Authors Note: Thanks to MortalUndomiel for betaing this story :o)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation or Buffy the vampire slayer and I don't make any money from it.
Warning: Sex read at own risk.
A vacation to remember
"Gosh it's raining cats and dogs out there," said Catherine to the barman at Eclipse. He looked at her with a smile, not saying anything, just threw her a towel.
"I sure hope that is clean," she muttered, wrinkling her nose.
"No worries Catherine, besides I heard beer is good for your hair," he said and smiled at the older woman.
"Hmmm, so how is life here?" she asked him, letting her eyes search the bar, looking for trouble of any kind. It all seemed quiet though.
"Nice and peaceful, I thought you would be working," he said, looking at her with wondering eyes.
"Not tonight, it's my night off so I thought I'd stop by and take a drink to a change," said Catherine, smiling.
"Well you are the owner, so what will it be?" he asked her.
"I don't know, something sweet, surprise me Ron," she said with a giggle.
"Something sweet coming right up," he said and turned his back at her, just as a young strawberry blonde walked up to the bar and said, "Hey barman, give me another beer."
"Can you hold on Cath?" he asked looking over at Catherine.
She nodded, eying the other strawberry blonde, she had to be in her early thirties or so, probably there on vacation, she looked over from where she had come from, a boy and a girl.
Vacation. Catherine started to think back when she was at that age, she was working her ass off and even now she had seldom time for a vacation.
Ron handed over the beer to the young woman before he handed Catherine her drink. As she looked around she suddenly felt so lonely. Everyone there was with someone, but her, she was having the first night off in weeks where she didn't have anyone she could be with. She thought it would feel great, but instead she felt lonely.
She sighed taking a sip of her drink, thinking that it was a bit too sweet, but she had no intention of telling Ron just that. She hated to be a nag, and besides, to her it wasn't a big a deal. She tried to decide whether to take the drink up to her room or finish it at the bar. She decided on the first.
As she got up she said, "I'll take this upstairs, and I'll call down if I need refill."
"As you wish Mrs. Willows," he said and smiled at her.
Catherine smiled back, slowly leaving the room, but as she did so the eyes of the young woman that had been at the bar followed her. She looked after her with wondering eyes for a second before she joined in on the discussion held at the table.
It was late night that Catherine got woken up by a lot of yelling and noises from the room next door. Not that that was anything new as Vegas was always alive at night. Tiredly she got out of bed, glad that she for once had fallen asleep with the clothes on.
She took a look in the mirror before she left the room and knocked on the door next to hers. To her surprise the young strawberry blonde from the bar answered saying, "Yes, how may we help?"
"I was wondering if you could keep it down just a little as I am trying to sleep in the room next door," said Catherine, suddenly feeling very old for asking that.
"Of course, I am sorry that we disturbed you," said Buffy, looking a little embarrassed.
"It's okay as I assume you are here on vacation and need to unwind," said Catherine with a half-smile.
Buffy nodded, "Are you here on vacation as well?"
"Hardly, I work around the clock. This was my first night off in weeks," said Catherine with a smile.
"You must make a lot if you can afford to check in here for a night off," said the younger girl, a little impressed.
"I make just enough to cover my expenses, but I own this hotel so luckily I don't have to pay that," said Catherine with a smile.
"You own this hotel!" exclaimed Buffy, surprised.
"I do yes, now if you will excuse me," said Catherine, nodding towards the door.
"Yes, of course, well it was nice talking to you…?" Buffy questioned.
"Willows, Catherine Willows, likewise Miss…?" she questioned back.
"Buffy Summers, maybe we'll see you around as we're gonna stay here for a while," she replied, hopefully.
Catherine nodded before she locked herself into the room, glad that they were turning the sound down so she could continue to sleep.
As soon as Buffy had turned down the stereo, Xander looked at her asking, "Who was that?"
"Hotel owner asking us to turn it down," Buffy answered with a sigh.
"And just because of that you listen. Buff we are on vacation here," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Well it was her first night of in weeks, I think we can grant her the rest, don't you?"
"I do suppose that we can, we can watch a movie instead," Willow suggested.
"Sure as long as it doesn't include vampires," said Buffy with a giggle.
"Or reptile monsters," said Xander rolling his eyes.
"Okay that leaves, according to this TV a comedy, a romantic comedy or a romantic movie as I'm not watching action," said Willow with a sigh.
Buffy and Xander exchanged looks before they said, "Comedy."
Willow giggled before she quickly put on the movie and in dismay said, "We're out of salty chips."
"You can have some cheesy ones," said Xander and offered her the bag. She nodded with a sigh and took it, not her favorite, but it would have to do. Buffy just shook her head as she snatched the bag when Willow was done with it.
