming Catherine."

Catherine who had been in a momentary daze looked up at Grissom and
said, "I'll be leaving in a minute there is something I want to do
first."

"Okay see you tomorrow," with that Grissom and the rest of the team
leave.

Catherine watches them leave and asks the nurse at the desk where the
chapel is, after finding out where it was Catherine heads in that
direction.

As she enters the chapel she sees a large crucifix on the wall and
kneels in one of the pews and begins to pray, "Dear Lord please let Sara
walk again, I know you have it in your power to help her, and please
bring her back to the people that love her, she doesn't know how much
she means to me...I mean us, I...I mean we love her so much and don't
know what we would do without her."

As Catherine gets up she sees Brass praying too, and sees tears roll
down his face, "Jim are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I guess since Sara got here I've seen her as sort of
surrogate daughter being that my relationship with my own daughter is
pretty much non-existent...don't worry I won't tell them you are in love
with Sara if you don't tell them you saw me crying."

"Deal, now let's get out of here."

"Sure...let's go," with that Brass gets up and he and Catherine leave
the chapel and hospital.

It's been 3 days since Sara was shot and hospitalized and to the LVPD Crime Lab night shift this was the ONLY case thanks to Ecklie and his day shift who are taking all the other cases, "So Bobby anything on the bullet from Sara?" Catherine asks.

"Nothing yet I am running through the data base and seeing if it matches any open cases here in Vegas...and if that doesn't pan out I'll go state wide."

"What do you mean if it doesn't work...It's got to work Sara is lying in the ICU at Desert Palms because of this bullet you've got to get something," Catherine's voice getting louder with every word.

Gil hears the commotion as he passes by the ballistics lab, "CATHERINE...time for you to take a break...go have some lunch."

Catherine realizes she was yelling at Bobby and almost breaks down in front of him, "I...I'm sorry Bobby, I didn't mean it..."

"I know Catherine we're all worried about Sara, I'll make sure to page you when I get something on this bullet."

"Thanks Bobby....Sorry Gil," Catherine says in an almost child like voice and heads for the locker room to calm down.

Once she gets to the locker room, she sits on the bench in front of her locker and breaks down, a few minutes later a loud bang is heard from the locker room and Warrick is the first one there, "Cath are you okay?" Warrick asks as he sees Catherine flexing her right hand.

"I'm fine Rick just a bit frustrated about this god damn case...we've got nothing yet and poor Sara is in the hospital..." is all Catherine can say before the tears that had threatened to fall in the ballistics lab finally fall.

"Come here Cath...we know Sara's a strong person, I'm sure she'll pull through," Warrick says trying his best to comfort Catherine.

Catherine pulls out of Warrick's embrace and gains her composure, "Thanks Rick...I appreciate that."

"No sweat Catherine...I just have one question?"

"What is it?"

"How long have you had these feelings for Sara?"

Catherine stares at Rick and opens and closes her mouth looking like a fish out of water, "How...how could you tell?"

"Hell woman the two of you fight like cats and dogs, which means there is a truckload of sexual tension between you two...then there are the looks you give her when you think she isn't looking, I can't say I blame you she is kinda cute."

"I don't know what to do about this though, what if she doesn't like me that way Rick...It'll kill me."

"Hey, the best way you can show Sara how you feel is get the son of a bitch that shot her, and who knows she may feel the same...You better now."

"Yeah thanks Rick....and please..."

"Don't worry my lips are sealed," Rick says as he and Catherine leave the locker room.

Catherine gets a page heads for the print lab to see what Mandy from the gun found at the scene, "Hey Mandy you got something for me?"

"Just a second....Here you go," Mandy says as she hands the fingerprint report to Catherine.

"Brad 'BIG DOG' Douglas...robbery, drug possession, loan sharking....and well this is interesting..."

"What is it Catherine?"

"Looks here like Brad Douglas has been working for Monty Rodriguez."

"The Bookie?"

"That's him Mandy...Thanks Mandy I'm going to tell Grissom about this."

"You're welcome Catherine, if you visit Sara later tell her I said hi."

"Mandy she's in a coma I doubt if she'll hear me."

"Catherine, I read an article in one of my sister's medical journals that if you talk to someone in a coma, it helps them because they seem to recognize the voice."

"Do they remember anything you tell them?"

"That I'm not sure but I can check with her when I get home."

"I didn't know you're sister was going to medical school Mandy?"

"Yeah and as a matter of fact she's doing her residency at Desert Palms."

"Really what kind of doctor does she want to be?"

"She wants to be a surgeon...you know she may have been on duty when Sara was brought in."

"That's great...maybe she can get us in to see Sara in the ICU after hours?"

"Well she can try...Hey you better get going because weren't you going to talk to Grissom."

"Oh damn, with all this talking I almost forgot...thanks for all the information Mandy."

"I'd do anything for you guys...because we're kinda like a family."

"That we are Mandy...thanks again," Catherine says before she heads to Grissom's office to tell him Mandy's news on the case. 

Catherine heads into Grissom's office with the news about the
fingerprint found on the gun that shot Sara, "Gil can I speak to you for
a minute?"

"Sure Catherine take a seat...." Once both of them sit down Gil asks
Catherine what she has, "So what do you have on Sara's case?"

"Mandy found a fingerprint on the gun found at the sceneand she got a
hit...the finger print belongs to Brad 'BIG DOG' Douglas."

"Good maybe we can get something probative on this case now...anything
else."

"Well it looks like Douglas was working for Monty Rodriguez the bookie."

"Anything else."

Finally realizing what Grissom is talking about Catherine apologizes,
"I'm sorry about what happend in the ballistics lab Gil...it's just that
when it's one of your own you want to get the bastard that hurt the
person you care for."

"I know what you mean Catherine, I can't help but wonder if Sara will
ever be the same again...but that's a discussion for the hospital...so I
gather you want to get Douglas and see what his connection to the Mead
family is?"

"I'll call Brass and have him meet me there...why not have Greg check
the financials on the Mead family and see what connects the Meads to two
scumbags like Douglas and Rodriquez."

"I'll make sure you are my first call if Greg finds out anything."

"Thanks Gil."

"No problem...now get going."

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

In the Desert Palms ICU unit at the exact same time Catherine is leaving
to find Brad Douglas, the alarms go off in Sara's room; Doctors and
nurses rush in from every direction and notice that Sara is trying to
pull out her breathing tube, "Miss Sidle please calm down you must'nt
try to pull that out...let me get a doctor to do that," one of the
nurses say just before she gets one of the doctors.

Moments later the doctor has finished pulling out the tube, "What the
hell happend...why am I in here?" Sara asks in a hoarse voice.

After the doctor removes the tube completely he speaks to Sara, "Sara,
I'm Dr. Benjamin Spellman and you are in the Desert Palms Hospital ICU
unit, I'm the doctor in charge of this unit...do you remember anything
about what happend to you three days ago," the doctor then gives Sara a
glass of water for her dry mouth and so her voice isn't so rough.

A confused Sara tries to remember back to what happend three days ago,
"Well I remember Catherine and I were at this house in Seven Hills
investigate what's known as suspicious circs...we collected all the
evidence and then as we were leaving I saw the barrel of a gun come out
from the shadows and I pushed Catherine out of the way...then it all
goes black til just now...please tell me what happend."

"Well as far I can tell you were brought in with a gunshot wound to the
lower spine and the surgeon told your friends that the bullet hit your
spinal column and one of the bone fragments hit your spinal chord and
really that's all I can tell you right now."

With tears in her eyes Sara asks a question that she may or may not want
to know the answer to, "Will I ever walk again?"

"At this point we are not sure, however since you were brought in so
quickly after the injury occured and the surgeon was able to reattach
the part of the chord that was severed I don't see why not....but it's
not up to me once we get you on the spinal injury recovery floor the
doctor in charge up there will be able to give you a better answer, I'm
just here to make sure you regained consciousness and get well wnough to
go to that floor, you will probably be here for another four days so we
can check for infection and heaven forbid any complication occur before
the four days is up."

"Can you call my friends at work for me to tell them I'm awake?"

"I can have the nurse do that right away...what about family don't you
have any family in town?"

"They are as close to family that I have, I'm originally from the San
Francisco area and both of my parents are deceased.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I will make sure your friends are
notified."

As the doctor and nurse leave Sara lies on her bed contemplating what
the doctor has just told her, and after a few minutes a tear escapes her
eye as she voice her biggest fear to the empty room, "I wonder if
Catherine will care about me now that I might not be able to walk."

A few minutes later Grissom's office phone rings, "Las Vegas Crime Lab
Gil Grissom speaking."

"Mr. Grissom this is Dr. Benjamin Spellman from Desert Palms ICU..."

"Oh my God...did something happen to Sara...please just tell me what's
wrong."

"Nothing is wrong Mr. Grissom I just called to tell you she was awake
and that she wanted me to call you and tell you she's fine."

"Oh that's great news...Thank you so much doctor...please don't hesitate
to call to tell me anything,,,,Goodbye."

Grissom then hangs up his office phone and dials a familiar number on
his cell phone, "Willows."

"Catherine I have some news about Sara."

Catherine has to hold her breath hoping it's not any bad news, "What is
it Gil is she okay, is she...gone."

"She's awake,"

"Oh thank God...is it okay after Jim and I get done with Brad Douglas we
can go see her, you can call this my lunch hour."

"Sure and tell her hello from the rest of us."

"Will do...thanks for the good news Gil," Catherine hangs up her cell
phone and with tears of joy in her eyes she says to the empty SUV,
"That's it honey, you hang in there I'll be seeing you soon."


