Title: Teacher's Pet
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Catherine/Sara
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS
Summary: Catherine meets Lindsey new teacher.
Spoilers: None
A/N: This is an AU story, neither character is a CSI

The strawberry blonde at the bar intrigued the brunette so she thought she'd walk over and talk to her, 'What's the worse that could happen...I could get punched in the face, laughed at, told to get lost' the brunette thought, but she figured the pain would be worth it just to get to see this gorgeous blonde in the eye at least once tonight.

Sara walked over to the blonde, "Hi I'm Sara,"

"Catherine," at least Sara was relieved she wasn't given the cold shoulder.

"Are you okay...you seem a bit down?" Sara asks trying to be nice.

"Well if you must know I just filed for divorce from my lousy husband..." Catherine says sounding a little angier than she hoped, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap it's just that we have a daughter and I'll be damned if I want him helping me raise her."

"That's okay...I know the type I just got rid of my lousy ex-boyfriend, can you believe I was his thing on the side."

"A looker like you, no I can't" Catherine says she then quickly takes a sip of her drink trying to hide the blush on her face and hoping Sara didn't catch the flirtation in her voice.

"Why thank you, next round on me...whatcha drinkin?"

"Gin and Tonic...and you?"

"I'm drinking 7&7"

"So Catherine what brings you to this place...you do realize it is a lesbian bar?"

"Yes Sara I do, I just thought since I have had such bad luck with men I'd try my luck with women."

"Well have you had any luck...so far," Too late Sara realizes that sounded way too flirtatious.

"Not yet, but the night is young...So tell me about yourself Sara." Catherine says steering the conversation toward safer topics.

"Well I just graduated from San Francisco University with a degree in education and am hoping to get my license to teach here in Nevada...here in Vegas seems like a great place to start...how about you."

"Well, I am going to night school for college credits my father is in the hotel business and I am hoping to be as successful in Vegas as he is...he owns 2 of the hotels on the strip."

"Oh really which ones?"

"The Rampart and The Diamond Head."

"That's really wonderful....by the way what's your daughter's name?"

"Lindsey...here is her picture," Catherine pulls a wallet size photo of the little girl from her purse.

"Wow she's adorable...but if she's anything like her mommy here she will be a knockout when she's older," Sara quickly sips her drink hoping again Catherine didn't hear her.

"Flattery will get you everywhere." Catherine whispers, "Hey let's go dance.."

"I..I don't know how to."

"That's okay, just follow my lead," Catherine says as she leads Sara out to the dance floor; Sara is mesmerized by Catherine's hips and butt and she can't help but hold on for dear life because she's afraid she'll melt at Catherine's feet.

As the song ends Catherine pulls Sara close and kisses her deeply, "Let's get out of here...I hope you realized that since I've been here my eyes have been on you."

"I was hoping that because mine were on you...wait what about your daughter?"

"My sister has her for the night."

"Good let's go to my place..it's right around the corner," With that the two women leave and head for Sara's apartment.

The groping and kissing continues as they make it inside Sara's apartment, "Bedroom's this way." is all Sara says as she leads Catherine to her bedroom

Their lovemaking last long into the night and into the early morning, Catherine gets up alone in the strange bed, but somehow doesn't feel ashamed; she also smell bacon and eggs cooking, so she finds her blouse and undies and heads for the kitchen and sees Sara cooking her breakfast.

"Good Morning Hon...hope you slept well?"

"I did thanks...is this for me."

"Of course...one should always start the day with a good breakfast."

Catherine laughs, "You sound like a teacher already."

"Thanks...as soon as we're done we can go back to the bar and get your car, I called Sam and told her to keep an eye on it."

"Thanks you didn't have to...sounds like you're a regular"

"Every Saturday Night..." It was Sara's turn to laugh, she then turns serious, "besides I wanted to do this for you," she then leans in a kisses Catherine.

After breakfast, Sara true to her word drives Catherine to pick up her car, "Thanks for a wonderful time Sara, you are a very special person to me as of right now..." Catherine then reaches into her pocket for a pen and pad of paper, "here is my address and phone number...do not hesitate to call."

"Oh you better believe I will and here is my address and phone number, not that you really don't know where I live already."

Sara then watches Catherine get in her car and drive away, "Yup, I'm gonna love it here in Vegas."

