Apparently, after writing Interlocking I wasn't quite done with Cathy Tao…

The timeline for this is pretty broad. Sometime early season three, works. Not long after Kevin goes away for college at any rate. Maybe somewhere in the gap between 3A and 3B.

There's not much as far as plot goes, either. This is basically a drabble. A more fitting name would be a Day in the Life of Cathy Tao.

Anyway, have fun and enjoy!

Bubbles and Badges

Cathy still wasn't used to cooking for only two people. Luckily, Julio would be joining them tonight so that would help diminish some of the excess food. Hopefully. She looked forlornly at the amount of food she'd prepared and sighed.

How Mike learned to cut back on the quantity of food he cooked so quickly she'd never know. She smiled slightly. He probably saw it as a mathematical equation to be precisely calculated and measured. The smile remained in place as she moved about the kitchen searching for some crushed pecans to add to the salmon.

Mike and Julio had gone out for a few last minute things for dinner. Namely, beer and a deck of playing cards because theirs had mysteriously gone missing. She suspected her youngest had taken them with him the last time he was home. Playing cards had been more fun when the boys were young. Julio seemed to have a new game to teach them every time, and they loved having his attention. She missed her big family. Since Kevin had moved into a college dorm, the house was just too quiet.

As if to contradict her thoughts, the phone rang, and she made a mental note to turn the volume down once she answered the call. She smiled looking at the caller ID.

"Hello, Kevin,"

"How is it, Julio, that whenever you come over to our house for dinner you ALWAYS end up doing the dishes?" Her smile stretched from ear to ear, and she was completely unaware of the lines that appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Julio, his forearms covered in suds, grinned at the smiling Asian woman leaning against the counter.

"Shh! Cathy!" Mike didn't give his partner a chance to answer as he rinsed and dried the dishes Julio was washing, "don't talk him out of it!"

Cathy rolled her eyes, still smiling, and shook her head. "Julio, you- "

"—don't have to." Julio interrupted her, handing a sparkling bubble coated glass to Mike, "I know." He grinned, plunging his hand into the water he pulled out the last dish. "At least there's fewer dishes than when the boys were home." He flicked his wet and soapy fingers towards his partner's face.

"Hey!" Mike dramatically flinched away from the soapy water.

"They were better helpers, though," Julio added, looking back at Cathy seriously.

Cathy made a high pitched noise of amusement. Her eyebrows rising towards her hairline causing her forehead to wrinkle.

"Hey!" Mike exclaimed again, feigning offense.

Julio chuckled, "Did you—"

He was interrupted by the sound of excited chimes coming from the living room. The excitement was limited to the cell phone producing the sound as the shoulders of everyone in the kitchen slumped slightly.

"I'll get it," Cathy volunteered, her tone resigned as she left the kitchen.

Mike and Julio began drying their hands as they heard her say "hello."

She reappeared in the kitchen a moment later, smiling slightly. "Oh, it's fine, Sharon. After thirty years, I'm used to it. We'd finished dinner, anyway. I can send some leftovers with Mike?"

Julio and Mike exchanged a look. Tao shrugged his shoulders.

"Maple Bourbon Salmon and white rice. I'm still not used to not cooking for three teenage boys so there's enough for everyone."

They couldn't hear the Captain's reply, but Cathy laughed. "You and Rusty should come over for dinner again soon. Or maybe we can get everyone together for a cookout! Bring the families kind of thing."

Julio rolled his eyes, but smiled as he and Tao retrieved their jackets. They wouldn't be showing up to work in professional attire, but under the circumstances professional attire wasn't expected.

"Okay," Cathy continued, moving towards Mike, "it was good talking to you, Sharon, here's Mike."

"Hey, Captain," He took the phone from his wife and kissed her cheek before grabbing his keys. "Where are we headed tonight?"

"Julio," Cathy moved quickly towards the fridge removing two large glass containers. The man set his cellphone and badge down on the counter as he took the bowls from her. "Here, take these. You can leave your bike here, of course."

"Thanks for dinner, Cathy." Julio gave his partner's wife a quick hug with one arm while cradling the two heavy dishes with the other.

"Anytime, Julio." The words were barely out of her mouth before Julio was out the door.

She moved towards the door in time to see Julio slide carefully into the passenger seat- balancing the leftovers- and close the car door. She waved as they pulled out of the drive, and waited until the car was out of sight before going back inside, closing the door behind her.

"Julio," Sharon's arms were crossed as she turned away from the Murder Board. "You and Amy go pick up Mr. Sobet, and have him bring his lawyer. I'll call the D.A., and we'll get this taken care of in time for us to make it home for an early dinner, or even a late lunch."

Julio was on his feet as soon as his name left her mouth. "Yes, ma'am. We'll have to swing by Tao's house first. I left by badge and cellphone there."

It wasn't until they'd arrived at the PAB, and he'd put the leftovers in the breakroom fridge that Julio realized his badge wasn't in his jacket pocket. Neither was his cellphone. He'd realized in that instant that he'd forgotten to pick them up off the counter before rushing out the door.

"Of course," the Captain nodded, and opened her mouth to continue relaying orders when something caught her eye. "Cathy!" The Captain moved towards the woman entering the Murder Room. "Mike is down with SID, but he should be back soon."

"I'm not here for Mike, actually." Cathy said smiling as she moved around the Captain towards Julio. "I didn't realize until this morning that you'd left this at home or I'd have brought it by last night."

Julio smiled, "thanks, Cathy." He took his cellphone and badge from her outstretched hand.

"The salmon was great!" Amy commented before Cathy could turn to leave.

"Thank you, Amy." Cathy's hand found the young woman's shoulder, resting there gently and briefly.

"Yeah," Flynn spoke up from his desk with a lopsided grin. "We had it for breakfast, and decided we'd only call Mike in from now on after he's finished eating dinner."

Chuckles echoed around the room.

"I washed your bowls out." Provenza smiled at her. "They're in the breakroom…"

"Send them home with Mike," Cathy began moving towards the door, "I'm on my way to work."

"Will do." Both Raydor and Provenza said at the same time, then gave each other indignant glares for the incredulous behavior the other displayed.

Cathy grinned. They were a very large, and wonderfully odd family, indeed.

Thoughts?