A/N: Hey all! Got a lot of writing done yesterday, I am on a roll! So here is a pretty little update for you. I had a very exciting day today, I went grocery shopping and to wal-mart, then I assembled a closet. Yes, I know, you are amazed by my fascinating life- we writers are often creatures of adventure and mystery…

Read on!

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Sara handed her keys to the valet as she stepped out of the Denali. She looked up and around at the bright lights and over-the-top landscaping. Well, if you were going to have a party, this seemed like the place to have it. It seemed much more inviting when you weren't concerned about a dead body inside- and when you weren't using the service entrance.

"Holy shit," she mumbled as she stepped inside. The ceilings had to be at least thirty feet high and everything was gold and glitz, built to resemble old Italian and Roman architecture on overload. She looked around and through a throng of people that seemed endless. She didn't see any familiar faces, but after a minute of searching, she heard her name being called above the crowd.

"Sara! Over here!"

Sara stood on her toes and spotted Pam, the woman she had met earlier that afternoon. She walked over and the black-haired woman gave her a short hug. "Hey, I'm glad you could make it. Where's your date?"

"Who?" the CSI swallowed at the word 'date'. "You mean Catherine? She's not here yet?"

"I haven't seen her. Wow, you look really great."

Sara glanced down at her outfit. Charcoal grey pinstriped dress slacks that hugged her then fell away from her frame in an appealing way, a tight silvery sleeveless top with a gathered neckline, and a short black leather jacket. Black, strappy sandals with a one inch heel completed the look. She gave a half smile, accented by her sheer lip gloss. "Thanks."

"We're all gathering in the lounge until everyone arrives, if you want to come hang out."

"Thanks, but I think I'd better wait for Catherine- it is her reunion after all."

"Sure, you want me to get you a drink?"

"Can't, I'm working tonight. Don't worry, you go have fun. Cath should be here any minute."

Pam nodded. "Okay, see you in there."

As the other woman turned away, Sara scanned over the heads of the crowd, searching out the object of her secret affections. She looked left. She looked right. She checked her watch. 8:03. Was it too soon to call and make sure she was on her way? She should probably give it at least five minutes so she didn't sound completely pathetic. She fiddled with her watchband, blinked at the time again, and then looked up. Her jaw dropped.

It was almost as if the sea of people before her parted on cue. And there was Catherine Willows, sauntering down the granite-floored aisle, a vision in blue. Electric blue. Sara's brain was pulled back to her dream from that afternoon and she was suddenly rendered incapable of any movement. The dress was a one shoulder wonder that hugged the redhead's torso beautifully and fell in waves away to the knee in front and mid-calf at the back. The ornate beading on top worked perfectly with her subtle but glittering silver earrings and bracelets, and the rippling fabric of the bottom echoed the gorgeous soft curls that framed her glowing face.

She had been looking to the side as she made her way down the hall, but as she drew closer to Sara, her head turned slowly and a wide grin appeared on her face. As she took in the other woman's attire, her grin turned predatory. "Well, well. What's a good-lookin' girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Sara forgot her nerves at the playful tone in Catherine's voice, "Just waiting for a friend of mine, have you seen her? A body to kill for and a face to launch a thousand ships?"

Catherine laughed but her stomach was swarming with butterflies. Was that really what Sara thought? She took a breath. "You do look great."

Sara nodded, before she could help herself, the words spilled from her lips, "And you're beautiful." She smiled nervously, her anxiety about this night returning full force as she met the redhead's gaze.

"Thanks. I'll tell Lindsey- she practically forced me into it." There was a pause before Catherine held out her hand, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. "C'mon. Let's show 'em how its done."

Sara hesitated and then clasped the other woman's hand in hers. "So, Pam told me there'd be guys at this thing. Anyone I should watch out for?"

Catherine giggled like the school girl, thinking back to yesteryear. "Dickie Westhaven, if he shows up. He won't have many friends if he does. He's a total slime ball."

"Ecklie kind of slime ball?"

"Worse. He's good looking, or at least he used to be, and he thinks he's God's gift to women, but he's got the intellect of a slug and the smile of a snake."

"Did you date him?" Sara asked without thinking.

Catherine made a retching sound, "Ugh! Not in a million years. That's not to say he didn't try- he did, but I was already taken."

"By who?"

"John Robin. We dated starting in eighth grade and we were together until I left, the summer after sophomore year."

"Huh." Sara had always assumed that Catherine could have had any guy she wanted and was surprised to hear she was only with one person in high school. She blushed in her private embarrassment, she didn't think of Catherine that way- she respected her immensely. She'd just figured she was a free spirit- one that wasn't easily tamed by one man. "Will he be here?"

