A huge thanks to my beta, Jess… As I've said before, you make this story better! You and the ducks…

Also thank you all so much for all the reviews. It means so much that y'all take the time to review.

Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy. Please, feel free to review again and let me know what you think.

Outed

"I need you to tell me about how she was… about how she died." Veronica said as soon as the three walked into the office. She looked at Catherine for an answer.

"Look," Catherine started sympathetically. "I know you probably know this girl, but that is classified information. I'm sorry, but we can't tell you. Kimberly shouldn't have told you anything in the first place."

Veronica seemed to fight an internal battle. She absentmindedly touched one of the ducks placed on Catherine's desk, then jerked her hand away when she saw what she was touching. Sara smiled to herself knowing how much Veronica absolutely hated ducks - even the fake ones.

"Veronica, we're in a bit of a hurry." Catherine continued when neither of the other women spoke. "We need to get to a scene." She didn't want to reveal anything other than what the younger woman already knew.

"Catherine, I'm not… I did know Siobhan once; I don't anymore. I haven't had anything to do with her for, God, thirteen years now." Veronica sighed, not knowing how to continue without telling Catherine her deepest, darkest secret. A secret that not even her wife or twin brother knew anything about. The only person who knew was Sara because she had lived through it with her. "My parents disowned me when I was 15, because I told them about my sexual preferences. I haven't heard from them since."

"I'm sorry that happened." Catherine offered. "But this has nothing to do with this case."

"No, I know…" Veronica offered a ghost of a smile. "Thank you, but I'm just trying to explain why I need to know about how she was…" She trailed off and turned towards Sara.

'Something is wrong'

The words flew through Sara's mind. She hadn't seen Foxy in years, but the look in her eyes right now was the same as the one she'd had after she'd been attacked. Before Sara could give it anymore thought Veronica started talking again.

"Ok, I won't ask you to say anything. I just need to ask one question, and then I'll know. Is that ok?" She was looking at Sara, but it was somehow implied that she was asking permission from Catherine.

Sara glanced at Catherine, noticing her raising her left brow as if to ask her if she was ok with this course of action. She shrugged in answer, letting the older woman know that it was her decision.

"How will you know from asking one question?" Catherine asked.

Veronica turned and looked Catherine in the eyes for a brief moment before turning back towards Sara.

"Her reaction. She won't be able to hide it from me."

Catherine doubted that. Sara could hide anything from anyone; that was one thing she was sure of. After all, she had worked with the woman for the last five and a half years and she knew hardly anything about her.

"Ask your question. Though I doubt you'll get anything from it. But after that we have to leave."

"Ok. Thanks, Catherine." Veronica took a very small step closer to Sara and looked her in the eyes. She hesitated before asking: "Was it similar?"

Sara tried to not let her emotions show. She had seen the body. Seen how her throat had been slit, and heard when Catherine had told her that most likely she had been raped. She had seen the similarities between this body and the way she had found Foxy years ago.

"Oh, God…" Veronica's voice was pained and she dropped into the nearest chair holding her head in her hand. "Oh, God." She mumbled again.

Catherine got up from behind her desk wanting to give some kind of comfort to the girl, since Sara didn't seem to do anything about it. As she brushed past Sara, she felt the other woman's hand on her arm, effectively but gently stopping her. She turned towards the brunette wanting to ask her what the hell she was doing, but stopped when she saw the look in her eyes. She had seen the same look in the victims who survived a brutal crime, or in the ones the victims left behind; it was grief.

"She doesn't like anyone touching her when…" Sara stopped. "She just needs a minute."

Catherine nodded her consent. Sara hadn't let go of her arm and she looked down noticing how nice the other woman's hand really was. The thought was unexpected seeing how this was Sara Sidle she was thinking about, but it was not an unwelcome one. Catherine had been with a couple of women in her life, she didn't really have a preference. She mostly dated men, but that was mainly because it was easier; it was easier to show off in the real world.

She really did have nice hands.

Sara had followed her gaze and quickly removed her hand, hoping that she wasn't being too conspicuous. She met Catherine's deep blue eyes again, but the other woman just smiled slightly at her. She turned her attention back to Foxy and was surprised to see her looking intently at the two of them.

"You ok?" She asked her friend.

There was a pause before the other woman answered, but keeping eye contact Sara knew that her secret had been found out.

Veronica knew.

"Not really," Veronica offered rubbing her hands over her face. "I've been getting letters." She continued, meeting Sara's eyes again.

"Letters?" Sara whispered.

"Yeah. Warnings, ramblings, things like that." Veronica was intent on not giving away too much. "I never took them seriously, but it seems that I have to now."

"But… they would have told you if he was out." Sara was shaken.

"What is going on here?" Catherine asked, in a tone of voice that demanded answers.

Sara looked at Veronica, who returned the look and then sighed deeply. Her secret was about to go public.

"I, eh… I need to talk to Kimberly first." She said.

"You haven't told Kimberly?" Sara asked incredulously.

