'So her name is Lindsey?' Elliott said nervously lying on the sofa

'Yep. Lindsey Marie willows. 17. You two are very alike. I promise you you two will get on great. And if I'm wrong then I'll make it up to you somehow.'

'So it's in my best interests not to get on with her then.' Elliott laughed. Next thing she knew a cushion had hit her face

'Hilarious El.'

'Don't call me that.'

'Fine, Samantha.'

'Mama!'

'Sorry. Elliott.'

'That's better.' Elliott laughed 'Mama I'm scared. What if she likes me but I don't like her, or the other way round?'

'Then you'll calmly and gently tell her for the first one. And it's impossible for somebody not to like you.'

'Oh you do flatter me mother.'

'Indeed I do daughter.' Sara grinned jumping on Elliott and tickling her

'Uncle uncle. What was that for?' She pouted

'Fun.' Sara laughed jumping off and walking into the kitchen area

'You want a drink?'

'Water please.'

'Here you go. Oh I'm so happy you're here my love.' Sara kissed Elliott on the forehead

'So am I Mama. So am I.' There was a knock on the door 'That'll be them then.' Sara opened the door

'Come in.'

'Thanks. Wow. I expected your apartment to be a lot more-uh,'

'Sterile? Boring?'

'Well yeah. This is very normal.'

'Thanks. Elliott this is Lindsey, Linds-Elliott.'

'Hi'

'Hi'

'This is weird isn't it?' Elliott laughed

'Yeah.'

'Uh. Do you want to come into my room? Away from the adults?' Elliott smiled

'Yeah sure. Anything to get away from the adults' Lindsey laughed

'It's through here'

'Ok.'

'Well it's a good start.' Catherine said

'Indeed.'

'You want something to drink?'

'What have you got? You're not going to counter a normal home with weird drinks are you?'

'No. Only normal drinks here. We got water, OJ, blackcurrant squash, Lemonade, coke, Pepsi max, tango, 7up. It's a bit early for alcohol to be honest.'

'True. I'll have some OJ please.'

'Coming right up. Here you go.'

'Thanks. So how come you never told us about Elliott?'

'The more people I told the more likely it was that the bad guys would find out and use her to get to me. I just wanted to protect her.' Sara shrugged

'Wow. It's weird seeing you like this. All Momsy.'

'Ha. It's my hidden side. My secret identity.'

'You really love Elliott don't you?'

'As if she was my own flesh and blood.' Sara beamed

'Well she seems happy with you.'

'It's only been a few days. I haven't had time to really annoy her yet.'

'Give it time. Your apartment really is very nice you know.'

'Thanks. I know it came as a surprise to you.'

'Well in my defence you're a very secretive person. It's hard to understand the real you to be honest.' Catherine admitted blushing slightly 'no offence.'

'None taken.' Sara laughed 'you're right. I am very secretive and we'd both agree that we've never been great friends.'

'Yeah sorry about that. I didn't exactly make it easy for you at the beginning.'

'No. You didn't. But I'm a big girl.' Sara shrugged 'and I'd like it if we did become better friends. We're the only female CSI's on graveyard and I really actually quite like you Catherine.' Sara admitted going red 'when we're not fighting of course.' Catherine chuckled at the last comment and even Sara smiled at it

'I really like you too Sara , when we're not fighting. I've wanted to deepen our friendship for a while but I thought I'd blown it with my unfriendly welcome and our arguments. Particularly the one where you got suspended.'

'Yeah, sorry about that?'

'If you don't mind me asking. What was that all about? One second we're having a normal argument the next you're hurling personal comments at me.'

'I am so sorry about that. I can't tell you why now; when we're better friends I may well be able to but not right now. I'm sorry.'

'It's o.k. we all have our sore topics.'

'Thanks. And to think I thought you'd hated me all this time.' Sara joked

'You thought I hated you?' Catherine frowned

'At first yeah.'

'Oh Sara I'm so sorry. I could never hate you. I was so jealous of you yet awed by you when you joined. The jealousy has rescinded somewhat over the years but I still acted as I had back then because that's who I thought you saw me as.'

