Title: Exorcising Ghosts
Author: Ann
Pairing: Sara/Sofia
Fandoms: CSI
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I own no one.
Note: Special thanks to Debbie for her beta and her continued show of support in all my writing endeavors.
Summary: A chance meeting and a seemingly routine murder force Sara to come face to face with the ghosts of her past.

***

Chapter 1

Three co-workers sat in the corner booth of a local diner, discussing the events of the evening. Listening to their conversation, one wouldn't dream that each was highly qualified to investigate even the most difficult and challenging of crime scenes.

Nick talked of making cast after cast of tire impressions while Warrick complained of rummaging through three different dumpsters for most of the night. Now, Sara? Sara was the one who'd impress a potential eavesdropper with her talk of the uses of UV lighting, hemident blood testing, biohazard bags, fire bags, ABFO scales, and the list went on and on as the three discussed the brunette's apparent arson case.

Leaning back in his seat, Nick smiled and made an exaggerated wafting motion with his hand, saying, "Whoa, Warrick. You really need to sit downwind of the air conditioning vent."

Sara chuckled as Warrick punched his friend in the arm, but her attention was temporarily diverted to the entrance as the bell above the door tinkled with the arrival of a new customer, a man dressed in worn clothes with shoulder length brunette hair.

The CSI watched the man's progress as he moved to the breakfast bar and rummaged in his pocket looking for spare change. Slowly, he pulled out coin after coin, sliding the money to the side as he appeared to be keeping a running total. Satisfied with the amount, he sat down on the stool and beckoned a waitress forward.

The older woman scowled at the customer and made some comment, but the man merely gestured to the money lying on the bar. The bleached blonde nodded her head and quickly scooped up the change and, turning, she moved to the coffeepot where she poured a mug full of coffee.

Something about him seemed so familiar to Sara, but she was sure they'd never met. She continued to listen to her colleagues, adding a few comments here and there; however, she kept a close eye on the mysterious customer.

The bell chimed once again but, this time, Sara knew the newcomer. In fact, she knew her rather well. Smiling, she motioned Sofia over to join them.

As Sara stood to allow the detective to slide into the booth, she noticed the man had also risen. He took one more sip of his coffee and turned to leave, but not before his gaze fell on the tall brunette standing near a side booth.

Dark eyes bore into dark eyes as the two stared at each other in shock, almost as if they were each seeing a ghost. The man's mouth dropped open, revealing a tiny gap between his teeth, and he started to take a step forward, but his progress stopped as if there were some sort of invisible shield holding him back.

Sara was completely frozen in place, swept back to a time she never wanted to experience again, ever, and she silently questioned her sanity, asking, 'How could this be possible?'

He was dead; she'd seen him die. She'd seen the blood flow from the wound as he frantically tried to push it back into the gaping hole; the droplets betraying him as they slowly fell to the floor. She'd watched mesmerized as the red drops hit the wood floor and bounced upwards much like a spring rain on the sidewalks of the street.

When Sara didn't respond to Nick's teasing remark that the brunette should pick up the tab since she'd pulled the best case of the night, Sofia turned towards her friend, expecting to see one of those classic Sidle stares, and Sara was staring alright, only it was more catatonic in nature. Sliding out of the booth, Sofia softly called the investigator's name.

As a warm hand touched her arm, and a soft voice spoke her name, seemingly from somewhere far, far away, Sara tried to refocus on her surroundings and pull herself from her vivid memories, but the stubborn images wouldn't leave, clinging to her thoughts and refusing to let go. Closing her eyes, she let them take her away.

The glint from the steel of the knife had pulled Sara's focus off the droplets of blood, and she'd lifted her head to see her mother laughing manically as she'd plunged the knife into her father, again and again, until he'd finally slumped to the floor, his eyes wide and glassy.

He'd looked right at Sara as life slowly drained from his body. The young girl had stared back into her father's eyes, his fear palpable, and Sara had felt a pang of guilt for being glad that he was afraid.

The sensation of something cool pressed against her cheeks, and it slowly made its way across her forehead and down the other side of her face. Sara lifted her head, craving the soothing touch as the horrific memories faded into the darkness when the soft voice filtered into her consciousness.

"Sara, Sara? Can you hear me? Say something, please," Sofia pleaded, gently pressing the damp cloth on the brunette's pale cheeks.

"Sofia?" Sara answered hoarsely, finally opening her eyes, relieved to see clear blue ones staring back at her.

"Hey, how are you? You scared us back there. Nick wanted to call 911, but Warrick and I decided to move you into the manager's office," the detective explained, moving the cloth from the brunette's cheek and replacing it with her hand as she lightly stroked the smooth skin.

Sara moved to sit up, and Sofia quickly assisted the brunette, saying, "Easy, now. I don't want you fainting on me."

Getting her bearings, the investigator glanced around the room, noting a small desk and chair along with the love seat she was currently seated on. She and Sofia were the only two in the room.

"Where're Nick and Warrick?"

"Grissom paged them. He needed both of them back at the lab. He wanted you to go, too, but Nick told him you weren't feeling well. I promised to stay and make sure you got home okay," Sofia explained, removing her hand from Sara's cheek.

Immediately missing the warmth, Sara had to force herself not to lean forward, seeking the comfort it had provided. The brunette opened her mouth to thank the blonde for tending to her when she suddenly realized she had no idea what had happened.

"Sofia? How did I get in here?"

"Warrick and Nick carried you," the detective supplied. "Um…for lack of a better description, you just kind of spaced out. It was weird, Sara. One minute you're smiling, and the next you're zoned out."

The investigator frowned; she remembered arriving at the diner, ordering breakfast, joking with the guys, and being happy that Sofia had been able to make it for coffee. She'd invited the detective to join her before she left the crime scene. Sofia had helped load up the Denali and had teased that the investigator owed her a cup of coffee. Sara had surprised the blonde with an invitation to meet her after shift.

Allowing her memories to play out, Sara concentrated on her last recollection. Sofia had entered the diner in her usual commanding style and had smiled when she spotted the trio sitting in the booth. The brunette had returned the infectious smile and, just as she stood to allow the blonde to slide into the booth, she'd seen him.

Chapter 2

"Shit! Sofia, where did that guy go?"

"Guy? What guy?"

"The homeless looking guy sitting at the counter; he was getting up to leave when you got here," Sara explained, standing abruptly and startling the detective with her sudden move.

"Hey, don't be jumping around like that," Sofia scolded. "I can't pick you up by myself if you faint again."

Rolling her eyes, Sara replied, "I don't think I really fainted."

"Well then, what would you call it?" The detective asked, putting her hands on her hips, daring Sara to deny the truth; the brunette had literally dropped like a stone on the floor of the diner.

"Not fainting," the investigator answered cheekily, realizing she couldn't very well come out and tell the blonde that she'd suffered a mini-breakdown.

Sofia tilted her head and frowned as she ran through her limited options. Should she argue with the person who'd just recently been unresponsive, or should she count her blessings that the investigator seemed to be back to normal? Or, perhaps the detective should do what she did best, detect.

"Why are you so interested in this man? Is he a suspect in one of your cases?"

The table turned suddenly and, now, it was time for Sara to weigh her options. Should she trust Sofia with her innermost secrets or make up some feasible explanation? She really didn't want to lie to the blonde as the two had only recently started to become friends and, if Sara was honest with herself, she'd admit that she wouldn't mind one bit if their friendship just happened to turn into something a little more; however, for the time being, the brunette settled for a partial truth.

"I don't know who he is; I just know who he's not," Sara answered cryptically, wondering how she could possibly explain the not knowing part of her brief reply.

The detective bit her lower lip in thought; Sara never made anything easy, but this particular response was lacking even for a typical Sidle answer. The brunette usually managed to get her point across and, on most occasions, the point was rather sharp in nature; however, this time, there didn't seem to be a point at all.

"Sara? What the hell are you talking about?"

Running her hand through her dark hair, Sara replied, "I'm not sure of anything, Sofia. There's got to be a reasonable explanation for this guy's resemblance to . . . Oh, man. Is it possible?" The brunette suddenly began to pace, her mind whirling with her new theory.

Frustrated, Sofia stepped into the investigator's path and exclaimed, "Damn it, Sara. Tell me what the hell is going on."

"Um, it's entirely possible that he's my brother. I haven't seen him since he ran away from home as a teenager. He never tried to contact me, and I never went looking for him," Sara stated simply, honestly, and to the point.

Sofia was both surprised and pleased that Sara hadn't skirted around the truth or manufactured some story to explain her interest in the mystery man. The brunette had always been so guarded when it came to her personal life, and the blonde hoped with this admission that they were moving towards a closer friendship. Contemplating the possible change in their relationship, the detective realized a true friend would first and foremost be concerned with Sara's health. Everything else would just have to wait.

"Why don't I take you home so that you can get some rest? You can give me more details about this guy on the drive to your place, and then I can ask around and see if any of the uniforms have encountered anyone fitting his description on their patrols," Sofia suggested casually, trying to pacify the investigator by promising to pursue the matter further and hoping the brunette would take her up on her offer.

Sara had every intention of objecting to the detective's proposal; however, she readily accepted that she could use the time alone to conduct an internet search which would hopefully yield some answers, and if that didn't pan out, she could always accept Officer Karen Smith's invitation to go out for drinks in exchange for information from the LVPD computer operator.

As the pair left the room, Sofia expressed her gratitude to the owner for the use of his office while a red-faced Sara glanced around, avoiding eye contact with the man. She'd thank him personally the next time she visited the diner but, for now, she just wanted to get out of the place. She did force herself to manage a smile for the man as the two moved towards the exit.

Sara's nerves were rattled once again when the chiming bell above the door caused a shiver to run down her spine, but she gamely walked through, following Sofia to her car.

Pulling into an empty space in front of Sara's apartment building, the detective asked, "Sure you don't want me to come up with you? I could stay with you for awhile; you're still a little pale."

"Thanks, but I'm feeling okay now. Besides, you need to get some sleep. You're working tonight, aren't you?"

"Actually, I'm not. Brass asked me to trade with him," Sofia replied, grinning widely. "I think he's got a hot date tomorrow night."

Chuckling, Sara said, "Well, I hope so. It's good to know somebody's enjoying life."

"Yeah, I'm glad for him," Sofia concurred, her voice trailing off, wishing she were the one with the hopes of a new relationship. She was tired of living solely for the job.

A shrill ringing had both women reaching for their cells, and Sara smiled, holding hers up to indicate the illuminated display. Checking the caller ID, she flipped the phone open and greeted frostily, "Yes, Grissom?"

Sofia eavesdropped on the one-sided conversation, suppressing the laugh that threatened to break free. From the responses she was hearing, Grissom was insisting that Sara take the night off, but Sara didn't seem to think it was necessary.

"I'm not sick! I just had a little um, . . . sinking spell," Sara replied, wincing at her poor choice of words, but equally determined to hold her ground.

A brief silence ensued as the brunette listened carefully to her supervisor's reply, and Sara suddenly frowned as a decidedly worried look passed over her face. Finally, she took her turn to speak, protesting, "What? No, no, that's not necessary, Grissom."

Another long pause. "I won't let you in," Sara threatened and then added after a beat, "I said no."

The detective leaned back in her seat and watched Sara's expressions change as she became more irritated at her caller. Grissom and Sara bantered back and forth, neither willing to concede the argument until, all of a sudden, Sara just gave up.

"Fine. I promise not to stay by myself today, but I don't want you coming over. Sofia has already offered to play nurse," Sara replied, closing her phone without offering so much as a goodbye.

In the driver's seat, Sofia bided her time, waiting patiently for Sara to calm down; she'd learned through working with the investigator that it wasn't wise to talk to her until she'd had time to cool down. The detective's previous use of sarcasm through the years had definitely not been the way to handle the brunette when she was angry.

Sara finally broke her silence as she reached for the door handle. "Sofia, I want to thank you for helping me out today. You don't really have to stay with me; I just had to tell Grissom something to get him off my back. I'd appreciate knowing if you find out anything about the man from the diner."

Noticing that the brunette hadn't referred to the man as her brother, Sofia wisely just nodded her head, offering, "I'm just glad I was there to help, but, Sara, I would feel better if you'd let me stay with you for just a bit." Teasing, she added, "I'd love to see the inside of the infamous Sidle refuge?"

Rolling her eyes, Sara opened the door and invited, "Well, if you insist. I'll even give you the V. I. P. tour."

Not waiting for the investigator to change her mind, Sofia quickly climbed from the car and followed the brunette up the short flight of stairs.

Just as Sara placed the key in the door, Sofia smiled and said, "You know, I've always wanted to play nurse."

Chapter 3

The key fell directly to the mat, and Sara almost hit her head on the doorknob trying to retrieve the fallen object. The images Sofia had just planted in her brain short-circuited any earlier thoughts, and the horrendous visuals of her father's death were supplanted by a vision of loveliness, or more aptly, the sexiest thing the investigator could've ever dreamed up. Sara knew her nightmare would return once again, but she planned on enjoying her current daydream for as long as possible.

Sofia smirked and patiently waited for Sara to gain purchase on the key. She was taking great pleasure in teasing the investigator, silently hoping that the playfulness would continue and that the brunette wouldn't suddenly clam up and slide into one of her silent moods.

Sara had a tendency to freeze up just when she'd started to relax and feel comfortable around the beautiful detective and, this time, Sofia hoped to keep the investigator from becoming so reticent.

Finally, Sara managed to slide the key in the lock and open the door. Red-faced, she motioned Sofia to enter the apartment first while she tried desperately to gain control of her emotions. The detective seemed to make her nervous every time they spent quality time together, and Sara didn't want to ruin the moment by saying or doing something foolish.

"Um…would you like something to drink?" The brunette asked, closing the door behind her and following the blonde into the den.

"No, I'm fine, but if you'd like something, please, allow me to get it for you," Sofia replied, gesturing toward the couch and adding, "Why don't you lie down, and then you can tell me what really happened to you in the diner?"

Sara's head snapped up at the detective's words. "I feel fine, and I told you…nothing happened at the diner!"

Sofia held up her hand in apology, and the investigator immediately regretted her tone.

"I'm sorry, Sofia. I'm just feeling a little out of sorts right now." Moving towards the couch, the brunette took a seat and said, "Maybe I do need to rest. Do you think you could get me a bottle of water? It's on the bottom shelf of the fridge."

"Sure," the detective replied, turning towards the small kitchenette. "You need anything else?"

"No, water's fine."

Nodding, Sofia made her way into the kitchen, giving both women a moment to collect their thoughts. The blonde chastised herself for being so blunt, and the brunette berated herself for losing her temper with the detective.

Upon her return, Sofia found the investigator stretched out on the couch with her arm resting over her eyes. The detective took the rare, unguarded moment to just study the brunette.

Sara was a classic beauty. Tall, but not gangly; her facial features weren't perfect, yet, they were; she was thin, but not gaunt, and she could exude sexuality like no other when she wanted to. To Sofia, she was perfect.

Sighing softly, the detective made her way to the couch. She'd brought two bottles of water, one for Sara and one for herself. Not wanting to startle the brunette, she said softly, "Sara? I've got your water."

