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CHAPTER 13


SARA POV

Flipping through image after image, I rub my temples. I don't know why I thought this would work, but I had honestly gotten my hopes up.

Deciding that since the majority of people nowadays seem to have some sort of criminal record or another, the best place to start looking for this mystery woman would be in the database at work.

It's depressing to realize just how many women with black hair aged 25 to 40 have criminal records. And, unfortunately, none of them appear to be the woman I am looking for. Three days of this, and I have gotten nowhere.

I went so far as to try to fingerprint the envelope and the photos sent to Catherine. And, of course, nothing, they had all been wiped clean.

Spurs was also a dead end. No one remembers seeing me with anyone matching that woman's description, and the man who spoke with Catherine was long gone. The hotel was much the same. Plus a lot of strange looks and wary glances as to why I couldn't remember for myself the woman I spent the night with.

I am beginning to wonder if this woman exists at all.

Finally reaching the last image, a convicted felon about 200lbs away from being the woman in question, I let out a sigh as I close the screen.

That's it. There is really nothing more I can think of doing. I guess I will have to find a way to be okay with not knowing.

Right, as if that will happen.

Gathering my things and turning off the lights in the lab, I make my way down the silent hallway, wishing the start of shift wasn't still hours away. The last thing I need is more time alone in the lab to contemplate the new reality of my life. A reality that lately is filled with infinitely more questions than answers.


CATHERINE POV

"That's just ridiculous," Nick states tersely, fixing Sara with a pointed glare as they stand together in the back lab going over their case from this morning.

Seemingly unphased, which only irritates the Texan further, Sara shrugs. "Fine, we'll wait for the prints to come back and see which theory is correct."

"And in the mean time, the real killer is still out there, picking out his next victim," Nick snaps back at her. "Or don't you care about that?" he spits.

Now no longer pretending to be okay with this current conversation, Sara fixes him with a look of her own. A look that is clearly warning 'back off'.

"I care."

"Yeah?" he counters, "You could have fooled me. Seems like the only person you care about most of the time is yourself."

Shaking her head, Sara returns her gaze back to the evidence laid out on the table in front of her. "If you have something to say to me, Nick, then say it. Otherwise, get out of my lab."

Snorting, Nick advances on the woman about half his build. "Fine. You're selfish, Sara. You're selfish, and cold, and you-"

"That's enough!" I call, finally stepping into the room from my previous place in the doorway.

Both Sara and Nick immediately look up at me, obviously not having realized I was standing there this entire time. Nicks face is turning an interesting shade of red while Sara simply returns her attention back to the evidence.

"Catherine, I…" Nick starts.

Raising a hand, I cut him off. "Don't start with me, Nick. Go take a walk or something, cool off."

Shifting uncomfortably from one foot to another, he tosses a frustrated glance in the brunette's direction.

"Now," I nearly growl at him, "That wasn't a request."

Grabbing his file off the table, he stalks out of the lab, leaving a nearly palpable trail of anger behind him.

Laying my palms against the lab table, I look down at the various articles of clothing spread out across the surface.

"What the hell was that about?" I ask Sara curiously.

Shrugging, Sara makes a note in her file before looking up at me. "Who knows."

Furrowing my brows in confusion at her blasé reaction to Nick's verbal assault on her, I take a seat.

"Who knows? Sara, seemed to me like he was pretty ticked off at you about something."

"He was," she states simply, turning to start analyzing the evidence again.

"Hey," I call, directing her attention back to me. "What just happened between you two?"

I may have been willing to back down when I witnessed Nancy doing nearly the same thing to Sara in her lab earlier this week, but that was personal. It had nothing to do with work and therefore myself. What I walked in on today between her and Nick, two colleagues under my supervision, is very much my concern, and I am not going to back down.

"Sara," I demand. "I'm not going to ask you again."

Now furrowing her own brows in confusion, she sends me a strange look as she finally puts down her pen. "You really don't know, do you?"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I resist the urge to shake her. "Clearly not, Sara."

Quirking her head, she eventually shrugs as she once again resumes her writing, "He knows I cheated on you, Catherine, and he's been a bit less than subtle about his opinion on the matter."

Widening my eyes in surprise, I shake my head. "How the hell does he know about any of that?"