"You are the only one who knows, Sara." Veronica said seriously. "I didn't need the pity, but I have to tell the world now." She got up from the chair she had sunken into and threw her arms around her friend desperately needing a hug. When they parted she dried her eyes and turned to look at Catherine, who was clueless as to what was going on.

"I think I might have some, eh, clues for you, but I really need to talk to Kim first. I can't tell you this before I tell her." She paused. "Besides, the letters are at home so I need to go get them, and I need to call the hospital to have someone take over my shift." She searched her pockets and got out her phone.

"Ok, this is not protocol," Catherine stated. "I'll let it slide this once because you came here to help us, but we need to have that talk soon." She looked at Sara. "While she talks to Shaw and gets the letters, you and I will go to the Rowan house and search the vic's room." She started ushering them out the room, when Veronica stopped and turned towards the both of them.

"Look, my parents are probably at the house with Mr. and Mrs. Rowan." She started.

"Great…" Sara mumbled.

"Sass, you need to be on your best behavior." The younger woman warned. "This is the Governor we're talking about here. If you can't behave, let Catherine do the talking. Promise me?"

"Why should I treat him nice after all the shit he put you through?"

"Just promise me, Sara."

"Ok, I promise - I will let Catherine do all the talking." Sara held up her hands in surrender.

"That's as close I'll get to getting you to behave isn't it?"

"You know me too well." Sara answered. They knew that their attempt at lightening the mood was in vain.

"You have to make Daddy understand that Bridget and Anita have to be protected at all times." Veronica was now addressing Catherine, knowing that Sara would not get through to her father when she was in a bad mood.

"I'll tell him." Catherine promised.

"No, you have to do more than that. You have to insist that they are protected. If this is what we think it is, then one of them will be the next victim. Bridget is most likely the main target, but they both need to be protected. Please make him understand that!"

"I'll have Brass post a couple of uniforms with them." Catherine said, hoping it would calm down the other woman.

"Thank you." Veronica sounded relieved. She surprised Catherine by giving her a small innocent peck on the cheek and a brief hug. "I may not have seen them in years, but I need my sisters to be safe. No one deserves this kind of thing to happen to them."

"I have a sister of my own," Catherine explained. "I know how you feel."

The three women separated once they got outside the lab. Veronica was talking on the phone while catching a cab, while Catherine and Sara went to the Tahoe to drive to the Rowan residence.

"You want to give me some kind of preparation for this?" Catherine asked once they got in the car.

"It's bad." Sara said quietly. It could have sounded sarcastic, but it didn't. It just sounded sad.

"Ok." Catherine got her thoughts in order. "And you can't tell me about it?"

"I can tell you parts to prepare you, but I think I should do the driving, just in case." She got out of the car and Catherine scooted over to the passenger seat, wanting to be ready for what she would hear later.

"So…parts." She said, when Sara didn't start talking or driving.

"Yeah." Sara said, shaking her head to clear her thoughts she started driving. "When we were in college, Veronica was attacked. That part I can't tell you about because she should be the one to do that."

"That's ok." Catherine said. She wanted to know about the case, but a big part of her also wanted to know something personal about Sara.

"I was the one who found her; it was pretty bad. After the paramedics had rushed her to the hospital I puked my guts out." She laughed a hollow laugh. "That's the only time that's ever happened… The guy who attacked her wasn't too happy that I had saved her, so he attacked me one night when I got home from the hospital. Luckily I was taller and stronger than Veronica, so he didn't succeed. Somehow I got a hold of a lamp and smashed him over the head with it. He had beaten me up pretty bad, but he was down and didn't get back up."

"You killed him?" Catherine couldn't help but ask.

"No. I dragged myself to the phone and called the police. That's about it." Sara finished.

"No, it isn't." Catherine said looking at the brunette. "There's more, you're hiding something else."

"Not case related." Was the short answer to Catherine's unasked question.

"You can still tell me." Catherine said softly. "I can keep a secret." She looked at Sara. "And you look like you need to tell someone."

"I don't think that you are that someone, Catherine."

"Sara, I meant what I said earlier. I want to be your friend. You can trust me."

"Can I?" Sara stopped at a red light and looked at Catherine.

"Yes, you can." The blonde answered.

Sara saw nothing but honesty in the beautiful blue eyes in front of her and made a huge decision. She decided to let Catherine in a little bit, and that was a big thing for her to do.

"She was in a coma for a week."

"Veronica?"

"Yes. The hospital staff called her father but they were informed that he had no desire to see her."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I mean, he was her father and he didn't care that his daughter could die! How can an otherwise good parent act like that just because he doesn't agree with the people she falls in love with?"

"I don't know." Catherine really didn't know. She would always love Lindsey no matter what the girl chose to do. She would rather die than not have her in her life. "I really don't know, Sara."

The rest of the ride was silent, both women lost in their thoughts. As they pulled up to the Rowan residence Catherine turned towards Sara.

"I think Veronica is right. I'll do the talking and you can start processing the room."

"Yeah, I think that's the best idea too." Sara agreed. "I don't really trust myself when it comes to talking civilly with the good Governor."

With that she got out of the car and took out the kits from the trunk. Catherine waited for her and together they went to the door and rang the bell.