Jealous? In awe? Of what?

'You were young, beautiful, intelligent, handpicked by Grissom, amazing at your job, in control of your life, happy.' She stopped confused as Sara began to laugh 'what?'

'It always amazes me how different people see your life to the way you see it. I was a wreck back then.' Sara admitted

'How so?'

'I was immature, self loathing felt stupid, bullied, out of my depth at work, I was nowhere near my daughter, and I was in a big scary city which was notorious for crime. On my very first day I had to investigate my new colleague. Grissom was disinterested in me, you were, to be honest, being a bitch, Warrick didn't like me, and Greg was following me like a lost puppy. I had no family to fall back on; my friends had turned their backs on me. I was cutting every night for months. How could you ever be jealous of me? You were, and still are, gorgeous, intelligent, brave, an amazing mother to an amazing daughter, your mother and sister would help you look after Lindsey. The guys all adored you-even Grissom. You didn't let your past hold you back. I was and still am in awe of you Cat. Sorry-Catherine.'

'Cat's fine.'

'But you hate it when the guys call you that.'

'You're not the guys though are you? I like it when you say it.'

'Okay then Cat.' Catherine hugged Sara

'I'm glad we had this talk. My shoulders feel much lighter now.'

'Same.'

'So-to a lighter conversation. What's your favourite colour?'

'What?'

'Favourite colour. We got to start bonding somewhere.'

'I guess.' Sara laughed 'green. You?'

'Purple. Favourite time of year and why?'

'Summer because I can spend time outside reading or swimming or just enjoying the world. Yours?'

'Same for pretty much the same reasons except it's also because I like sunbathing. You ask.'

'Okay. If you could be any animal what and why?'

'Uh. That's tricky. Cats because I'd be fed and loved and all I'd have to do was look cute and enjoy the sun. Also because it's my name.'

'Good choice. I'd be a dolphin because I'd be intelligent and could spend all my time in the sea.'

'You like being in the sea then?'

'I lived in California remember. I used to surgically attached to my surfboard

'You had your own?'

'Uh huh. Still have her. She's in the wardrobe in the bedroom.'

'She?'

'Yep. Beverly. I got her when I was 18. All my friends were saving up for really decent cars and I was saving up for her.'

'Did you not drive then or were you just content with your current car.'

'Content. I could never get rid of Lucy. She's beautiful!'

'Lucy? You still have her it sounds?'

'I do indeed. I'm going to do her up and give her to Elliott for her 18th. She absolutely loves her.'

'Really? What type is she? You've got me calling her she now?' Catherine moaned

'She's a VW type 2 or ko mbi van. Green'

'She sounds nice. How do you think they're doing?' Cat asked pointing to room where the girls were

'Well I can't hear fighting and Linds hasn't asked to go yet so I'm hoping ok. Either that or they've killed each other.'

'Fingers crossed it's the former.'

'Indeed. Back to the questions. Favourite song?'

'Genuinely don't have one. I like too many songs the same. How about you?'

'Poison by Alice Cooper.'

'Really? I always expected you to like more serene music.'

'What. Like whale music?' Sara laughed

'No. I dunno. It just surprises me.'

'It was the first proper song I learnt on the guitar. My friend Matt taught me it.'

'Ah. I didn't know you played?'

'Not very well. It keeps me sane when life gets stressful.' Sara shrugged

'I never knew. Ok. Do you have any brothers or sisters?'

'A brother phoenix, a sister Harriet, a foster brother David and a foster sister Lisa.'

'Foster? Were you in care or them?'

'Me. From the age of 9 to 13 before being fostered for good.' Sara said sadly

'Ah. Phoenix? Interesting name.' Catherine smiled changing the subject sensing Sara's reluctance to say anymore

'My parents were hippies. Harriet and I went by our middle names but phoenix liked his first name and kept it.'

'Wait, so Sara 's your middle name?' Catherine asked intrigued

'Yep. Changed it to my first legally when I was 16.'

'What's your birth name then?' Catherine grinned

'Promise you won't tell anybody? And I mean no one!'

