She had almost missed her, had something deep inside of her not told her to glance again Rachel was sure she would have never found her. Perhaps it was the spy in her, gut instincts, or maybe, it was the Gallagher girl in her that cried out for her sister. Whatever it was Rachel was grateful for it.

Crossing the street and making her way over thoughts crashed and bounced off one another like bumper cars in her head. Every step felt light a hand was protruding out of the ground and trying to stop her form approaching the woman who sat at the entrance of the alley way hiding in plain sight. She hadn't looked up when Rachel stopped a few feet away but Rachel knew it was her. There was something about the way she sat, the way she shifted and favored her side. Everything about her screamed Catherine Goode.

She let out a 'tsk'. A single disappointed sigh was released from her lips and Rachel nearly felt her heart break just a little when she could hear the tired undertones.

"It's about time." She quipped and finally looked up, a familiar haunting smirk came across her dry lips. "What's wrong Rachel?" She cooed, tilting her head to the side, letting her hair fall away from her face so Rachel could see the burn. "Squeamish?"

Rachel wanted to answer 'no' but there wasn't time for this conversation. There was too much that needed to be done, that needed to start.

"Catherine-" She had begun but was cut off.

"You know I'm a little disappointed it took you so long?" Catherine examined the nails on one bandaged hand. "Where's Joe? Don't you Gallagher girls just love your back up?"

Rachel didn't answer her and tried again with a different approach.

"Zach's gone Catherine."

She hadn't jumped or grabbed Rachel to demand answers. She didn't even look surprised at all but there was something there, a twitch, the slight stiffening of her posture and Rachel knew she had her attention now.

"Oh?" Catherine gave her a cool coy smile. "Zachy's always been a good hider you know." Boy did she know it but that wasn't the point.

"Catherine I need-"

"I don't think you can get any more answers from me Rachel," Catherine cut off again and Rachel recalled the time Catherine spent in the sub levels of the Gallagher Academy locked up in a cell drawing with crayons. Of course that was a different time, a different woman. Before her no longer sat Catherine Goode, this was someone new. Someone with the same dark, green eyes that saw through her soul and clawed through her mind to find the weak boards and broke them down. The same fiery red hair that seemed much shorter than Rachel remembered. Her cheeks were hollow and her lips were chapped and dry, hair matted and messy, clothes either perfectly pieced to make her belong or holding together the last shreds of Catherine Goode that remained. And there were, of course, scars. Red, angry scars and scared and wailed against her skin, having taken parts of the woman before her and destroyed them along with the Academy in that blazing fire.

"No, because you're going to help me look for them." Rachel could have sworn she heard a chuckle croak out of Catherine's lips, had her voice not been so hoarse she's sure the woman would have laughed at her as wildly as she had once done before.

"Running out of options already Rachel? I thought you were all so much better." Catherine shrugged but that wasn't the answer Rachel was looking for.

"You are the only option," This got her to look at Rachel again at last. "You and I are going to get our kids." Rachel knew it was a long shot, an impossible shot in the dark mysterious void that was Catherine Goode. Slowly she offered her hand and begun to question why when it was her best writing hand when Catherine spoke.

"I'm dead Rachel,"

"I know."

"No one can see me anymore."

"I know."

"I tortured her."

"I know."

They locked eyes for what felt like years, they were searching each other. From one spy to another they were walking cautious circles around each other, dancing in their mind waiting to calculate the next move, see who would strike first and then how to counter and strike back harder, faster, stronger.

"Joe won't like this you know," Catherine drawled on, milking the moment for what it was worth.

"Joe doesn't get to like this." Catherine cocked and eyebrow high into the air and she smirked.

"You don't even know if I'll agree."

"You'll do it for Zach, that's all I need to know."

"I'll only do anything for him."

"And he'll do anything for Cammie." They watched each other once again. Rachel could feel the precious seconds slipping away from her, the strings holding her family's lives getting closer to being cut by the ax. Catherine watched her, calculating, sizing her up, never once had her eyes left hers but Rachel knew she had taken everything around them in, every escape route and plan, distractions, weapons, everything was ready but what move she would make was a toss in the air that could crack down and stay cemented in time and covert history forever.

Before the silence could kill her right then and there Rachel spoke.

"I'll give you until noon to thin about this. I'll see you then." She turned on her heel and left. She had to get ready to move, to get to the next check point, find the next clue or lead, find her family.

When Rachel returned she half expected for Catherine not to show(well more than half really). Another thing she hadn't expected was the small bag Catherine carried over her good shoulder.

"I thought you Gallagher girls were more punctual."

"It's noon."

"You should have come earlier then." She had her there but like hell she was going to give that to her.

"I figure I'd give you time to get ready." Catherine didn't give her a reaction and just adjusted the bag on her shoulder asking the unspoken question.

"Rome." Was all Rachel gave her and Catherine smirked.

"Morgan's favorite disappearing box." Rachel took a deep breath knowing which of the two Catherine was talking about. A familiar ache in her chest throbbed, an ache that will forever be there but rests easier now.