AN: I am sorry for the delay. I hit a stump with this fic and my personal and school life has been less than great. Look for another update later in the week.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI. I wish I did, cuz I have a lot of ideas that I wish that they'd put in the show.

In A Plexiglas Prison With You

Chapter Thirteen: Sara and Catherine

There was glee on Nick and Lindsey's faces and yet Sara could only muster a small smile when they told her that Grissom and Catherine were rescued. Lindsey was too preoccupied looking out the window for the ambulance holding her mother and Grissom. Nick, however, noticed the look on Sara's face. It was as if she was happy and sad at the same time.

"Sara, are you okay?" he asked in a low voice.

"Yeah, Nick. Fine," she replied, determined not to let the pain show on her face. Nick shook his head.

"No, you're not," he said, "Sara, I don't blame you for being upset," he assured her. She was about to protest, but then decided against it. What good would it do to lie to him?

"I-" she couldn't finish. She didn't know how to communicate what she was feeling. Thankfully, Nick somehow understood what she could not say. He stepped up and pulled her in a hug. There was something about being in his strong arms that made her feel safe and secure. She liked the feeling, she decided as she laid her head on his chest. Neither of them knew how long the stood there together, but they both knew how good it felt to be held onto like that.

After what seemed like ages, they heard Lindsey gasp when Brass, Warrick, Greg, Glazer, and the EMTs ran alongside a gurney that held Grissom. Catherine was right beside him, clutching his hand as he was wheeled along. Sara and Nick released each other and watched as everyone, including Catherine, were told to wait in the waiting room. Catherine's hand only released Grissom's when he was wheeled away from her. It was at that moment that Sara knew for certain that it was truly over between her and the older man.

"MOM!" Lindsey squealed, running to her mother, who turned around in shock.

"Lindsey?" she questioned, but despite her confusion, she hugged her daughter so tightly that an onlooker would have thought that they had been separated for years, "What are you doing here?" Catherine questioned, wiping tears from her daughter's cheeks.

"I came with everyone else," Lindsey explained, "Grandma's here too, but she had to be sedated."

"Sedated?" Catherine asked, looking around the room for confirmation.

"When you guys disappeared from the box, she was hysterical," Nick explained, stepping forwards. Catherine's confused look still hadn't dissipated.

"How did you know when we disappeared?" she asked.

"There was a live feed of you and Grissom in the box," Warrick answered, placing a hand on her shoulder, "That's how we figured out where you were and everything."

"There was a live feed?" Catherine asked, unease beginning to set in. She clutched Warrick's jacket more tightly around her as she scanned the outskirts of the small group of people for the only person who hadn't spoken since she arrived. Her blue eyes met Sara's brown ones. The sudden tension between the two women forced the room into an uneasy silence. Catherine swallowed and took several steps forwards until she was standing in front of the other woman. For a moment, they merely stared at each other. Every man in the room was alert and ready to separate them if things got ugly.

"You saw everything," Catherine said. It was not a question.

"I did," Sara replied, her voice strangely calm.

"And?" Catherine questioned.

"I guess I could never hope to compete with you, Catherine," Sara said placidly.

"He cares about you Sara," Catherine told her. A bitter smile played on the young brunette's face.

"But he loves you. I know he does. It was in that kiss. He has never kissed me like that," Sara countered, her voice shaking slightly. Catherine bit her lower lip, taking the pause to choose her words carefully.

"What do you want me to say, Sara? Sorry? I'm not sorry for loving him, but I am sorry that you got hurt because of it," she said, "I'm sorry you had to find out the way that you did. It can't have been easy to see that on a screen."

Sara let out a shaky sigh before she spoke, "Would you have told me if there hadn't been a live feed?" she asked, needing the answer. She needed to know. She was a little disbelieving when Catherine nodded.

"As much as I would have dreaded that conversation, I would have told you, and Gil would have too. I would have made him. I was on the bad end of an affair too, Sara. I know it hurts all the more when you're deceived," Catherine replied. Sara saw nothing but sincerity in the older woman's eyes.

"That wouldn't have been an easy conversation," Sara commented, letting a weak chuckle escape. Catherine smiled a little bit.

"No, it definitely wouldn't have," she agreed, "Both of us are too hard-headed for that conversation to go well."

Silence fell between the two and they seemed like they weren't about to kill each other. Even so, none of the others were able to relax. Then Sara spoke.

"You really love each other, don't you?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"I love him. And I think he loves me. I can't speak for him," Catherine replied. Sara nodded, as if accepting the truth.

"As long as he's happy," she resigned. In a tentative gesture, Catherine placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Sara didn't shake her away, which was a good sign.

The tension was relieved as they sat next to each other on the long sofa in the waiting area. Lindsey bounded after them and sat on the other side of Catherine. The rest of the team assembled around them as they waited for the doctor to announce Grissom's status.

When the doctor finally appeared, they all rose as one.

TBC

Please Review. I could use an incentive and inspiration to keep going.