Catherine couldn't stop herself crying, and she didn't know what to do. She wanted to go after Sara, to apologise for the damage she had caused, but she was also scared of what might happen. The anger she had seen in the brunettes eyes hadn't just been from what had happened after the explosion, but had been directed at her. Now that Catherine knew, in some ways it explained a lot about the other women's behaviours and attitude, but Catherine didn't know why Sara had kept it to herself for so long, or what to do now, so she stayed where she was, crying alone in the younger women's apartment.

She didn't know how long she'd been there, but eventually her phone rang, and drying her eyes and clearing her throat, Catherine answered, knowing it was work.

Sara stormed out of her own apartment, angry and upset, scared and confused. She had never wanted anyone to know that had happened after the lab had exploded a year ago, let alone Catherine, but now that it had come out she didn't know how she felt. Sara wanted another drink, needed something to help drive her into another pit of thoughtless darkness, but in her haste to leave her own apartment she hadn't picked up her purse, and therefor had no money. The only bar near her that would allow her a Tab was now a crime scene, so she couldn't go there. She knew she couldn't go back into her apartment either, not whilst Catherine was still there. Wiping the tears away from her cheek in anger she walked towards the crime lab knowing she could grab a change of clothes and a shower there before starting her shift early. With all the drinking she had been doing lately, she needed to work whatever hours she could to make enough money to pay the bills.

Just over an hour later, changed and slightly refreshed, she knocked on Conrad's door. Although he wasn't her supervisor, she knew that day shift were currently short staffed, and wanted to know if he wanted help on any cases.

'Hey Ecklie' Sara said with a small smile

'Sidle..' Ecklie replied with a slight frown not knowing why Sara was here, and especially so early in the day.

'I um, I was wondering if you needed any help with cases…seeing as your short at the moment?'

'Oh, um, yes, please' Ecklie replied 'Thanks, actually, that would be great. I've just had a call about an explosion out at Henderson, I was on my way out, but as your offering, and I've got paperwork…' Conrad passed a slip of paper on it to Sara.

Taking it Sara nodded several times; grateful to be working, but finding it hard to know she was dealing with an explosion 'Thanks…'

'Ok…' Conrad said noticing that Sara had turned a slight shade paler 'Do you want me to call in someone to help you with this?' Conrad didn't know why he had asked, but before he could change his mind Sara nodded quickly 'Catherine. You could call Catherine' before anything more could be said Sara walked away from the office and towards the locker room to grab her kit before heading to reception to get her keys for the car, hoping that Wendy the receptionist wouldn't ask too many questions.

'Willows' Catherine answered after a moment of trying to compose herself before answering the phone

'It's Ecklie… Look, Dayshift are swamped, and I need you to work a case'

'It's my day off…' Catherine started, but was interrupted

'I know, but there's been an explosion in Henderson, and Sara has asked for your help' Conrad said in a firm voice

'Oh… Ok…' Catherine sighed, pinching her nose, her head dropped to her chest 'Text me the address, I'll head right over'

'Thanks' Conrad replied before hanging up. A moment later Catherine's phone beeped, and pulling herself together after splashing some water on her face, Catherine stepped out of Sara's apartment and towards her car.

Arriving at the scene Catherine stepped out of her car, although the fire from the explosion had been put out, there was still a thick fog of smoke, and Catherine couldn't help but feel annoyed, knowing the scene would be wet and ruined due to the fire-fighters dousing of water. Talking briefly to the cop on the scene to get a little more information, she looked for Sara. She didn't really know what to expect, what mood she would be in, what state of intoxication she would find. When she finally found Sara in the now blackened and destroyed kitchen, she was surprised to find the younger women calm and refreshed, focused. Her clothes had been changed, and Sara was taking photos of the scene.

'Hey… Conrad said you needed help?' Catherine said quietly trying not to scare the other women

'Hey' Sara replied no hint of emotion in her voice, although her shoulders relaxed a little, even though she hadn't been aware she was tense. 'Thanks for coming, I haven't long been here, but it looks like the oven caused this, but I won't be sure until we process a bit more and the fire marshal gives his report'

Catherine nodded 'Ok.. Any casualties?'

Sara shrugged 'Not exactly, no… The owners were in the living room, luckily on the other side of the house, but they were injured. One of them broke their arm… Landed funny trying to protect their unborn baby…'

Catherine sighed, a hundred different sentences filling her head, cramming her mouth to get out, but nothing escaped, instead she hunk her head down, not trusting herself to look at Sara right now. After a moment she gained a little composure 'Where do you want me to start?' Although she ranked higher than Sara and normally called the shots on cases, she knew today wasn't the day to pull seniority.

The two CSIs had spent a few hours at the scene, gathering evidence, listening to the statements. They had been cooking, and had started arguing, and having left the kitchen with the oven still on they had continued arguing until the explosion had made them stop. It looked to be a fairly open and shut case, a bad accident, rather than foul play, but that didn't mean they could stop processing the evidence all together.

Back at the lab Catherine and Sara handed in all of the evidence to the relative departments, and then walked into the break room for a coffee

'Are you ok?' Catherine asked when she saw the room was empty

'Fine' Sara replied, pouring two cups of coffee and passing one to Catherine. Although it still hurt every day, although the anger was still there, Sara didn't have the energy to deal with it, or the look in Catherine's eyes. She was far from fine, but she didn't know what to say, or what to do.

Catherine tried to say something, almost reaching out to touch Sara's arm, but Sara took a pace back

'Look, we can't do anything until the results on our evidence are back, you've got paperwork, and I need to sleep…' Sara started walking out of the break room, Catherine following her. 'Sara, please…'

Shaking her head Sara started to say she was fine again, when a figure at the reception desk caught her eye and she faltered. Catherine looked up towards the desk, and saw who was there.

Sara quickly walked towards the desk, Catherine following closely behind. 'Hank, what are you doing here?' Sara spat out.

'I wanted to see you… to see how you were…' Hank said, a hand running though his hair.

'I'm fine…' Sara spat out

'I know what day it is…' Hank replied, anger and tiredness creeping into his voice 'I know you're not fine… '

Sara turned away slightly, hands clenching, she didn't want to make a scene where everyone could see her, so she did the only thing she could in that moment, and turned, almost pleadingly to Catherine, hoping that the older women would take charge of the situation without the need for her to ask for help.

'Look, Hank, we're busy, Sara and I have a lot of work to do, you should go' Catherine said as calmly and as quietly as she could.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Hank muttered a fine, and turned on his heels and walked away.

Catherine looked up at Sara, wanting to say something, but Sara had also turned and was walking quickly in the opposite direction.

Wendy the receptionist asked what the little interaction had been about, and snapping slightly Catherine said she didn't know, and turned walking away to her own office. Clearly Sara needed space right now, even if she had been the one to ask for Catherine's help on the case, she clearly didn't want to indulge anymore on her confession earlier that morning.