Disclaimer: Maybe, if I take out a super huge gigantic loan, I'll be able to entice Eric and George to joining me on a Tahiti vacation?

Author's Notes: Here we are again, another chapter out, only one (possibly two) left to go. If you want to know how this ends, you'll leave me a reply, right? I'm hoping to get something churned out tomorrow afternoon, but no promises...definitely one by the end of the weekend, though. I've been in a fit of depression today, after realizing that one day my daughter will, in fact, go to school, finish school, move out of my house, get her own house, and have her own family and possibly, yes possibly, not be next door to me. Damn radio, it took a lot of self restraint not to blubber like a baby at work, instead, I discreetly changed the radio station and hid in the bathroom for 20 minutes. Just a year ago, I was wondering how the hell I was going to buy even more bottles (because like hell I was going to wash the 4 I had every since day) when I wasn't on paid maternity leave, and now I'm...well, wondering how I'm going to afford to buy even more sippy cups, because I still don't have the energy to do dishes every day... Hopefully, my saddened mood doesn't reflect in this chapter, I've tried to stick to my original plans...although this does seem to have a way of writing itself, plans or no plans.

Jenny

Eight:

Sara fumbled with her crutches, picking up one and slamming it on the ground, wishing she could just fall on her butt and cry from the frustration she was feeling. Instead, she took a deep breath and forced her shaking hands to go through even more torture, propelling herself into the break room and falling onto a chair, propping the crutches against the table as she let out a loud sigh.

"That bad?" Catherine asked, stifling a yawn, "Did you take your painkillers tonight? Are you sure using your hands so much won't harm the burns?"

"It won't damage them, it just hurts like hell." Sara replied, her voice laced with pain, "And no, I haven't taken the painkillers, they make my head fuzzy, the last thing Grissom needs is a disoriented, unfocused CSI going over the evidence."

Sara took in Catherine's appearance, pale and sleepy, constantly rotating her shoulder as she shifted her broken arm in the sling. She rarely used the sling, although the doctor told her she was supposed to wear it at least 12 hours a day. She hated not being able to use her arm, at least when it was freed from it's nest she could use it to prop things while carrying them, almost as a functioning arm, she was even getting used to using her fingers, although when she moved her thumb a certain way, the jolt of pain reminded her she was injured. Sara said gently, "You should tell Grissom you're going home early."

"I've made my first week back at work without missing a single minute, and now you want me to leave early?" Catherine asked incredulously, "We've only got another hour or so left, I may as well accomplish something. What about you? You look about as bad as I feel."

Sara leaned over the table, her head resting on her elbow as she yawned, "I'm exhausted, my head hurts, and not only do my hands hurt from those damn crutches, I'm starting to get blisters under my arms."

"That's from not using them properly." Greg said, entering the room and handing Sara a bottle of water from the vending machine, "You need to be careful Sar, I knew a girl in high school who seriously messed up her tendons from not using her crutches properly."

Sara rolled her eyes, then shut them for a few seconds, "I know Greg, but let's do an experiment. I'll use an iron to burn your hands, then I'll give you some crutches and tell you to put all of your weight on your poor hands. We'll see how you use them, and compare, okay?"

"I know you don't want to hear what I'm saying." Greg said, ignoring the bristling tone Sara gave him. For the most part, they had been getting along great for the last week, but once and awhile, Sara's mood turned sour and they butted heads. "But I'm"

"I know, just looking out for me." Sara huffed, "I'm fine, Greg, don't you have some semen to analyze?"

Greg was about to walk out of the room when thunder boomed outside, causing Sara and Catherine to flinch, and lighting filled the room. Within seconds, the building was being battered by rain, the pounding of the raindrops and the howling of the wind catching everyone by surprise. Another crack of lighting and boom of thunder plunged the lab into darkness as both women let out terrified screams.

"Don't we have back up generators or something?" Catherine gasped as lightning lit up the building, thunder rumbling again, causing a wave of fear to wash over Catherine. She couldn't help but remember Eddie's death, the accident, and the fact that bad news came in threes. The memory of the accident alone sent a chill down her spine, not to mention everything else scaring her out of her wits.

Greg's voice was soothing, and Catherine heard him moving around in the darkness, cursing when his foot hit the table, "It takes a minute or so to kick on, don't worry, it's going to be okay."

"I know that." Catherine snapped back, feeling stupid for freaking out, not wanting Greg to know how frightened she really was. She gasped when something, well, someone hit the door, but relaxed when she heard Warrick's voice, "Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine." Greg replied, relieved when he saw the emergency exit signs light up, along with a few floodlights. He had been able to feel the tension growing in the room, and he knew both women were instantly plagued with memories of their car accident. He had been in a car accident when he was 16, and to this day, when he'd drive that stretch of interstate by his parent's house, he'd remember every last detail of his crash, even though he had only received minor scratches. It had to be ten times worse for Catherine and Sara, the accident being so recent, and both of them still full of injuries.