'Fine.'

'I was born moonbeam. Go ahead laugh.' Catherine did

'I'm sorry but that actually is very funny. What was Harriet's first name?'

'Woodstock.'

'Seriously?' Catherine smirked

'Seriously!' They laughed

'That is amazing!'

'It's where my parents met supposedly.' Sara said 'So what is your favourite musical?'

'I'm rather partial to grease and Mamma Mia but I think I'd have to go for Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat. The Donny Osmond video version.'

'You like Donny then?'

'Hell yeah. The video is the most watched in our house. Lindsey loves it too; she's only recently rediscovered her love of it. She thought she was too cool for it but succumbed to its allure. What's yours?'

'I love Grease and Joseph but it's got to be Rocky Horror Picture Show for me.'

'Oh my. How could I forget that?' Catherine cried disgusted with herself 'that's my joint favourite. Lindsey finds it hilarious how much I love Tim Curry in it

'Frank'n'Furter is one of the only guys I've ever fancied!'

'So, I've was wondering- are you bisexual or just a lesbian?' Cath asked

I'm a lesbian but I've had an occasional male fling. I've never been in a committed relationship with a guy. Hank was the closest I got and, well, we both know how that turned out. What about you? I've only ever seen you with guys but you've said things before that hint otherwise.'

'I'm bisexual. Side effect of the dancing.' Catherine laughed

'Ah. Do the guys know?'

'Not as far as I know. It would give them too many mental images that I'm not yet ready for Greg to be exposed to.' They laughed

'I know what you mean. He nearly had a coronary when he found out I was gay.' Sara complained

'His face was a picture.' Cath agreed 'To be honest just telling him would've been gentler. Walking in on you and Lowri was interesting I'll admit.' Catherine laughed

'People often react badly when I tell them. I just didn't want to lose you guys. You mean too much to me!'

'I understand. You mean a lot to all of us.' Catherine said squeezing a blushing Sara's hand 'Really you do. So-favourite movie?'

'I like too many to choose just one. I like sci-fi, romantic, comedy, slasher. I love Harry Potter and I detest twilight and everything it stands for!'

'That sounds exactly like my tastes. I can't believe how similar our tastes are. We could very easily be best friends if we worked on our friendship.' Cath pondered

'I know. And I'd like that.'

'Me too. I have another question that I've been wondering for a while now.' Catherine said nervously

'Sounds ominous.'

'It's not. What do you miss most about eating meat?'

'Pepperoni pizza or bacon. God I loved those. But the trouble is I don't agree with how they've come about.' She sighed

'I also don't like how they come about but I just don't have the strength to resist meat. I genuinely wish I could be a vegetarian. I have so much admiration for you.' Catherine admitted

'Thanks. You could always wean yourself off meat so you don't notice as much or you cud just go cold turkey. You've overcome cocaine and smoking. Believe me becoming a vegetarian is much easier than giving up smoking. I can't speak for the former.' Sara grinned

'How uh... how did you do it?'

'I went cold turkey and haven't looked back since. I'll help you if you want. I helped Elliott and she's never looked back either.' Sara offered

'I'd like that, thanks. Elliott's a vegetarian too?'

'Yep. Alex was fuming.' Sara laughed 'Elliott left home a devoted meat eater and came home 2 weeks later a vegetarian.' Elliott and Lindsey came out the bedroom grinning

'Mama dearest. Can we get pizza? Linds and I are hungry.'

'If it's alright with Cat then sure. I don't see why not.'

'Sounds good to me.' Catherine said licking her lips

'Yes!' Elliott and Lindsey high fived

'I take it you two are getting on then?'

'Hell yeah. Linds is like my soulmate. We like the exact same things.'

'We clicked instantly you could say.' Lindsey laughed

'Why do I get the feeling introducing them to each other was a bad decision.' Catherine moaned to Sara who laughed

'I did try to warn you.'

'I guess.' Cath pouted

'So what pizzas do you want?'

'Pineapple and onion!' The teens cried together

'Ok. Wanna share a medium?' Lindsey asked her new best friend

'Sure.'