Catherine drives up to the house of Brad Douglas and checks her face in
the mirror to make sure all evidence of her earlier tears is gone, she
then heads to the front door to find a waiting Jim Brass, "So are you
ready for this?"

"You bet Jim let's nail this bastard."

With their guns drawn, Catherine lets Jim knock on the door, "Brad
Douglas open up Las Vegas Police."

With a crash a chair comes flying through the house's front window
barely missing Catherine, "I guess we got our answer Jim, Let's get
him."

As Jim and Catherine enter the house, Brad Douglas is heading for the
back door only to be stopped by Catherine, "Freeze you son of a bitch,"
and with that the suspect stops fighting and gives up.

After cuffing Douglas and sitting him in a kitchen chair, Brass
questions Douglas, "Do you happen to know a Gregory Mead, Brad?"

"Yeah, so what if I do?"

"I guess then you know that his house was broken into a few nights
ago...happen to know anything about that?"

"Why the hell should I know, I know him I don't know nothin' else about
him."

Catherine takes over, "That's funny because a gun that was found at the
house the night of the break in happens to have your
fingerprints...would you like to change your story?"

"Everything would have been okay if Mead had just paid his debts to Mr.
Rodriguez."

"Do you mind elaborating on that please Brad."

"Greg Mead was deep in debt to Mr. Rodriguez and he hadn't paid in the
time Monty gave him so he sent me and my friend to collect something of
value to pay off this debt."

"Jim take over, I want to call the lab and have this checked out..."
Catherine then leaves the room and dials her cell phone, "Hey
Grissom...yea we got him and he has admitted to being at the Mead
residence the night of the break in, but his story is that Mead was deep
in debt to Rodriguez and he and another suspect went to collect
something of value to pay off this debt....Right, have Greg check the
Mead's financial records and he might want to check and see if Mr. Mead
had a separate account so his wife wouldn't find out about the
gambling...see you later Gil, bye."

Catherine walks back into the kitchen, "So Jim did you get anymore out
of him?"

"Not yet but I think I can..."

"Let me try Jim...," Catherine then pulls out a picture of Sara as she
is lying in the ICU unit at Desert Palms, "Mr Douglas you see the woman
in this picture...well this woman is a good friend of mine and she also
happens to be a CSI like myself, which means she also works with the
LVPD..."

"So...why the hell are you telling me this?"

"I'm telling you this you schmuck because a bullet that was removed from
her spinal column a few nights ago matches bullets that belong to the
gun we found at the scene..the one with your fingerprints on it, now
what do you have to say?"

"I want my lawyer," and with that the questioning ends and Jim has an
officeer take him downtown to the police station and wait for his
lawyer.

As Jim and Catherine leave the house, "Well at least we got him to cop
to the attempted robbery, Jim."

"I guess that's something."

"I just wish we could have rolled him on shooting Sara."

"I know me too...well shall we go visit her?"

"Let's...oh and Jim in all the excitement I forgot to mention Grissom
called me and told me Sara was awake."

"Hey that's great news now let's go see how she's doing," with that
Catherine and Jim head for their cars and make the trip to Desert Palms
Hospital."

Catherine and Jim parked next to each other as they reached the hospital parking lot, "So you ready?" Brass asks Catherine.

"Yeah, I'm just a bit nervous about seeing her after being shot on my account and all."

"By all I guess you are talking about your feelings for her?"

"Of course I am Jim, I'm scared to death that my feelings won't be returned and it would kill me to go back to the way things were when Sara first got here."

"Not to worry Catherine, she did save your life and if that doesn't say 'I CARE FOR YOU' nothing does."

"Jeez Jim, she was doing what comes naturally to someone in law enforcement; saving the life of your partner."

"Keep telling yourself that Catherine," Jim says with a sly grin which earns a slap on the arm from Catherine.

Catherine and Jim make their way to the ICU and are met by Dr. Spellman, "Nice to meet you both, Sara said she had no family here in Vegas, but she did tell me her co-workers were the closest thing she had...I was about to go and check the surgical site you can come in if you like, I'm sure Sara would love to see you."

The trio make their way to Sara's room in the ICU and her face lights up as she sees Jim and Catherine, "Hey there kiddo, you better stop scaring the hell out of us like that thinking you're Superman and trying to stop a bullet."

"Just saving a fellow officer Jim," Sara says trying to hide a blush much to Jim's amusement.

"Well you are my hero," Catherine says as she hugs Sara and gives her a small peck on the cheek, which deepens the blush on Sara's face.

"So let's check out your surgical site..." Dr. Spellman says as he helps Sara turn over, "Well looks like it's healing well...let's get you back over."

"Now we are going to do the PIN test Sara..." Sara looks at the doctor with confusion, "what I'm going to do id poke your legs in certain area with this pin and see whether or not the feeling has returned to them...close your eyes and no peaking."

"Ouch...Ow...Ouch...Ow...Stop it...Ouch...please stop it hurts..."Sara says in what can only be described as a begging tone.

"Well it looks good for you to move to the therapy floor in about 4 days as I told you earlier, but I have a question; I noticed some scarring on your arms, shoulders, knees and feet can you please tell me what happend?"

Sara knew she should say something about her childhood, but was afraid that if she did say something Catherine and Jim along with her other friends would think less of her, "Okay what I am going to tell you is hard for me and I've never told anyone any of this I am asking all of you never to repeat what you hear in this room."

"Of course Sara, as your doctor this goes under the doctor/patient rule."

"You can always count on me kiddo."

"Sara, I promise honey I will never betray your trust."

Sara cleared her throat, "Well as you know I'm from the San Francisco area, but what you do not know is that my parents were not the most loving; it all started when I was about five when one time I talked back to my father and he slapped me then put me over his knee and and burned the bottoms of my feet with his cigarette butt, then if I lied to him he would put me in a full-nelson wrestling move and I would black out....my mother was no help because he was abusing her too, and because of it she turned to the bottle, my father would dislocate my arms and hit my knees with a ball peen hammer if I came home late for dinner or if he didn't like what I cooked for dinner..." tears were now falling from Sara's eyes but she kept on talking, "then as I got older, my father would come into my room at night and touch me inappropriately, at this time he was getting drunk nightly because he was out of work and because of the drinking he couldn't find anyone that would hire him and of course he blamed me because to him I was a 'Pariah' and no one would want me but him....so one very stormy night after a night of heavy drinking he came into my room and told me I was about to become a woman...he then tried to rape me and luckily my mother heard and got a carving knife and stabbed him again and again until he was dead...my mother was taken away and imprisoned and I was put into the system, and I was in the system until I was in college and went to Harvard, probably to get as far away from their memories as I could...That's all there is to tell you," Sara wiped tears away as she finished.

"I know that must have been hard for you Sara, and I wish to thank you for being brave enough to open up to us about your past," Dr. Spellman finally speaks up.

Sara had forgotten that Catherine and Jim were in the room with her and the doctor; that was until she heard a sob from Catherine, "My God Sara now I know that you really are my hero having the strength to go through a childhood like that and come out of it with a resolve to not let that happen to anyone again...don't think the guys and I don't see how you're affected by domestic violence case, but at least now I know the reason why...I hope you know how special you are Sara...especially to me," Catherine says through her tears as she hugs Sara with all her might.

Catherine is pleasantly surprised as she feels Sara tighten the hug and nuzzle into her neck, Sara then gives Catherine a peck on the cheek and whispers, "You  are special to me too Catherine...more than you can imagine," the two women pull apart and give each other a small smile.

"Kiddo anytime day or night if you need anything don't hesistate to call," Jim says trying to hide the tears in his own eyes as he hugs Sara tightly.

"You best get going because I know you're working on my case right now, and Grissom will probably looking for the two of you."

"Always thinking of work...that's our Sara," Catherine says trying to lighten the mood, hugging Sara once more before she and Jim leave.

"That's why you love me," Sara says grinning from ear to ear showing the gap between her teeth.

"You have no idea," Catherine mutters under her breath as she and Jim leave.

Catherine drives into the lab parking lot and after checking herself in
the driver's side visor mirror she heads into the lab, where she
immediately sees Grissom, "Hey Grissom did you ask Greg to check the
Mead's financials?"

"I sure did, now onto more important things...First, I heard from Jim
that you guys got Douglas to roll on the robbery at the Mead's house,
but you couldn't get him to confess on shooting Sara and by the way
how's Sara?"

"First things first Gil, Douglas rolled over easy on the robbery, and we
told him that we had a gun with his prints on it and that a bullet
matched the one the surgeon took out of Sara..."

"I know Jim called and told me that's when he asked for his lawyer."

"And as for news about Sara, I will tell everyone in the breakroom once
I find out from Greg what I need to find out," just then Greg walks up
to his superiors and asks, "Did I hear you two talking about Sara...how
is she, will she be okay?"

Greg gets a look from both Grissom and Catherine that tells him to get
down to business, "Okay so I checked with the manager of the Desert
Vista National Bank, which I figured is where the Mead's had their
account being it was the most convenient for Mr. Mead because the branch
was between his office and the Mead home....and I found out that Mr.
Mead had a separate account away from the main account he and the Mrs.
had jointly started after they got married."

"What's so unusual about the married couples have separate accounts all
the time." Catherine says.

"Normally the spouse is allowed in that account for emergencies right?"

"That's the common practice."

"In this case Mr. Mead gave strict instructions to anyone at the bank
that he and he alone could get into that account."

"Which is probably where he was hiding the money he was using to gamble
with Monty Rodriguez....but how was he getting that extra money....a
second job of some sort?"

