HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Monday, October 12th

"We don't have an appointment today."

"We didn't finish the one we had Friday."

"I see a beautiful woman next to you, she smiles, she holds your hand, I think, we finished our session perfectly."

"Do I get a new appointment? We didn't talk about that Friday because my therapist kicked me out of her office."

"She made you no to lose too much time. Do you want to come in now?"

"I don't want to interrupt your evening plans – again. Like the whole week."

"It will cost you."

"I've a good insurance, but I doubt it's that good." Knowing of her mother's condition, Sara had always been afraid that she might have inherited schizophrenia and got an insurance, that covered for therapy as much as possible. For years she had paid a lot of money, not using the benefits, now she used them.

"We have – no muffins – we brought ice cream." Sofia held up a box with ice cream. "For a change. Your mom told me, you love this one particular brand so we got it with your favorite fruits." Sofia grinned.

"You called my mother?"

"Sure. I had to tell her about her door kicking daughter. You didn't mention, you did this as a child too." The blonde laughed. "No, I met her on the streets."

"I never liked it when doors were in my way."

"I like that. My therapist has a temper."

"You better keep it low, Miss Sidle, or you'll learn what bad temper means."

"I'm not a door, so I'm safe. You might throw pieces of cotton wool at me. I'm dying of fear by the thought of it."

"You know, there will be no therapy for you today."

"No ice cream for you. Come on, Sofia, we need to find a nice spot to eat the ice cream before it melts."

"You go, the ice cream stays!"

"All or nothing, doc."

"Can you get in any trouble for having some ice cream with us?" Sofia asked seriously. "I mean, I don't know about the rules of therapy, is it possible or can you get some trouble for that?"

"Sofia, I did a lot of things I can get in trouble for since I've met Sara. To be honest I thought a few times of putting her name off my patient's list."

"What?" Sara was sure she had heard the wrong words. She understood, doctor Weinberg wanted to kick her off her patient's list. That couldn't be true.

"Not having you as my patient would make things much easier."

"I…I know I'm not the easiest patient, but I…I don't like the idea that I've to find another therapist. And I don't know why. Why? Did I do anything wrong? Apart from all the things I did the last couple of days."

"If you weren't my patient, I didn't have to worry about rules."

"But…no. Please."

"I won't put your name off the list, Sara, don't worry."

"Not? Good. Thanks."

"I was looking for another solution, the problem is, your insurance does only pay as long as you're officially my patient. Our professional relationship interferes a lot with our private lives, that's not the way it's supposed to be. We need to make a decision which way this should head to. I'm sorry to spoil the fun, but we either have the professional relationship and I'll be your therapist or we change that and I won't be your therapist again. Means, we make our appointments like I do with any other client, regardless the time, or you need a new therapist. You can't have me as a friend, not even when therapy is over. I'm sorry to say so, if we stop having a professional relationship, we won't have any kind of relationship at all. It's ethically not possible."

"I don't see any problem with ice cream and having you as my therapist, you're the only therapist I want to talk to. But you're the expert, if you say, it can't work this way, I'll accept that. No ice cream and a new appointment, please."

"Good." Doctor Weinberg took her calendar. "What shift do you have on Wednesday?"

"Early"

"Do you want to come in at five?"

"Yes, please. And doc? I'd like to…is it possible that Sofia is there too? I might have a topic, I need both of you around – it includes legal topics."

"Alright."

"Thanks." Sara took the ice cream and gave it to her therapist. "Enjoy the ice cream."

"You can keep it."

"No, we'll keep the fruits, the lieutenant needs something healthy anyway."

"Alright. I'll see both of you on Friday. Thanks for the ice cream."

"You're welcome. See you on Friday."

"Bye Jules…and don't eat the whole box at once."

"Stop talking to my mother!"

Sofia smiled. It had been only a short meeting, but she had learnt some really interesting facts about the psychologist.

Wednesday, October 14th

Sara paced up and down in the living room, checked her watch, the clock on the wall, went to the window, back to the book shelf, read the titles of the books, she had read half a dozen times already and repeated it all again. Where was Sofia? They were due to meet here. In two minutes, thirty-six seconds. Where was the blonde? Why wasn't she here? Why didn't she call that she'll be late? Should they meet somewhere else? Could Sofia make it at all?

"I go crazy."

She went outside to start walking in circles there. She hated to wait, she hated not to know, what was going on, she hated the feeling of going crazy – and she was sure if she didn't stop walking around, mumbling senseless things, she made the dogs crazy too.

One minute to go. Where was Sofia? Did she have an accident and couldn't call? Was she in hospital? Working a hot case, involved in a shooting with multiple criminals? There had to be a reason why she wasn't here, why she didn't call. And usually when somebody didn't call, wasn't on time, it was something bad. Really bad. Her job as a homicide lieutenant gave her a lot of bad reasons to be late. So many possibilities what could have happened to her, that she didn't make it on time. What if she…

"Sara? Are you ready?"