The investigator stretched her length against the couch and removed her arm from her face. Sitting up, she took the water from the blonde and smiled. "Thanks, Sofia; and not just for the water, thanks for staying."

"It's not a problem, Sara," the detective replied, taking a seat in the nearby chair, and offering, "I'm here if you need to talk. I promise to keep anything you say in confidence. Sometimes, it just helps to talk to someone."

Fiddling with the bottle cap, Sara said, "I appreciate the offer, and I'll keep it in mind, but for now, I'm not comfortable talking about it. Um, … but, do you think you could make that call and ask about the guy from the diner? I can give you a pretty good description."

Sofia nodded and listened as Sara described the man, immediately noting the brunette staring at the floor as she gave her very detailed description. It was almost as if the investigator were looking at a picture the way she was able to describe him so perfectly.

Excusing herself, the detective moved towards the front window and made her call. Sara lay back on the couch and closed her eyes as she listened intently to the blonde; she couldn't believe she was actually looking for her brother. He'd left her in that hell hole knowing the kind of abuse she'd had to endure. She'd never forgiven him for not taking her with him.

When Sofia returned to her chair, Sara was once again lying perfectly still; however, this time, her breathing had evened out. The brunette was sound asleep. Smiling, the detective slipped off her shoes and settled into the chair. Closing her eyes, she joined the investigator in slumber.

An hour later, a piercing scream pulled the detective from her sweet dreams, and she quickly turned towards the source of obvious pain to find Sara holding up her hands in front of her, as if warding off some impending evil as she pleaded, "No, please stop. Please."

The blonde slowly moved towards the couch, saying softly, "Sara. Sara, c'mon now; you need to wake up." Kneeling next to the distraught woman, Sofia gently touched the brunette's arm and continued to speak in soft tones.

In Sara's dreams, the scene played out as it always did; her father looking at her in shock while her mother laughed. Through the years, she'd managed to skip over this particular portion of the dream without calling out in her sleep but, when her mother turned towards her with the knife in hand, she was pulled back to the fear she'd had on that dreadful day. She truly thought her mother was going to use the knife on her, and she always screamed and pleaded for mercy.

A soft voice filtered into the brunette's nightmare, and she desperately tried to run towards her savior as her mother's sick laughter followed closely behind. No matter how fast she ran, the laugh kept up with her, seemingly gaining ground instead of losing it; however, the images and voices stopped immediately when something touched her.

In her mind's eye, her mother had finally caught her, and she struggled mightily to get away.

Sofia was just able to block the arm swinging towards her, but she wisely allowed the brunette to follow through and didn't attempt to grab hold of the flying appendage. Sara was definitely trying to fight her way out of a situation, and the detective knew it would be fruitless to try to completely stop the investigator from fleeing the nightmare she was trapped in. It would only serve to make the brunette increase her efforts, so the blonde allowed herself to be knocked backwards onto the floor.

At the moment of contact, Sara sat straight up on the couch, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. She opened her eyes and focused on the lamp at the end of the couch, instant relief flooding her senses; she was home, she was safe.

The respite only lasted briefly, and the brunette soon realized that, although she was safe from her mother's clutches, she wasn't alone. Sofia's voice came through loud and clear.

"Sara?"

Chapter 4

Turning slowly towards the voice, Sara spied the detective sitting on the floor, looking back at her with a mixture of shock and concern, and the brunette grimaced when she realized just how the blonde had come to be in her current position. In the past, she was aware that she'd knocked pillows off the bed and, on occasion, something from the nightstand would go flying, but to her knowledge, she'd never hit another person. Of course, she'd always been alone when she'd awakened from the horrible nightmares that had plagued her since her youth.

Sara found herself wanting to crawl into a really deep hole but, instead, she realized that she needed to say something, so she softly asked, "Um...I didn't hurt you, did I?"

It was glaringly obvious to the detective that the investigator was embarrassed that she'd hit her and, even more so, Sara seemed absolutely mortified that Sofia had witnessed her reaction to the frightful nightmare.

Biding her time for an answer, Sofia rocked forward and pushed upward, standing in one smooth motion, and Sara had to force herself not to focus on the blonde's strong, firm legs. She could hardly believe that her libido was making an appearance at such an awkward moment, especially so soon after she'd been scared half to death by the images of her dream.

Sofia treaded lightly with her response, teasing, "Trust me; I've been hit harder; on more than one occasion, in fact. I used to get knocked on my ass all the time at the academy."

Despite the unpleasantness of the situation, Sara smiled at the detective's words. The blonde had left the door wide open for the brunette to address the nightmare or sweep it under the rug, and the investigator took advantage of her friend's offer and grabbed for the nearest broom.

"Um, were you able to find out anything when you called the precinct?" Sara asked, deflecting the conversation back to their earlier one and, specifically, Sofia's offer to help her locate the man from the diner who she strongly suspected to be her brother.

Retaking her seat in the chair next to the couch, the detective replied, "No, but I talked to Brass. He has more connections than I do, and he promised to talk to a few officers."

Sara immediately paled at the thought of more people being privy to her search. She'd only trusted Sofia because she basically had to, and she certainly didn't want to have to answer to anyone else concerning the reason for her inquiry.

Noting the brunette's change of expression at her news, Sofia quickly added, "I didn't tell Brass why I was asking about the guy. Jim just thinks he's a person of interest in one of my cases. I would never betray your confidence, Sara."

The investigator just nodded her head, grateful for Sofia's discretion in the matter, and the two women sat in silence, both seemingly content just to be in each other's presence as they each mulled over the last few moments. The detective immediately set her sights on how to find more information on the mystery man, and Sara slowly came to terms with the fact that Sofia could be trusted as a friend and confidante.

Soon, it became apparent that each woman was warding off sleep and fighting to stay awake. Sara was terrified that she'd fall into another nightmare, and Sofia was determined to stay alert in case the investigator needed her; however, it was Sara who addressed the fact that they were totally exhausted and in dire need of rest.

"Hey, Sofia? Why don't you go crawl in my bed and get some sleep? I'll stretch out on the couch and do the same."

Smiling, the detective replied, "I'll go for the sleep part of your deal, but I'll take the couch. If Grissom finds out that I kicked you out of your own bed, I'll never get my temporary nursing license."

Chuckling, Sara agreed, "Alright, but only because I'm too tired to argue. Besides, who am I to stand in the way of your new career?" Smiling, she added, "Let me get you a blanket and pillow. I'll be right back." The investigator retreated into her bedroom, leaving a smug Sofia behind to pat herself on the back for successfully outmaneuvering the brunette.

Thirty minutes later, both women were settled on their respective pillow, sleeping soundly. Sara had tossed and turned in her bed for the first ten minutes until she finally realized she'd never get any rest if she was worried about calling out in her sleep. She'd silently crept out of bed and quietly shut her door and, safely ensconced behind closed doors, the brunette had fallen asleep the minute her head hit her pillow.

Sofia, on the other hand, was out like a light in a matter of minutes. She hadn't slept very well the past two nights, and her long shift was taking its toll. She didn't worry about nodding off since she'd always been a light sleeper, so she'd figured she would be able to hear Sara if she woke from a bad dream.

Amazingly, the detective and investigator slept for six hours straight with no dreams or nightmares from either woman; however, Sofia was the first to wake, and she immediately went to check on the brunette, not at all happy to see the closed door.

Turning the knob, the blonde was pleased to see Sara sleeping peacefully with no signs of any distress now or, by all appearances, anytime during her slumber. Dark eyes opened and fastened on blue ones just as Sofia moved to shut the door.

"Hey," Sara said, her voice sounding hoarse and raspy.

Grinning, Sofia replied, "Hey. You look rested. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, and I sure could go for something to eat. How do you feel about Thai take-out?"

Shrugging, Sofia answered, "Sounds good to me. Do you want me to go out and get some?"

"Nah. I'll just call it in. Their delivery service is fairly prompt. Give me a second to throw some water on my face, and I'll give them a call."

The investigator pulled the covers back, revealing her tank and boxers and, as she moved to crawl out of the bed, Sofia turned a nice shade of red and immediately focused on the floor, offering, "I'll um . . . just wait for you in the den."

Retreating, she quickly left the room, and Sara smiled at the detective's nervous reaction, wondering if perhaps the interest she had in the blonde might be reciprocated after all.

Chapter 5

When Sara walked into the den, she found Sofia standing in front of the bookcase, reading the titles of the various books lining the shelves. The detective hadn't been one bit surprised to see how they'd been categorized by genre; she'd expect nothing less from the highly organized investigator, but what did garner the blonde's attention was the very eclectic collection of books.

Sofia was pleased to discover some new insight into Sara, especially when she caught sight of the numerous lesbian fictions sitting prominently on the middle shelf. The brunette hadn't made any attempt to hide the books amongst the others, and the detective smiled at the thought of Sara being comfortable enough with her sexuality to display the novels. Although, she did wonder if she were the only colleague who'd actually had the opportunity to view the investigator's collection.

"I've got the menu in the kitchen if you'd like to order now," Sara said, moving further into the room. She'd nervously watched the detective turn her head to the side in order to get a better view of the titles, and the brunette had frozen in place, waiting for Sofia to move her attention to the center of the bookcase. However, the investigator had relaxed somewhat when she'd noticed the smile that had graced the detective's face just as the blonde had focused on the novels nestled together on the middle shelf.

Startled, Sofia jumped slightly at the brunette's words and quickly turned towards the investigator, offering, "Um, I thought I'd look at your books while I waited."

Sara grinned mischievously and asked, "See anything you like?"

The detective glanced back at the center shelf and nodded as she gestured to the lesbian fiction. "I've got a couple of these myself," the blonde confessed, and then smiling, she asked, "Mind if I borrow one or two sometime?"

"No, be my guest," Sara said over her shoulder as she turned towards the kitchen. Sofia grinned widely and followed the brunette into the other room.

Thirty minutes later, the two women sat at the kitchen table, consuming their meal. Sara used a pair of chopsticks to eat her Khanom Chin Namya while Sofia opted for a fork to use on her shrimp Rad na. The blonde had tossed her chopsticks to the side only minutes after dropping her shrimp for the third time when she'd attempted to wrestle it into her mouth; her curses had been drowned out by Sara's rich laughter.

Quiet conversation accompanied the rest of the meal, and each women began to relax as they slowly got to know each other better; however, the topics concentrated solely on their likes and dislikes for the time being, neither venturing into anything that might cause the other to feel uncomfortable or possibly even clam up completely.

Just as Sofia had gotten up the nerve to casually ask about the man from the diner, Sara's cell chimed, and the brunette groaned when she noted the caller, mumbling, "Grissom."

The detective quickly reached across the table and snatched it from the investigator's hand; she flipped it open before Sara had time to even blink.

"This is the phone of Sara Sidle. May I take a message?" Sofia asked in a sickening sweet voice, making the brunette sitting across from her smile widely.

"Sofia? Is that you?" Grissom's voice questioned, surprise evident in his tone.

The blonde crossed her long legs and replied, "Grissom? Is something wrong?" Sara's muffled laughter almost made the detective lose her composure, but she gamely moved forward, asking, "Is there a reason for your call?"

"Er, yes. I was just, um... wondering how Sara was doing. Do you think I could talk to her?"

Sofia grinned and answered, "Actually, I personally tucked her into bed a few hours ago, and she's still sleeping."

Sara's eyes got huge at the reply, and she was very thankful that she hadn't just taken a drink of her water; otherwise, Sofia would've been the recipient of an impromptu shower. The sudden vision of the blonde having to change out of damp clothes filtered into the brunette's thoughts, and she missed the next part of the conversation, only returning back to the present at Sofia's closing words.

"I'll be sure to tell her," the detective promised, closing the cell and placing it on the table.

"Tell me what?" Sara asked, dreading the reason for the call, but desperately needing to know.

Sofia leaned back in her chair and replied, "He's worried about you. Of course, I had to practically drag it out of him. He's not exactly the most talkative of people, you know."

The investigator managed to put a halt to the grimace that was quickly forming as she drew an immediate parallel to her own lack of communication skills. Instead, she focused on the detective's explanation and questioned, "Worried? He's worried about me? What do you mean? Is he worried I won't be at work tomorrow night?"

"C'mon, Sara. I know he's fairly inept at interpersonal relationships, but don't tell me you haven't noticed his interest in you."

The look on the brunette's face told the detective everything she needed to know. Sara had no idea her superior had feelings for her and, judging from the investigator's expression, she was none too happy with the notion either.

"You're kidding me, right? Grissom? Me? Grissom and me?" Sara babbled question after question, hoping that the detective was just teasing her and that there was no truth in her words. How was she going to face Grissom now that she knew he had more than a friendly interest in her?

Before Sofia could make an attempt to calm the brunette, Sara put her head in her hands and muttered, "Fuck. What am I going to do now? I can't work with him on any cases anymore; I'll be constantly looking for little things he may say or do. Oh God, what would I have done if he'd come over to see about me?"

"Sara. Sara. Sara!" Sofia slowly increased her volume until the investigator finally looked up to acknowledge her. "Hey, I don't think he's in love with you or anything. I think he's just realized that he may want to pursue you is all."

"Oh, that's so much better," the brunette answered sarcastically, and then covering her face with her hands, she groaned pitifully.

Sofia once again opened her mouth to try to reassure the investigator, but her attention was diverted to the ring tone of her cell. Reaching for her hip, she removed the phone and answered, "Curtis."

Silence followed for several minutes while the detective listened intently to the caller, and Sara finally removed her hands and looked across the table at the blonde. The news was definitely not pleasant as Sofia began to frown.

"You sure?" Sofia asked, hoping for a different answer; however, the response remained the same, and she thanked the caller for keeping her informed.

Closing the phone, she sighed and turned her attention to the brunette who was sitting quietly, waiting for the detective to enlighten her about the call.

"Sara? That was Brass. He thinks he's found your mystery man," Sofia began, and the investigator sat straight up, the rhythm of her breathing increasing significantly.

Bolting from her seat, the brunette said excitedly, "Well, let's go. Did Brass bring him into the station?"

Sofia slowly rose from her chair and moved towards the investigator, motioning for her to retake her seat. "Sara, there's no rush. Let's sit for a few minutes."

Stubborn as ever, Sara stood her ground and replied, "I don't want to wait. I want to talk to this guy now."

"Sara, you can't talk to him," Sofia started to explain, but her words were cut off by the adamant brunette.

"Like hell, I can't. He may be my brother for fuck's sake. I have a right to talk to him," Sara shouted, clearly upset with the blonde.

"Damn it, Sara. You can't talk to him. Brass said he's on his way to the morgue."

"Why would Brass go to the morgue?" Sara asked, wondering why the detective would take the man to the station, and then leave to go to the morgue.

Stepping closer to the brunette, Sofia softly explained, "Because the guy's dead, Sara. His body was found behind the diner. He'd been stabbed in the abdomen and left to die."

Chapter 6

Sara reached for the chair, missing the sturdy wooden back as she stumbled forwards, and only Sofia's quick reflexes kept the brunette from tumbling to the floor. The detective took hold of the investigator and gently steered her towards the chair.