"I checked on that too Catherine and the job that transferred him out
here was the only one he had, but I noticed that about six months ago
equal amounts were being withdrawn from the joint account and put in his
private account."

"You'd think the wife would find out if it were large amounts." Grissom
voiced his thoughts,

"That's just it Grissom, the amounts were only about $100-$200 at a
time..."

"He probably told Mrs. Mead he was taking a client out for lunch, by the
way Greg did you find out what he did for a living?"

"Commercial real estate seems his home office back east in Philly wanted
to expand their holdings and what a better place to start then here
inVegas."

"And I think I know why Rodriguez sent Douglas to find Mr. Mead..."
Catherine starts.

"Mrs. Mead probably noticed more and more money missing than the
$100-$200 he told his wife about, then he probably went on a losing
streak with Monty and he didn't have the correct amount to back back
Monty when the time had come to pay him and he sent Douglas to steal
anything that looked valuable to help pay off Mr. Mead's debts." Grissom
finished,

"So should we go after Mr. Mead?"

"No, his only crime was bad judgment on getting close to Monty
Rodriguez, but tomorrow go back to the Mead house and see if there is
anything else we can find to nail Douglas for shooting Sara."

"Will do now shall we get everyone assembled in the breakroom I have
Sara news," and with that the 3 CSIs walk towards the breakroom telling
everyone in every lab that there is news about Sara.

Five minutes later the breakroom is packed, and there are even people
standing outside the breakroom in the hall, everyone was there; Judy the
receptionist, Mandy, Wendy, Archie, Bobby, Henry, Doc Robbins, David and
even Hodges and Ecklie are there.

Catherine starts speaking once the breakroom is quiet, "Captain Brass
and I went to see Sara today and while we were there Dr. Spellman the
head of the ICU came in and checked her wound and did what he called a
PIN test..." everyone was wondering what Catherine was talking about, "a
PIN test is where the doctor drags a pin and pokes a patient that has
the possibility of paralysis over the affected area in this case Sara's
legs....and from what the doctor said after the test....there is a great
chance that Sara will walk again...." Cheers erupt from the break room
as high fives and hugs are exchanged among one another even Ecklie, who
even though hates Sara to his core he knows what she means to the lab
and is glad she will be okay, after the group quiets down once more
Catherine finishes speaking. "All she has to do now is go through
physical therapy but how long I'm not sure."

"Okay everyone let's get back to work, I know we are all glad about
Sara's condition, but it would help her more if we catch the man that
put her in the hospital."

As everyone is heading back to their own labs, "Leave it to Ecklie to
ruin such a happy moment," Nick says.

"He is right though Nick, the best way to help Sara is to find the
evidence that will nail down a conviction, but for now let's head home
and get a good night's rest," the team heads to the locker room and then
head to their respective homes.


Catherine and Greg, who asked to come along drive into the driveway of
the Mead house, "Remember Greg look for something out by the garage
because we want to nail Douglas for shooting Sara."

"You want me to take the inside while you take the outside?"

"No, I think our best bet is to go around the garage one of us on either
side and collect whatever we think looks out of place, and Greg make
sure you check the garbage cans because that's a perfect place to hide
things."

"I know, I know I just wish I didn't have trash can duty."

Catherine chuckles at the pout in Greg's voice, "Just think you're doing
it for Sara."

"True...God she must be going nuts just lying there not being able to
move."

"Don't forget Greg what I told you about her being able to feel her
legs, so hopefully in a few days the physical therapy staff will have
her up and about and just lying in her hospital bed will be a pleasure."

"I see what you mean, okay let's get started and maybe we can see her
after we finish?" Greg says sounding hopeful.

"If we find anything Grissom will probably want us to get it back to the
lab ASAP, but don't worry we can go see her when we take our lunch
hour...okay let's get started," with that the senior and junior CSI get
to the task at hand.

About an hour and a half later Catherine calls Greg over to her side of
the garage, "So Catherine what do you have?"

"Looks like a silencer from a pistol, I lifted some prints now all we
have to do is check them against Douglas's that we got from the gun and
we got him plus I found a boot print near the base of this tree which is
probably where was perched when he shot Sara...you find anything?"

"As a matter of fact I did; I also found a boot print and from the looks
of it, this could be a match to the one you found... I also found
these..." Greg then shows Catherine through a clear evidence bag a black
longsleeve t-shirt and pair of long black pants, "Now all we have to do
is get these back to the lab and check for DNA and see if it matches
Douglas...a pretty good haul for just 90 minutes of work, wouldn't you
say."

Catherine can't help but smile at Greg's youthful exuberance, "You're
right Greg, now let's get this stuff back to the lab and just maybe we
can get a search warrent for Douglas's place and maybe find some of the
things that were stolen from the Mead's." Catherine then heads towards
the SVU with Greg hot on her heels.

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

Two hours later after all test were done, Catherine and Brass are back
at Douglas's house with the warrent, which they showed to both Douglas
and his attorney, "Let's get in there and see what we can find." Brass
says as he opens the door with the kay given to him by Douglas.

Catherine begins looking in every room on the first floor while Brass
helps her the best he can, "Well look what we have here..." Brass
intones from in front of a just opened closet.

"What do you got Jim?"

"A whole arsenal of weapons; everything from handguns to assault
rifles...looks like we can add a weapons charge to the list."

"Great, I heard that the Meads came in an gave their fingerprints?"

"They did, I guess Mrs. Davis called them and told them what happend, so
the two of them came in and were told that we needed their fingerprints
to distinguish theirs from Douglas's they...well let's say Mr. Mead was
more than happy to give us his... they have been staying with some
friends until this whole thing is over."

"Mrs. Mead not so happy to hear about how hubby has been spending the
money."

"Well let's just say the temperature in the room went from a comfortable
70 degrees to a very chilly 30 below zero."

"Ouch, well I guess he'll be taking cold showers for a very long time."

Jim and Catherine check the second floor and all the rooms but one are
open and Jim uses the key to open the door, "Jackpot..." Jim comments.

Catherine looks in the room with disbelief, "I know Douglas isn't the
brightest criminal in the world but even the dumb ones know to try and
fence the stuff."

"He's probably holding it for Rodriguez, so Rodriguez can make sure this
stuff is worth the money Mr. Mead owes him."

"Can you give me a hand bagging this stuff?"

"Sure," the two then bag all the stolen items and take them to
Catherine's SUV, then the two make their ways their separate vehicles
but not before Jim says,"I won't start questioning him until you've had
a chance do what you have to do with the stuff."

"Thanks Jim and I'll make sure to photograph all of these things and
bring them so the Meads can identify it all as theirs," and with that
Jim and Catherine head back to their respective offices.

Catherine and Jim make there way into interrogation after Catherine has
taken all the weapons and the Mead's belongings and given to the proper
lab techs just to make sure that Douglas is the man they are looking
for, "Why has my client been detained for so long?"

"Because counselor, we found somethings that don't belong to him in a
closet in his house...Things that belonged a Mr. and Mrs. Mead, does
your counselor know anyone by that name?" Brass goaded Douglas.

"So what if I do, why is it any concern of yours?"

"Because we have a report that these things were stolen...and once we
confirm that with fingerprints we got you for larceny."

"I was only doing what Monty told me to do?"

"Quiet you idiot, Monty told you not to use his name."

"Oh, I'm sorry didn't we tell you that when we looked up the fingerprint
you left at the scene that night a list of associates came up and lo and
behold Monty Rodriguez's name was at the top of the list." Brass says
with a smirk on his face.

Catherine excuses herself as her cell phone leaves the room to answer
it...coming back a moment later she gives a nod to Jim which silently
tells him that the boot they found in Douglas's house as well as a set
of fingerprints that didn't belong to Mr. and Mrs. Mead belonged to the
suspect.

Catherine now takes over, "Well you know Brad we also have a shoe print
from the Mead's property and a shell casing from that bullet I told you
about earlier...you remember the one that they had to surgically remove
from someone I happen to be very fond of..."

"So you're fond of that bitch, I guess that makes you a dyke...I guess
that means you won't be wantin' any of this," Douglas says grabbing his
crotch and pointing in Catherine's direction.

Catherine ignores the gesture and continues the interrogation,"Well Mr.
Douglas we also found a pair of boots in your house and to no one's
surprise it matched the print we got from where you climbed the tree and
took a shot at us, Not only that we found a whole closet full of weapons
that I'm sure you realized are illegal for you to own because of your
past criminal activities...Oh Brad there is just one thing I want you to
think about, I maybe a dyke but once you get in the joint you'll be
someone's bitch," Catherine smiles as she sees the realization wash over
Douglas's face as her words begin to sink in.

Brass steps behind Douglas's chair and pulls him up, "Brad Douglas you
are under arrest for breaking and entering, larceny,illegal possession
of firearms, and the big one; the attempted murder of a law enforcement
officer," Brass then puts the hands him over to an awaiting officer to
take him down to the booking area.

"Whoa what about Rodriguez...you should be arresting him too, he was the
one that told me to do it." Douglas yells as he is being led away.

"Not to worry, that's being taken care of...," Brass says, he then turns
to Catherine, "Call Rick and have him go to Rodriguez's place and I'll
meet him there with a squad car."

Catherine nods to Brass and dials her cell as she heads outside and gets
into her SVU, "Hey Rick...yeah Douglas rolled over and implicated
Rodriguez....Brass wants me to tell you to head to his place to pick him
up.....of course I'm coming too, I'm picking you up...Brass will meet us
there...no he doesn't know I'm tagging along....I know Iknow, I just
want to see this through for Sara....Ok, thanks Rick see you in a few."