The trio didn't wake up until there was a knock on their door around ten the next morning. Buffy very slowly opened her eyes saying, "Who can that be, we know no one here."
"I'll answer it," said Willow with a smile, she jumped on her feet and ran over to the door.
"You know sometimes I hate that you're wide awake the moment you get up," said Buffy, rolling her dark green eyes.
Willow didn't answer her with anything else that wiggling her red eyebrows at her, before opening the door and saying, "Yes, how may I help?"
"This was sent to you, may I…?" Buffy heard a man ask on the outside.
"Sure," said Willow, opening the door so one of the hotel employees could trill in a wagon with two stores of food. Buffy gave Willow a "what?" look and Willow gave her a, "I don't know," look back.
Xander that now had come to himself, jumped up from the couch, walked over to the man, gave him a bill, pat his back and said, "Thank you kind sir."
He rolled his eyes before he left them and Buffy said, "Who is that from?"
"Don't know, but the envelope is addressed to you," said Xander, taking a pear and eating it.
"Hey…?" said Willow and hit his arm, before looking over at Buffy thaw was opening the note.
She read it quickly, not recognizing the handwriting.
"Dear Buffy, thank you for keeping it down last night. I thought you and your friends could use some breakfast. If you need anything else, just call the reception and have them put it on me. Catherine Willows."
"So…?" Willow asked, looking over at a very puzzled Buffy.
"It's from her as a thank you for keeping it down last night," said Buffy, putting the letter back in the envelope, before putting it on the nightstand.
"You mean the owner, but why?" asked Willow confused.
"As a thanks for keeping it down," said Buffy repeated, still confused as to why she would do that.
"That sure is nice of her, we should probably give something in return," said Willow.
"Yes, but how?" asked Buffy.
"Leave a note at her door or the reception," said Xander before grabbing some food on a plate, before sitting down on the couch to eat it.
"I suppose we can do that, what you think?" said Willow and looked at Buffy.
"Sure, but let's eat first," said Buffy with a smile, before heading over to the wagon and following Xander's example.
It was a couple of nights later that Catherine returned to the Eclipse. She quickly sat down by the bar waiting for Ron to tend to her. A bit surprised to see her he asked, "Catherine, what are you doing here, shouldn't you be at work?"
"I am, just stopped by to get something in the office as I was in the neighborhood and didn't feel like coming back when I was done. So any news?" she answered.
"Uhm the younglings from the other day asked to give you this, haven't seen them the last few nights. It was a little fight here last night, they want to change the menu in the restaurant and I think Jill and Jonas are dating," she quickly summed up.
"They are, it was about time, a little change, but not all, I'll talk to the head chef tomorrow, and nothing bad on the fight I do hope," she said as she opened the envelope he handed her and read, "Dear Miss Willows. We didn't know if it was Miss or Mrs. Considering we didn't see a wedding band. We wanted to thank you for the breakfast and also for letting us order for the rest of the stay. As a thank you we wanted to invite you out for dinner a night that you see fit, just give me a call, you'll find my number on the back. From Buffy."
Ron looked at her with curious eyes and she said, "They want to invite me for dinner, but I really don't know."
"If I were you I would say yes as you could use some more fun in your life," said Ron and smiled at her.
"I'll think about it," she said and gave him a peck on the check before leaving, trying to figure out what to do about the matter.
"So what do you guys do when you are not on vacation?" Catherine asked when they were out for dinner two days later. She figured she could at least humor them with their request for two reasons: one, it was a free meal and two, it was better than to have dinner alone.
"I'm a cop and…" Buffy stopped with a sigh, figuring it was probably not a good idea saying that she slayed vampires. Even if they had moved away from the Hellmouth and over to LA ages ago the vampires and monsters still followed her. At least she hadn't run into some in Vegas yet.
Catherine looked at her with questioning eyes, but the young girl looked down and Willow said, "I teach computer science at the local University."
Catherine nodded as she said, "Then I know who to call when I have a computer problem."
"You should, she's a computer whiz," said Xander with a chuckle, making Willow blush.
"I can imagine so," said Catherine with a warm smile.
"She also does computer programming on the side," Xander quickly added just to embarrassing her.
"Xander…" Willow snapped, giving him a glare.
"What it's true, as for me I work as a freelance journalist," he lied, he couldn't exactly share his real occupation, which was a watcher. His work had been taking him all over training different slayers, but in the end he had settled with Buffy's sister Dawn in LA, they had married three years back.
Catherine nodded to this, wonder what field he worked in, she was not all too crazy about journalists in the first place, but he didn't seem like any of the others she had met up to now.
"We told you what we do, but you never told us what you do. We know you own the hotel, but I have a feeling that's not your main job," said Buffy, looking at the other woman with wondering eyes.
"It's not, I'm a crime scene investigator," said Catherine honestly.