"Sara, I need you to stay with me," Sofia said softly, finally getting the brunette seated as she urged the investigator to lean forward and place her head between her knees in the classic 'keep from fainting' position. Sara's total compliance coupled with her absolute silence was starting to scare the detective, and Sofia wondered if perhaps she should've withheld the part about the stabbing. The brunette's face had gone white at the mere mention of the word.

A few moments later, Sara released a cleansing breath and slowly lifted her head. Sofia had kept contact with the brunette, rubbing soothing circles on the investigator's back as she continued to whisper soothing words.

"Um, sorry, Sofia. You must think I'm a basket case, huh?" Sara offered, raising a shaky hand to push the hair out of her face.

The detective moved in front of the investigator and squatted down so that she was slightly below eye level with the brunette. Smiling encouragingly, she replied, "No, I don't think that at all. In fact, I think your reactions are perfectly normal for the experiences you've had today."

Sighing, Sara replied, "Well, I'm sorry anyway," and, forcing a smile, she added, "Now, I'd like to go to the morgue, but I don't think I should drive. Um, do you think you could take me?"

"Sure, I'm ready when you are," Sofia answered, slowly standing and extending her hand for the other woman to take.

Sara stared at the strong, steady hand as it patiently waited for her to take hold, never wavering or withdrawing like the others had in the past. The brunette hesitated briefly before reaching for the lifeline being offered and, for once in her life, she allowed someone else to help her, believing that Sofia was the one she'd been waiting for all along.

The two women drove directly to the lab; no other words had been spoken, but Sofia had only released the brunette's hand when the pair climbed into her car. Sara immediately reached for the blonde's hand the moment both doors had been shut. As long as she maintained contact with the detective, Sara knew she could get through the ordeal in one piece.

Brass met the women at the entrance to the morgue, citing that he wanted to give Sofia a rundown of the situation first hand, but the female detective knew he'd figured out that this case was personal in nature. His brusque personality was often mistaken for apathy, but Sofia knew it was all a front; when it came to protecting his own; there was no one fiercer than Jim Brass.

While Brass detailed the specifics of the case to his colleague, Sara eased her hand from Sofia's and walked towards the double doors of the morgue. She squinted as she looked through the paned window, searching every table until she finally spotted a body lying on the large autopsy slab. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door inward and took a step inside.

The room was empty, save Sara and the corpse, and the lights were turned down low, making it difficult to see. The body was partially covered by a sheet and, from a distance, he appeared to be smaller than Sara remembered. Although, she'd only seen the guy briefly at the diner, he'd appeared to be the spitting image of her father, and as such, she'd believed him to be roughly six foot two.

Gathering her courage, Sara began to walk towards the table, taking in the man's features as she neared the body. She noted very few similarities from what she remembered of her father and, just as she reached out to touch the body, a voice called out, causing her to jump back in fear.

"Sara? What are you doing here?" Doc Robbins asked, moving towards the skittish investigator.

"Huh?" Sara replied, looking back and forth between the coroner and the body.

The brunette was saved from having to come up with a plausible excuse to explain her presence as another voice questioned her motive for entering the room alone.

"Sara? Why didn't you wait for me?" Sofia asked, walking into the room and stepping next to the investigator. Gently taking the other woman's hand, the detective waited for a reply, and Sara merely shrugged her shoulders and smiled sadly.

Doc Robbins watched the entire exchange and immediately realized that his questions could wait. Nodding at the detective, he turned and left the room without saying another word.

Sofia glanced down at the body, looking for any familiar features. Other than the dark hair and olive skin color, the detective couldn't find any other similarities between the man and the woman standing next to her.

"It's not him," Sara mumbled, moving her attention back to the body.

"I didn't think so, but the lighting in the diner could've changed his looks somewhat. I'm sure you've thought of how your brother might have looked though the years, and something about this guy probably seemed familiar to you," Sofia offered in explanation.

"No, you don't understand," Sara replied, looking into clear blue eyes.

"What's not to understand, Sara? This guy isn't your brother."

"Yes, that's true," Sara concurred as she glanced back at the man, continuing, "But that's not what I meant."

Confused, Sofia squeezed the hand she was holding and asked, "What did you mean then?"

"I meant that this isn't the guy from the diner. He was much taller and older looking. So, if this isn't the guy, then he's still out there somewhere," Sara supplied as another thought entered her mind, but it was so outlandish, so unbelievable, that she didn't dare speak it aloud, lest it be true.

Of course, Sofia hadn't become the detective she was today without her ability to read people, and Sara was fast becoming someone that the blonde had the inside track on. The brunette had let her guard down more times today than she had during the entire time she'd known the detective, and Sofia was making sure she took advantage of the opportunities she was given to better understand the investigator.

"Well, then, why don't I take you home? The night shift will start soon and, knowing you, you'll insist on staying and working," the detective teased, starting towards the door, pleased that Sara was allowing her to lead her away from the body.

Just as the pair stepped through the outside doors of the building, Grissom climbed from his car. "Sara, I told you to stay home tonight," the supervisor said, frowning when he saw the linked hands.

"I know, Grissom, but I just had to check on something," Sara replied and, chuckling, she added, "But, see? I brought my nurse along with me."

Grissom nodded and looked at the smiling detective. Something in her eyes warned him against saying anything else, so he just bid the two women goodnight and headed inside.

"That wasn't so bad. I think you may be wrong about him, Sofia. God, I hope you're wrong," Sara said as they continued to the detective's car.

Pulling into an empty space in front of Sara's apartment, Sofia turned off the ignition and turned to her passenger, asking, "You sure you don't want me to stay tonight?"

"No, I'll be okay. I promise to go straight to bed after I do a little internet research," Sara replied with a forced smile as she reached for the door handle.

Just as the brunette opened the door, Sofia suddenly reached over and put her hand on the investigator's arm. "Wait, Sara. There's something I want to ask you."

Sara partially closed the door and turned towards the detective, curious as to what the problem was; however, all Sofia could do was stare at the other woman.

"What?" Sara asked softly.

The gentle tone of the brunette gave the detective confidence to ask the question she'd been wondering ever since they'd left the morgue.

"Sara? When you were telling me that the dead man wasn't your brother, I sensed you were holding something back, something that seemed to unnerve you. I just wanted you to know that you can talk to me. I want to help you find this man, whether he's your brother or not. I don't want you always wondering if it was him."

Silence ensued, and Sara's walls seemed to go up right in front of the detective's eyes. Sofia mentally chastised herself for pushing the brunette too soon, but she knew Sara was bothered about something, and she wanted to help, she needed to help.

Looking away from the piercing eyes, Sara focused on the front of her apartment building. Sofia had stuck with her through thick and thin today, and she deserved a reply to her question. She'd proven that she truly did care and that she was willing to be there for her, but Sara couldn't help but wonder what the blonde would do or say if she found out what she'd been thinking. Staring at the iron railing of the stairs, the brunette finally made her decision.

"I wondered if it was possible that he'd done it," Sara confessed in a whisper.

"Done what? And, who are you talking about, Sara?" Sofia replied just as softly, not wanting to spook the brunette now that she'd decided to explain what was bothering her.

A single tear slipped down the smooth cheek as Sara turned towards the detective.

"Sofia, do you believe there's such a thing as a murder gene?"

Chapter 7

The detective sat perfectly still, desperately trying to school her expression. Sara's question had come out of left field, and Sofia had no idea how she should answer. It would be helpful if she knew exactly what Sara was referring to, but she was sure that now wasn't the time to ask the investigator to elaborate.

Taking a fifty-fifty chance, Sofia went with her gut instinct and answered as honestly as she could. "No, Sara, I don't. People usually commit murder because they want to, pure and simple. In some cases, one's environment might influence how violent a person may become, but I truly believe it all comes down to one's own free will. Will they or won't they?"

More tears escaped, and Sofia reached over to capture the errant drops before they could roll off the brunette's chin. Sara leaned into the touch and, closing her eyes, she asked, "How can you be sure?"

"Sara? Can you tell me where all this is coming from?" Sofia asked gently, cupping the investigator's face with her hand and waiting patiently for a response. The question seemed to cause more turmoil for the brunette as she squeezed her eyes more tightly and clamped down on her jaw, almost as if she were wishing for some sort of divine intervention to take her away from the painful memories.

The silence was broken as a loud clap of thunder echoed in the background, and both women jumped in their seats, each turning their focus to the world outside. Neither of them had been paying attention to the streaks of lightning that were slowly drawing near.

Making a quick decision, Sofia suggested, "Let's get inside before the bottom drops out," and Sara nodded numbly, reaching for her door handle. The detective quickly climbed from the car and followed the investigator down the sidewalk towards the stairs leading to the apartment; however, just as the pair made it to the first step, the heavens opened up and the rain came teaming down. By the time they reached Sara's door, their clothes were soaked through and through.

Sara fumbled with the key, unable to get it into the keyhole with her unsteady hands, and Sofia gently took it from her, opening the door and ushering the investigator inside. The detective closed the door behind them, and they stood just inside the apartment, water dripping down their bodies onto the carpeted floor.

"You need to get out of those clothes before you catch a cold. You're already shaking like a leaf," Sofia noted, watching as Sara wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to ward off the chill of the air-conditioned apartment.

"Wwhhaatt aaboout yoou?" Sara asked, no longer able to control her shivering; the combination of her emotional upset, soaking clothes, and the cool temperature of her apartment were simply too much for the brunette to overcome.

"I'll be fine. Now, why don't you go pull off those wet things while I draw you a hot bath? I'll change into something of yours once you get situated in the tub," Sofia suggested as she took Sara's arm and led her into the master bedroom, not giving the investigator any time to protest.

A few minutes later, Sofia shut the door to the bathroom, allowing Sara her privacy. While the blonde had been adjusting the temperature of the water, the brunette had shed her clothes and had put on a very short robe before making her way to the bathroom. Sofia had had her back to the investigator as she was turning off the water to the tub and, standing, the detective had almost fallen backwards into the bath water when she'd turned around to find Sara literally in her back pocket.

Her eyes had immediately been drawn to the front of the brunette's robe, and it was evident that Sara was still suffering from an inability to make her fingers work as the robe was barely closed. A poor attempt had been made to loosely tie the sash, leaving pretty much nothing to the imagination, and Sofia had almost stumbled, backing out of the room, as she'd informed the brunette to call if she needed her. By the time the detective had made it to the threshold, Sara had already shed her robe and was stepping into the tub, displaying a very firm backside to the blonde.

Sofia shut her eyes to the memory as she leaned against the closed door and exhaled a nervous breath. Soon, she regained control and pushed off the door, heading towards Sara's bedroom to look for a change of clothes.

Clad in a pair of old sweats, Sofia lounged on the couch, reading one of Sara's books. The brunette was still in the bathroom, and the blonde had decided to give her another few minutes before making sure that she hadn't drowned. A quiet clicking noise alerted the detective that Sara was finally exiting the room, but Sofia continued reading her novel, allowing the other woman to make the next move.

Softly shuffling into the room, Sara took a seat in the chair opposite the detective and, pulling her legs up on the leather, she wrapped her arms tightly around her shins as she turned towards the blonde.

"Um, thanks again, Sofia. I, um . . . seem to be saying that a lot today, but I really do mean it," Sara offered nervously, suddenly finding the worn threads of her sweat pants fascinating.

Placing the book on her lap, Sofia replied, "I'm just glad I was able to help, but I'd like to do more. I want to help you look for this man." Shifting so that she was facing the investigator, she added, "And, Sara? It's obvious something is eating away at you, and I think you need to talk to someone. I'd love for it to be me but, if not, you need to find someone you feel comfortable talking to before you're consumed by whatever it is."

Ironically, during her soak in the tub, Sara had already been contemplating whether or not she could confide in Sofia. She'd carefully reviewed her day with the blonde, and she'd realized that she trusted the detective. The thought itself had totally stunned the brunette as she'd only truly trusted one other person in her life, and she'd had that trust thrown back in her face when she'd discovered her first love had cheated on her.

But, times were different now. She was no longer desperate to have someone to confide in, and Sofia was different, too. She wasn't Sara's lover; she was her friend. The detective had taken the events of the day in stride and hadn't once blinked an eye as she'd stood steadily beside the investigator, offering comfort and support at a time when the brunette had so desperately needed it. Sara had always known Sofia was a woman of strong character, and today she'd proved it.

Pulling at the loose threads, Sara spoke in a soft monotone voice, the tone causing the detective to go perfectly still.

"My mother killed my father," Sara admitted calmly, and, if Sofia hadn't been so close to the brunette, she would've never heard the whispered confession. Even so, it took several seconds for the words to fully sink in.

Nothing could've prepared the detective for the unveiling of Sara's deep-seated secret, and she was very thankful that the investigator was focused on the worn spot of her sweats because Sofia suddenly lost her earlier ability of keeping her emotions intact as her shock was clearly evident on her face.

Chapter 8

The detective in Sofia finally took over as her mind played through the different scenarios of the investigator's disclosure. The brunette's question about a murder gene had Sofia immediately wondering how Sara's father had died and, just as she'd formulated a question to ask, Sara continued her explanation with an eerie clinical detachment.

"He'd regularly come home drunk, and the beatings would follow soon afterward. First me, then mom, always the same; he never deviated from his pattern. I'd just stand there, bracing myself for his fists and hoping he was too drunk to get in any good punches. One night he came in with his usual ranting and raving and, for some reason, I don't know why, I tried to run away. I sprinted into the kitchen, hoping to lock myself in the pantry closet before he could catch me. I remember brushing past mom in my haste to outrun the drunken bastard, and I caught sight of something shiny in her hand. I never registered what it was, I just kept moving forwards."

Pausing, Sara squinted as if she were actually seeing the described events playing out in front of her. Her voice lowered considerably as she detailed more of the macabre scene.

"He screamed in obvious pain, and I immediately turned around. To this day, I don't know if he accidentally ran into the knife, or, if my mother purposefully stabbed him. I do know that once she'd realized what had happened, she just laughed and laughed as she continued to plunge the knife into him, over and over again, until he finally fell. There was so much blood. It just poured out of him and dripped steadily onto the wooden floor."

Sofia had risen during the relating of the tale and had slowly moved closer to Sara, wanting to offer support if the brunette needed her; however, she'd maintained enough distance to keep from distracting the other woman, knowing how important is was for the investigator to say everything she needed to say.

"It was so surreal, Sofia," Sara whispered, acknowledging the detective's presence for the first time since she'd begun relating the events of so many years ago. "He just stared at me, silently begging me to help him. After everything he'd ever done to me, he wanted me to help him."

With tears glistening in her eyes, Sara looked directly at the blonde and quietly admitted, "I was glad, Sofia. I was so fucking glad he couldn't hurt me anymore."

"Oh, Sara. I'm so sorry. No child should ever have to suffer at the hands of his or her parent," Sofia offered, reaching out and placing an arm around the brunette's shoulders and, desperate for the contact, Sara leaned into the other woman's body.

"I lost both my parents that night. My mother was sent to an asylum to be evaluated, and my father, well . . .," Sara ended abruptly. There was no need to state the obvious, her father had met his end and, to a certain extent, so had Sara. Life as she'd known it had ceased to exist the moment her mother stabbed her father. She'd spent the rest of her childhood being shuffled from foster home to foster home; her hopes for a real family life dashed with each new move.

