Title: Together
Author: Lora
Pairing: Cath/Sara
Rating: PG-13 for 2 naughty words
Keywords: Cath POV, Sara Angst, Domestic Violence
Word Count: 680

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You smile, knowing that soon you'll get to see her. Shift's almost begun and you're waiting in the rest room, pretending to read some beauty magazine but your thoughts drift to the other woman. You glance at the women on the pages and each time you see her face. She's been off sick for almost a week and you have to admit that you've been going insane without her.

You hear footsteps and don't look up, pretending not to notice, secretly hoping that when you finally look up she'll be there. As you raise your eyes you're met with her back as she turns on her heel and practically runs down the hall.

Slowly you push open the bathroom door and you can hear her purging, so you race to the cubicle she's in but the door is locked.

"Sara?"

The purging stops and you're left in silence.

You knock on the door.

"Leave me alone Catherine." her raspy voice breaks the silence.

Hurt by the anger in her voice you consider leaving but something inside tells you to stay.

Minutes later she comes out, thinking you've gone.

You can't stop the horror from twisting your face as you see her.

She turns away instinctively at the look in your eyes, wrapping her arms protectively around her waist.

"Sara..."

"Cath, don't. Please just leave it." the tears well in her swollen eyes and you desperately want to reach up and wipe them away.

"Was it him? Did Paul do this to you?" you ask, the anger evident in your voice. You want to drive to their house right now and shoot the bastard in the throat.

"What does it matter huh? It's done."

"Sara, it matters that this guy is using you as a punch bag. I thought you'd gotten rid of that slimy bastard."

She shrugs and you close your eyes as you see a younger version of yourself staring back. You'd been in this position before, always coming back after each bruise, broken bone and cut had healed.

"You need to leave him for good, before he kills you."

She covers her battered face with trembling hands as the tears fall and you reach towards her, holding her as she sobs into your shoulder.

"It's ok Sara, let it out. You're safe now." You stroke the back of her head, your own tears falling into her hair.

"I left him Catherine, I did..."

"After we talked last time?"

She nods and steps back, wiping her eyes.

"He moved into his friends place and I thought I'd seen the last of him but, last week he broke in while I was here and waited for me."

She looks at the floor.

As much as you're longing to lean in and kiss her, you hold back. You refuse to use her moment of vulnerability to satisfy your desires.

"Go on..."

"he started yelling at me and we argued, I told him to get out or I was calling the cops. He laughed and attacked me. Kicked me while I was curled up on the floor, I couldn't fight back Catherine, I really couldn't..."

You nod and tell her it's ok.

"I was in the hospital all this week, I really thought I was going to die Catherine."

You wish she'd called you, you wish you could have sat with her in the hospital and held her hand, you wish you could take all her hurt and throw it away.

You slip your fingers into her hand and she entwines her fingers with yours.

"You're going to be ok Sara, I promise. We'll get through this together."

She nods and you smile, reassuring her.

She surprises you by pressing her lips against your own, for a brief but meaningful kiss. You can taste the tears on her cherry lips and when she pulls away you reach up and wipe them away.

"Together" she whispers "we can overcome anything."

She smiles for the first time since you saw her and you smile back, as you leave the bathroom together, hand in hand.

END

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