Chapter Two
The all decided to meet at a local restaurant/club that had just opened. Greg talked Sara into going, insisting she owed him a night out after being gone for so long. Nick sat giving her his best sad, little puppy dog look, so she gave in to their demands. Greg informed Catherine, Jim and the rest of the crew about time and location.
Catherine headed home for some sleep and a shower before meeting the gang at the club. She was lost in thought at she washed the days grime off of her body. As she lathered the soap and spread the suds across her arms and legs and stomach, her mind wandered back to that night. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, remembering the feeling of warm hands on her skin. She longed for that feeling again. She craved it. She still couldn't forget how it felt.
The water turned cold, so Catherine turned off the flow and stepped out onto her white fluffy rug. She toweled off her hair and wrapped herself in her favorite robe. She padded off to the kitchen and sat at the table to drink the tea she had made before her shower. It was plenty cool now. As she sat there in her kitchen, her mind wandered again.
"I can't stay here, Catherine. This case.....It just reminds me of why I can't stay in Vegas." Sara wiped at her tears that were about to fall. "There is so much death here."
Catherine sat on her sofa listening to Sara, hoping she wouldn't leave again. It was painful when Warrick died, but having Sara back somehow eased the pain in her heart. Catherine moved closer to Sara on the sofa and took her hands into hers, softly smiling.
"I don't think it's the case that's making you leave, Sara." Sara just sat staring at her as Catherine gently rubbed her thumbs across the backs of Sara's hands. "I overheard your conversation with Gil."
Catherine expected her to pull away, get up and storm out. What Sara did do, took her totally by surprise. She felt Sara grip her hands more tightly and moved closer so that their thighs were touching. "I don't think he loves me anymore."
The tears now fell freely as Sara began to sob. Catherine pulled her close, holding her as she cried onto her shoulder. She ran her hands soothingly up and down her back, secretly enjoying the feel of this woman pressed up against her and willingly in her embrace. Without thinking, Catherine let out a moan of frustration. Sara pulled back and looked at Catherine, her face showing concern and question.
"Cat? You okay?" Sara brushed back Catherine's hair, tucking it behind her ear.
Catherine sat staring at her for a moment. Blue eyes trying to read brown. "You know, you're the only one I let call me that. It's annoying when the guys say it. But when you do, I don't know why, but it sounds kinda sexy. And I like how it sounds." She sat with a warm smile on her face, as Sara sat trying to figure out what the comment could mean.
"I'm just going to come out and say this Sara. If you hate me, you hate me. I think Gil loves you, but I don't think he's ever really been IN LOVE with you. He loved the idea of you, the secrecy, the mystery." She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. "He could never love you like I do, Sara."
"What?" Sara tried to get up, but Catherine held her hands tight, pulling her back down onto the sofa. "That's not even funny Catherine! Since when did you develop such a sick sense of humor?"
"Sara! I'm not joking! I'm not that cruel! I just decided that I needed to say what I was feeling! So, there it is! I think you are a wonderful, sexy, beautiful and smart woman. I find you VERY attractive and I think Gil is all wrong for you as a partner."
"And you think I should just leave him and start a relationship with you.....a woman. A woman who has shown so much jealousy, arrogance and disrespect to me as a professional?"
"Sara, its not like that!" Catherine protested.
They sat in silence for several minutes. Catherine watched Sara as emotions were processed, evident by the looks that passed across Sara's face. After a few sighs and huffs, Sara finally turned to Catherine and scooted closer to her on the sofa. She took Catherine's hands into her own and smiled at her.
"Rot in hell, Catherine. I came here for support and comfort. And this is what I get." Sara got up this time and headed for the door. Catherine caught up to her slamming the door shut from behind Sara as she began to open it. "What the he.."
Sara's words were cut off by Catherine's lips. She moaned in protest, pushing against Catherine with her the palms of her hands. But Catherine pushed against her harder, pinning her to the door. When Catherine moved her hands down Sara's back, letting her hands rest on her ass, Sara stopped moving. When Catherine plunged her tongue into Sara's mouth, Sara moaned and started to kiss back, sucking her tongue into her wet mouth. After a few moments, Catherine pulled back.
"Sure you want to go, Sara?" She leaned in, devouring Sara's mouth with a passion she didn't know existed until that moment. Sara hesitated once again, but when Catherine pulled her closer, she gave in to the feelings and became a full participant. Seconds, minutes, hours could have passed Sara didn't know how many. She began to let her hands wander. She tangled them into Catherine's hair, moving them ever so slowly along her arms, down her sides and finally resting on her hips. Catherine let out a moan and pulled Sara's hips flush against her own. Sara let herself get lost in the feeling. She had never felt such an intensity in her life. Not as a teen, not even with Gil. GIL! She pulled back suddenly.
"I cant do this, Catherine." Tears were streaming down Sara's face. "I'm leaving Vegas. It might be over with Gil. But one thing I do know...I'm never coming back here to Vegas. Ever."
With that comment she pulled open the door and slammed it shut on her way out, leaving Catherine wondering at what had really just happened.