Clearing her throat, Sara said, "So, I think you can see why I'm concerned about my genetics, especially with the appearance of this man, who looks so much like my father it's frightening. And then, to have a murder, a stabbing death, the very day I see him, makes me wonder if perhaps he's responsible. Is he my brother? Did he kill that other man? Is this some kind of family curse?"

Sofia pulled Sara closer, replying, "I don't know if he's your brother or if he has anything to do with the murder at the diner, but I do know that if these suppositions turn out to be true, it has nothing to do with you. You've overcome such tragedy and adversity to get to where you are today that if there were such a thing as a murder gene, you would have strayed from your path long ago."

"You really think so?" Sara asked in an almost childlike voice, needing the detective's reassurance that her response wasn't just some token words spoken to make the investigator feel better.

"Yes, I do," Sofia asserted, pulling back from the brunette. The detective pushed a loose strand of hair behind the investigator's ear and offered a smile. "Sara, it's late, and you need to rest. We can talk about this more later but, for now, you need some sleep. Why don't you go crawl into bed? I'm going to camp out here on the couch tonight."

Sara glanced towards the window, noting the brilliant flashes of lightening coupled with the sounds of the trailing thunder. She really wanted to be by herself for awhile so that she could get her bearings back, but there was no way she was going to send Sofia out into the stormy weather.

"Um, okay. But are you sure you don't want to take the bed this time? I usually don't sleep for long periods anyway."

Smiling reassuringly, Sofia replied, "I'll be just fine. Your couch is actually pretty comfortable, and it's one of the few that are long enough so that I don't have to scrunch up to fit my body on it. Besides, I'll probably just watch television most of the night. I don't want to throw my schedule off too much."

Sara awkwardly untangled herself from the chair and stood.

"I'll just go and get you some bedding. Do you need anything else?"

"Nah, I think I'm good to go, but I may raid your refrigerator later," Sofia teased, pleased when Sara chuckled at the notion.

"Well, good luck with that. I haven't been to the store in over a week," the investigator replied as she walked towards her bedroom.

Sofia waited until Sara had left the room before she took a seat in the vacated chair. Sighing, she reviewed the short conversation that followed Sara's revelation. She hoped that she'd handled the situation in such a way that Sara had drawn some sort of reassurance from her few words, but only time would tell if she'd been able to help the brunette begin to come to terms with her demons.

Chapter 9

Lying on the couch and flipping through the channels, Sofia continued to surf for something to watch. Sara had gone back to her bedroom hours ago, and the blonde had made it a point to go check on the brunette about every thirty minutes. The detective was pleased to see the investigator resting and not tossing and turning each time she peeked into the room.

The same couldn't be said for Sofia. Every time she closed her eyes to take a cat nap, she'd see a terrified little brunette girl watching her mother stab her father. How Sara had survived the horrible ordeal was almost unfathomable; however, the detective now understood why Sara was so guarded and stoic.

A few minutes before dawn, Sofia finally fell into a dreamless sleep, curled on her side, and that's exactly how Sara found her when she walked into the den. The investigator took a couple of minutes to admire the detective before heading into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Thoughts of perhaps asking the blonde out began to take root in her head, but she knew she needed to wait until this latest murder was solved and the mystery man was found.

The tantalizing aroma of coffee put a smile on Sofia's face as she began to slowly rouse. Opening her eyes, she focused on the TV and bookcase and immediately remembered where she was and why she was here. A slight groan escaped her lips as she swung her legs around and moved to a sitting position, and she cursed herself for not making use of the longer couch as she'd slept in an almost fetal position during her short nap.

Standing, she made her way to the kitchen where she found Sara pouring a mug of the wonderful smelling elixir.

"Morning, Sara," Sofia mumbled, traces of sleep causing her voice to sound a bit gravelly.

"How'd you sleep?" Sara asked, reaching for a second mug and placing hers to the side. "How do you take your coffee?"

"A little milk and a little sweetener, but I'll fix it."

"Well, you're going to have to settle for just sweetener. I have sugar, but I'm certain you'd have to spoon the milk out of the carton."

Grimacing, Sofia replied, "Ew, no thanks. Sugar will be just fine." Sara smiled and moved to the table, allowing the blonde to prepare her own coffee.

"So, you never said. Did you sleep okay?"

"When I finally got to sleep, yeah; however, it took me forever to relax," Sofia replied, not quite awake enough to realize how Sara might take her response.

Looking down into her mug, the investigator said sadly, "Yeah, I guess it would be pretty hard to relax after everything I dumped on you."

Sofia walked over and took a seat beside the other woman. Reaching out, she gently took Sara's hand, reassuring, "Hey, don't say that. I know how hard it was for you to confide in me, and I'm honored that you trusted me."

Sara nodded in reply, and Sofia squeezed the brunette's hand before releasing it. The two women sat in comfortable silence, sipping their coffee and wondering what the new day would bring.

Sofia took her leave a bit later when Sara insisted that the detective go home and get some proper rest. The investigator assured the other woman that she'd be okay, but Sofia was loathe to leave the brunette alone. The two had finally compromised with Sara pointing out that Sofia could check up on her later, especially since she'd need a ride to work. Sofia had chuckled and promised to come by a little early, citing that they both needed to get a bite to eat before shift.

The minute the detective left the apartment, Sara headed straight for her computer and, pulling up different search engines, she began the hunt for her brother. The brunette was hoping to get a hit on him somewhere far, far away but, after a couple of hours of searching, she would've settled on just getting a hit period.

Across town, Sofia gave Brass another call and, without divulging any confidences, she stressed the need to find the missing man. She even went so far as mentioning that it was possible the man had something to do with the stabbing murder behind the diner. For Sara's sake, she hoped that her made-up theory didn't hold any truth.

An hour before she was to pick up the investigator, Sofia stood outside Sara's apartment. She'd slept, washed a couple of loads of clothes, and tidied up her apartment. With nothing left to occupy her time, she'd found herself no longer able to stay away from the object of her thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, the detective lightly knocked on the door, nervously waiting for the investigator to answer. When the door swung open, Sofia grinned sheepishly and placed her hands deep into her pockets. Sara just smiled and shook her head as she stood back to allow the other woman to enter.

Since the pair had more time than they'd originally planned to get something to eat, they chose a slightly more upscale restaurant, one that catered to both their likes. A vegetarian menu afforded Sara with multiple choices, and the seafood menu appealed to Sofia's craving. Seated in a quiet corner, the two women enjoyed both the food and the company.

"Oh man, I shouldn't have eaten so much. I'll probably be fighting sleep for most of the night," Sara groaned, holding her hand over her stomach to emphasize her point.

Chuckling, Sofia replied, "I know what you mean, but it was good, wasn't it?"

"We'll have to come back again when we don't have to worry about working afterwards," Sara casually mentioned, leaving the door open for the detective to either acknowledge or ignore her thinly veiled attempt to see if the other woman might be interested in going out again in a more 'date-oriented' atmosphere.

"I'd like that," was Sofia's reply and, coupled with a sweet smile from the blonde, had Sara vowing that she'd do everything in her power to make sure they made it back to the restaurant in the very near future.

The two women climbed into the detective's car, resigning themselves to their night of work; both secretly wishing they could spend more time alone with each other. A block from the station, Sofia reached down to grab her ringing cell off her belt.

"Curtis," the detective answered professionally as she listened to the caller's voice and, in a serious tone, she added, "We'll be right there."

Turning towards Sara, she said calmly, "Brass thinks he's got the real guy this time. He's in one of the interrogation rooms." Without another word, she reached for Sara's hand and gripped it tightly as she headed for her new destination, LVPD headquarters.

In the hallway, Sofia exchanged a few words with Brass while Sara stood nervously awaiting their decision. The lead detective nodded towards a side door and, offering a smile at the investigator, he turned and walked away.

Sofia once again reached for Sara's hand as she led her inside the viewing room. Closing the door behind them, she stepped between Sara and the glass, explaining, "Brass wants you to see if you can identify the man sitting at the table in the next room. The guy refused to give his name, and he didn't have any form of identification on him. Sara, if you don't want to do this, I can see if I can talk to him. Perhaps, he'll tell me who he is, or, maybe I can persuade him to take a DNA test."

The investigator shook her head, saying, "No. I want to do this. I have to see for myself."

"Okay, I understand, but I'll be right beside you if you need me."

Nodding her thanks, Sara released a breath and stepped towards the window. Sofia followed closely behind, making sure to maintain her hold on the brunette's hand.

The man sat at the table with his head resting on the surface, making it impossible to see any of his features. Sofia reached for the speaker to instruct him to look up but, as if he sensed their presence, he slowly raised his head and stared directly into the mirror.

For the second time in two days, Sara found herself looking into the past as the familiar face of her father once again stared back at her, his ghost finally finding a way to make an appearance outside her nightmares and into her reality.

Chapter 10

As Sara felt herself slipping into her memories, a squeeze to her hand alerted her to Sofia's presence, the small gesture keeping her grounded. This time, Sara stared back into the man's dark eyes, anchored with the knowledge that she now had someone offering her support, someone who was standing beside her, silently holding her hand.

"That's him. That's the man I saw in the diner. He's got to be Matt; he looks just like Dad."

Sofia studied the man behind the glass. His dark hair and dark eyes were almost identical to Sara's, but that's where the resemblance seemed to end. The dark complexion and round face were so dissimilar to the investigator that no one would ever suspect the two were even related, much less brother and sister.

"I look more like mother," Sara offered, almost as if she were reading the detective's mind. "We both got Dad's eye and hair color and, of course, that damn space between our front teeth."

Smiling at the thought of the adorable little gap, Sofia replied, "I kind of like that feature."

Despite the intensity of the situation, Sara couldn't help but chuckle, and the two women shared a smile just as a knock sounded on the door, followed by the appearance of Jim Brass.

"Well?" Brass asked, impatient to find out if Sara knew the man, but more importantly, how she knew the man.

Sara nodded slightly, giving Sofia permission to confide in her partner, and the detective smiled in return as she tightened her hold on the brunette's hand.

"Hey, Jim. Sara is pretty certain that the guy's her brother, so how do you want to handle his interrogation?"

Only a raise of an eyebrow alerted the two women to Brass' surprise as he looked past them and into the other room. Seemingly not deterred by the news, he said, "It's not really an interrogation, per se. We don't have any evidence linking him to the crime scene. I told him we needed to ask him some questions about the deceased. He voluntarily agreed to talk to us; he just refused to tell his name."

"Have you spoken to him yet?" Sofia asked, glancing back at the room to find the man once again resting his head on the table.

"No. I was waiting for you. I'd hoped to have some insight before I talked to him. So, should I bring up the brother angle?"

The grip immediately tightened on Sofia's hand, and the detective slowly ran her thumb along the base of Sara's in an effort to calm the other woman. "Why don't you hold off on that line of questioning and just see what he knows about the deceased for right now?"

"Gotcha; you two gonna stay and listen?"

"If you don't mind, just in case he says something that has some meaning to Sara."

Brass winked at the two women and turned to leave the room. As the door closed behind him, Sofia finally turned to the quiet Sara. "Hey, I figured you'd want to hear what he had to say about the murder before we tried to establish his true identity."

"Yeah, but to tell you the truth, I'm almost afraid to hear his voice. Looking like Dad is one thing . . ." Sara trailed off as she turned her focus back to the interrogation room.

Before Sofia could offer any kind of reply, Brass swept into the room, and his booming voice came through the viewing room's speakers loud and clear. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. . . . Oh yeah, that's right. You don't have a name. Mind if I call you John, Mr. Doe?"

The dark headed man shrugged his reply and sat back in his chair, waiting for Brass to get on with the questioning. Grinning, the detective moved to the other side of the table and took a seat.

"So, John. Did you know Henry Charleston?"

"Who?"

Sara started at the response, the deep voice sounding eerily familiar. Taking a step closer to the window, she kept her eyes on the occupied chair across from Brass.

"Henry Charleston. He was a local homeless man who was found stabbed and left for dead behind the diner on 13th Street; the same diner you were seen in yesterday, the same diner where the waitress describes someone who looks remarkably like you frequenting the place quite often with ol' Henry here," Brass answered, gesturing to a photo and sliding it to the other side of the table.

"Okay, so I know the guy. So what? I didn't kill him. Knowing Henry, he probably offered to suck the wrong guy's dick."

"Ah, so were you and Henry close?"

Smirking, the dark haired man replied, "I only suck dick when I need money, Henry does it because he loves it. He's pretty damned good, too."

"So, you've been on the receiving end of Henry's . . . er, how should I say this . . . um, talent?"

"In the beginning, yeah; I certainly wasn't going to turn down an offer like that, but he wanted me to reciprocate and, well, no money, no action."

Sara stood at the window, listening carefully to every word. The voice and face were so similar to her father's it was difficult for her to concentrate on the words being said but, somehow, she managed to grasp the subject of the conversation. If this was indeed her brother, he'd sunk to the very bottom of human existence.

"Sara, are you okay?"

Sofia's voice pulled the investigator from her thoughts, and she quietly replied, "No, not really. I guess Matt didn't get away scot-free after all. I'd always thought he'd escaped all the horror and abuse when he ran away, but it looks like he ran straight towards it."

Brass' next question got both women's attention. "So, you and Henry trade tricks for money. What for? Hoping to score some coke or horse?"

Laughing, the dark headed man answered, "Of course. You don't think I'd get down on my knees if I wasn't going to get something out of it. The rush, man; I do it for the rush. And the best part is forgetting who you are and where you came from. Every stinking thing that ever happened to you fades away."

"Yeah, but that's only temporary."

"Until the next time, man; until the next time. That's why I keep doing it; I don't want to remember."

Tears began to well in Sara's eyes as she looked at the broken man. Choking back a sob, she pulled her hand from Sofia's and quickly fled the room.

Chapter 11

Surprised by Sara's reaction, Sofia started after her, but turned back to the viewing glass instead, her eyes focused on the room's door. After several minutes, the door remained stubbornly closed, and the detective set out to find the investigator. She was certain that Sara would've headed straight for the interrogation room.

The blonde was stopped several times in the hallways of the precinct by fellow officers asking her about the stabbing and wanting to know if Brass had discovered anything significant from the other homeless man. By the time she finally made it to the front entrance of the station, there was no sign of Sara anywhere.

Upset with herself for not going after the brunette the minute she'd bolted from the room, Sofia removed her cell from her belt and called a familiar number. Ending her conversation with Brass, she headed straight for CSI headquarters.

"Catherine, have you seen Sara?" The abrupt question was out of the detective's mouth before she'd even taken the time to properly greet the redheaded investigator, but Catherine didn't seem to be offended.

"No, and she's usually here by now. Grissom said she was ill yesterday. Perhaps, she's not coming in tonight."

"Um, no, I'm pretty sure she's planning on working tonight. She was just over at the station with me, and she left kind of upset. I was hoping she'd come here."

"Upset? What happened?" Catherine suddenly turned very serious at the implication that the detective might've said something to hurt her colleague's feelings. Yes, she and Sara got into it quite frequently, but this was something completely different. She'd be damned if she was going to let someone else get away with hurting the brunette.

