Disclaimer:I don't own anything of CSI: Miami or CSI: Crime scene investigation and I don't make any money from it.
Authors Note: I've always loved the music of swan lake, so I wanted to try a story to the same fashion.
Swan Lake
Act 1.
"Are you really sure this is a good idea, all things considered this is her big night and I don't wanna steal the spotlight from her," said Calleigh with a heavy sigh.
Catherine could even if her girlfriend was on the phone tell she was doubting on seeing Lindsey's performance, so she simply said, "Will you relax, you have to meet her sooner or later either way, and I prefer sooner over later."
"Well okay, so I'll meet you at the entrance to the Nevada opera Theater in some hours then," said Calleigh.
"That you will, remember to dress up," said Catherine with a giggle.
"Of course, I love you," said Calleigh in a very soft tone.
"I love you too, have a safe flight and see you when you get there," said Catherine.
"That you will and thank you," said Calleigh and hung up, just in time to park the car in one of parking spaces in front of the airport and get out. She grabbed her suitcase from the back of the car and locked the trunk before hurrying inside to the busy airport.
Lindsey Willows were putting on the finishing touches of her makeup behind the scenes. She was overly nervous and afraid she was going to mess up in one way or another. This was after all her biggest performance yet. She was the lead in Swan Lake. The one every girl dreamed of becoming. Simply because she without a doubt was the best.
She sighed, thinking about the road it had been to getting here, from her first performances, to getting accepted with this troop six months back. She had been overjoyed and even if she had to work night and day it was so worth it.
She looked in the mirror once more, just as there was a knock on the door and her best friend Jane entered. They've been dancing together for years and she had been accepted for this as well. Lindsey smiled at her asking, "Sure you are up for this."
"Totally am, are we going out to celebrate later?" asked Jane with a smile.
"Not tonight, I'm going out with mom and her date, whoever he is," said Lindsey. She hadn't meet the dude her mother was supposedly seeing yet, but they had been going out for quite some time now. Then of course she hadn't lived at home for the last three years. She of course visited, but the twenty-one year old woman mostly lived in the apartment she shared with Jane and a couple of the other dancers.
"Sure she's seeing a guy?" asked Jane with a frown.
"Why?" Lindsey questioned, wondering why her friend was thinking otherwise.
"Because I took a look at the audience a moment ago, ma and pa was of course there along with my brother John, saw Matthew's father and stepmother, Lindy's mother, Paul's…" she went on making Lindsey interrupt, "The point today while we are still young."
"Sorry, well your mother is here alright, but her date is not a man, but a woman, pretty blonde thing in a green dress," said Jane.
"Are you sure that it was not the one on the other side?" Lindsey asked to be sure.
"No, that was an older couple, they do suit each other though," said Jane.
"I gotto see this," said Lindsey, slowly getting up from the chair in their dressing room, and walking down the hall and up the stairs leading to the stairs. A woman, not that it was anything wrong with that, but still…
Jane followed her, never before seeing Lindsey this determined. She sighed at Lindsey peered out through the curtains discovering she was right.
Lindsey looked at them, her mother was in deed with a woman, she seemed younger, yet not that young. In her forties or so she assumed. They were having an intimate discussion about something, keeping half an eye at the curtains. The two of them did as Jane say suit each other, and if she made her mother happy then…
"So guess I'll end up getting a stepmother if this works out," said Lindsey with a heavy sigh.
"Get to know her before you judge her," Jane advised as the director said it was time to start.
"Always, if nothing else she gotto be rich, that dress cost a fortune, so are we ready," Lindsey turned to the troop.
"Hell yeah," they all yelled at "their queen."
"Then let's go, we got a show to put on," said Lindsey, giving the sign that she was ready to start.
"You can do it Linds," Jane whispered into her ear.
"Not without any of you," she whispered back, winking at her, as the curtains slowly opened and she heard the audience go silent.
"Wow, she's so beautiful and graceful," Calleigh whispered to Catherine, watching Lindsey do turns and jump on the stage to the various tunes of music. She was simply amazing to watch up there, parading as a swan on the stage along with the others.
If anyone was born for that part, it had to be young Lindsey Willows. It showed even when she did her serious scenes; she was struggling not to smile.
"She is," Catherine whispered back, smiling proudly of her little girl. She always knew she would go far, just not this far.
