by Insane Englishwoman

Disclaimers: This first section is almost entirely disclaimers, explanations and a very small prologue. It’s probably longer than any individual chapter will be. I do so love the sound of my own voice.

It will be long. It will have a plot. If you’re hoping to read a short pwp then I’d move along, these are not the ‘droids you’re looking for...

I don’t own CSI Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS do. I also don’t own Sara Sidle or Catherine Willows (regrettably – coz I’d have way more fun with them than he does) or any other character in the show. I do own stuff but not enough to make it worth while to sue me. This is fanfic and while it does breach copyright it’s done for fun not profit so I’m pleading “fair use”. Any original characters and the plot are mine (and yes I know it's hypocritical) don't take them without my permission. The prologue contains dialogue taken from the show, but not much and is done solely to set the scene.

I’m English. If you see words with s, c or u where you don’t expect it that is the reason – those words are not spelt incorrectly. I have tried not to use any word which I know to be uniquely English or British Empire/Commonwealth in usage but I may not always catch them. I know not to say “petrol” but “gas”, not “trousers” but “pants” – I also know that in the USA a swede is not a root vegetable but a person from Scandinavia, (you call it a rutabaga). If there are any words or terms I’ve used that leave you scratching your head in confusion – give me a shout and I’ll try to fix it.

Ratings: I have no idea yet if there will be sex – I haven’t got that far. But it is femslash - if you are under 18 or live somewhere this isn’t allowed, then please don’t read. There will be swearing. Nothing like as much as I personally do (I have a mouth like a Glasgow navvy) but there will be use of the F word. There will also be blood and gore, but then it is CSI.

Feedback is always welcome: insanebrit@e-scribblers.com. I love considered, well thought out critique. I am not a hothouse flower; I will not wilt if you say something other than fan girl squee. (Though squee is good too, everybody likes having their ego stroked and Lord knows I have a big enough ego). If I have plot holes or bad grammar has crept in (unless covered by the English defence) then I would like to know.

Dedications: Oh and Sara and the peanuts?? – That’s from Sue – yeah mate – you – I’ve never forgotten what you said in that pub in Leeds – I haven’t eaten a bar snack since!!

Spoilers: Anything is fair game – but especially elements taken from Crash & Burn and Play with Fire from season 3; and Nesting Dolls from season 5. For the purposes of this fanfic Season Six and on do not exist. I also reserve the right to ignore canon when the plot requires it or it suits me (after all CSR is hardly canon anyway!!)

And now (finally!!) on with the action...

Copyright © 2009 by Insane Englishwoman. All Rights Reserved.

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“I’ll see you around.”

She brushed past him and walked into the sunlight. ‘I will not cry. It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it It’s not like I was really interested, is it? Oh hell. Catherine. I’m so not crying in front of her.’ Sara opened the door and climbed in waiting for the snide comments to start.

Catherine looked over at Sara, compassion showing clear on her face. She knew how Sara must be feeling. Whether she’d really cared about Hank or not she had to be hurting. She paused briefly, not sure whether this was a good idea, it could be dangerous. Oh, what the hell. Go for it, right? Right.

“You got plans?” She enquired. For a heartbeat she didn’t know if Sara would answer.

“Nope.”

“You wanna get a beer.”

“Drive.”

Catherine released the breath she hadn’t been aware of holding and disengaged the brake.

Chapter One

“Thanks, run us a tab will you.” Catherine requested.

The bartender nodded his assent as he placed a bottle of beer in front of each of them and smiled at Sara. “Anything else I can do for you?”

Sara looked up. “Ah, no thanks, that’s fine for now.”

As he left Catherine chuckled. “You’ve got a fan there Sara, you heartbreaker you.”

Sara looked confused. “What?”

“He was hitting on you.”

“He what? No. He was just being helpful.”

“Yeah, right.” Catherine reached for a nearby bowl of peanuts only to have Sara grab her arm. She raised an eyebrow. Sara blushed and let go quickly.

“You don’t wanna eat those, Cath.”

“I don’t?”

“Nope. Never eat stuff in a bowl on a bar.”

“Why?”

“Well, guys, like, they go to the bathroom, yeah?” Catherine nodded. “And they do what they have to do, holding on and everything, then they shove it back in their pants and come back. Most of them don’t even think about washing their hands. Then they stick their fingers in the bowl...”

Catherine’s face had the expression of someone who’d just walked into a three-week old decomp. She held up a hand.