'Cat?'

'Uh. I'd usually go pepperoni but no more. Vegi supreme?'

'Want to share a medium with me?'

'Sure. How much will this all come to?'

'You're not paying.' Sara stated

'I'm a guest of yours.'

'So you have to do what I say.'

'Let me at least pay for Lindsey and mine half.' Catherine compromised

'No. I insist!'

'Well if you insist.' Catherine grinned 'Who am I to argue?'

'Indeed. Elliott where'd you put the phone?'

'On the counter by your forensic magazines.'

'Thanks.' Sara walked off

'So how do you like living her so far Elliott?' Catherine asked

'Very much thank you .'

'I told you before. It's Catherine.' She smiled

'Okay Catherine. Thanks. I love living with Mama. I know the honeymoon period will wear off but even then I know it'll be great. Mama never treats me second best like Alex did.' Elliott said smiling sadly

'You call her Alex?' Catherine asked surprised

'As of when I ran away yes. She doesn't deserve the same standing as Mama. Leaving her was the best decision I ever made. After all, I got to meet you and Lindsey.' Elliott grinned sweetly

'Charmer!' Catherine laughed

'I do my best.' Elliott shrugged

'Hey Mom guess what! Elliott wants to be a CSI just like me!' Lindsey grinned

'I don't think I've seen you this happy in a long time Lindsey. I thank you Elliott.' Catherine said grinning as her not-so-baby girl cringed

'It's my pleasure Catherine.' Elliott said as Catherine and her laughed at Lindsey's bright red face

'It's good to know I can still embarrass you.'

'You'll always be able to do that.' Lindsey admitted

'Ha!' Elliott laughed

'Just you wait Samantha! Sara 'll start soon.' Lindsey pouted

'I don't think she's stopped trying since I was 6 to be honest. Luckily for me I rarely get embarrassed.'

'A ha. My new mission in life.' Lindsey cackled

'The pizza will be here in about 15 minutes.' Sara said coming back in

'Cool.'

'So I hear you enjoy trying to embarrass Elliott.'

'Yes. But she rarely gets embarrassed sadly. I'll never stop trying.'

'Yay! Hey Linds there's something I want to show you.' Elliott dragged a laughing Lindsey out the room

'It's good to see Lindsey so happy and carefree.' Catherine said smiling

'Elliott too. Alex didn't really let her have any friends. Certainly not good ones.' Sara frowned

'Elliott's a lovely girl. How could Alex treat her so crap?' Catherine pondered aloud

'This Keith guy has totally changed her. She used to worship the very ground Elliott walked on.'

'Why did you two break up?' Catherine asked tentatively

'We grew apart until she cheated on me. She refused to let me have Elliott and I didn't stand a chance in court seeing as I wasn't her biological mother and had no legal claim to her.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I've got her now and Alex is cooperating so far with the custody.'

'I'm glad. Elliott evidently makes you very happy.'

'She really does. She makes me happier than anybody else ever has.' Sara smiled, happiness lighting up her face

'I have another question?'

'Okay.'

'Why'd you move to Vegas?'

'Grissom asked me to help with a case. You know that.' Sara said confused

'I know but that was only temporary. What made you decide to stay? It meant you had to leave your friends and Elliott behind.'

'Leaving Elliott behind was the hardest thing I've ever done but I had to do it. I couldn't stand working at the CSI lab there anymore. Alex had pretty much cut off all contact with Elliott and everything I saw reminded me of her. The coffee room where she first called me Mama, the corridor where she took her first steps. The lab room where she first told me she loved me, the wall I would stick all her pictures on.' Sara wiped the tears from her face 'I had to get away from it all. I was on a downhill spiral and gathering speed. When Grissom offered me the permanent job I saw the chance to start again. Be the cold, mysterious, seemingly child disliking woman you know me as. Who'd turn down the opportunity to work at the 2nd best lab in the country?'

'True. But I thought you said you were miserable when you were first here. Why didn't you feel happy about starting over?'

