AN: I hope everyone's enjoyed it so far. This skips ahead into the middle of season six, probably somewhere after Kiss-kiss, Bye-bye. (I know that this is a big leap, but I have not seen most of Season 5, but I have pretty much seen all of the others, so this seems practical to me. I hope no one minds this time gap, and I hope I have adequately covered it.) I also have to repeat that I'm not a GSR shipper (no offense- see profile) nor am I a fan of extreme romanticism in CSI so if I've written their canon relationship a bit stiffly here and if you are a fan, I apologize. Oh, note: I am NOT trying to bash Sofia if that is what it sounds like.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI. It belongs to CBS. I also do not own the song "Man, I feel like a Woman." It belongs to the lovely Shania Twain and her record company.

"The Red Rose and the White Lily"

A Series of Perspectives: Part III

"Man, I feel like a Woman"

I'm going tonight - I'm feelin' alright
Gonna let it all hang out
Wanna make some noise
Really raise my voices
Yeah, I wanna scream and shout

No inhibitions - make no conditions
Get a little outta line
I ain't gonna act politically correct
I only wanna have a good time
The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative
To have a little fun and..

Shania Twain

The past year has certainly been interesting. Sara and I have actually gotten pretty close… to the point where we share girl talks. I don't know why it took us five-and-a-half years to finally learn to get along, and I can tell that the rest of the team has been surprised that we're actually acting pretty friendly now… We look out for each other being the only two females on the team; it's in a sort of sisterly in a way. It doesn't mean that we always see eye-to-eye, but the misunderstandings are decreasing, and we've gotten more honest with each other. Gil is certainly relieved to see the two of us getting along. I think that we've given him enough grief.

There have been so many changes… Warrick is married, and I still haven't gotten use to that idea quite truthfully. I'm back on the grave shift and under supervision. I don't know if I should be relieved or annoyed, but after what happened to Nick a few months ago, I'm aiming more towards the former. I still need time I guess. I don't think I could have dealt with the guilt or the grief if we had lost him. Poor Nicky hasn't quite recovered from it either. Oh, the biggest change of all… well, it has landed me in a bar now with a partially drunk Sara. As it is, I'm not quite sober either.

Xxx

A few moments earlier…

Catherine had walked into the parking lot to see a very upset Sara behind the wheel of her car cursing the living daylights out of a certain Gil Grissom. "Um, hey, Sara? Are you okay?"

"No, I need some alcohol."

"Come on then, I know a new place that had just opened up on the strip, and it's suppose to be good."

Xxx

The first shot had gone down quickly. So had the second. I just watched as she grimaced.

"Men."

I raised an eyebrow. This could be very interesting. "Yes. Men."

"Why do we need them?"

I thought for a second. "Says who?"

Sara gave a harsh laugh. "Says everyone… and science, if we want the human population to survive."

"Well, they sure are annoying, stubborn, and pig-headed sometimes. I'm sure we'll eventually do something about their half of the equation… but then again, when they are doing their jobs in that area, it can be fun."

Sara spluttered and laughed into her third drink. I was still on my second. We sunk into a comfortable silence after that as we nursed our drinks.

Suddenly Sara asked, "Cath, how could you have possibly have dealt with Grissom this long? I mean, doesn't he drive you crazy?"

Again, Gil has come up. "All the time, but he's a great friend. By the way, what's up with you and him?"

She blushed… she actually blushed. I think I've hit the bull's eye on this. "What do you mean? I mean nothing's happening." She gulped down the rest of her drink. Maybe the liquor is too good here.

"Well, you were cursing him out earlier, so there has to be something happening." She was caught, and I knew it.

She could tell I knew too from the smirk on my face. "We're sort of together now." I was a bit surprised hearing it so straight from her mouth, but not by much.

"Since when?"

"Not long after the Nicky incident. I guess it made him see that anything can happen on this job. I don't know though. He's still a bit closed from me. We just had our first argument."

Ah, hence the cursing. I had to admit, I was a bit hurt to know that I've been left out of the loop so long, but I've noticed only some slight changes between them, and Gil, well, he's just Gil. "Was it about his hermetically-sealed self?"

"The argument you mean?" I nodded. "No, it was about something else."

I tried to resist pushing, but the release could help her… I was stuck here. I was also really curious, and my face must have given me away.

"It was about Sofia, of all people. I don't know why, but she just irks me. Plus, I don't really like the looks she gives him sometimes."

I couldn't help it. I snickered, and she glared at me. I guess I deserved that. "Why Sara, I never knew you had such a great big green-eyed monster in you." Did I just say that…? Wow, this alcohol is good. "Look, I'm sure it's nothing… well, nothing worth fighting over. She isn't that bad, and I think that she isn't really that fascinated by Grissom. Sure, he has some charm, but Sofia, well, let's just say I can't see them together."

Silence came again, and I can see that she's considering what I said.

"You're right, I shouldn't let it come between us. But, Cath, do you mind that Gris and me are together?"

She looked straight at me.

I sighed. I don't know what to think truthfully, but… "Look, Sara, as long as both of you are happy, I really don't mind. Heck, I've been trying to drag Gil 'outside' since I've met him, and really, I've been worried about him. At least with you, I think he'll manage to stay out of trouble." It's the truth. As long as my best friend is happy, I'm happy for both of them.

Sara seemed relieved and smiled. "Good. And Catherine, can you keep this between us for now? We don't really want the entire lab to know."

"Sure. My lips are sealed."

"Catherine, about what you said before, was that the reason you tried to set him up with Terri Miller?"

"Yep."

"What happened?"

"It just never worked out. They're still friends, and she's married."

"Oh."

At this point, we were sufficiently intoxicated even though our speech was still clear, but I knew that something big would be coming. I could sense it.

"Cath, I want to tell you something that I've only told Grissom so far. I want you to know why I'm so nervous about our relationship."

And here it comes.

Oh, oh, oh get in the action - feel the attraction
Color my hair
Do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh I wanna be free
Yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

The girls need a break
Tonight we're gonna take
The chance to get out on the town
We don't need romance
We only wanna dance
We're gonna let our hair hang down.