Thirty minutes later, Brass pulls up to the address he has for Monty
Rodriguez; followed by the squad car and Catherine's SUV, "I thought
Rick was coming by himself..." Brass says as he sees Catherine, who
gives him her best 'puppy dog' look, "Okay I guess I can understand why
you want to be here...for Sara....let's go."

Warrick looks at Catherine with a surprised look, "He knows about your
feelings?"

"Yeah the night she was shot and taken to the hospital I went to the
chapel and said a not so silent prayer for Sara and as I turned around I
saw him there doing the same."

"He does always treat her like a daughter, guess that's because of his
lack of a relationship with Ellie...I'm glad she people that love her as
much as the two of you."

"MONTY RODRIGUEZ, LAS VEGAS POLICE OPEN UP..." Brass yells as he knocks
on the door but when he hears a window breaking somewhere around back,"
WE HAVE A RUNNER, LET'S GO."

Afeter a few minutes, Warrick long strides help him catch up to Monty,
with Brass, Catherine and the officer on Rick's heels.

"Get up you asshole..." Brass orders him, "You are under arrest for
grand larceny, illegal book making, and conspiracy to commit second
degree murder."

"Murder I didn't kill anyone?"

"You may not have but your boy Brad Douglas had a gun when he robbed
Greg Mead's house, and he used it to try and kill a CSI, so if he had a
gun he was probably going to try and scare Mr. Mead but instead he shot
at two CSIs and one got shot in the back...and because it was done in
the act of a felony it is second degree murder...let's go scumbag," and
with that Brass and the uniformed officers put Monty in the back of the
squad car while Catherine and Rick head back to Catherine's SUV.

"Well now that we have gotten those two bastards...now all we have to do
is concentrate on helping Sara walk again." Catherine says trying to
keep her voice neutral, but failing.

Rick notices the weepy sound in Catherine's voice,"Hey Cath not to worry
with our well wishes and her determination....not to mention your love
for her...I have no doubt she will walk again."

"Thanks Rick."

"No sweat....let's get back to the lab and tell everyone the good news."

Catherine gets up from a great night sleep knowing that the bastard that
shot Sara and his boss are going to jail for a long, long time. The
only thing that can make her happier is if it were her day off from the
lab; which today happend to be, and because it was her day off she
figured today would be a good day to visit Sara.

After she drove Lindsey to school which was 'so not cool' according to
her daugher, Lindsey did understand why her mom did that considering all
the things her mom sees when shes working and deep down Lindsey knew her
mom was right; but being a typical teenager she had to be rebellious
about something, Catherine decided to clean the house because she was
working so hard on Sara's case she didn't have time until today.

Catherine started her housework and to her surprise she was done rather
quickly, so she decided to make herself some lunch; a garden salad with
some canned chicken and avocado added, after lunch she decided to take a
shower because she figured it would have been stupid to take a shower
before doing her housework, get sweaty and have to take another one when
she was done.

After her shower, Catherine went to her closet and picked out her
clothes; a pink blouse that showed just enough cleavage to be flirty
and a pair of black jeans that she remembered that Sara mentioned looked
good on her.

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

Catherine was pleasantly surprised that the trip to the hospital took
less time than she anticipated; she figured that was because it was late
morning and most people who make a living in Las Vegas that they were at
work and the only traffic was that of tourists.

Catherine walks into the ICU and heads for Sara's room but notices it is
empty, so she goes to the ICU front desk and ask the duty nurse why Sara
isn't in her room, "Sara Sidle....let me see....she's gone..." was all
the nurse could say before Catherine began to cry.

"Gone....how long ago?" Catherine asks still crying.

"Fifteen minutes...." The nurse again tried to explain but before she
had the chance Catherine turned to leave.

Catherine decided to sit down in the ICU lounge and collect herself
before having to go to the lab and tell the team that Sara was gone,
"Fifteen lousy minutes...if I hadn't eaten lunch I would have been able
to see her one last time and tell her that I loved her before she was
gone," again Catherine begins to cry once more.

Just about the same time Sara was rolling by in a hospital wheelchair,
she sees Catherine just blankly staring out the window, "Hey Janet can
you push me over to the window, I see someone I know and from the looks
of it she isn't very happy."

"Sure honey," Janet then pushes Sara's wheelchair right next to the
chair Catherine is sitting in and leaves the two alone.

"Catherine are you okay?" Sara says in a whisper.

Getting no response Sara tries it again a bit louder, "Catherine are you
okay?"

Still unable to atttract Catherine's attention, Sara tries again and
this time she grabs Catherine's hand, "Catherine please answer me are
you okay?"

"Sara's gone... gone...and I wasn't brave enough to tell her."

Sara is baffled by the ramblings of her friend and co-worker and becomes
increasingly panicked so she speaks louder, "Catherine I am right next
to you....please snap out of this you are beginning to scare me."

Catherine hearing Sara comes out of her fog, "SARA...You're
alive...Thank God, I thought I lost you...don't ever leave me." she then
hugs Sara with all the strength she can muster.

"Of course I'm alive....what would make you think I was dead?"

Catherine finally calms down and explains her actions, "I came in and
you weren't in your room so I went to the front desk and told me you
were gone and that I was fifteen minutes late."

It dawns on Sara what the nurse was talking about, "Catherine, the nurse
said I was gone because I was taking a tour of the physical therapy gym
down on the therapy floor, where they are going to work me out to get me
to walk again...you didn't let her finish telling you where I was."

The blush on Catherine's face goes from the color of the flesh of a
watermelon to the color of blood, "God Sara, I'm so sorry...if I wasn't
so wrapped up in my feelings for you I would have listened..." realizing
she mentioned her feelings towards Sara, Catherine immediately stops
talking.

Sara not one to let things like that pass asks Catherine, "So what are
your feelings for me?"

Catherine knowing she should tell Sara the truth but not wanting to do
it in such a public place makes a suggestion, "Is there somewhere a bit
more private we can go?"

Sara looks over to the duty nurse to see if it is okay that Catherine
takes her outside to the hospital garden, the nurse nods her head 'yes',
"Come on Cath, I'll take you on a tour of the hospital garden."

Catherine then gets up and behind Sara ready to push her to the garden;
while in the elevator Sara tells Catherine that the garden was planted
and is kept up by the patients as a form of physical and occupational
therapy, and once they get there they find a lovely spot on a bench
under a shade tree, "So what was this about your feelings for me?"

The usual sure of herself Catherine suddenly get very nervous, "Now
promise you won't laugh at me when I tell you my feelings."

"Of course not Cath, you are too important a person to me to ever laugh
at you about anything...now just tell me."

Catherine closes her eyes because she didn't want to see Sara's
reaction,"Okay here goes....Sara Sidle I'm in love with you...." not
getting an immediate response Catherine takes as a bad sign, "I knew
this was...." Catherine's rant was stopped when Sara's mouth crashed
into her mouth in a heated kiss.

The kiss ends with the proverbial 'pop' and Sara rests her forehead on
Catherine's forehead, "Catherine Willows I'm in love with you too, I
have been since the first time I saw you."

Catherine moves to look Sara right in the eye, "Why didn't you ever tell
me how you felt?"

"I was afraid that you would laugh at me and not talk to me or even
worse have me fired for sexual harrassment...and you had all those
boyfriends so I thought I had a snowball's chance in hell."

"Sara I should be asking your forgiveness for making you feel you
couldn't talk to me...for treating you like you didn't belong....for
doubting your skills....but most of all please forgive me for wasting
all this time that we could have been together."

"Catherine...." Sara finally able to a word in ending Catherine's
rambling.

"Yeah Sara?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

The two share another kiss knowing there will be many more to come.

Catherine and Sara have been in the garden for nearly a half hour enjoying the scenery and each others company, they stop at another bench and Catherine parks Sara's wheelchair at the end of the bench and sits right next to her and sweetly holds her hand, "Penny for your thoughts hon?"

Sara is brought out of her musings by Catherine's voice, "Oh nothing really just that it's hard to believe that after all this time we are finally together as girlfriends...that is what we are right?"

Catherine notices the trepidation in Sara's voice and answers clearly, "Yes we are, you Sara Sidle are my girlfriend and I, Catherine Willows am your girlfriend."

Sara can't help but smile at Catherine's declaration of love, "When do you think we should tell the guys about us?"

Catherine now had reason to be nervous, "Well honey, Jim and Rick already know."

"How could they we only told each other how we felt today."

"Well the night you were brought here, just before I left I went to the chapel and said a prayer for you and openly confessed my feelings outloud not realizing until I turned around to leave that Jim was there saying a prayer for you too...he promised to keep it a secret."

"But how does Rick know?"

"Well during the investigation I got angry at Bobby because he was unable to get a match to the bullet that you were shot with right away and I basically tore him a new one if you get my drift and Grissom ordered me to take a break and while I was in the locker room crying my eyes out not knowing if you'd walk again, Rick came in and confronted me about my feelings towards you and of course I had to tell him, and he too told me he wouldn't tell anyone...are you okay with that?"

"Of course sweety, as long as you're okay with Greg knowing?"

"Greg, how does he know?"

"Well one of the times he and I had the same night off I had a few too many beers and when that happens my brain has a tendency to turn off the 'don't tell secrets' switch to my mouth and I told him about my feelings towards you...but you can rest assured that he won't tell anyone," Sara says with a sly smile.

"How can you be so sure and why the smile?" Catherine asks skeptically

"Because I remembered everything the next morning, and I told him in no uncertain terms was he to tell anyone about my feelings for you or he'd get punished painfully."

"How painfully?"

"How does getting castrated with dull nail file sound."

