AN: Sorry for the delay. Thank you all so much for your continued interest and support. Hope everyone is doing well.

Take care and enjoy.


CHAPTER 28

"Don't wait to define things before you move on with your life. Otherwise, you'll be left surrounded by things you still don't understand, and, what's worse, you'll be standing still."


CATHERINE POV

Reaching over, I pull at Sara's t-shirt near her shoulder.

Peering at me through her sunglasses, she raises a brow.

"Dust," I explain, brushing my hand off on my jeans. "I think…"

Snorting, Sara wipes absently at her body. "I hope."

"Me too," I tell her seriously, hating the thought that what I assumed to be dust could actually be more disturbing things, like spider webs.

Running a hand through her hair, Sara hands me a water bottle, leaning her back against the Tahoe.

"Thanks."

Taking a few swallows, I let my body return toward equilibrium, my temperature cooling and my pulse evening out.

An afternoon of cleaning out our old house has unfortunately made me very aware of just how much crap I have accumulated despite my best efforts.

Looking over, I note that Sara isn't drinking her own water, instead staring down at the bottle with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Sar?"

Pulled from her thoughts, she looks over at me. Seeing my questioning expression, she shakes her head.

"Sorry," she offers.

"Want to talk about whatever it is that's had you so distracted this afternoon?" I ask, wishing I could see her eyes through the dark lenses covering her face.

She takes a breath, brows furrowed.

"I just…"

Trailing off, she is clearly struggling to get her thoughts in order, to figure out what she wants to say to me and how best to say it.

After a moment or two, Sara finally lets out a breath in frustration.

"Are you sure you want to move back in here with me?" she gets out, tensely turning her water bottle in her hands as she absently gestures towards our old house that we just spent the afternoon cleaning with her head.

I stay silent, trying to figure out the motivation behind the question.

Sara has been quiet ever since she broached the topic of moving back into this house last night. Even then she wasn't very talkative, simply telling me her intentions of moving back in when we were alone in Nancy's kitchen after dinner. She told me she was planning to move back in the next day, and wanted to let me know I'm welcome there as well if I wish. She told me the house isn't 'hers' but 'ours', and that she would respect any decision I made before walking back out to help Nancy with dessert.

As if the decision was even a decision at all.

When I don't say anything in response to her question, Sara swallows tightly.

"This house isn't what it used to be," she gives in explanation. "I don't want you to feel obligated."

Swallowing again, she rubs her temples.

"I don't want you to have to relive everything," she reveals, voice tight. "What happened in there that day isn't something that just happened to me."

I nod, watching her closely.

"No it isn't," I agree.

Taking a breath, I straighten up, angling my body slightly closer to hers.

"But it's you, honey, that needs to be okay with being here," I tell her. "It was your brother, your past, your everything that played out in this house."

Watching her profile, I try to draw her gaze.

No luck.

"It's you that I'm worried about being back here," I tell her honestly, watching her as she continues to watch the water in her hands.

She's silent for a moment, head angling to the side.

"The guys replaced the carpet, the chairs, returned everything to just the way it was," she says.

"That's not what matters, Sara, and you know it."

"Are you really okay with moving back in?" she asks me, ignoring my statement.

"Yes," I tell her honestly. "It's our home."

Head finally turning to face me, she watches me closely for a few moments before she nods.

"Okay," she says simply, pushing away from the Tahoe to head back towards the house.

"Hey," I call after her, waiting until she stops and turns back around.

Walking up to her, I search her face.

"Are you okay with going back there?" I ask seriously.

"Yes," she tells me without hesitation.

Taking a breath, I try to resist the urge to remove the sunglasses from her eyes.

But, the reasonable part of me knows that, sadly, even without her sunglasses I won't be able to read Sara's eyes unless she lets me.

I must look doubtful of her honesty, though, because Sara's expression shifts.

"Really, Catherine, it's fine."

A small, almost sad smile comes to her face.

"Besides, the good memories in that house outnumber the bad."

Finally opening her water bottle, Sara takes a small drink as she turns and heads back into the house to finish unpacking our things.

Watching her retreat, I am about to follow after her to help when my phone begins vibrating in my pocket. Pulling it out, I glance at the caller ID.

"Willows."


"Check it again," I demand, trying to keep my voice low, eyes nervously watching the front door.

"I've checked it three times, Catherine," Brass tells me tersely. "I don't know how the hell she did it, but she did."

"It's not possible," I tell him in disbelief. "It's too soon."

I hear him sigh on the other end of the phone.

"She's been cleared of all charges, given her formal statement. Now that she's passed her psyche eval, I have no legitimate reason to keep her from returning to duty."

"Then make up an illegitimate one!" I growl out. "She just got back from her brother's funeral less than 48 hours ago."

"I wish I could," Brass tells me. "I honestly do."

"She's not okay," I tell him sternly. "I'm warning you right now, she's not okay. I don't care what that damn psyche eval says."

"Unless you're willing to make a formal complaint against her ability to perform her duties, my hands are tied," he tells me quietly.

"This is bullshit," I tell him bluntly. "And this is a huge mistake."

Hearing him sigh, his voice is quieter when he speaks this time. "There's nothing more you or I can do here, Catherine. I'm sorry, I really am."

Knowing my anger is not with him, but with the situation, I sigh as well.

