Sara sighed contently and rolled over to her side to face Catherine. 'This really is the most fun I've had with clothes on.' She thought running her finger over Catherine's bottom lip and watching her sleeping form turn toward the touch. Catherine had been asleep for nearly twelve hours, and Sara was pretty sure that this was the longest she had slept in the last couple of days. She guessed that everything that has been happening the last few days took their toll on Catherine, and their little talk last night probably added while at the same time relief some of the burden Catherine has been carrying lately. After they had talked about Catherine's parents trying to threaten Sara into staying away from Catherine and also the best way to deal with them, Catherine had fallen into an exhausting sleep.

Sara had managed to get a few hours but just the pull of Catherine next to her was too much for her to get any real rest. Watching Catherine could be her new favourite thing; she looked so peaceful, the sadness that had tinted her every waking moment while Nick was missing seemed to be gone when she was sleeping.

Sara's stomach reminded her that she had skipped at least two meals and although the pull of food on its own was nowhere near enough to get her out of bed, the fact that she might make puddles where she laid if she didn't to the bathroom, was becoming a problem.

Reluctantly she untangled herself form Catherine, being very careful not to wake her as she did so. She padded into her bathroom, god it was an amazing feeling to get out of bed and walk in the bathroom knowing that Catherine was asleep in her bed, in fact she was considering chaining Catherine to the bed so she could do this all the time. Thoughts of Catherine chained to her bed sent her mind in a whole other direction and vivid images of the blonde naked tied to the bed, the entire expanse of soft creamy skin exposed to Sara came to mind, and Sara shuddered at the thought.

This was the place that had so long been denied to her and the only place she knew that she really wanted to be. Sleeping with Catherine, having sex that was one thing, something she was sure that if she had really wanted that she could have had any time up to that moment. She had always secretly wanted more, wanted snuggles in bed and making breakfast for her and showering together.

She turned to watch Catherine sleep for a moment more before deciding that she wanted to make at least one of her fantasies come true.

Trudging to the bathroom, she closed the door and stripped of her clothes. Goose bumps formed on her skin and her nipples hardened as she dropped her bra to the floor. It had nothing to do with the room's temperature, no, it was the realisation that she was naked in her bathroom and Catherine was sleeping only few feet away sent a shiver of arousal down her spine.

%%

Sara kicked the door behind her closed and headed to the kitchen with the bags of groceries she had in her hands. Her desire to make Catherine breakfast in bed had been fraught by the fact that all she owned was Beer and Sweet popcorn.

Deciding that it was just not healthy and that if Catherine and Lindsey were going to be around more she was going to need a whole lot more in her cupboards she had dressed and gone shopping for them.

After unpacking, a quick check on Catherine which had nearly ended in Sara jumping the older woman. Catherine had rolled onto her back in her sleep and the T-shirt she was sleeping had rode up revealing a rather nice expanse of stomach and Sara had been rather tempted to latch her lips on to it. She hadn't though and once she had convinced herself that Catherine was safe and sound, sleeping like a baby she had set about making breakfast. Many mornings of watching Catherine carefully had left her with the knowledge that waffles and syrup followed by bacon and scrambled eggs would go a long way towards making the blonde smile.

Sara hummed along to music in her head as she made her way around the kitchen. She was pretty sure it would have all been done sooner if she had not had to stop to pinch herself every few moments as she remembered where she was, what she was doing and more importantly who she was doing it for.

%%

Catherine woke to the smell of fresh waffles and coffee. She was pretty sure she was dead and had woken up in some sort of heaven. She really could not tell –if asked- how many times she had wished she had woken up to this, with just maybe Sara the mystery cook, she just know that she had wished for it a lot and never thought it would happened not even once. It took her a moment to wake up properly and remember she was not in her own bed. She laid there for a moment or two stretching as she tried to piece together the few hours before she had fallen asleep. Rolling over to check the clock she sat up abruptly as she realised she had been asleep for over twelve hours. Pulling her watch from the bedside table and fastening it on her wrist she doubled checked the time, convinced there must have been a power out. All her watched did was confirm what the green display of the clock was saying.

'You're a CSI, you can work this out.' She told herself running sweaty palms through her hair. 'Ok what do I remember, Sara was in a funny mood you checked on Nick and went round to see…' "Oh." Catherine said aloud as she realised that she had asked Sara to hold her while she slept and she was still in Sara's apartment.

'And Sara's making you breakfast, nonetheless.'

Any thoughts of awkwardness between them vanished from Catherine's head as she watched the bedroom door open and Sara popped her head in.

"Good, you're finally awake." She beamed pushing the door open with her hip trying to balance the over laden tray in both her hands.

"Let me help." Catherine told her getting out of bed.

"Stay right where you are Ms." Sara told her with a mock glare. "I'm fulfilling a fantasy here, don't spoil it."

"Fine by me," Catherine smiled while making herself comfortable in bed as Sara sat by her placing the tray on Catherine's lap.

"Morning baby." Sara told her placing a chaste kiss on her lips. Catherine was quick to deepen it pulling on Sara's bottom lip till she was granted entrance. They kissed for a while until their lungs demanded oxygen and Catherine slowly, reluctantly pulled back.

"Good afternoon, beautiful." Catherine smiled pointing to the clock.

Sara swatted Catherine on the arm before settling down at her side, picking up her glass of juice and taking a sip.

"Not eating?" Catherine asked slightly concerned as she drowned her waffles in syrup. Sara really needed to have better eating habits, Catherine hope Sara had at least eat some of what she prepared for her.

"They never stood a chance." Sara smiled with fake sadness.

"What?" Catherine asked confused.

