AN: Hope everyone is doing well. Thank you to those who took the time to share your thoughts with me last chapter - always love hearing from you guys.

Take care and enjoy.

CHAPTER 10

CATHERINE POV

Setting my keys down, I note the coffee already sitting in front of me on the table.

"Thanks," I smile at Gil, relishing that comforting feeling of someone knowing you well enough to know exactly how you take your coffee.

"You're welcome. Thanks for coming."

I nod, taking a few sips of the warm beverage. Looking up at the continued silence, I note that Gil looks a bit nervous. Which in turn makes me nervous.

Putting my mug gently down in front of me, I give Gil my full attention.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" I question, trying to give him the push he seems to need to get this conversation started.

Nodding, he sets his own coffee aside, folding his hands in front of him and placing them on the table.

"I'm down two CSIs."

I wait for him to elaborate, but already my stomach is tightening as I get a large clue as to what this particular conversation is going to be about.

"Sara is going to be out until all the paperwork from this clears, which could take a while. But, regardless, Gabe is obviously not coming back. So we are going to be down people on our team."

Gil states the above evenly, keeping the emotion out of his voice at the mention of Gabe. But, I see it in his eyes all the same.

"Gil…"

"I know you and Lindsey have a life outside of here," he pushes onward. "A happy life in Montana…and I don't mean to impose or put pressure on you. But," he keeps his eyes on mine, "Gabe's position is yours if you want it."

I lean back in the booth, needing some added space to try to process the words that Gil is stating. I knew Gil would be down CSIs, but I had assumed he would fill the positions internally. But, now this case has likely thwarted that plan, internal hires or switching CSIs between shifts not as easy as it would have been before multiple internal law enforcement officers, including CSIs, are being investigated and possibly incarcerated.

"I trust you," Gil says, likely reading my train of thought. "I need people here that I can trust, now more than ever. But, I understand if I'm asking too much."

"You run the highest ranked lab in the country, Gil," I breathe out. "Let's not act like this is just a favor you're asking me. This is also an opportunity you're offering me."

Gil is acting like he's the one putting me out right now, when in reality this offer would do more for me in my career than anything I could have accomplished in Montana.

"I know you were a supervisor on your team back home," he says. "Though Gabe wasn't, I would of course make your position here equivalent to that in Montana. You would be a supervisor here as well, CSI level 3."

As if this offer couldn't get more tempting. To be a supervisor anywhere is huge, but to be a supervisor at Vegas' lab?

Granted, while the reputation of the Vegas CSI lab is likely to suffer from this latest investigation, and suffer dearly, Grissom's team has always seemed to have its own, independent reputation. Yes, the Vegas lab was known to be stellar - the best of the best. But, Gil's team? They were almost superhuman in their reputation.

And, while Vegas' lab as a whole will be blemished by these recent events, Gil's team will likely once again come out on top. After all, it was his team, via Sidle, that picked up on the internal corruption and forced it to light. It was his team member that started the process of identifying the truth and demanding that it be made right - one untainted island of justice and honesty amongst a flawed and corrupted system.

"Crap…" I mutter, knowing this decision isn't going to be an easy one.

He's right, I have a life in Montana. A damn good one. With a team of my own that I love and a city filled with friends that I adore. I escaped Vegas once before, promising myself I would never look back. Do I really want to break my word to myself now?

Knowing I have a lot to think about, I run my hands through my hair, breathing out in a deep sigh.

"I need to figure out what I want to do," I tell Gil. "And I need to talk to Lindsey."

"Of course," Gil agrees, nodding. "And please know that I fully support whatever decision you make, Cath."

"You okay?"

Looking over at Kelly, I try to smile, slightly embarrassed that she's picked up on my mood.

"Yeah, sorry," I tell her, watching Lindsey as she plays near us on the swings. It's such a beautiful day out, and I'm finally getting to spend time with my daughter. I don't want to ruin that with my pensive mood.

"Catherine?"

Knowing better than to try to lie to my friend, however, I decide to just come clean.

"Have a lot on my mind," I confess. "Gil offered me a job here in Vegas."

"Wow," Kelly raises her brows, whistling out through her lips. "That is huge."

"I know."

"What are you going to do?"

"No clue."

Kelly smiles slightly, reaching out to squeeze my arm.

"You'll figure it out," she tells me. "You always do."

"I know," I agree. "But Lindsey's older now, there's more at stake when I make these sorts of decisions. She's affected more than when she was a baby and didn't know what was going on around her."

