Last chapter guys :) Hope you've all enjoyed it. I am making plans for my next story, but it might be a few weeks before I get it up.
Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed!
September 30th, 2004 - - Las Vegas Crime Lab, Layout Room
"So how's Frankie settling into his new home?"
The question, while not an unwelcome interruption to the contented silence they had fallen into, startled Sara out of her concentration and she lifted her head sharply.
"Huh?"
"Frankie." Greg repeated. "How does he like his new home?"
"Oh, he loves it." She grinned. "This morning I got home to find him sunbathing on one of the deck chairs."
"That's fantastic!" Greg laughed brightly. "I can't wait to come round and see him again."
"Anytime." She assured him easily, resuming her work.
A year ago, she had guarded her home like a castle – even if she barely entered it herself. Now, to even her own surprise, she found that she actually enjoyed her friends' company outside of work.
With the exception of the boys' ill-timed interruption to a rather intimate moment with Catherine two days ago - that had not been such a welcome visit.
"So," Greg cleared his throat again, determined not to slip back into wordless work-mode just yet. He was eternally grateful to Grissom for allowing Sara to be his trainer in the field, rather than one of the boys; but he was astounded by her ability to work for immense amounts of time in absolute silence. It was both impressive and a little bit spooky at the same time. "You know you said that I always reminded you of Seth?"
"Uh huh."
"Now that he's back in your life, does that mean I'm going to get usurped?"
He was joking, clearly, but there was a tiny flicker of naïve fear dancing in his chocolate eyes.
"Of course not." She laughed, nudging him playfully in the ribs. "I couldn't replace you."
"Good." He dared to wrap his arms loosely around her waist from behind and breathed an internal sigh of relief when she didn't pull away. In fact, she leant into the embrace and tipped her head back against his shoulder.
"For a start," a cheeky smile played across her face as she stared up at him. "You know more of my secrets than Seth does."
September 30th, 2004 - - Las Vegas Police Department, Jim Brass' Office
"Yeah, I know ... just keep me informed, okay? ... Yeah, thanks."
He dropped the phone unceremoniously into its cradle and let his head fall heavily against the soft leather back of his chair.
"Long shift?" A kindly voice enquired with quiet amusement. Jim lifted his head again and a weary smile drifted across his face.
"You could say that." While he answered, he had autonomously delved into his top drawer and extracted a familiar bottle with two tumblers. Catherine's lips spread into a wide grin at the mute invitation and she earnestly took a seat opposite the detective's large desk.
"That was the DA." Jim explained, handing her a drink. "Angelo's appealing his sentence."
"I guess his moment of goodwill is over." Cath rolled her eyes. To be honest, she had seen this coming – his confession had been a spur-of-the-moment reaction to watching Laura break down on the stand, but deep down he was still the same selfish coward who had let her take the fall for him twenty years ago.
"Well, the DA doesn't think he'll get his way this time," Brass continued. "But his lawyers will put up a fair fight."
"So, let him fight." Catherine shrugged. "He admitted to killing Max in cold blood. He's lucky he got extradited to California for sentencing – in Nevada he'd have been looking at the death penalty."
"Yeah, well that might not have been a bad thing."
Between the stress of losing Sara and the subsequent trials, Jim Brass appeared to have aged a decade in the last few months; but there still remained the mischievous twinkle of a much younger man in his blues eyes when he turned them towards Catherine again.
"So, has Gil forgiven you for stealing his girl yet?"
The strawberry-blonde laughed, long curls bouncing weightlessly off her shoulders.
"He's still a bit wary of me – I think we're both trying very hard not to step on each other's toes right now. But he's coming around." She pulled an amused face, which Brass mirrored. "Slowly."
"Well, he never was a man to do things in a rush."
"He can take all the time he needs; but he'll have to get used to it eventually, because we're in this for the long haul."
"Good." Jim chuckled, re-positioning himself until he was comfortably sunk into his seat. "So Catherine, how are things with you and Sara?"
A knowing smile spread across her lips.
"How long have you been waiting to ask me that?"
His bashful laugh conceded her point, but he continued to stare at her, expectantly awaiting an answer.
"Things are good." She relented. "She's still tender, of course, but she's healing. It's going to take some time before she's really ready to move on; but at least she's agreed to see a counsellor now. That's something."
"Yeah." He agreed, taking a long sip. "And what about Lindsey? How's she handling this – you and Sara being together?"
"It was a bit confusing for her at first, but she's coming to terms with it." Cath answered candidly. "Besides, she likes Sara. And Sara actually seems to have a talent for getting her to open up!"
"Huh, how about that." Jim laughed. "You know, I gotta admit, I didn't see it coming – the two of you."
"And you call yourself a detective?" She teased.
"Hey now, you can't tell me you weren't a bit surprised by it all?"
"No." She smiled wistfully. "I wasn't."
He sent her a curious look, probing for more.
"So, it's always been there?" He pressed. "You having feelings for her, I mean?"
"No." She shot the cop a coy smile. "Not always. But long enough."
He quirked an eyebrow, further intrigued by her cryptic response; but she remained tight-lipped as she sipped her whisky contentedly.
She couldn't say exactly how long she had had feelings for Sara. But she could pinpoint the exact moment she realised it herself.
Looking back now, she couldn't help but spot the irony. She had only identified her attraction to Sara during a personal crisis and as such she had rejected the feelings out of guilt. Had she embraced them at the time, she might have seen what was going on in Sara's life and prevented the tragic drama that unfolded.
But then Max's killer would still be a free man, while Laura continued to torture herself over a crime she had not been responsible for. So perhaps, in a strange twist of fate, Catherine's personal tragedy had ultimately begot a second chance for both herself and Sara.
February 13th, 2003 - - Las Vegas Police Station, Hallway
Hot, white spots flashed in front of her eyes, her skin becoming cold and clammy. She couldn't breathe.
Clutching the phone to her chest, she turned back to stare through the little window.
Eddie was dead. Lindsey could have died, too. Tonight, she could have lost the only people that had ever meant anything to her.
Lindsey was still talking to Sara and Detective Vega, oblivious to the news she was soon to receive. It was going to devastate the child. Eddie was a terrible father, but he was Lindsey's father nonetheless and she adored him. She needed him.
And yet it wasn't Lindsey that Catherine was staring at.
Sara had her back to the window, her attention entirely fixed on the little girl. It was a well-known fact that Sara didn't like children, but right now she looked like pro as she gently comforted the miniature witness. It was mesmerising.
Lindsey turned, catching Catherine's gaze through the soundproof glass. Her wide blue orbs seemed to penetrate straight through her mask, seeing the raw pain on her mother's face and recognising it immediately for what it was.
Sara followed her line of sight to the window – to Catherine – and in the split second that their eyes met, the older woman realised something.
It was the worst possible timing for such a revelation. It was inappropriate to even be thinking it. It was just plain wrong.
And it had been right there in front of her all this time.