"She really looks like you, both beautiful," said Calleigh, making Catherine blush slightly.
The older woman bent in nuzzling Calleigh's cheek, and then backed away remembering where they were and that it wasn't exactly appropriate. Her hand however slipped to rest on top of the younger blonde's.
As the show slowly reached its end, the audience clapped and yelled out for more. A tear of joy ran down Catherine's cheek, never before had she been so proud of her little girl. She lifted her hand waving at her, making her beam a bit more than before, signaling she would meet them outside in fifteen minutes. Catherine simply nodded.
With the troop got off the stage and the curtains closed behind them. As the people slowly got up and started to walk towards the exit, Catherine cast one last glance at the stage, thinking back to how she back in the days made her livelihood.
It seemed like forever ago, a lifetime had gone by since then. Catherine sighed heavily thinking that now it was her little girl's turn to shine in the spotlight, only this time it was with dignity.
"You okay?" Calleigh interrupted her thoughts.
"Yeah, just thinking about how I used to perform for money back in the days," Catherine answered. It had come up in earlier conversations between the two of them.
"I see, well I'm sure you were great as well, so are you coming?" Calleigh asked, nodding towards the exit.
"I was the best of the best, much like her, and I am," said Catherine, letting her hand slip into Calleigh's before they slowly walked outside to wait for Lindsey.
"Are you sure you can't come with?" Paul asked, looking at Lindsey, which was slowly combing her long red brown hair.
"I'm sorry, but I promised to eat with mom and her date, the pretty blonde," said Lindsey, lightly rolling her eyes.
"Can't you come after?" asked Matthew, looking at her with hopeful eyes.
"I'll see how late it gets," said Lindsey, putting her long hair in a neat ponytail, and then freshening her makeup.
She slowly got up and walked out of the opera house with the others, seeing her mother and her woman. She turned to Jane and the others that were about to walk into one of their hangouts. She looked after them with helpless eyes.
Just then Jane turned and met Lindsey's eyes. She quickly told the troop to wait before hurrying back to her friend saying, "You'll be fine."
"I'm not so sure," said Lindsey with a heavy sigh.
"Don't worry, and if there is anything call, if not see you out or at home later," said Jane in a calm tone.
"Okay, have fun in the meantime," said Lindsey, managing a smile.
Jane giggle, before giving her a swift peck on the cheek saying, "Go on, they're waiting."
Lindsey nodded and walked in the direction of her mother after taking a deep breath.
As she reached them Catherine hugged her hardly whispering, "You were great, butterfly."
"Thanks, so did you both enjoy yourselves?" Lindsey asked, eyeing the woman up and down.
"It was amazing, you were absolutely fabulous, and I loved it," said Calleigh excitedly.
"Thank you," said Lindsey, blushing, her mother just nodded to show her agreement.
Both Lindsey and Calleigh looked at each other questioningly until Catherine said, "Calleigh, this is my daughter Lindsey Willows, Lindsey, Calleigh Duquesne, she's my…my…"
Calleigh frowned a bit, shaking Lindsey's hand, saying, "Her lady friend, think we are a bit to old to be girlfriends."
"For how long?" Lindsey wanted to know.
The two woman exchanged looks before Catherine said, "About six months."
"Six months and you hardly mentioned her, can I assume this is serious as she is here on my big night?" asked Lindsey.
"It is," said Catherine without elaborating on it.
"We have to talk more about this over dinner as I am starving," said Lindsey, looking at her mother with pleading eyes.
Calleigh giggled modestly as Catherine said, "Of course my little butterfly, lead the way."
Not long after they were sitting in one of Lindsey's favorite restaurant. And after ordering and having gotten their drinks the young girl decided to find out more about her mother and this young woman. She smiled sweetly at Calleigh saying, "Mind answering some questions?"
"I'll answer yours if you will answer mine," said Calleigh.
"Okay I suppose, so how did you two meet?" Lindsey said.
"We work in the same field, so we meet twelve years ago, then we've talked about cases that goes cross country from time to time. Are you in a relationship?" Calleigh said. She knew it was bold, but she wanted to know. Catherine quirked a brow.
"Hang on you told me how you meet, but not how you fell in love, as I do believe that mom has not been with a woman before," Lindsey said, avoiding Calleigh's question.
