She paused, her gaze locking onto her own reflection in the mirror.
The harsh lighting and clinical white walls were not flattering by any means, but the evidence was undeniable.
Catherine had always prided herself on her looks, even as the years kept creeping past. But when she actually stopped to study her features, she realised what a toll the last few months had taken on her beauty. Her eyes were sunken and hazy; her skin pale from lack of sunlight.
For the first time in her life, she felt old; and she looked it too.
He slipped the burger into her line of sight with a coy smile and waited for her to notice it.
"It's veggie." He promised when she raised a sceptical eyebrow. Satisfied, she accepted the snack with a nod.
"Thanks." She smiled, placing a folder in front of Greg as he took a seat beside her. "Here, take a look at that."
"What is it?" He asked, turning to the first page and scanning the information hurriedly.
"It's the victim's phone records." She explained, taking a bite of her burger.
Greg narrowed his eyes, studying the list more closely.
"What's this number?" He asked, pointing at a recurring set of digits. Sara smiled, pleased at her protégé's attention to detail. Instead of answering, she nudged a cell phone towards him.
Getting the hint, he took it and dialled the number.
"You have reached the voicemail of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. We are currently unable to take your call. Please leave a message or call back after 8am."
"Okay." He hung up and snatched one of her fries. "So, why was our atheist, openly gay victim being called by a Catholic charity group?"
"What do you think?" She pressed.
"Maybe he was planning a conversion?" He theorised. "Or they were trying to convert him, and failing?"
"Very good." She beamed, shutting the folder and standing up. "Let's go."
He follow suite, eagerly gathering his things together. On their way out, he paused in the doorway and turned to his companion with a scowl.
"You already knew all of this." He realised.
"Yeah, but I needed to see whether you could figure it out yourself." She smiled, holding out the rest of her fries for him to finish on the drive. "And you did."
"So, I'm making the grade?" He asked with a teasing nudge of her shoulder, drawing a playful smile onto her lips.
"So far."
"Hey!" A sharp voice called from behind, interrupting their mild flirting. They turned in unison, both alarmed to find Catherine stalking towards them. "Do you have my DNA results yet?"
The question was directed solely at Greg, as if Sara were not even stood there.
"Uh, no." Greg laughed nervously. "Mia's in DNA today."
"I know, but I gave it to you." The CSI insisted bluntly.
"Greg's helping me in the field today." Sara interjected carefully on his behalf. "Grissom wants him to get some experience in before his final proficiency."
Barely even sparing the brunette a glance, and continuing to act as if she hadn't spoken, Cath affixed Greg with a firm stare.
"Just get it done, I need those results ASAP."
Watching her disappear back down the hall, dispersing a crowd of startled lab techs en route, Greg shook his head in dismay.
"What did I do?"
Sara placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.
"Don't worry about it. Grissom put you in the field today, and we have the ever charitable Catholic Church to interview."
His cheerful demeanour soon returning, Greg nodded in agreement; but not before taking an indulgent moment to lean into her consoling touch.
"Oi!"
Catherine jumped, her astonished gaze falling towards her sister's irate scowl.
"What?"
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" Nancy demanded.
"I have," Cath lied, taking a sip of her coffee. "You were talking about Jeremy."
"I was talking about Jeremy's karate coach." Nancy corrected. "You need a hearing aid there, grandma?"
The younger sibling chuckled at her own joke; but Catherine didn't take it quite so well.
Unexpectedly, she lifted her head with a wide-eyed look of insult.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"What?" Nancy echoed her own earlier question.
"What are you saying?"
"Nothing, it was a joke!" Nancy explained. "What's wrong with you?"
Catherine bit her lower lip, realising that she had jumped the gun and resisting the urge to answer back.
"Nothing, forget about it."
Nancy stared at her for a long minute.
"Alright, come on." She sighed. "Out with it."
"What?"
"Well, something's bunched your undies." Nancy sighed. "So, what is it?"
"Nothing." Cath insisted sulkily, rocking back in her chair. "I'm fine."
"You're in a mood."
"I am not! I've just had a bad day."
"Hmm," Nancy agreed. "You seem to be having a few of those recently."
"What?"
Nancy pushed her coffee mug aside and leant forward, holding her sister's gaze.
"I babysit your daughter for you at least twice a week. Do you think she doesn't tell me what's going on?"
Catherine rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Oh, this should be good." She laughed. "Go on then, what's she told you?"
"That you've been a grumpy bitch lately."
Catherine spluttered, choking on her own breath.
"I sincerely hope you're paraphrasing!"
Nancy shrugged, not committing herself to an answer that may get her niece grounded.
"Regardless, she said that you don't talk to her lately."
"I don't talk to her?" Cath scowled. "She's barely said ten words to me all week."
"Maybe that's because you've barely spent ten minutes with her all week."
"You're starting to sound like mom."
"And you're turning into her." Nancy raised an eyebrow. "You're the grownup, Cathy. You have to fix it."
Catherine stared at her little sister for a moment, before dropping sullenly back against her chair.
"You know what, I'm going to stop inviting you round for coffee."
Sara closed her eyes against the blazing morning sun, sloping her way across the parking lot towards her car.
"Hey." A voice trilled with a mix of happiness and suspicion. "I thought you were never going to leave."
Sara looked around, seeking out the source of the accusation.
"It's been a busy shift." She frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you." Belinda shrugged, ambling over and slotting herself between Sara and the car. "I saw you leaving earlier today, with Greg?"
"Yeah, I'm training him in the field." Sara explained, cocking her head to the side. "What of it?"
"Nothing." Belinda shrugged again, pursing her lips and reaching out to toy with Sara's scarf. "There just didn't seem to be a lot of 'training' going on."
Sara laughed bitterly, shaking her head.
"You're not serious?"
"He likes you, Sara." Belinda stated sternly. "He's really into you."
"Well, yeah, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that!"
"You knew?"
"Of course I knew!" Sara laughed. "He's been asking me out for five years!"
"And you don't have a problem with this?" Belinda asked incredulously.
"It's Greg, Bel." Sara chuckled. "He's like a puppy. He's harmless."
"Yeah, well, I hope so." The woman narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I still don't think you should be encouraging him though."
"Why, you worried that he might steal me away to some tropical island?" Sara teased playfully.
"No." Belinda pouted, leaning in to Sara's ear. "I'm worried about you, though. I don't want to lose you."
For a few seconds, they remained in that position, with Belinda's hot breath raising the soft hairs on the back of Sara's neck. Finally, a devious smile spread across Sara's lips.
"Well," she reached past her girlfriend to open the car door, effectively moving Belinda out of the way. "You'll just have to work harder to keep me interested then, won't you?"