"So you are the one that take care of the people after they are dead, that is funny," said Xander, considering how many they had been around over the years.
"Why so?" Catherine asked confused.
"I just pictured you as a lawyer or something," he quickly corrected himself.
"Hardly, I did have another kind of work as a younger to provide for my family…" she said with a heavy sigh, glad that those days were over.
"Family…?" Buffy questioned, considering Catherine did not have a wedding band.
"I have a daughter, her father passed away some time back," Catherine answered like it was no big deal.
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Buffy in a sympathetic tone as the other two nodded to this.
"He was not always bad, but…" Catherine stopped.
Buffy just nodded, getting lost in Catherine's deep blue eyes, as she became entranced by her green ones. Willow and Xander looked from one, to the other, and back again, feeling the sexual tension between the two of them. Buffy was thinking about how she had been with her fair shares of Mister Wrong's over the years. They hadn't been bad all the time, but still. She looked at the other woman's pain filled eyes wondering what her ex had done to her.
Xander opened his mouth to say something, but Willow quickly cut him off, making him go silent as Buffy said, "I understand, believe me."
At the moment they got interrupted by their waiter asking, "Do any of you care to see the dessert menu?"
"I'd like that very much yes," said Xander, holding out his hand, making Buffy and Catherine break the eye contact and Catherine take one as well burring her eyes in it. Willow gave Xander an ugly glare, but he choose to ignore it.
Hours later, the four had found themselves in a nightclub. Xander and Willow were dancing on the floor, while Catherine and Buffy sat talking.
"I'm sorry, but I really have to go, I got to get to work," Catherine said to Buffy as it was nearing midnight.
"Already," said Buffy with a sigh, looking at her with disappointed eyes.
"I'm afraid so," said Catherine, sadly.
"Maybe I can buy you breakfast after the shift if you are not too tired," Buffy suggested.
"I'll call you to let you know, but now I really have to go, have fun in the meantime," said Catherine and got up to leave.
"Won't be all that fun without you, have a safe shift," said Buffy, giving her a very light peck on the cheek, making her blush before she hurried out of there.
"Wow, aren't you a bit overdressed for work?" Catherine heard Sara asked as soon as she entered the lab.
"I was out eating before I got here and I didn't have time to go back to change," said Catherine.
"And you got lipstick on your cheek because…?" Sara asked with a frown.
Catherine didn't answer, just hurried into the bathroom to remove it as fast as she possible could. She couldn't believe she didn't think about checking that before she came in. She looked in the mirror, sighing.
What was she doing? This was not like her, going out with a group of younger people she hardly knew after running into them once at late night, offering to pay their bill for as long as they should happen to stay. She groaned, her finger stroking carefully over the cheek where she had just washed the lipstick off.
She leaned on the sink, slowly closing her eyes and picturing Buffy. A shiver of lust ran down her spine as she pictured her lips on other placed than her cheek.
'Catherine, stop it,' she told herself, slowly opening her eyes and returning to reality. Leaving the bathroom she tried to get the young woman out of her head, but couldn't. She was wondering why she was feeling like this all of a sudden, all she wanted was to kiss her and touch her.
Her thinking slowly got interrupted by Greg calling out for her. She sighed, glad that he did, meaning her mind would be focused on something else…at least for now.
It was the end of the shift that Catherine called upon Buffy. She got the answering machine two times before a very tired Buffy answered, "Hello, this is Buffy."
"Hey Buffy, it's Catherine, I was just wondering if you are still up for going out for breakfast," said Catherine calmly.
"Just give me five so I can get dressed and tell me where to meet you," said Buffy with a yawn.
"How about the restaurant at Cesar's?" Catherine suggested.
"Okay, see you there," said Buffy and hung up.
"Early morning date?" Catherine heard Sara ask behind her.
"More a breakfast meeting, well see you tonight," said the strawberry blonde as she hurried towards the elevator.
"So how was it after I left?" Catherine asked, looking at a very tired Buffy.
"Exhausting," she answered short as they had ran into a couple of vampires she had to take care of.
"Really you meet someone interesting then I take it," said Catherine, there was a trace of disappointment in her eyes.
"Not really, more like some old acquaintances," said Buffy in a calm tone, looking over at the older woman with tender eyes.
"And that didn't end very well?" Catherine asked in a worried tone.
"Not for them," said Buffy with a satisfied grin.
"Glad to hear," said Catherine with a yawn, this night had been one of the long ones, and she couldn't wait to curl up in her bed.
"What about you then, rough shift?" Buffy asked concerned.
"You might say that yes," She answered with a nod.
"I know all too well what that can be like, when it comes to both work and personal, as you might say I have a side job," said Buffy with a sigh.
"You do…?" Catherine looked at her with curious eyes.
