Sofia Curtis would have run from the lab towards her car if she thought she could get away with it, without anyone noticing

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: Femslash and slight language

Author's Note: I'm trying to write this in about three pieces, possibly two or maybe four. Please review if you like, or don't like.

The Difference between Right and Wrong

Part One

Sofia Curtis would have run from the lab towards her car if she thought she could get away with it without anyone noticing. As it was, she noticed a few confused looks as she passed her coworkers without so much as a glance. She couldn't look at them; couldn't face anyone, not even herself. All she wanted to do was get what had just happened as far behind her as she could. Memories haunted her as she ripped her car door open, jammed her keys into the ignition and backed up without looking around. She knew she probably shouldn't be driving what with her mind being completely absorbed and her body going through slight shock. Despite putting herself and possibly other drivers in potential danger, she just wanted, needed to get home. All she wanted to do was hide out in her apartment, lock the door and ignore the world that was waiting behind it. After running through several red lights and about three stop signs she arrived to her destination. Heaving a great sigh of exhaustion, she left her car, barely remembering to lock the doors. Pushing the button for the elevator over and over again, she decided that it was taking far too long so she opted to take the three flights of stairs instead.

She sighed again, this time out of relief, as the door in front of her slowly opened and she walked inside to her private sanctuary. Locking the door behind her before turning on the lights, she rested her forehead on the hard wooden door and thought back to the event that sent her running.

Sofia was tired from the evening's events; five murders, two suicides and three car wrecks. The team hadn't had that many cases in quite some time, and exhaustion could be seen on everyone's faces. Most of the CSI had headed home already, but Sofia had decided to grab another cup of the crappy sludge they somehow called coffee before heading out. God knows how much she needed that extra boost of energy to get home. Right as she finished chugging down the black coffee she turned around to see Sara Sidle walk into the break room, a pile of folders in her hands.

"Hey," she said as she tossed her papers onto the table and strolled over to where Sofia was standing. "It's been some night, huh?"

"Yes it has," Sofia answered, her voice strained with weariness. She turned back around to the sink in order to wash her mug. It felt heavy in her hands, making her realize that she might have pushed herself too hard that night. Not noticing Sara edge closer to her, she felt her body hum as the slightly taller woman reached across her to get a clean mug. For quite some time now, she had admitted to herself that she had very strong feelings for the dark haired CSI. She also acknowledged that nothing was ever going to happen with those feelings. Loving a coworker was wrong, and loving another woman was almost equally as wrong. At least, that's what everyone had always told her. For all she knew, Sara was oblivious to the feelings that were held for her, but, as Sofia noticed Sara lingering across her, she thought, maybe Sara isn't oblivious at all.

Clearing her throat as she noticed the warmth that radiated off of Sara slip away, Sofia tried to distract herself with conversation, her hands still scrubbing the mug. "So," she nodded towards the table. "You plan on finishing that paperwork or are you going to rest for once."

Sara smiled, looking down at the coffee she was pouring into her mug. "I was planning on staying a little later to finish up some work. I have nothing else going on tonight, so I may as well do something useful, right?" She looked into Sofia's eyes in what Sofia could only describe as a challenge; a challenge to give Sara something better to do than paperwork. After taking a deep breath Sofia turned back to her mug, not really seeing anything as she tried to find a way to break the obvious tension in the air. Sara looked down too, eyebrows frowning as she noticed the huge amounts of steam rising from the pouring water. Sofia's hands were bright red. "Aren't your hands burning?"

"What?" Sofia focused, and she finally felt her hands smoldering under the hot water. Gasping she dropped the mug and it shattered. "Crap!"

"Here," Sara leaned over her again, turning the faucet off as Sofia began to hurriedly pick up the broken pieces. Just as Sara began to reach into the sink to help, Sofia felt their bare arms brush softly against each other and she squeezed the hand holding the shattered pieces a bit too tightly.

"Shit!" She dropped the pieces back into the sink, covered in a thin layer of blood. Her palm was bleeding heavily as she turned the water back on, waiting for a moment to let it cool before shoving her hand under the water.

"Oh my God," Sara murmured as she grabbed paper towels. "How bad is it?"

"It's nothing, really; just a scratch." Sofia, now able to see the cut clearly under the flowing water noticed that she had a fairly large chunk of mug sticking out of her flesh. Grimacing slightly she pulled it out, tears beginning to sting her eyes as the pain shot through her hand, but she willed them not to fall. She hated looking weak, especially in front of coworkers.

"It doesn't look like a just a scratch." Sara scolded as she firmly took Sofia's hand in her own, ignoring the blonde woman's feeble attempt to pull away. Trying to overlook how soft Sara's hand felt, Sofia winced as Sara applied the paper towels to the cut and pressed down firmly. During this entire process Sofia had watched Sara's face and the concern that covered it. A strand of dark hair fell across the focused face and Sofia's other hand itched to tuck it behind the woman's ear. She raised her hand slightly just as Sara's eyes lifted to meet her gaze. Sofia's breath had somehow left her body as dark eyes held her own blue eyes captive. There bodies were close, too close for Sofia's comfort. She needed to put an end to the spell Sara was casting.

"I think the bleedings stopped," Sofia whispered, not even bothering to look down at her hand; her hand that was still being held in those incredibly soft hands. She tried pulling her hand away again, only to find that Sara wasn't quite finished with her magic. Tugging the blonde woman forward slightly, Sara silently closed the gap between them, their mouths less than an inch away from each other. Sofia's eyes fluttered shut as she felt warm lips graze against her own. The last thing Sofia thought before Sara's lips descended fully onto her own was that Sara was definitely not oblivious. As Sara molded her lips to Sofia's, Sofia felt her body begin to tighten. Instantly she became aware of her surrounding. She could hear the noises of the lab as a whisper just beyond the door to the break room. The hum of the refrigerator seemed to be yelling into her ears. Her nose was full of the mixed scent of coffee and an aroma that was distinctly Sara. The dull throbbing of her hand seemed insignificant compared to the fingers that were gently holding onto it. Her lips, her lips were frozen, like the rest of her body, and she suddenly became afraid. She jumped back abruptly, feeling pain as her hand was wrenched from Sara's grasp.

"Sofia, I-"

"Don't." Sofia held up her good hand to stop Sara from saying whatever she had planned on saying. "I… I need to get going." And with that she turned around and nearly ran out the door.

Back in her apartment Sofia hit her head against the door a few times before turning around and looking down at her wounded hand, the only light being provided by the street lamps outside her window. She decided to sleep the night off, pretend nothing had happened. As she finished brushing her teeth and washing her face she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Less than an hour ago she had been kissed by Sara Sidle, woman of her dreams and what did she do? She ran away; like a coward.

"You're an idiot," she muttered, not breaking eye contact with herself. "You're a hopeless, insecure idiot who can't let yourself accept happiness even when it falls right in front of you."

With that thought crossing her mind, she turned off the lights and went to bed.