Part 3

(Just want to say thankyou all so much for the reviews. Means alot to me :) and want to offer a little warning that a large part of the next part talks about a F/F relationship and if not your thing then its best not to read. Plus there is a large portion of this text that it set in the past so... sorry that there is not much in way of adding to the plot)

Sara walked into the bar, her mind working three hundred times harder than it should. She knew that she had Feds looking at her, watching her but she still felt a little uneasy. She made her way towards the crowded area pushing her way though so that she could get closer to the stools where she could sit and have perfect sight of the door and the larger area of the place. She wanted to see him before he saw her. And this was where it began – the waist for him to show. Sara ordered a tonic water which she wanted to add the vodka to but couldn't – not in a situation like this – though she thought that due to the stress that was built up inside her this would be the perfect time for such an addition to the clear, sparkling mixer.

Once halfway down that drink, she'd been here half an hour, and still no show. She scanned the bar for what was the god knows what time. Her eyes this time rested on two women in the far corner – sat in deep conversation. For some strange reason she this evoked a sickness within the brunette and caused a very vivid memory to surface…Sara was overcome with a rang of emotions as her mind disobediently wondered backwards into a past that the brunette still hadn't fully dealt with.

"Another one in there" Sara asked as she pushed her glass across the bar. "…and a beer please"

"Coming up" The bar tender smiled that smile that Sara was so very used to. She rolled her eyes as she slumped further over the bar. When he came back and placed the bottle on the table sliding the shot towards her she looked up at him – "Mike, spit it out…don't just stand there all night looking at me like your about to ask me out."

"Honey…you wish" He laughed, "just wondering what's caused this drinking session is all?" He lent in front of her watching her down the shot and then start on the beer.

"What you complaining about I'm paying your wages here…"

"No…actually you're adding to a tab" He shot back with a smile, "Which is pretty steep by the way"

Sara growled, she reached into her inside pocket and pulled out her credit card – "Here…pay off the tab and shut your mouth."

"Thank you" He said taking the card. Then he reached over to the empty shot glass turning to fill it up – before sliding it back – "I'll be back in a sec to listen to the excuse you call a life so don't leave" He smiled.

Sara just shook her head and downed the shot. As Mike walked down the bar to serve someone else. IT took him all of seconds to be back and bugging the brunette. "So come on…what brought you here today?"

"Mike…back off" Sara shot.

"Come on Sidle… you know that I live for the tales of you're screwed up life to make me feel a little better" He whined. "You getting stick from your other half?"

"Leave me alone!"

"She of with someone else… she break your heart?"

"You know what…I hate you"

"No you don't…you love me. While I'm on the subject of love…hand over your keys"

"What?"

"You know the drill…you have half a bottle of vodka and about fifteen beers, I take your keys, I call you a cab and you don't get killed"

"I've had three beers…"

"And a hell of a lot of spirits now, if you expect another beer from me hand them over"

With another sigh she slid them over the counter –

"Thank you!" He put them into his pocket.

"What ever…"

"You know you love me babe!" He left her to the beer and the self pity.

Sara took another swig from the bottle, another healthy mouthful of the numbing alcohol. Then she groaned – reaching into her pocket she pulled out her cell and dialed a more than familiar number. She waited for the call to be answered and it didn't take too long. " Davis"

"I think I fucked up!"

"What's new! What you done now?" Came the voice on the other end -

"I … I think I ended it."

"Ended what…"

"Ended Linda…"

"What – you told me you two were going great, you hinter at the word love Sidle. What happened??"

"I kicked her out of my apartment" Sara explained, "…bitch cheated on me!"

"Where are you Sara?" came a slightly worried tone.

There was silence, until she finally gave in "Mike's…"

"Stay there…and what ever you do don't drink anymore!"

"Wait…you don't have to come…" Before Sara could finish she was cut off by her partner.

"Sidle shut your mouth and order some god damn water – I'll be there" The phone was shut off.

"There you go…"

She looked up to see Mike place a sandwich in front of her. "What…"

"On me…you haven't eaten and you look like shit. Kara will kill me if she knows I didn't look after you." He explained.

"Well she's on her way…"

"Great all I need. Two cops to pick on me…"

Sara lowered her head, "Can I have another beer please?"

"Sure… look you sure you're alright?"

He placed the bottle in front of her. "No where near okay" She explained, "The beers helping though."

Mike just looked at Sara before he finally spoke – "I'm right aren't I… it was that bitch"

Sara just turned a little and drank from the bottle.

"Well all I'll say is your too good for her" and with that he walked away. Knowing full well that it was time to back off from the brunette –

"Mike where is she?" Kara asked as she walked into the bar not seeing her partner.

"She's gone to the ladies…I think." He explained.

"She okay?"

Mike shook his head – then looked to the evidence to back up his response. Kara also looked to the empty bottles and filled ashtray. "God damn it" she mumbled.

"Look after my girl Kara … I mean it!" He shot.

