"Hey, Sara. You feeling okay?" Catherine asked her friend and co-worker in a gentle motherly tone. "Yeah I'm fine." Came the quick reply. They both sat for a few more silent minutes in the dimly lit locker room before Catherine realised something wasn't right with the beautiful brunette.
She asked again "Sara are you sure you're ok?" Catherine looked for her friend's eyes but she couldn't because she was looking at the floor so she gently lifted the face of her dear friend so she could see her beautiful brown eyes. But to her surprise the normally kind and determined eyes were not there at this time but were replaced by sad and tearful ones. Sara started to move to wipe away a falling tear but the blond got to it first.
After a few more seconds of comfortable silence Sara finally spoke up "No Cath I am not fine I have a fucking headache that feels like there is millions of high school marching bands in there, a low grade fever, and I am not having a good day!" Catherine just sat there amazed at the little outburst she had just witnessed.
Catherine sat there and gently rubbed small circles on Sara's back before she finally spoke up "Sara sweetie, I think you need to go home at least just for today." Sara returned her eyes to a place on the floor before going on "I cant there's no one there for me." Catherine looked confused "No family?" she asked with a concerned tone "No. No one cares about me, no one ever did." More tears began to flow from her beautiful eyes.
Catherine was shocked to hear such harsh words from such a beautiful person. "But people do care about you sweetie. I care. You are going to go home with me weather you like it or not." Sara's eyes widened in shock not that Catherine could see them.
After a few minutes of fear that she would say "no" Sara finally gave in and gave a faint nod. Catherine started to help her to her feet. "But…but what about Grissom?" Catherine totally forgot about their supervisor but she thought fast.
"I'll go talk to him see if we can get some time off."
"Some time. That sounds like more than one day?" Sara said with concern in her voice.
"Well it might be more than one day because we don't know why you are sick yet."
"But I don't want to be any trouble to you."
"Sara, honey you will never be a problem to me."
Sara once again looked at the floor. "Okay, but only if you're sure it wont be a problem."
"No you will not be a problem. Right now I'm going to see Grissom. Would you like to come?"
"No I think ill just sit in here until you come back."
"Okay suite yourself I'll be back in a minute or two."
Sara just nodded as Catherine left the locker room. As the blond was walking towards her supervisors' office her mind began to wander to why her friend was worrying about taking her time she didn't have time to come to a conclusion because she soon arrived at Gil Grissom's office door. She stood there for just a moment but then he saw her out of the corner of his eye and waved her in. Standing behind the chair in front of his desk Catherine almost rushed into a conversation.
"Gris, Sara and I need sometime off if that's ok with you?" Catherine said half demanding half asking.
"Why do both of you need time off?"
"Because she is sick and I don't want her to be alone."
"What? You two can barley get along for two hours let alone more than a day."
"Well just because we don't get along doesn't mean she has to be alone when she is sick. So can we?"
"I really don't really see a reason why I have to have both of you off…"
"But Grissom…" She didn't have time to finish because his hand was already up to stop her from going on.
"If you will let me finish please." Catherine nodded "Yes, you two can have as long as you need off. But if we get too overworked I will have to call you in. Is that good enough for you?"
"Sounds good." She said over her shoulder as she was walking out of his office.
"Hey, wait do you know how long this will take until we have our two favourite female CSI's back on the case?"
Catherine turned around a small grin on her face and said "The only two female CSI's you mean, and I still don't know what it is she has or how serious it is so maybe tomorrow maybe next week."
"Take as long as you need. And hey it might be good for your working relationship."
Catherine rolled her eyes and with a smile she was gone. Walking through the halls of the crime lab was like walking through her home. When she reached the locker room she opened the door to see Sara asleep on the bench this image made her smile. She let her sleep for a few more moments before they had to leave. Once Sara awoke she gathered a few things from her locker but decided that what she had wasn't enough since she didn't know how long she'd be at Catherine's.
So the two women went to Catherine's SVU and left for Sara's apartment which according to Sara's directions was ten minutes from the lab and sure enough there it was nine minutes later. Catherine expected Sara to get out right away as soon as she stopped but she did not. As Catherine was about to look over her shoulder to look at her companion she heard a soft snore she couldn't help but laugh. Boy this is not going to be as easy as she first thought.