"Uhh…" The older woman looked around as they entered the lounge area. She pointed toward the bar, nodding. "I guess so. That's him in the red shirt. Hasn't changed a bit."

Sara inspected the man at the bar. He was tall, quite tall in fact, with dark disheveled hair. His beard was trimmed short and his wine-colored dress shirt and dark brown slacks were well cared for. He turned away from the man he was talking to, green-gold eyes scanning the room before landing on Catherine. He was a very handsome man, Sara thought to herself, and he was clearly impressed with what he saw in Catherine. Everyone was. As she looked around, she could see that most faces had turned toward them, and several conversations had come to a sudden halt.

Catherine gripped tighter to Sara's hand and murmured quietly close to her ear, "Quick…run!"

The brunette cracked a smile. "You don't get out of it that easy," she said in a low voice. She released the redhead and gave her a playful push forward. "Let's go…Cathy."

Catherine turned to shove the other woman back, but Sara easily dodged, laughing. "You watch out, Sidle! I'd keep one eye open if I were you!"

Sara pretended to tremble in fear. Then she saw a man approaching over Catherine's shoulder. It was the high school boyfriend, John. Catherine caught her glance and Sara gestured with her chin, "Cath…"

The redhead turned. "John Robin," she exclaimed with what Sara now recognized as false vibrato. "It has been a few years, huh?"

He smiled warmly and wrapped the woman in a fierce hug. "Cathy Flynn! Yeah, just a few. And just look at you!" He smiled again, shaking his head. "I guess we really are all grown up, aren't we?"

"For a while now, J. But its great to see you."

"Its great to see you. Can I buy you a drink while we wait for the stragglers?"

"Uh…" Catherine looked over her shoulder at the woman behind her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you'd come alone."

"No. John, this is Sara Sidle. Sara this is John Robin."

Sara reached out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Its nice to meet you too." His grip was firm and not at all unfriendly.

Sara smiled at the other woman, waving a hand, and speaking much more bravely than she felt. "You kids go have fun."

Catherine gave her a questioning look, but she just shook her head.
"I'll go find Pam- you two get caught up. I'll see you later."

The redhead smiled softly. "Thanks, Sar." To the man taking her arm she said, "I'm afraid you're going to have to buy me a coke- virgin style; I'm on duty tonight."

As the man and woman moved toward the bar, Sara turned her attention to the rest of the crowd, eyes searching for Pam even as the disappointment welled up inside her. She had hoped she would be able to unravel the 'Catherine/Julie mystery' some more, and that she would get to spend some real time with Catherine tonight, but apparently that was not going to happen.

"Looking for someone?"

Sara spun to see a cocktail waitress sporting what amounted to little more than a red and gold bathing suit and carrying an empty tray. She had blonde hair in curls down her back, and large blue-gray eyes. "Uh, just a friend."

The young woman grinned. "You don't look old enough to have graduated with all these folks."

Sara smiled politely, "No, I was a few years behind." She spotted Pam who waved her over to a group of women. "Excuse me?" Sara sidestepped the girl.

"Sure," she giggled, "I'm Ronnie. I'll be serving your party all night so, you know, if you need anything…"

"Yeah," Sara dismissed the girl quickly, "thanks." She headed towards her new friend. "Hey, what's…" But she was interrupted by loud laughter coming from the bar area.

Pam looked over her shoulder. "Ah, I see John and Cathy are getting reacquainted. Well, good for them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, in high school, everyone was so sure they were going to get married, until Cathy ran off. He was completely crushed. We weren't friends, so I lost track of him, but Candy was telling me that he met another girl when he was in college on a football scholarship. He married her- they had four kids and were very happy until she died suddenly two years ago. So now the talk of the evening has been he and Cathy getting back together again."

Sara's heart pounded in her ears. "Well, they only just met again after like twenty-five years. I seriously doubt-" But she was once again cut off by another peal of laughter that she immediately recognized as Catherine's.

Pam smirked, "You were saying?" When Sara did not reply, the doctor introduced her to the group of women they were with. Most were friends Pam had had in high school, plus a few wives. Sara was beginning to feel like she was back in high school herself, hanging out with the science geeks and math nerds while the prettiest girl in school was on the arm of the star quarterback. She did not like the feeling.

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Well, that's a wrap! For this update anyway. What's going to happen next? Let's see some review action and maybe I'll get another update out to you before the week is through- and maybe just maybe one for Sara's Baby too!