Catherine cringed, "Very painful...remind me not to get you mad at me."

"Honey I could never get mad at you."

"You did that one time...remember the case of the mail order bride?"

Sara's smile disappears, "I know and I regretted it the moment I did."

"I guess I deserved it though because you kept asking me to have family services check for abuse and I never did...little did I know..."

"That's because I had never told anyone about my past so you had couldn't have known how I knew the signs of abuse....and the one time you were angry with me is one I'll never forget...Eddie's case."

"I know sweety, I guess I was more angry at Eddie for all he had done to me over the years and I naive enough to think we could work things out, and to involve Lindsey and have her almost die in that case...that's really what I was so angry about."

"I realize that now, but back then I just thought you were being spiteful to me because I thought you hated me."

"After all that you still decided you were going to try and be Lindsey's friend, I was pleasantly surprised when she told me that you were the one she was emailing all that time."

"We were talking mostly about you and about things at school that kids try to keep secret from their parents, like crushes and the such."

"I'm glad she has you to help her, believe it or not she actually told me that she wished you were her mother and not me."

"I had no idea Catherine...I'm sorry."

"No need hon, it was one of those rebellious times after Eddie died and if you remember she was picked up for trying to hitch hike from my house to my mother's place...it was right after that."

"I know she told me about that and I told her how wrong it was for her to say that and do what she did so I told her until she apologized to you I wouldn't be her friend."

"Really, no wonder she was so nice and compliant after that...I guess I have you to thank," Catherine then gives Sara a kiss.

"You're welcome...now I want to know all about the case because I read in the paper where this sexy CSI named Catherine Willows was able to help in the arrest of Brad 'Big Dog' Douglas and Monty Rodriguez....what're you laughing at?"

"Can't you ever not think about the lab?" Catherine says trying to catch her breath.

"Actually no because everytime I think of you I think about the lab."

"Oh I think I've got something to change that line of thinking," Catherine says, she then looks around to see if anyone is watching or if anyone will be walking by and when she sees that the coast is clear she gives Sara an impromptu lap dance.

Sara is captivated by her girlfriend's gyrations and can't help but squirm around in her wheelchair; Catherine ends the lap dance straddling Sara the best she can because of the wheelchair and leans over so Sara can see her cleavage, "Like what you see, baby?"

"You bet." Sara says looking into Catherine's eyes before kissing her.

"So do you think you can now think of me and not think of the lab at the same time?"

"No problem,  now i'll be thinking of all the fun we will be having once I'm out of this place....Catherine feel this..." Sara then takes Catherine's hand and puts it over her own heart, "this is what you do to me, and I love you for it."

Catherine mirrors Sara's actions, "Babe this is what you do to me...and I love you too."

Catherine notices that Sara is yawning, "Come on young lady time to get you back to your bed."

"Catherine don't you think I should get out of here before we start any of that." Sara says as she starts to laugh.

"God you are such a smart ass."

"But you love me anyway."

"You know I do...now come on let's get you back to the unit before the nurse sends out a search party." Catherine says as she begins to push Sara back inside and back to the ICU.

Once Sara is back in bed Sara realizes that Catherine should be going to get Lindsey, "Catherine don't you need to get Lindsey from school?"

"That's why I brought you back up here knowing that I would be leaving in a few minutes...Now get up here woman and give me a proper hug and kiss goodbye," Catherine then pulls Sara up and kisses her deeply and holds her tight not wanting to let her go.

"Bye honey, I'll call you and let you know when they are going to move me to the therapy floor I think they said day after tomorrow but I'll call you and let you know for sure."

"Okay sweety, take care....I'll give the guys your regards....and remember I love you."

"I love you too."

Catherine makes it to Lindsey's junior high school with minutes to spare
and as she pulls up to the parking area she can hear the muffled sound
of the school bell ending the day, immediately followed by a wave of
teen-aged humanity going their separate ways; some going towards buses,
others walking home with a group of friends, most of the kids including
Lindsey walking towards their parent's cars.

"Hey sweety how was your day?" Catherine says as Lindsey buckles in and
Catherine pulls out of the school parking lot into traffic

"Typical, except for one little thing..."

Catherine was afraid to know what happend because when Lindsey used that
phrase it usually meant she got in trouble at school whether it was a
fight with a fellow student or mouthed off to one of her teachers, "Okay
Lindsey what happend now?"

"Oh nothing it's just some of my friends want your autograph," Lindsey
says giggling.

"Why would they want that?"

"Well they read the story about how you and Uncle Jim caught the guy
that shot Sara, by the way you went to see her right??... how is
she?....when can I see her?....when is she coming home?"

Catherine can only laugh at Lindsey's friends giving her 'celebrity
status', "Well yes I did see her and she told me that the day after
tomorrow she will be moving to a room on the therapy floor which means
you can come along when I visit her but only on weekends or during the
week when your homework is done, as for her coming home that all depends
on how fast her legs get stronger it may take a few weeks or maybe a
month so I'm really not sure."

Lindsey looks at her mother and notices a look she has seen in her
mother's eyes so many times before, "Now for the million dollar
question?"

"Which is..."

"Did you finally tell Sara that you are in love with her?"

Catherine couldn't believe her daughter actually knew about her feelings
toward Sara and could only look at her with the proverbial 'fish out of
water' look, "How...how did you know."

"Mom, I'm not stupid or blind...you talk about Sara all the time and you
have this 'starry eyed' look in your eyes when you talk about her...just
like you do now."

"Are you okay with me being in love with her?"

"Of course I am as long as she keeps making happy and doesn't make you
cry I am fine with it, besides she treats me like an adult not like a
kid like most adults do...mom are you okay...why are you crying?"

"I'm fine baby it's just that I'm so happy about all that's happend
today, first the woman of my dreams tells me she loves me and my
beautiful, smart, loving daughter just told me she was okay with it...I
just wonder what I did right to deserve this much happiness because
usually I'm never this lucky."

"I gotta feeling the Willows family luck is changing mom." Lindsey says
with a smile.

"So do I baby...so do I."

There's a knock on Sara's door in the ICU, "Come in." Sara says
wondering who would be coming in this early; her face lights up as she
sees Jim Brass walk in along with a uniformed police officer.

"Hey Jim how are you, to what do I owe the pleasure...any why the police
escort?"

"Hey kiddo can't a man see his 'little girl' without a reason, as for
the escort this is patrolman Tom Wheeler and he has something to tell
you...don't you officer Wheeler?"

The young officer walks up to Sara's bed looking like a little boy being
told by his father to apologize to his neighbor for breaking his
neighbor's window with a baseball, "Miss Sidle I just want to apologize
for not being able to stop Brad Douglas from shooting you and you ending
up here."

Sara surprises him by hugging him, "It's okay Tom I know you did your
best."

"Thank you," the embarrassed policeman utters before leaving.

"Jim you didn't have to make him do that, from what I heard you pretty
much tore him a new one according to Catherine," Sara hugs Jim hello.

"I know kiddo, I just wanted him to see what happens when he doesn't
keep his mind on his work...Oh by the way the officer gave me this to
give to you..." Jim hands Sara the crucifix that Officer Wheeler had
given to hom to give to Sara, "Now onto better news, I hear you're
moving out here tomorrow?"

"Yup, I finally get to go to the therapy floor and I start my therapy."

"Do you what you will be doing and how long you will be there?"

"That all depends on how long it takes for these legs of mine to
strengthen and then I have to learn to walk again...God you never know
how much you miss something until you don't have it," Sara says with a
tinge of sadness in her voice.

"You still have your legs and from what I know about you, you'll be
walking in no time, hell you'll be running in no time," Jim says with a
chuckle.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Jim..." Sara is interrupted by
another knock on her door, "Come in."

"Hello Miss Sidle...oh I'm sorry you have company I'll come back later."
says the woman in black scrubs.

"No please, it's time I got back to work anyway...take care of yourself
kiddo, make sure to let me know when you move."

"Sure 'dad' I will," Sara smiles at her surrogate father as he heads out
the door.

"Miss Sidle, I'm Roberta Clancy, I'm going to be your physical therapist
for the duration of your stay on the therapy floor." Roberta extends her
hand.

"Nice to meet you Roberta, what can I do for you today." Sara shakes the
offered hand.

"Well right now I'm going to do an assessment, which in plain english
means I'm going to manipulate your legs and see how much motion you have
which will determine how much therapy you'll be needing...and please
call me Bert."

"Okay Bert, do what you need to do," Sara then hits the button to lower
the head of the bed til she was laying flat.

Bert bent, stretched and twisted Sara's legs and then wrote some notes
down in Sara's chart, "So what's the verdict."

"Well you do have decent muscle tone, do you run as a hobby?"

"I try to but with my crazy schedule it's kind of hard...you see I work
as a CSI and I'm on the 12 hour nightshift, and by the time I get home
all I want to do is sleep." Sara didn't want to tell the therapist that
she also runs when a case hits too close to home.

"I can imagine...but getting back to the subject, you will have two
hours of therapy during the day, one in the morning about 10 am, and the
second probably at 1:30 pm; each session is going to be 45 miutes in
length...the first week will be doing two sessions just like this, me
manipulating your legs and over the week hopefully we can get you to
move your legs without any help from me."

As Bert is talking Sara can see Catherine through the window and motions
her to come into the room, "Hey there honey, oh I'm sorry I don't want
to interrupt...."

"Cat, this is my therapist Bert...Bert this is my partner Catherine
Willows," from the sparkle in Sara's eyes Bert didn't need to ask what
Sara meant by partner.

"Nice to meet you, Catherine...I was just going over the schedule for
Sara's therapy while on my floor..."