"It's a really long story, Catherine, and, frankly, it's not my place to give any of the details. I just need to find Sara."

Blue eyes bore into blue eyes in a classic standoff until the CSI finally turned and started down the hallway, calling back, "C'mon. If she's hiding out, I know exactly where she'll be."

Sofia lengthened her pace to catch up with the redhead and, together, they headed towards the back of the building. The detective hesitated at the door to Sara's favorite lab, figuring there must be some back room she wasn't aware of, but Catherine kept moving forwards, heading directly for the back exit of the building.

With her hand on the doorknob, Catherine addressed the blonde. "There's an area around back where the air conditioning units are located. It's bricked in on three sides, and it's the perfect hiding place. I found Sara there one time by accident, and I promised to never divulge that I'd seen her crying or tell anyone about her hiding place. Don't make me regret telling you, Sofia."

The detective nodded in understanding and waiting for the investigator to open the door. Taking a deep breath, Catherine turned the knob and pulled the door towards her. She gestured to the right and started walking in the same direction.

"Sara? Are you out here?"

"Go away, Catherine. I don't want to talk to anyone right now. Tell Grissom I can't make it in tonight after all."

The pair made their way to the entrance of Sara's bricked sanctuary, and Sofia squinted into the darkness, looking for any sign of the dark headed woman.

"Damn it, Catherine," was shouted from the back of the unlit area.

"Look, Sara. Sofia was worried about you. She said you were upset. I had to tell her where you were."

"Bullshit."

"Hey, don't you bullshit me, Sara Sidle. We're both worried about you, damn it. Now, I don't know what's going on, and I'm not asking you to tell me, at least for now anyway. But, Sofia does know what's wrong, so I'm going to leave you two alone to hash it out. I'll take care of Grissom." Whispering to Sofia, she said, "Call me if you need me."

Sofia watched the redhead look into the darkened area one more time before she finally headed back towards the building. Catherine opened the door and nodded towards the blonde as a sign of encouragement just as she stepped into the building, leaving the detective alone to handle the devastated CSI.

"Sara? Can I come closer?"

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Okay, then I'll just stand here, but I'm not leaving, Sara."

No other words were forthcoming from the brunette, so Sofia took advantage of the quiet to express her feelings and concerns.

"Sara, I know you've got to be very upset, shocked, hurt, and even angry, finding out about your brother the way you did, but you do realize that there's a slight possibility he's not your brother."

A derisive snort came from the darkened space. "You've got to be kidding. Well, not about the way I'm feeling but, certainly, about that man not being my brother. If that's not Matt Sidle, then I don't know who is. The voice, the looks, the demeanor; it's him. I don't need a DNA test to prove what I already know."

"Okay, so what if it is. He's the one who left, Sara. He made his own choices in life. You had nothing to do with the way things turned out. His hardships are not your responsibility."

"I know that, but I can't help feeling the way I do."

Sara's voice suddenly sounded very close, and Sofia had to force herself to remain calm. She certainly didn't want to frighten the brunette, especially if she'd decided to come out of hiding.

"How do you feel, Sara? Let me help you; tell me how you feel."

The tear streaked faced stepped out of the confinement of the bricks, moving closer to the detective, almost as if Sara was drawn to the comforting presence.

"I feel incredibly sad, Sofia. So very, very sad."

Reaching for the trembling woman, Sofia pulled her into a tight embrace as sobs wracked the stillness of the night. Sara clung to the detective, hoping to draw from the strong arms the strength she'd need to face the next few days.

"Shh, I got you. We'll get through this together, Sara. You don't have to face this alone; not anymore, sweetie, not anymore."

The outside door quietly closed as Catherine made her way to the front of the building. Sofia would take care of Sara's emotional needs, but the redhead set her sights on what she and her team could do to help as well. It was time to find out what the hell was going on.

Chapter 12

A light mist began to fall as Sofia continued to hold Sara in an embrace. The detective pulled back from the investigator and looked into dark, sad eyes.

"Hey, it's starting to rain. Why don't you let me take you home? Catherine will take care of Grissom."

"What about you?"

"Well, I have to work tonight; we're already short-handed. I'll stay until you fall asleep, and then I'll come back in the morning to check on you. I'll have my cell with me, so you can call if you need me."

Pushing some damp hair behind Sara's ear, Sofia asked, "How does that sound?"

"Um, okay, I guess. I don't think I could concentrate on work tonight, so home sounds pretty good."

Smiling, Sofia fully released the investigator and took her hand, leading her towards the back door. Halfway down the sidewalk, Sara came to a complete stop, halting their progress.

"I don't want anyone to see me." Sara looked down at the cracked pavement, embarrassed by her confession.

A squeeze to her hand had her looking up into reassuring, blue eyes. "Okay, then we'll walk around the building."

Sara nodded in agreement and allowed the detective to change their course. The back door was completely avoided as the pair made their way around the far side of the lab.

Before long they were at Sara's home.

The brunette opened the apartment door and stepped inside with Sofia following right on her heels. Sara hadn't said very much on the ride over, but she seemed to be more in control than earlier; however, Sofia could see that she was still a long way from overcoming her sadness.

"Um, Sofia. You don't have to stay with me. I promise I'll be okay and, besides, you need to get back to work."

"Brass promised to catch the first scene tonight, so barring a separate crime scene at exactly the same time; I should be able to stay awhile."

The words were barely out of the detective's mouth when her cell chimed. Grimacing, she pulled it from her belt and checked the caller ID. LVPD's number flashed across the screen, and the blonde immediately realized that she'd just jinxed herself.

"Curtis....Okay, give me ten," she replied curtly and then, quickly closing her phone, she turned her attention to the investigator.

"Sara. I'm sorry about this. It's a single homicide, and ..."

"Stop, Sofia. I understand. I really will be okay."

"Alright, but don't forget, I'm just a phone call away."

Walking the detective to the door, Sara placed her hand on the doorknob, hesitating before opening the door.

"I know I've been saying this quite a bit lately, but thanks, Sofia. I truly don't know what I would've done without you."

"I'm just glad I could help," replied the detective, watching as Sara nervously looked away. "It's going to be okay, Sara."

Sofia pulled the brunette into a hug, holding on until Sara finally begin to relax. When she released the investigator, she was taken by surprise when a set of lips firmly affixed themselves to her own; however, the warmth disappeared almost as quickly as it had begun. The detective was just getting into the kiss when Sara suddenly released her lips and stepped back, embarrassment evident on her face.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Sofia. That was totally uncalled for; please, forgive me."

Sofia didn't hesitate to move into the brunette and reclaim the lips she was being denied. The blonde truly believed words were often overrated, and sometimes she just needed to shut up and kiss the other woman. Sara seemed to wholeheartedly agree with Sofia's philosophy as she held onto the detective's hips and greedily took her fill. Both women became lost in the kiss as the sounds of soft moaning and heavy breathing punctuated their intense desire for each other.

When Sara began to struggle to pull the blonde's shirt free from her pants, Sofia reached for the brunette's hands, stilling them with her own; however, she had a much more difficult time releasing the sweet lips she had already become addicted to.

"Wait, Sara. We're going too fast here."

The investigator burrowed into the blonde's neck and exhaled deeply, trying to regain control of her uneven breathing. She'd never reacted so strongly to someone before.

"Sorry. I don't know what got into me. I didn't mean to attack you."

The voice was so soft and full of remorse, it nearly broke Sofia's heart. Lightly rubbing Sara's back, the detective attempted to reassure the other woman.

"You didn't attack me, Sara. In case you didn't notice, I kind of got carried away, too. I just don't want us to jump into this blind. We need to get through this situation with your brother, and then we can concentrate on making a go of things."

Sofia felt the ghost of a smile against her neck and knew she'd said just the right thing. Pulling away, she tilted Sara's chin up so that she could look her in the eye; she wanted the brunette to be sure of her intentions.

"When this is all over, I want this," a hand gestured between the two of them. "I want a relationship with you, Sara."

"Me, too." The whispered response brought a smile to Sofia's face just as her phone sounded once again. This time, both women laughed aloud at the interruption.

Ten minutes later, Sofia was on her way to her crime scene. She'd made Sara promise to lie down and had waited until the brunette had closed and locked her door. Only when she saw the lights go off in the den, did the detective slowly drive away from the complex.

"Hey Curtis, you're late." Catherine's voice sounded across the driveway, causing the detective to shake her head.

"Okay, let's reverse our roles then. What've you got, Catherine?"

"How's Sara?" The investigator ignored the question, looking around to be sure there were no eavesdroppers in the vicinity.

"She's okay. Now, what do you say we get through this crime scene and then you and I can talk?"

"Alright, but only because this should be an easy one; I don't think I could wait any longer. Besides, I've got some things to tell you."

Turning, Catherine walked away, leaving the detective to wonder if perhaps they should've had their conversation now instead of later.

Catherine and Nick quickly and efficiently collected the evidence in the garage of the home. The redheaded investigator had been right when she said it would be an easy case as the homeowner hadn't even made it inside. He'd been shot before he could step out of his car, and the smoking gun belonged to his wife.

Luckily, she'd confessed with preamble, saying simply, "He'll never cheat on me again."

Sofia watched as Catherine and Nick loaded the evidence in the back of the Denali and, when the investigator walked around to the passenger side of the truck, she just assumed that she'd talk to Catherine back at the precinct; however, as the detective put her car in gear, she looked up to see the Denali driving away and Catherine walking towards her car.

"Hey, Sofia, I told Nick I'm riding with you."

The detective nodded and, once Catherine had shut her door, pulled from the curb.

"Now, what've you got to tell me?" Sofia didn't waste anytime asking her question. Something about the way Catherine had delivered the line earlier had the blonde worried about the information but, more importantly, how the information would impact Sara.

"Greg went back to the alley behind the diner to check things out. Did you know there's a full moon tonight?"

"What? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Ah, Sofia. Haven't you ever been out on a bright, moonlit night? You don't even need streetlights to light your way."

"Catherine..."

"Okay, okay. You spoil all the fun. Anyway, as Greg was leaving the alley, he spotted something very shiny at the far end. The knife was stuck in-between two bricks about six feet from the ground."

"Murder weapon?"

"Yep, and guess what else?"

"C'mon, Catherine, just spit it out, please."

"There were three perfect prints on the hilt, and all three belonged to Matt Sidle."

Chapter 13

"What?" Sofia was stunned by Catherine's revelation. Sara's worst nightmare was becoming a reality.

"Matt Sidle. He's been in the system; aggravated robbery. Served his time and hasn't been in trouble since. Well, at least, he hasn't been caught since his release. So, how's he related to Sara?"

Without thought, Sofia immediately jumped to the brunette's defense. "What makes you think he's related to Sara?"

"Oh, c'mon, Sofia. Sidle's not your average name, and . . . well, I may have accidentally overheard your conversation with Sara when you were talking behind the building. I heard her mention his name. So, what is he? Her cousin?"

"You eavesdropped? I can't believe you, Catherine. I thought you wanted to help Sara."

Catherine grimaced slightly, but quickly regained her composure, ready with her explanation.

"I do want to help Sara, but I needed to know what was going on. I knew she wouldn't tell me, and I'd hoped she'd at least tell you. I only heard the tail end of the conversation; I was just coming back outside to ask if Sara wanted me to tell Grissom she needed a couple of days off instead of just tonight. When you seemed to have everything in control, I snuck back inside."

Sofia's mind was racing. She knew Sara deserved the truth, but she had no idea what the truth was. Had Matt Sidle killed his so-called friend? Had the other man pushed him too far? She needed to get to the bottom of this murder, and she needed to get to it fast. The detective had no other choice but to trust the redheaded investigator as well as the rest of her CSI team.

Her mind made up, Sofia explained as best she could, careful not to divulge any more information than was absolutely necessary.

"Matt Sidle is Sara's brother. She hasn't seen him since they were kids; he ran away and never tried to contact Sara. She had no idea he was in Vegas. Catherine, I need to be one hundred percent certain that he did it before I tell Sara."

"Well, it certainly doesn't look good for him, but I'll see what I can find out. You know you can't keep Sara from finding out for too long; Brass has already arrested him. In fact, he's probably already been booked. I'm surprised he hasn't called you."

The detective reached for her belt and grabbed her cell. Flipping it open, she quickly discovered the reason why her colleague hadn't contacted her. With everything that had happened, she'd forgotten to charge her phone.

Focusing on the current situation, Sofia fell back on an old habit, running through the different possibilities aloud.

"Okay. We know the suspect didn't care for the victim, but he was adamant that he didn't kill him. So, what if he came upon the body and hid the knife because he knew he would be the prime suspect?"

Catherine turned in her seat to listen to the detective, deciding to play the devil's advocate to the blonde's theories.

"Why hide the knife in the alley? Why not take it with him and hide it somewhere else?"

"Maybe something spooked him, or, maybe he planned to come back and get it later. You said Greg found it six feet above the ground, so Matt Sidle looks good in either role, killer or hider of evidence."

"Hider of evidence? Is that an official role?" Catherine teased the detective as the pair pulled into the CSI parking lot, narrowly missing a Denali which appeared to be in a very big hurry.

"Whoa! Who the hell drives like that?" Sofia glared in her rearview mirror, watching the truck turn into the street.

Frowning, Catherine looked over at the empty parking spaces. "I think that was Grissom, but he usually drives like an old woman."

Nick met the two as they climbed from Sofia's car. "Hey, have you guys heard the latest? Sara's brother has been arrested for the stabbing murder. Grissom's on his way to tell her now."

"Fuck," Sofia blurted, turning back to her car; she had to get to Sara. "Catherine, see if you can get Grissom on his cell or try the radio. Tell him not to dare say anything to Sara."

Before the redhead could agree, the detective had jumped into her car and placed her siren on the roof. She literally flew out of her space as she raced towards Sara's apartment, trying to catch the CSI night shift supervisor before he could deliver the news to Sara in his usual inept style, without any thought to how the brunette would react to such devastating news.

Three blocks from the apartment, Sofia turned off the siren, allowing the flashing light to alert cars to her presence. She hadn't caught up with Grissom and briefly wondered if he'd taken another route. Pushing down on the accelerator, she sped towards Sara.

"Shit." Sofia pulled in next to the parked Denali and, looking towards the brunette's apartment, she spotted the supervisor half-way up the stairs. Jumping from her car, she raced to catch him.

"Grissom! Wait!"

Startled, the older CSI turned towards the voice, clearly surprised by the sudden appearance of the detective.

"Sofia? What are you doing here?"

"The better question is what are you doing here, Grissom?"

Frowning, he gestured towards Sara's apartment. "I thought Sara should know about her brother in person."

"You know, it seems to me that you were in a bit of a hurry to get over here, and I have to wonder why you couldn't wait to tell Sara news that will blow her world all to hell."

"I'm her supervisor. She should hear it from me." Grissom defended himself, his nervousness belying his reasoning.

Sofia started up the steps, shaking her head in disagreement. "No, I don't think that's why you're here. You want to comfort her when she falls apart."

"Sofia, you're wrong. I'm just doing my job. I'd never intentionally hurt Sara."

The words 'thou doest protest too much' lingered on the detective's lips, but she somehow managed to keep them in check.