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

Six months later, Catherine and Sara have been dating seriously for 3 months and Sara finally got her teaching credentials for Nevada.

"Mom don't forget that you have the meeting with my new teacher after school....But not to worry I'm sure you'll like Miss Sidle she's really great."

"How can I not with such a glowing endorsement from you....3;30 right?"

"That's right...well Aunt Nancy's here...see you later."

"Bye baby see you later."

Three-thirty rolls around and Catherine heads into Truman Elementary, "Miss Sidle's classroom please," Catherine asks the secretary, who gives Catherine the room number.

Catherine sees Lindsey waiting outside the classroom, "Hey sweety waiting long?"

"No...come on in I can't wait for you to meet Miss Sidle," Lindsey says as she nearly drags Catherine into her classroom.

Lindsey's teacher has her back to the two Willows women,"Mom, this is Miss Sidle......Miss Sidle, this is my mom Catherine Willows."

Catherine is shocked as Lindsey's teacher turns around, "Sara...you...You're Lindsey's teacher."

"Mom, you know Miss Sidle?"

Sara answers the girl's question before Catherine can open her mouth, "Yes Lindsey, I know your mother...she and I met six months ago and have been dating seriously for the past three."

"Is this true mom?"

"It is Lindsey, remember I told you I've been dating someone special lately?"

"Yea..." then it dawns on the girl, "You mean Miss Sidle is the person you are dating?"

"Yes...do you have a problem with it?"

"Not at all, but now the big question; do either of you have a problem with it?"

"Yes", comes from one side of the desk while a "No" comes from the other.

"Why would you have a problem with it mom?"

"Yes Catherine, why would you have a problem dating me?" Sara nearly repeats the question word for word.

Catherine thought it wouldn't be right to have this discussion in the school, so she had Lindsey and Sara follow her out to the parking lot where not many people would be able to see them; none of them said a word as they made their way out to the parking lot.

Sara and Lindsey were both getting impatient waiting for Catherine's answer to their question; and it finally came, "Sara, I'm only thinking of you...what if the school or worse yet the school board found out about you being gay."

"They already know...I told them when I interviewed for this job..."

"And besides mom you know the music teacher Mr. Moore and the art teacher Mr. Brooks..." Lindsey says in defense of Sara.

"You mean the two of them are...." Catherine says in a state of somewhat disbelief.

"Gay, yes Catherine the two of them are gay and the school knows about them too...so Catherine I'm asking you please answer the question."

Catherine's silence is deafening, and then as if hit by a bolt of lightning Sara realizes why Catherine is acting the way she is, "You're afraid being gay will hurt your standing in the community...not to mention your family probably doesn't know about us."

"Of course they do, I told Grandma Lily and Grandpa Sam about mom being in love with someone, because they both noticed how happy mom has been lately," Lindsey admits innocently.

"But they don't know it's another woman...right?"

"Until now I didn't know mom was dating another woman."

"I guess I should have known this was too good to be true...it was fun while it lasted Catherine...have a nice life...and don't worry I don't let my personal life invade my professional life..." Sara says trying to fight back tears.

"Bye Miss Sidle see you tomorrow," Lindsey gives her teacher a half-hearted wave as she get into her mom's car.

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

It had been nearly a month since the scene in the school parking lot and no one was getting over it; Lindsey was acting up not only at home but at school, Sara wasn't the same happy person she was when she started; she had turned sullen and depressed, but for the sake of the students she tried to keep up appearances at school, but at home she was drinking a twelve pack of beer a night just to forget about Catherine, Catherine was the worst; she wasn't eating or sleeping and her studies like those of Lindsey were slipping.

"Mom, why not call her and apologize?"

"It's not that easy, I hurt her really bad and I don't know if she will forgive me; Hell I can't even forgive myself."

"You love her don't you?"

"Lindsey don't start that again."

"Do you?"

"Lindsey, I'm warning you..."

"Mom you always tell me to tell the truth, now I'm asking you to do the same...Do you love Miss Sidle?"

Catherine couldn't hide the tears anymore, "God I do, more than I've loved anyone else ever in my life."

"So call her and tell her you're sorry."

"What if she doesn't accept my apology."

