[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Ever since Warrick's sudden death, Catherine had trouble sleeping. He had been her best friend... Killed by the under sheriff. Of course the possibility of one of the CSIs dying had always been there, but it never occurred to her that she could actually lose her team mates. The graveyard shift was a family, even if had already started to break apart when Sara left.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Life wasn't treating Catherine well, she thought, swallowing another gulp of wine. It was her night off, but sleep just wouldn't come and the more she'd tried, twisting and turning in her bed, tangling the sheets and hitting the pillows in frustration, the more she'd been awake. She had finally given up trying and sneaked back to the living room, careful not to wake her sleeping daughter, and had picked one of the more expensive bottles of wine from her supply. Popping the cork and letting the sweet scent escape into the dimly lit air, she had decided to get thoroughly drunk.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]She was currently having her second glass of ruby liquid and the soft buzz was softly spreading through her body. The amount she had drunken till now was just enough to make her feel a little more relaxed, but it would take at least two more glasses until she'd really feel the effects of the red wine.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Sitting there in the quiet, she couldn't keep her thoughts from wandering back. As if Sara's unexpected departure hadn't been enough. Not that she didn't understand that being kidnapped and trapped under a car in the middle of desert couldn't do that to a person, but Sara had always been the CSI who had loved her job the most. Catherine still suspected that Natalie wasn't the only reason the tall brunette had quit their team and that the strange relationship with her boss was playing at least some part in her decision.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Nobody knew how much she actually cared about the brunette. Everybody only ever saw their cat fights in the hallways of the lab, but there had been other sides to them. When they were paired together on a case they had fun, doing their best to solve the assignment that had been given to them and both of them had agreed that they were a great team. The tension wasn't always there. They had been able to have a good time together, sometimes even going out after a tough shift, but of course nobody knew. It just fitted their preconceptions that the two women of the graveyard shift were always at each other's throat.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Letting out a shaky sigh, Catherine drowned the rest of her glass' contents, setting it down a little too hard on the table in front of her.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Just when she had slowly grown used to Sara not being there, Warrick's murder happened. She was still devastated about what had happened, but a tiny part of her was glad that it had brought Sara back.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]At first she hadn't even believed her eyes when she realized it was the certain brunette standing in Grissom's office, but it had indeed been Sara. When the younger woman had taken Catherine into her arms, she had felt like melting into that embrace, hanging on to Sara as if her life depended on it, but of course, Grissom had still been there and the news of the ex-CSI being there had spread through the lab way too quickly, bringing the rest of the team together in their boss' office.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Catherine lifted the dark bottle and started to refill her glass, but her mind was suddenly flooded by the images of Grissom covered in Warrick's blood and her hand started to shake dangerously. Setting it back on the table, the blonde covered her face with her hands and tried to shake off the terrible tightness in her chest. All her effort was in vain, though, and her body was soon shaking with silent sobs.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]She continued crying quietly (there was no point in trying to stop the tears now) until she was startled to a sudden stop by a soft, almost inaudible knock on her door.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Confusion written in her features, she wiped her tears away as best as she could and got up, wondering who would knock at that time of the night. When she reached her door, doubt crossed her mind. Maybe she had just imagined the knock?
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The possibility of her nightly visitor being a burglar was close to none at all, she thought, since a criminal would hardly knock. Her heartbeat quickening nonetheless, Catherine opened the door after she'd made sure that the chain was giving her at least some safety.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Overcome by the surprise at the sight before her, Catherine stood motionless for a moment, before Sara uncomfortably moved from one leg to the other, biting her lower lip in search of the proper words to say and Catherine snapped back to reality. As much as she hated closing the door on the brunette, she had to, in order to remove the chain and let her former colleague in.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]When she opened the door again, wider this time, Sara was already about to turn around and leave.
[/FONT] “[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Sara,” Catherine called quietly and the big brown eyes snapped back up to meet hers. “Do you want to come in?” she finally offered, stepping aside to let Sara in. She felt stupidly self conscious now, in her pyjama bottoms and an old t-shirt, her eyes probably red from crying, but Sara didn't seem to mind, smiling at her insecurely.
[/FONT] “[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I'm sorry... did I wake you?” the brunette finally spoke the first words since her arrival, entering Catherine's house but not stepping any further than what was necessary to close the door.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Catherine only shook her head, mirroring Sara's actions and keeping her eyes fixed at the brunette.
[/FONT] “[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I guess... I guess I shouldn't have come here,” the brunette mumbled, breaking the silence after a few awkward moments. “I.. It's just that I'm going to leave. I felt bad enough leaving without telling you goodbye the first time,” she explained, straightening her back a little and moving closer to the door again. “That's all. I should... let you get back to bed now. I'm sorry for knocking this late and...”
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Before the brunette could continue rambling, Catherine reached out for her hand, pulling the tall woman closer to her and enveloping her in a hug. “I'm glad you came,” she told Sara, resting her head on her visitor's chest and smiling at the feeling of two strong arms wrapping around her body to return the embrace.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Remaining in each other's arms for a while, the two women remained silent for a while, not caring about how much time was passing. Catherine, who had initiated the embrace, was the one to step away a little, catching Sara's hand when the brunette's arms dropped to her sides.
[/FONT] “[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Do you want to join me for a glass of wine? Drinking on one's own isn't really all that amusing,” she offered, accompanied by a weak smile on her lips.
[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Sara looked at the blonde, noticing for the first time the last traces of Catherine's tears on her make-up-less face and feeling her resistance fading. “I'd love to,” she finally accepted, before pulling the strawberry blonde back into her arms and pressing a kiss on top of her head. “I'd love to.”
[/FONT] The End
*knuff*
