Once again thanks for the reviews. I'm off on holiday now so it'll be at least a week and a half until the next update but I am hoping to get chapters 10 and 11 up pretty much as soon as I get back.

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Chapter 9

Catherine got into her car and drove away from the lab as fast as she could, Wendy knew she was related to Sara's 'sister', Sara knew how she was related, she needed to talk to someone about it, about everything she was feeling, all the things she'd kept hidden for so long were coming to the surface. Then she thought about the girl, how she'd looked when Sofia had led her out of the apartment, her head was bleeding, Catherine hoped she was alright and wanted to give Sofia a piece of her mind now she knew who the girl was. She was beautiful, a short brunette who looked like she'd seen a lot, not a trace of blonde like Lindsey, she wondered if the brunette dyed it.

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She drove around for a while before arriving on the doorstep of the only person who knew her secret, her younger sister Nancy. She seemed surprised to see her elder sister looking so shaken.

"Cath what's up?" Nancy asked as Catherine walked by her into the kitchen finding the vodka and taking a swig from the bottle. "Bad case?" Nancy asked getting Catherine a glass.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Catherine replied filling a glass for herself and pouring a small measure for her sister.

"Try me." Nancy said sitting down across from Catherine at the kitchen table.

"One word, Charlotte." Catherine said finishing her glass and filling it up again whilst Nancy picked her jaw up from the floor.

"As in Seattle, as in baby as in secret?" Nancy asked figuring things out, Catherine's nod confirmed it. "Wow, she's got to be 25 now." Nancy drained her glass and filled it up again. "How? When?" Nancy asked, they'd never really spoken about Charlotte over the years, they went to church and lit a candle every birthday and thought about her at Christmas but nobody ever knew.

"She was arrested for breaking into Sara Sidle's apartment." Catherine replied managing a smile to Nancy's confusion.

"A criminal, really turned out well." Nancy mused "Nice to have another crook in the family."

"She lives there, forgot her key, neighbour got confused called the cops, I went she was arrested and I processed the scene." Catherine paused to catch her breath, "She's known Sara for years; call each other sisters from what I gather." Catherine raised her eyebrows slightly miffed at the thought of her daughter being so close to a woman she barely was able to call a friend.

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After what seemed like hours Nancy spoke.

"Do you think she knows?" She asked thinking out loud.

"Sara's probably told her, I doubt she'll take it very well, I gave her a right look when they led her out the apartment. She probably thinks I'm a right bitch." Cath replied.

"On many occasions I'd agree, and I seriously doubt you're at the top of her list for Christmas cards anyway what with the whole adoption thing," Nancy replied with a slight smile which wasn't returned, "You're going to have to tell people Cath, this isn't going to go away. Now you know where she is and who she is you can't ignore her."

"I'm scared Nance, I thought she'd be in her teens when she turned up on my doorstep. She's in her mid twenties for Christ sake!" Catherine suddenly felt her age.

"What difference does that make?" Nancy asked raising her hands in the air.

"She's more likely to tell me to fuck off now; she doesn't need a mother at 25." Catherine replied being realistic.

"You're pushing 45 and you still need your mother." Nancy remarked earning a smile from Catherine.

"Can I do this?" Catherine asked more to herself than her sister.

"You can and you will." Nancy replied. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

A thought then occurred to Catherine. "How am I going to tell Lindsey? She's going to hate me for denying her a sister, for calling her my baby when she isn't. I've kept this from her for so long." Catherine let out a sob.

"Tell her the truth, you can't do more than that, she'll be angry yeah but you had your reasons." Nancy replied, "Mum's going to be the problem." And Catherine's eyes grew wide with horror.

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