AN: I'm back! :) Hope everyone is doing well. With all the events of last season, certain story ideas wouldn't seem to leave me alone. And, though work has me working crazy hours and wanting to pull out my hair, I finally took the time to start working it into a story.

This story, though it will be quite obvious from the beginning, is independent of my previous stories. It uses the events of "Forget Me Not" as a bit of a starting point, so there ARE SPOILERS from that episode in this story if you have not watched it yet.

As a note, this story sticks mostly with the actual events of the show, except in this story Sara and Grissom were never married. He isn't really mentioned in this story at all. It's assumed he simply left for other horizons awhile back and never had a marriage with Sara.

As always, the story will be a twist of darkness and light. Not entirely sure how dark and how light yet, but it's likely to be a long road like the others.

Lastly, I gain no monetary or other benefits from this story. It is written for entertainment purposes only.

Hope you guys will join me for another journey :)

Enjoy.

PS – A special thanks to those who have reviewed to my other stories and those who private messaged me in the interim. Your support of my work has truly inspired me to keep writing (not to mention posting). I really cannot express my gratitude enough.

CHAPTER 1

Each venture is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate with shabby equipment always deteriorating in the general mess of imprecision of feeling.

T. S. Eliot

CATHERINE POV

"This Thursday?"

"Yes, plane lands at 7:00."

"I'll tell the team."

"Thanks," I smile. "God, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again."

In the pause I can practically hear DB smiling across the line as well.

"Feeling's mutual."

"Catherine!"

Nick practically crushes me as he envelops me in a hug.

It's so good to see him again, and I return the hug with just as much enthusiasm.

"Ahem," I hear Greg clear his throat. "Are you guys going to enter the room? Or is Nick just going to hog you all day?"

Smiling, I squeeze Nick's shoulders as I step inside the breakroom.

"Aw, come here, Greg," I call, opening my arms to the young man.

Smiling, he steps up to me and holds me tightly.

"So good to see you, Cath," he says. Pulling back, he reaches over and hands me a coffee. "As always, prepared with perfection. Just for you."

I can't help but laugh. I've missed him, missed them all, so much.

"Thanks," I tell him with a smile.

Reaching over, a figure standing by the counter catches my eye.

"Sara," I state in surprise. "I didn't see you over there."

Sara straightens up, offering me a smile.

"Hi, Catherine."

I smile in return.

Holding open my hands, I shake my head.

"Get over here, Sara."

Pausing just a moment, Sara makes her way over.

Pulling the younger woman into a hug, I hold her tight.

Sara's always been the most standoffish of the group. Particularly with me.

But, having heard of everything that happened with Basderic, she's honesty the one I've been wanting to hug the most.

To see her for myself, to be sure that she's okay for myself.

Sure, DB and the boys kept me updated, but I haven't heard from Sara at all since it happened.

I hadn't heard a lot from her since I left Vegas, to be honest. She replied and sent me the occasional email to check in and make sure Lindsey and I and everything was okay.

But, unlike the guys, she never called or wrote just to tell me how she was doing. Never talked or shared anything about herself and her life back in Vegas.

It's not that I was surprised, I knew the brunette well enough to know the stoic girl isn't much for small talk.

But still, it bothered me to some extent. We had started to build a semblance of a friendship before I left, and the lack of communication between us once I left just felt...off.

Felt like everything we had worked towards had left when I did.

Feeling Sara pull back, she gives my arm a brief squeeze before pulling back.

"Good to see you," she tells me quietly, voice sincere.

"You too," I respond, holding her gaze.

"Catherine!"

DB's voice draws our attention to the doorway. The new night supervisor pulls me into a warm hug.

Pulling back, he gestures to the woman behind him.

"Catherine, this is Finn. I don't believe the two of you have formally met."

"Julie Finlay," the blonde offers, extending her hand.

Shaking it, I smile. "Catherine Willows. Nice to formally meet you. DB and the team have spoken highly of you."

She returns my smile.

"Morgan's out at a scene," DB explains. "Told me to tell you hello for her."

I nod, sad I don't get to see her yet.

"So, how long are you in town?" Nick asks excitedly.

"However long the case takes to close," I tell him honestly. "We've been working on this remotely for a couple weeks now. Since things have escalated, they want someone on location."

I smile widely, "Naturally I jumped at the chance to come back to my old stomping grounds and see you guys."

"I can't believe it's been almost a year," Greg says, shaking his head. "It's really good to see you."

"Same here," I tell them all with a contented sigh. "Same here."

"So," DB shuts his office door behind us, gesturing to the open seat across his desk. "How may we be of service to the FBI?"

Snorting, I shake my head at him.

"Please," I state. "I've been on the wrong end of the FBI enough times to know how encroaching it can be. I'm just here as a colleague. I'm not taking over the case from you guys."

"Okay," DB says, knowing me well enough to know I'm being honest. That I would handle this no other way.

"I do have a favor, though."

Looking up, he folds his hands across his desk, giving me his full attention.

"Shoot."

"Right now this case has been handled by multiple members of the team," I say. "And I understand, I know firsthand the caseload you guys are dealing with."

DB keeps his gaze firmly on mine.

"I need there to be one CSI on this," I tell him. "I need a consistent point person who I'll be partnering with."

DB takes this in, unfolding his hands to tap his fingers along his desk instead.

"I think Nick is finishing up on his case, he can probably take over once it closes."

I swallow, letting out a breath.

"Russell, I want it to be Sara."