Sara stopped. There she was. Relaxed. A little bit concerned because of her pacing girlfriend. But not harmed. No blood. No accident. And on time. Five seconds left.

"I'm so glad you're here." Sara hugged Sofia and kissed her.

"I'm glad I'm here too…are you alright?"

"Yes. Just stupid thoughts. Let's go."

"Sure?" Sofia held her lover back. "What kind of stupid thoughts?"

"I was worrying that you won't be here. We said ten to five, from half past four on I was pacing, looking for you, drove the dogs and myself crazy with ideas, what could have happened to you."

"Come here."

"We don't have time, we need to…"

Sofia pulled Sara in her arms, kissed her hair and held on to her. "We'll take this minute. Your therapist will be fine when she has to wait for a minute more."

"Okay."

"That's better." Sofia kissed her again.

"You know what's even better?"

"What, Honey?"

"That I love you."

"Right, that's the best of everything. I love you too and I'm so glad that you were next to me the last nights. No bed does feel right when you're not there."

"I can sleep much better with you by my side."

"Ditto. And now, we'll go and see your therapist. With an appointment, without ice cream or muffins."

"You think she's a little bit pissed off?"

"No she isn't. But there are some rules she has to keep and some rules, you have to keep. After all, it's therapy and when we start to just show up and want to talk to her, we're invading her privacy. Something we both don't like when somebody tries that with us."

"True. Let's see her. Rumors is, she'll be working only four days next week."

"Let me guess, she plans a trip to Las Vegas." Sofia grinned.

"Yes."

"Well, Greg waited long enough and there are some new show on The Strip."

"I think, they'll find some things to do. He wanted to go to Grand Canyon again."

"You're surprisingly relaxed for the fact that she'll meet him there."

"She stays in a casino hotel room."

"No. Serious?"

"Yes. Friends, Sofia, they are only friends. There's only one bed in Greg's apartment, if she doesn't want to sleep on the couch, she needs another bed."

"As a gentleman he should have offered her his bed."

"You don't want to destroy my good mood, do you?" Sara asked and opened the car window.

"No."

"Good. Casino hotel room."

"Sam Braun's casino?"

"I guess Cath got him a room for her in one of her father's casinos. Are they her casinos now? Her mother's? I've never asked her."

"I've no idea. We need to go to Vegas soon."

"We?" Sofia shot Sara an amused look.

"Yes, we. You need to see your mom, I need to see Greg. And we both have to see the guys from work."

"I won't let my girlfriend come close to her ex."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"It's jealous, not ridiculous."

"Sometimes that's the same."

"We'll talk about that later – when I have to go to Vegas. Like when my father turns sixty in two months."

"Perfect. Greg will be happy."

"So will my parents when they meet you finally." Sofia grinned when she saw how pale Sara got. That was good. That was something, the brunette hadn't thought of. Of course Sofia's parents wanted to meet Sara. They knew about Sara and Sofia, they wanted to meet the woman, who was with their daughter. Their future daughter-in-law.

"You can't do that to me."

"Honey, your in-laws are dying to talk to you over dinner. When we're in Vegas, we have to meet them. Together. And yes, my dad wants to see you on his birthday party too."

"I feel like I need my breathing exercise. I did so good. I didn't need it when I waited for you, now I think I need it ."

"You're cute. Get out and see your therapist, maybe she can help you to find a solution for this new problem. A family meeting – Sara Sidle's hardest case."

"Not funny." Sara got out of Sofia's car, slammed the door and entered the building without waiting for her girlfriend. Sofia was making fun of her, she was teasing her and liked the fact, that Sara panicked when she thought of a family meeting.

"Hey doc, how are you?"

"Hello Sara, I'm fine. You look much better than the last time I saw you."

"I feel much better. Sleep is an amazing drug."

"Where is…oh, there she is."

"The nasty one had to come up here alone."

"Don't tell me you fought."

"I told Sara may parents want to meet her next month and she wasn't happy about that."

"While Miss Curtis enjoyed the fact that I don't like family meetings."

"Hey, these news did what they were supposed to do: they took your mind off this meeting."

"Yes." Sara grumbled. "I hate it when people play me."

"Sometimes we do that because it's for your best." Sofia took Sara's hand, squeezed it and entered with her girlfriend the office. Not bothering with the chairs, Sofia pulled Sara to the couch to have her right next to her.

"I want to believe that."

"That's a good start."

"I see, the two of you are happy together and there's no sign of Sara leaving again for a few days."

"No, I'll stay where I belong. And…with what I've on my mind I need her. And you. Be prepared for…that I'll need you both a lot."

"What do you have on your mind?"

"I want to…I don't know if it's possible, but I'd like…make him pay." Sara swallowed and held on to Sofia's hand.