I don't know what to say... I wrote the first chapter out of frustration, not really thinking whether or not I'd continue. And then... Christ on a stick! I've never had so much feedback! Thank you all SO much! I hope I don't let you down with this... Please tell me what you think:)
(And yes, it's sooo gotten to my head:) )

Love,
Jellicos

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Chapter two: Stubborn

But for the rest of the shift, there are no angry glances.

In fact, I don't see her at all. I know we've got a lot of work tonight, but this is a small lab, so I decide to ask around.

"Hey, Greggo!" How he gets that hair of his to stand on end like that is beyond me.

"Sara! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Greg looks at me with a fake expression of horror, holding his hand to his chest in a most theatrical way.

"Yes, this is just one step in my plan to slowly kill you with greeting phrases." My sarcasm is awarded with a smile. Well, at least there's someone in this building that doesn't hate my guts.

"I heard about the Novak interrogation." He states. Maybe I was too quick in that last remark.

"Go on, let me have it." I sigh and sit down. I might as well get it over with. At least I know Greg will be somewhat human about it.

"You should have kicked his ass." Wait. What? But as I look up, Greg is still smiling. Okey, so he doesn't hate me. I give him a tired laugh.

"I kind of wish I had." I admit before remembering why I'd come in here in the first place. "Have you seen Catherine around?" I ask, trying to sound as casual as possibly, but by the look on Greg's face I'm not doing a very good job at it. His smile has turned into one of his famous smirks and he looks practically giddy.

"I love it when you play coy." I have to restrain my urges to slap him over the head.

"Shut up, I'm serious." And my words seem to have the desired effect, because now he's looking at me with an almost concerned expression.

"She left early." Catherine left work early? "She said she needed some time with Lindsey and that she had maxed out on overtime anyway."

"Grissom just let her go?" This was starting to get really unnerving.

"He pretty much shoved her out the door." At least Greg isn't looking to happy about it either. But I can feel my blood start to boil. That man needs some serious personality skills! "And he's not in, so you can't kick his ass either." Greg, get out of my head! How does he do that?

"Fine." I sigh again, admitting defeat. "I'll start working on the bullets." I'm not sure if he replied or not, my heart is beating so fast I can't hear. But the irony isn't quite lost on me. Usually I'm the one to hackle Catherine for her bad taste in men or making any mistake in a case. Now I seem to be the only one who's not turning on her. What's wrong with these people?

Well, on the bright side… If anyone still thinks I have the hots for Grissom they're in for a big surprise.

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It takes me practically the rest of the shift to process the ballistics. There isn't much to find, both bullets from both victims match. The cross contamination at the lab makes it hard to test anything else. I decide to go find Grissom before I leave, and I find him in his office, admiring his collection of strange things in glass jars. What a surprise.

I remember when I used to idolize this man for his skills. I guess that stopped when I realised his incompetence for dealing with anything that wasn't dead. Not that I'm great with people. We used to joke about preferring the dead to the living, but in Grissom's case I think he was serious. Alright, so maybe I was too at the time. But things change, and unlike my boss I do know how to stick my head up from the books and face the world occasionally.

Naturally he doesn't notice me standing in the doorway. I should be used to it. So I make my presence known.

"Hey, Grissom." Again, I fail in sounding casual, but Grissom doesn't notice.

"Hey Sara." He turns and looks at me. "What can I do for you?" A million things fly through my mind, but I restrain myself from committing professional suicide. I don't really hate him; I just really don't like him at the moment.

"Did you talk to Catherine?" A casual angle is the best way to go.

"Yeah, she wasn't feeling well and wanted to spend some time with her daughter." He turns from me to sit down at his desk. A desk is probably a good thing to have between us right now.

"So, you just let her go?" I ask. "Without asking her how she was coping?" Okey, I accuse.

"Should I have?" He cannot be this clueless! It's humanly impossible! "She seemed fine, and honestly I don't think having her work this case would be such a good idea anyway." Calm down Sidle. Lashing out at him again isn't going to help anyone.