'I missed Elliott; my friends didn't appreciate me leaving with barely any warning. Even my siblings were angry with me for running from it all.' Sara admitted

'I'm sorry.'

'But it's all good now. They've all forgiven me and we're on good terms. Alex started letting me see, well-speak to-Elliott about 5 months after I moved here.'

'Well I for one am very glad that you did move here.' Cath hugged her younger friend

'Yeah. You wouldn't have had anybody to argue with otherwise.' Sara laughed

'Ha ha. Can we please put all the pretty stupid arguing behind us please?' Cat requested wincing slightly

'Of course. Consider it ancient history.' the bell rang

'Pizza!' Elliott and Lindsey ran into the room

'I got it.' Sara placed the boxes in front of them on the coffee table

'Can we watch a movie whilst we eat?' Elliott asked

'Sure. What do you want to watch?'

'This may sound childish but Over The Hedge!'

'I'm not familiar with that.' Lindsey said

'OMG it's hilarious. It's a cartoon about a reclusive racoon called RJ who suddenly finds himself part of a close nit family of animals. But are his intentions good? Watch and find out.' Elliott announced

'Ok.' Lindsey laughed 'It sounds intriguing.'

'Is that okay with you cat? It really is very good.' Sara said

'Sure why not. I'll trust your word.'

'That is such a great movie!' Lindsey grinned as the credits rolled

'Told you.' Elliott grinned at Lindsey

'Well it's getting late.' Cath said sadly 'Lindsey and I should be heading home.'

'Aww. Mom! Can't we stay longer? Please!' Lindsey and Elliott pulled puppy dog faces

'We've imposed long enough.'

'Its fine.' Sara said 'What is the time anyway? Wow. It's later than I thought.'

'Exactly.' Catherine teased Sara who poked her tongue out at her

'Real mature Cat.'

'Come on Lindsey.'

'Noooooo! Elliott grabbed Lindsey 'don't make her go. My heart will shatter into a million billion pieces! I shall never be whole again!' She cried in woe

'Ok compromise. What if Elliott slept over at our house?' Cath suggested

'Yay.'

'Is that ok Sar?' Sara grinned at the nickname

'Sure thing kitty Cat. Give me a night of freedom from terror here. She's all yours. I was my hands of her'

'Gee thanks Mama. Make me feel loved.' Elliott pouted

'You're welcome kiddo.' Sara laughed

'I love the name kitty Cat!' Lindsey laughed

'Oh shut up.' Catherine moaned 'so Elliott's coming back with us. Just bring your toiletries and sleepwear.'

'Cool.' Elliott rushed off

'You don't mind?'

'Of course not. Would I have suggested it if I minded?'

'Ready!' Elliott bounced back in

'We'll be off then. Thanks for having us over.'

'It's fine. Now Elliott try not to cause too much havoc with Lindsey. And try not to suddenly decide you don't like Lindsey.'

'Yes Mama. I won't Mama. Three bags full Mama.' Elliott laughed saluting 'Bye Mama. Love you.' She kissed Sara's cheek and bounced out the door

'Thanks for having us over Sara.' Lindsey called chasing after Elliott

'When should I pick Elliott up?'

'Why don't you come over for breakfast?' Cath suggested

'Sure?'

'Yeah.'

'Sounds good.' Sara smiled

'See you tomorrow then.' Catherine hugged Sara who gratefully returned it

'I'm glad we cleared the air tonight.'

'Me too. I see this being the beginning of a truly great friendship between us. I certainly hope it is.' Catherine grinned

'Not just between us. The girls seem smitten with each other.'

'I just hope it lasts. Lindsey hasn't been this happy in a very long time.'

'I'm glad she is now.'

'Me too. So see you tomorrow at breakfast?.'

'Yep. Wait. What time's breakfast?' Sara grinned at the almost loss of important information

'Any time between 8&9 should be fine.'

'Come on Mom.' Lindsey called

'That's my cue to leave.'

'Indeed.' They hugged again and, acting upon a sudden impulse, Catherine kissed Sara on the cheek

'See ya Cat.'

'Bye Sar.'