Thanks to those who reviewed, here's the next instalment. After this there's only the final chapter to go.

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Chapter 28

When Catherine entered the kitchen an hour later she found her two daughters sat at the kitchen table laughing and eating pancakes, it was a surreal sight for the CSI. She stood resting against the wall watching their interactions, listening to how they spoke to one another. Lindsey was eagerly listening to her sister and smiling, Catherine had actually noticed a great improvement in the teenagers behaviour since meeting her older sister, it seemed like she'd grown up. Watching her two daughters eating breakfast together was a sight she could easily get used to, it was a sight she should have seen before now, and it was a sight that she wanted to be part of.

"Hey you two any pancakes for me?" Catherine asked pouring herself a cup of coffee and joining them at the table.

"Mum Charlie makes the best pancakes ever." Lindsey replied pushing her plate towards her mother, Catherine tasted them and moaned with delight, they were really good.

"Oh my god, how did you lean to make these like that?" Catherine asked batting Lindsey's hand away as she tried to reclaim her food.

"I honestly don't know, I'd just moved in with Charlie and Michelle and one morning I decided to make breakfast, I'd never really done it before. I found a cookbook telling me how to make them and I sort of followed that and made it up. One bite and they were hooked." Charlie replied blushing a little. "I don't make them often, but Linds wanted some so I offered to make them." Lindsey nodded enthusiastically; Charlie's pancakes were officially her new favourite food.

- - -

Nancy popped round about nine and saw mother and daughters looking like a proper family, she'd printed off the photograph and done a couple of copies. She offered to drop Charlie off home and as the brunette got out of her aunts car Nancy handed her the photograph.

"You really do belong with us, you're a Flynn." Nancy said as Charlie examined the photograph.

"And a whole lot more." Charlie sighed as she watched her aunt drive off. On her way in she picked up the mail and there was a letter from New York, she opened it on the spot and let out a scream of delight as Sara walked into the building carrying a load of groceries.

- - -

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god!" Charlie exclaimed dropping her crutch and jumping up and down, Sara wondered what was going off. "I got in!" Charlie exclaimed enveloping her sister in a hug.

"Where, what and why?" Sara asked getting caught up in her sister's excitement.

"Let me make us some pancakes and I'll fill you in." Charlie smiled as Sara handed her the crutch.

- - -

Sara's mind was in overdrive as she watched Charlie make pancakes, the CSI had had a bad shift but she knew pancakes would make her feel better. The younger brunette seemed really relaxed as she moved around the kitchen and told Sara about the night she'd had at Catherine's. Sara examined the picture and decided there and then to ask Nancy for a copy for her and Charles, it was a good photo and she intended to put it up next to one of her and Charlie from a few months earlier. Ten minutes later the pair were sat on the balcony eating, Charlie could eat pancakes any time even after having some an hour earlier.

"What's in the letter?" Sara asked taking a sip of her orange juice.

"My acceptance into NYU Med School." Charlie answered like she was telling Sara what programme she was watching on the TV. Sara however nearly choked on the piece of pancake she had in her mouth, this was totally unexpected and her reaction showed it.

"Why? I mean things are good here now? You're getting on with Catherine and everyone, we're ok?" Sara was panicking and Charlie let her finish her ramble. A few minutes later she started to speak. The older brunette was worried about losing her younger sister, she couldn't help it but it was hard to fully accept that Charlie had a new family. Sara felt guilty for feeling this way but she couldn't help it and she told Charlie as much.

- - -

"I'm sorry Sara, I never meant to push you out or away," Charlie said putting her fork down, "You, Charles and the kids mean more to me than I can explain. You were my first family, you showed me love and taught me what it feels like to belong. And wherever I am you'll still play a big part in my life, biology doesn't change that."

"Then why move, things are great here for you." Sara sounded hurt and it made Charlie feel bad.

"I love it here, and you're right things are going great." Charlie said stopping Sara as she was about to interrupt. "But I haven't had any control over what has happened to me over recent months and I've hated it, it's been an emotional rollercoaster and it's finally slowed down." Charlie sighed and Sara nodded for her to continue. "I only ever wanted to know who I was, and where I belong." Catherine had told her about her father and that he'd died about twenty years earlier of a drug overdose, she'd been a little upset over it but she'd never really thought about him like she had Catherine. "I know who I am and that I belong with my family, biological and non biological. I have a proper history now; I have a mother, a grandmother, an aunt, a cousin and a kid sister as well as you guys. I know who I am and now I need to find my own way." Charlie paused and took a look at Sara who was listening carefully. "To find my own way I need to go away, Blake has given me enough to cover tuition and everything else I might need and I know he'd be happy for me going to New York."

"Why go?" Sara asked, there was sadness in her voice. Truth be told the older woman was on the verge of tears.

"Because I know I have a family to come back too, I have a family who loves me and who I love. And because it's what I want to do, I just hope you understand." Charlie said her voice was full of emotion. Sara put down her glass and took hold of Charlie's hand.

"I do," Was what Sara said, and she did get where Charlie was coming from, her reasons for coming to Las Vegas were similar, she was doing something for herself, making her own change. "But you know I'm scared of losing you, you're the most important person in my life, I used to imagine seeing you get married, helping you get ready and now I can't." Sara said standing up and going into the apartment before she started to cry. After a few moments Charlie followed her and she found Sara washing up.

"Why?" Charlie asked placing a hand on Sara's shoulder and making her turn around.

"Because Catherine will be there in my place." Was all Sara replied as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Says who?" Charlie asked starting to cry herself, "You're gonna be the one I'm gonna want there more than anyone. We're going to be crying as you touch up my make up and tell me how nice I look and how happy I'm gonna be." She wiped away a tear and Sara smiled,, "You've always been there and you always will, you're my big sister, my best friend." Charlie finished giving Sara a hug.

- - -

A week later Charlie decided to tell Catherine and everyone else that she was going to be moving to New York, she was having brunch with them one Sunday and decided that there and then was the best time.

"I'm moving med schools." Charlie announced smothering a bagel in cream cheese.

"Which one?" Nancy asked pouring a cup of coffee.

"NYU, I start this fall." Charlie replied, her stomach was doing summer salts.

"You're moving to New York?" Catherine asked not sure she'd heard things right.

"I thought you liked us! I don't want you to go!" Lindsey exclaimed getting up from the table and running upstairs, Nancy gave Catherine a nod before following the teenager to her room leaving mother and daughter to speak whilst sister tried to get sister calmed down.

- - -

Catherine was the first to speak; her words were carefully chosen as she didn't want to upset her eldest child.

"Is it what you want?" Catherine asked and Charlie nodded. "I won't pretend it's not shocked me. Part of me is thinking along the same lines as Lindsey, but you're an adult, you're approaching 26. You stopped needing a mother long before I caught sight of you at Sara's place." Catherine smiled, that day felt like a lifetime ago, both women had changed since then.

"But you know there are probably going to be lots of times in the future when I'm going to need one." Charlie started, "Like when I graduate med school I'm gonna want my mum watching me, and if I have a daughter of my own one day I'm gonna be ringing you for advice cos Sara's best with teenage versions of me." At that Catherine chuckled.

"Grandma, my own mother is going to just love being called a great grandma." She laughed but Charlie was deep in thought.

"I'm not leaving to hurt anyone, I'm leaving to make a fresh start, what I'm doing I'm doing for me. Sara understands, I just hope you do." Charlie said and Catherine gave her daughter a hug.

"I do and I know you'll do just great." Catherine said.

- - -