"Yes, but you wouldn't believe it if I told you what it was," said Buffy with a little laugh.
Catherine didn't ask, she figured if she wanted to share she would in time, instead she changed the subject by saying, "Maybe we should pay and get out of here as I think we both could use some rest."
"I couldn't agree more, do you wish to go home or…I'd be happy to take you," she quickly added.
"Home, I can drive my own car, but you are more than happy to come if…" Catherine stopped.
"I would love to, but I will drive so you can rest on our way there," said Buffy as she waved for the waiter to get their bill. Catherine figured it wouldn't be a bad thing if she did just that as she was so exhausted that she might risk falling asleep behind the wheel.
"Catherine, it's time to wake up," Buffy whispered as she parked her car in the driveway and killed off the engine.
Catherine opened her eyes slowly, and looked at her with a tired smile, before she slowly got out of the car. Buffy quickly followed her example, but made sure to lock the car before following the older woman into her house.
"I would suggest you take my bed and then maybe I can take Lindsey's or the couch," said Catherine, after hanging up her jacket in the hallway.
"Lindsey?" Buffy questioned with a puzzled face.
"My daughter, she's away at school, she's only home sometimes during the weekends and holidays," said Catherine, realizing they had not used her name when they were talking about her.
Buffy nodded not saying anything. She knew from their previous conversation the night before that Catherine's daughter was nineteen. Her problem at the moment was however that she was wondering what she was doing there, rather than Catherine having a daughter.
"So where do you want to sleep?" Catherine wanted to know.
"I'll take Lindsey's room if you don't mind as I would feel like I was intruding if I took yours. Unless…" said Buffy.
"Unless what?" Catherine asked, looking at her with questioning eyes.
"You want company, sleeping wise?" asked Buffy, looking at the older woman.
"I…you see it's been…I don't know if that is wise," Catherine finished up. A part of her wanted the young woman in bed with her, yet she couldn't let herself do it.
"I understand, well see you a little later then," said Buffy and gave her a very soft kiss on the cheek, before disappearing into Lindsey's bedroom to get some sleep. Catherine looked after her for a minute, swallowing hard, before she walked into her own private sphere.
Buffy woke up again round one, slightly disorientated as to where she was. She looked around before she remembered and sighed, curling up a little under Lindsey's soft sheets. She figured there was no hurry to get up as it was still quiet in the house. Meaning that Catherine was most likely still asleep.
The young woman slowly got out of bed and grabbed her pants that were lying on a chair close by, slowly she put them on. She was already wearing the top and the bra from the night before, not feeling like sleeping naked she hadn't taken then off in the first place.
She took a quick look around the room, before she left it. Quietly she walked towards Catherine's room in the end of the hall. Opening the door, she slipped inside.
She looked at the older woman that was only halfway under her flower-pattered cover. She was wearing purple sleeping top and matching sleeping pants. Her head was resting upon her arm and the other arm was resting alone her side. Her chest was going slowly up and down, and both her lips and eyes were closed.
Buffy smiled at her, thinking at that moment that Catherine was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. In the dull light she looked around her room. It was a bit bigger than she had imagined when she first came there. It consisted of two patterned chairs, an old, wooden dresser with a lamp and a picture of what Buffy could only assume was Lindsey when she was younger on top, a closet going from floor to ceiling on one wall, a window and her bed.
Buffy removed some clothes in one of the chairs, to sit down. She folded them and lay over the armrest on the other, then grabbed a lady magazine from the second chair and started to read.
She quickly browsed through the fashions and went on to an article on parenting. She sighed heavily as she cast a glimpse down at her belly. She had wanted children earlier in life, maybe at some point she still did, but being a slayer that seemed impossible.
All things considered she had somehow managed to have a more or less normal life on the side, working as a cop, and being with her friends. Then again she knew that if she was to have a son or daughter that would require that she was there one hundred percent, meaning there was no way that could ever happen.
Buffy cast a glimpse over the picture of Lindsey as silent tears started to fall from her eyes. Tears of what she could never have or experience, bitter tears because of her destiny.
Catherine was woken from her sleep by Buffy's sobs. She fluttered with her eyes, before opening them and looking over at the younger woman. She slowly got out of bed and walked over to her, not questioning how long she had been sitting there, her only question was, "What's the matter?"
"Children…Parenting…I will never have that," Buffy whispered, holding up the article she had been reading, not meeting her eyes.
"I'm sure that…" Catherine started as Buffy interrupted, "No, I can't, due to my calling it would be impossible."
"You mean being a cop?" asked Catherine confused.
"No, that's not all that I am, but you wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Buffy with a heavy sigh.
"Believe when I say I've seen and heard almost everything over the years, nothing you say will come surprising," said Catherine calmly, taking Buffy's hands in her own.
