Behind the Scenes

A CathSara fic. This means a ff relationship, if you do not like please don't continue to read. If you do then please read away and enjoy! Sorry for any mistakes I don't have a beta but please feel free to tell me of mistakes I like perfection!

Disclaimer – I do not own any part of CSI what so ever (if I did I would be having more fun!)

Rating will go up for later chapters.

Chapter 1 – Setting the Scene

"Sara Sidle?" Catherine asked hating the sound of that name. Catherine didn't like change, they were a good team and now they had this person Catherine had never even met coming in to investigate! At least Catherine had a say in hiring Holly Gibbs something she now regretted.

"Whose that?" Warrick Brown asked in a polite tone but you could still hear the slight anger in his voice.

"She's a CSI out of Sans Francisco, she's a friend of mine, someone I trust, she's going to handle our internal investigation, I want to keep this in house I don't want IA involved." Grissom spoke calmly.

Immediately Catherine replied "Great that's just what we need somebody sniffing around." And with that Catherine strolled out of the room.


Catherine had to get herself together before going to the crime scene. She went into the locker room and her forehead met with the cool metal of a locker. Catherine wanted so much to pour out her emotion but she knew she had to hold it together at least till the end of the shift. She wasn't going to let that Sara Sidle, whoever she may be, get anything from her. Catherine was going to solve this case and she didn't need any help from strangers. With her plan Catherine tidied herself up and went to process the scene.

Sara twisted the cold metal door handle and breathed in, Grissom had pre warned her about the wrath of Catherine Willows. The room was dark and sitting down had to be Catherine, 'Wow pictures do lie, she looks' Sara thought to herself then mentally scolded herself for doing so. Sara thought she'd have a little fun with Ms Willows.

"Do you know where I can find Catherine Willows?"

"She's out in the field." Catherine replied emotionlessly then turned to look at who was asking, she knew it had to be Sara but what did this 'friend' of Grissom's look like, "Let me guess, Sara Sidle?"

Sara smiled, so this woman Catherine knew how to play games too, shame they were meeting in such bad circumstances, "I know who I am, I think you're a little confused."

Catherine felt more anger from this reply, "You think your taking my case? Forget it!"

Sara stepped into the room and closed the door, she'd met women like Catherine before and she knew just how to handle them "Look we can stand here and argue or we can get out there and find out who did this to Holly Gibbs." Sara paused for a moment to think how fun it would be to argue with Catherine then snapped back into time and complimented Catherine, "Two sharp women are better than one."

After that Catherine silently agreed and the two women got to work. Catherine, processing evidence. Sara, searching for Warrick Brown.


Catherine heard the news about Holly, she felt like it was all her fault. 'If only…' she kept thinking to herself. She found the break room empty; she let out her emotions in a deep sigh and placed her head in her hands. Catherine tried to live with no regrets but in this circumstance it was going to be hard to do. She heard the quirky voice ask "Mind if I get a soda?" She took a while to process and realised she was stood in front of the fridge. "Oh yeah I'm sorry."

The young girl asked her "You want one?" polite yet a bit informal seeing as they'd only just met today.

Catherine felt like she had a headache coming one her brain telling her she needed relief, "Is there anything in their with alcohol?" she replied wishing hopefully.

Sara stored this information in her brain and investigated the can she had pulled out; "Root beer…no," Sara smirked as she proceeded to open the can.

The two women then heard a familiar noise, the beep of pager. Both women checked theirs. Then Catherine excitedly looked at the beeper she found at the scene and dialled the number that was paging her.

Sara laughed, "What are you going to say? Hi I'm a criminalist, I was in the neighbourhood"

"Shh it's ringing," Catherine calmly said.

This captivating woman more than intrigued Sara. The way she worked was not just smart but also like she was a criminal. Sara listened to the conversation between the unknown and the person on the end of the phone.

Sara couldn't believe what Catherine had just done! Catherine asked Sara feeling a little proud, "Did I just do that?"

"What's a bling bling?" Sara said; her thoughts open in the air.

"Got me!" Catherine replied stunned.


