AN: Hope you are all doing well. Thanks as always to those who share your thoughts with me - love hearing from each and every one of you.

Take care and enjoy.

CHAPTER 13

CATHERINE POV

"What did the doctors say?"

Sara looks up at me, eyes stoic as she rips the hospital bracelet from her wrist.

"Sara."

Pulling on her t-shirt, Sara sighs as she sees the deep crimson stain marring the material. That, in combination with the spatters of blood on her jeans, don't help her look any less haggard then I know she has to be after the events of today.

"Are you going to believe anything I tell you?" Sara questions, finally addressing me.

I think about it, finally conceding. "Probably not."

Sara looks at me knowingly, "Then we're going to have a problem."

Tapping along the railing at the side of her bed, I watch Sara finish redressing.

"What was your physician's name?"

Sara hesitates a moment before raising a brow. "Dr. Carter."

I nod, fixing her with a look.

"Stay here. I'll be back."

It's amazing the things a badge and a smile will get you. Namely, access to medical records, past and present. While Dr. Carter was actually doubtful at my first request, he became a lot more cooperative when I told him Sara Sidle was injured during a case, and that I was lead on that case. I offered to contact the commissioner and lab director to discuss, but he eventually seemed to lose patience with me more than anything, patient files stacking up on his desk.

Grabbing Sidle's, he simply walked out of the room.

"Follow me."

Entering Sara's room, the brunette was pacing along the back wall, pale and tired.

"Miss Sidle," Dr. Carter wasted no time. "CSI Willows is requesting to review my notes on your injuries. Do you give your permission?"

Sara's eyes meet mine, the younger woman looking at me so hard that I actually started to become uncomfortable.

Then, just when I thought this plan was a dead end, she nods.

"We had a deal," she told me quietly as I took the file from Dr. Carter and left the room.

I wonder if Sara knew everything that was in her file when she gave me permission. Most definitely not, I would say, seeing as how some of the information in here I would bet good money Sara would never have wanted me to learn. Ever.

But, now it's too late.

When I return to her room, I see her sitting in one of the side chairs, head leaned back against the pastel painted wall, eyes closed.

"You ready?" I ask gently, drawing Sara's eyes open.

Seeing me, she gets to her feet. "Yes."

Sara seems just as eager to leave as I assumed she would be. Grabbing the rest of her things, we walk out together to the Tahoe.

It takes about ten minutes into the drive for Sara to finally break the silence.

"Miss Willows?" she questions, and I inwardly cringe at the return to formality in her using my title.

"Sorry," I offer in response to my silence. "Just a bit distracted I guess."

She nods, brows furrowing slightly as she watches the road.

"Did you learn what you needed from Dr. Carter's notes?"

I know she's anxious to find out what I am going to do about our situation. Little does she know the extent of things I learned from that file have my head spinning in a thousand directions. Forcing myself to focus on the matter at hand, I grip the wheel tighter.

"Sidelining you isn't going to make the healing go any faster, the fractures are set properly but just need more time to fully close. You are to be on absolutely no solos until the fractures resolve. I won't have you at a scene unable to defend yourself or process difficult locations if needed."

Sara listens quietly to my conditions.

"And, you will be paired with me until you are fully recovered. I won't share this with Gil unless I have to, but I won't have you paired with other CSIs who are unaware of the health status of their colleague. That's not fair to them if something happens."

Swallowing, Sara nods slowly, waiting silently for any additional conditions.

"Lastly, you are to check in with me regularly so that I can ensure that you are getting better. One sign that you're getting worse and the deal is off."

At this, she looks less than thrilled.

"Look," I state sternly. "You deemed it appropriate to show up to work with fractured ribs like it was no big deal. It was idiotic, reckless, and irresponsible."

I turn and face her directly at her as we stop at a light.

"If you want my trust, Sidle," I tell her. "From now on you're going to have to earn it."

Sara remains quiet, dark eyes watching the even darker road.

"Is that all?" she asks tightly.

"Yes."

We resume our drive in silence, crossing the short distance from the hospital to the lab.

"Stay here," I instruct Sara for the second time today, pulling the Tahoe into an empty spot. "I'm going to talk to Gil and grab our stuff from the locker room so that we can head out."

Shift ended almost an hour ago, thanks to our detour at the hospital. I plan on telling Gil that we thought we had a lead that took us away from the scene, but turned out to be nothing. I don't really have much of the fib figured out beyond that, so I sincerely hope he doesn't ask too many questions.

And, I'm less than pleased to be lying to my boss and friend my second day on the job.