"Please go on I'd like to hear this too," Catherine says with
excitement.

"Well as I was just done saying the session are 45 minutes in length,
twice a day at 10am and 1:30 pm; first week I will be manipulating her
legs for her and hopefully by the end of next week she will be able to
do that on her own....The following week it's walking with the help of a
walker, normally that's done by walking around the therapy floor which
as you probably can surmise is in the round as all floors in this
hospital are in the round and it's about an eighth of a mile around so
if Sara can do that without stopping for rest by the end of week to we
work up to just a cane....then after the cane we try it without any aid
at all.

"What about stairs, my apartment building has a very unreliable
elevator?" Sara asks.

"We usually work on that during the final two weeks, when you are using
the cane and on your own...Oh and you need to have some clothes, make
sure it's something comfortable...something you'd run in for example."

"I can get that for you babe, and I can bring them by later so you'll
have them tomorrow," Catherine pipes in.

"Well now that we have all that settled, I'll see you tomorrow
downstairs...the therapy floor is down on the fifth floor...nice to have
met you Catherine." Bert then shakes both Sara's and Catherine's hand
then leaves.

"You too Bert..." Catherine shakes the therapist's hand, "damn babe are
you gonna be busy."

"Well at least I won't be sitting in my room bored out of my skull, now
come here woman," Catherine complies and Sara gives her a passionate
kiss.

"I could get used to that...oh and by the way Lindsey says hello and she
says she's okay with us dating."

"You better....Wha...what she's okay with this, how the hell did she
find out?"

"She told me she knew, I guess I get this 'starry eyed' look when I talk
about you which to her meant that I was in love with you...are you okay
with her knowing."

"Of course I am honey, and I'm glad she knows and is okay with us...now
when you get to my place go to Mrs. McKay's apartment, she's my neighbor
and has my extra key...I'd like you to make one for yourself." Sara says
shyly.

Catherine smiles with tears in her eyes, "You want me to have an extra
key...aww baby you know that means alot to me that you would trust me
with a key to your place."

"Don't cry honey besides I already trust you with the most important
thing I have...my heart." Sara says kissing Catherine once more.

Catherine hits her alarm and notices its about 4pm and she decides to get up from her sleep; she wanted some extra time so she could go get Sara's clothes and have the extra key made for herself.

Catherine had called her sister Nancy as soon as she got home from visiting Sara, and Nancy told her not to worry about Lindsey, because Nancy knew all about her sister's feelings for her co-worker and told her that because of all the running aroud she needed to do before work she would take care of Lindsey for the evening; picking her up from school, making her dinner and making sure the girl's homework was done before bed.

Catherine showers and dresses then drives towards Sara's apartment, checking the tenants list Catherine sees that Sara lives on the fourth floor in apartment 429 and Mrs. McKay was in 427; Catherine figures one side of the hallway on each floor had odd numbers and the other has the even numbers.  "Damn Sara's got her work cut out for her when she gets out of the hospital climbing these stairs," Catherine comments to herself as she finally makes it to the fourth floor and goes right to Apt. 427 and knocks.

"Coming...coming,..." The door opens and there was a older lady wearing a  house dress and slippers, "may I help you...oh wait you must be Catherine, Sara called and told me you'd be coming...one moment and let me get the extra key for you...please come in and have some tea."

"Thank you Mrs. McKay." Catherine says as she enters the elderly woman's apartment.

"Please call me Aggie, my name is Agnes but I never liked it...Sara is polite to a fault, I tell her everytime we talk that she can call me Aggie, but she insists on calling me Mrs. McKay." Aggie explains to Catherine as she offers her a seat and some tea and cookies.

"Well in our like of work we are trained to be a bit more formal, how long have you lived here Aggie...I hope  I'm not prying."

"Not at all dear, My husband Ben and I moved her about a year before Sara moved in, for a while she was a bit shy but after a few months she opened up and she became like a daughter to us...we never had any of our own so it was nice to have a young person around the place, sadly about 2 years ago I lost Ben to cancer and Sara was a great help; making funeral arrangements, staying with me through the wake and funeral...she is a sweetheart."

"That she is Aggie...that she is."

"Now I recall the name Catherine she once told me she had a crush on one of her co-workers that was named Catherine, oh I know you think that I would be old fashioned and shocked by it all but I figure everyone shoud live their life the way they want to...and you know you are prettier than even Sara described."

Catherine hides her blush behind the teacup as she finished her tea, "Thank you Aggie, I best do what I came here to do."

"Of course here is the key...you can bring it back anytime, nice to have met you...say hello to Sara when you see her, it's such a shame this had to happen to her she is lucky to have someone like you caring for her."

The two women say their goodbyes and Catherine goes next door to get the clothes for Sara; As she unlocks the door she see walls painted in soft beiges, black leather couch and chairs, on one wall a pair of oak bookshelves with a 25 inch high definition tv between them, in one corner an oak desk with some bills piled on it and against the inside wall a stereo system to rival any club on the strip.  Catherine also notices pictures of Sara and the team at holiday parties and dinners but none of the two of them, so she sadly goes into Sara's bedroom to complete her task.

Catherine notices the color of the bedroom is a bit darker than the living room and kitchen area, the bedspread is a deep orange like that of a sunset, it is there that Catherine sees what she didn't in the living room; pictures of herself and Sara hugging which were taken at the same places the others were taken, she also notices lip prints on them especially on her side of the picture.

Catherine just smiles to herself as she starts picking out clothes for Sara; ten t-shirts, ten pairs of running shorts, ten bras and ten pairs of underwear, it was there Catherine finds something interesting; an 'adult toy' with a picture of herself in a bikin taped to the end of it.

Catherine smiles at the memory of when the picture was taken; a fourth of July picnic and pool party at her place, she then finds a pair of tennis shoes that look comfortable and a pair of slippers for Sara.

Catherine then locks Sara's door and heads for the key shop Sara told her about, LUCK-KEY KEY SHOP, "How long to make a copy of this, and how much?"

"About five minutes...it'll be five dollars."

Catherine waits for the key to be made and pays for it then is on her way to the hospital; she makes it there in 20 minutes and heads right for Sara's room.

"Hey sweety...how are you?" Catherine says engulfing Sara in a hug.

"Fine now that you're here...I gather you met Mrs. McKay." Sara says giving Catherine a kiss before untangling herself from the hug.

"Oh Aggie is adorable, she told me how helpful you were to her since her husband died," this just makes Sara blush.

"Oh and I got Aggie's extra key and had one made where you told me...and who knew that you had such a flair for decorating, remind me to ask you over to help me next time Lindsey wants her room decor changed."

"No sweat...did you bring my clothes?"

"I did..." Catherine then hands the bag with the clothes and shoes over to Sara, "I also saw the pictures you have of the team..." Catherine sees Sara cringe a little, "Don't worry sweety I saw the ones of you and I..." she then leans down and kisses Sara, "the real thing is better isn't it?..." Catherine chuckles as Sara can only nod.

Catherine then closes the door and blinds and climbs on the bed and straddles Sara, leans down and whispers in Sara's ear "I also saw the one you have of me in my bikini from the fourth of July picnic..." Sara just stiffens up and turns her face away from Catherine mortified that Catherine found her toy.

Catherine turns Sara's face so the two are looking eye to eye and kisses her deeply before whispering seductively in her ear, "Baby once you get out of here, I am going to turn all your fantasies into reality."

Catherine then gets off of Sara, kisses her once more  and says, "Damn look at the time I best get to the lab, call me later baby I love you," she then gives Sara a wink and leaves.

Sara can barely believe what just happend and is brought out of her stupor by the telephone in her room, "He...Hello..."

"Don't forget to dream of me as you sleep tonight baby, because I know I'll be dreaming of you when I sleep after shift...I love you."

"I love you too Cat, have a good shift, I'll talk to you later...sweet dreams." Sara then hangs up the phone and smiles.

Catherine walks into the locker room with a spring in her step and a
smile as wide as the Grand Canyon, "Hey Cath, looks like you're in a
good mood...please tell me what's your secret."

"Well Rick it just might have to do with me seeing the woman I love."

"That's great...about time the two of you decided to come clean about
your feelings towards each other...how is Sara by the way?"

"I'll tell you all that before assignments...but the one thing I will
tell you is that she had me get an extra key for her apartment at her
neighbor's and..."

"And...and what Cath, don't leave me in suspense."

"She had me make an extra copy of her key for me." Catherine says
beaming with delight.

"Cath that's beyond great, does Grissom know because you know how he
feels about her."

"I know I just hope he doesn't take it too hard."

"Well Cath, you can't say he didn't have his chances with Sara." Rick
says before slamming his locker shut.

"I know Rick, but he's a close friend and I just hope this doesn't ruin
anything between us." Catherine then slams her locker shut.

As Catherine and Rick are about to leave the locker room they hear a
third locker slam shut and a sad looking Gil walks from behind another
bank of lockers, "It won't Catherine, I promise...now come on you two
assignments will be up in a few minutes."

Five minutes later, everyone is in the breakroom waiting for assignments
as Catherine finishes telling them about Sara, "That's great news Cath,
hopefully it won't be long until she's back here at work." Nick says.

"I know it's kinda lonely here without her..." Greg says who then loks
at Catherine, "I know Cath, she's off limits now."

Grissom enters the room and starts handing out assignments, "Nick, you
and Rick a smash and grab at a coin shop, Greg I think you still have
some paper work from your last case to finish...Catherine you and I have
a suspicious circs in Summerlin...okay let's go."