"I'll talk to Sara, Grissom. I've been here for her since this whole thing started, and I intend to be here when it ends."

"It's not your place, Sofia. You've done your part, now let me do mine."

A voice from the top of the stairs interrupted the showdown between the two.

"What's going on? Why are you here, Grissom?" Sara glanced from Sofia to her supervisor and back again, looking for an answer to her questions.

"Sara..." Grissom began, only for Sofia to step past him as she moved towards the brunette.

"Something's come up involving Matt, Sara."

Grissom could hardly believe what he was hearing, wondering how Sofia could so easily refer to Sara's brother by name. It was almost as if she'd known all along that Sara had a brother.

"Come on in, Sofia. Grissom, I'll talk to you later."

The two women moved into the apartment, closing the door behind them and leaving the supervisor standing on the stairs without a clue as to what had just transpired. Turning, he made his way to the Denali, occasionally glancing back at Sara's closed door.

As Grissom pulled from his parking space, he mentally replayed the last few moments, certain that he'd seen Sofia take Sara into her arms before she closed the apartment door.

Chapter 14

Sara melted into Sofia, taking just a moment to savor the safe feeling the detective's touch gave to her. She'd never experienced such protectiveness; it was as if she was a precious metal, wrapped in a fine cloth for safekeeping. Closing her eyes, she cherished the special feeling.

The investigator was ever so grateful Sofia had arrived in time to stop Grissom from telling her whatever it was he'd come to tell her; she'd known the minute Sofia had mentioned Matt's name that things would soon be taking a turn for the worse as far as the Sidles were concerned. She had a strong feeling the news itself was going to be difficult enough for her to accept; hearing it from Grissom would've been unbearable, especially if he'd made an awkward attempt to hug her, and he would've, she had no doubt.

She easily recalled the last time she'd been upset in his presence. Grissom had been called when she got pulled over for driving under the influence because of some stupid rule about calling her supervisor. He'd clumsily leaned forward towards her in an attempt to offer comfort and support, but his bumbling only led to him grasping her hand. Sara pushed the image aside and leaned further into Sofia's welcomed embrace.

The detective held onto Sara tightly, running her hand gently up and down the brunette's spine and offering comfort in the only way she knew how as she bided her time until the investigator asked to know the truth. If only she could pack Sara up and take her away until the whole thing boiled over, but she knew that her plan would never work. First, the CSI would never agree to it and, second, the situation wasn't going away. It would still be here when they returned.

Sighing, Sara finally moved to pull away, and Sofia reluctantly let her go. "Okay, what's happened?"

The blonde gently took the other woman's hand and led her to the couch. Once they were comfortably seated, she explained everything Catherine had told her, making sure to include her theory that it was entirely possible that Matt's only crime was hiding the murder weapon.

"So, it's definitely Matt then?"

"Yes. Although, I'm not sure how Brass managed to talk him into giving up his prints so that Mandy could match them to the one's already in the system; he probably had no idea they'd found the knife, and I'm certain he didn't know that Brass already suspected who he was."

"What was he in for?" Sara stared out of her apartment window, dreading Sofia's reply and inwardly cursing her brother for choosing to make Vegas his new home.

Sofia watched the brunette physically brace herself, and she briefly wondered if this was how Sara lived her life all those years ago, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Aggravated robbery; Catherine didn't give any details, but I can find out if you'd like."

Sara continued to look towards the window; however, she was no longer focused on what was beyond the glass. Instead, she'd turned introspective, remembering the last time she'd seen her brother.

Matt had taken an especially vicious beating from their father after Sara had purposively let it slip that he'd had a stash of weed hidden under his bed. She no longer remembered why she'd been so angry at Matt that she'd told her parents, but she vividly recalled the consequences of her actions. She hadn't meant for him to get hurt, and she'd certainly never wanted him to leave. But, he had. He'd stolen away in the darkness of the night, leaving her alone to fend off both their parents. After he'd left, her mother no longer tried to protect her, she'd blamed Sara for his leaving.

"Sara?" Sofia had waited for what she thought was an appropriate amount of time for the brunette to answer.

"Huh? Oh, sorry; just thinking."

The detective smiled in relief. Sara had finally broken away from her intense stare to turn towards the blonde.

"I think I'd like to research his case, not that I don't trust you. I'd just like to see it first hand. Um, Sofia? You mentioned Catherine; who else knows?

It was at this point that Sofia wished she could stick Grissom in the same room with Ecklie and the Undersheriff, lock the door behind her, and then throw away the key.

"I think the whole team knows. Nick met Catherine and me in the CSI parking lot and told us about it. That's when I raced to catch up with Grissom before he could tell you about Matt."

Sara looked down at the floor and nodded in understanding, realizing that Grissom must've told Nick, so he'd more than likely told the others as well. It was a hell of a time for the supervisor to suddenly become so talkative.

"I appreciate you cutting him off at the pass. It was easier to hear about Matt from you." The investigator squeezed Sofia's hand in silent thanks, her gesture easier than saying the actual words.

The detective looked into sad eyes and made a decision. Lifting a hand to Sara's face, she gently caressed the brunette's cheek. Ever so slowly, giving Sara every opportunity to stop her actions, Sofia leaned forward until their lips finally touched. This time, the kiss was slow and sweet, each woman reveling in the taste of the other. The blonde used great restraint to keep the kiss from escalating, her intent solely to offer her support to Sara and to reaffirm her commitment to build a relationship with the brunette. Sara graciously accepted the detective's offer as she returned the gesture with great enthusiasm.

After Sofia had initiated the kiss, she and Sara spent several minutes making out on the couch like a couple of teenagers. The detective hadn't felt so strongly about someone in a very long time, and she was beyond ecstatic to discover that Sara felt the same way. It seemed the two women had both admired the other for a long time but were too afraid to take the first step. Something drastic was needed to bring the pair together, and Sara's brother was the perfect catalyst.

The two had worked through all the possibilities of the case and had decided to wait until more evidence became available before making any decisions. It was too soon to determine Matt's guilt or innocence, so they'd just have to wait it out.

Even though she agreed that they should wait, Sara was now unsure as to whether she should visit her brother in jail. Unable to come to any concrete answers together, she'd told Sofia she'd think about it during the night and have a decision in the morning. She'd do some research from home, promising to call the detective if she had any questions or if she just needed to talk, and Sofia promised to be there bright and early with breakfast.

Then, with another kiss, Sara had sent the grinning Sofia on her way, smiling as the blonde practically skipped down the stairs. Closing the door, she'd made her way to her office.

As the detective turned into the LVPD parking lot, Sara placed trembling hands on the keyboard and began to type; the ghosts from her past just wouldn't go away.

Chapter 15

Catherine was waiting for the detective when the blonde entered the building, and the investigator quickly ushered the other woman into one of the empty interrogation rooms.

"Sofia, I'm sorry I couldn't get Grissom on the phone or the radio. I guess he must have switched them both off, or, maybe he just ignored them."

"No problem, Catherine. I intercepted him before he made it to Sara's door. He actually tried to tell me it was his job to inform Sara about her brother, and I could just go. What's his problem anyway?"

Catherine harrumphed and shook her head. "The idiot's got a thing for Sara. I've told him to leave her alone, but he just won't let it go. Every time a situation arises where he can take advantage of her vulnerabilities, he jumps at it. It's really sad when you think about it."

"Well, Sara wasn't even aware that he had feelings towards her until I pointed it out the other day, so it seems his actions went unnoticed by her."

The investigator sighed and walked towards the nearby table, spreading out the contents of a file she'd held. Sofia followed silently and focused on the wealth of information Catherine had uncovered, her eyes opening wide as she read the top page.

Back at the apartment, Sara shut down her computer and stood on shaky legs. Closing her eyes, she tried to keep the wave of nausea at bay, but her efforts proved pointless as she turned and raced towards the bathroom.

Moments later, the brunette leaned over the sink, rinsing her mouth out and washing her face. Turning off the tap, she reached for a towel and slowly lifted up. Sara took a deep breath and forced herself to look into the mirror, her focus turning to the reflective image.

Her mother's resemblance looked back at her, and she frowned. Sara had known that she'd taken after her mother, but until she'd seen the mug shot on the computer, she hadn't realized that as she had aged, the resemblance was even more noticeable. Her mother's image captured so many years ago hadn't changed, but Sara's definitely had.

All those years, the brunette had avoided looking back at the past; there simply was no need to research what she'd already known; however, seeing the photos and the reports brought the old wounds to the surface. Unconsciously, Sara moved her hand to her wrist, rubbing one of her more prominent scars of her past.

A light knock on the apartment door pulled the brunette from her musings, and she gladly welcomed the intrusion. She'd even be willing to buy whatever was being sold if it would successfully distract her from her current thoughts. Glancing at the clock, she realized that it was much too early in the morning for anyone to be selling anything.

Sara peered through the peephole and quickly pulled away, moving her head to lean against the door.

"Fuck. What the hell is he doing here?"

Taking just a moment to compose herself, the investigator sighed and reached for the locks. Opening the door, she motioned her visitor inside.

"What can I do for you, Grissom?"

The nervous supervisor looked around the room before he moved his gaze back to the dark headed CSI. "Um, I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"Oh, really? Well, let's see. I find out that my brother may be in town, then I watch Brass interview him pretty much confirming that the guy is Matt. I listen while he details his last few weeks in Vegas and what he's done to get by. Oh, and then I find out that he's a suspect in the knifing murder. I'm just peachy, Grissom."

The older man visibly cringed with every word, incapable of coming up with any kind of supportive response. His pitiful expression and awkward stance blew the wind out of Sara's proverbial sails, and she invited him to take a seat in the den.

"My stomach's a bit uneasy, and I was just going to make some tea. Why don't you make yourself comfortable, and I'll be right out."

Grissom nodded in reply, walking over and sitting on the couch. Sara smiled sadly and headed towards the kitchen, deciding that even a stilted conversation with Grissom was better than dwelling on the information she'd discovered in her research.

An hour later, Sara led her supervisor to the door. Grissom had been able to give the investigator some information concerning the case and, although it didn't clear her brother, it certainly gave her some leads to follow.

"Thanks for stopping by, Grissom. It really wasn't necessary, but I appreciate the thought. I think I'll take you up on your offer for a few days vacation. There are some things I need to take care of."

The brunette opened the door before Grissom could reply, never noticing the blonde standing on the other side, her hand poised to knock; however, the newcomer's presence certainly didn't go unnoticed by the supervisor as he took a step back from the angry looking detective.

"Grissom. Care to explain what you're doing here?" Sofia glared at the man, purposely standing taller in an attempt to intimidate the CSI.

"Sofia! Hey, is something wrong?" Sara turned to the blonde, grateful for her arrival. Grissom had reached out a hand towards her before she staved off his attempt to initiate a hug by quickly opening the door. Now, she wouldn't have to endure the unwanted embrace.

The detective raised a couple of bags in answer to Sara's question. "I brought the breakfast I'd promised. I didn't realize you had company."

"Huh? Oh, Grissom was just leaving. He's given me the rest of the week off."

Sofia turned her gaze on the supervisor. "Well, that's very nice of you, Grissom. Now, if you'll excuse us, I don't want Sara's breakfast to get cold."

"Oh, um, . . . okay. I'll just be on my way. Take care of yourself, Sara." Nodding towards the two women, he quickly navigated the stairs and headed down the sidewalk towards the street where he'd parked the Denali.

The detective watched him leave, understanding now why she hadn't noticed his vehicle. The sly dog had parked around the corner and across the street. In her haste to get to Sara, she never noticed his truck.

"Sofia? Are you going to come in?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry. It's just that Grissom is starting to piss me off."

Sara smiled as the blonde stepped into the apartment and headed towards the kitchen. Closing the door, the investigator followed, pleased that Sofia seemed to feel comfortable in her apartment.

The detective pulled up short when she saw the kettle on the stove and the two mugs in the sink.

"So, how long was Grissom here?"

The note of disapproval was evident in the blonde's tone, and Sara felt a little guilty being happy that Sofia was jealous of the supervisor; however, just the thought that the detective was interested in her enough to display the emotion had her gladly pushing the guilt aside.

"About an hour. He filled me in on the case, we talked about possible scenarios, he gave me a list of herbs to take for my upset stomach, and then we discussed the need for me to take off a few days."

"Upset stomach?" Sofia removed the bagels from the bag.

"Yeah." Sara faltered. "Um, I found out quite a bit of information tonight."

Sofia placed their breakfast on a plate and walked towards the table, whispering under her breath, "So did I."

The two women decided to take just a moment to eat their breakfast in peace before exchanging information concerning the case; however, Sara barely managed to take two bites before she stood and raced towards the bathroom.

Sofia quickly followed the other woman and knelt beside her, holding the dark hair out of the way and rubbing the brunette's back in comforting circles. A few minutes later, Sara leaned back on her heels and closed her eyes. Sofia took advantage of the quiet moment to retrieve a wet washrag and, very gently, she wiped the cool cloth over the brunette's face.

"Have you been sick all night?"

"No, just since I concluded my research."

Not wanting to put off the inevitable, Sofia sat down behind the other woman and pulled Sara against her chest. The brunette didn't hesitate to take the comfort being offered as she leaned back, keeping her eyes closed.

"Sara? Catherine found out some things that we need to discuss, but there's something you need to know before we talk about anything else."

"I already know." Sara turned her head so that it was nestled under the blonde's neck.

Swallowing the lump forming in her throat, Sara elaborated on her brief statement with an even briefer one.

"Mother's dead."

Sofia leaned her head against the brunette's and held her tightly. No other words were spoken.

For the first time since she'd read the news, Sara finally allowed a single tear to escape.

Chapter 16

Catherine sat in Grissom's office, looking at the various specimens lining the supervisor's wall. Checking her watch, she wondered where the investigator could be and, right on cue, Grissom walked in.

"Catherine? What are you still doing here? Shift was over an hour ago."

The redhead turned in her seat to face the supervisor. She wasn't at all pleased that she now knew exactly how long she'd been waiting for him to make an appearance.

"Gil? Where have you been?"

The CSI walked around the desk and plopped in his chair. "I, ... um, well, I went to see how Sara was coping with things."

Catherine glared at the older man. "You didn't."

"Why is everyone so against me talking to Sara?"

"Everyone?"

"Well, Sofia and, now, you."

"Gil, you've got to let your feelings for Sara go. We both know you could never give her what she needs; you can barely give it to yourself. She needs someone who will always be there to give her love and support as well as comfort, and you can't do that. I know you want to, but you just can't. So, let Sofia handle her. She's done a marvelous job so far."

A red faced Grissom looked over the desk and into caring blue eyes. Despite everything, Catherine was his friend, and she knew him better than anyone else.

"I'll try, Catherine."

The CSI smiled her approval. Turning her attention back to the case, she reached for a folder and opened it so that her supervisor could read her findings. Grissom gladly accepted the file, pleased that his friend had dropped the subject so easily.

"I had Mandy check the knife again. The fingerprints on the hilt did indeed belong to Matt Sidle; however, they were inverted, so to speak; more along the lines of someone trying to pull the knife out instead of thrusting it in. Doc said the knife had to have come from below in an upwards thrust. The grip on the knife is all wrong for that kind of attack."