"When did she leave?" I repeat the same sentence in my mind over and over again 'Lashing out isn't going to help anyone. Lashing-'

"A while after our conversation in here." Screw this! It may not help anyone, but it will make me feel much better!

"So you just let her walk out?" And now I'm shouting again. "You didn't even bother to check if she was alright, which she obviously wasn't if she left shift so early. Look, I don't know what the hell she was thinking, letting that man-"I pause and I think even Grissom can see me shudder at the mental image I just got. And damn it if he doesn't take the chance to cut me off.

"Look, Sara. If this yelling is going to become a regular thing-"Fine, I can play that game.

"Did you even listen to me?" I really hate when he does that!

"I heard you." He says calmly and I try to calm myself down as well. "And as long as it doesn't affect her work, I prefer to keep myself out of Catherine's privet life."

"And you don't consider what went down today to be affecting her work?" I may be angry, but at least I'm not yelling anymore.

"Sara, if you're that upset I suggest that you go talk to Catherine yourself." I just glare at him.

"Like I haven't tried." I mutter.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing." I say dryly. "I'm off, I'll see you tonight." I turn and walk out before he has a chance to say anything else. I see Nick and Warrick down the hall but decide to ignore them. They obviously heard me yelling and I'm in no mood to explain it to them.

I need to blow off some steam. A long run though the park before I go to bed would do the trick. My mind is racing and I've managed to get home, get changed and run several miles before I even know where I am. After a quick shower I'm lying in bed not able to sleep. Catherine's face keeps popping into my mind as soon as I close my eyes. What is she hiding? Why was she crying? What was it in her eyes that made my heart play an entire symphony? My brain is too tired to think, but the questions won't leave me alone.

'That's what you get for falling in love with a co-worker.' A little voice in my head tells me. I tell it to shut up, but it doesn't listen. Those annoying little voices never do.

It keeps ringing in my mind when I drift off to sleep. Like I needed the reminder.

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The break room is empty as I return to work the next night. For once I'm not several hours early, just ten minutes. But I'm relieved to be able to drink my morning coffee alone.

I have no desire what so ever to discuss the awkward situation in the lab just now and as I sit down with my coffee I allow my thoughts to wander for a moment. Naturally they haven't changed much since I went to bed and the same questions keep emerging into my head. But with them comes a new one; How am I going to deal with all of this? I suddenly realize that I can't just leave it all as it is. Catherine might hate me, but she's in pain and for some reason I seem to be the only one to notice. But then again, I'm probably the last person on earth that she'd ever confide in.

Since Grissom managed to pull out the dark secrets of my childhood, I've been going to therapy once in a while. Alright, not as often as I should probably, but still, it has helped me cope with many of my issues.

Back then I had no one to confide in, and I'm still thankful that Grissom took the time to listen and not let me kick him out. Why wasn't he doing the same with Catherine?

Maybe that is what it would take, to corner her until she had no other option that to tell me?

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't even realize that I wasn't alone until someone pokes me in the ribs.

"Ow! Greg, what the-?" I turn to argue with him, when I realize that the whole team is sitting in the break room. "Oh…"

"Thinking about me?" Greg flashes me a grin.

"You wish." I grin back, but Greg's reply is cut off by Grissom clearing his throat.

"Since we're all here..." He starts, giving me a puzzled look. "I have your assignments for tonight. It's going to be a tough shift. Nick, you're with me on the shootings. Warrick and Greg, I've got a double homicide for you two. And ladies… a DB in the woods outside Henderson for you" He turns one folder over to Warrick and the other to Catherine. She looks as if she's about to protest, but just sighs and takes the folder, not giving any indication that she realizes I'm in the room. This is going to be a long night.

"Fine, let's get this over with." She's already on her way out the door when she turns. "I'm driving." And she's off to the locker room. Yep. A long night.

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It's more than an hour's drive, and since Catherine is ignoring my existence it seems even longer.

As we arrive, two uniforms are waiting at the scene. I grab my kit and get out of the car, but Catherine is faster and is already talking to the officers as I get there.

