Here's Chapter 2. Hope you enjoy!
Catherine's POV
4 months later:
I'm sitting in the break room thinking of Sara. The first couple of weeks were the hardest for both of us. Sara would come to work hung over from a night of drinking, and I would tell Sara off for being irresponsible causing more arguments. One of our fights ended when I slapped Sara after she told me to go cry to my flavor of the week. I can't believe she could even think that!
But I'm happy Sara didn't forget about Lindsay. We had arranged that every Saturday, Sara would have Lindsay and they would spend the whole day together. They had never missed a day, until tonight that is. Sara had cancelled on Lindsay, just like Eddie had many times before. How dare she do that to Lindsay! I'm going to confront Sara and ask her why she thinks it is ok to cancel on Lindsay.
Oh! Grissom is handing out the assignments… where's Sara? She's never late
"Oh! I forgot! Sara has asked for an undetermined amount of leave, so until Sara returns we will be training a new CSI. She starts on Monday"
"What?"
"Sara took a leave of absence. We're training a new CSI who starts on Monday" Grissom repeated
I look to Greg for answers, as they've been roommates since the break-up and have become quite close. I know Greg knows why she's taking a leave of absence because he cannot make eye contact with me and he suddenly excuses himself. I look at Grissom
"Why? Did she say why?" I ask impatiently
"Yes, she did. But you know it is not my place to say, Catherine."
"Fine! I'll drag it out of Greg!" I yell, leaving the break room in search of Greg
It didn't take me long to find Greg, I found him in the locker room hiding in a corner on his cell phone
"But what do I say? She's going to get it out of me any way she can! You know Grissom is going to tell her to talk to you! Tell me what to say Sara!" Oh, she is really going to hear it from me!
"Greg!" he jumps as hears me "I know that is Sara. Let me talk to her!" I grab the phone from Greg
"Sara! What the hell are you playing at canceling on Lindsay? And why the fuck are you taking a leave of absence?!" I yell down the phone. I hear a sigh then a click before I hear the dial tone
"FUCK!" I turn on Greg
"Tell me, Greg. What the hell is going on with Sara?"
"Catherine, believe me when I say I would love to tell you but I promised Sara and I can't break that promise, I'm sorry." Greg said
"If you know what's good for you, you'll tell me." I threaten
A few minutes pass with us staring at each other, then Greg broke and sighed
"Ok, she asked me to slip a letter into your locker after you came in. She figured you wouldn't go to your locker until your shift ended as she would be gone by then"
I turn and go to my locker, if this is the only way she is going to get answers then so be it. I open my locker and I see a plain white envelope with "Cath" in Sara's handwriting. I sit down on the bench staring at the envelope. I feel a hand on my shoulder
"I think you are going to need some time before 5am once you read that."
"What?!" I ask confused
"I have to go" Greg squeezed my shoulder and walked away, but before he reached the door he turned around "Oh! North Vegas" and walked out
I stare at the door confused. If I want answers, I might as well read this letter
Cath,
I'm sure you want to know why I cancelled on Lindsay and why I took a leave of absence. And I bet Grissom told you to ask me, which I know would piss you off.
I tried many times these past few weeks to tell you and Lindsay in person, but I love you two too much, and I couldn't bring myself to tell you two
These past 4 months have been hard for me. I cannot stop thinking about you. You are constantly on my mind. I took your friendship because I figured that is better than nothing at all. But it has slowly been making me insane. I used to run away from heartbreak, but this time I didn't. I stayed hoping we would get back together. Then this happened…
When I was 18, I joined the military. You know I was in foster care. I was so desperate to prove myself that I thought joining the military would help, plus it paid for my Harvard education. When we went to war with Afghanistan and Iraq, I was expecting to get my deployment papers. I never told you this because I did not want you worrying if I was going to get deployed or not. But a few weeks ago, I received the papers and I'm flying out early tomorrow morning.
I'm sorry I couldn't tell you face-to-face. I love you, Cath. I loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you, and I haven't stopped. Please know that.
Also, can you please tell Lindsay that I am sorry for canceling on her today? I'm sorry for leaving. And please, tell Lindsay I know she didn't mean those words and tell her I love her. Please?
Sara
I sit there and I start to cry. Sara is getting deployed to fight in this stupid war? What if she never comes back? She will never know that I still love her. I have to tell her, no… I need to tell her. I realize Greg let me know where and when she's flying out. I look at my watch and it says 10:30. I have time, I'm sure of it.
I grab my purse and I run out of the lab to my car, peeling out of the parking lot towards the apartment Greg and Sara share. As soon as I reach the apartment, I run to Sara's door. I raise my hand to knock just as Sara opens the door
There's Chapter 2, I will try and post more today. Thanks for reading