Well, we have reached the end my friends. I hope you've enjoyed it, leave me a review to let me know what you thought

And thanks to everyone who read and reviewed, you're all awesome

KC

x x x x

"You need to get checked out." Grissom frowned down at him. Greg rolled his sleeve back down, covering the graze on his arm from where he'd collided with the sidewalk.

"It's fine." He promised. "Just tell Sara to be a bit more gentle with me next time." He added playfully. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Maybe next time I'll leave you in the road." She countered teasingly.

"There won't be a next time." Grissom said sternly, sending the pair of them warning glares.

"Oh hush, Gil." Catherine rolled her eyes, slamming her locker shut. "It's not their fault that the suspect wandered off and tried to mow them down."

"Even so." He huffed, placing his hands on his hips. "Your arm is still bleeding, you need to get it looked at." He scowled at Greg, who automatically opened his mouth to retort.

"It's…"

"It's not fine. I'm taking you to Doc Robbins." Before the young CSI could protest the boss had him in a fierce grip and was frogmarching him out of the room.

"Poor Greggo." Nick chuckled, not particularly sympathetic to the young man. As the group's laughter died down, Catherine turned to Sara with a concerned look.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" She asked for what felt like the tenth time. Sara pursed her lips, biting back a sarcastic retort. Cath picked up on her growing frustration and held her hands up in apology. "Alright, you're fine." She stated dutifully. "But please call me if you need anything."

"I will." Sara promised, sharing an amused smile with Nick, who was finding it hard not to laugh at Catherine's mothering.

"Come on, she's not going to fall apart if you leave her." He reassured the blonde, placing his hands on her shoulders and guiding her to the door. She wriggled free from his grip to double back and give Sara a tight hug before following the Texan out, sticking her tongue out petulantly at him on the way.

Sara and Warrick shared a chuckle at their respective best friends' antics, before a heavy silence fell across the room as they realised that they were the only ones left.

"So, Grissom said you're cool with leaving things as they are." Warrick filled the quiet at last. Sara looked up, offering a weak smile.

"Yeah." She whispered hoarsely. Warrick frowned at her across the locker room.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She mumbled. "I'm just thinking." There was a long moment of silence and he didn't think she was going to speak again, but she turned to him with a curious look in her eyes. "Have you been with anyone since … what happened?" She asked at last.

Warrick shook his head, taking a long, deep breath.

"No, I … I'm not sure I'm ready for that." He answered honestly. "Why'd you ask?"

"I don't know." Sara shrugged, toying anxiously with a loose thread on her sleeve. "As stupid as it sounds, it's easier to talk to you about it because, well you were there." She explained weakly, chancing a glance at his face. "You're kinda going through the same thing. The stigma, the uncertainty."

Warrick walked slowly over to the bench and sat down beside her, waiting for her to speak again.

"I feel scared all the time." He dropped his head guiltily but she shook her head. "No, not scared. Just … on edge." She corrected. "Like I daren't let anyone too close."

"You know, you're going to find someone." Warrick assured her softly. Sara choked out a laugh, rolling her eyes. "No, I'm serious." He continued. "Somewhere out there, there is someone who wants nothing more than to love you and take care of you; and they will never hurt you, because you're an amazing person, and you deserve to be loved." He patted her hand lightly and stood back up, wandering to his locker.

She cocked her head, considering his words. For most of her life that had been a pipe dream, and a damn unlikely one at that. But now she wasn't so sure. After all, if recent weeks had demonstrated nothing else, it had shown her just how many people loved and cared for her.

One person, in particular.

And for that, as strange as it may sound, she had Warrick to thank.

She pushed herself off the bench and walked slowly towards him. He must have sensed her behind him as he changed his dust-coated shirt because he turned, quirking an eyebrow at her. Without saying a word, she leant into his bare chest and wrapped her arms around him.

"Uh… okay" He looked down at her in shock, eventually responding to the hug. When she didn't pull away he pressed a kiss to her head, taking the chance to hold her for just a moment longer.

"Thank you." She mumbled, eventually stepping out of the embrace.

"For what?"

She walked to the door and turned, sending him an enigmatic smile.

"For everything."

He watched her go with a perplexed expression, the residual heat from her body still warming his chest.

X x x

"Cath! Cat!" The blonde turned, her key already in the car door, to see Sara running towards her.

"Hey, everything alright?" Catherine asked with concern, catching her by the arms.

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine." Sara assured her, running a hand through her hair nervously. "I was just wondering …" she paused, searching for the words. Catherine raised an eyebrow at her in questioning.

"What?" She pressed gently. Sara took a deep breath.

"I was wondering whether you would like to go to dinner … sometime. With me." She flicked her gaze up, offering a hopeful smile.

Catherine's jaw dropped, a surprised smile creeping across her lips.

"I'd love to." She grinned, leaning in to the brunette slightly. "Where's this come from?" Sara shrugged, a cryptic look dancing in her eyes.

"Someone said something that made me realise some things." She answered mysteriously, eliciting a frown from Catherine.

"Who?"

Sara bit her lip, casting a glance across the parking lot towards the only other lone occupant.

"A friend."

~fin~