A/N: This is will be the last chapter of this story, cause the more I add, the fluffier it gets. (Sitting in the sun too long? Nope.) However, your review will be appreciated! Enjoy.

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Three weeks later.

This night's definitely lasting too long. There's been only one case, an apparent suicide, and now time is forcing me to do some of my paperwork. The only thing I wanna do is go home, watch Lindsey sleeping, and spend the rest of the night with Sara.

Sara. We haven't been talking for hours, since she is in the DNA lab, discussing the latest events in the world of music with Greg.

I think of the last time I've seen her.

We were working on the case, hardly talking, avoiding any contact, all business. She smiled briefly at me just once, before leaving the room.

Warrick entered the room the same second, staring after her.

At his curious face I wondered how long he'd been standing in the door watching us. I knew he couldn't have witnessed anything, nevertheless, I worried if he did. Feigning indifference, I turned back to the scope.

"I'd love to know what's going on with Sara lately," he finally broke the silence.

Oh oh. "Yeah? Why?" Am I wrong, or did I sound guilty?

"No particular reason, was just wondering."

"Uh-huh." Suppressing a relieved sigh, I concluded he dropped the topic, and once again concentrated on work.

"You know, I just caught her staring at your ass for about five minutes," he shattered my hopes, "and when she noticed she blushed so deeply, even a tomato would have seemed pale beside her."

Oh. I should wear these tight jeans more often. "Warrick, you're imagining things." She wasn't red when I looked at her. "She probably was just... thinking."

"Yeah, for sure." He was about to add something else, but was cut off by Nick, who delivered news about the deceased's widow.

Grinning, I close the file in front of me. Finally, luck was a lady tonight.

Sara really owes me one. Staring at my ass could be, like, considered sexual harassment, and besides it was me who had to save our both asses. I'm picturing a million ways to get back at her, when I hear footsteps behind me. Sara's smell begins to envelope me; I don't have to turn around to know it's her.

"What are you doing?" Her voice, though neutral, sends shivers up and down my spine, and it takes all my strength not to look at her.

"Thinking of you."

She walks through the room, coming to stand in front of the table. I return her wicked grin. "I thought you were at the lab."

"I thought you were doing paperwork," she shoots back, her eyes never leaving mine.

I shrug my shoulders. "I wanted to, but then Warrick was telling me you were staring at me, and that was... kind of distracting."

"It was?" Her smile widens, while she surrounds the table, coming closer. "Well, I had some rather distracting thoughts myself." She leans down to me before continuing. "I really long to tell you one or another."

Her breath is hot on my neck, and it gets harder to ignore the quickening pace of my heart. "We have to be careful," I manage to say.

She steps back, sighing frustrated. "Come on, Catherine, they are CSIs, one day they'll find out, no matter how hard you try to keep it a secret."

It's not only about the others detecting, it's about keeping personal life and work separate. However, Sara's gaze is focused hard on me. I've met some of the worst murderers, helped to put them into jail, and I know how to raise my daughter on my own while doing my job. I can fire a gun, and I'm not afraid in the dark. There are only two things I cannot handle. Homophobia, and Sara when she's mad at me. "We should talk about this at home," I try to save the night.

She snorts contemptuously. "Yeah, so you can avoid the topic until there's nothing left to talk about. You know, life's not always that easy, Catherine."

Now it's my turn to get mad. "So you're some kind of expert at it? Please, would you share some of your experience with me?" My voice is dripping with sarcasm.

She's on me in a second, gripping my wrist, she's so close I can smell her skin. "Don't be so damn silly, Catherine! If you don't want to discuss this now, okay, but I won't wait until it's too late. If you can't deal with it, tell me right now!"

We're staring at each other, motionless, breathing hard, and I feel my anger evaporating miraculously. Before I can say anything, Greg comes in. "Whoa, what's going on here?"

We stumble away from each other, caught in the act.

Sara's the first to regain composure. "Nothing, Greggo, we were just talking. About a case." She seems so calm, I wonder if I imagined our fight. "No DNA to analyze?"

He hesitantly shakes his head. He must feel like standing between two Grizzlies on their back feet. I am tempted to let out a loud roar, just for the look on his face, and when Sara notices me grinning, her expression subtly changes.

"Do you want me to, uhm, help you with... your paperwork?"

I glance at Greg; I can't believe she's flirting with me right in front of him. "Uhm, yeah, I could need your opinion on, on something I wrote."

It's probably not the best reply, but Greg slowly exits the room, a deep frown adorning his forehead.

"Do you think this was a good idea?" I ask as soon he's out of hearing. "It got him kind of perplexed."

Sara stands behind my chair, her fingers caressing my nape. "Poor Greg, he will get about it, he'll forget even before he's back in his lab." With her hand never leaving my skin, Sara bends over the table, pretending to take a look at the folder. "So, what was it you needed my opinion on?"

Being so close to her, I find it hard to remember my name, let alone the case. "Actually, I don't remember. It might have been an excuse to get Greg out of here."

She's smiling; nevertheless, she's still reading the report. At least that's what I think she's doing.

"What about breakfast after shift?" she asks, eyes glued to the paper.

Your place or mine? "Sounds good to me." A look at my watch tells me there are seventy-four minutes left. I send a silent prayer to anybody listening that the criminals at least wait until day shift starts.

"I'm sorry," she abruptly says, straightening, "but I fear I can't help you with that." She smiles and steps back, resting her hip against the desk.

"Oh, that's too bad. You sure?" I ask, laying my hand on her waist.

Before she is able to react, Warrick interrupts us. "You ready here? I need someone to try out this new video game. Now." He sounds so bored, even Grissom would notice it.

"Why don't you ask Nick?" Sara demands, turning slightly to face him, the movement deepening the contact between her waist and my hand.

"He's talking to Brass about whatever, and that's why..."

"What about Greg?" My hand drifts down over her hip, fingers touching the rough fabric of her jeans only slightly, over her thigh, coming to rest in the hollow of her knee.

"He's nowhere to be found. I..."

Sara twitches under my touch, afraid Warrick could notice, yet wanting the contact.

"...was about to..." He pauses puzzled, eyes wandering from Sara to me, down to my hand, and back to Sara. "What the hell... What is going on here?" He shakes his head, obviously trying to sort his thoughts. I can almost see wheels spinning inside his head. He keeps on staring at us, not saying a word, until his face brightens. Terrific, it didn't even take five minutes for him to figure it out. "How long is this thing going on between the two of you?" he finally asks, after assuring nobody else can hear him.

Sara doesn't look at me before answering. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, I come in while you're obviously..." he glances at my hand, searching for words, "...flirting, and two hours ago you were staring at her butt. I'm not brainless, Sara. So, how long?" he grins.

Sara steps back, the movement breaking the contact. I miss her immediately, especially in this situation. She lifts her hand to protest, but Warrick cuts her off. He notes it's no use arguing with Sara, she's already edgy. "I won't tell anybody, okay? If you want to keep it a secret, I will be silent as the grave. I just want you to know that I'm happy for you." His voice is soft, and genuine.

Sara starts to speak, but she closes her mouth as Warrick turns to leave.

"Warrick? Thank you."

He turns back at my voice, smiles, nods, and then we're alone again. It's quiet for a few more minutes, until I stand up and pull Sara in a tight embrace.

This night, when we leave after shift, I hold her hand on the way out. I don't care who sees us, and I don't care about what they think. I want to be with Sara.

the end