"When you come back to Vegas, Sara." She spoke out loud to the empty space. "I promise you this: I will show you how much I love you and that we are meant to be together."
Catherine shook her head trying to erase the memory. Sara's actions today made it seem like maybe that was all a dream or she had imagined it. Sara was here. Really here! Now the real question was why? Sure, she was teaching crime scene tips to the LVPD, but it was more. She just needed to figure out why and see if she could keep her promise.
Later that night, the old gang was reassembled sitting in a corner booth in a restaurant. They all made a toast in memory of their good friend Warrick. Sara was wedged in between Catherine and Greg. Nick, Mandy, Hodges, Henry, Wendy, Doc Robbins and the new hire, Langston, all joined the party. Chairs were brought over as people took seats at the already crowded table. After a few drinks and dinner, they decided to go into the club that was adjacent to the restaurant. Doc, Langston, Nick, Mandy and Henry had to go in to work, so the remaining group found a table and ordered a round of drinks.
"To Sara's Return!" Greg held up a bottle of beer. "It might not be for long, but I promise to make it memorable and eventful!"
"CHEERS!" They all clinked their glasses, laughing and talking at once. Sara had a permanent smile on her face as she chatted with her friends and former co-workers. She hadn't smiled this much in ages. Catherine sat silently, enjoying the sight of Sara Sidle having fun. Greg kept teasing her about this or that, to which Sara would playfully slap his arm and shake her head. Wendy and Hodges seemed a bit cozy and were currently holding hands and discussing some Star Trek episode and the relevance of the storyline to real life. She was sure they were secretly dating. Hodges had not long ago asked about dating co-workers. Who was she to destroy happiness? As long as they did their job, she had no problem with it. If it became a problem, then she would deal with it.
"Hey, Cat." Catherine hadn't noticed that Sara had moved so close to her. Her chair was right next to hers, their thighs touching. Sara put her arm around Catherine's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "You having fun, Cat?"
Sara was a bit tipsy, she knew this, but liquor could be like truth serum, so she turned her head to face Sara. "Are you?"
"Oh, yeah. Its great to see everyone and catch up." There faces were mere inches apart. Catherine had a hard time focusing on something other than Sara's luscious lips or her amazing brown eyes. Sara leaned in closer to Catherine's ear. "I didn't know those two were an item." she discretely pointed towards Wendy and Hodges.
"Yeah, for a while now. But it's a secret." Catherine smiled and leaned in, placing her hand on Sara's thigh. "Or so they think."
"Hmmmm." Sara closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Why was Catherine touching her leg? Did she still harbor feelings for her? Sara opened her eyes and found a grinning Catherine, just inches from her lips. Sara leaned in and placed a small kiss on Catherine's cheek and whispered "I will never forget that kiss, Cat. I can't NOT think about it."
Catherine jerked her head back away from Sara, staring at her in confusion. Just then Greg decided to interrupt with drink orders and headed off to the bar with Hodges to get another round. Wendy sat staring at them, a curious look on her face.
"So, uh, how are things in the lab, Wendy?" Sara asked nervously, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms across her chest.
"Oh, the usual. Too much work, very little time. You know the story. It's nothing interesting." Wendy waved her hand in dismissal. "But I bet you have some great stories! I mean you left Vegas so quickly, then I heard you were in the Galapagos Islands!How cool was that?"
"It was pretty interesting. I saw some amazing animals, walked in Darwin's footsteps. It was an almost religious experience for me." Sara had a grin on her face.
"So, did Grissom join you there? Or somewhere else?" Wendy kept questioning her.
"Oh, uh, no. He wouldn't leave and join me there, so I was alone. He finally decided he couldn't live without me and joined me in Costa Rica in the jungle where I was with a research team."
"That must have been amazing and crazy, huh?" Wendy chuckled.
"What do you mean?" Sara asked in confusion, noticing Wendy was a bit drunk and seemed to not be making much sense. Or was she just too drunk and didn't understand?
"I meeeean....making love to the Bugman in the Jungle!" Wendy slurred out laughing.
"What so funny?" Hodges asked as he sat back down and placed a blue drink in front of Wendy.
"Sex with Grissom." Wendy stated. Catherine nearly spit out the sip of her drink she had just taken from Greg. Greg shot a look at Sara, a smile on his face. But Sara was not laughing she looked like she was on the verge of tears. They all sat in silence, staring at Sara.
"Come on Ladies, lets get out here and shake your stuff!!!" The DJ declared over the loudspeaker as a new dance tune began to play. Catherine decided to break the mood. She stood up and pulled on Sara's hand, making her stand.
"Lets go dance!"
A/N: well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There is much more to come. And to all the GSR fans I usually write for, sorry. This is NOT a GSR story. Its cath/sara femslash. But I promise to treat Grissom nicely. I do love him!!!! Please leave a review and any ideas you have, I appreciate them!!! I hope to update much more this week, since I will be on vacation and have time to do so. I LOVE REVIEWS!!!! Wendy