“I get it. I’m never eating another peanut as long as I live.” She took a swig of beer. “You wanna grab a table?” Catherine waved her bottle in the direction of the corner booth which was empty. In fact at that hour of the morning the whole bar was fairly quiet; well - for Vegas it was quiet anyway.

They had barely made themselves comfortable before a waitress bustled over. Wiping the table down she smiled at Sara, bending a little closer than Sara found comfortable. “Y’all right there honey? Can I get you anything else?”

Sara wriggled further into the booth. “Ah, no thanks, we’re fine. Maybe two more beers?”

She returned with two bottles and placed them on the table, leaning close to Sara again to do so. “Anything else I can do for ya?”

Sara shook her head. “No, um, thanks, that’s fine.”

The waitress treated her to another flash of cleavage before walking away. “Y’all call if you need me.”

Sara glanced across the table to where Catherine was bent almost double, convulsed with laughter. “What?”

Catherine straightened. “I don’t think I should come out with you too often, Sidle. I’m not sure I could stand the competition.”

Sara was totally bewildered and starting to get angry. “If you brought me here just to make fun...”

“Whoa, Sara, I’m sorry. I’m not making fun of you, I promise. It’s just that you seem to be quite a hit here. That waitress was flirting with you too.”

“She was not! Was she? I thought she was just being friendly.”

“Trust me, she was flirting. Couldn’t you tell?” Catherine was trying desperately not to laugh again. Sara was vulnerable right now. She didn’t want to hurt her feelings again and ruin what could finally be the start of a good friendship between them. Not this time around.

Sara shook her head miserably.

“You do know when Greg is hitting on you though?”

Sara snorted. “Well, yeah. He makes it kind of obvious. But the waitress? This isn’t a gay bar is it? Do you come here a lot?” She looked around slightly nervously as though expecting a drag queen dressed as Carmen Miranda to suddenly sashay into her line of sight.

“I do. It isn’t, but a lot of the staff play for both teams. Would it bother you if it was?”

“Nah. One of my room-mates at Harvard was a lesbian. She and her girlfriend used to take me to bars all the time. She thought I studied too much and needed to have fun sometimes. She had lots of friends who would come out with us. They were a real friendly crowd. Used to love to dance. One or another of them was always dragging me out on the floor. I’m...er... not that good a dancer. But I liked the bars they went to.”

Catherine swallowed several mouthfuls of beer in an attempt to stay in control. “Did it ever occur to you that they might be hitting on you too?” By the look of shock on Sara’s face it was obvious to Catherine that, no, Sara hadn’t realised. “How on earth did you ever manage to go out with Hank? Oh God, Sara, I’m sorry that was incredibly insensitive.”

“Nah. It’s ok. I’m socially inept I know.”

Catherine interrupted. “No. Not inept, inexperienced maybe, but not inept. You were very ...focused on your work it didn’t leave you the time to develop social skills, that’s all. After all, I hear you’re a member of the mile-high club, which has to speak for something.”

“Thanks, I think. Does the whole lab know?” Sara blushed and hung her head slightly.

“No, just me and Gil, who let it slip without realising he had, other than that only anyone you might have told personally. So...Hank?”

“Well it’s simple, he asked.”

It was Catherine’s turn to look confused.

“I mean he asked directly. It’s no good hinting. I don’t do hinting. Greg hints, flirts, asks if maybe someday I’ll think about it but he’s never asked outright. Hank asked. He said that there was a movie he wanted to catch that Friday; that he’d like to go with me and maybe get dinner afterwards. Then he said he’d pick me up at 7 and was that ok. So I said yes.”

“That simple? And Mr mile-high?”

“Same thing. He asked.”

“He asked if you’d join the mile-high club?” Catherine’s voice rose by at least two octaves.

“No. He asked if I’d have dinner with him, we dated a bit and did the mile-high thing during our short spell of going out together. It was a mistake. The dating I mean. And the mile-high club I guess. Anyway, it didn’t last.”

“So if Greg asked...?”

“No way! Greg’s.... well he’s kind of like a kid brother...no, more like a kid brother’s horny school friend. That’s so not gonna happen.” Sara grinned.

‘God her whole face changes when she smiles like that. It’s a cliché I know but it really does light up. She’s beautiful whe...’ Catherine derailed her train of thought; it was heading for dangerous ground. “Good to know.” She grinned back. “Hey, wanna get something to eat? This is our third and if we’re planning on drinking more I really need food.”