Sara lets out a small smile, "This is the lab, Catherine. They all probably knew what happened before we did."

I feel my eyes widen even further. "My God, I thought this place was bad before, but seriously, this is ridiculous."

I know I didn't tell anyone anything about what happened, and I highly doubt closed-book Sidle over here did either.

Deciding to give up trying to figure this out, after all we work in an office full of investigators, I turn my attention back to Sara.

"How long has he been like this?" I ask, knowing I have paired Nick with Sara a lot lately.

Mostly to avoid pairing her with me.

Sara lets out a breath in an attempt at casual. "I don't know, a little while."

I fix her with a look, "How long is a little while, Sara?"

She fixes me with her own look, "A little while."

It's clear that I am not going to get anything else out of her. Cringing, I know that for Sara not to give me a timeframe means that it's been going on for much more than 'a little while'.

"He's acted fine with you when I'm around," I think aloud.

"He didn't want to upset you," Sara tells me quietly. "Like you are now."

"You should have said something. I could have paired you with someone else."

Looking away about a second too late, I catch her expression just in time.

"Everyone else is acting the same," I say, giving voice to her unspoken words.

"It's fine," she states simply, looking back at me. "I more than deserve it."

"No, it's not and no you don't," I tell her sternly. "What goes on between us has nothing to do with them. They have no right to act any differently towards you no matter what happened." I sigh, "Especially if they are going to act like such assholes."

"They care about you, Catherine," she tells me. "You can't fault them for that."

Yes, I am touched that they are all sticking up for me, but not when it is in regards to such personal matters. They have no right to have an opinion about anything that happens in my private life.

And, most importantly, they have no right to treat Sara, a coworker and friend of theirs that has had their backs more times than I can count, like she is some kind of vermin.

She cheated on me, not on them.

"It ends today," I promise her.

Deciding not to argue with me about something I have obviously already made up my mind about, Sara holds my gaze a bit longer before returning her eyes to the bloody shirt in her hands.

"We have another scene," I tell her, remembering the original reason I came to find her. "I could use your help if you can manage with your other open cases."

"Of course," she answers without hesitation, gathering her things while I make a mental note of all the people I now have a bone to pick with.


SARA POV

It's ironic, really. Just when you finally stop looking for something, there it is, right in front of your face.

I was processing the scene with Catherine when it all happened.

The scene was relatively isolated, a good 25 miles outside the strip. The only things around are a few houses and some fast food restaurants.

Looking around after the body was removed and we were about to pack up our things, the sheer absence of other people around made the couple of curious onlookers stand out like trees in the Sahara.

One onlooker in particular.

No sooner did I look over that the woman in question turned and directly met my gaze. A woman with jet black hair and a face I will never forget.

A face I saw in a group of photos that destroyed everything I ever loved in this world.

Immediately getting to my feet, I hold the woman's gaze in mine and approach her with my heart nearly racing right out of my chest. I had resolved myself to the fact that this particular confrontation was never going to happen. Now that it is seconds away from occurring, I find myself feeling strangely apprehensive.

"Hey," I call out to the rest of the onlookers, "Go home."

Looking at me with somewhat offended expressions, the few other people gathered around disperse.

Returning my gaze to the woman, I find that she is still staring at me.

"Who are you?" I ask, couching my voice to remain as neutral as possible.

However, when the woman only smirks at me in response, I begin to lose my tenuous grasp on my patience.

"Who are you?" I ask again, keeping my voice low.

"Oh Sara," she chastises me with a languid smile, "Did you really forget me that easily? I'm offended."

Stepping closer, I narrow my eyes.

"Don't do that, don't play around with me. Tell me your name."

"Sara, Sara, Sara," she tisks, no doubt using my name so many times in this conversation just to rub it in my face that she knows mine while hers is still a mystery.

Reaching out, she runs her fingers down my cheek.

Jerking away, I glare. "Don't you dare touch me."

"That's not what you said the last time we met. Don't you remember begging me to touch you, Sara?" she questions, keeping her voice low, flirtatious.

I had approached this conversation tentatively as I don't know the circumstances of that night we shared together, and the possibility of me having potentially used this woman in my compromised state had occurred to me.