DB pauses in surprise, eyes searching mine.

"I'm sorry?" he questions slowly, head quirking to the side.

"I want it to be Sara."

DB shakes his head, sitting back in his chair.

"Catherine, Sara's been...it...she..."

He pulls off his glasses and rubs his temples.

"Sara's had a rough year. Not to mention everything she's just been through with Basderic."

"I know-"

"I don't think now is the best time to ask her to take point on a case as brutal as this one, Catherine," he states seriously.

"I know," I repeat. "Trust me."

I've spent multiple days reviewing my decision. The FBI left it up to me to choose from the team who was to be point on this, figuring I know them best.

At first I discounted Sara as a contender right away based on the subject matter of the case alone. It's a case about the abduction and abuse of young women. The exact type of case Sara Sidle hates. The types that make her 'go off the deep end' as I so eloquently spat in her face earlier in our career.

Then, there were the other things going on in her life right now. The 'things' that weren't simple or minor things.

Her being stalked, harassed, and nearly framed for murder, for example, is not a simple thing at all.

But, as I worked through the other members of the team, I couldn't ignore the pull on my conscience. The one telling me that Sara is undoubtedly one of the best minds in the field. The one telling me she has more dedication, drive, and insight than anyone else I've ever worked with. The one telling me we made one hell of a team together.

The one telling me that to not choose her would be a disservice to the case, to the victims, and to the families of all the potential future victims counting on us to catch this guy.

"Look," I tell him. "I know she's been through hell. I know what she needs right now is to be taking some time off, not heading up a serial murder case. But, I also know Sara."

I keep my gaze on his.

"She won't take time off, DB. She'll work herself to death. At least this way I can keep an eye on her. But," I wave my hands in the air. "That's not the point. The reason I want it to be her is because she's brilliant, she's always seen things on cases so differently than I do. And that's exactly what I need. I need someone to question me, to challenge me."

I shrug, "Simple as that."

"Catherine..."

I can tell from DB's tone that he's not pleased about this. I know he cares for Sara, and I know the latest events in the brunette's life have put him on edge.

"I'll take care of her, Russell."

I match his gaze.

"You have my word."

DB lets out a long breath, putting his glasses back on.

"I'll ask her," he states. "But the end decision is hers."

"Hey!" I greet cheerfully, kicking out the seat across from me.

"Hey," Sara greets, taking the offered chair and situating her tall frame across from me.

Pushing a mug of coffee across the table, Sara glances at the mug.

"Black with one sugar," I state. "I trust you still take coffee the same way you used to."

Sara smiles slightly, taking a couple swallows. "Thanks."

"Sure," I offer, watching her as she watches her coffee.

"So," she calls after a few more moments of awkward silence. "What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I know DB asked you about the case."

Sara furrows her brows. "And I know he told you my decision."

I let out a small laugh at Sara's response, the response that is so Sara-like.

"Yes, Sara, he did," I answer. "But I wanted to talk about it with you directly."

She takes this in, eventually pulling her mug into her hands and leaning back in her chair.

"Okay."

Okay then.

Leaning forward in my own chair, I push my coffee to the side.

"What do you know about the case?"

Sara pauses, eyes meeting mine. Her expression is guarded, and I hope to God she isn't trying to figure out if I'm playing her.

Too often when the FBI would come in on our cases they would make us explain to them what we already knew so they could control how much we knew about the case.

I hope she knows me better than that. I hope she trusts me more than that.

"I just don't want to waste your time with information you already have," I cut in, eyes meeting hers evenly.

She seems to accept this, returning her gaze to the window looking out into the parking lot of the diner.

"Four girls murdered so far," she says. "All taken from bad parts of town, alleys. Suspected prostitutes based on lack of ID, drugs in their systems, location of the abductions, and track marks on their bodies."

She takes in a breath.

"Scenes are always difficult to process due to the seedy locations that have a lot of random items in it. Difficult to differentiate what's just trash and what's of importance. Girls seem to disappear for a couple weeks before their bodies show up. Timelines suggest he may have more than one girl in his possession at a time."

Her eyes return to mine.

"Bodies always show evidence of abuse, physical and sexual."

The silence hangs between us, and neither of us acknowledge the waitress when she comes and refills our coffees.

"Have you worked any of the scenes?"

"No."

Leave it to Sara to know so much information about a case she's never personally laid hands on. Knowing Sara and her workaholic tendencies, it doesn't surprise me in the least that she knows what's going on in the lab around her.

"The first thing I'm going to want to do is revisit all of the sites of abduction and where the bodies were dumped."

"Okay."

"Sara."

I wait until her gaze is on mine.

"You sure you're alright with taking point on this?"

"Why did you ask DB for it to be me?"

Her question catches me off guard.

"Why not Nick or Greg or Morgan?"

I match her gaze.

"Why not you?"

Eyes on mine, her expression is unreadable.

"Like I told DB, I'll work the case," she eventually says, not answering my question.

But, to be fair, I didn't answer hers either.

Placing some money on the table, Sara glances back up at me.

"I have some things I need to tie up from my other cases…"

"Of course," I state, standing and gesturing to the door.

Walking out together, she opens the door of her Tahoe.

"Sara," I call.

Turning, she meets my eyes.

"Thanks."

She watches me for a moment more before nodding.

"Of course. See you back at the lab."

I take a deep breath, watching her car pull out of the lot.

Here goes nothing.

AN: As always, thanks for reading. I hope you'll share your thoughts with me.