"She has not and you did ask how we meet. Well as I said due to cases over the years we got to know each other better and then I for the same reason I also came over here from time to time and the other way around. We ended up staying with each other to save money on hotels, and one late night over a glass of wine…"Calleigh stopped, seeing Lindsey's expression.
"As to answer your question, I am in a relationship, have been for some time. So I know what you work with, but not where or where you are from," said Lindsey.
"I work in Miami, but I'm from Louisiana, grew up there with three brothers, and…Either way I got offered a job in Miami and stayed there after. So what do you do when you don't dance?" Calleigh wanted to know.
"Not a happy home, parents fighting? I at the moment train when not on stage, or am with friends. They asked me out tonight, but I said I had to think it over. I also like movies and listening to all kinds of music," Lindsey answered.
Catherine cast a worried glance over at Calleigh knowing about her not so happy past. The blonde clenched her hand and said, "When there were happy times they were really happy, but also very rare. They fought a lot due to the fact that both are alcoholics. When dad lost some of his cases the way to the bottle was short and he could get temperamental. What about your own, what do you remember?"
"I remember they had disagreements, especially when it came to me, but he also made her smile. I remember he was the best dad in the whole world; we always had great fun together. Although the day he…I remember I was playing sleeping beauty and their arguing ruined it, mom got hurt as I wanted to go with dad. She does that a lot get hurt when I bring him up. I don't know what happened exactly that night, but mom saved me from drowning. They never caught his killer you know, or got him behind bars. Gosh there is so much injustice in this world and so many that walks, so many questions and so few answer," said Lindsey thoughtfully.
"I do agree, seeing it every day. Too many gets hurt, a lot never deserved it," said Calleigh with a sigh.
Catherine looked at the two women, both pondering about the cruel world or maybe their pasts until Lindsey asked, "What is it you like about my mother?"
"Lindsey," said Catherine in a warning tone.
"It's okay sweetheart, I don't really mind, I like that she's beautiful, smart, treat me with respect, that she's kind although at times temperamental. That she's caring, compassionate, funny, interesting, mysterious, sexy, good in bed and that she loves me," Calleigh answered.
"Calleigh!" Catherine said in a shocked tone.
"Ugh too much info, did not need that image in my head," said Lindsey, wrinkling her nose.
Calleigh giggled as she said, "You asked for it. So I take it you and your boyfriend isn't into that kind of things?"
Both women gasped at Calleigh's boldness as Lindsey said, "One that is none of your business and two I will not discuss that in front of my mother."
The strawberry blonde was about to say something, but the younger made a hand gesture making her stopped. She looked at Lindsey saying, "Fair enough, all things considered it's the first time we met."
"True, but I doubt it will be the last, you said it was serious, just how serious?" Lindsey asked.
Catherine and Calleigh exchanged looks, the younger blonde looked deeply into the eyes of the older that looked a little insecure, but she nodded, before Calleigh looked back at Lindsey saying, "We are thinking about moving in together."
"What!" Lindsey almost spat, her fork dropped to the table, making everyone turn to face them. She quickly got up, grabbed her purse, saying, "I…I…need to think."
Catherine got up as well saying, "Lindsey, please sit down, let us talk about this, don't make a scene."
Lindsey shook her head in frustration, saying, "You should have talked to me before now."
She quickly turned and walked out of the restaurant in haste. Catherine followed grabbing her arm, saying, "Don't leave it like this."
"Let me go," said Lindsey in a warning tone, making Catherine do just that and let her go, the whole place steering at her. She slowly walked back to the table and sat down saying, "That went well."
"Give her some time, she'll come around, besides it's not like I'm leaving tomorrow," said Calleigh, taking another bite of her steak. Catherine sighed wondering how she was going to fix this with her daughter.
Lindsey ended up going to a nightclub called After Dark a bit further down the Strip. She quickly went over to the bar saying, "Something strong please."
"ID please," said the bartender.
"Oh come on," she said annoyed, still she showed it to him, before giving her drink.
"Rough night?" he asked her with a sympathetic smile. He of course knew she was old enough as she was a regular there, but he just asked her from time to time for the sake of it.
"Very much yes, have Jane, Paul and the rest been here?" she asked, hoping they were there so she wouldn't have to look around town.
"They are here somewhere, anything I can do to help?" he asked her.