Now, however, her antagonistic attitude has me extremely on edge that if there was using of one person by another going on that night, that perhaps she wasn't the one being taken advantage of.

"Why won't you just tell me your name?" I question, not getting why this woman is insisting on vindictiveness.

"Because the longer we talk, the more that blonde bitch over there keeps glancing over here. At first she was curious, now she just seems pissed," she shrugs. "It's actually pretty funny to watch."

Glancing over my shoulder, I am relieved to find that she is referring to Sofia and not Catherine who is still finishing processing the perimeter.

"Stop playing around," I finally growl as I turn back to the woman's dark eyes. "Tell me who you are or I will have you brought into the station and learn your name that way."

"Hmm," she hums, narrowing her eyes. "I don't think that would work out too well. Catherine might recognize me."

Instantly, my guard is fully up and my senses are piqued.

Her antagonistic attitude, her knowledge of Catherine, her knowledge that Catherine would recognize her because she has seen pictures of her.

"You had those pictures taken and sent to Catherine," I nearly spit at her.

She only smiles at me, "I have no idea what you are talking about, CSI Sidle."

Narrowing my eyes at her strange response, I take a step closer to her and point an accusatory finger in her face.

"Fuck you, tell me who you are or I swear to God-"

"Sidle!" I hear directly behind me.

I never even heard Sofia approach.

"As I said, I don't know anything, CSI Sidle. I was just on my way home from work when I saw the sirens and came to look because I was scared something happened to someone I knew," the woman in front of me pleads, her voice transformed to something pathetic and frightened. "It's a small neighborhood. We're all so very close."

Stiffening as I immediately recognize the ruse she is playing, I feel nails digging into my palms as my hands clench into fists.

"You're free to go," Sofia tells the woman. "Thank you for your patience."

I feel the blonde detective's gaze on me. "Sidle, I'll see you at the station."

As soon as Sofia turns to head back to her car, the woman sends me a malicious wink.

Instantly, my mind flashes back to the exact same type of wink I got from Chris Dane and something deep inside of me snaps. I refuse to be played like that by anyone ever again.

Reaching forward, I grab hold of the woman's blouse in my fist.

"Whatever the hell you 're trying to do, you leave Catherine alone," I threaten darkly.

Before the woman even has a chance to open her mouth in response, I feel myself getting horse collared around the neck.

"You're free to go," Sofia repeats to the woman sternly.

I watch with sheer frustration and rage as the woman sends me a deliberate smile.

"Thank you, officer," she says sweetly.

She send me one last look and slowly walks away.

I know, with certainty, I will never find this woman again unless she wants to be found.

Which, I suspect, she won't.

She, and my only chance for answers, have disappeared into the night.

Pushing against Sofia, I try to get her arm off from around my neck.

"Nope," she growls, "You're coming with me."

Digging my feet into the ground, I wrench my body in an attempt to throw her off balance.

"Get your hands off me," I warn darkly.

"Or what?" she says with a snort.

Before she even has a chance to take another breath, I angle my head in one direction and promptly kick my leg out behind me in the opposite. To avoid getting nailed in the shins, Sofia is forced to loosen her grip around my neck so she can take a step to the side.

Instantly, I duck out from under her grasp.

Before I have a chance to utilize my new found freedom, Sofia snags a hold of the shoulder of my CSI vest.

Kicking her own leg out, she connects solidly with the back of my knees, forcing me to drop to the ground. I don't even comprehend what is happening when I find myself spun around and pushed face first into the dirt, with what I suspect is a knee planted firmly in my back.

My arms are wrenched behind me and I immediately growl in rage when I feel them restrained tightly in her grip all in a matter of seconds.

Trying desperately to buck her off me, she simply presses harder into my back with her knee, her other hand now keeping my face pressed against the dirt.

"What the hell is going on?" I hear a voice I clearly recognize as Catherine's coming from somewhere above me.

Hearing the fear in Catherine's voice, I don't know who I want to kill first.

That damn woman from the pictures or Sofia fucking Curtis.


CATHERINE POV

Sofia continues to hold Sara down, despite my attempts to intimidate her with the death glare I am currently sending her way.

"Just teaching Sidle here a lesson," Sofia states with a smile.