Sara motioned towards the plate. "Want some Waffle with that syrup?"

"Shut up." Catherine gently scolded "Oh and stop changing the subject. Why aren't you eating?"

"I am or will be. There are cinnamon bagels in the oven."

"I love cinnamon bagels." Catherine smiled pretty sure Sara already knew this.

"I know." Sara smirked while lovingly watching as Catherine started eating her breakfast.

%%

"I want a date." Catherine stated.

Sara lay on her bed watching Catherine as she took on a Sudoku from the book she had found half shoved under the bed. Sara watched with keen interest as Catherine's eyes narrowed in concentration. She took in every detail from the way Catherine's hair hung over her face a little, to the way she idly took the end of the pen into her mouth.

"Huh!" Sara asked shaking herself out off her daze. She was pretty sure that Catherine was talking to her; her lips were moving after all. Thing was Sara's mind was still stuck on the fact that Catherine Willows had had breakfast in her bed and was now wearing her old UC Sunnydale gym shirt and nothing else in bed.

"I want a date with you."

"Well we've slept together and I haven't even brought you dinner so I guess you're right."

"We didn't. I mean we were, not that was it I mean I didn't, did I." Catherine blushed slightly totally flustered at the thought; she had been out of it the night before so tired from what happened with Nicky that the night was mostly a blur still nothing would have happened, would it?

Sara had to smile; Catherine was adorable when she was flustered. The red tinge to her cheeks suited her. Not that Sara was used to seeing it, Catherine was the one in control normally and Sara was happy to believe that lost of control meant that this mean as much to Catherine as it did to her.

"No, you were out of it by the time we had finished talking. I know it was a lot for you, with what happened to Nicky and then me finding out about Sam and our little talk. Do you remember what you asked?"

"I needed you to hold me while I slept."

"And I did and that's all we did."

"Well now I want my date."

"A date, huh, you sure you're ready to date a Sidle?"

"I'm sure I'm ready to date this Sidle." Catherine told her as she moved forward a little to gently stroke her hair.

"Good because I've had so many years to think about our first date. So I've got a lot to work with."

"Why Miss. Sidle, you have a very romantic side hidden in there."

"Well Ms. Willows, play your cards right and it won't be hidden. And that's your phone." Sara smiled as Catherine's cell vibrated and then rang on the bed side table.

"I should get that." Catherine told her a little disappointed.

"Yeah." Sara smiled slipping off the bed, grabbing the tray she had brought earlier. "Could be Linds."

%%

Sara packed the dirty plates from breakfast in the dishwasher, praying that Catherine was not needed anywhere. The last few hours with her here in the apartment just for her, thinking of nothing but her, had been amazing. Sara was falling harder for Catherine, with every moment they spent together and she didn't want it to be over. Sara was sure that her prayers had fallen on death ears as Catherine emerged from the bedroom moments later fully dressed. Up till thirty seconds ago she had always admired the way Catherine dressed. She managed to look to sexy for words and functional for work all in the same outfit. But at that moment Sara hated all her clothes, anything that wasn't the T-shirt Catherine had on earlier was really far too many cloths right then.

"Duty Call," She stated rather than asked.

She shut close the dishwasher with her foot leaning, against it facing Catherine as she made her way around the lounge.

"Sorry baby, it's Lindsey, she needs me." Catherine smiled ruefully.

She stopped her movements around the room after finding her belongings and turned to face Sara. "I want to stay with you. But she's been in a fight and I've been called in."

"I know you have to go." Sara pushed away from the counter top walking over to her grabbing her hand. "We both know that Linds is the most important person in your world. Look I know you're not running out on me." She told her pulling her into a hug "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No!" Catherine stated looking uncomfortable.

"Ok." Sara pulled away. "Want time to think that through?" She asked sarcastically.

"That came out a little harsh."

"You think."

"Sar' look please I didn't mean anything by it."

"Trouble is you did. So what I'm good enough to keep you warm but not to be seen with you by your daughter."

"Sar' you're blowing this out of all proportion." Catherine desperately replied.

"I'm going to take a shower; I'll see you at work."

"Don't walk away from me." Catherine demanded as Sara headed to her bedroom.

"What else is there to say?" Sara asked stopping in her tracks and turning to face Catherine. Sara who had stopped in the doorway to her room folded her arms across her chest and rested her hip on the door frame. "I was ok last night when you needed someone to hold you, but here in the cold light of day I can't be seen to be around you. Do I have to walk just behind you at work and not look you in the eyes also?"

"We haven't talked about work yet Sar. There is still a lot we need to talk about."

"Yeah not now though, because Lindsey is waiting, so like I said I'll see you at work."

"I would stay if I could but you know how important Lindsey is." Catherine pointed out. She knew that Sara understood just how important her daughter was, she knew that Sara wanted to feel that Catherine valued her as a partner and not just a bed-warmer.

"I would never and will never try to make Lindsey come second, I said that."

"I know and I do want her to know about us. I do."

Catherine took a step forward and was thankful when Sara didn't move.

"I want to tell her together when she's not in trouble and we've had a chance to see how we work out. If we tell her and she's happy about it but we later decide we just can't make it work, it would hurt her too. But if we really work out and it's going well, we can tell her. I just don't want the pressure of a moody unhappy Lindsey coming between us."

"You think I might drive you crazy." Sara smiled a little.

"I think we might drive each other mad."

Catherine laughed leaning on tipping toes to kiss Sara's nose. Truly happy that another little fire regarding their newly budding relationship had been put out, hopping it will be this easy in the future but knowing that it probably won't be.

Thanks for reading.

Next chapter ready and up soon may be so reviews will motivate me a little lol.