For those interested, I can now tell you that the fire scene is in chapter 25, so not long to go :) But there will be much more drama before that!

x x x x

Sara jumped at the sound of the front door opening, rising quickly to her feet.

Kirsty walked into the flat, placing her keys onto the bench and stripping her jacket off in slow, measured movements. She knew Sara was watching her, waiting for her to say something. To offer a comment on the bandage on her forehead, she guessed.

"Hi." Sara said at last, fed up of the deathly silence hanging between them. Finally, Kirsty turned towards her with a steely expression.

"Hey." She greeted coolly. "That looks painful."

Sara touched the wound instinctively, offering a meek nod.

"It's okay." She shrugged. "I fell."

"Yeah, I know." Kirsty pursed her lips, casting a lazy glance around the room, oblivious to Sara's brief panicked look. "I called the lab, they said you'd been taken to hospital." She flicked her eyes back to her girlfriend's. "Nasty fall was it?"

Sara swallowed hard, resisting the urge to take a step back. Any sign of weakness now would not play in her favour.

"So," Kirsty continued, moving closer. "Who brought you home? Catherine, was it?"

"Yeah." She straightened up a little at the simple mention of the blonde's name. "I didn't tell her, if that's what you're wondering."

"Tell her what, Sara?" Kirsty took a threatening step towards her. "That I pushed you?"

Sara pursed her lips, not daring to admit it out loud; although it was clear from the look on her face what she was getting at.

Kirsty kept moving until they were barely an inch apart, when her hands darted out and she shoved Sara roughly backwards.

Her heart skipped a beat and she threw her hands out behind her instinctively to break her fall, her stomach continuing to lurch even after she had landed safely on the couch. Kirsty laughed, leaning down to rest her hands on Sara's knees.

"You've got no proof." She hissed.

Sara's eyes darted involuntarily towards her work bag, sitting innocently on the kitchen counter.

Kirsty's sharp gaze caught the movement and a smirk spread across her ruby lips.

Pushing herself off of Sara's legs, she walked slowly towards the bag and tipped it upside down, watching with glee as the contents spilled across the floor.

Keys, loose change, make-up, a hair brush and a whole host of other items scattered across the wooden floor.

But no file.

"Oh, what's the matter?" She asked smarmily at Sara's dismayed expression. "Missing something?"

Sara flicked her eyes up, anger seeping into the dark orbs.

"What have you done with it?"

Throwing the now-empty bag down on top of everything else, she produced the missing file from her own handbag and walked back to the couch, standing directly over Sara and holding her gaze firmly.

"It was a nice try." She conceded. "You certainly did your research. But it's too late."

With a firm tug, she managed to rip the whole folder in half, tossing both pieces into a nearby trash can. Then, with an unnaturally steady hand, she produced a lighter, lit it and tossed it into the bin.

The paper took instantly, burning with a bright orange flame.

Sara's eyes glistened in the flickering light. Kirsty leant down close to her ear, her breath grazing the sensitive skin there.

"Next time you try to corner me, you remember this." She stroked Sara's face with an unexpected gentleness, sliding onto the woman's lap and blocking her view of the burning folder. "Now, you and I are going to start again."

Sara swallowed hard, shaking her head against the tears stinging at her eyes. She was trapped.

Kirsty leant forward, stealing a kiss from her trembling girlfriend.

"Isn't that right, baby?"

X x x

"Take it off." Catherine instructed quietly. Her voice was oddly empty, but there was a deep sympathy hidden in her eyes.

Sara did as requested, wincing as she slipped out of her shirt.

Catherine bit her lower lip, shaking her head sadly at the bruises that swam into her view.

Blinking hard against the tears that invariably started to form in her eyes, she raised her phone and began taking photos.

Neither ever spoke during these times. Likewise, Catherine always resisted the urge to touch Sara. The only way she could do this, to take these pictures of her friend's battered body, was to pretend that this was just another case. By keeping a physical distance between herself and Sara, she could convince herself that she was just another victim.

There was a knock at the door and both women turned in shocked unison at the realisation that neither of them had locked it.

Before they could do anything about their compromising position, the door swung open and Greg strolled in.

"Hey Cath, I've…" He trailed off, his eyes settling on Sara's exposed skin as the brunette hurriedly attempted to cover herself up.

To her surprise, he flicked his eyes to Catherine's in horror.

"Not again!"

A panicked Sara whirled on Catherine, who was looking sheepishly between the two of them.

"He knows?"

"Yeah, he does." She shifted awkwardly, catching Sara's arm before she could run away. "Listen, it's okay. He's not going to tell anyone. Are you?"

Greg didn't even seem to be listening, his eyes still searching whatever skin he could see. He looked pale, visibly nauseas.

"I can't do this." He murmured tearfully, stumbling back out of the door.

Sara bolted after him, barely managing to button up her shirt before making it into the hall.

"Sara, wait!" Catherine hollered after her, but her plea went unheard.

Ignoring the bemused looks from the lab rats, she caught his arm just outside the break room and forcibly hurled him into the far side of the corridor.

"Sara!" He gasped, winded. "You have to tell them!"

She glanced across the hall into the break room, where Nick and Warrick were messing around obliviously.

"They can't." she insisted, turning back to him with a desperate look. "Please Greg, don't do this."

Despite his best efforts, the young man felt his resolve waning as he stared into her pleading hazel eyes.

"Sara, you can't let her get away with this." He insisted, lowering his voice.

She dropped her eyes sadly.

"How much did Cath tell you?"

"Everything." He straightened up a little. "But only because I made her. I saw the bruises on you when you slipped in the shower."

"Oh, God." She ran a hand through her hair, letting her eyes drift towards the ceiling. "You of all people weren't meant to find out."

