Disclaimer- I own nothing.

A Sara/Cath friendship story, written from Catherine's POV.

Takes place six months after Goodbye and Good Luck

Needle in the Hay

Sara has been gone exactly six months. In that time the gaping hole in the team that was left following her departure, has slowly started to disappear, and the hurt was starting to heal.

Sure we still miss her. I'm sure people would never believe that I miss her, but I do. I miss my sparring partner, I miss having female company, I even miss the sarcastic comments and that unique Sidle smirk.

But as I said life goes on, and we go on, and apart from very occasional letters and emails from her, our life moves on without Sara- even for Grissom. We all try hard not to mention her, through fear of upsetting Gil... I guess maybe we were all trying to forget.

But then this morning I received a letter from her. Addressed to me, not to all the team, as they usually are. It was a short letter, Sara never was one for the words. She asked after Lindsay, talked a little about life in San Fran, and told me that she missed me, which was sweet, albeit a little surprising.

So I went home after shift tonight, exhausted, but with all intentions of writing back to Sara before going to bed. I put on the T.V, before hunting all over the damn house looking for a pen. I was only distracted from my mission when the news presenter interrupted the weather report, as breaking news flashed across the screen.

"We are sorry to have to interrupt that bulletin, but we have received news reports from Californian authorities that there has been a serious traffic accident on a highway in San Francisco"

My attention was focused on the TV.

"It is reported that over 30 vehicles are involved in the pile up on the Interstate 465 in San Francisco, and unofficial reports suggest that there are already 8 confirmed dead, and countless more seriously injured."

The camera focused on the carnage on the highway, cars totalled, people being stretchered across the highway and onto waiting ambulances.

And then... Wait.

It couldn't be...

San Fran is a huge place... What are the chances... But there's no mistaking...

Sara.

Bloody and battered as she was, I knew it was her.

EMT's were shouting at the media to get out of the way, as they rushed her onto the back of an ambulance.

It was her.

Oh my God.

Shaking, I reached into my pocket and grabbed my cell.

"Gil... It's Catherine"

TBC...