He had moved to Sara's side instantly as soon as the power cut off, wrapping an arm tightly around her and holding her close to his chest. Since she had moved in, at least once a night, she was terrorized by nightmares about what had happened, and what could have happened if they hadn't been found. He knew that the storm tonight would probably haunt her, he just didn't realize how much until he felt her shaking against him.

As they adjusted to the small amount of light in the room, Greg noticed Catherine and Warrick both eyeing he and Sara curiously. If he had looked up just moments earlier, he would have seen their lips quickly separating from each other's as they both pulled away from an obviously intimate, and from the blush on both of their faces, sudden, moment. He rubbed Sara's back gently, whispering in her ear, "Why don't you go and splash some water on your face. I'll help you."

Sara pulled away, her head down as she tried to hide the evidence of tears on her cheeks. She slowly stood, using the table to balance herself, and accepting a hand from Greg as he handed her the crutches she so despised. Slowly, they made their way down the hall and to the ladies' bathroom. Outside the door, she gave him a grateful smile, "Thanks...I'll be okay."

"I know you will be." Greg said with a gentle smile, "You're Sara, you always bounce back, it's one of the things I admire most about you."

"Thought it was my good looks." Sara teased with a small grin, pushing open the door and maneuvering into the ladies' room. As the door shut behind her, she heard Greg call after her, "And your raw sexual magnetism."

She rolled her eyes, hobbling to the sink and looking in the mirror, making a face at herself. She had to get her act together, she couldn't fall apart in front of everyone, it just wasn't her. Even if she had to cry herself to sleep in Greg's apartment, she had to make it through the last few hours of her shift.

She turned on the faucet, letting her hands run under the cool water and shuddering at the way it felt. She was really having a hard time getting used to the burns on her hands, everything that touched her skin felt different than it had before, and while she knew to expect it, it was still a shock when she wasn't thinking about it. She splashed the water on her cheeks, trying to gather up enough courage and strength to go back into the break room, face her fears, hide her weaknesses, and try her best to comfort Catherine, who also seemed very shaken up by the power failure.

In the break room, Greg sat down, watching the door anxiously for Sara to reappear. He was really worried about her, he had been there for her nightmares, and she had let him comfort her on more than one occasion, but he knew that it was different at work, with everyone around to watch her fall apart. It was taking all of his willpower not to walk into the bathroom and stay with her, just to make sure she was okay. He was coherent enough, however, to know she may kill him for it, so he remained seated, watching intently for any sign of Sara.

"So, are you and Sara...?" Warrick asked, still shocked by the vision of Greg holding his female colleague, and now aware of the lab tech's nervous gaze, "You two seem pretty close."

Greg shook his head, "We're just friends, she needs a friend...she's still having some trouble with the accident."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one." Catherine muttered under her breath. Warrick and Greg heard her, but pretended not to, and she sighed unhappily, "Is she having nightmares?"

Greg nodded, unsure of how much Sara would want him to divulge to everyone. Probably nothing, he thought after confirming Catherine's question. "Are you?"

Catherine nodded silently, now following Greg's gaze towards the door, "Maybe you should go check on her, she may be having trouble with her crutches again."

"That would just make her mad." Greg replied, looking towards Warrick and Catherine, who were sitting very closely together, "Speaking of coworkers in comfortable...or not so comfortable...situations, what about you two? You've been spending a lot of time together as well."

Now that the spotlight was on him, Warrick shook his head vehemently, a blush creeping back to his face, "We're just friends, man. Stop trying to distract the conversation." His voice was strained, and he glanced to Catherine for support, but she seemed to be shocked into silence from the events moments before. As Greg turned back to watch the door, Warrick gently squeezed her hand under the table, "We need to talk, after shift."

"Definitely." Catherine replied, her eyes wide as she realized Warrick was holding her hand. At the same time, he realized what he was doing, and both pulled their hands back to their respective laps, an awkward silence forming between them.

Sara hobbled back into the room, quietly sitting at the end of the table, her eyes downcast. She was certain all eyes were on her, and she knew that if they started asking questions, she may be liable to break down in front of them. Catherine seemed to have composed herself, why couldn't she do the same? Why did it seem like she was falling apart more than her colleague?

Catherine watched as Sara studied the table intently, her heart going out to the younger woman. She knew exactly how Sara was feeling, every time the thunder boomed she felt the same rise of anxiety, bringing bile into the back of her throat as her breath caught in her chest. She, too, knew the dizzy feeling that came with the power cutting off, the hair rising on her arms and the back of her neck, the cold sweat that came moments after as the back up lighting didn't immediately come on. In her mind flashed the same images of the road disappearing, the vehicle rolling, the flames engulfing the area, the blood, the metal, the glass. She heard the same sounds of screaming, from both of them, and the deafening blast as the car caught fire. It was going to take a long, long time for the images of how exactly she was injured to leave the front burner of her mind.

"Guys, can we have a few minutes alone?" Catherine asked, looking from Greg to Warrick for a confirmation.

Greg squeezed Sara's hand gently, "Is it okay with you if I go outside for a bit?"