I scoff, "What the hell kind of lesson, Sofia? You could be suspended for this!"

Sofia lifts her gaze to mine, turning serious. "And I could have Sara fired for assaulting a potential witness."

"I saw what happened with the witness, Sofia," I state. "That hardly qualifies as assault."

"It is when you factor in the various threats and whatnot Sidle here spewed at her," she replies.

As I study Sofia, I understand that this situation is a bit awkward with the various relationships that are involved. And I understand Sofia's point about teaching Sara a lesson.

Sara could have landed herself in a whole lot of trouble if the wrong cop had been on duty tonight and witnessed what Sofia had. Not to mention she could get herself killed approaching the wrong witness in the manner she approached that woman.

She's lucky there's literally no one else around to catch sight of what Sofia and I just did.

If I'm honest though, I think most of Sofia frustration centers on Sara using her time on the clock to confront a woman about what was clearly a personal matter.

Just like Nick, she likely knows what happened between Sara and I, and while she has up until this point recognized it as our business only, I think Sofia sees what just happened as Sara using a crime scene to get one of her mistresses in line.

And, just like with Nick, I feel myself getting frustrated with Sofia for having an opinion about something that she has no right to have any opinion about at all.

Sara continues to struggle against Sofia, who simply pushes even harder into her back.

"I stop pushing when you stop resisting, Sidle," she tells her.

"Fuck you, Sofia," Sara growls, her face half in the dirt.

"Guys," I snap at them, "Cut it out."

Sofia snorts, "I stop when she stops."

I can't help but roll my eyes, "Have you met Sara? We'll be here for days."

"Fine by me," she states, "Nothing but paperwork waiting for me back at the station."

Sofia is almost thrown off balance when Sara suddenly renews her efforts to get away.

Almost.

Deciding to step in, I reach forward and grab Sofia by the shoulders, trying to pull her upwards.

I'm not quite successful, however, as Sofia simply readjusts her position, but it was enough of a shift to give Sara the chance that she needed to pry her wrists free from Sofia's grip.

With her arms free, Sara is able to use the ground for leverage and torques the upper half of her body out from under Sofia's knee.

Seeing Sofia trying to grab Sara again, I reach forward and grip her under the arms, this time succeeding in pulling the unsuspecting blond up and off of Sara.

Not appreciating my actions one bit, Sofia spins to face me, her finger pointed angrily at my chest.

"Bad move, Willows," she growls, advancing on me. "This is between Sidle and I, you have no right-"

"No, Sofia!" I snap, "You have no right to lay your hands on anyone like that…"

Clenching her jaw tightly, Sofia now has me backed against her squad car, her finger poking me painfully in the chest as she uses her superior height to intimidate me.

"You're th-"

Sofia's words are instantly cut off as she is suddenly jerked away from me.

Before I have time to comprehend it, Sofia's back is slammed against the car next to me, her body held there by a furious Sara who has her hands dangerously close to Sofia's throat.

"Don't you dare touch her," Sara growls out. "Don't you dare ever fucking touch her."

"Sara…" I call, moving away from Sofia to stand beside her.

I'm not sure if she even hears me or not, as Sara keeps her hands clenched tightly against Sofia's shirt, keeping her pinned against her own squad car.

For the first time tonight, Sofia is quiet, looking genuinely uncertain and a bit concerned about what Sara is going to do next.

I have to admit, I find myself concerned as well.

I'm not sure I know Sara well enough anymore to predict what could happen here. Seeing the anger and aggression in her eyes, I find myself genuinely worried for her.

"Sara…" I call again.

No response.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," I tell her, trying to use wording that will calm her, ignoring the pain in my chest it causes to use words like 'sweetheart' to address her.

Words that used to be simple, uncomplicated expressions of my feelings.

Finally, her eyes still smoldering, Sara slowly releases Sofia and steps back.

"I ever see you touch her again and this ends very differently," Sara warns darkly.

Pushing herself upright, Sofia readjusts her clothing, her newfound freedom renewing her confidence.

"I don't think you have a say anymore in who gets to 'touch' Catherine or not," Sofia smirks, knowing exactly what buttons to push to get to Sara.

