"It will sound stupid but I've to tell you I'm proud of you." Sofia dipped a cookie in her cream. It was – like the ice cream – melting on the plate next to the hot chocolate mud cake and a banana.

"For avoiding something?"

"For not forcing you into something you know it's not good for you.."

"I am already in it."

"Yes but there's no need to go in further."

"I don't think you would have let me go."

"I can't stop you from going anywhere but no, I wouldn't like it."

"It's not our case, we can stay out."

"Exactly. Macy should do something too. We had the brain now she can do the leg work and run around."

"Do you think we're right? That the mother killed her daughter?"

"Yes. That would explain why I thought the whole time I missed something. That I know who the killer is and just can't see it."

"Abusing and killing your own daughter…what a mother."

"Can't always blame the father."

"No." Sofia got her free hand on Sara's leg. They sat side by side, Sofia wanted to have some contact with her friend, wanted to be as close as possible and give Sara the chance to look out of window without having Sofia in front of her eyes all the times.

"Get your hands off my pants." Sara smiled.

"Okay." Sofia dropped her spoon and hugged Sara not without kissing her earlobe. "Your decision. The next time you'll be happy to have my hands on your pants and not my lips on your earlobe."

"I'm very patient today. First you came very close while Macy was there, you didn't bother to let me go when Callen came in and now you're kissing me in a café. MY dear friend, you live dangerous. I might slap you."

"Sara you won't slap me, not for taking care of you and you know that's what I do. You liked me being that close to you in the office and you know it helps you. I'm not doing this just to hold your soft and or kiss your delicious skin…"

"Stop talking like that, Sofia."

"…I do that because it's good for you."

"You think it's good for me."

"Don't you feel better when I'm there for you? When you feel my arm on your arm. Doesn't it scare the cold away that you feel when a case haunts you?"

"Yes." Sara had to admit.

"See."

"Okay you know what's good for me." Sara laid her head on Sofia's shoulder. "And yes, I feel better when I can feel you, when you're next to me. Everybody feels safe when a lieutenant is around."

"I could be a detective and you'd feel safe."

"Or an officer."

"Don't get too down with the rank. I don't want to end up as a csi again."

"It must have been an awful time for you, being a useless and worthless csi."

"Yeah, not even an acting supervisor, only a csi. A nothing. No rank. Just…ordinary…that was so…embarrassing…"

"A wonder you talk to a worthless csi."

"Talking to them is okay, they might learn something from me but I've a csi as my best friend and I love her. That's something…I need to change that."

"Do you?"

"Yes. For my honor."

"In that case I should leave you, shouldn't I?" Sara didn't move, she stayed exactly where she was, her head on Sofia's shoulder, her hand in Sofia's.

"Nobody knows me here, nobody knows you're only a CSI."

"You know. Your ego knows."

"My ego likes you. I've a soft spot for Grumpy Smurf."

"Bite me."

"Again? You complained the last time already."

Sara snorted.

"I love you too." Sofia kissed Sara's cheek and moved a few inches away from her friend.

"I wonder if they have the evidence to get Misses Humbert in."

"They'll let us know. Are you alright? I mean when Macy calls can you go there? Can you listen to Misses Humbert? Or shall we stay away and wait what Macy and Callen will find out."

"Running away, avoiding problems, doesn't help."

"No it doesn't. But there's no need to suffer more if you don't have to."

"I want to hear why she did it."

"Then I'll be by your side and listen with you."

"Thanks." Sara smiled a bit.

"You're more than welcome."


The door woke Sara up. Not that she had really slept, she was too scared to fall asleep. As soon as she'd sleep the nightmares would be back and nobody was there to hold her. Her guts had been right. Misses Humbert killed her own daughter after she had abused her for several weeks. The reason was something she did't tell Macy and Callen. It was the job of the shrinks in prison to find out why. Did it matter to Sara? She wished it wouldn't, but it did. To know why a mother did something like that to her own daughter was something Sara couldn't imagine and at the same time she was scared to hear reasons why. She knew this case would haunt her even when she didn't really worked it. She was involved and she suffered.
That was the reason why Sofia had dragged her out to a club to dance. For over five hours they had been dancing until both couldn't dance anymore. The first hours they had danced with each other later they got some company from two men. Sara, still thinking of Ryan, didn't want more than dancing and when she found out it seemed to be alright for her company to have nothing more than a few hours of dancing, she relaxed a little bit more and enjoyed herself. The case was still on her mind but she got it a little bit in the back.
"You can turn on the light if you want." She said the blonde who tried to walk through the room in the dark.
"You should be sleeping."
"I tried."
"Give me five minutes and I'm with you." Sofia vanished in the bathroom and was in less than five minutes back in the room. Without light she climbed in the bed and took Sara in her arms.
"Nightmares?"
"I didn't sleep. I knew if I sleep I'll have them. So I stayed awake, hoped you'd come back and hold me. In your arms I'm safe."
"Yes you are." Sofia kissed Sara's hair. "Sorry to let you wait. I should have come with you."
"You did exactly the right thing. I wanted to go home alone."
"Nevertheless I should have joined you."
"I'm fine. And now tell me, did Mickey find a replacement?" Mickey was the name of the man Sara was dancing with.
"Yes."
"Thought so. A good looking guy like him won't stay alone for long. And you had some fun with Andy?"
"Yes." Sofia grinned.
"Means you had your man and won't act like a bitch in heat anymore."

"Hey." Sofia poked Sara gently.
"Sorry I was just thinking of your comments the last couple of days, how flirtatious you were and that this should be over now that you had a man."
"Two."
"What?" Sara wasn't sure if she heard right.
"Do you think I'd let a good looking guy like Mickey go home alone?"
"You went with Andy and then with Mickey?"
"Too much effort, Sara Honey, it's much easier to take both men at the same place. Saves some time to come back to your best friend. I won't give you details only this much: you missed out something."
"I don't believe, you went home with two guys...okay it's you, I do believe it."
"I didn't have two guys together since college...another thing I won't give you details of. All I can tell you is, I've their phone number, they're on a regular basis in Vegas so if we feel like having some fun, even if it's only dancing, we're more than welcome to give them a call."
"You want to have an affair with two men?"
"Affair?" Sofia laughed. "Sara I love you and I adore your skills as a CSI. When it comes to private life your skills are...you can develop them. Mickey and Andy are a couple. They love each other but they do enjoy having some fun with a woman every now and then. So for them sharing me was something they enjoyed and I enjoyed the attention of two men - two men who knew what a women want - too. So no affair only great sex. And I know when you're not suffering because a stupid man left you, you would think about having some fun with Mickey too. You're no saint, Sara Sidle."
"No I'm not but at the moment I don't want a man in my life. They leave too much pain."

"That's why I've their number. For later. Want to sleep with me?"

"If you're talking about real sleep, yes."

"I'm done with the rest for today." Sofia snuggled into Sara's back and hair. "It's nice to have you in my arms."

"It's nicer to be in your arms."

"Good. I don't plan to let you sleep anywhere else the next couple of nights."

"That's alright with me. Sleep tight, Sofia."

"You too. And if you feel any nightmares coming up, wake me up in case I don't realize these bastards are there."

"I will. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Good night."

"Night night." Sara smiled a bit. Now she could try to sleep. With Sofia, being in Sofia's arms, she should get some real sleep.


THE END

I wish you all a merry Christmas :-)