"Well then you move on...but you won't know unless you try...why not invite her over for dinner next Friday and then invite Grandma and Grandpa and then you will find out if they like her and your trouble will be over."

"She may not want to talk to me after what happend?"

"Then you invite Grandma and Grandpa and i'll invite Miss Sidle...and I know she won't say no to me."

"Oh and how do you know this?"

"We Willows women have that certain something that people just can't say no to."

Catherine chuckles at her daughter's joke... thinks about her idea for a minute, "Okay you got yourself a deal...God I hope this works...I miss Sara so much."

"And I miss how happy she made you."

As usual Sara is waiting just outside her classroom as most teachers do
to welcome their students to a new day at school, she sees Lindsey and
gives her a smile; it's a sad smile but a smile just the same.

"Miss Sidle, can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure sweety what can I do for you?"

"Well I don't want to ask now I'll wait until after school and ask you
the favor then."

"Sure sweety no problem," Sara then escorts Lindsey into the classroom
and begins the lessons for the day.

Meanwhile at the Willows home Catherine finishes the breakfast dishes
and decides to make a phone call, "Hi mom, I have something I'd like to
ask you....no not on the phone how about we meet at the diner down the
street from my place for lunch and we can talk then....thanks mom...I
love you too, see you around 12:30...bye."

"Well that's the first step, I just hope Lindsey can get Sara to come
over," with that Catherine starts her chores and as soon as she is done
with those, begins to do the homework from her classes at night school.

Soon enough it's time for Catherine to get ready for her lunch with her
mom, so she ger dressed and heads out to the diner where she is to meet
her mom.

She makes it to the Desert Rose Diner in about 10 minutes and as usual
her mom is early and waiting for her, "Hi darling, how are you
doing...you don't really look to good?"

"I'm okay it's just that I am studying late into the night then getting
up to get Lindsey off to school," Catherine says hoping her mom will buy
the excuse.

"Well from what Lindsey tells me you are having a bit of trouble in your
personal life...is Eddie trying to come back into the picture?"

Catherine is shocked that Lindsey would tell her grandmother things
about what's going on at home but then realizes that this is the girl's
only real outlet and she really didn't mind, "No it isn't Eddie...to
tell you the truth it's my new relationship that is giving me trouble."

"Is this new person being mean to either you or Lindsey because neither
your dad or I will stand for you going through anything like you did
with Eddie."

"No mom it's actually me....I care about this person, but I thought it
best that we don't see each other anymore."

"Why honey...why would you call it off?"

"I'd rather not tell you right now, how about you and dad come over for
dinner Friday night and we can talk about it then...and hopeful meet
this new person in my life"

"Okay honey, I'm sure we can make it what time would you like us at your
place?"

"How about 6:30, this way Lindsey can get home from school and be
finished with her homework before you two show up and that way she won't
need to do any over the weekend."

"Sounds like a plan to me, do you want me to bring anything for the
dinner?"

"No mom that's okay, I think between Lindsey and I we can think of
something for dinner."

"Okay honey just asking...so what looks good on the menu, I'm looking at
the BLT on rye what about you?"

"Sounds good to me with a side of cole slaw and an iced tea."

Lunch goes better than planned and as Catherine is driving home she
wonders out loud her same concern from earlier, "I hope Lindsey can
convince Sara to come over Friday."

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

At 3:00 pm sharp the school bell rings ending the school day and all the
kids grab their books and jackets and run for the door out to their
waiting moms and dads who have come to pick them up.

Lindsey however stays behind to talk to Miss Sidle, "Miss Sidle remember
I wanted to talk to you?"

"Of course Lindsey, so what's on your mind?"

"Well it's actually you."

"Me why are you thinking about me?"

"Well it's really you and my mom...please Miss Sidle just listen..."
Lindsey begs her teacher and the girl breathes a sigh of relief when
Sara sits down.

"What about your mom and I?"

"Well you see Miss Sidle ever since the scene in the parking lot things
for my mom haven't been the same; she isn't eating well, she hardly
sleeps, she tries to study after I go to bed but all I can hear is her
crying and muttering 'What a damn fool I am, why did I do that to Sara',
and because she isn't studying well her grades are slipping and she may
be kicked out of night school if she her grades don't get better."

Sara could hardly believe her ears; Catherine actually is as sad as she
is about what happend nearly a month ago, "She isn't the only one
feeling bad, I haven't been myself lately as I'm sure you've noticed
lately."

