AN: Thank you to the reviewers, much appreciated. And, katvrah, hopefully this chapter will help with your question. But basically, no, Cath's mom has not been a fan of Sara. :/ Thank you again to you guys who take the time out of your day to share your thoughts/opinions with me.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Take care and enjoy.

CHAPTER 24

"Whatever there be of progress in life comes not through adaptation but through daring, through obeying the blind urge."

Henry Miller

CATHERINE POV

"I said hello…"

"I heard you."

"Oh, so you're not speaking to me now, is that it?"

"Mother," I turn, looking at her over my shoulder. "Are we really going to do this?"

"Well, you're clearly upset."

"Clearly."

My mother crosses her arms over her chest.

"I didn't do anything wrong, Cathy."

"Oh," my eyebrows rise to my hairline. "Really?"

I turn to fully face her.

"You think the things you said to Laura yesterday were perfectly fine?"

"Laura?" my mother shakes her head. "Now the two of you are on a first name basis?"

I shrugs, "Yes, as a matter of fact."

"Oh, that's just lovely, dear," my mom smiles, but it's anything than pleasant.

"What is your issue with her?" I question sincerely. "You never even met the woman before, and you practically jumped down her throat."

My mother tenses, turning to straighten the items on the counter.

The already organized items.

"I can't believe a girl as smart as you can't figure out my issues with her," my mother states sternly.

"She has a past," I agree. "But that doesn't make her a bad person. Both of us should know that more than anyone."

"Your past was different," my mother glares. "You didn't kill someone."

"She didn't know what she was doing," I say. "She was mentally ill."

"Was?" my mother questions with raised brows. "I wasn't aware there was a cure for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder or whatever it was she was diagnosed with."

"You know what I meant."

"I also know what I warned you about, Cathy," my mother straightens up to advance a couple steps towards me angrily. "I told you to stay away from that Sara girl. That she was a problem. And that was before I hear that her mother suffers from mental illness to the point where she kills someone, a fact which you apparently knew, and yet you still invite them to dinner like they're the Brady bunch."

I shake my head, not believing the words coming from my mother's mouth.

"They're good people," I tell her tightly. "Whether you want to believe that or not, they are."

"I don't believe that," my mother shrugs. "I don't trust Sara, and I certainly don't trust her mother."

My mom fixes me with a look that I remember well from my youth.

"Don't be wasting your time with those sorts of people, Catherine. You have a wonderful job now with the FBI, you're happy in Washington." She shakes her head. "Don't throw all that away on a murderer and her troubled daughter."

I tighten my jaw, tossing my mail down on the counter.

"I'm an adult," I tell her. "I can decide who I keep in my life for myself."

We stare each other down.

Eventually, I take a breath, shaking my head.

"She saved my life, mother."

My mom looks away.

"No," I tell her. "You can't spit out all these assumptions you have about Sara and then refuse to listen to the truth."

I breathe out, trying to steady my emotions.

"Those men took me," I get out. "And she came after them, sacrificing her own life so I wouldn't be there alone. So that I would have a chance at the team finding me and getting me out of there."

I wipe at the moisture in my eyes.

"They beat her," I get out, voice shaking. "They tortured her."

I make sure my mother's eyes remain on mine.

"All that pain, and she did it all to save me and those other girls."

This time I'm the one who advances on my mother, putting us merely inches apart.

"You want to judge her? Disrespect her and her family?" I state. "Then know you're disrespecting the person who literally died to save your own daughter's life."

Shaking my head in disgust, I give my mother one last look before leaving the room.

"You okay?"

I look up, sending Morgan a smile.

"Yeah, sorry," I tell her. "Just thinking I guess."

Morgan nods, sending me a supportive look.

"You have a lot to be thinking about."

I watch the young girl, knowing she's one of the most perceptive members of the team. Clearly, out of anyone, she's the one who's picked up on the odd tension around me and a particular other member of the team.

"I do," I confirm.

I put down my fork, rubbing my temples.

"I don't know, Morgan," I breathe out. "I just don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"I think you know what you're doing," Morgan counters, pushing her own empty plate away. "But I think you also know the other options regarding what you could be doing."

I watch her as she watches me.

"She'll be okay," Morgan states quietly. "Regardless of what you decide about going back to Washington."

The young blond keeps her eyes fixed on mine, confident in her assessment of the situation.

"We'll take care of her," she tells me.

I nod, trying to keep the emotion from my eyes.

"I know you will."

I trust Morgan when it comes to Sara. Morgan may be a bit of a little sister when it comes to the brunette, but she's damn feisty with a stubborn streak all her own. She isn't going to let Sara get away with any of the brunette's nonsense.

"I just…I keep seeing her…her being tortured…all her blood…everywhere…"

Morgan reaches out, taking my shaking hand in her own.