"Yeah I'll try my best. You take her keys…"

"Hey I know the drill" He explained looking a little hurt that she'd asked. "Can I get you a beer…"

"Yeah…get two… something tells me she needs to drink this away"

"She's half way there already" Mike pre warned.

"Yeah well…she can finish of the trip no I'm here. Drink the bitch out of her system" Kara had warned Linda…she'd pulled the best friend gig. She'd made the threat – and she was going to learn that when you mess with Sidle you mess with Kara Davis to. Hell it was how it went – even when Kara's husband and her got into a fight Sara gave him a piece of her mind. Its what they did for each other.

"Look who it is…my knight in shining armor!" Sara slurred as she lent on the bar at Kara's side. Reaching over she took the beer that Mike had poured out. "Do you think that I'm a screw up, I think I'm a screw up!" Sara offered her tone lowering slightly.

"Come on Sidle…lets grab a seat" Kara took her bottle and Sara's jacket and guided the partner over to the far booth, in the corner of the bar. Ready to start the familiar routine – Kara had many a time been through this – from the perspective of booth roles.

They took their seats, "First thing first…unclip the gun from your belt!"

"Look I'm fine…" Sara tried to protest.

"No bullshit Sidle slid the gin over. The last thing you need in another shit load of reports against you because the Frisco cop was drunk with a fire arm strapped to her belt. Just hand it over…" Sara gave up and unclipped it pushing it across the wood of the table that separated them. "Plus…" Kara continued, "Your probably not going to like what I have to say and I don't want a cap in my chest" she placed the gun into the inside pocket of her jacket.

"I'm sorry…"

"What for?"

"Your night off…you should be with your kids and Jimmy…" Sara slurred once again telling Kara that this was where she needed to be.

"Look, blame the bitch who did this to you … not you. Talking of…what the hell happened?"

"I walked in on…Linda taking full advantage of the waitress from the coffee shop. She was offering services to my Girlfriend that obviously was too good to pass up on" Sara lit a cigarette and began to suck down the thick smoke washing it down with the beer.

"Oh you picked a good one there Sidle"

"Fuck you Kara…"

"Really man… you fall for the givers huh? Too bad she was giving to you and everyone else that she came across."

"Fuck you! Are you trying to push me that bit further? Want me to just go right a head and end it?" Sara spat her voice louder than Kara would have liked as it brought the attention of many of the other punters that Mike had in his place.

"Okay now it looks like I'm breaking up with you so that's for that… you just out-ed a very straight cop." Kara attempted to break the anger she could see in Sara's eyes. "Look, is all her shit out of your apartment?" Kara asked. Sara shook her head. "Fine… you finish drinking your pain away and you can crash at mine. Then…I'll clear that bitch's shit out of your place and drop it off for you"

"I love her" Sara managed after a long silence – looking up this time Kara saw the pain, the hurt, the tears pooling in the eyes of the brunette.

"No Sara…this isn't any good. That bitch doesn't deserve you." He voice was soft and caring now.

"In my apartment … brought that bitch back to my god damned apartment." Sara's voice was loud again now. Kara turned and caught the attention of a couple to her left. She smiled awkwardly –

"Not me…" She attempted, the couple didn't look convinced as they looked at her with a 'how could you' look. "Honestly…I'm married" That just seemed to make it worse. Kara had no idea what twisted version of the story they'd created but decided it was best to just give up – "Okay you win…I'm a terrible person" She shot at the two. Standing up she watched them leave before moving and sitting at Sara's side. She put her arm around the brunette –

"Honey… I'm sorry…really I am." Sara put her head in her hands and rested her elbows on the table – Kara just ran her hand up and down her friends back hoping that it would comfort the brunette. "this'll be alright though…"

"Yeah…"

"Yeah it will. There are a thousand girls out there who would die to have a chance with you. Watch … someone much hotter than Linda"

"You've thought about how hot my girlfriend is…"

"EX…and I'm straight not blind!" Kara shot back lightly smiling at Sara. "Look I help you get over this bitch and next night off we both have I come out with you and find you a girl who deserves you!" Sara lent into the comfort of what was been cared for. Something that she wasn't used to –

"I love you" She managed.

"You getting all soppy on me now?"

"Yeah… I think I am"

"Well – the whole bar thinks I'm gay and a cheating bastard and I'm still sat here…now holding you which doesn't help my cause so I hope you know how much I love you" Kara smiled.

"Ma'am…Ma'am are you okay?"

Sara looked up abruptly to the bar tender that stood in front of her – he'd pulled her back into reality – into the present hell and away from the past one. "Sorry…err…" She stuttered.

"Sorry Ma'am you looked a little lost there…" He offered.

"Sorry… I…was…" She stopped again, looking down to her hands she saw it, the blood, there again as a reminder of what she'd done, of how she'd fucked up. She took a few deep breaths but it was no use – she knew of old that there was only one way to even try and deal. She looked back up to the bar tender.

"Triple vodka shot"