I have just enough time to react and grab Sara around the waist when as lunges towards Sofia.

"Fucking bitch," Sara grinds out through clenched teeth.

"Alright!" I yell, shifting my arms to hold Sara under the shoulders. "That's enough!"

Pulling Sara backwards and away from Sofia, I hold her arms tightly behind her.

Advancing slowly, Sofia stops directly in front of the now restrained Sara.

"This was a pleasure, Sara," Sofia says in a mockingly sweet voice.

Reaching out, she pats the side of Sara's face with her palm. "See you around."

Sara jerks her head, trying to get out from under Sofia's touch as best her limited freedom will allow.

Stepping back towards her car, Sofia sends me a wink.

"Oh, and I'll be seeing you too, Catherine."

Pulling against me furiously, I grip Sara even tighter as she tries yet again to have a go at Sofia.

"Get the hell out of here, Curtis," I growl at the blonde, knowing Sara won't calm down until she is out of sight.

Smiling, Sofia gives us both one final look and a bemused shake of the head before getting into her car.

"You two are perfect for each other," she mocks under her breath as she closes the door behind her.

Watching her pull off in a flurry of dirt, I wait until her car is out of sight before addressing the brunette still restrained in my arms.

"Calm down," I tell her sternly, feeling her body literally shaking with rage against my own.

Letting out a breath, I shake my head.

"Calm the fuck down, Sara," I repeat.

Sara doesn't say anything, her expression dark and tense.

When she finally stops pulling against me, I wait a few moments.

"I'm going to let you go," I tell her, "But you have to calm the hell down. I can feel you shaking."

Taking a breath, Sara angles her gaze out towards the mountains.

"I'm sorry," she eventually gets out after a few more minutes of tense silence.

I lower my head.

"So am I, Sara," I breathe out in a defeated breath. "So am I."

Letting her go, I watch as we both take a cautious step away from one another, our proximity being simply too much after all that has happened between us.


"Come on," I tell Sara, turning to make my way to the Tahoe.

I know that more than anything Sara wants to pretend like this never happened. For once, I am willing to live in denial right along with her.

I don't know what to say to her, quite frankly. I don't know whether to ream her out for her reckless behavior, or whether to thank her for having my back and looking out for me.

"You figure out who she was?" I ask instead in what I hope sounds like a neutral voice after we have been on the road a couple minutes.

I know exactly who the 'witness' was that Sara was damn near close to strangling earlier.

"No," Sara answers from beside me, keeping her gaze out her window.

"Well, it wasn't for lack of trying," I tell her honestly, sending her a knowing look when she finally brings her gaze to mine.

Furrowing my brows in concern, I reach out towards her face.

"You're bleeding," I tell her, my hand stopping just short of actually making contact.

I don't think my heart could take the rejection of feeling her pull away from me right now, whether the action is voluntary or not.

Turning her head to catch her reflection in the window, she is soon focusing again on the scenery beyond it.

"It's just a scrape."

Deciding not to argue with her, but knowing damn well it's more than a scrape, I continue driving.

"She touched you," I state, breaking the silence a few moments later. "That woman."

Turning to me, Sara's expression grows dark. "I know."

Balling her hands into fists, Sara clenches her jaw.

"God, Catherine, you…you shouldn't have had to see that…see her…"

She takes a shaky breath. "I've honestly never felt so much hatred towards a person who I don't even know."

Her voice grows quiet, "And it's not even fair of me to put the blame on her. It's all my own damn fault. Maybe that's why I got so angry."

Lifting her eyes to mine, she looks more defeated than I can ever remember seeing her.

"I'm sorry," she tells me genuinely for the second time tonight.

Reaching out, I take a chance and grip her hand in mine, trying not to think too much about the action and what it means.

"I know."

Removing my hand from hers before the feeling of touching her becomes too much, I pause, waiting for my own emotions to settle.

"What I meant, though Sara, was she touched you."

Looking over at her as much as driving allows, I direct my eyes to her hip.

"When she was touching your face, her other hand was on your hip. On your belt."

Looking down at her pants, Sara's expression instantly shifts and I know she understands.

"You're a genius," she tells me, carefully moving to hold the lap band of her seatbelt away from her body.


AN: Thanks for reading.