Catherine was waiting for her when she pushed open the door to the diner, waving at her to get her attention. Sara offered her a huge smile and walked over to sit in the seat opposite her.
" Hey," she beamed, her smile lighting her eyes as she watched the concern drop from Catherine's face. Leaning across the table, Sara squeezed her friend's hand " I know what I'm doing."
" I really hope so Sara," she sighed, " I don't want to see you hurt again."
" He won't hurt me," she smiled, withdrawing her hand as their meals were brought to the table. Sara smiled up at the waitress then over at Catherine when she saw the huge salad placed before her.
Catherine shrugged, unable to hide her smile and Sara's happiness seemed to be catching. " I knew you would want salad, and you're always on time, so…"
" This looks great," Sara told her " thanks for ordering."
Catherine watched her as she dug her fork into a piece of lettuce, her face was slightly flushed, but she looked radiant. Casting her worry aside, she lifted her water glass to take a sip ", as long as he makes you happy honey that's all I'm concerned about."
Sara lifted her head, her heart bursting when she saw Grissom's face in her minds eye " He does," she smiled wistfully, before returning to the plate before her.
" Well then I'm happy for you," Catherine smiled, dropping the subject onto other matters, like their co-workers.
Both women enjoyed each other's company now, after their first initial meeting was somewhat frosty. Once the walls had been dropped and the jealousy conquered, they really quite liked each other.
" So are you gonna tell Nicky?" Catherine grinned, as she stabbed her salad with her fork " you know he hasn't stopped whining since you and Hank broke up."
She smiled, the thought of her friends bemused face, his constant teasing and attempts to set her up on a date constantly warmed her heat. Her smile turned into a giggle, " I love him, but sometimes I could strangle him."
" Oh don't I know it," Catherine grinned, " Grissom fits into that category."
The mere mention of his name sent Sara's heart into overdrive as she desperately tried to hide the love from her eyes " Well men all come into that category don't they?"
" Oh yeah," Catherine laughed, raising her water glass to clink against Sara's, her voice turning serious for a moment " he does care Sara, he just doesn't know how to show it."
' Believe me he knows how to show it,' she thought, feeling the slow blush creep up her throat into her face. She had to get a control over her emotions.
" So how's Lindsay?" Sara asked, changing the subject, knowing that Catherine would willingly talk about her daughter.
" She's started fighting at school," Catherine sighed, " I really don't know how to handle this you know? She knows the hours I work, but sometimes she resents me for not being there for her."
" She's had a lot to deal with Cath," sara said softly ", and the resentment thing, well it's a normal teen thing isn't it? I resented my mom all of the time."
" You did?"
" Yeah," she sighed, " it wasn't until I left home when we finally got along."
" Lindsay's not even reached her teens yet," Catherine groaned, " is this a taste of things to come?"
" My niece," Sara grinned " she's 11 going on 18, believe me right before her period, banshee."
" Oh god," Catherine groaned dramatically " my daughters gonna turn into a she thing."
" Well if it gets too much she can always come out with me shopping, you know, she tells me stuff that she doesn't tell you."
" Yeah, she told you that boy tried to kiss her."
" Yeah and I taught her how to take care of that situation," Sara giggled, remembering how she told Lindsay to 'sock it to him'.
" Remind me to do the same for your kids," Catherine grinned.
" Deal," Sara smiled holding out a hand to shake on it. Their pagers beeped at the same time, alerting them that they were both needed at work.
Catherine took out some money from her purse and lifted her hand for the bill. " My treat honey," she smiled " we have to celebrate you being so chipper now don't we?"
" Ok, thanks," Sara smiled " next time it's my treat."
" You're on."
Sara followed Catherine's Tahoe into the parking lot and came to park her own beside Grissom's, her heart fluttering slightly in her chest as she thought of him. She hadn't seen him for almost two hours, and the anticipation of seeing him caused tremors inside her body that started a rosy flush from her chest all the way up towards her face. Needing a distraction, she looked up, trying to focus on anything rather that the man she loved and she spotted Catherine waiting for her, arms folded beside her window. With a smile, she stepped out of her Tahoe to join her friend, the happiness in her heart glowing from her eyes.
" Girl you have it bad," Catherine grinned as she stepped towards her, " I guess Hank really makes you happy now huh?"
Sara knew she was plugging for information, something she had been doing since they had sat down to eat. So far sara hadn't corrected her when she'd mentioned his name, finding it increasingly easier for Catherine to believe her own explanation than mention the truth, but now that she was here, close enough to feel Grissom's presence through the building before her, she found her courage.
" Hank?" she asked with a grin ", Hank is a slime ball."
" You're not back with Hank?"
" Nope," Sara grinned as she turned to walk towards the doors " you coming?"
Catherine jogged up to her, catching her by the arm, snagging her into stillness " Why you little sneak," she beamed " all this time I've been talking about Hank and it's someone else?"
" Yes it's someone else," she smiled " and no, I'm not telling you."
" You know that's so not fair," Catherine groaned, " I'd tell you if I was seeing someone."
" What?" Sara gasped, a huge grin on her face as she turned to her friend shaking her head in denial " No you would not."
" Of course I would," Catherine grinned, stopping her sentence to punctuate a giggle in between " maybe."
" There, see?" Sara laughed triumphantly as she pulled on Catherine's arm " Come on Cath, they're probably all waiting for us."
" You know you'll have to tell me eventually," she chuckled softly " you know I could just mention it to the boys in conversation."
" Don't you dare," Sara giggled, the overly dramatic words being silenced by her laughter.
" Ok give me a hint?"
" No."
They opened the doors, walking slowly passed the front desk, their quiet laughter continuing as they walked.
" Do I know him?" Catherine probed " Does he work here?"
" I am not telling you," Sara told her, keeping the smile on her face.
" David?" Catherine pushed, delighted by Sara's response as she turned to her in an open mouthed gasp.
" No!"
" Greg? Hmm no, he's too immature for you…. Archie?"
" For the last time, no," Sara told her, halting her steps as they came to the break room " I am not telling you, so stop asking."
" Come on Sara, please?"
" No," she laughed as the door swung open and they practically fell in through to the room, both breaking out into fits of laughter, their actions causing the three men in the room to look at them curiously.
