Not my best work but its late and im tired. let me know what you think x

x x x x

Sara was on her knees, clutching her stomach as she threw up what little contents she had digested. Acting on instinct, Catherine threw herself to the floor, grabbing Sara's waist from behind. One hand swept her damp brown curls aside, as the other slithered round to hold her around the middle.

Sara's body was cold and damp, wrapped only in a towel. Catherine, still in her bathrobe, felt the brunette's skin against her chest. She could feel her own heart beating against Sara's back.

As Sara ran out of things to throw up, she began gasping desperately for air. Catherine shifted position slightly, allowing herself to hold Sara tighter around the stomach, resting her chin on Sara's shoulder so she could whisper words of comfort into her ear. In moving, she suddenly became very aware of the lack of layers between them. She had inadvertently loosened Sara's towel and more pale, damp skin rubbed against her own. Her robe had moved at some point, resulting in her practically bare chest pressed against Sara's back. She could feel Sara's skin, suddenly hot and flushed from the close contact, sliding against her own.

"I'm sorry." She brunette gasped, still struggling to breathe.

"It's alright baby." Catherine whispered, hugging her closer. "It's alright, I've got you." Sara nodded, leaning back into Catherine's embrace as exhaustion swept over her body. Cath placed a kiss on her cheek, just next to her ear. "It's okay now. Just take deep breathes." She instructed. Sara closed her eyes, trying to match breaths with Catherine's. "Good girl."

After a few minutes Sara's breathing had calmed down enough for her to speak properly.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. "I didn't ... I didn't mean to..."

"Shush, it's okay. I know." Catherine promised. She didn't; for all she knew Sara could have made herself sick, but right now she had to help the girl and accusing her was not going to get her anywhere. "Stay here." She said, waiting until Sara was balanced on her own before standing up to get a drink of water. She held the glass in front of Sara's mouth, helping her drink it.

Placing it on the side of the sink, she turned back to look at Sara properly. She was clutching the side of the toilet for balance, her towel wrapped loosely around her. Cath retrieved a t-shirt from the bedroom and crouched down beside Sara. She carefully slipped it over her head, mindful of the graze on her face, and helped Sara put her arms through the sleeves. Now partially dressed at least, Sara nodded her thanks shyly.

"I'm sorry." She whispered again. Cath just shook her head and placed a kiss on Sara's cheek.

"No need."

She was about to speak again when the front door slamming startled them both.

"Cath!" A familiar voice called. Catherine groaned and stood up.

"Just, stay here alright. I'll be back." Sara nodded, watching her run from the room.

X x x

"Nancy, hi. I'm sorry, I know I forgot!" She babbled, running downstairs. Her sister raised an eyebrow, giving her a once over. Cath glanced down and hurriedly refastened her bathrobe, hanging half open.

"Caught you at a bad time?" Nancy asked with a smirk. Cath was about to answer when two small arms appeared around her waist.

"Hey baby." She sighed, running a hand through her daughter's hair. Lindsey smiled up at her, resting her head against Catherine's stomach. "Hey, why don't you go watch TV for a while, I need to talk to Aunt Nancy for a few minutes."

"Okay." The little girl chirped, bouncing into the living room.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything." Nancy said mock seriously when they were alone. Cath didn't laugh. She grabbed her sister's sleeve and dragged her to the stairs, sitting down.

"I need your help."

"Why?" Nancy asked suspiciously, looking her up and down.

"My colleague, Sara. She's in my bathroom. She just threw up." Nancy frowned.

"Explain this to me." She said after a long pause.

"Grissom was on a case a couple of weeks ago; he had to go see a physiatrist about a victim. While he was there he spotted Sara file. She's seeing the same guy. So, like the genius he is, he took it." Nancy was nodding along, although obviously not really understanding the point to all this. "He left it for me to read, but I didn't know it was hers. I told him to take it back but he didn't listen. He told her and she flipped out and ran off. She fell down the lab front steps and cut her jaw open. And now she's just thrown up." She stopped for breath.

"Okay, where is she now?" Nancy asked.

"My bathroom floor." The nurse stood up and ran upstairs, followed closely by her big sister.

X x x

Sara jumped, startled by the entrance of this stranger. Nancy didn't seem to notice as she crouched down next to her and placed a firm hand on her forehead. Sara's eyes flashed to Catherine, who nodded for her to stay still.

"She's got a fever. Has she eaten?"

"A bit. Not much." Cath said, moving further into the room.

"Put her back to bed, keep an eye on her. And make her eat something." Nancy instructed, well and truly in nurse mode now as she checked the wound on her face tenderly. "And for the love of God Catherine, put some clothes on." Cath glanced down, and re-tightened her robe again. Damn thing didn't want to stay fastened today.

"Mommy?" A little voice spoke from behind and she turned. "What's going on?" Lindsey's eyes shifted from her mother, to her aunt, to Sara.

"Here, you take care of her. Come on Linds." Nancy said, standing up. She took her niece's hand and led her away, despite the child straining her head to look back at Sara with a puzzled smile.

"Come on, you heard the nurse. Back into bed." Cath took her friend's arms and gently helped her up, guiding her back into the bedroom.

"I'm sorry Cath. Really." She mumbled as she was deposited on the bed.

"Stop apologising." Catherine chastised softly. She helped Sara replace the towel around her waist with a pair of shorts and wrapped her under the blanket. "I'll be back soon, okay." She promised.

"Catherine." Sara said softly, halting her in the doorway. "Bathrobe's undone."