"But, you're still always working towards what's best for her," Kelly reassures me. "Just like you did back then. Nothing's changed about that. You're going to do what you think is best for Lindsey, as always."

"I guess I just don't know what the right decision is, what's best for her. Montana is home for us. We have a life there. But this opportunity…"

I sigh.

"This could be really good for us," I tell my friend. "But it also means…"

Kelly watches Lindsey chattering away with another little girl standing by the swing next to hers.

"It also means Eddie," Kelly supplies my unspoken words.

I nod, knowing this is where one of my greatest hesitations lie. Eddie is in Vegas. Or, at least he still was the last time I knew of his whereabouts. Eddie was a large part of the reason I left Vegas in the first place. To now be coming back when Lindsey is old enough to understand more about the world and the people around her…

I don't want him in her life at all. So isn't moving to Vegas practically delivering our daughter to his front door? But, what's worse, moving back to Vegas where Eddie is, or letting Eddie's presence here ruin a job opportunity that could be financially huge for my daughter and her future?

Sighing, I watch my beautiful daughter laughing, innocence lacing her features and the carefree tone of her laughter as it filters through this beautiful day.

"I don't know what to do, Kel," I confess.

Reaching over, she gently takes my hand.

"You'll figure it out," Kelly assures me. "You always do."

"Sofia Curtis?"

The women who answers the door looks suspicious of me, and a bit angry as well. Her entire demeanor screams 'cop', making me confident that this is 'Curtis'.

"Jim gave me your information," I tell her before she burns a hole in my face with her eyes.

"Why?"

"I'm looking for Sara."

Sofia, if possible, grows even more suspicious.

"Why? Your case against her is over."

I note her wording, as if my presence here in Vegas was to charge Sara versus determining her guilt versus innocence. It's clear she trusts me even less than Jim did when I asked him for Sara's whereabouts.

But, I think I'm growing on Jim.

Sofia? Not so much.

"Please?" I question. "I just want to speak with her."

Sighing, she glances behind her before finally opening her door further, allowing me into her home.

It's modest in size, but it's absolutely gorgeous in its interior. Marble and stonework grace most of the architecture, the house flowing beautifully from one room into another.

"She may be sleeping," Sofia warns me, keeping her voice quiet. "And if she is then you're going to have to come back. She needs rest."

"That's an understatement," I mutter, drawing Sofia's gaze to mine.

I keep my own gaze even with hers.

Continuing on our journey, Sofia stops outside what I assume to be her guest room. Cracking the door open slowly, she peers inside.

"Sar?"

Hearing a slight stirring, a very wide awake sounding voice answers. "Yeah?"

"Damn it," Sofia mutters. "You have a visitor."

"Who?"

"Catherine Willows."

There's a pause, and then a distinct curse.

"Can you tell her I'm asleep? Or dead?" she suggests. "I'll let you pick."

Sofia laughs, "I wish I could, honest. But she's standing right behind me."

"For fuck's sake," Sara mumbles. "Of course she is."

I hear more shuffling before Sara makes her way to the door, pulling a t-shirt over her head as she exits the room.

"Sorry," she offers absently, gesturing to her boxers and t-shirt. "Wasn't expecting company."

"It's fine," I tell her, smiling slightly at the solar system design on her boxers, causing Sara's cheeks to redden slightly as she looks away from me.

"I, uh," I clear my throat, getting serious. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

Sara gets the hint, gesturing to the back of Sofia's house so that we can have some privacy. Sofia, also taking the hint, heads out towards the front after one last dark glance in my direction.

Sliding open a back door, Sara lets me go through it, exiting out onto a back patio. Knowing Sara's general dislike of sitting in my presence, I remain standing near the back railing, eyes taking in the desert landscaping around me.

Sara moves to my side, leaving ample space between us.

"I heard your case was dropped."

Sara doesn't comment, only nodding quietly as her eyes also fix themselves on the nature surrounding us.

Knowing Sara isn't one to be talkative with me on a good day, especially if our last interaction was any indication, I get to the point.

"There's something I want to speak with you about," I again preface before mustering the courage to just dive right in. "They're going to reinstate you as a CSI. Once the paperwork goes through you're going to be back on Gil's team."

Sara's eyes narrow slightly, her body growing tense.

"Then why are you here?" she asks. Not rudely, per se, but definitely defensively.

"I'm not telling you anything more than I have," she tells me. "You need to let this case go."