Grissom frowned as he read both Mandy's report and the coroner's. The way the grip appeared on the knife, Matt Sidle would've had to have attacked with a downward motion instead of an upwards one.

"Anything else we missed?" The supervisor turned his attention back to Catherine, wondering if his thoughts of wanting to offer comfort to Sara had caused him to miss such an obvious piece of evidence.

The investigator expanded on her findings. "I had Doc reexamine the victim's mouth. He found bruising in the back of the mouth consistent with oral sex, and he also found a pubic hair under Henry Charleston's tongue. It wasn't a match to Matt Sidle. We need to question him again, Gil."

Grissom nodded in agreement and immediately reached for the phone. "I'll call Sara and then call Brass to set up the interview."

Catherine gently placed her hand on top of her friend's. "Gil, just call Brass. Sofia already knows about the fingerprint evidence, let her tell Sara."

In a quiet apartment, miles away from the lab, Sofia continued to hold onto the brunette, offering support with a gentle embrace. Sara hadn't uttered a word since she'd acknowledged that she was aware of her mother's death, and Sofia patiently waited for the investigator to take the next step. The detective was perfectly content to keep Sara in her arms for as long as need be.

The peaceful solitude was suddenly broken with softly spoken words. "You know, I actually tried to visit her in prison twice. The first time when I got out of high school, and the second when I was leaving San Francisco to come to Vegas. She refused to see me."

Sofia pulled Sara closer. "Perhaps she just wanted you to get on with your life."

"Yeah, I guess, but I would still check in on her every now and then. The warden was very nice about answering my questions. She said Mom kept to herself and went about her daily schedule. According to Mrs. Powers, she always had a book; she loved to read."

"Um, Sara? Why do you suppose Mrs. Powers chose not to contact you concerning your mother's passing?"

A long pause ensued, and Sofia wasn't certain if Sara planned to answer, but the investigator finally let out a sad sigh. "I was so upset that my mother wouldn't agree to see me before I left the state that I never bothered calling back with my new information. In fact, once I got to Vegas, I never called again; I'd finally decided it was time to cut ties with her once and for all. It was what she wanted and, to be quite honest, I did, too. I guess deep down I always held out hope for some kind of closure but leave it to mother to get her way in the end."

"Oh, Sara. I'm so sorry things didn't turn out the way you wanted."

Sara loosened her grip on the other woman but nestled her head further into the crook of Sofia's neck. "Yeah, kind of the story of my life but, at least, I can rid myself of the guilt of not trying harder to visit her. Maybe her ghost will finally set me free."

The sound of the investigator's chuckle surprised the detective, but the words that followed put things into perspective. "One down, two to go. Now, if I can just get Dad's ghost to fade away, I can concentrate on the living one. Or, maybe I just need to get it over with and confront Matt face to face."

Sofia sat up and brought Sara with her as she turned towards the investigator while maintaining a firm grip on the brunette's hand. "About Matt. Catherine has found evidence that casts a huge shadow on his guilt."

The CSI sat quietly and listened intently as the detective laid out the discrepancies in the case, holding her tongue until Sofia had given a full report on the new findings.

"That doesn't make sense. Why didn't he say something? Why did he take the blame if he didn't do it? And, why did he hide the knife?"

The blonde shook her head. "I don't have any idea, Sara. Catherine wanted to interview him again. She planned to meet with Grissom and present the evidence to him. I'm sure they'll get Brass to set up another interrogation of your brother."

At the mention of the supervisor, Sara grimaced. With everything else that was being dumped on her, she certainly didn't need to be worried about the older man's feelings towards her.

Sofia noted the change of expression on the brunette's face, and the detective in her pinpointed the exact moment the change took place. Placing her free hand on Sara's cheek, she smiled and leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on the soft lips.

"Hey, don't worry about Grissom. You need to concentrate on you and your brother right now. Catherine's promised to talk to him, so let's trust her to set him straight."

Sara's sudden burst of laughter prompted Sofia's question. "What?"

"If Catherine really had to set him straight, then I wouldn't be in this awkward situation in the first place."

Confused, Sofia tilted her head, completely missing the reason for Sara's sudden good humor. "What do you mean?"

Grinning, Sara gave a quick peck to the blonde's lips. "If he had to be set straight, then he'd be gay."

Sofia shook her head and joined in with the other woman's laughter. For just a moment, Sara seemed relaxed and carefree, her mother's ghost finally releasing her hold as her essence dissipated forever.

Chapter 17

"That felt good," Sara sighed. "I haven't laughed like that in a long time. I knew Grissom was good for something."

Sofia stifled a chuckle. "I'm sure being the butt of a joke wasn't exactly what he had in mind."

"Too bad. That's as close as he's getting to making me happy. Although, I am going to take a piece of advice he gave me when he was here earlier."

Struggling to maintain a nonchalant, carefree attitude, Sofia sat back against the tiled wall but maintained her hold on Sara's hand. "Oh, and what advice would that be?"

The detective couldn't keep the edge out of her voice. If Grissom had said anything to undermine the relationship she'd been building with Sara, she was going to literally kill him. She'd been a CSI; she knew how to cover her tracks.

"Let's move this conversation into the den where we can be more comfortable. I really don't want to talk about this on the bathroom floor, do you?"

"Um, are you sure you're not going to be sick again?" Sofia's tone turned soft and gentle, her concern for Sara outweighing her anger at Grissom.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Sara moved to stand, and Sofia reached out as both women used each other as leverage to push themselves to their feet.

Sara turned to walk away, but not before she smiled and held out her hand for the other woman to take, the simple gesture offering a bit of relief to the nervous detective. Sofia tightened her hold as they headed towards the den.

The investigator pulled Sofia directly to the couch and took a seat in the middle; tugging on the detective's hand, she forced the blonde to sit to her left, next to the end. Sofia had barely gotten settled when she suddenly became a pillow for Sara as the brunette plopped a sofa pillow in the blonde's lap, immediately followed by her head.

Sofia looked down at the grinning CSI. "Comfy?"

Sara wiggled her head back and forth and nodded. "Now, where were we? . . . Ah, yes, Grissom." The almost imperceptible narrowing of the blonde's eyes caught the astute investigator's attention.

"Grissom said . . ." The CSI faltered teasingly, watching Sofia's reactions carefully. The narrowing of her eyes, the wrinkling of her brow, and the pursing of her lips told Sara everything she needed to know. Sofia was definitely jealous.

Sara was so caught up in her study of the other woman's facial expression that more time elapsed than she'd realized; however, a very impatient Sofia called her attention to the oversight.

"What? What did he say?"

The ensuing laughter did nothing to calm the detective's frustration.

"Damn it, Sara. This isn't funny. Now, tell me what the snake-in-the-grass, double-crossing, no-good, sorry excuse for boyfriend material had to say."

Sara fell off the couch and onto the floor, her bruised elbow not deterring her for one second as tears streamed down her face amidst her continuous laughter. How she could go to such extremes in less than an hour was a mystery to her, but enjoying the moment, she just went with the flow.

Sofia, on the other hand, folded her arms across her chest and stared down at the amused investigator. Although pleased that Sara's problems and heartaches seemed to be temporarily sidelined, she wasn't at all happy that her jealous reaction to Grissom was apparently the catalyst.

Wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand, Sara rose to her knees still chuckling. "I'm sorry, Sofia. I can truthfully say I've never reacted like this before. I'd always wondered how someone could lose total control like I just did. Now, I know; they simply couldn't help it and, now, I can see how cathartic it can be. I feel absolutely wonderful."

"Good to hear. Just call me anytime you want to laugh yourself silly."

Sara moved to take the seat next to the detective. Taking her hand, she swallowed the last few chuckles and apologized. "I truly am sorry. I wasn't laughing at you, Sofia. Really, I wasn't."

Looking down at their joined hands, Sofia ran her thumb across the investigator's smooth skin, trying to regain control of her runaway emotions. She knew Sara wasn't interested in Grissom, but she simply couldn't stop the jealous feeling from rearing its ugly head.

"I know, and I apologize, too. I guess you lost control of your giggle box, and I lost control of my feelings. It's just that this is so new, you know?" Sofia raised their joined hands to make her point.

"Yes, I do know. I promise you, Sofia; nothing is going to stand in the way of this relationship. I want it as badly as you do."

Sofia smiled. "Good. Now that we're in agreement, what do you say you fill me in on the advice Grissom gave you?"

"He said that the next time I see my brother, it shouldn't be behind a one-way mirror. He's right, too. What kind of person am I if I hide behind the glass, allowing myself to see both our reflections? I've got the luxury of knowing we're both alive and in the same city. He only knows what he sees on his side of the glass. As far as he knows, he's totally alone in all of this. He has no idea that his sister is lurking behind the mirror, spying on him and listening as he pulls the demons out of his closet. It just isn't fair."

"Wow, Grissom said all that? I'm impressed."

"Well, actually, he just said that the next time I saw my brother, it should be face to face. I kind of added all that other stuff after I'd had some time to think about it."

Sofia squeezed the hand she held and nodded. "It sounds like you've worked some things out. Do you want me to arrange a meeting with Matt for you?"

Sara shook her head slowly. "No, I'm not quite ready to follow through just yet. Soon, though, but right now, you need to rest. Why don't you go crawl into my bed and get some sleep? I'm sure Catherine will call if she finds out anything."

"I should go home. You need your rest, too. I bet you didn't get a wink of sleep last night."

"No, I didn't, but I also wasn't working like you were. I could use some sleep, though." Hesitating, Sara focused on the pillow still lying on the floor where it had fallen a few moments ago, "Um, Sofia? Do you think ... Maybe, we could.... I mean, not to... Well, you know..."

"C'mon, let's go." Sofia stood and gently pulled Sara to her feet. Smiling reassuringly, she turned and walked towards the bedroom.

Chapter 18

Sofia woke hours later. A dark head lay on her shoulder and an arm rested in an almost possessive manner across her stomach. Slowly and gently, the detective managed to ease out from under Sara without waking her. She looked down at the brunette's relaxed features and smiled before turning and tiptoeing from the room.

Sometime later, a sleepy Sara shuffled into the kitchen and took a seat at the occupied table. Placing her head on the surface, she closed her eyes as Sofia rose and moved to the coffeepot. The detective had a feeling that Sara didn't function very well until she'd had her first cup of coffee.

Two mugs later, the investigator finally began to show signs of wakefulness, and Sofia began to relate the conversation she'd had with Catherine while the brunette had slept.

"Catherine called. Matt wouldn't tell them anything. She said he just sat and listened to the evidence surrounding the fingerprints on the knife and how she believed that he hadn't been the one to strike the blow, but rather that he'd probably removed the knife in an attempt to save Henry Charleston."

Sara sat perfectly still, listening intently, and Sofia imagined she more than likely gave the same appearance as Matt had to Catherine earlier. Clearing her voice, she continued.

"There's also the very strong possibility of a third man being at the scene. Doc found evidence that Mr. Charleston had engaged in oral sex. A pubic hair, not Matt's, was found under his tongue. Problem is we don't know who the other man is or if he was present at the time of death."

"Did Catherine mention the other man to Matt?"

Sofia shook her head. "I don't know, but I feel sure that she would have. Catherine likes the element of surprise, so I'm certain she would've dropped something like that on him."

"And he didn't say a word to anything that was said?"

"No, and Catherine doesn't think he ever will. Sara, if Matt doesn't help himself out, I don't know what else we can do."

Sara stood and walked over to the sink. Rinsing out her mug, she sighed. "Then I guess I'll have to talk to him."

Sofia watched the investigator's body language closely. Sara's posture had turned rigid and her low voice sounded flat. Rising, she moved to stand behind the brunette.

"Are you sure, Sara? Catherine can try again." Slowly placing her arms around Sara, Sofia was pleased when the other woman leaned back into her.

The brunette turned in the detective's arms. "You said yourself that Catherine doesn't think he's ever going to talk. Well, I think he'll talk to me."

"Okay, let's reverse the situation for just a moment. If Matt suddenly showed up in the interrogation room, and you had no idea he was going to be the one to interview you, would you open up to him?"

Sara paused. "I'm honestly not sure, but if I did decide to say something, even if it didn't help the investigation, it would be to him."

"Do you know what you're going to say?" Sofia moved her hands to rest on the other woman's hips, offering stability in the form of her touch.

Shrugging, Sara smiled sadly. "Um, no, not really. I just thought I'd wing it."

"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, I am." Sara answered without one bit of hesitation.

Sofia leaned forward and lightly kissed Sara's lips. "Okay, let's do it. You go take your shower, and I'll call Brass and Catherine."

Sara patted the hands resting on her hips as she stepped out of the embrace. Stealing one last kiss, she headed for the bathroom. Sofia released a deep sigh and pulled her cell from her belt.

An hour later, Matt Sidle was once again seated in the interrogation room, staring at the mirror on the wall. Sara stood behind the glass, bracketed on each side by Sofia and Catherine, as she stared right back.

"How do you want to do this?" Catherine asked, glancing towards the quiet investigator.

Sara continued to look at her brother. "You and Sofia stay here. I want the guard out of the room. He can stand just outside, and if there's a problem, Sofia can let him know."

"Now, wait just a minute, Sara. I don't think you should be alone with a man you haven't laid eyes on since your childhood. I don't care if he is your brother; you have no idea how he'll react." Catherine voiced her objection, and Sofia was glad the redheaded investigator had beat her to the punch, judging from the expression on Sara's face at any rate.

Sara turned and faced her colleague. "He won't talk to me unless we're alone."

"Um, Sara? Is there a possibility that he'll become violent?" Sofia asked, not wanting to address the Sidle family history, especially knowing how worried Sara was about her genetics.

Their conversation was interrupted by the opening of the viewing room door as Brass and Grissom stepped inside, closing the door behind them. Brass looked at Sofia and shrugged in silent apology for not keeping the CSI out of the room just as Grissom voiced his objection.

"What's this I hear about Sara going in to interview the suspect?"

Sara narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going to interview him per se, Grissom. I'm just going to talk to him."

"You can't be involved in this case, Sara. You know that."

Catherine stepped forward and stood toe to toe with Grissom. "Gil, we're not getting anywhere. I say we give Sara a chance. Matt Sidle is the only one who knows what happened in that alley."

"The evidence . . ." Grissom began, only to be interrupted.

"Screw the evidence, Gil. We can't prove anything; we don't have anything. We've got zero, zilch, squat, nada, ... you name it, and we don't got it."

Brass stepped forward, adding his two cents. "Catherine's right. This guy's never going to crack, and I've got a feeling that there's more to this case than meets the eye or your evidence."

Grissom looked back and forth between Brass and Catherine before finally focusing on Sara. "Sara, I really don't think you should do this. You're not ready to face him."

Sofia opened her mouth to offer her thoughts on the supervisor's statement, but Sara's next words made her smile instead.

"Grissom, to be quite honest, I'm not sure I'd ever be ready to face him. I just know that I have to. Now is as good a time as any. So, if you and Brass would kindly leave, we'll get on with it. I'm sure Matt's tired of waiting."

Brass escorted the protesting supervisor from the room and closed the door. Catherine glanced at Sofia and motioned towards the door. "I'll be outside when you're ready."