He frowned, not sure whether to take offence at that.

However, before he could question the remark, Grissom wandered out of his office.

"Ah, good." He announced strolling up to them. "You two have a double homicide in Summerlin." He handed Sara the assignment slip with a bright smile. "Take Catherine."

Greg could kiss his supervisor right now.

Sara, in comparison, looked like she was trying to kill him with her eyes.

X x x

This day just kept getting worse for Sara.

If it wasn't bad enough that she was working with Catherine and Greg, the EMTs were still at the scene when they arrived.

And guess which EMT in particular was lurking outside his rig?

He spotted the brunette as soon as she got out of the car and began making a beeline for her, but she quickly diverted around the lingering cops into the house. Behind her, she heard Cath mutter an expletive under her breath, as she too spotted Hank's approach.

"Greg," the older woman ordered. "You talk to the EMTs."

He looked across the parking lot and his shoulders drooped sadly, but he accepted the task with no complaint and heaved his kit towards them.

"Hank." He greeted coolly.

"I want to talk to her." The EMT jumped in straight away, earning him an odd look from his partner. It wasn't Nikki this time. Instead, a tall balding man in his late fifties was paired with the familiar paramedic.

"Tough." Greg stated calmly, unclipping his kit and taking out his torch. "I need to see your boots."

X x x

Sara kept her head low as she scoured the kitchen surfaces for signs of prints, determinedly avoiding eye contact with everyone who came near her.

It had not gone unnoticed by her that Catherine had yet to inquire how she had gotten her latest bruises; and that was not a conversation she was looking forward to.

She was also well aware that Hank was still on the premises and, if what Greg had told her was true, she had a pretty good idea what he wanted to talk to her about.

It had unnerved her enough to discover that her ex had been the one hauling her unconscious ass into the ambulance. To find out that he also probably knew about her injuries … well, that was a realisation she could have done without.

She heard his footsteps enter the room long before he actually dared approach her, but she kept her back turned. She hoped that the longer she ignored him, the more likely he was to leave her alone.

"Hey Sara," He cleared his throat nervously, effectively shattering her theory to pieces. "Can I have a minute?"

"I'm working." She pointed out bluntly.

"I know, but this is important."

Finally stopping what she was doing, she turned to meet his gaze.

"I have nothing to say to you." She stated calmly, attempting to walk around him towards the kitchen cupboards.

He grabbed her arm, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from the girl.

"Let go of me." She stated through gritted teeth.

"Sara please," he hadn't meant for it to come out so needy; he was not a man who usually begged people for anything but this woman had a way of bringing it out in him. "Just give me a minute."

"Not now Hank." She attempted to shake him off, with little effect at first. "I'm busy."

When she finally managed to free herself, he quickly reached out for her again and in her effort to avoid him she accidently fell back into the kitchen counter.

He cast an anxious glance around them, noting with dismay that Catherine was watching them guardedly from across the room.

Deciding it was in his best interests right now to keep his hands to himself; he leant down to her and lowered his voice.

"It'll only take a minute." He reiterated.

X x x

Catherine cast a casual glance across the room and froze. In the kitchen Hank had finally succeeded in collaring Sara, despite the brunette's best efforts. He appeared to have a fairly tight grip on her wrist, a sight which instantly set the older woman on edge. She had forgotten how tall he was; he towered over Sara.

Putting down her camera, she stood up and started towards them, intent on prising his slimy hands off her by any means necessary, when Sara seemed to take care of the situation all by herself.

However, her attempt backfired slightly and she had to steady herself on the counter.

Cath paused, eyeing the situation carefully from a distance. There were cops everywhere – including Brass. The last thing she wanted to do to Sara now was create a scene.

Hank said something else that she didn't catch, but the brunette's response was plain enough.

She launched herself off the counter and darted into the back yard, leaving Hank stood alone with his hands outstretched helplessly.

"Sara, baby!" He called out weakly.

Catherine strolled towards the doors after her colleague, deliberately brushing past him on the way.

"She's not your baby anymore." She pointed out with a harsh tone, shooting him a sly glare.

"I didn't touch her." He said, a little more defensively than he'd intended.

"I saw." She retorted coolly, stalking after Sara and leaving him alone in her wake.

X x x

"Hey." She greeted softly, not wanting to startle the younger woman further. "You alright?"

Sara turned, using her sleeves to wipe at her eyes.

"Why did you have to tell Greg?" She hiccupped weakly.

Cath softened her gaze, walking closer with outstretched arms.

"He already knew. I just filled in the blanks." She explained, tentatively wrapping Sara into a hug. "I'm sorry honey; I know you didn't want anyone to find out. But he cares about you. He wants to help."

"I know." Sara buried her face in Catherine's neck, inhaling the scent of her hair. She was well aware that they were still at a scene and if anyone saw them now it would look highly suspicious, but she didn't want to let go of her.

"What did Hank want?" Cath asked at last, pulling back and reaching up to tuck a perpetually loose strand of hair behind Sara's ear.

"The same thing Greg went to you for. He wants to know where the bruises are from."

"Did you tell him?"

Sara gave her a look.

"Did it look like I told him?" She asked rhetorically.

Cath smiled, glad to see a hint of the old, sarcastic Sara, even if it was only a brief glimpse.

And, for some reason, it comforted her to know that Hank was still in the dark about Kirsty. Something about the way he was with Sara in the shower room had left her feeling unsettled. He had known so much about her.

The rational part of her brain kept reminding her that Sara and Hank had been together for a while and it made sense that he would know what sort of medication she took. However, the irrational, emotional part of her was bothered by the thought that he was privy to such personal knowledge.

Sara was her friend. As selfish as it may sound, if anyone should know that information, she should.