I've got a girl crush.

Loosely based around the events of 7.23

Catherine's POV

The shift started the same as they always do, an assignment, an address, then hopefully after hours of hard work a conviction. The only thing I knew so far was that our intended victim was a ghost from the past-Lady Heather.

I knew heading down to the crime scene if Lady Heather was involved this was going to be a tough nut to crack, not just in the respect of case but also because this Dominatrix was as hard and unyielding as the leather of her tools of the trade. She wasn't going to willingly give up information, especially if Grissom wasn't involved. At this point I hoped he was unaware of the situation, he would only make this harder before we got to the bottom of things.

As I walked down the dusty road leading to the crime scene the heat of the day still lingered in the sweet night air of the city I'd come to love as home.

I approached one of the EMTS wheeling away Heather and uttered some words in which I hoped she would maybe find some comfort in. As she was wheeled away Brass turned to me "Like a bad penny, some people just keep showing up."

"Did you call Grissom?"

"No"

I nodded my head in relief, at least this might buy me a couple of hours until he came looking for answers.

"Who found her?" I asked.

"Guy over there in the ten gallon-Vernon Porter" Brass gestured to a man talking with one of his officers. "He's a night watchman. All employees are required to wear that cow boy getup."

We rounded and made our way towards to scene. Brass continued with a tinge of spitefulness in his voice. "Thats the job that cops get after they retire." He was clearly hoping for a better out come for himself after retired, and who could blame him really.

"You've got something to look forward to, Jim" I teased.

"Yes, ma'am" Brass sighed out.

As we climbed the steps my trained eyes focused in on the unusual. "Looks fresh" I mused aloud, whilst leaning down to place a marker and photograph. We entered the saloon and I took in its surroundings, running my torch over the surfaces looking for a place to tackle first. The annoying sound of badly reminiscent organ music began ringing in my ears.

"Lady Heather has a house for this, why take her show on the road?" I asked Brass, he was clearly as annoyed with the music as myself as instead of offering an observation to my question he countered me with "Do you think you know how to…?" trailing off but gesturing to the organ.

"Yeah" I approached the offending instrument and ran my fingers up its cold wooden finish until I felt a small switch, pushing it in the other direction we were met with the sweet sound of silence.

A sigh of relief swept of Brass. "Oh, you're a genius. Well this is where we found her" He pointed out some rope loosely draped along the floor.

"Did she have ligature marks?" I enquired.

"On her neck, yeah"

"Well, that doesn't make any sense. She's a Dominatrix. Not a submissive" I furrowed my brow trying to think of a reason Lady Heather may have allowed for a switch in command.

"Maybe the party just got out of control"

"Or somebody didn't know the rules" I sighed, I respected Heather for the job she held, but someone clearly didn't. As an ex-stripper I knew the dangers of doing anything sexual for money when it involved men. They could become dangerous and out of control in the blink of an eye, and wether you're a dominatrix or not it doesn't mean you are impervious to the ferocity of a XY chromosome.

At some point during my inner monologue of the anger of the male species Brass must have left to question the man outside. I heard the voice of Sara Sidle greeting him on her way past him before she entered the saloon. My stomach twisted uncomfortably. There was something about Sara recently, it made my blood run a little faster, my heart pound a little louder and my throat a little drier. I was beginning to think I may have a small infatuation with the woman. Not the first time i'd had a crush on a colleague but this was certainly one I was planning on pursuing. However that didn't mean I couldn't have a little fun with her. I smiled to myself thinking of the ways I could possibly flirt with her this shift, If only to make the time pass a little quicker.

We said our hellos and got to work photographing the scene, documenting every little detail, not knowing which would be the key to the mystery laid out in front of us.

"This is a family theme park." Sara photographed a broken bottle of whiskey in front of her, she continued."I'm assuming they don't actually serve alcohol here. Must have brought their own. Single Malt 30 years old.

What a waste of a good drink I thought to myself. "S and M is a rich mans sport. Kind of like hockey-a lot of equipment" I commented while dusting for prints of the previously ear offending organ.

"How much do you think a night like this would cost?" Sara enquired.

"Heather told me, five years ago, she was clearing 20 grand a week, and that was before ladyheathercom " I could see that look of surprise of Sara's face clearly not realising what a lucrative business the BDSM world could be. I could also see her swallow a lump in her throat as she asked.

"What is she like?"