"Yes I have that's why I was wondering if you'd like to come over to our
house for dinner this coming Friday night, this way you and mom can talk
out your problems...I think mom is planning on having my grandma and
grandpa over so you can meet them too."

Sara thought about it for a second; especially the part about meeting
Catherine's parents which scared her a bit but if Catherine was going to
go to the trouble of inviting them she should probably try to go and
meet them and who knows it might work out for the best; besides she
missed Catherine something awful, "Okay Lindsey I'll come...what time
should I come over?"

"Probably about 6:15...oh and I heard you tell people you were a
vegetarian so I'll get mom to cook something you can eat."

Sara was happy that the little girl thought about her not eating meat
and that made her smile, "You know I'd love to come so I'll be there at
6:15."

"Hey how about you wait outside with me for my mom to come pick me
up...I'm sure she'd love to see you."

"Okay let me get my stuff, that way I can leave as soon as I see you
off," Sara then collects her belongings and heads out with Lindsey to
meet Catherine.

Fifteen minutes later Catherine drives up in her minivan, "Hey mom how
was your day?" Lindsey asks as she opens the door.

"Fine and yours?"

"Great...see who came with me to wait for you.." It was then that
Catherine sees Sara and gives her a small smile of hello.

Sara notices Lindsey having trouble with her backpack and offer a hand
to help her; at the same time Catherine reaches out to help and the two
women's hands touch and a blush rises over both faces.

"See you tomorrow Miss Sidle."

"Bye Lindsey...Take care Catherine."

"You too Sara...all buckled in...let's go home baby?" Catherine says
trying to hide the blush and the smile that is creeping across her lips.

"So how was school today?"

"It was great and by the way Miss Sidle is coming to dinner Friday as I
knew she would," Lindsey says with a triumphant smile.

"Well then she can meet Grandpa Sam and Grandma Lily because they are
coming too...what time did you tell Sa...Miss Sidle to come over?"

"Well I told her 6:15...is that okay...oh and by the way she is
vegetarian."

"That's fine, I told grandma 6:30, maybe Miss Sidle and I can talk a few
things out before your grandparents come over...and as for her being a
vegetarian I do have that recipe for eggplant parmesan I can make...I
hope she'll like it....and by the way how did you get so smart."

"To answer your meal question, I'm sure she'll love it because as I know
you are a great cook...and as for your second question about me being
smart, I come by it rightly because I have such a smart mom."

"I love you Lindsey....thanks for helping me through this."

"I love you too mom...and don't worry everything will work out for you
and Miss Sidle, I just know it."

"I hope you're right."

Catherine is more nervous than she thought she'd be, seeing that it was nearing 6 pm and Sara would be over in about 20 minutes, "Calm down mom...it's only Miss Sidle, it's not like the President of the United States or the Queen of England is coming over and besides Grandma and Grandpa will be here to so it's not going to be that bad."

"I'm sorry honey, I guess I'm just a bit nervous....I'm sure you know the reason."

"Yes I do, but think of it this way if Miss Sidle didn't ever want to see you again do you think she would have accepted my offer of coming over for dinner?"

"You know Lindsey you're right now please put the dressing on the salad while I put the garlic bread in the oven."

A few minutes later as Catherine was putting the finishing touches on her outfit; which was a silk blouse in robin's egg blue and a nice pair of dark blue jeans, she hears the doorbell ring; "I'll get it," she hears Lindsey yell from the living room.

Catherine gets downstairs just as Lindsey is opening the door to let Sara in, "Miss Sidle, you made it...i'm so glad you came." Lindsey says as she opens the door.

"I told you I'd come and I am not one to break a promise..." Sara says as she leans down to give the girl a proper hug; a scene that makes Catherine stop and smile.

"And Lindsey, when we see each other out of school or doing anything school related please call me Sara,"

"Did you hear that mom Miss Sidle says I can call her Sara as long as we aren't doing any school related things or out of school."

"That's great honey..." Catherine says to Lindsey, she then turns her attention to Sara, "I'm so glad you came, we have so much to talk about."

"I know...by the way I brought this," Sara reveals a bag with two bottles; one with a red wine for the adults and the other with sparkling grape juice for Lindsey, "I figured this way Lindsey would'nt feel left out."