The ride to Summerlin was a quiet one; Gil was quiet because he was
processing what he heard about Catherine and Sara, Catherine was quiet
because she wasn't sure if Gil wanted to talk. As they get to the crime
scene Catherine tries to talk to Gil, "Catherine let's just this done
with then we can talk about this." Gil says somewhat curtly before
Catherine has a chance to say anything.

The two work in silence, and not the comfortable type because everytime
Catherine would try and say something Gil would either just walk away or
use the 'Let's keep conversation to the case' card, and it was hurting
Catherine and being the professional that she is, she did just that.

An hour later Catherine and Gil get back to the lab, while Gil takes the
evidence to the appropriate labs Catherine goes to her office and picks
up the phone; "Hello." came the voice from the other end.

"Hey baby how are you doing...?"

"Hey Cat how are you, I was just thinking about you, how's everything at
the lab?"

Catherine tries to speak but can only get out a soft sob, "Catherine
honey tell me what's the matter...why are you crying?"

"Gil..."

"Gil...What did Gil do to make you cry?" Sara asks trying to keep anger
out of her voice.

Catherine calms down enough to talk coherently to Sara, "After I left
the hospital and made my way here to the lab, Rick and I began talking
about how happy I was about you and I...and how you had me make a key
for your place for myself...Gil heard the whole thing and told me he was
okay with us dating, but when we were out in the field he gave me the
cold shoulder, only talking to me if it had to do with the case he and I
are on, not letting me explain about us...Oh baby, I know what his
feelings for you are but I don't want to lose him as a friend."

Sara was seeing red, 'how dare he treat someone he supposedly cares
about like that', she thought as she was listening to Catherine, "Not to
worry sweetheart, I'll talk to Grissom...remember I love you."

"I love you too Sara...sweet dreams," Catherine says as she hangs up and
heads for the DNA lab.

Grissom was about to leave his office when his phone rings, "Grissom..."

"LISTEN HERE YOU ASS, SO WHAT IF CATHERINE AND I ARE IN LOVE AND DATING
AND YOU'RE UPSET ABOUT IT, THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TREAT HER
LIKE A GOD DAMN ROOKIE, I THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER THAN THAT BUT I GUESS
NOT...AND TO THINK HOW MUCH I ADMIRED YOU..."

"Sara, I was in shock...I had to process the information..."

"THAT'S A LOAD OF CRAP GRISSOM, YOU'RE JUST ANGRY BECAUSE YOU HAD YOUR
CHANCE WITH ME AND BLEW IT...SO IF YOU EVER CONSIDERED ME A FRIEND YOU
WILL GO TO HER AND APOLOGIZE TO HER, AND IF I HEAR THAT YOU
DIDN'T...WELL YOU JUST BETTER DO WHAT I TOLD YOU," Sara thought better
of it than to threaten her boss with any type of bodily harm...she then
slams down the phone, effectively ending the conversation.

The rest of the night went by without so much as a word between
Catherine and Grissom, but once the night was over and Catherine was
finishing up in her office, "Catherine can I talk to you,"

"Only if it's about the case Gil..." Catherine shot back which didn't
surprise Gil.

"Catherine I just want to apologize for the way I acted early during
shift...It was wrong of me to treat you the way I did... I was just
shocked at the news of you and Sara dating...Please accept my
apology...friends?"

"Well it may take awhile to get back the way we were towards each...if
ever, but I'll think about it," Catherine leaves her office, leaving
Grissom in her dust.


Catherine is awakened by her cell phone ringing, "Hello," Catherine
answers, her voice still thick with sleep.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry baby I forgot that you were sleeping...I'll call
back in a little while," Sara says mentally kicking herself for waking
Catherine up.

"You will do no such thing Sara, I know that you had your first therapy
session about an hour ago and I want to hear all about it."

"Okay baby, It went pretty well Bert manipulate my legs and stretched
the muscles and I even tried to lift my legs under my own power but I
couldn't," Sara says with a disappointed tone.

"Sweety don't be discouraged, remember this is your first therapy
session, and rmemeber things aren't going to happen the first time
remember what Bert told you...it could take up to a week before you are
able to move your legs yourself."

"I know doll, I just hate hospitals and being away from you and the
team...by the way how is the team..."

"Everyone is asking about you...as for Grissom, let's just say it will
take a while before things get back to the way they were between the two
of us...can you believe he had the guts to come to me just before shift
left and try and apologize."

"He must have taken my advice..."

"What are you talking about Sara?"

"Well when you told me how he treated you I called him and I let him
have it with both barrels, I called him an ass, I told him how dare he
treat you like a rookie and that he better apologize to you for treating
you like that and that he better realize that he had his chance with me
but he lost it and that I am in love with you and I'm in it with as long
as you'll have me."

Catherine couldn't believe that Sara would do that; especially to
Grissom because she knew how much Sara admired Grissom, "You did that
for me?"

"I'd do that for anyone that I love...because what I do on my own time
should have no bearing on how I well I do my job." Sara says with
conviction.

"I think I hurt him because when he came to apologize, I asked him if he
talking to me had anything to do with the case...then after he did
apologize I told him that it would take some time for me to get over his
attitude if ever."

"Really Cath, you might end your friendship with Grissom over this?"
Sara was shocked at hearing this news.

"Sara, no one tells me how to handle myself on the job, how to live my
life and who I can or can't love...I too am in it as long as you'll have
me."

"We can talk about that once I'm out of here baby..." Sara says in a
seductive tone.

"That sounds oh so good to me darlin', by the way are you on the therapy
floor yet?"

"Oh my God, with all this talk about Grissom I forgot that's the real
reason I called..Yes I am on the fifth floor I am in Room 528, I am in
Bed number 1 right by the door...roommate is a nice older lady that had
hip surgery....the number is 555-5281, tell the guys for me will
you...don't forget Brass."

"Of course I will honey...but what about Grissom, do you want me to tell
him?"

"Not until he learns how to treat my girlfriend with respect...let him
think about his actions for a little while...Lunch just arrived hon, I
better go...sorry about waking you."

"Don't be baby, I love hearing your voice...besides I have to get some
housework done today...talk to you later...love you."

"Love you too, why don't you come up and see me sometime."

Catherine laughs at Sara's impersonation attempt, "Mae West you ain't
honey...but I think I'll come see you before shift...bye."

"Bye." Sara then starts eating her lunch.

"Hey mom, do we have anything planned for today?"

"Nothing much, what do you have in mind?"

"Well I was thinking that because you have the day off from work and I'm off school because of teacher's meetings I figured we could go see Sara this afternoon,"

"Sounds like a plan...by the way do you have all your homework done and have you cleaned your room like I asked you?"

"Well I have about 80% of the homework done....and I can clean my room right now....deal?"

"Well how about you get 100% of your homework done and clean your room we can go see Sara..."

"Okay," Lindsey says sounding defeated.

"Well I'll make a deal with you...you finish your homework and clean your room then we can go out to lunch before seeing Sara and you can pick the place where we eat."

"Deal," Lindsey's tone was lighter as she leapt upstairs to start her homework and cleaning her room.

Catherine picked up her phone and dialed a certain number, "Hello," came the voice from the other end.

"Hey the how's my favorite patient who also happens to be my woman of my dreams?" Catherine asks.

"I'm not sure, if you'd like I'll ask her or better yet let me get her so you can ask her yourself," Sara tries unsuccessfully to keep from laughing.

"Laugh at me will you...fine then Lindsey and I won't be coming to visit you later today," Catherine tries to sound serious.

"Cath...please I was kidding," Sara said in a near panic.

"Sara baby I was kidding, of course Lindsey and I will come see you...it will probably be after lunch because she has homework to finish and clean her room and I have some cleaning of my own to do."

"Cool, so it's a mother-daughter day out huh?"

"Yeah I'm off tonight and she doesn't have school...some sort of teacher's meetings going on at the school today, I'm even letting her pick the place for lunch."

"Just don't pick this place." Sara says half  joking, half serious.

"The food can't be that bad."

"If it were up to me I'd call the health department and close down the excuse of a kitchen they have here."

"Sara, you need to eat to get your strength back for your therapy sessions." Catherine says putting on her mom hat.

"Yes mother dear...." says Sara trying not to laugh.

"God you are such a smart ass..."

"But you love me anyway...right?"

"You know I do without question."

"I best be going babe, the nurse is here to get me ready for my morning therapy...what time can I expect you?"

"Not sure, but if you're not in your room I know you'll be in the therapy room...bye sweetheart."

"Bye honey."

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

As promised, Catherine allowed Lindsey to pick the place the two of them went to lunch; she picked Papa Dino's Pizzeria, and Catherine actually enjoyed it, Now it was off to see Sara.

Catherine looked at the clock and saw that she and Lindsey would be heading right to the therapy room, as soon as they got there they saw Sara sitting in her wheelchair waiting for Bert to finish with her other patient.

"SARA!!!" Lindsey squeeled as she ran to Sara, every eye in the room looked toward the voice and saw Lindsey and Catherine entering the therapy room.

"Lindsey Marie Willows, you behave or we go home right now." Catherine admonished her daughter.

"HEY LINDSEY!!!" Sara squeeled just as loud and threw her arms around the teen; Catherine knew she would be fighting a losing battle if she tried to leave with Lindsey now, but even Catherine had to admit to herself it was great to see Sara and Lindsey get along so well.

Lindsey was talking so fast and asking Sara so many questions that the brunette told the teen to "take a breath"

Catherine just walked up behind Lindsey and greeted Sara with a kiss; that was until someone said those three words: GET A ROOM.

"Bert why can't I greet my girlfriend as I wish?"