She nodded silently, and Greg followed Warrick out of the room, the door shutting behind them. She looked up at Catherine, knowing the haunted look in the other woman's eyes mirrored her own.

"We need to talk about this." Catherine said suddenly, after sitting in silence for a few moments, "Or it's going to eat us both alive."

Sara looked back down at her hands, which were covered in purple and red marks, then shoved them under the table, staring at the scratches on the surface of the usually smooth table, "What is? I'm not having problems with anything."

She had tried to sound convincing, but her earlier behavior and the catch of her voice gave her away. As she tried to control her breathing, which was becoming more and more shallow the more she realized they were actually going to talk about the accident, a topic she had been avoiding since it happened, tears filled her eyes and she was faced with a double battle. After a few seconds, she gave up, allowing one scarred hand to wipe away her tears that had manage to trickle onto her cheeks, "Okay, maybe it's bothering me a little."

Catherine, whose own apprehensions about the accident, and the conversation they were about to have, had been dissolved the moment Sara had started crying, wheeled her chair closer to Sara, her maternal instinct blocking out everything else that was going on. She took Sara's hand into her own, "You know that's okay, right? It's supposed to bother you, it would be strange if it didn't."

The tears started to fall quicker, leaving Catherine to wonder what she had said to upset Sara even more. Before Catherine could ask, however, Sara volunteered the information that seemed to plague her thoughts. "It's not bothering you." She said, gasping for breath as she tried to control her emotions, "You seem to still be as happy as you were two weeks ago."

"I was miserable two weeks ago." Catherine replied, earning a glance from Sara, who's tears seemed to have been paused for the moment, "I've been miserable since Eddie died, but don't you think for one minute that I wasn't affected by this. Like I said, it would be strange if we weren't. Didn't you hear me scream when the lights went out? Does that sound like someone who's got it all together?" This comment earned a small smile from Sara, which is what Catherine had been hoping for.

Taking a deep breath, she decided the best way to approach Sara, who sometimes could be nearly as distant as Grissom was, was to be completely honest. She wiped away a tear that had fallen onto her own cheek, then said softly, "I...I think it's really screwed me up, and I think it would help to talk to someone about it, if you want to talk to me, maybe we can help each other out?"

"I think that would be nice." Sara replied after a few moments of hesitation. "Isn't this stupid? We're inside of a huge, safe, secure building and we're scared of a thunderstorm."

"I know." Catherine replied with a small smile, "It's like we're Lindsey's age...I don't think I'd go home right now, even though I'm exhausted beyond belief."

"I think I'll wait the rain out too." Sara said with a smile of her own, "Do you have nightmares?"

Catherine nodded, taking a sip of the coffee she had poured herself earlier, making a disgusted face as she realized just how cold and stale it was, "Every night. I think about Lindsey being in the car, and not being able to get her out before it exploded...which is a slight change from the ones I had after Eddie died, of her drowning. I dream that I made it out and you didn't, that Nick didn't find us as we starved to death, that we didn't get out of the car and we burned to death...all sorts of variations of those. What about you?"

"I dream that I couldn't keep my promise, that I let you die, and that Lindsey lost both of her parents." Sara whispered, her voice catching in her throat, "No child should have to go through life without both of their parents."

Catherine watched as Sara fought to keep in sobs, tears falling rapidly down her cheeks. It was only then that she realized just how far the guilt over Eddie's murder ran though the younger woman's conscience. She leaned forward, hugging Sara gently, her own guilt surging through her body, a wave of pain and sadness crashing down on her, as a few tears fell onto Sara's shoulders, "I'm sorry for how I treated you during Eddie's case."

"Don't be." Sara said, her voice stronger than it had been for the whole conversation as she pulled away, placing her hands on Catherine's shoulders, "Don't you dare be sorry for anything you said. I deserved it, I didn't find enough evidence, I had to have missed something somewhere. I didn't get them put away for the crimes they committed. I should be the one apologizing to you and to Lindsey."

Catherine shook her head, guilt weighing heavier on her chest as she connected with Sara, suddenly getting a good glimpse at how her words and actions had affected the younger woman, "Sara, listen to me. Sometimes there's nothing else you can do. We can't change the past, and Lindsey is moving on with her life, one day at a time. We can't catch all of the bad guys, no matter how hard we want to. If something had happened to me in the accident, that wouldn't have been your fault either, it's just a fact of life. We're born, we go through hell, we die."

"That's optimistic." Sara said dryly, pulling away from Catherine and studying the table again, "How long do you think it's going to take until we're sane enough not to freak out in the rain?"

"Hopefully soon, or Grissom's going to have us psychologically evaluated." Catherine laughed, "It's going to go away, I know it will, it's just going to take some time. Until then, we just have to support each other...even if that means middle of the nightwell, afternoonphone calls and visits. We both have someone who's gone through what we have, and we'll have to make the best of it."

Sara was silent for a moment, then replied, "It's a damn good thing I wasn't in a wreck with Ecklie."

As the rest of the team entered the break room, they were met with the sounds of Catherine and Sara's laughter for the first time in months.

(Let me know what you think, replies make the world go 'round...)