Moment
Author: Cath
Feedback: Really? That'd be so lovely! button_mush@hotmail.com. Of course, reviews are equally appreciated.
Disclaimer: They belong not to me.
Summary: "She needs to be awake."
Notes: My first CSI fic. A little G/C ficlet for the graveshiftcsi gang. Many thanks to Allison and Angie for taking a look over it!
~*~ Moment ~*~
She's unbelievably tired.
She fights back against the sleep that threatens to overcome her. She is mostly successful.
Her eyes wander round the room.
The clock, its ticking inaudible, moves slowly; few minutes have passed since she last looked.
She notes, perhaps for the first time, the details of the room. Color, equipment, ceiling pattern.
Eyes close, head drops. She shakes her head, takes a sip of coffee, and tries to wake herself.
She looks down at the paper in front of her. Words drift into one another, photos blur. Reading, comprehending, is impossible.
She knows that she's of little use like this.
She needs to be awake.
More coffee.
She stands up, walks around in a daze, goes to the bathroom, returns.
It hasn't helped.
She glances over at the clock again.
It feels as though hours have passed in the ten minutes since she last looked.
Her eyes close again, remaining shut a few seconds before she opens them.
She hears a noise from the door, sees Grissom standing there, watching her.
He asks if she's okay.
She tells him she's fine.
He doesn't look convinced.
She admits that she's tired, but doesn't offer any further explanation.
He doesn't ask.
She looks down again, end of conversation.
She knows he finds this unusual. She's normally the conversationalist. The friendly, sociable one.
Today she doesn't feel like it. Too little sleep; she's irritable and wants to be alone.
Alone to wait out the hours until the shift is over.
He reads the signals; ignores them.
He enters the room, pours out coffee, sits down.
She sighs and leans back against the chair, work ignored momentarily.
"Go home," he tells her. He sees how exhausted she is.
She shakes her head. "You need me here," she replies.
"I need you awake," he comments. "Go home" he repeats, "We'll be okay without you."
She knows it's probably true. She doesn't argue.
She begins to stand, slowly and wearily.
"You're not driving are you?" he asks. He almost sounds concerned.
She glares at him. "How else will I get home?"
He thinks this over for a second. "I'll drive," he offers.
She's too tired to object, not knowing whether she'd trust herself to remain awake long enough.
"Sure," she concedes.
She gets her things together as he informs the rest of the team that he'll be gone a short while.
They don't object - they see how exhausted Catherine looks.
They walk in silence to the car, contemplative.
They don't talk for the duration of the journey. Instead, she falls asleep while he listens to the radio.
They reach her house and he doesn't want to wake her.
He watches her for a minute before calling her name.
She stirs, gradually coming to.
"Thanks," she says as she climbs out of the car.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asks. She finds his concern amusing.
"Yeah," she replies.
He doesn't believe her, but doesn't repeat the question.
She leans over, unexpectedly kissing him on the cheek.
"You're a good friend," she tells him.
He doesn't reply. She smiles, not surprised.
"Get some sleep," he says finally.
"I'll try," she remarks.
She closes the car door and goes to her house.
He leaves when he sees her enter.
He's worried about her and she knows it.
But for now she's not going to think about it.
She just wants to sleep.
[the end]