She shook her head, and drank the drink in less than a second, before heading for the dance floor, moving to the rhythm of the music. Closing her eyes, making a twirl, moving slowly, then faster as the beat got faster. Her eyes still closed, she didn't wish to see or to thing, she just wished to get lost in the music.
Lindsey, as she had her eyes closed, didn't notice that the dancing crowd around her slowly backed aside, giving her more room, watching her. She moved rapidly, faster and faster, wanting the world to disappear. Still it seemed like she in some way had control as she never once fell to the ground.
Tears were however starting to appear, running down her cheeks, and slowly she dropped to her knees, head in hands, crying.
It was just then Jane and Paul appeared from out of nowhere and somehow managed to get her to the bathrooms and way from the glaring crowd. Lindsey only half-aware of what was happening, slowly opened her eyes and looked at her friends, that look back with questioning eyes.
"Lindsey, what's going on?" said Jane, looking at her with worried eyes, not used to seeing her friend like that.
"Was she that horrible?" asked Paul, quirking a brow at her.
"No…no, she's not at all. She seems nice and cool, and they seem like a good couple, I was just not prepared for this, that's all," said Lindsey with a heavy sigh.
"Prepared for what, your mother is expecting?" said Paul.
"Heavens no, she's way too old for that I think, they are moving in together," said Lindsey.
"What?" Paul asked.
"How long have they even been together?" asked Jane as shocked as Paul.
"For about six months, meaning either mom will move to Miami or she will move here," said Lindsey.
"And when is this happening?" Jane wanted to know.
"Do you think I stuck around to ask?" said Lindsey with a frown.
"You stormed out didn't you," said Jane, looking at her with reproachful eyes.
"What did you expect me to do, it was all so sudden," she said, looking into her stormy grey eyes.
"You need to go back and talk to them about how you feel," said Jane, taking one of her hands in her own.
"Do I have to, I mean right now I just want to dance and have fun with you guys," Lindsey whispered, looking at her with insecure eyes.
"Can't we grant her that?" Paul asked, looking at Jane.
"I do suppose it can wait to tomorrow," said Jane with a small smile, making Lindsey's eyes go towards the dance floor, but instead she changed her mind and said, "Let's find somewhere to sit for a little while, I could use some rest after this night's performance."
"After you swan queen," said Paul with a chuckle, making a gesture. Lindsey giggled and slowly started to make her way back into the crowded place with the two others right behind.
It was close to 3 AM when Lindsey slowly opened the door to the Willows residence. She was no longer sober and she knew it was a bad idea to have consumed this amount of alcohol considering that she had to practice early the next morning for that evenings show.
She giggled as she stumbled inside, why she didn't quite know. She took of her jacket and hung it on one of the pegs in the hallway, but as she wasn't quite steady it ended up on the floor. She shrugged and slowly made her way upstairs to her old bedroom. She used it whenever she spent the night there, so her mother hadn't bothered to change it in any way, maybe because she liked it that way.
She as always had to pass her mother's bedroom on her way to her own. Normally she would just walk right pass it. This time she however stopped outside the door, and her current state and perhaps curiosity made her open the door and slip inside.
In the half-darkness she could hear her mother's muffled snores and Calleigh's heavy breaths, meaning both were sound asleep. She quietly walked closer, until she was by the end of the bed. First she struggled a bit with the focus in the dim light, but she could see her mother's bosom was naked, half covered by her covers. She wouldn't even want to know about her lower area.
Calleigh on the other hand was wearing a T-shirt of some kind; she couldn't make out the color on it. She was lying halfway on top of her mother, her mother's arm around the other woman.
Lindsey smiled as a yawn suddenly escaped her lips, seeing them like that made her suddenly feel so tired. And all things considered it had been a long day. Without further thought she slowly closed the door to the bedroom and crawled into bed with the two women. Something she in any other state wouldn't do, all things considered she was a young adult.
Now however she for some reason or another felt like being close to her mother. She somehow managed to nestle in between then, laying her head to rest a little below Calleigh, near her mother's belly. As she lay there, eyes half open, half closed, she made herself familiar with the smells and sounds of the two women. She only assumed as her mother was half-naked that the two of them had had sexual relations before falling asleep.
