a/n: thanks for the reviews everyone, glad you're enjoy it, and sorry about your arm speedracer15 :)

A triple homicide called Sara into work the next day. They promised her they only needed her for a few hours, so she agreed, foolishly. At quarter to eight that night she said 'screw it,' to the room at large, packed up her kit and walked out, leaving a surprised Catherine in her wake. Sara stopped by Greg's lab on her way out,

"Can you leave soon?" She asked him. He looked up and winced,

"I'm sorry Sara, I can't. Everything's got a rush on it, and-" she put up her hand to stop him,

"It's okay; I wasn't expecting you to be able to come anyway." Sara tried to be nonchalant, "See you at the barbeque tomorrow?"

"Definitely. Remember your swimming trunks."

"Don't remind me."

"Hey, you look great in a bathing suit."

"And how would you know?" She asked. Greg just wagged his eyebrows and smiled at her. Then a machine pinged and he dropped back into work.

"See you then," drifted through the door as she left.

Sara was home by 8.10.

"I am so sorry," she said as she burst into the apartment, Liv popped her head out of the bathroom, hands fixing her hair with gel.

"It's okay, you're here now." She peered around Sara. "No Greg?"

"Couldn't get away."

"Oh well, just us girls then. Where do you want to go tonight?"

"Well, you look ready to hit some clubs. How about it?" Liv grinned at her.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

"Why?"

"I've been shopping."

"Oh really…" Liv lead her down the hall to her bedroom and retrieve something from a bag, a very small something.

"It's a dress."

"Oh." Sara squinted at it, "really?" Liv rolled her eyes and threw it at her,

"Just put it on. It'll be great." And she left Sara alone.

Sara emerged a few minutes later. The little red dress really did look great on her, but Sara looked really uncomfortable in it.

"You look amazing. It'll go great with those strappy shoes you've got. Spin for me." Liv laughed, "Okay, don't spin for anyone else." Sara grabbed for the hem of the dress and pulled it down.

"Are you serious?"

"That you just had a Marilyn Monroe moment, yes. But I'm also serious about the dress looking amazing. This is why I was hoping Greg would be coming with us." Sara looked downcast. "Maybe you could wear it tomorrow, when he's there?" Liv suggested.

"No, there'll be kids there. I can't wear this there."

"Okay, save it for another night, for just the two of you." Sara brightened at the idea and disappeared into her room.

"Thank you for the dress, by the way," Sara yelled down the hall.

"My pleasure."

Sara emerged for a second time in tight jeans and a shimmery shirt, looking much more comfortable.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

They grabbed dinner at a diner ('I can't believe you put relish on a burrito, Liv') and headed out in search of a club.
"So, what else happened today?" Liv asked Sara. They were settled on a couch in a club, taking a break.

"What do you mean?"

"You're sorta knocking back the drinks there. It's not just because Greg didn't come with us. What else happened?" Sara rolled her eyes,

"It's nothing; it's a big case, a senator's son was involved. So there was a lot of political pressure, lots of suits hanging around the lab." Liv waited for the inevitable Catherine involvement. "And I got stuck with Catherine in a bitchy mood." There it was, "Either she was on my case about my technique or she wouldn't stop going on about Lindsay. The girl won some award at school, but she was being a real handful at home. But heaven forbid I try to suggest anything. Catherine doesn't need any parenting tips, and certainly not from me. So I suggested she shut up. It just went downhill from there."

"Did you actually say 'shut up'?"

"Of course not, but that's what Catherine heard, so I might as well have." Sara's ears perked up, "Oh, I love this song, let's go." Sara declared, pulling Liv off the couch onto the dance floor.

Liv came back from the bathroom and scanned the room for Sara, spying her by the bar. She sidled up next to her.

"Sorry I took so long, line-ups are a bitch." Liv said into Sara's ear. Sara whipped around and wobbled, Liv put her arm around her to steady her.

"I'm good, I'm good." Sara declared. "You scared me!"

"Sara, are you okay?" Liv asked, looking into Sara's eyes.

"I am just fine!" Sara couldn't maintain eye-contact.

"Jesus Sara, I was only gone five minutes, what the hell happened?"

"Nothing happened."

"You were not this drunk when I left you." Liv flagged down the bartender. "What did she have?"

"A whisky sour and three shots of tequila." He listed, "And that rum and coke," pointing at Sara's hand. Liv deftly took the drink.

"I'll have some water, thank you." The bartender passed it over.

"What are you doing?"

"Sobering you up. We need to leave."

"What do you mean leave? We were just having fun!"

"No, we're not. Come on." Liv dragged Sara out of the club.

Sara slammed the cab door. She'd given Liv the silent treatment the whole way home. Liv caught up with her after paying.

"Come on, let's go grab some food."

"No."

"Okay, want to go for a walk?"

"No." Liv followed her inside the apartment, it was barely midnight. Sara went straight to her bedroom and slammed the door. Liv sat up and watched TV until she fell asleep.

TBC...