"I can't close my eyes at night without seeing her hanging there…slowly dying…"

I choke back a sob, Morgan squeezing my hands across the restaurant table.

"It's alright," Morgan breathes out, letting me voice my confession that I've yet to share with anyone.

"I look at her, and I think about how close we came to losing her…" I shake my head. "It scares me, Morgan."

Morgan takes in my words, supporting me as I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"She's going to be okay," Morgan whispers once I've composed myself.

"Is she?" I ask, letting the question hang silently between us.

"She's Sara," Morgan eventually states, both of us once again falling to silence.

"What's this?" Sara questions, a confused smile on her face as she enters her house.

"This, my dear," I smile back, "is attempt at dinner number two."

Sara snorts before shaking her head, wide eyes roaming over the food set out over the table.

"Hey," Laura greets Sara as she enters the room to place the last wine glass out. "How was work?"

Sara shrugs, placing her keys on the counter. "It was fine."

Laura and I share a look at Sara's characteristically vague answer.

"Good," Laura says, pulling out a chair. "Now, get your skinny ass over here and let's eat."

Sara rolls her eyes, stifling a smile as she makes her way to join us at the table.

"My God," Sara mutters, eyes taking in the elaborate meal spread out before us. "I didn't remember I even had this silverware."

"We spared no effort," I tell the brunette. "Everyone enjoy."

Starting to serve the food, we all fall into contented silence before talking about our days.

We laugh, we smile, we have the dinner that we should have had the other night.

I'm so glad that Laura and I were able to work things out this afternoon. I stopped by after lunch with Morgan to apologize to Sara's mom. I wanted to be sure she knew that I didn't share any of my mother's thoughts or feelings that she spewed the other night.

Laura was incredibly gracious, telling me nothing was my fault and that all was forgiven.

We talked for awhile more before deciding to try again with our dinner. Laura and I shared recipes, combining different dishes of ours to make one giant feast.

It was amazing and cathartic.

It was exactly what I needed after the emotional day I had.

Glancing over at Laura, I smile as I watch her smiling at her daughter.

It's a beautiful scene, and one I hope the brunette and her mother have many more of.

"This was really nice," Sara says quietly as we reach my car. "Thanks again for doing this."

"Of course," I tell her, returning her soft smile.

Sara and I stand there awkwardly, neither one knowing quite what to do.

"Well…" Sara breathes out in almost a whisper. "Have a good night, drive safe."

"Thanks."

Sara nods, turning to leave, when I reach out and grab her by the shirt.

As if possessed, I pull her to me.

I hesitate only a moment before my lips crash into hers.

The kiss is desperate, emotional, a fulfillment of a desire I've had all evening.

It's also unreciprocated.

Not again. God, not again…

Pulling back, I step away.

"I'm sorry, Sara…I…"

Before I can apologize further, I find myself pushed back against my car.

Sara's hands find my hips the same time her lips find my own.

The kiss is searing, passionate. Immediately, our tongues fight for dominance, both of us holding the other tightly, pressing our bodies as close as physically possible.

Sara's hips push into mine, and I groan, fingers gripping her hair tightly with clenched fists.

We don't care about neighbors, privacy, all we care about is each other.

Sara moves her hands from my hips to run them up my sides.

I moan into her mouth, moving my own hands lower, dragging my nails across the skin at the back of her neck, down her shoulders.

I can feel the reaction in Sara's body, the way her breathing hitches.

When I feel her leg press between mine, I think my own breathing completely stops altogether.

"Sar…" I struggle to get out. "This…here…"

Sara doesn't hear me, or perhaps more likely, she ignores me.

Biting down gently on her bottom lip, I capture her mouth before moving my own lower, placing a trail of fevered kisses down her neck.

"We…need…stop…"

My mumbled words sound half-assed even to myself.

"Why…would we…"

Sara's own words cut through the night, and for some reason they stop me in my tracks.

Why would we stop?

One very big reason plants itself in my mind and I cannot shake it.

One very big reason named Ben Wellington.

"We," I try to catch my breath. "We need to stop…"

Sara watches me, own breathing working to steady itself.

She moves subtly back.

Holding her tightly in place, I keep my grip and my gaze on her.

"I want this," I tell her. "You have no idea how badly. But…I need to sort something out first."

Sara remains watching me, her intense hazel eyes searching my own.

Finally, she nods.

"Alright," she offers quietly.

Then, moving back further, she works to gently separate herself from me.

"I'm here when you're ready," she quietly offers.

Her kindness, her sensitivity to my needs, it makes this all the harder.

Sara is the damn noblest, loyalist, kindest person I think I've ever encountered.

And, she deserves the same from me.

"I'll see you soon," I promise her.

She nods, keeping watch as I get into my car and pull out of her drive.

The decision is made.

AN: Thanks for reading.