"I know," I mutter before hanging up.


CATHERINE POV

"Who was that?" Sara asks me when I step back inside, gesturing to the phone still in my hand.

"Brass," I tell her, trying to keep my voice casual. "Where do you want me to put the keys to your Tahoe?"

Sending me a suspicious look, Sara watches me for a moment before gesturing to the counter.

Placing her keys there, I try to appear busy folding my clothing as I pull it from my suitcase.

"You want to talk about it?" Sara offers with a small smile, replaying my own words spoken just minutes before back to me.

Looking up, I see her eyes watching mine, her expression gentle, but concerned.

Letting out a breath, I put down the shirt in my hands.

"You passed your psyche eval," I tell her, watching her reaction.

Sara tenses slightly, but keeps her reaction carefully controlled.

"Oh," she says simply. "Good, thanks."

"Sure," I tell her, resuming my folding.

Eventually, I let out a sigh, once again putting the shirt down.

"Were you going to tell me about it, Sara?" I ask her, watching as her eyes move back up to meet mine.

"About my psyche eval?" she questions in confusion.

"Yes," I answer. "That you were taking it this morning during your 'errands' you had to run."

Sara shrugs.

"Not really," she tells me honestly, still looking confused. "I wasn't aware it was something you needed to be told."

"Why?" I scoff. "Because we're not together anymore?"

"What?" Sara gets out, her expression now completely baffled.

"No," she says, shaking her head. "Because I assumed we were all in agreement that I'm still sane, and therefore taking a psyche eval to prove that isn't some big, noteworthy event."

Eyes searching mine, Sara puts down her own clothing in her hands.

"Catherine?" she questions, no doubt trying to figure out my behavior right now.

"I need some air," I tell her, not waiting for a response before I stand and make my way from the house.


About five minutes pass before I feel Sara step up to lean against the porch railing beside me.

"You okay?" she asks quietly. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want, I just want to know if you're okay."

Taking a long breath, I watch the front yard, not ready to meet her eyes despite my earlier wishes to do just that.

"I'm okay," I tell her honestly. "Just have a lot on my mind."

Turning to watch the yard with me, Sara nods slowly.

"I'm here if you need me," she offers. "And I can also be not here if that helps instead."

Finally looking over, I watch her profile before shaking my head.

"The former," I tell her. "It's always going to be the former, Sara."

Sara nods.

"Okay," she says simply.

Watching the various activities of nature going on around us, she takes a breath.

"Do you think we're making a huge mistake, Catherine?" she asks. "Moving back in together before we even know what our relationship is anymore?"

I shrug. "Probably."

Raising a brow, Sara turns toward me.

Following suit, I meet her eyes before shrugging again.

"We probably are," I say. "But quite frankly, I don't really give a shit."

Not able to help the snort that comes out in response to my unexpected answer, she sends me a look before growing serious again.

"There's so much we haven't even talked about, Cath," she tells me quietly, her eyes conflicted as they meet mine.

"I know," I tell her.

"I'm serious," she says sadly, eyes lowering. "We haven't talked about any of it…those pictures…"

She shakes her head, "What went on in those pictures…"

"I know," I tell her again, stepping slightly closer to her.

"Catherine…"

"Shh, Sar," I tell her, reaching out and placing my hand gently across her chest. "We'll figure it out."

She still looks conflicted, her eyes troubled as they raise to mine.

Cupping her face gently with my hands, I shake my head.

"We'll figure it out, sweetheart," I tell her gently. "Together."

I feel her take a deep breath, not looking convinced, her expression tense as she looks down at me.

"Trust me?" I ask her in a whisper, searching her eyes.

She's silent for a moment, before some of the tension finally starts to leave her frame.

"Always," she tells me quietly and simply.

Taking another breath, her expression softens further, her hands reaching up to take mine from her face so that she can hold them in her own.

"Always."


CATHERINE POV

Enjoying our evening together before we head back to work in the morning, I am about to shove another forkful of lasagna into my mouth when my phone rings.

I don't know why I'm so popular today.

"Willows," I answer without looking at the ID.

"Flynn."

Shaking my head, I roll my eyes, neither of which my sister can see.

"Funny," I tell her dryly.

"I thought so," she tells me, and though her words are playful, I can hear the edge to her voice lying underneath.

"What's going on?" I ask her, trying to sound casual.

"Have you looked at any of the news out of the bay area lately?" she asks.

Furrowing my brows at her unexpected question, I idly glance up at Sara who is currently not paying me much attention as she pours herself more water.

"No, why?" I ask, keeping my tone even.

"You might want to look," Nancy tells me cryptically.

"Okay, great," I respond, tone light.

"She's there with you?" Nancy assumes based on my strange reaction.

"Yes."

"When you look, do it alone," Nancy warns.

"Sounds good," I tell her, watching as Sara swallows some water before returning her glass to the table and taking hold of her fork.

Hanging up, I tuck my phone back in my pocket.

"Nancy wants to do breakfast sometime this week," I offer in explanation, feeling bad for lying but not really seeing another option at the moment.

Glancing up, Sara nods.

"Okay," she tells me, watching me for a moment before returning her attention to her food.

Breathing in, I try to follow suit, when all I can think about is what I'm going to find on the internet the first free moment I get to look.


AN: Thanks for reading.