"It's nasty." I hear the young officer say as I walk up. He seems quite pale and I can smell the decaying corpse from where I'm standing. Poor kid's probably never seen anything like it before. "The vic's down there." He points down a sloping hill.

"How about COD, TOD or ID?" Catherine asks. Well, whatever is wrong, she's not letting it interfere with her work. I take in the surroundings automatically. We're standing on a dirt road in the middle of the woods. The trees are not close together and there are patches of grass between them. The side of the road slopes down into the woods and you can't see where it ends. It's a nasty road to drive in the dark.

"Couldn't tell you." The poor kid seems to be loosing a battle against nausea. "The body's been lying there for some time; you'll have to ask the coroner." He turns to the point where he'd indicated the scene. "He's down there with the vic."

"Alright, you go get some air." I tell him and he looks at me in relief before rushing away. Catherine however gives me a look of death for butting in on her territory before walking down the slope to the scene. With a sigh I follow. How long is this going to continue?

David greets me with a big smile, but his face is slightly contorted by the sickening smell of what used to be a human body in front of him.

"Hey Dave, what have we got here?" I bend over the body, deciding to ignore Catherine's angry stares for the time being.

We work in silence but with stunning precession. She may never like me, but we've always worked extremely well together. Catherine seems to notice it as well, 'cause several hours later, when we're packing up, she seems to be in a much better mood. She even takes the time to speak to me.

"Nice work, Sara." I look at her as she backs us out on the dirt road. Her first words to me all shift is a compliment?

"Thanks, you too." My astonishment is quite evident in my voice.

"Would you mind getting these bags to trace as we get back?" Her voice is emotionless and she never takes her eyes off the road.

"Sure thing." She looks at me. I guess she's suspicious at my cooperation.

"Alright, what's going on?" I know her too well. And I can't help but repress a smirk at this thought, not succeeding entirely.

"You're asking me? You're the one who's been acting all moody the entire shift!" Ok, so I'm not great at all this 'be-nice'-stuff. Sue me.

"Just forget it." She mumbles, starring out on the road.

"You're not getting of that easily Willows." I say with a smirk. My playful tone seems to register with her since she doesn't start yelling.

"Why do you care anyway?" She sounds hurt, but I can't see her expression.

"Because it seems that you need someone to care. And Grissom isn't helping any." Nice cover Sidle.

"What are you after Sidle?" Okey, fair question I guess. But I hate it when she uses my last name. I sigh.

"Look, I know we've never been close, or even friends for that matter…"

"That's an understatement." I feel my blood boiling. As she looks at me, the hurt and anger must be vivid in my eyes since her eyes flash with guilt before she turns away.

I need to hold my calm to get through this. I would be blowing everything by yelling at her now. Steady, Sidle, steady…

"All I'm saying is that you look like you need someone to lean on, and I'm here."

"You're serious." Catherine looks at me in such shock you'd think I just asked her to marry me. Great, now I'll have that thought in my mind all day.

"Well, the rest of the team is acting like a bunch of assholes." I shrug. "I'm on your side Catherine, take it or leave it." She looks at me with dismay. Well, I'm glad we're on pavement now or the car might just run off the road.

"Did Gil put you up to this?" Christ! She really is thick sometimes.

"Don't insult me Catherine." I snort. "Grissom is as clueless as ever." Time to face her. I turn slightly in my seat as to look straight at her. "Look, I know something is bothering you.

Catherine doesn't open her mouth. She doesn't even look at me. I give her a few moments, but she stares decisively at the road ahead.

"Fine." I turn back in my seat. "But if you decide to stop being so damn stubborn, give me a call. You know where I live if you decide you want to talk."

She finally takes her eyes of the road to look at me. I can't really read her expression, but there's a hint of amusement in it.

"Sara Sidle is calling me stubborn?"

"Bad sign, eh?" And a wide smirk spreads across my face.

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Now... se the cute Lavendar button on your left? Go on, You know you want to:)