disclaimer: See the first.

And to all who have read and reviewed: THANK YOU!

Last time she raised her voice at me was earlier this month. It was a case of ours. I wanted to burn the midnight oil to look for more evidence, she wanted to go early because of 'an appointment'. I kind of muttered under my breath a "don't want to be late for a freaking date" thing. She heard it. And she raised hell. That I deserved because it was uncalled for. I wanted to make a retort but I held my tongue. I was actually jealous of the guy she was meeting. Okay, I feel like ripping apart all the guys she dates. All the guys who get to kiss her good night. All the guys who break her heart. All the guys who are only after her beauty. All the guys who cannot see what I see in her. That's why they're jerks. Capital J E R K S.

I later found out she had to pick up her uncle from the airport. Sure made me feel like an ass.

So sue me.

But with Catherine you'll never know what's coming or what you're getting. Come to think of it, she has been asking me this question several times through out the night. What's wrong with me, what's taking me so long...and I thought about the seatbelt. Really lame... how dense can I get?

All this time, and now it's just hitting me. God, the patience she must of have waiting for me to answer! Then it ends up that I have no definite answer why it's taking me so long. Except that I'm afraid of losing her. And from there stems all these excuses on why I never acted upon what I've been feeling for the past six years.

One of them is the fact she dated men, okay let me rephrase that: they're jerks. So it was safe for me to assume she's not attracted to women. Well, that theory is slowly going down the drain. Another excuse of mine is: I've never been attracted to women before till I met Catherine. Like I said I thought this attraction would go away but it just kept getting stonger till... I fell in love with her.

Okay, I'm admitting that I'm in love with her, so get back in your seats.

Another reason: I'm Sara Sidle, who in their right mind would be attracted to me? Some doomed ill fated men I guess but certainly not a woman like Catherine Willows. I can go unnoticed in a crowded hallway, for heaven's sake. Hell, I even get pushed to the back in an elevator! But not Catherine. Everyone stops what they're doing when she walks in. I'm invisible, she is noticable.

I guess she really needed to ask me that out loud. Okay, yell at me. She sure startled me. Yeah, I needed that, a wake up call. Hell, ten years could have gone by and I probably would not say a peep.

She takes another step back, both hands on her waist. I wish my hands were on her waist again, pulling her close. Kissing her like there's no tomorrow. Hmmm...when can we do that again? Since I still cannot feel my lower limbs, maybe she can follow me as I crawl my way over to the couch which is a few feet away. I guess that would be a turn off and would top off the night of me being an idiot. So I guess I'll continue to lean on the wall till I can move my toes.

Okay, she's crossing her arms across her chest now. Was I suppose to answer that question? Like, now??

I wonder what would happen if I turn off the light?

"Don't you dare touch that switch, Sara Sidle!"

"I wasn't going ..."

"Oh, you think I can't see you trying to move near it?"

"I wasn't mov..."

"I'm not that drunk, Sara. "

"I didn't say..."

"I know perfectly well what I'm doing and what you're doing."

"I wasn't doing any..."

"Stop glancing at the couch. We're not sitting till I get an answer."

"I'm not looking..."

"Well, Sara?"

"I..."

"Well?"

"Uhh..."

"Sara, stop looking at your shoes."

"I..."

"I what, Sara?"

"I...I'm...Catherine, please. I'm not...ready."

"Six years and you're not ready? Six damn, long years?"

"Cath..."

"You've wanted to kiss me for six freaking years and when we do, you're not ready? What the...?"

"SHUT UP!"

"Excuse me?"

"I LOVE YOU! I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU! I'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU! THERE!"

"Oh..."

"OH? NOW YOU JUST SAY 'OH', CATHERINE?!"

"You don't have to shout, you know."

"And you do?"

"...my house, Sara..."

"Oh." My bad.

We stand there facing each other. The only movement we're making is our own breathing. It seems like hours even though it's less than a minute.
"Come on let's sit." She motions me to follow her to the couch.

I move my toes to make sure they're still there. Okay. I take slow steps to the couch. She pats the side where she wants me to sit which is next to her. I take a deep breath before I plop down. We both lean back and sit in silence. I drum my fingers on my thighs.