A few moments later, Sara and Sofia were standing alone in the viewing room.

Taking Sara's hand, Sofia gave a light squeeze. "Okay, now's the time to back out if you'd like; no one will think the worst of you if you decided not to go through with it."

"I can't; I'd always wonder if it would have made a difference. I have to face him, Sofia."

The detective nodded and glanced back towards the door. Satisfied that Catherine was keeping the others out, she pulled Sara to her and kissed her, pouring all her feelings and emotions into the single kiss. Sara parted her lips and willingly allowed the blonde to take control.

When the couple finally came up for air, Sara smiled and brushed her lips against Sofia's cheek and, squeezing the detective's hand one last time, she let go and walked towards the door.

Standing outside the interrogation room next to the guard, Sara took a deep breath. Catherine had promised not to let anyone else into the viewing room, so the only two people who'd be privy to her conversation with her brother were Catherine and Sofia. So, without any more worries other than the meeting itself, Sara pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Matt folded his arms across his chest and turned to greet his new visitor with his usual silent treatment, but he placed both hands on the tabletop when he set eyes on Sara. Noting the movement, Sofia raised the walkie-talkie, ready to alert the guard as she kept her focus on the suspect.

Slowly walking towards the table, Sara stopped at its edge. "Hello, Matt. It's me, Sara."

Chapter 19

The only sign that Sara had touched something in her brother was the slight widening of his eyes as he slowly leaned back in his chair and re-crossed his arms. Sofia breathed a sigh of relief and lowered the walkie-talkie to her side as Sara spoke again.

"So, what have you been up to for the past oh, twenty or so years?"

Matt looked at his sister and smirked. "I heard the old man met a nasty end. I didn't know Mom had it in her."

Catherine jumped at the sound of the male voice. She hadn't expected him to speak so quickly.

Sara pulled out a chair and took a seat. "I'd rather not talk about the parents if you don't mind. I'd like to know what you've been doing."

"Were you there? Did you see it happen? Did you help? I damn sure would've."

Sofia clenched her fist as she watched Sara flinch at her brother's words and, seemingly unfazed by his sister's brief reaction, Matt continued his verbal assault.

"That was you in the diner that day, wasn't it? You look just like Mom, you know. Well, except your hair is a little darker, and of course, the space between your teeth that we both got from dear ol' Daddy. By the way, did he squeal like the pig he was when she stuck him?"

Sara moved her hands to her thighs and squeezed tightly, trying to stay in control. She couldn't let him see how much she was unnerved by his words. Trying a different approach, she offered, "I tell you what, Matt. You fill me in on what you've been doing for the past five years, and I'll answer all your questions. Deal?"

The dark haired man shrugged. "Okay. What do you want to know?"

"For starters, tell me about the robbery charges."

Matt paused and bit his lip, and Sara recalled the familiar quirk her brother used whenever he was nervous. Every time their father taunted him, Matt always had the habit of biting his lower lip before answering. The action made Sara wonder if his attack on her was just a cover and that he was truly unsettled by her presence.

"I was setup to take the fall."

Sara stared at her brother. In her years as an investigator, she'd seldom come across someone who freely admitted their guilt. There was always some reason for their actions and, most times, the suspect tried to place the blame elsewhere.

"Who set you up?"

Matt glanced towards the mirror. "I'd rather not say."

"Oh, c'mon, Matt. You don't seriously think that I'm going to believe you if you won't give me any more information."

Looking directly at Sara, Matt replied, "It's for your own good that you not know."

"My own good? Did you give a damn about my own good when you left me alone with our parents, knowing what they were capable of?"

This time, it was Matt who visibly flinched; Sara had definitely hit a sore spot. Softening her tone, Sara changed tactics.

"What about your own good? I want to help you, Matt. I know that you didn't kill Henry Charleston, and I think you know who did. Why are you willing to take the rap for his murder? If what you say is true about the robbery, then this would be the second time you've allowed yourself to go to jail for a crime you didn't commit. Why would you do such a thing?"

Matt stood abruptly, and Sofia didn't bother with the walkie-talkie; she immediately turned to leave the viewing room. Catherine's hand on her arm stopped her progress.

"Wait, Sofia. Give Sara some more time."

"He's a time bomb, Catherine."

"Just wait one minute, okay?"

The detective glanced back at the glass and noted Sara's expression. The brunette hadn't moved from her chair, but Matt hadn't made a move towards her either. Instead, he began to pace. Nodding at Catherine, Sofia stepped back in front of the glass, but she made certain that she kept a firm grip on the walkie-talkie as Sara's voice filled the airwaves once again.

"Matt, you didn't kill him, did you?"

The nervous man ran a hand through his hair as he continued to pace. His appearance was so much like their father; Sara had to force herself to remain seated. Her father often paced back and forth, yelling all sorts of profanities and accusations, just before he beat the hell out of her.

The next words from Matt were spoken so softly, Sara had to lean forward in her chair to hear. "I'm sorry, Sara. I never should have left you with them. I was just so mad at you for telling them about my stash. I intended to come back, but I was scared. I really thought he'd kill me. He told me that if I ever stepped foot in the house again, he wouldn't hesitate to slit my throat, and then he swore he'd go after you. I was just a kid; a scared kid."

Sara sat frozen in her chair. Her dad had told her that her brother was never coming home. He'd said that Matt hated her and would never return because she'd betrayed him. He'd told her mother the same thing and, from that moment on, she'd given up on Sara.

The investigator tried to keep her focus on the case and her brother's motive for lying. "Did you kill him?"

Matt leaned against the far wall and looked down at the floor. Sara could just make out a single teardrop hanging precariously from an eyelash, the tear glistening in the light. No words were forthcoming, but Sara noticed the barely perceptible shake of the head, and she almost shouted for joy; her brother hadn't killed Henry Charleston. Perhaps, there wasn't a murder gene after all, or at the very least, it had skipped a generation.

Sara stood and slowly made her way towards her distraught brother. Now that he'd admitted his innocence, maybe together, they could get him out of this mess.

Sofia and Catherine watched as the investigator rose from the table. Neither woman had seen the tear or the silent answer to Sara's question.

"What the hell is she doing?" Sofia raised the walkie-talkie to her lips.

Once again, Catherine put her hand on the detective's arm, stopping her from calling the guard.

"She knows what she's doing, Sofia. We have to trust her."

"She damn well better," Sofia replied, tracking Sara's progress across the room.

The investigator moved slowly and deliberately, very cautious in her movement, while Matt continued to look at the floor and seemed totally unaware of his sister's approach. Sara stopped several feet from her brother, hoping she hadn't made a huge mistake.

Talking softly, she made her presence known. "Matt, you need to tell me what you know. I can help you."

Dark eyes swung up in surprise, and Sara wasn't sure if it was because he had no idea that she was so near or that he didn't believe she could help.

Her doubts were confirmed when Matt addressed the latter of the two possibilities. "You can't help me, Sara. I've really messed up this time, and there's no possible way out. I may as well have died in that alley with Henry because I'm as good as dead."

Chapter 20

Sara closed the distance and reached out to touch her brother for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime and, to both siblings, it pretty much had been. Matt watched the hand get closer and closer, and he slowly lifted his own to meet his sister's, grabbing hold and pulling Sara into a tight embrace. The two Sidles held onto each other as they both wept for what might have been had they not been separated so many years ago.

Catherine and Sofia stood watching with tears in their eyes. Neither spoke a word, neither had to. They knew the significance of the reunion, and they both wished it were under much more pleasant circumstances. The pair stood in silence, patiently waiting to learn more from Matt Sidle.

Several minutes later, Sara released her brother and stepped away, wiping her tears with her fingertips. "Let's sit and you can explain to me what you meant by being as good as dead, and I want you to tell me about all the stuff you told Detective Brass."

Matt nodded his head and followed his sister to the conference table, only this time, the siblings sat in chairs on the same side of the table. Sara reached for his hand once again, and Matt looked down at the hand gripping his and began his story.

"Um, I lied to the detective; I didn't want the real story to come out. I did use drugs when I first left home, trying to dull my senses and forget about the beatings and abuse, but I never turned tricks. I cleaned myself up and moved to the east Coast. I got a job working in a casino in Atlantic City. That's where I met Henry; he was a bookkeeper for the owner. Anyway, to make a long story short, we hit it off. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable."

Sara squeezed the hand she held and smiled. "Now, if it did, it would be very hypocritical of me."

Catherine looked at Sofia and grinned. Sofia just blushed and turned back to the glass.

"Um, okay. Well, we were both making good money and bought a condo just off the coastline. Things were going great, but, well, Henry had a bit of a gambling problem. I wasn't even aware that he was visiting the high stakes poker game a couple of nights a week. I just thought he was working late, but I found out very quickly when two goons showed up at our place demanding money. They beat the hell out of both of us and said that the next time we wouldn't be so lucky."

Sara nodded in understanding. "So you ran. But, Matt, why in the world did you come to Vegas if Henry had a gambling problem?"

"We didn't, at first. We actually went to San Francisco. We lived in the streets for weeks, scared shitless that the mob would track us down, but no one ever came for us. The one big mistake Henry made was to grab money out of the cash drawer at a convenience store. I, um, confessed to the robbery and spent my time in prison; Henry would've never survived behind bars. It did wake something up in Henry, though; he got a job and found a small, inexpensive apartment. When I was released, everything was wonderful again."

Matt looked over at the mirror and froze. He'd forgotten about everything else except for Sara. She'd managed to get him to relax for the first time since he'd come to Vegas.

Sara sensed his turmoil. "It's okay, Matt. Yes, someone is behind the glass, but I trust both of them implicitly. You can, too."

He hesitated and then nodded. "Anyway, Henry became restless. He wanted to come to Vegas for the weekend. I told him that it was a terrible idea, but he insisted. He said he'd go without me. So, what could I do? I had to go. Once we got here, he didn't want to leave."

"Matt, if you're blaming yourself for his gambling, stop. It's an addiction. Coming to Vegas was like putting a kid in a candy store. He was going to gamble no matter what. Besides, it was his decision to come here."

"Yeah, I know, but he mostly kept his word. He only played the dollar slots and stayed away from the rest of the games. Problem is he ran smack dab into Jimmy Cantalina."

Behind the glass, Catherine whistled. "He is in deep shit. Cantalina makes Sam look like an altar boy." Sofia frowned, but turned her focus back to the interrogation room.

"Who?" Sara asked confused. She'd been in Vegas for quite awhile and had never heard that name before.

"The guy from Atlantic City; the guy who killed Henry. I guess he must've been here on business. What are the odds, huh?"

"Matt did you actually see him stab Henry?"

Matt bit his lower lip and nodded. "I was coming out of the diner, and I saw Henry going into the alley. I followed him and, when I walked around the corner, Jimmy had his dick in Henry's mouth and a knife to his throat. I started towards them, and Jimmy just smiled at me. Then, he took the knife and he ..."

Clearing his throat, Matt continued, "He, um, stabbed Henry, and I ran. I made it around the block and hid behind the dumpster. Jimmy came out into the street looking for me, but a patrol car drove by, and Jimmy hightailed it to his car. I waited until he drove off before I went to check on Henry, but he was already dead. I pulled the knife out and tried to revive him before I realized it was too late. Someone walked past, and I panicked. I took the knife and hid it between some loose bricks and took off."

Silence filled the room, and Sara squeezed her brother's hand. Matt just stared at their joined hands while Sara glanced towards the mirror.

Sofia saw the hopeless look in Sara's eyes and turned towards Catherine. "Tell me about this Jimmy Cantalina."

An hour later, Sara sat on one side of her brother and Sofia on the other. Special Agent Carol Dawkins sat directly across from the trio.

"Mr. Sidle, I need your signature on this document. You must agree to the terms of the Witness Protection Program before I can formally place you in your new home. Mr. Cantalina is already in custody and a warrant has been issued for a sample of his DNA. If it's a match to the evidence collected from Mr. Charleston, you more than likely won't have to worry about testifying. You'll be free to live as you please."

Matt looked to Sara. "You've got a chance to start over with a new life. You've got to take the offer."

Reaching for the pen, Matt Sidle signed his name on the appropriate lines. The agent smiled and said, "Okay, Mr. Sidle. I'll give you ten minutes to say goodbye to your sister, and then we have to leave. I want you out of here as soon as possible."

Sofia stood and extended her hand to Sara's brother. "Matt, I wish you the best." The dark haired man smiled and shook the detective's hand. Turning to the agent, Sofia offered, "C'mon, I'll wait outside with you."

Sara remained in her chair and watched the two women walk through the door. Sofia reached for the handle and winked at Sara before she closed the door behind her.

The two Sidles sat with their heads close together as they said their final goodbyes.

A mentally exhausted Sara made her way up the steps and unlocked her door. Sofia reached over and pushed it inwards, motioning Sara inside. The brunette shuffled over to the sofa and plopped down, her head resting against its back as she stared up at the ceiling.

Sofia closed and locked the door before joining the other woman. As she took the seat next to the brunette, Sara immediately laid her head on the nearby shoulder and reached for Sofia's hand. The detective placed her free arm around the investigator and pulled her near.

"Helluva day."

"Yeah, but at least I know Matt's going to be okay."

Sofia pushed a loose strand behind Sara's ear. "You want to talk about it."

"You know, it's weird. All those years I'd wondered where he was, what he was doing, if he was okay, and now, I know; I just wish he hadn't had such a hard life."

"Your life wasn't exactly a bed of roses, so don't go feeling all guilty on me."

Sara smiled and leaned more heavily on the blonde. "I know. I guess I should be glad that he's okay now. At least I know he's alive and that he's got a second chance at life."

"True, I'm glad Carol was willing to help out."

Sofia suddenly found herself with a lapful of Sara Sidle, and she didn't even have time to protest as lips descended onto her own. The detective put her hands on the investigator's hips and returned the kiss with gusto. Endless minutes later, Sara pulled away and smiled.

"I never got the chance to thank you for setting everything up. So, thank you."

"Honey, if that's the way you say thanks, you can thank me anytime you feel the need."

Sara chuckled and scooted off the detective and off the couch. Standing, she extended her hand.

"C'mon, I think there's a bed calling our name."

"You sure? I don't want to impose."

"You're kidding, right? It's not like we haven't slept together before."

"Yeah, but, ..."

"But nothing, Sofia. Besides, I might need you to protect me against my nightmares."

Sofia took the offered hand and followed Sara to the bedroom.

"Sara? I don't think your ghosts will be bothering you anymore."

"I don't think they will either, but you never know. Just in case, I think we should err on the side of caution."

Sara slowly slipped out of her clothes, item by item, piece by piece, until she stood naked in front of the gawking detective. Smiling, the investigator slid under the covers.

"Um, yeah, caution sounds good." Sofia threw her clothes in every direction, not wasting any time in her quest to join Sara under the sheets. Grinning, Sara turned out the lamp and then reached for Sofia.

The moonlight shone through the window and onto the bed as the couple made love well into the night. Later, a very sated Sara closed her eyes and fell fast asleep in the safety of her lover's arms, her dreams filled with new love and promise. Her ghosts were finally gone for good.

***

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