DISCLAIMER : I don't own CSI nor it's characters. Everything belongs to the brains behind this wonderful show. Props go out to them. :D

AUTHOR'S NOTE : Set Post-Butterflied. Still unsure as to how this story is going to unfold and I like it that way. I could surprise the readers and myself. :D

The title may also change.

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CHAPTER VII

Lurie approached Sara slowly. He didn't want to scare her by coming on too fast. He sawher turn around in confusion and what looked like anger still reflected on her beautiful face.

"Yes, that would be me." Sara warily answered.

Lurie smiled at her and then directed his gaze at the man who now stood beside him. "And you are?" he inquired.

"Hank Peddigrew..." the man answered, his tone a little confused as well.

"And he was just leaving." Sara added without even glancing at the other man.

Lurie looked at Hank who had gone silent and looked almost angry at having been dismissed prematurely.

"Well," Hank stammered, "I'll see you around Sara."

"Not if I can help it." was all she replied. Inside, Lurie rejoiced at the knowledge that whatever happened between these two was now over. "Yes pal, move away. She is mine now." Lurie's mind whispered to him.

It was when Hank was walking away that Sara looked at his retreating figure. Sighing audibly, she turned to the man left standing in front of her.

The man gave her a smile that she didn't know how to interpret but shrugged it off. "I'm sorry about that doctor." She said, apologizing to him.

It pained Lurie that she didn't remember his name, but remembering that they worked for the police department, they must have had names mixed up all the time.

Before Lurie could correct this, he saw Sara's friend rejoin them.

"My name is Sara Sidle, as you already seem to know, and this is Catherine Willows. We're from the Crime Lab. We're here for Mrs. Adler." Sara introduced themselves which left Lurie wondering what she meant about her last statement. That was until her friend, Catherine spoke up.

"How is she holding up?" Catherine asked, her attention fully focused on him.

"Ummm..." Lurie didn't know what to say. He didn't expect to be mistaken for the doctor in-charged of whatever case they were currently working on. He merely wanted to talk to Sara.

"Mrs. Adler, second-degree burns, house caught on fire? We're here to gather whatever evidence she has on her for the case?" Sara spoke again, her eyebrows knitting into another frown.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not the doctor in-charged with Mrs. Adler case." Lurie shrugged pathetically hoping that it wouldn't offend Sara.

"Oh," Sara exclaimed and gave Lurie one of those "then what the hell are we doing speaking to each other" look. "How ... how do you know me then? Have we met before?"

"My name is Lurie, Vincent Lurie" He reintroduced himself. "I ... well, this will sound silly, but I saw you during a case you worked on previously."

"Lurie ..." Catherine repeated and her eyes grew wide with recognition.

x x x x x x x x

Catherine's pulse raced upon hering the man's name. It triggered something within her. She knew that name, it was so familiar.

Yes, a case they had worked on a couple of weeks back. She tried putting the name inot the right case then realization hit her.

Lurie. Debbie Marlin. Murdered. Suspect got away by some technicality. What scared Catherine the most during that case was the similarities between Sara and Debbie's appearance.

And now, here was Lurie coming up to Sara in hospital halls. Catherine turned to look at Sara and found her completely frozen beside her.

Catherine had knows that Sara rarely feared anything but the fear very apparent in her eyes now scared Catherine too.

"I have to get her away from here, from this man right now!" Catherine told herself.

Calming herself as much as she can, Catherine grabbed Sara by the elbow, causing the other woman to snap out of her thoughts.

"Dr. Lurie, I'm sorry, but you have to excuse us. We're to work on a case and we really need to be getting to that." Catherine addressed the doctor who stood analyzing Sara's facial expression.

Not waiting for a reply, she steered her still shocked colleague away from the doctor, quickening their pace as she did so.

Catherine made sure that Lurie stayed where they left him before she started talking to Sara again.

"Sar, are you okay?" Catherine asked her friend, a worried look on her face.

"Huh?" Sara answered in a dazed voice. "Ye ... yeah. I ... I guess. I'm just a bit shocked ... confused ... I don't know."

"You recognized that man didn't you?" Catherine already knew the answer, she just felt compelled to ask the question.

Sara merely nodded at this. They both fell silent as they continued to walk now aimlessly through the halls. They now didn't know where they were headed.

It was Sara who broke their wandering by asking directions to their destination. Catherine didn't want to bring up Lurie any longer for fear of what it might to do her friend. For now, they had their jobs to do.

x x x x x x x x

Lurie remained rooted to the spot Sara and Catherine vacated. He was not prepared to have witnessed the fear that crept into Sara's eyes at recognizing who he was.

It hit him then, she still associated him with Debbie's death. She still couldn't look past beyond that and see his love for her. He was overly glad that he had sent those roses anonymously now. He doubted if she'd bothered to receive them otherwise.

Despite the hurt that he felt at her fear of him, Lurie wanted to show Sara that she had nothing to be afraid of. He loved her and he only meant to show her all the great things that being in love brought.

He realized that to get Sara, he needed to gain her trust first. And if he had to do that by being anonymous at this point, then so be it.

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A/N : I realize that this chapter was soooo very late in coming, it's just that work got in the way … plus a couple of consecutive nights playing World of Warcraft. :D

Thanks so much for the continued reviews!