Thanks for the reviews :).

I might hold off updates until we get another update from Jellicos though lol. There's no way I can let you get away with not updating for months again.

Part Two

By the time I get to work, I've decided to tell Greg the bets off, having had time to think more I realise what a seriously stupid idea this whole thing is.

I'm on my way to see Greg when I pass an extremely pissed off looking Sara heading to the locker room, almost removing the door from its hinges on her way in.

I ponder ignoring what I've just seen for a second, then feel like a total ass for even considering it, so I follow her, opening the door just in time to see her punch her locker, leaving a dent.

"Ouch." I say, purely on reflex. She turns to me, looking at me as if I'm next. I hold my hands up as I speak. "I come in peace; I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

The anger seems to slip away from her as she slumps onto the bench in front of the lockers. I walk over and sit next to her.

"Want to talk about it?"

She looks up at me a little confused, I know she's not used to me doing this but surely she doesn't think I'm that much of a bitch.

Her confusion disappearing as she looks away again.

"Case I'm on, domestic violence."

Ah, that explains a lot. I'm not sure why these type of cases get to her so much, but I know they always do. I'd ask her why, but I think of all the people she works with, I'm the last person she'd confide in.

"Is he going to get away with it?"

"Hell no, not if I have anything to do with it."

"Then I have no doubt the bastard concerned is going to be getting everything he deserves." And I don't, once determined about something; very few things get in her way.

"Thanks." She says, but it's obvious she doesn't fully believe me, not that I blame her.

From the corner of my eye I notice her hand, it looks sore.

"Let me take a look at that." I say, reaching for her hand.

"No, its okay." She pulls her hand back before I get there.

"Sara, just let me look." I give her the mothers 'now' look and she seems to relent, offering her hand for my inspection.

I take it gently with mine, stand and lead us to the sinks, the lights better here.

"So that's how you get Lindsey to do as she's told." She laughs "That look is deadly."

I laugh with her. "It does come in handy from time to time."

Her hand doesn't actually look to bad close up, just a little red, but I bathe it with warm water anyway, hopefully taking away some of the stinging.

I'm amazed at the way she's allowing me to do this, she looks so vulnerable right now, I've never seen her like this before and I'm overcome with the urge to comfort her.

I don't though; just finish with her hand. "Should be a nice bruise there tomorrow."

"Yeah, probably. Thank you for this by the way, you didn't have to."

"I know, I wanted to, I'm happy to help, I'm not a bitch all the time you know."

There's that shocked expression again, it surprises me this time, I was always under the impression that's what she thought.

"I never once thought you were." She didn't? Well she could have fooled me. "What do you say to me buying you breakfast after shift, if you're not busy. As a thanks for this." She waves her hand at me.

"You don't need to do that, I told you I was happy to, but breakfast sounds nice."

"Great, I'll meet you in the break room after shift." She smiles at me, a full-blown smile and I find myself smiling with her, she looks so different when she lets her guard down.

"See you then." She smiles at me once more before turning and leaving.

I sit down again for a minute, okay, so that was different, an actual conversation with Sara, no coldness, no pointless hostility, just a normal conversation.

One conversation and she asks me to join her for breakfast, that's all it took. I ponder why I've spent so long being annoyed by her, why she always seems so judgmental of me. Why we're not friends.

As I leave the locker room I remember I had been heading to see Greg beforehand. I think for a second of telling him we have a breakfast date, that I did it, I won, but I don't want to do that. She'd find out and think I only went because of that, but if I call the bet of, she'll find out anyway, and think exactly the same thing.

Okay so I'll just keep it shut, not say anything. Greg will think the bets still on and keep his mouth shut, and I'll just deal with that later, explain it to Sara when I'm sure she won't automatically jump to the wrong conclusion.

I don't even know why I care so much, yesterday I couldn't have cared less how many conclusions she jumped to, wrong or not. But she made an effort before, that can't have been easy for her, not with me anyway. So I figure the least I can do is return the favour.

- - - - - -

I arrive in the break room ten minutes after shift ends and find Sara waiting for me.

"Hey, you look better."

"I feel it, case is wrapped up, and he'll be in prison for a very long time." She practically beams as she says this.

"Excellent, I knew you'd get him. Shall we go? I'm starved."

"Let's, anywhere in particular you want to go?" She says as we head out towards the parking lot.

"Nope, I'll leave it up to you."

"Okay, well there's a little place a few blocks from my apartment, I've been there a few times, and the waffles are fantastic."

