When You're Gone III

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Catherine."

"Sara, can I come in?"

"To make sure I'm leaving?"

"No. Sara, I..."

"Stop, Catherine. It's all been said and done."

"Don't go. Please."

"I need to leave. You were right."

"Sara, I was wrong. Dead wrong. What happened last night..."

"Was an awakening. I need to thank you for making me realize everything."

No, please, Sara. Let me explain."

"Catherine, we've been like this for months, years! Last night just woke me up."

"I'm sorry."

"For slapping me? No, I'm sorry for making me take this long to get it all figured out."

"Sara, please."

"My fault. I caused the argument. I stepped on your bounds. I got what I deserved."

"You never deserved to be treated the way I treat you."

"What the hell do you want from me, Catherine?"

"Sara..."

"We argue, we fight, we bicker, we don't agree on anything, you take advantage of me, belittle me in front of our coworkers."

"Sara, I..."

"Typical of you. The great Willows, super CSI. Always have to have her way. You're getting what you wanted, I'm leaving."

"Don't. Please. If you go..."

"I don't need anymore crap. For six years I took punches from you, I swallowed my pride, I did it for stupid reasons."

"Stupid reasons?"

"Because I wanted it. How stupid is that?"

"Sara, let me explain."

"No, I gotta go. My flight is in two hours. You win like always. Have a good life, Catherine."

"No."

"Stop blocking the door, Catherine. This isn't funny."

"No."

"I could easily take you out, you know."

"I know. But I dont want you to go."

"This is priceless. Move."

"No."

"Shit, Catherine. Get out of the way."

"I can't let you leave. I don't want you to leave."

"Ha! Give me a reason why not?"

"Because I need you."

"To take your shit?"

"No. I... I need you, Sara."

"Catherine, for as long as I've known you, you never needed anyone."

"True, I never needed anyone... till you came."

"I don't follow you..."

"Sara, you...you just..."

"Irritate the hell out of you?"

"No, no...you stir up something inside me."

"What?"

"Sara, I'm hostile towards you for one reason."

"Catherine, don't..."

"I have..."

"Shut up, Catherine. Don't."

"...feelings for you."

"I said shut up!"

"You're in my head, Sara. It's driving me nuts. I see you on shift, I want to hate you so much because of what you make me feel, but I can't... I just can't."

"Shut up, Catherine. Shut the hell up!"

"I push you away because I don't know what to do with this inside me."

"Stop it, Catherine. Get out of my way, NOW!"

"Sara, no. Please... If you're gone, I don't know what to do...I don't know what I'll do without you."

"You sure have a fine way of letting me know what you're feeling."

"You don't think it tears me up to see that I'm hurting you? Hell, yes it does! "

"Then why, Catherine?"

"BECAUSE I"M IN LOVE WITH YOU!"

"What? Then why try to hate me?"

Look at me! I'm middle aged, I'm jaded, I'm tired. I'm lost. I've been in so many shitty relationships that I scare everyone away. I've been..."

"You never scared me..."

"What?"

"Why do you think I've stayed this long? Why do you think I take every shot you aim at me?"

"Sara, I..."

"My stupid reason? Because of you, Catherine. I've stayed all these years because of you."

"Sara, don't pull this shit on me."

"Why? Because finally we're being honest with each other?"

"I can't handle this, Sara. It scares the hell out of me."

"Catherine..."

"Loving you is scaring me so much, Sara. So much."

"Why couldn't you tell me?"

"You had Grissom."

"I never had him, I never wanted him."

"But..."

"He was convenient. A way to escape."

"From what?"

"From what I feel for you."

"Sara..."

"Funny, isn't it? Me and you. We both deny our feelings for each other."

"What do you feel for me, Sara?"

"I... I love you. I want to be with you. But..."

"But what?"

"You're the great Catherine Willows. Unattainable."

"Unattainable? Sara, you're the only one who continues to reach for me. You're always there. You always were. You got into me, and it scared me."

"Catherine, I want this to stop."

"What? I thought we..."

"Our fights. The arguments...I want it to stop."

"I thought you wanted us to st..."

"I said I wanted to be with you, did'nt I?"

"Then stay."

"I will. If..."

"If what?"

"Promise me we'll work this out."

"I'm scared, Sara."

"So am I."

"I mess things up."

"I do that alot, too."

"You won't leave me?"

"Not if you want me to."

"Then stay, Sara."

"Then I will, Catherine. I'll stay."

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