"Stop that, Sara."

"Huh?"

"The drumming of your fingers."

"This?"

"Yes, that. It's irritating."

"How so?"

"Hell, I don't know. Just stop."

"Okay."

More silence. God, I can even hear myself think! Should I say something? Like what? Compliment her? I suck at that. It's her house, she should go first. Maybe say something nice about her house. Like what? The walls are evenly painted? It's good she uses flourescent lights? What kind of security alarm she uses? Damn. I'm a guest she should say something first.

"Sara, I..."

"I need water. You want water? Can I get water?"

"Sit down, Sara."

"Okay..."

"How come you never said anything?"

"Look at me, Catherine. I'm..."

"I have been looking at you, Sara. For months now."

"You...have?"

"Yes."

"Uh, you're the someone who has a thing for me? You?"

"The one and only me."

"Can I ask something?'

"Sure, Sara."

"Why? You're Catherine Willows, you can have anyone you want."

"And you're Sara Sidle. And it's you I want."

"Why? Why would you want me?"

"Sara..."

"I mean, you can understand me wanting you because you're Catherine Willows. Only a fool wouldn't want you. But for you to want someone like me...is just plain nuts!"

"Then I'm nuts for you."

"Okay... but still... WHY ME?"

"You just grew on me."

"Like warts..."

"Sara..."

"I don't understand you, Catherine..."

"Hold on now. It's you I don't understand. You've wanted me for six years but yet you said nothing, Sara. Nothing."

"Well..."

"Why wait so long?"

"Fear."

"Fear? Of what?"

"Losing you. What you might do to me. Rejection. Humiliation. We're women. Plus, I've never really been in love till now. So there's the fear."

"Sara..."

I stand up and I walk towards the window. She walks and sands beside me. She touches my arm lightly. I point to the street outside.
"I'm afraid ending up like that."

"What do you mean?"

"All alone, in the dark. Like the street, deserted."

"I'm here, Sara."

"For how long, Catherine?"

She turns me around and I'm facing her once again. But her looks are softer now, more of fragile-like. I can see tears welling up in her eyes. Then she says the most simpliest word that gives meaning to everything I've always searched for. One word that can be a lifetime.

But still... this is Catherine.

"Forever."

"Catherine, don't. If you don't mean it, don't."

"Why do you doubt me?"

"Honestly?"

"Go ahead."

"You don't... stay long with...one person."

"They always wanted one thing."

"Well, I only want one thing from you."

"Oh, god. Is it sex, too?"

"Nooo..no, no, no. I just want...you. Just you. Not sex. I'd rather make love with you. Wake up with you. Argue and make up with you. Just be with you, hold you forever, if... possible."

This is where she pulls my collar down, reaches out and kisses me again. It's gentle, it's sweet. Reminds me of walking under light rain, the tingly feeling on your skin as the rain drops touch you. It's like watching the sun set on the beach, it's like listening to the waves early in the morning. I know it's corny and all that fluffy stuff. But hey, I'm kissing the woman I'm in love with. So if I'm feeling a bit sappy, just wanted you to know: this is MY sappy moment.

I hold her tight till I felt my tears slowly make it's way downward. She looks at me, cups my face in her warm palms and kisses my tear stained cheeks. She whispers in my ear that I'll never be alone. Words I've always wished to hear my whole life. So I continue to hold her, molding our bodies into one. She continues to shower me with kisses along with whispers that she'll always be here. So we stand there: as one.

Awhile later she takes my hand in hers and I follow her upstairs. She opens the door to her bedroom inviting me in.

"Catherine..."

"We don't have to do anything, Sara."

"I've never been..."

"...with another woman? Neither have I."

"I don't know what..."

"Me neither, Sara."

"I'm... I'm scared of tomorrow."

"So am I. But now, we have each other to face it."

"Will you be here when I wake up?"

"There's no other place I want to be but here with you, Sara."

"All my life people hurt me. I don't want to get hurt again."

"Neither do I."

"I've... I've been in love with you so long that this feels like a dream."