She wrinkled her nose by the thought of it, not the fact that they were two women, but because of their age and well one of them were her mother. She preferred not to know about those things.
Still lying there made her feel safe and very much at peace. She sighed with satisfaction before she closed her eyes and drifted into the world of dreams.
Calleigh let a small grunt escape her lips, slowly fluttering her eyes, wondering why the bed suddenly seemed smaller than any other night. She gasped seeing Lindsey sleeping between her and Catherine, one of her hands resting on her mother, the other reaching behind to rest upon herself.
She smiled a little, wondering when and how that had happened. She reached over Catherine to turn of the alarm to not wake the sleeping little butterfly. The moment however woke Catherine, she was about to say something, but Calleigh placed a finger on her lips and nodded towards Lindsey.
Catherine frowned seeing her little girl, lying there between them. That hadn't happened since Eddie died and they both needed some comfort. The strawberry blonde had cried herself to sleep more than once back then. Feeling lonely, abandoned and very much frustrated.
She looked at questioning eyes that with her lips made out, "I don't know."
Catherine nodded towards the door, mostly because she needed to go to the bathroom, after all she didn't work until nightfall. Calleigh nodded and both somehow managed to break free from the sleeping girl and leave the room.
"You didn't notice her come in?" Calleigh questioned, once they were inside the bathroom.
"No, after last night I was completely worn-out so I fell asleep, you?" Catherine asked back.
"No, didn't notice to just now as well for the same reasons as you. At least not until some moments ago as it was enough room in the bed and I couldn't seem to get close to you. Not that I mind having her there," Calleigh quickly corrected as she saw Catherine quirk a brow at her.
"Should I be worried, I mean she hasn't been in my bed since Ed died," said Catherine with a heavy sigh.
"I'm sure it's nothing, but you…we can always asked," Calleigh whispered as they were nearing the bedroom.
Both women got back inside, only to find her still asleep in their bed. Catherine sat down on each side of the young girl. Catherine, carefully stroked her arm and both ladies sat with their heads leaned over her, almost like two swans watching over their young duckling.
Lindsey slowly opened her eyes, looking up at them, startling. They both looked a bit too concerned. And as she was a bit hangover she suddenly felt like a quick that were being watched over by two bigger ones with longer necks.
"Butterfly, are you okay?" Catherine questioned, seeing her daughters startled face.
"Hangover, but okay, since when did you become a swan?" she asked, looking at a mother with confused eyes.
Calleigh couldn't help but let a giggle escape as Catherine answered, "Always, thought I was more like a hen, but I can go for swan all things considered. When did you get in?"
"A little over three I think, not sure," Lindsey answered, slowly sitting up, holding her head, a million horses were running around in there.
"And you decided to sleep with us because…?" Calleigh wanted to know, also looking at her with still concerned eyes.
"I don't really know, it did feel right at the time, and…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…" she said, looking down, suddenly feeling very stupid about it.
"It's okay really, neither mind," said Calleigh in a calm and very loving tone.
"You got children?" Lindsey wanted to know.
"No, work too much and now I in a way have you," she said with a smile, carefully stroking away some locks that had fallen down in her face.
"You don't mind me being this big do you?" Lindsey looked at her with insecure eyes.
"Of course not, little one," Calleigh said, making Catherine smile.
"So do you wish to talk about last night?" Calleigh wanted to know.
"We should…but…It's just that it came so sudden, that's all. I wasn't prepared for that. So if you are planning to do this, are you going to do it here or in Miami?" asked Lindsey, looking at both.
"We haven't decided upon that as both like our jobs, but both can also transfer," said Catherine honestly.
"But you will let me know so I know where to…go," said Lindsey, looking at them with insecure eyes.
"Of course as we both want our daughter there," said Catherine in a loving tone, Calleigh just nodded to this.
"Good, but really I need to go or I'll be late for practice," she said with a sigh.
"Grab some aspirin from the bathroom and a bottle of water from the fridge," said Catherine, gently stroking her cheek.
"And also some breakfast," Calleigh quickly added.
"Yes mother," said Lindsey, as for whom she meant was uncertain, but both smiled as the young girl got up and hurried out of the room.
"She still needs us," said Catherine with a sigh of satisfaction.
"Which is a very good thing," said Calleigh, smiling at her lady.
"That is it," said Catherine, gently kissing her.
Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)