Sara was in need of a caffeine fix. After arresting the suspect she headed back to the break room and made a coffee and began to process the day's events. She liked the Las Vegas labs; there was a warm feeling about them. She sat down at the table and began to drink the coffee, okay a downside to the LV labs was the coffee but it was caffeine. As she was silently thinking alone Catherine came in a sat beside her and let out a deep sigh shaking her head. Sara was comfortable in these situations, 'should she ask Catherine if she was okay? No that would be stupid because obviously she isn't.' Whilst still processing the situation Catherine picked up the paper and started to read. Sara saw this as a sign she didn't want to be disturbed, Sara was glad. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence Sara reached for her packet of gum and with the famous Sara Sidle I'm not uncomfortable smirk asked, "Nicorette?"

Catherine looked shocked for a split second 'this woman wants information about me', "No thanks got my own" Catherine replied showing her gum in her mouth. Sara smiled as she popped in a tab of gum into her mouth.

"Your DNA results are back," Greg said from across the hallway. Both women immediately sprung to their feet and went across to the lab, Catherine leading of course.


The DNA was a match. Catherine was audibly pleased that Holly had given them just enough.

"Good work Catherine," Sara complimented reasonably.

Catherine flashed her a grin while trying to form a sentence in her head that wasn't disrespectful to the fact that she could of done it without her help, "It was nice working with you Sara Sidle, if I ever commit a crime in Sans Francisco, I won't look you up." Catherine half laughed.

"Yeah they have a lot of bling bling over there," Sara gave a heartfelt snigger, "But you wouldn't find me there. And I'm glad you liked working with me because we will be on the same team now."

Catherine's jaw fell instantly, "What?"

"Thanks for the welcome," Sara sarcastically said but in a playful tone. "Come on the rest of the team awaits us."

Outside the LVPD the whole team stood watching the animal that killed the young girl be transferred to prison. Sara moved to stand alongside Catherine. Catherine was someone that Sara couldn't work out so she took this opportunity to watch her. As the creep got into the vehicle Sara knew she would have to watch Catherine more to suss her out.


Catherine's POV

I couldn't wait to get home and see my little girl. I'd only seen her once in the past few days and that was in the middle of the day. I'm so glad it was Saturday. I could go to sleep for a couple of hours then get a couple of hours with my baby before returning to work again.

As I get into my lovely warm bed (after checking the post and phone messages) I am reminded of the conversation I had before work (not a good idea to get angry before going to sleep!). That fucking Sara Sidle. Normally Gill let me have some say or at least informed me on changes to the team. We were a team it should have been a team decision but no! Now we get Sara Sidle, I wonder if Gill lost a bet? I bet she's one of those happy people who have had everything handed to her on a plate. She's nothing like me I had to work for everything, work harder than everyone else. She always smiles? What's with that? I'll tell you, Eddy always does that 'smile everything will be ok'. They smile to hide their ulterior motive. Gill said he trusted her? Well that's a first for Gill, apart from me of course, and he's never mentioned her before. Oh my! I bet they slept together. Urgh, well it makes worse but I can understand they're both emotionally dead. Mental note – always knock on Grissom's door. There is no way I am going to be nice to that Sidle, she's got what coming to her, she wants the plate? She can have the hand that gives it to her too.

SLEEP CATHERINE!


Sara's POV

I breathe in the Las Vegas air. What do I smell? Challenges! A new lab, a new home…a new life. Time to put those Ghosts away. I'm quite please Gil offered me the job, back in San Francisco life was getting too demanding. My life and job clashed but here in Las Vegas I can have my job as my life, I've learnt from my mistakes. I let my co-workers become my friends, I let them know about me and my past, I even let one of them into my pants. But not here, that won't happen. Being a CSI should come with a warning guide. You cannot let your personal life get entwined with the job. They say that when you have co-workers it is like a family, well let me tell you it's not. The back stabbing reaches an all time low in San Francisco, just for promotions even the supervisors do it. 'Anyone who can touch you can hurt you or heal you, anyone who can reach you can love you or leave you.' Well in San Francisco they hurt and leave you…friends that is. Now onto relationships and work…they don't work, I learnt that the hard way. My supervisor and I had this amazing relationship outside work, in work? Well my supervisor was hard on me, always setting an example of me. And when it came to do it, love or work? The answer was work, which made my supervisor hate me all the more. So I am looking towards the new. If I ever have to go back to San Francisco it will be too soon…

Author Note - Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Don't worry the next chapters won't be so much episode bits like this one I'm Just…setting the scene ;-)