Chapter 3

Phone A Friend

Sara inhaled the cigarette smoke one more time before dropping the butt to the sandy ground and stamping it out with her foot. She sat almost motionless, with her knees drawn up against her chest. Her dark brown hair blew lightly in the breeze, as she inhaled the salty scent of the sea. She was almost back to where she had begun.

At that moment she heard a shrill ringing. She wondered what had made the noise for all of a second, as the vibration against her leg indicated that it was her phone. She dug a hand deep into her pocket, pulled it out and flipped it open,

"Sidle," she answered. The CSI in her kicked in before she had time to stop it. She sighed heavily.

"Sara?" Asked the voice from the other end of the line. "Sara? It's Catherine."

Sara took a moment to let the voice wash over her. She'd been thinking about the blonde beauty for hours, but she certainly hadn't been expecting to hear from her anytime soon. In fact, she didn't even expect the blonde to have noticed her absence.

"Um, Sara? Are you there?" Catherine spoke up, and it was at this point in time that Sara realised she'd been silent for several minutes, just thinking about the woman on the other end of the line.

"Yeah. Sorry, I just zoned out for a minute there," Sara replied, a light laugh following her words.

"Oh, ok." Was the less than eloquent reply.

"Uh," Sara began awkwardly. "Um, what can I do for you Catherine?"

"Oh, I uh…" Catherine was fumbling her words, and a smile crossed Sara's face at that thought 'Catherine's never nervous.' "What I'm trying to say…" Catherine tried again, "is that I was just wondering how you were doing."

"I'm fine." Sara replied, once again sighing heavily. "How are you Catherine?"

"I'm…" she seemed to be genuinely considering her answer. "I'm doing ok," then she whispered "considering." Sara thought she'd misheard, and was about to ask her about it, when Catherine interrupted her thoughts. "Sara, I really want to know how you're doing. Are you sure you're ok?" The concern in Catherine's voice slightly shocked Sara.

"Really Cat…" Sara cringed, she'd used Cath's detested nickname. She waited for the blow to come, but it never did. So she continued, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure Sara? Are you really, sure?"

"Yes Catherine…why would I lie to you?" Sara asked puzzled, there was something going on here, but she couldn't quite work out what it was.

"Sara, you left without saying so much as a goodbye…what did you expect from me?" The hurt was evident in her voice.

"Hang on…all I needed was a break. Nothing is to say that it's going to last, Catherine. Besides why should you care? You hate me!" Sara finished, her heart was broken and she was broken.

"Hate you?" Catherine replied in shock. "But Sara, I…I don't hate you!"

"Cath…you and I both know that we…" Sara was searching for the right words. "We can't…get along. We clash, Catherine! I don't know why, but we do."

"So why not talk to me then we could…" Catherine was cut off with dry laughter.

"We could what? Fight some more?" Sara laughed again. "We're just too goddamn different Catherine!"

"Sara!" Catherine said in her mothering tone, that she reserved for Lindsey when she was misbehaving. Sara ceased her childish rant. "Maybe we need to work out why we're like this. Why do you think we act like this Sara?"

"I have a fair idea why I'm like this…" Sara began; she was trailing her fingers through the soft golden sand.

"Why?" The curiosity was clearly evident in Catherine's voice.

"I can't tell you…" Sara replied softly with a sigh. "You wouldn't understand…and even if you don't hate me now…if I told you, you would. Catherine, I don't want you to hate me." Sara finished in a panicked tone.

"I could never hate you! But Sara, where are you?" came Catherine's rushed voice.

"Sitting on a beach." Sara grinned, she knew that would surprise Catherine, and she wasn't disappointed.

"A beach?" her voice was full of disbelieve.

"Yeah, you know…sun, sand and water…a beach." Sara said in a mocking tone.

"Thanks for that." Catherine said sharply. Sara heard her draw a deep breath and suspected she did this to calm her rising temper. "Where is this beach?"

"Ahhh…" Sara said mysteriously. "Far enough away that I know I'm alone…but not so far as all my demons leave me."

"That's not very helpful. Can you tell me more…geographically, where it is?" she asked.

Sara pondered for a moment before replying simply, "no."

"No?" Catherine asked. "Why not?"

"I don't want anyone to know where I am…that way I get to be alone."

"Sara, somehow I don't think time on your own is what you want or really need." Sara could hear the frown in Cath's voice.

"Well, no offence Catherine…but I'm pretty sure you don't know what I want or need…" Sara mentally added; 'If you did, I'd have you in my arms right now!' "Catherine, I'm really sorry…but I can't do this right now!" Sara finished.

"Sara, I…" Catherine's voice abruptly ended as Sara hung up on her.

'I really shouldn't have done that...What if she?...No, I'm being ridiculous, she won't find me here!' Sara thought to herself. She turned off her phone and placed it back into her pocket. 'The last thing I need, is another call like that!' She thought as she lay back on the sand, and stared up to the sky.

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A/N Thanks again to those of you who reviewed. I'd love more reviews though! Reviews boost my ego, and keep my alive, guys…so press that little button and let me know what you think!