Disclaimer: Don't own them just borrowing
Rating: PG
Spoilers: AU
Author's Notes: Just an idea that came to me a while ago. Based on the song A love that last by Renee Olstead
Summary: Don't kiss and hug me and then try to run, I don't do drama, My tears don't fall fast, I want a love that will last
A love that last
The evening breeze made her shiver slightly. She leaned against the frame of the lobby door and let out a small sigh. Even surrounded by hundreds of people during the conference at a big Las Vegas hotel she had never felt lonelier.
She drew the thin wrap she had brought closer around her shoulders. The dinner was about to start. She turned and her eyes fell on a young couple coming walking into the lobby from one of the elevators. They could barely untangle themselves enough to walk the short distance to the restaurant. The young woman's eyes, mouth and entire being smiled at everyone they passed. Her long blond curly hair bouncing as she walked, she placed her arm around him and Catherine's eyes caught shine from a new wedding band and big diamond engagement ring on the younger woman's hand. Catherine felt her heart sink. Would she ever have that feeling again, like the world was the most amazing place and that life would only get better from now on. Ever since Grissom had left her standing in the office hallway with his icy comment on why he didn't date and what he thought of her she had felt sick every time he had been near her. The worst thing about it was that he at the same time was the only person she really wanted to touch her, hold her and love her.
She took a deep breath when she felt tears welling up. This conference had been her way out for a couple of days.
- This is ridiculous, she told herself. She began walking towards the conference room that was now turned into a big dinner room. At the door she handed in her invite.
- Welcome Ms. Willows, will your date be joining you later? The young waitress asked her.
- Excuse me? I don't have a..., Catherine eyed the entire room, it was all couples. She cursed inwards, "Grissom, he forgot to tell me the dinner was a couples event, that's why a lot of her small group had gone home in the afternoon". Well, she needed to eat anyways.
- I'm here alone, she said trying to hide the humiliation she felt when another pair entered and walked to their table hand in hand. She felt tears coming back to eyes.
The waitress looked at her and realized that the woman in front of her had not known about the couple's dinner. She wondered why the beautiful woman in front of her was here alone in the first place. She certainly wouldn't have a problem finding a date. She almost felt sorry for her, knowing what the organizers of the evening had planned for later.
- You're at table 14, the waitress told her and pointed towards a table in the opposite side of the big conference room in front of a small stage with a piano.
- Great, Catherine muttered and started walking towards her table. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts and impending anger at Grissom that she didn't realize several heads were turning as she passed. Eyes were following the strawberry blonde as she moved gracefully towards her table. She wore a simple black dress. It had quite a plunging neckline with a delicate lace pattern to accentuate her beautiful figure. The waist was tight showing how slim and small she really was. The skirt of the dress flowed loosely around her thighs; it consisted of a lot of lacelike thin layers of fabric that ended right under her knees. She wore black stiletto heels and a small satin evening bag; her thin wrap was folded and hung over her left wrist. Her hair came tumbling in loose curls and her make up was simple but yet very effective, especially her eyes that really stood out. But people also a hint of sadness in her eyes as she moved between the tables.
Catherine kept walking until she saw table 14, then she stopped at first before she slowly approached the table. In the front of the other bigger tables there was a line of small two person tables. Couples already occupied all of them except table 14. A single red rose in a vase and candlelight adorned the table other than that it was empty. She seriously contemplated how to get out of here when suddenly the lights were dimmed and a young woman came to the stage. A man came in behind her and sat down at the piano. The soft sounds of the piano mingled with the candle lights on the tables. Catherine decided to sit down, she quickly reached the table and sat down, not reacting to the looks a lot of the women at the small tables sent her.
- Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this song is for all of you looking for love.
She tensed a bit at the young woman's words but then sat back to enjoy the music but felt herself tense up and tears slowly begin to slide down her cheeks when she heard the lyrics of the song.
I want a little something more
Don't want the middle or the one before
I don't desire a complicated past
I want a love that will last
Say that you love
Say I'm the one
Don't kiss and hug me and then try to run
I don't do drama
My tears don't fall fast
I want a love that will last
I don't want a just a memory
Gives me forever
Don't even think about saying good-bye
Cuz I want just one love to be enough
And remain in my heart till I die
So call me romantic
Oh I guess that must be so
There's something more that you ought to know
I'll never leave you
So don't even ask
I want a love that will last
Forever
I want a love that will last
I want a love that will last
I don't want a just a memory
Gives me forever
Don't even think about saying good-bye
Cuz want just one love to be enough
And remain in my heart till I die
So there's little more that I need
I wanna share all the air you breathe
I'm not the kinda girl to complicate the past
I want a love that will last
Forever
I want a love the love that last
Always
I just want a love that will last
Want a love that will last
Catherine shook her head slightly, and rose to leave. She felt a single tear escape her eye and angrily brushed it away, trying to keep her head down she walked briskly towards the exit. Suddenly she felt herself colliding with something or someone. She was about stumble and fall when a couple of strong hands reached around her to steady her. She felt herself being turned around. Blue meet blue in the softly lit room as she locked eyes with the one she had just bumped into.
- Gil? She said incredulously eyeing him and seeing he was wearing the tux he had worn the last time she had worn this dress.
- Cath, please don't cry, he said. She ignored his request and tried to free herself from his quite intimate hold of her. She could see several curious faces around them.
- What are you doing here, and why didn't you tell me this was a couple's dinner, she asked angrily.
- I wanted to surprise you, he told her honestly. She sent him a 'what are you up to' ice-cold glare. Every pair of eyes in the room was on them. He had loosened his hold on a little and she used it to her advantage. She pulled out of his embrace and ran for the door but he caught up with her just before. He reached out and got hold of her wrist and pulled at her to turn around.
- Let go of me, Gil, she said with no emotion.
- No, he shot back. She decided to use another tactic.
- Please Gil not here, she said trying to yank her arm from his hold but he tightened his hold instead.
- Why do you think I said those horrible things Catherine? I was jealous, Grissom stated without caring that people around him were listening.
Her eyes snapped up to meet his, but she lowered her eyes again realizing she didn't know what to say but she decided to lay her heart out on the line.
- Why didn't you just tell me, I never wanted to be with anyone else than you, she whispered.
For a second she heard a couple of gasps from the people around them, and she caught a woman kissing her date sweetly.
Then she felt him tilt her head towards him and then his lips descended on hers claiming her heart and soul in that first sweet and chaste kiss.