-Knowing What You Want Is Key-
Chapter Two
The first thing she noticed upon her arrival in the lab's car park was Grissom's government issued Denali resting in its normal space by the entrance. After taking a few minutes to gather a tight hold of her emotions, she headed for the doors, swallowing her pain as she went. Not wanting to be seen by any nosy onlookers just yet, she headed straight for the locker room where her attempts at keeping her emotions at bay were quickly faltering. After placing her things in the metal locker with some force, she slammed the door shut and then let her fist come to a painful crash against it.
"Sara?" A voice called from the doorway, filled with concern and surprise at having seen the brunettes loss of control. A voice that was instantly familiar to Sara, the voice of Catherine.
She didn't regard her, instead choosing to collect her things from the bench in shame of being caught in her vulnerable state.
"Are you alright?" The older woman tried again, this time getting Sara to at least look her way.
"I'm fine." Came Sara's grunted reply as she pushed her way past the confused woman and out of the room, leaving her dented locker in her wake.
Arriving in the break room a few minutes later, she came across Warrick and Greg and tried to hide her swelling hand. Before anyone could say anything Catherine came in after Sara, but when she saw the boys, she decided to let it go for the time being. Sara took full advantage and headed straight to the coffee maker to retrieve a much needed, strong cup of the liquid fuel. Catherine, still keeping her eyes trained on the silent Sara, took a seat at the table with the boys.
Greg, being Greg and hopelessly in love with the slender brunette noticed first off that something was wrong with her, and being Greg he felt the need to ask, despite Catherine's warning glare.
"Hey Sar, you alright?"
"I'm FINE Greg." The response came through gritted teeth as she slammed her cup on the counter.
Greg was about to push the issue, but Catherine kicked him under the table and gave him a look that he knew meant to drop it. He was at least smart enough to listen this time, either that or he didn't want to get kicked again.
A few more minutes passed while Greg and Warrick exchanged mindless chit chat and Sara avoided everyone. She elected for a seat on the sofa in the corner instead of joining them all at the table, and Catherine was starting to worry. She kept a close eye on her while they waited for shift to officially start and noticed that although Sara was turning the pages to the magazine in her lap; she wasn't even seeing the pages. Her mind was somewhere else, and this was just a show to ward of prying eyes. At first Catherine was thinking that it was just pent up emotions about Nick's abduction. She knew they were close, but she just as quickly dismissed that thought upon seeing Sara's eyes. They weren't those of someone thinking about a friend, they were those of a woman scorned. She knew that look all too well.
"Hey Boss…again." Warrick commented as Grissom walked in. This was the first shift back to everyone being a team again, but something sure made it feel like they weren't in team mode.
Catherine pulled her thoughts and stare from Sara when Warrick announced Grissom's presence. She picked up before anything else how nervous he looked and how he kept wiping his hands on his pants. Then she noticed how he was avoiding at all costs looking in Sara's general direction. So, being the investigator that she was, she turned back to Sara, to find her still engrossed in not reading her magazine but her posture had tensed since Grissom's arrival and her teeth were absentmindedly grinding in frustration.
"Hey guys. Welcome back to graveyard." Grissom started, but without any real genuine emotion. He sounded like a robot as he spoke. "Okay, Greg, you're with me. We've got a DB out in Henderson." He paused to hand the assignment slip to Greg, who was way too excited about being able to work a DB with the 'Boss-Man.' "Catherine, Warrick, you have an arson on Oakley Street." Handing Catherine the slip, he continued, still not letting his eyes fall upon the broken brunette in the corner. "S-Sara, you're solo on a rape at the Monaco."
Sara angrily huffed and stood up, grabbing the slip from his hand hastily.
"Solo. Why doesn't that surprise me?" The evil glare in her eyes and the hurt tone of her voice left everyone speechless and concerned.
"Sara…" Grissom tried to respond, but was quickly cut off by a death glare emanating from her fiery brown eyes and her venomous words.
"Go to hell Grissom!" Her disgusted words followed her as she left, leaving the entire team, including Grissom in shock.
