disclaimer: check chap 1 and 12.
She whispers softly as I pulled away, "What the hell is wrong with you, Sidle?"

"Good question. I don't know, Catherine. But right now I need to bring you home." I walk around the table and help her up. I put my arm around her waist as she leans on me.

We slowly make it across the empty dance floor, then towards the exit. I open the door slowly and help her out. We make it through the parking lot in silence.

I open her purse and take her keys out. Slowly opening the passenger's side and helping her in. I come face to face with her again as I reach over to strap her seatbelt, she touches my arm lightly and again askes me, "what's taking you so long, Sara?"

What's taking me so long to strap a silly seat belt? Hell, how should I know?

What is wrong with me? Here I am having my chance but I dare not say anything for having this fear. Fear of losing her forever.

So I say nothing. Better than saying something I might regret forever.

Losing Catherine is not worth it.

So I smile at her, making sure she's all buckled up. I go in and start the car. She leans back and closes her eyes.

A few minutes later, she laughs.

"What's funny, Catherine?"

"I had a good time. You?"

"I did, too."

"I'm glad."

"Me, too."

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"Maybe later..."

"What, Catherine?"

"I feel so sleepy..."

"Did I mean what?"

"...hmm..."

"Catherine?"

"...mmm..."

"Catherine?"

Did I mean what? What did I say? What does she mean? Damn it!

Did I say something earlier?

I glance her way and she is sound asleep. She's a little turned to my direction and I can really get an excellent view of her asleep. She is beautiful. She really is.

And I need to let you know I didn't fall for her because of her looks. Okay, let's say I did first notice her because of her looks. Who wouldn't find her attractive? Catherine is drop dead gorgeous!

I like it when she breezes in the break room before our shift starts and make herself a cup of coffee. She'd stir it slowly, closes her eyes as she inhales it's aroma. This is her routine when she comes in. At first I enjoy watching her do that, then slowly I found myself coming in early looking foreward for her to come in. Just to do that simple thing: make coffee. Because it was just damn sexy!

I then imagine how it would be making love to the great Catherine. Her eyes slowly close as I kiss her lips. I'd watch the rising of her chest as I slowly caress her body ...and wait for her to take a deep breath before I take her. So you see what goes in my head everytime she makes coffee. It's just her making coffee and my thoughts turn horny. I got it bad, don't I?

Soon I found myself staring at her, watching her. What she wore, what she did, how she walks by, how she waves her hand and smiles when she greets someone. Occassionally that someone is me. And occassionally I don't respond because I'm stuck at staring at her. Often times I find my mouth hanging open when I gawk at her.

Okay, I guess that's bad. But when she comes to work wearing tight jeans showing off her perfect curves, a fitted blouse with two buttons from the top open that dares you to sneek a peek...your mouth would hang open, too. So I am within reason to drool.

Seriously now, I slowly got to know her. How she works, her determination. Her fussiness with the evidence, how she scrutinizes everything. And if she finds something she missed during examination, she get's right on it. It's also cute how she cusses under her breath.

She doesn't take crap from anyone. May it be Ecklie or Grissom, the sheriff, mayor or governor. I don't even think she's afraid of the president! Hell, she's not even afraid of her father, Sam. She will give them a piece of her mind before they can silence her. This is a lady who is not afraid to speak her mind at all. Catherine has to have the last word. Always. Always. Always. And it is fun watching her do that. She will take you head on. Yes, she is not afraid of anyone. Yes, Catherine is cool under pressure.

And that is what scares me. She is not afraid of anything or anyone.

Another one of my little predicaments: I'm afraid what she can do to me.

I park her car in her garage. I know Lindsey is either asleep inside with Catherine's mother or she's spending the night with her aunt Nancy. I just need to bring her in quietly and maybe call a cab to pick me up. I dare not spend the night here because of what she might say when she comes to her senses in the morning.

So I slowly open the passenger's door. Damn, I hate to wake her up when she's sitting there peacefully asleep. I wish I could sleep that peacefully. I wish I could stop having nightmares for the images of my parents fighting, or my mother stabbing my father.

Even for just one night, I wish I could sleep as peacefully as she can.

"Catherine..."

"...mmm..."

"Catherine, we're home."

"...mmm..."

"Wake up, honey, we're home now."

"...hmmm..."

"Come on, let me help you up."

"...what...?"

"Honey, we're home now. Come on."

"Sara..."

"Yes, I'm here. Let me help you out."

"Hello again, Sara..."

"Hello again, Catherine. Come on now."

"Hey, honey. Didn't we have fun? Told you so."

"Yes, you did. Slowly now, baby. There..."

I slowly help her get out of the car and stand up. She leans heavily on me as she puts her arm across my shoulders. She looks at me lazily and smile. I put my arm around her waist as we walk towards the door.

And this is where my little story begins.

"Easy does it, Catheine. We're almost there."

"Sara, I'm glad you came. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Wasn't it fun?"

"Yes, it was. Come on, few more steps."

"Told you it would be fun."

"Yes, you did, Catherine."

"Had to bitch you first."

I smile as I open her door. The room is dark when we entered so I had to feel the wall with my free hand for a switch.

Several seconds later and still unable to feel a switch, we stand in the darkness. I hear her cuss under her breath and whisper, "amateurs... here, let me do it."

Then she swings in front of me, pinning me against the wall. She flips the switch on which was right behind my ear. I squint till my eyes adjust to the light. And I'm looking directly at her. She's standing in front of me, inches apart, me against the wall. and her hand still on the switch. And there it is again: the lopsided grin.

I am now feeling so uncomfortable. Really, really, totally, majorly, super duper uncomfortable. The temperature in here is cool but I know I'm starting to perspire. Am I breathing right? I don't know. Maybe I still am but I can't feel my lungs taking in oxygen. Talk about nerves!

This so not tonight...

"Catherine..."

"And Sara, yes?"

"No. Damn, I'm sorry. Yes, me. Shit..."

"Why are you so suddenly nervous?"

"You're there..."

"Should I be somewhere else?"

"No, no. You're...here."

"Hmmm...my house. Yes, I should be right here."

"You're awake..."

"You like it better when I was asleep?"

"Yes. No! I mean...damn! I mean. I don't know. Are you..."

"... still drunk?"

"Kinda..."

"I guess I half am if I'm this close to you."

"Oh."

"Just 'oh', Sara?"

"Okay then."

"Cute."

"I'm not comfortable..."

"Oh? You don't like this?"

"I do. Damn! I mean I'm..."

"...nervous?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Maybe this'll help."

She turns off the light.

Oh, lord almighty...

It's not really a cliffhanger...

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Happy New Year to all!