"How about vampires?" Buffy asked, looking deeply into her blue eyes.
"I've seen people that thought they were, and had fangs operated on their teeth, drinking blood, killing people for the fun of it. People thinking they are something they are not, why do you ask?" asked Catherine, looking at her with wondering eyes.
Buffy nodded seriously before she said, "They are posers and wannabe's, but nothing compared to the real deal. They exist along with a number of other monsters. I know this because I fight them every night and sometimes during the day. I am Buffy the vampire slayer and last night I fought three of them behind Cesar's. There are probably more here as they have a tendency to follow me. This is not something I asked for, and I didn't believe it in the beginning, but that doesn't make it any less of a fact. I can't change what I am."
Catherine Willows frowned and said," I really don't know what to say. I don't believe there is such thing as a real life vampire, yet there is something that tells me you are not lying to me, I don't know why. I can't tell you why, but there is something about you that makes my heart thrum for you."
Buffy let her tongue slide over her lips in a seductive way before she opened her mouth, and without thinking said, "Take me, and take me now."
There was something about Buffy's red lips that made her so irresistible; Catherine slowly let her tongue slide over them, never before had she felt lips that soft, then again she had never before kissed or made love to another woman. As Catherine let her lips caress Buffy's, Buffy closed hers just a little so their lips could unite, making the two of them become one.
Buffy's hands let go of Catherine's only to find their way to her waist as she slowly let her tongue push in between Catherine's lips and mingle with her, letting out a moan of arousal.
Catherine backed away, smiling at the other woman, carefully letting her hand caress her cheek, before she got up, taking her hand and leading her to her bed. After pushing her cover aside, she pushed Buffy down on the bed, and separated Buffy's legs so she could get between.
Catherine let a hand slide down to cup her between the legs, making Buffy moan out, shivering lightly in delight. Catherine again bent down to kiss her lip before looking into her eyes, just stoking her cheek continuously.
Buffy looked at her with lustful eyes, before reaching to kiss her again, this time much more passionately than before. Her hands travelled down her back, only to remove her top, letting it fall on the floor. Catherine that was well aware that she now was half naked, pulled away nibbling nervously on her bottom lip.
Buffy found it odd that a woman the seemed so secure, would be insecure about her body, especially since she thought it was amazing. Never before had she seen such perfect breasts. Despite Catherine's age they were still firm and didn't hang as much as she would have thought. The younger woman let one of hand let go of Catherine's waist, only roam up her body, landing on her left breast.
Catherine looked down at the hand with still insecure eyes, but she didn't try to remove it. Instead she let her fingers go down to remove Buffy's top and bra. Eying her young body she was sure of it was the fittest female body she had ever seen.
Catherine gasped as Buffy squeezed one of her nipples between her fingers, making her let her hand squeeze tightly around one of her breasts, making Buffy gasp as well. Catherine let her other hand wrap around the other breast, letting her fingertips explore every edge of it.
Buffy panted and shivered lightly beneath her, not being used to be touched like that. She grasped for one of Catherine's hands, leading it between her legs.
Catherine smiled as she whispered, "Easy we are not in a hurry."
She slowly got off Buffy, but not before sucking on her neck, making sure to leave a hickey. Once she was sitting up, the younger blond reached down and removed her pants and underwear, allowing Catherine to once again settle between her legs.
"You are not getting undressed?" Buffy questioned with a frown.
"It won't be necessary as I planned to pleasure you," said Catherine, but Buffy could see there was something in her eyes that told her she was lying.
"Why are you so afraid of letting me see you?" asked Buffy in a soft tone.
"Because if you haven't noticed I'm not young anymore and neither is my body," Catherine said reluctantly, looking away. She suddenly felt so naked.
"Catherine, listen, you have nothing to fear, I think you look stunning the way you dress, but you are even more stunning without clothes," said Buffy calmly, carefully stroking her cheek.
Catherine sighed as she slowly got out of bed and let her pajamas pants and purple panty drop to the floor. She took it up and put it on the chair before facing buffy, suddenly she felt very, very naked. She wanted to cover her breasts which was ironic as those were her beat feature and she loved showing them off. In fact this was the first time she had felt shy about them. She nervously bit her bottom lip, not daring to look at Buffy, afraid of what she might say about her red curls covering her most private area.
Buffy patted on the spot next to her in bed, making Catherine go over there and lay down next to her, still feeling slightly embarrassed.
"May I…?" Buffy asked, nodding towards her southern area.
Catherine nodded, as her hand again reached for her face as she whispered, "I need to feel you all over me at once, but please be careful…"
Buffy again nodded as she let her hand go to triangle, gently caressing over Catherine's red curls, making her moan out, and close her eyes in delight. One of Catherine's hands stroked along Buffy's lower back as the other pulled her closer, reaching up to pant into her ear.