Grabbing what I need, thankfully Gil doesn't seem too curious as to our whereabouts, half listening to my story before going into a lengthy description about his own findings so far on the evidence he brought back. Seems like our case has more leads than we could have hoped for right now – at least three foreign DNA contributors on the bedsheets, and a few blood samples that did not belong to our vics amongst the spatters on the walls.

With everything running through the appropriate databases right now, it's simply a waiting game.

Exchanging our goodnights, I head out towards the parking garage. Escaping into the cool night, I breathe deep the fresh air.

Then, opening my eyes, I'm hit with a sight that stops me dead in my tracks.

"Eddie."

Smiling, my ex comes out from the shadows, making his way from the side of a fancy muscle car that I have no doubt is his. Flashy and arrogant have always been his style.

"Cat."

"Look," I start, glancing anxiously around me. "Now isn't the time."

"Did you get my message?"

He moves closer, and I see that he has aged significantly over the last years. Eddie always lived a hard and fast lifestyle, one supplemented with drugs and alcohol, and now the evidence of those hard years is etched into the deep lines in his face.

But, in spite of his changed appearance, he still carries that same boyish grin that has always been his greatest asset. And weapon.

"Yes," I brush him off. "But you know as well as I do that seeing each other again is not going to happen. I moved to Vegas, yes. But I sure as hell didn't move here to be closer to you." I meet his eyes. "It was simply an unfortunate part of the deal."

He advances, placing himself well into my personal space.

"Lindsey is my daughter," he breathes out heavily. "You can hate me all you want, but I'm her dad. And, that gives me the right to see my little girl."

"You've got to be kidding me," I state incredulously. "You really think I would let you anywhere near her?"

Before I can react, his hand is around my throat, forcing me into the wall behind me.

"Listen here, " he grinds out. "She's my daughter. I have just as much a right to see her as you, you selfish bitch."

"Eddie, stop. Let go of me."

"Not until you-"

"Hey."

The unexpected voice startles Eddie, his head whipping around. Seeing the owner of the voice, he relaxes, not appearing to be all that intimidated by the person it belongs to.

"This doesn't concern you, young lady."

"It does when you have a colleague of mine by the throat. You guys can keep whatever sex games you want to play to yourself. We're late for a meeting, and I refuse to let Catherine here get me in trouble with the boss. Again."

Sara's good, Eddie contemplating her story. But, looking around, he seems to weigh his options, electing in the end to take his chances. After all, his only witnesses are me and a scrawny, exhausted brunette who looks like she can barely keep herself upright.

Seeing the determined change in his expression, I grow tense. I know from past experience this is about to get ugly. Very ugly.

"Sara, wait for me inside."

Sara ignores me, instead stepping closer.

"Sidle, that's an order."

"Get away from her," Sara again ignores me, eyes burning into Eddie's head.

"Sidle! Get out of here!"

Then, before I can move, there is the distinct sound of a weapon being cocked, the dark object pointed directly at Eddie's temple.

This, finally, gives Eddie pause.

"I told you to get the hell away from her," Sara gets out, voice sounding more like a growl. "It wasn't a suggestion."

Looking at the brunette out of the corner of his eye, Eddie finally gives me one last push into the wall before raising his hands and taking a step back.

"Careful where you aim that, sweetheart," he bites. "I'd hate for someone to accidentally get hurt."

Sara's expression is threatening, her eyes narrowed behind her raised service weapon. "So would I."

Backing up another step, Eddie pulls out his keys.

"This isn't over, Cat."

When he glares in my direction and finally gets into his car, speeding off a few tense moments later, I let out the deep breath I'd been holding.

Sara turns to face me, eyes looking me over.

"You okay?" she asks, concern coloring her voice.

"I'm fine."

"Catherine…"

"You shouldn't have gotten involved," I chastise her sternly. "Everything was under control."

Sara shakes her head at me, finally lowering her weapon and placing it in the back of her jeans as she no longer has her holster on her.

"You've got to be kidding me," she mutters.

"Look," I point my finger at her sternly. "I don't know what it is you think you walked in on, but it's none of your damn business."

She watches me with stoic eyes, dark hair caught in the night breeze.

"Forgive me then," she bites out, tone dark. "For intruding."

Giving my neck a purposeful look, I can practically feel Eddie's angered handprints burning into the skin there.

Reaching over, she pulls her keys from my hand.

Dark eyes searing into mine one last time, she backs away.

"See you tomorrow, Miss Willows."

Walking off to her vehicle and out of sight, I close my eyes.

Trying to steady my shaking hands, I make my way to my own car.

I know there's no way in hell I'm going to get any sleep tonight.

AN: Thanks for reading.