"Beautiful…smart,intense…charming" All words I could use to describe Sara if I'm being honest wth myself. "The only woman I've ever seen rattle Grissom." I saw the look Sara had in her eyes, but I couldn't place it, confusion, jealousy maybe even hurt? This was a new shade on Sara so I decided to continue, to see if I could place the shade of emotion. Maybe I wasn't the only one with a work crush."I mean, he kind of liked that forensic anthropologist, Terry Miller, Remember her?

There it was again, a small look of sadness, maybe what I had pegged as hero worship was in fact feelings towards Grissom.

"Yeah" came Saras reply although her voice cracked in the middle of it. She busied her hands with taking more photos, although I could almost see her ears straining hoping to pick up more hints from me. I decided to push to give her what she was clearly looking for.

"But she wasn't enough of a challenge for him. Heather on the other hand" I paused to look at Sara "Uninhibited…and can beat him at mental chess. They had chemistry, and he is a scientist."

Sara was now not even looking at the photos she was snapping away at her eyes and mind clearly somewhere else. I knew by this point I might possibly hurt her, but Sara deserved to know what I thought I knew about them, even if her crush was one sided, she wouldn't want to make a fool of herself by telling Grissom about her feelings only to have them shot down because of Lady Heather.

"I have no proof and I know he'd never tell me, but I'm certain they spent the night together. Wonder which one wore the chaps."

There it was again, that kicked puppy look on Sara's face, damn Sidle you got it bad. Although, I had to admit, she looked adorable, her big brown orbs were wider than usual, and I felt like if they got any bigger I could dive right into them and drown in caramel chocolate.

She cleared her throat in an attempt to make her voice sound even and normal, she failed, miserably. She obviously wanted to drop this subject now as she ignored my last few comments, focusing back on the scene infant of her, but I could still her a little pain through her job related words.

"Lots of…coins and toothpicks. They don't sweep under here."

"I mean more power to him, really, to find somebody outside of work, 'cause when you start fishing from the company pier….asking for trouble." I added this as I thought of Sara, not in regards too her feelings about Grissom but more to myself. I should neatly package away this crush before it got to out of control. Again she tried to keep us case related.

"I found a shot glass. Looks like theres some lipstick around the rim." Her voice wavered slightly, she was clearly still struggling to gain a hold over her own mouth.

"My fantasy does not include costumes, or pain…and certainly not sawdust." This finally got Saras attention, she meet my gaze with a curious lilt of her head, almost as if she was wondering wether to ask me to divulge further and tell her what my fantasy would include, her eyes were darker than normal and I could see her sweet tooth gap through her parted lips. Now I was curious. I tried to act nonchalant by dusting some sawdust off my knee as I asked the question of her. "You?"

Sara cleared her throat and looked slightly startled by my question.

"Me what Cath?"

"Ahh don't play dumb with me Sidle." I walked closer over to her so we were now standing in front of each other. " What would your fantasy be Sara?

Sara paled, wide eyed and god damn adorable. "I'm not telling you my fantasies Cath! Thats private." She would have normally said it with more conviction but I could tell I had knocked her slightly by question or my proximity, I'm not sure which but either way it was fun.

"Fantasies, so you have a few…Awww come on, whats secrets between friends."

"Catherine just drop it, please, I'm not going to tell you."

I don't know wether it was the sadness that had come back into her eyes or if it was the unusually quiet tone in her voice but I decided to drop it. I stepped away from her and went back to dusting the area for prints.

Sara looked lost in her thoughts, her brow furrowed and I could only assume there was an internal debate raging on inside her. We finished the rest of our scene in silence, packing away the evidence in the SUV.

I decided now would be a good as time as any to inform Grissom of Lady Heathers accident so as Sara went to collect the last of her equipment I pulled out my phone and hit number 3 on speed dial. Leaning against the driver door of our car as I waited for him to answer.

"Grissom" I could her the gruffness of his voice through the phone, I had clearly interrupted his concentration with something.

"Hey Grissom"

"Catherine?" I could clearly her the question in his voice.

"Its Lady Heather, theres been an accident, she's in hospital."

"I'm on my way." The phone clicked dead. He was gone, clearly wanting to rush to her side as soon as possible. I smiled slightly to myself, damn I have him pegged right when it comes to Lady Heather.

I heard Sara close the trunk and pull open her passenger door. I hopped in the car and turned to her, taking in her slumped shoulders and thoughtful gaze. There was still clearly some things she was thinking through. "You ready?" I asked.

"Yeah, do you want to drop me at the hospital so I can get the bodily evidence from he victim?"

"If you want" I reasoned she must want to meet this woman now after all I had said tonight about the connection between Grissom and Lady Heather. I started the car up and headed for the ER.