Buffy's fingers were caressing over the older woman's folds, separating them, only to slide between, caressing around her clit, before she started to rub it, first gentle and slow, the harder and faster.
Catherine seemed to tense up, arching up hard, screaming out, twisting from side to side, her knee going back and for between the other woman's legs, refusing to give in.
Buffy smiled as her thumb took over for her fingers that now seemed to slide deeper and deeper into Catherine.
"Ohhh, ohhh," Catherine moaned out, her nails leaving marks on the younger woman's backside.
Buffy bent over panting heavily into her ear, whispering, "Let go, please."
"No," Catherine whispered, struggling to hold on, not knowing why she refused to do so.
"Yes," Buffy whispered, suckling on her earlobe, her fingers now nearing her g-spot.
Catherine was bucking against her, making Buffy go even deeper inside her, and increase the pace she was going at. She could feel the fluids were dripping out of her and onto the sheets, but sue didn't care. She led Buffy's lips away from her earlobe and to her mouth. Kissing her deeply, furiously, feeling the breath of the other woman mixing with her own. Feeling her on top of her and inside her in every way possible. Feeling her pant and move along with her. Catherine let go of her lips, only to scream out, coming harder than she ever had before, her body rising from the sheets, before she started to shake against them.
She felt Buffy's fingers retract and as she slowly opened her eyes, and calmed down a little, she could see the other woman lick her fingers.
Catherine looked at her in afterglow, for the first time in her life she was unable to speak. Buffy stroked her cheek gently as she whispered, "You're welcome gorgeous."
Catherine motioned that she wanted to move to return it, but Buffy shook her head whispering, "Later, I just want to cuddle with you first."
Settling on top of the other woman she let out a sigh, before closing her eyes, finding satisfaction in a new way.
"Buffy…Buffy…" Catherine whispered, but got no answer, she just smiled as she continued to stroke the sleeping woman on top of her, feeling more satisfied than she had ever before.
"Xander, stake," Buffy yelled out, as she lost hers in an unfortunate position taking out the previous vampire. They were in a dark back alley in Vegas. Xander threw it over and Buffy put it through vampire's heart before looking around saying, "Think that was the last one here."
Willow nodded saying, "Wanna see a movie or keep watch someplace else?"
"I think I wanna watch the nightlife for now, considering we are going home in a couple of nights," said Buffy with a heavy sigh.
"You don't want to leave do you?" said Willow in a sympathetic tune, looking over at her best friend. She had hardly seen her the last five days, if you didn't count the slaying that was. Buffy seemed to have been completely wrapped up in Catherine during the daytime, Willow had never seen her that way before, not even with Angel.
"No I don't, I don't want this to end," Buffy admitted, knowing that she was madly in love with Catherine, spite the fact that she had only spent about almost two weeks with the older woman.
"Who says it have to end?" said Xander, looking over at Buffy.
"I can't rightly stay behind and I'm not sure I'm up for a long-distance relationship. Besides who want to commit to a slayer," said Buffy with a sigh.
"I would say she is… Anyone up for something to drink?" said Xander, nodding towards the nearest café.
"I guess, I'm not meeting her for another couple of hours when her shift ends either way," said Buffy and put the stake in the purse she was carrying, figuring the vampires could wait for another ten of fifteen minutes.
Catherine was about to bend down and pick up the last piece of evidence in the back alley she was in. She figured it was safe to send Nick back and finish on her own as the coroner had already taken the body and it wasn't much left. Besides her car stood parked about five minutes away from where she was.
For once Catherine was wrong, as she suddenly felt someone grab her from behind, and lock the grip so she couldn't get loose. She tried to get loose, even though she knew that this time that wouldn't happen. Fear was starting to build up inside her as she heard him say, "I love when the food put of a fight, but you are not getting away this time sweetheart."
Catherine managed to somehow turn her head just enough to look at her attacker. The sights that meet her was enough to get the blood freeze, as what met her eyes was not a man, but something she was sure didn't exist, a vampire ready to let his fangs slip into her throat.
Catherine closed her eyes and prayed that it would be over quickly when she heard Buffy say, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
The vampire turned to face her saying, "Would you little girl go away or I'll take you next."
Catherine didn't dare open her eyes, but she could hear Xander say, "Big mistake."
"These guys never learn do they?" she heard Buffy questioned.
"Nope, guess we have to teach him," said Xander.
The next that happened went so quick that Catherine wasn't sure if she got it right. First the vampire dropped his grip on her, making her fall to the ground. As she opened her eyes to look she understood that it was because Buffy had pulled him off her. He hit her making her fall to the ground, but she got up fast, giving him a hard kick in the chest, causing him to fly some meters, hit the wall and fall to the ground. Then he jumped on Buffy, making him land on top of her, she looked at him with annoyed eyes as she manage to adjust enough to get the wooden stake in her hand to penetrate his heart. Before Catherine's eyes she could see him turn from flesh, to see-through bones to dust, and then he was gone.
