He heard the footsteps approaching a split second before she arrived in the threshold, but it was not long enough for him to prepare for the whirlwind that was about to descend on his office.

"Alright." She started, not giving him chance to come up with a sudden excuse to leave. "I'm going to ask you one more time, and I don't want any bull. Why did Ecklie warn you about Sara?"

Grissom pursed his lips tightly, attempting at all cost to avoid Catherine's intense stare.

"It's confidential." He said, hoping that would deter her. It didn't.

"So was her mandatory counselling, but it didn't stop you from running your mouth off to me about that." She pointed out, watching his cheeks flush red with a mixture of guilt and fear that he was losing this fight. Catherine took a step closer. "Is that what his warning was about? Her counselling sessions?"

Gil exhaled, letting his eyes close; the look of defeat.

"The counsellor spoke to Ecklie a few days ago; she warned him that Sara's mental health might be slipping and that her behaviour could become erratic again. He wanted me to put her on temporary leave, but I refused."

Catherine's eyes narrowed. Coming further into the room, she shut the door and folded her arms across her heaving chest.

"The counsellor spoke to Ecklie, about Sara?" She clarified. "Can she do that?

"I don't know," he shrugged, nonplussed. "But she did."

"That's why Ecklie suspended Sara." Catherine realised out loud, her eyes widening. "He was already gunning for her, and our fight was what he needed to get rid of her. That's why he wanted you to fire her!"

"It probably didn't help." Gil agreed. A frown marred his face. "Why is this bothering you so much?"

Choosing to ignore the question, Catherine spun on her heel and stormed back out of the office as quickly as she had descended on it.

As she left, Grissom watched his office door swing as far open as it could, before springing back on his hinges and gliding closed again with a gentle click.

He couldn't be sure how or why, but he felt like he'd just made a messy situation so much worse.

Sara could feel several pairs of eyes scrutinising her as she made her way down the winding hallway for the first time in two weeks. Taking slow, calming breaths, she told herself that if she could just make it to the locker room, she'd be fine.

However, her plan fell apart when a sharp, stern voice called her name. She came to an abrupt stop, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling in an attempt to clamp down on her building frustration.

"So close." She muttered to herself.

Catherine assumed that, by stopping, Sara was awaiting further instruction, so she dutifully obliged.

"My office, please?" She requested coolly, and Sara knew without turning around that the blonde had already disappeared back onto her office, assuming that she would follow her.

"Catherine." She greeted as pleasantly as she could, even going so far as to offer a meek smile. "What can I do for you?"

"Have a seat." Cath closed the door for privacy and gestured to the chair in front of her desk.

"Okay, look," Sara held her hands up. If they were going to get into the ring for round two, she wanted to at least get her side of the story out there before she got beaten down again. "I'm sorry. What I said was out of line, and I ..."

"It's not about that." Cath cut her off dismissively. "Sit down."

Snapping her mouth shut, Sara frowned and sank into the chair. Cath seemed to deliberate about where to put herself, before electing to perch on the edge of the desk, so she was looking down at her colleague.

"After our 'incident' the other week, I paid a little visit to your apartment. I wanted to ask you in private what was going on with you."

Sara opened her mouth to interrupt, but Cath pressed a finger to her lips to silence her.

"But I never made it to your front door. On the stairs, I passed someone who looked familiar; and I realised that it wasn't the first time I've seen you and her together. In fact, it seems the two of you have been spending a lot of time together – in and out of work. And, passing her on the stairs, it finally hit me – where I knew her from."

"Catherine..." Sara attempted to cut her off, panic seeping into her voice.

"Grissom had already told me that you were seeing a PEAP counsellor." Cath continued as if she hadn't heard her. "Although most people have those sessions in her office. You know, the one on the second floor. I've passed her a few times on the stairs at work."

Sara had dropped her gaze to her lap, but Catherine crooked a finger under her chin to lift her head. She was pleased, at least, to see that the younger female seemed to understand where she was going with this. That would make it easier.

"What do you want from me, Cat?" Sara asked hoarsely.

"I want to know what the nature of your relationship is with Belinda Bell, outside of work."

Sara looked away, letting brunette curls shield her face, although it wasn't enough to hide the fact that her cheeks were flaming pink. She mumbled something indecipherable under her breath.

"Sara?" Catherine called firmly, keeping her voice level. "Sara, look at me."

Slowly, Sara lifted her dark eyes to meet the unreadable blue orbs studying her face. Catherine leant down, placing one hand on Sara's leg in an attempt to prevent her from bolting.

"Are you dating this woman?"

"It's not how it looks." It wasn't quite a confession, but it was enough to make Catherine's expression falter.

"No?" She raised her eyebrows, swallowing hard around the lump that had just formed in her throat. "Because it looks like abuse of position."

"No, it wasn't like that!" Sara sat forward urgently, her eyes wide and unexpectedly frightened. "Belinda, she ... we ..."

She trailed off, shaking her head. Realising that Sara was struggling with this more than she had expected her to, Cath took pity on her.

"Did she initiate it?" She asked, softening her voice. Sara looked up and nodded imperceptibly in gratitude at her re-taking control of the conversation.

"No, I did." She answered, still visibly on edge.

"Are you sure?"

Sara sent her a disparaging look.

"I'm sure, Catherine." She stood up, deliberately putting some distance between them. "I don't understand, why do you even care?"

"Are you kidding me?" Cath scoffed, standing up as well. "Sara, this woman has taken advantage of you!"

"No, she hasn't. It wasn't like that."

"Sara, honey, she was in a position of trust of you and she ..."

"What?" Sara challenged. "Offered support? Helped me get my head together?"

"Oh right," Catherine laughed bitterly. "Is that why you picked a fight with me and Ecklie two weeks ago, why you nearly got yourself fired?"

She had determined that she was not going to bring that up, but the comment slipped out before she could stop it and the look on Sara's face said it all. Whatever rapport she had begun to build, she had lost it.

"You know what," Sara pursed her lips. "This is none of your business."

Cath watched her walk away, and didn't speak until Sara's hand grazed the door handle.

"She talked to Ecklie."

Sara stiffened.

"What?"

"A couple of days before you were suspended." Cath explained, stepping behind Sara and reaching out a hand towards her shoulder, but stopping herself before she made contact. "She told him that she thought your mental health was slipping. He asked Grissom to put you on temporary leave, but Gil refused."

Sara whirled around, her eyes wide and watery. Catherine's heart tightened at the sight, but she hid it behind a poker face and a raised eyebrow.

"Why would she do that?" Sara asked quietly.

Catherine sighed, cocking her head to the side. She touched Sara's arm lightly, before sitting on the couch and gesturing for the girl to join her.

"Well, why don't you tell me why you think she did it?"