Her Heart

by: Liv-x-Case-Benson & dcmasters

Ch. 2: Reason

Catherine strolled into the hospital a short while later, asking for Heather's room, smiling when she walked in. "Hey."

Heather turned her head, smiling slightly. "Hello Catherine," she said tiredly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore, tired, unpleasant... And those are the things I'll admit to."

Catherine nodded. "Want to tell me what happened?"

"Like I told Sara, I don't remember much."

Catherine nodded, placing her hand over Heather's. "I'm worried about you."

"Worried? Why bother worrying over me?"

"Somebody's got to," Catherine replied, squeezing her hand. "Sleep if you want. I don't mind just sitting here."

"Why are you going to sit? Aren't you going to relentlessly grill me?" Heather asked, holding her hand gently. "This feels strange. I'm not used to not having control. In my job, I had this...persona that nothing scares me, but it's not true and since...that happened to her..."

"You don't know how life can ever continue without her?"

"It's not like...like I saw her every day or even every week, but I knew I had someone who cared about me, you know? Someone to break the persona out of work. A-and the next best person would be her, but apparently, I'm not "fit" to be a guadian to my own flesh and blood!"

"You haven't seen your granddaughter?"

Heather shook her head. "The last time I tried, h-he had me escorted from the property. Even when she wanted to see me! She tried to run to me, but... What am I supposed to do?"

Catherine sighed softly, trying to read her, examining the marks on her neck. "I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do..."

She sighed. "I don't know. I wish there was a way to make them see differently. I mean, yes, that was my job. I had this dark persona, but I don't even have the business anymore and I would never do anything to let on. I would do anything to get custody."

"If I promise to help you, I'm going to need a promise back."

"What kind?"

"You have three ligature marks on your neck. That tells me you had time to get away. You also neglected to tell the staff here you were diabetic. I think you thought you couldn't live anymore. Promise to stay alive. I'll promise to help sort something with your granddaughter."

Heather sighed. "If you were me, wouldn't you feel like this, if only for a split second?"

"I nearly lost my daughter once."

Heather pulled away. "Fine. I'll agree. But nearly losing and actually losing are two very different things. You think you know how I feel, but..."

"I had to pull her from the car that my ex-husband was still in in the middle of a storm drain. I had to choose to take a life. I chose to keep my daughter's, even if that meant she lost a father because losing her would have been so much more painful for me than losing him."

Heather nodded. "That's understandable, but what can you do for me?"

Catherine placed her card on the small table next to Heather. "You need anything, call me anytime. Even if you just want to talk. In the meantime, I'll track down your granddaughter and see what I can do, but you'll need to give me time. I'll need to do it outside work."

Heather nodded. "Thank you."

"I need to go. You take care, ok?" Catherine smiled.

Heather smiled, squeezing her hand. "I'll try."

Catherine gave one last smile before returning to the lab, going in search of Sara. "Hey..."

Sara turned. "Hi."

"How is it going?"

"Well, the only skin on the rope is Heather's. Did she tell you anything?"

"Not so much told... she wanted to die."

Sara wrapped an arm around her. "Are you ok?"

"I'm always ok when I'm in your arms," Catherine smiled.

Sara kissed her cheek.

"I promised I'd help her."

"How?"

"Find her granddaughter. Try and establish contact."

"And if you can't? Cath, can you really say that?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. But if I don't do something, next time she'll be in a body bag."

Sara nodded. "Maybe it'd be better...if she stayed with us for a bit?"

"Are you sure? You said yourself we've barely had any time together.. "

Sara shook her head. "She needs us, Cath."

"Ok. Thank you," Catherine smiled, kissing Sara gently.

Sara smiled, kissing her back. "We'll make it work."

Review: helly1bradleywyatt