"That's not…" I trail off, looking at her in surprise. "Do you really think that's why I'm here? To fight your reinstatement? To keep pushing you on this case?"

"You still want answers to the questions that weren't answered at court."

Sara doesn't phrase it as a question, and I don't bother denying it.

"Yes," I tell her. "I do. But not at your expense. The case against you was dropped. Am I curious about the rest? Of course. But now it's for my own curiosity versus my job. So, now it's no longer my place to pressure you like that."

Sara's eyes remain narrowed, like she's trying to figure out if I'm being truthful or just manipulating her.

"I know you don't know me," I state. "But I'm not this terrible person you seem to keep believing I am."

I paraphrase Sara's own words back to her, the ones she uttered to me what feels like ages ago, but in reality was just a few handful of days.

Sara finally looks at me, her eyes searching mine.

"I don't think you're a terrible person," she tells me, voice quiet but honest. "Never did."

Clearing her throat, she straightens up, wincing slightly as she does so.

"You okay?" I question, hating that Sara seems to keep getting shuffled from one place to another, none of which ever appears to be a damn hospital.

"Yeah," she brushes me off. "So what can I help you with?"

Taking a deep breath, I swallow tightly. "Gil offered me Gabe's position."

Sara watches me a moment before her eyes once again leave mine, looking out towards the mountains. Her body stiff, her jaw tightening. I don't say anything, letting her adjust to this news I just dropped on her. Eventually, she takes hold of the railing in her tight grip.

"Okay."

That's all she says, nothing more. No indication of her feelings on the matter, but her body language seems to say everything that her words don't.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "And I'm not trying to take Gabe's place. I know that I can never do that. That no one can ever do that."

She stays quiet, eventually her head lowering slightly.

"What did you want to talk about?" she questions quietly. "You don't need my permission to join Gil's team."

"No," I agree. "I don't."

Even though I would like her blessing, it seems unlikely for me to receive it any time soon. Though she's always been relatively respectful with me all things considered, and we've made strides the last few days, I still get the distinct impression she ultimately doesn't quite care for me all that much.

"Before I even think about accepting," I get to the reason I came. "I need to know it's safe."

I turn my gaze on her, watching her closely. "I won't ask you anything directly about the case or what the hell happened to you in the desert, who the hell was bugging my phones, any of it. But, I need to know that 'those people' you kept warning me about are out of the picture. Or that at least that I'm no longer in theirs."

I shake my head tightly.

"I won't even consider bringing my daughter here to live if there's any lingering threat whatsoever from this case."

Sara remains still, her body language not revealing anything.

"There's no threat to you anymore," she answers eventually after a few moments of tense silence. "Or her."

Standing tall, she turns to face me, eyes finally rejoining mine.

"You have my word."

I remember not too long ago when I told Sara that her word meant nothing to me. That I in absolutely no form or fashion trusted her. But, for some reason, I feel that's changed. These recent events regarding this case having been revealed to me and the world, I know Sara was doing her best to look out for me, and my daughter. Even when I wouldn't listen to her, even when I hit her, she kept trying to make me and my daughter safe.

While I still may not trust her entirely, I at least trust her when it comes to me and my family's safety.

I hold her gaze.

"Thank you," I tell her sincerely.

She nods, eyes unreadable.

I gesture back towards the house, "I'll let you get some sleep. Sorry to have dropped in on you like this."

Sara shakes her head, "It's fine."

Risking it, and not sure why I do, I reach out and squeeze her shoulder.

Flinching away from me, she looks at me in surprise.

"Sorry," we both mumble at the same time.

Smiling slightly, Sara turns away.

Taking that as my cue, I head down the porch steps to make my way back around front to my car.

"Miss Willows?"

I turn from the bottom of the steps, seeing Sara's profile as she continues watching the mountains.

"Welcome to Vegas."

Despite having just met me, Sara's ability to read me has always been a bit uncanny. And, she just read me well enough to have figured out that she pretty much cleared my decision to move back here by telling me there was no danger to myself or Lindsey. At least not from this case. And, I refuse to let Eddie ruin something this potentially good for us.

As long as Lindsey has no objections, I'm about to return to a place I'd long ago run away from. I can only hope this time around Vegas holds much more pleasant things.

Smiling slightly, I head back to my car, my heart somehow feeling both lighter and heavier as I take out my phone to notify Gil of my decision.

AN: Thanks for reading.