"Because you two are embarrassing both of us," Lindsey answered making all four in the little group laugh out loud.

After introducing Lindsey to Bert it was time to get started; "Okay Sara time to get to work," Bert says  as she helps Sara onto the exercise table.  Bert then put Sara through a myriad of leg exercises, bending and stretching Sara's legs to the point where Sara was sweating profusely.

"Sara did that hurt because it looked painful?" Lindsey asks with concern.

"It did a little but have you ever heard the saying... NO PAIN, NO GAIN"

"I think I have, why?"

"Well that means it hurts but the more it hurts the better my legs are getting....understand now sweety."

"I do now."

Once Sara had a chance to rest Bert brought what looked like a slide rule, "What's that thing for?"

"Well Lindsey I use this to measure how high or more exactly how many degrees off the exercise table Sara can lift her legs...so far there hasn't been much if anything." Bert says answering the teen's question.

"Well then let's see if there is any change today," Catherine says excitedly.

Bert then places Sara's legs together and places the instrument next to Sara's right leg, "Okay Sara try and lift your right leg..." to everyone's amazement Sara's leg actually moves up, "Great going Sara, it says 15 degrees."

"Now let's take a look at the left leg..." Bert says as she moves the instrument to next to Sara's left leg, "Great Sara another 15 degrees...looks like we're on the right path."

Sara couldn't say anything because of the tears streaming down her face, "Oh baby why are you crying?" Catherine asks Sara

"I'm just so happy that maybe I'll be able to walk out of here." Sara says hugging both Catherine and Lindsey, who are also crying with tears of joy.

"There's no maybe about this Sara you will be able to walk out of here," Lindsey says with conviction.

It was a pretty hectic week for both Sara and Catherine; Catherine
because she had gotten involved in a new case that kept her away from
the hospital, she was however able to call Sara during her breaks while
on shift and Sara called Catherine after every therapy session to let
Catherine know her progress. Sara was calling Catherine because not
only did she have her normal therapy during her first daily session, but
she also started walking around the therapy floor using a walker while
Bert walks behind her with a wheelchair so whenever Sara needs to rest
or is done with her times around the floor she will have the chair to
sit in and relax.

Jim has been visiting whenever time allows, Nick, Greg and Warrick also
visited her twice since she started her therapy session; Greg even
smuggled in her favorite boca burger from the lab's favorite deli.
Grissom however wasn't visiting and to Sara that was just fine because
she was still miffed at him for the way he treated Catherine, even
though Catherine had already forgiven him.

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

Catherine had the day off so she decided to visit Sara being that it had
been a week since the two had seen each other but instead of letting
Sara know she was coming, Catherine wanted to surprise Sara, Lindsey was
upset that she couldn't go with Catherine but was promised that
Catherine would take her during the weekend. Lindsey decided she would
buy something for Sara; a teddy bear in a superhero outfit with the
words 'My Hero' on the chest where the hero's symbol would be.

Catherine decides to visit Sara in the afternoon after a few hours of
sleep and a bit of house cleaning, but when Catherine isn't in her room
so she decided to check the therapy room but again no Sara and to
Catherine's surprise Bert wasn't around either.

It wasn't until Catherine was walking back toward Sara's room that she
heard Bert's voice, "Come on Sara just a few more steps...you can do
it."

"I'm exhausted Bert, I can't take one more step," came the answer from a
very tired Sara.

"Remember Sara today you go three times around...if not this part of
your therapy will go into next week and you'll have to stay here an
extra week and I know how much you hate being here."

Sara's only response to Bert was a dirty look and something that sounded
like a growling bear; Catherine took this opportunity to sneak around
and meet up with Bert and Sara and once she got there she put her finger
up to her lips and Bert realized Catherine wanted to surprise Sara.

"Okay Sara just once more around the floor and you'll be done."

"I can't do it Bert...I'm too tired."

"Not even for me?" Catherine finally piped in.

Sara turned to see Catherine behind her smiling from ear to ear, "Come
on baby you can do it...I know you can."

Sara returned the smile with a gap-tooth grin of her own which according
to Catherine was 'absolutely adorable', and kept on going.

Once back in her room, Sara got back into bed and comfortable while Bert
got her a full pitcher of water and a wet cloth to wipe the sweat and
Catherine put the teddy bear on Sara's bed table.

Catherine took the cloth and began wiping down Sara's face,"Thanks
honey...Cath, why are you crying?", Sara asks while she wipes away her
girlfriend's tears, she then hugs Catherine with all her might.

"I'm just so happy to see you taking those steps...after you were shot I
never thought you'd ever walk again, I just couldn't help it.",
Catherine says still holding Sara in her arms.

"Catherine you should know by now once someone tells me that either
something is impossible or there is something I can't do...I just have
to prove them wrong."

"Yes my dear you can be stubborn." Catherine jokes.

"But you love me anyway." Sara says flashing her gap-tooth grin once
more.

"More than anything baby...more than anything."

Catherine noticed Lindsey deep in thought as the two were eating
breakfast on a rare Saturday off for Catherine, "Penny for your thoughts
sweetie?"

"Oh...oh nothing mom, besides you're probably not going to think it's a
good idea anyway."

Catherine was intrigued at her daughter's words and decided against her
better judgement to what Lindsey's idea actually was, "No I won't just
tell me."

"What would you say if I or we asked Sara to live here with us...being
that the two of you love each other and it would be easier for Sara to
get around here than at her apartment building...right?"

Catherine's silence unnerved Lindsey, "I told you it was a dumb
idea...forget it," the teen then took her plate to the sink and rinsed
off the remnants of her breakfast.

Catherine stood in front of Lindsey to stop her from going upstairs,
"It's not that it's a dumb idea honey, we just have to check with
Sara...she may not feel right moving in here this soon but I really
can't speak for her, truthfully I wouldn't mind if she did....why not
ask her when we visit her."

"Sounds like a plan...by the way when are we going to see her?"

"Around lunchtime and as a surprise we can get her lunch because
everytime I see her she complains about the food at the hospital."

"Cool, how about some chinese because I remember you telling me that she
likes chinese."

"Great idea, we can get her that spicy tofu dish from Lin Wu's, near the
lab."

"Sounds good, can we get lunch there too...I love their sweet and sour
pork."

"Only if you clean your room."

"Okay...deal," says the teen as she makes her way to her room to start
cleaning.

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

About three hours later, Lindsey and Catherine make their way to Sara's
room with Sara's surprise lunch.

Sara is reading the forensics journal that Greg dropped off earlier in
the week; this was her first chance to read it since she has been busy
with therapy, she looks up when there is a knock on her 'door'; "Hey
there you two, to what do I owe this honor?"

"Can't a woman visit the one she loves?" Catherine asks the hypothetical
question as she hugs and kisses Sara hello.

"Okay you two...teenager in the room."

Neither woman can keep from laughing at Lindsey's statement, "Hello to
you to cutie pie..." Sara says as she hugs Lindsey, "I want to thank you
for my teddy bear, as you can see I keep him close," Sara shows Lindsey
the teddy bear on her bed table.

"You're welcome Sara...oh by the way we got you this for lunch," Lindsey
says handing the bag over to Sara who them puts the bag on her tray
table.

Sara opens the take out container and inhales the wonderful essence of
her lunch, "Thank you Lindsey, how did you know what I liked from the
chinese restaurant?"

"It was mom's idea to get you the tofu because she knew that's what you
usually get from Lin Wu's."

"She does...does she," Sara says to the teen as she winks at Catherine.

After lunch the group calls the nurse and then get Sara into a
wheelchair so they can go for a walk in the garden.

Lindsey pushes Sara to a bench after about thirty minutes in the garden
and Sara telling Lindsey what all the flowers are and their scientific
names, "Sara can I ask you a question?"

"Of course Linds what do you want to know?"

"I know you love my mom and I and we both love you so I was
wondering...wouldyoucomelivewithus?" Lindsey blurts you quickly.

Sara looks at Catherine who then gave her daughter a knowing look,
"Sweetie, Sara isn't going to be able to answer your question unless you
speak clearly and slowly," Sara just looks at the Willows women more
confused than before.

Lindsey took in a deep breath and asked again, "Would you come live with
us," she then hangs her head not wanting to look Sara in the face when
she gives her the answer.

Sara blinks and turns to Catherine who just shrugs her shoulders, "It
was her idea so I told her to ask you."

Sara then picks up Lindsey chin so she can look the teen in the eye, "As
tempting as that sounds...I'll have to say no... not right now."

Lindsey tries to walk away from the little group but Sara stops her,
"Lindsey do you know why I said no?"

"Because you really don't love us...that's why." Lindsey says defiantly.

"It's not that at all honey, I love you both with all my heart and soul
but what if your mom and I get into some sort of argument and we fight
over something that's kind of stupid...let's say your mom says or does
something that gets me mad or I do something or say something that gets
the two of you mad at me...what then...you wouldn't want us to be
fighting would you?"

"No, I guess not," Lindsey says still sad over Sara's rejection

Catherine however heard Sara say 'not right now', "Lindsey you didn't
hear Sara completely did you..." Lindsey just stares at her mother,
"honey she said 'not right now' meaning she still might...right Sara."

"Right..."Sara then turns to Lindsey, "Lindsey I'll make you a deal;
when your mom and I have been dating for a year I will move in with
you...okay?" Sara then extends her hand out for Lindsey to shake it.

"You got yourself a deal," Lindsey says hugging Sara instead of shaking
her hand.

Sara looks up at Catherine who has tears in her eyes and mouths the
words 'I love you'

Catherine mouths the words 'I love you too' and then joins in on the
hug.

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