“What about Linds?”

“School field trip. Grand Canyon. Won’t be back for two more days. Food? Tell you what, there’s a really good diner two blocks over. Great bacon for me and a killer veggie burger for you. What do you say?”

“Sure. Lead on.”

Chapter Two

Sara tapped her foot impatiently. The coffee was taking way too long. She needed caffeine and she needed it now. As usual she’d slept badly, woken grumpy and wasn’t sure she’d get through the shift without killing someone if she didn’t get her caffeine fix.

“Glaring at it won’t make it brew faster.”

“Urf!” Sara jumped and span round so fast she overbalanced, only being spared the ignominy of landing on her butt by the close proximity of the wall. “Jeez Cath, take ten years off my life, why don’t you?”

“Sorry.” Catherine repressed a smile. “I didn’t realise you hadn’t heard me come in. Pour me one of those too, will you. I need a wake up jolt.”

“It’s county issue paint stripper.” Sara warned. “Not Greg’s brew. He’s not here yet. No-one else is here. In fact, you’re awfully early too, Catherine?”

“Lind’s is still away. The house was too quiet. I couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d come in and catch up with some paperwork.” Catherine accepted the mug of coffee Sara passed her as she answered the implied question. Taking a sip she remarked. “Oh God, this stuff’s toxic. It needs a hazardous waste alert”.

“Told ya.” Sara leaned against the wall and grinned.

Catherine decided that yes, she definitely liked that grin. It showed off the gap in Sara’s teeth that she was beginning to find cute. She was glad that was one thing Sara wasn’t self-conscious about.

Truth to tell she’d arrived early deliberately, hoping to see Sara without the guys being there. They’d enjoyed a leisurely breakfast together after leaving the bar although the conversation had moved away from personal subjects. She had wondered if Sara would have regrets now about having been so open. It looked as though she was still okay with the things they’d talked about.

Not that she’d really thrown open the doors to her soul. But she had left them ever so slightly ajar. Cath had liked the glimpses she’d seen of this other side to Sara and had worried the barriers would be slammed shut again. Sara had been so much more relaxed when she’d first come to Vegas. She knew that her own behaviour hadn’t helped; some of the things she’d said.... She really hoped they could be friends now.

Cath opened her mouth, intending to ask Sara to breakfast after the shift but she didn’t get the chance.

“Ah, Sara, Catherine you’re here. Good. DB in an alley off the strip. Found fifteen minutes ago. Murder vic. Here.” Grissom handed over a slip of paper and left.

“Good evening, Gil. Nice to see you too.” Catherine gave Sara a wry smile and tipped the rest of her coffee away. “Meet you by the car in five?”

They pulled the car onto a rough strip of land, currently doing duty as a makeshift parking lot. Sara got out and retrieved their cases from the back of the vehicle.

“Hi, Jim”. Catherine greeted the approaching cop.

“Good evening ladies. We have the body of a young woman in the alley. She’s a bit of a mess. Homeless guy found her. He fell over her, shook him up a bit” He indicated a grubby bundle of rags which was rocking backwards and forwards humming softly. Catherine decided to take his word for it that the bundle was actually a human being.

“Unfortunately he was carrying this when he fell.” Brass held up a large chunk of metal. “It’s part of a wheeled barbecue, it’s sharp. There are a couple of extra wounds on her chest that were caused by it. I’m thinking that the Doc can probably confirm which they were.”

Catherine nodded. “Yeah, thanks Jim.”

“Is he okay?” Sara pointed to the very young looking uniformed officer guarding the scene. “He looks a bit green.”

“Hey!” Catherine pointed at him. “If you’re going to throw up don’t do it all over our crime scene, go someplace else.”

Brass waved at him. “Evans, you’re relieved, stand down.”

“Yessir.” Evans rushed towards the parking lot. The sounds that drifted back to them indicated that he’d lost the battle with his stomach.

“That doesn’t sound too good.” Sara remarked walking towards the scene.

“You wanna take the body and I’ll check the surrounds?” Catherine enquired. “God, will you look at this. We’re gonna be here all night, Jim, no point in you hanging round. Have them let us know as soon as David gets here, though.”

“Sure.”

The two CSIs ducked under the yellow crime scene tape and made their way carefully towards the corpse. The woman’s naked body was lying spread-eagled in a pool of blood on the floor of the alley. Her throat had been cut.

Continued in Part 2

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