"Great, you lead the way; I'll follow in my car."

"Okay, see you in a few."

Ten minutes later we're tucked into a booth, happily sipping coffee and waiting for our waffles to arrive.

"How does your hand feel?"

She lifts it to show me, the redness is gone and it looks like the bruise won't be as bad as I thought.

"Its fine thanks, sorry about that by the way, it's either the locker or the suspect and I'm fond of my job; so the poor locker gets it every time."

"No need for apologies, we've all been there, what I don't understand is why Gil puts you on cases like that." She looks at me and I can see she's taken that the wrong way; I raise a hand when she goes to say something. "Please let me finish. I wasn't implying that you couldn't handle it, you're an amazing CSI, I just wondered why Gil would put you on a case he knows is going to upset you, as if the job isn't hard enough."

Her expression changes, thankfully she didn't misunderstand me then. "You know what he's like, he probably thinks it's character building or something, that I should learn to deal with it and not let my emotions cloud my judgement."

"Yeah well, Gil can be an ass sometimes." We both laugh. "He usually means well, but his way is definitely not always the right way."

I wonder when she stopped thinking Grissom was the best thing since sliced bread.

"So tell me about you and Gil, what happened there?"

She looks a little hesitant, maybe I've gotten a little to personal.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have asked that, it's really none of my business."

"No that's okay; it's just that nobody's ever asked before, just assumed they already knew."

Nobody has asked, I'm shocked; the amount of crap flying around the office I figured at least one person would have tried quizzing her about it.

"I asked him out, after the lab explosion."

I cringe as she says that, I still feel immensely guilty about that.

"You're not to blame, shit happens." I smile at her thoughtfulness.

"So anyway, he told me he didn't know what to do about it, what kind of stupid answer is that?"

She's right, that's stupid, even for him.

"So, there never was anything, I tried, he was Grissom like about it, I got over it. Now, in all honesty, the thought makes me cringe."

I laugh at that, I agree with her though, I never saw them together.

"He's an idiot, seriously, like he's flooded with offers from intelligent, talented, gorgeous women who will understand his job obsession and put up with his annoying quirks." Gorgeous? Where did that come from?

"Thank you." She blushes.

Our food arrives, killing that subject.

We spend the rest of breakfast just chatting, talking about everything and nothing, and by the time we leave my opinion of her has changed somewhat. She's different away from work, lighter, a lot more talkative and funny, something I'd probably have known years ago had I taken the time, the guys did. So what took me so long?

We say our goodbyes in the parking lot and head to our cars.

"Hey Sara." I shout just as she's about to get into her car.

"Yeah."

"Wanna do this again tomorrow? Same time, same place?" I shout.

"Sure, I'll be here, see you at work."

- - - - - -

So we've had breakfast together every day this week, the reality of her is so much different to the version of her I had in my head.

I thought her cold, unemotional, judgmental, and arrogant even, but she isn't any of those things. The wall she puts up at work is just that, a wall, a facade. Take her out of that situation and it drops. She's pretty much the opposite of every misconception I had.

She told me the same is true for me that I come across a lot bitchier in work and now I think of it I guess that's true. Still, we seem to be getting past this, finally.

I still haven't told her about the bet, just never found the right time. I haven't spoken to Greg either, I know he won't keep it shut, not with Sara; he drools whenever she enters the room still. So I know he'd tell her and I don't want to end up back at square one with her, I like where we are now.

- - - - - -

"Hey Cat." I hear as I enter the parking lot, I look up to see Warrick standing by the car waiting.

"Hi Warrick."

We have a case together, I tell him to drive as I jump in the passenger seat. He doesn't leave right away, turning to face me first.

"So about this bet..."

"I know, I know, seriously stupid idea, one which I'm not planning on making good on. I just need to find the right way out of it, without Sara getting the wrong impression."

"What wrong impression? There's a right impression here?"

"Of course there is, we've had breakfast every day this week and I don't want her thinking it's only because of that."

"You mean it's not? And since when did you care what she thinks."

"No it's not, and I care since I actually took the time to get to know her."

"Seriously? I'm a little shocked."

"Why?" Jesus why is this so hard? No one questioned him when he became friends with Sara, and he had more reason than anyone not to.

"You two just seem so different."

"We're not that different, besides, differences aside, I like her, and I like the not arguing as well."

"You sure you're not looking for that date after all Cath." He jokes.

"Oh you're a funny one, now drive will you, there's work to be done."

Thanks for reading.

I'd love some feedback :)