Catherine looked over at Buffy, who was dusting some of it off, then got up, before she looked over at Willow, who immediately asked if she were okay.
"Yeah fine, meet you back at the hotel in not long, I think we got enough for tonight," Buffy answered with a nod, straightening her jacket and top. The two others nodded and headed out of the alley as Buffy walked, over sat down next to Catherine and asked, "Are you okay gorgeous?"
"That was a vampire," Catherine managed to get out, still in shock over what had just happened.
"Live and kicking, he didn't bite you did he?" Buffy asked, her dark green eyes were still showing great concern, as she was holding Catherine closely.
"No, you got her just in time, thank you for saving me," said Catherine with a sigh.
"Well didn't want to end up as food, or worse vampire, it's enough that two if my exes were," said Buffy with a sigh, helping a still shaky Catherine on her feet.
"You're the slayer and you dated vampires, isn't that against some rule against it?" asked Catherine confused.
"There is, it was…complicated, are you sure you're okay?" asked Buffy as Catherine still looked very pale.
"Not really, but I have to get back to the lab with this piece of evidence," said Catherine, holding up the little sealed plastic bag.
"Let me at least drive you," Buffy offered as they neared the car.
"I would appreciate if you did," said Catherine, pressing the key to opening the doors, before she got in on the passenger side. Buffy smiled before she got in on the driver's side and turned on the radio. Before she drove out of the parking spot she said, "Just try to relax and explain the way and I will get you there safely."
"I do not doubt that," said Catherine with a vague smile, settling a bit better before putting on the belt.
After handing over the evidence to the trace lab, the two women walked towards Catherine's office. Catherine sighed looking at the load of case files on her desk.
"I really have to…" she said, nodding towards them.
"I understand, but I was wondering is there coffee or something like that here?" asked Buffy with a yawn.
"The break room, down the hall," said Catherine, gesturing in that direction.
"You want some?" Buffy offered.
"Yes, low on the sugar, no cream," Catherine answered; only halfway looking up from one of the case files. Buffy nodded and walked out the door, Catherine looked up long enough to see her behind wiggling as she walked away. She smiled, remembering how Grissom had made a comment on hers ages ago.
Buffy looked at the coffee machine, empty meaning she had to make new. She quickly started on the task when she heard a male voice saying, "Excuse me, but you look a little lost."
Buffy looked up to meet the brown eyes of Greg Sanders. He looked her up and down thinking that it had been a while since he had seen a so pretty woman in the lab. Buffy rolled her eyes lightly saying, "Not really, I was just here to get some coffee, but it was all out so had to make new."
"You just decided to go into the crime lab and make coffee," he said with a frown.
"Not exactly," she answered.
"What do you mean?" he asked rather confused.
"Well I'm here with someone, which is whom I'm making coffee for," she answered.
"Really whom?" he asked her, as he heard Sara and Nick were nearing the break room as well.
Buffy nervously bit her bottom lip looking at the three of what she could only assume was Catherine's colleges and friends, not knowing what and if Catherine had told them about her.
"What's going on here?" Sara asked, looking at the other woman. She assumed she was not much younger than herself, by the looks of it.
"Well she claimed she's here with someone, but not whom," said Greg, looking over at the two others.
"Well it's not you, you wouldn't know anyone that attractive, no offense Greg. She looks a bit to cool to be Sara's friend, and based on her reaction she doesn't seem to know her. She's out of the league for Hodges and the other lab techs. I don't know her, so that only leaves Catherine," Nick quickly summed up.
"Why thank you for that," said Sara, rolling her eyes lightly at him.
"You are welcome, so am I right?" asked Nick, looking at the young woman with curious eyes.
"You are," said Sara, before Buffy had time to answer, remembering the lipstick on Catherine's cheek a little while back.
Buffy nodded saying, "Yes you are right, I'm here with Catherine, I'm Buffy Summers, her…"
Buffy hold out her hand, Sara took it and shook it lightly saying, "Sara Grissom, this is Nick Stokes and Greg Sanders, and can I assume you are her girlfriend?"
Buffy didn't answer; she just blushed slightly, looking at the two shocked men, wondering what had made Sara draw that conclusion. She looked at the coffee machine; the coffee was done, so she filled two cups, before walking out of there.
"So you are saying that Catherine had a girlfriend?" Nick asked, a bit shocked by this news.
"I would believe so, but you can always look in her office," said Sara with a giggle, grabbing a mug of hot water to make herbal tea.