"I'm falling in love with you, Sara. And I don't want this to end."

"You're...what?"

"Falling in love with you. Why, is it hard to believe?"

"With a mighty big 'yes'."

"Just accept that..."

"..I'm growing on you..."

"... just like warts."

"Catherine...!"

"Ha! I made you smile! I've always loved your smile. It's cute. I've been trying to make you smile and laugh. Have you noticed that I want to hang out with you more? The more I got to know you the more you started to..."

"...grow on you, like warts."

"You said it this time, not me, baby. You do have a beautiful smile, Sara."

"Sure..."

"The more I wanted to be near you, the more I wanted you more. Wait a minute... did that make sense at all?"

"None of this does, but what the hell."

"Sara, really. How about this: I could'nt stop thinking of you. You bug me. And I like it."

"Catherine, I need to ask."

"What is it?"

"How did you know what I said..."

"On the dance floor? I felt it, Sara. I felt you say it."

I smile again. I tell you, Catherine is adorable.

She flashes me her pearly whites. She takes my hand and actually yanks me in the room. I guess my standing by the doorway became unbearable for her. Her next movement took me by surprise.

She pushes me to the bed. May I add: incredibly soft bed with light blue satin sheets that is so cool on the skin! Fluffy pillows, must be the hypoallergenic kind. I wonder where she bought these? Maybe I can check on line. Oh, my goodness...

I glance up at her and my heart starts beating like a bongo drum, fast and loud. I'm scared as hell because as I mentioned earlier: you never know what you're getting from Catherine Willows.

So I lie there in bed. Afraid to move a muscle. Okay. I'm petrified. As I said before: dreams are dreams because I can control them. This is reality. I cannot control...that woman right in front of me...

And she's standing by the bed with a mischievious grin.

Oh my lord...

She slowly gets on the bed and straddles me. She's like a lion about to eat her prey. Her hair falls partly on her face as she looks down on me. And her smile becomes a naughty, naughty grin.

Again: Oh my lord...

And with a sexy, husky voice she say, "Move over, I always sleep on the right side."

I exhaled all the air I was holding in. God, what a woman! In the wee hours of the night she can be a funny, funny woman!

I get yanked, pushed and straddled in a span of one minute. Damn, she's good!

I rolled over to the left, kicked my shoes off and laughed, "Catherine, you got me there for a moment."

"Oh," she says as she takes off her heels off and slides under the sheets, "I'm way sleepy and tired right now, love. But..." She turns around and kisses me lightly on the lips, "I will get you in the morning, dearest Sara. Beware, I'm an early riser." With that she puts her arms around me and snuggles next to me. She whispers in my ear, "plus, you have six years to make up."

What a fine predicament I'm in. God, I love this woman!

I wrap my arms around her and kiss her forehead. "I love you, Catherine."

Her eyes are closed now, but still she smiles at me. "I'm glad it's you, Sara. I'm glad I'm falling in love with you."

Am I ready for this? Yes. Because I'm not facing the world alone anymore. I know it's going to be hard at first. I know it's going to be a challenge making us work. There are going to be some bumps along the way but we have each other to hang on to. We'll lift each other up. We'll be there for each other. I know we will. I know Catherine, and she knows me. And I know we won't give up on each other. This is real. This will be for always.

I love her too much and I'm happy to know she's learning to love me.

The fun part is: it's going to be an adventure getting to know each other.

Oh, that includes making love for ther first time, exploring each other for the first time...which will happen in a couple of hours when we wake up. But that's another story to tell. Wheee!!! Roller coaster ride!

So I need to go to sleep. I need my rest. I need my energy. Because our adventure has begun.

Best of all, my life is not in black and white anymore. Catherine is filling it up with rays of color.

And I need to tell her again what I should have said a long time ago: "I love you, Catherine Willows. I love you, I love you, I love you."

Her eyes are still closed, her smile is still there. Her hand caresses my face and she whispers, "I'm loving you too, Sara Sidle."

With that I close my eyes. And I know I will sleep peacefully this time and for the nights to come.

Hope you all enjoyed it. Reviews always cool.