Instinctively Catherine pulls Sara into a hug, "Thank you so much for thinking of her..." she then realizes what she did and begins to pull away.

"Please Catherine don't pull away I missed this so much," Sara whispers in Catherine's ear.

"So did I babe...so did I."

Lindsey notices the hug her mom and Sara are in and gives a satisfied smile as if something she had planned was working, "Come on Sara, sit down and relax...you too mom dinner is almost done and grandpa and grandma will be here in a few minutes."

The two women do as they are told, "Dinner sure smells good, what's on the menu?"

"In your honor we are having mom's famous Eggplant Parmesan."

"You didn't have to do that for me Catherine."

"I know Sara, I wanted to...I wanted to show you how sorry I was for the way I reacted when I found out you were Lindsey's teacher and I thought this dinner would go a long way in my starting to apologize to you not only for that but for the way I've been acting towards you lately."

"No need to apologize Catherine, once I saw Lindsey's name on my class roster I should have come right out and told you and maybe we could have avoided all this."

Just before the discussion gets too intense the doorbell rings once more, "Grandma and Grandpa are here," Lindsey says as she runs to open the door for Sam and Lily.

Both women stand up to greet the couple, "Mom, Dad this is Sara Sidle...she's Lindsey's school teacher this year."

"Nice to meet you both," Sara cordially says as she greets them and shakes hands with them both.

"Is this the person you were telling me about earlier this week at lunch dear?" Lily asks getting right to the point.

"Yes mom it is," Catherine answers sheepishly.

"So you and my daughter were seeing each other...so that's what I've been told," Sam says to Sara.

"Yes sir...that was until about a month ago," Sara answers, a bit of sadness in her voice.

"Why aren't you seeing her anymore...do you think you are to good for her?" Sam starts asking in an angry tone.

"It's not that at all sir...Catherine is the one the broke it off with me...you see, she and I were seeing each other over the summer, I then got a teaching job and began teaching a class that including Lindsey and when Catherine found out I was her teacher, she was the one that ended it not me." Sara explains.

"Is this true Muggs...you were seeing Miss Sidle here and when you found out she was Lindsey's teacher you broke it off and broke her heart."

"Yes dad," Catherine admits.

"But why honey....she seems so nice and Lindsey always speaks highly of her when she talks to me about school, why would you do something like that?" It was Lily's turn to ask Catherine.

"I was scared mom."

"Scared of what Muggs?"

"Scared that the business community wouldn't take me seriously if it were to come out that I was a lesbian."

"Come on now Muggs, you know the rule here in Vegas; What happens in the boardroom stays in the boardroom and what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom"

"What about that time the police thought you were involved with some illegal activities when it came to the Mob?"

"Remember Catherine none of that was ever proven, and besides I have been nothing but honest to law enforcement."

"So you don't mind that I am in love with a woman?"

"Hell no as long as she make you happy and doesn't hurt either you or Lindsey your mother and I are behind you 100%."

"Mr. Braun I promise that I will never make your daughter or granddaughter doubt me or my love for either of them."

Lindsey pipes in, "Now let's eat I don't know about the rest of you but I'm starving," with that the rest of the group make their way to the dining room and sit around the dining room table and enjoy the meal Catherine and Lindsey made.

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

Later that evening after the dinner dishes were washed and put away and the leftovers are put in the refrigerator, Sam and Lily have left taking Lindsey with them for the weekend thinking Catherine and Sara could use the time alone, the two women are sipping wine out on the porch looking up at the stars.

"I'm so glad tonight turned out as well as it did."

"So am I, not only did I get my girlfriend and lover back, I became part of her family."

"Sara...baby, again I want to apologize for the way I acted this past month...God knows I never meant to hurt you and I promise with all the love I have for you in my heart ...I'll never do it again as long as I live."

"There is no need to, and as I said earlier if I had told you that I was going to be Lindsey's teacher right from the start none of this would have happend...so I am the one that's sorry."

"Okay so we are both share a little of the blame here and we're both sorry, and we're both ashamed at the way we acted towards each other this past month....but you know the one thing I am not nor will I ever be ashamed of ever."

What's that honey?"

"Being in love with you...I love you Sara Sidle."

"I love you too Catherine Willows."