A moment after the three of them were looking through Catherine's office door, the older woman sat bent over a case file and her laptop, trying to figure it out. The younger woman was leaning over her shoulder, halfway reading saying something. Catherine nodded, making Buffy slowly starting to rub her neck and shoulder area.
Sara just smiled and shook her head lightly wondering how that had happened, while the two men looked more confused than ever before. She however managed to get them to DNA to give the couple some privacy.
It was Buffy's last night in Vegas; she was leaving on the early morning flight along with Xander and Willow. She had taken out five vampires a little earlier. Now she was in the hotel room crying her heart out. She didn't want to leave. She just couldn't stand the thought of not seeing Catherine again. Yet she knew they couldn't go on.
Shivers were running through her body due to her heavy crying. This was stupid she realized, she had only known her for a little less than two weeks and yet…
"Buffy…" Willow spoke, holding her close, stroking her.
"I…I…I…" the rest of the sentence was lost to another series of cries.
Willow and Xander was lost on words as well. They didn't know how to make their friend feel better. Just then there as a knock on the door. Willow nodded at Xander that went to open. Outside he found Catherine; she did not look too good either.
He let her in and the strawberry blonde walked over to the bed where she sat down next to Buffy, whispering, "It will be okay little slayer, it's not the end of the world, we will see each other again I promise."
Buffy looked up at her with still teary eyes, her cheeks were dirty from the crying. She smiled vaguely as she said, "Are you sure you wish to continue this?"
"I am, we can visit each other from time to time, and I'm not bothered with the fact that you are the slayer, close your eyes," Catherine whispered.
Buffy didn't ask, she just did it. She could feel that Catherine attached something around her neck. She could hear Willow gasp as she slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the pendant that was hanging on the silver necklace. It was shaped like a cross with a little heart inside, made in what she could assume were pure diamonds.
"What does this mean?" she asked, looking at Catherine with wondering eyes.
"It's for good luck and also that you are mine," said Catherine, looking at her.
"I'd like that, I really like that, but you should get back to work," said Buffy, she hated goodbyes.
"Will you call me when you are back," said Catherine in a serious tone.
"I will I promise and gorgeous," said Buffy, looking at her.
Catherine blushed as she nodded. Buffy took her old necklace of and attached it around Catherine's neck, whispering, "For protection, just in case."
"Wouldn't a stake be better?" Catherine joked.
"She does have a point," said Xander with a little smile.
Buffy went over to her suitcase, quickly went through it before she handed Catherine a wooden stake saying, "You can never be too careful."
"Hmmm I better…" Catherine said, looking away, before she slowly walked towards the door. Buffy's hand clenched around the necklace, before she got up and hurried after Catherine just as the door closed behind her. She caught up by the elevator, grasping for Catherine's hand, making her turn.
"Yes…?" Catherine said, looking at with questioning eyes.
"I love you," Buffy whispered so low that it was hardly audible.
"I love you too, be careful, I will come over as soon as I can," Catherine whispered, before she briefly kissed Buffy for the very last time. When the elevator doors closed, both women were in tears. Not knowing when they would see each other again was almost like having the heart ripped out.
Buffy cried all the way home, her hand clenched around the pendant do hard that her fingers whitened. Leaving Catherine behind seemed even harder than it had been to watch Angel leave. All she wanted was to go back. Only she couldn't she had to go back to LA to continue the eternal fight there. It was like leaving a part of her heart behind.
She sighed as she got off the airplane and into a cab not long after, calling to say she was home. Only it didn't feel that way anymore. It felt like everything had changed. She looked at the airplanes that took off wishing she was on one of them.
She sighed heavily, not until she was to fight more vampires the next night would some of the pain slowly die away. As the vampire vanished before her she knew she would be okay for now. Besides it was not like she was never going to see her again. She smiled, looking down at the cross around her neck, whispering, "Catherine Willows, I love you."
Everything would be okay, she just knew it, and her newfound love was making her have more positive view of things. She heard something behind her, and turned another vampire. She smiled thinking spite this life wasn't all too bad, she saw him coming for and thought, 'Here we go again."
Catherine was crushed. She felt like something was missing, that she had found something that had been gone for too long and now it was again missing. She didn't know what to do, if she was going to go after or stay where she was. She had talked to Buffy a little earlier, only to learn that she had made it back okay, promising to come over again as soon as she could. She was wondering if she was crazy for loving her. She only knew one thing when it came to love, it didn't get less complicated over the years.
Just then her phone rang, she picked it up and said her name monotonously.
"Hey mom, it's me, how are you?" Lindsey said in the other end, she sounded happy.
"Could have been better and I could have been worse, how are you?" asked Catherine, happy to hear her voice again.
"I'm great, you know Dan, he and I are steady now and I was thinking about bringing him home next weekend as we have some time off then. Would that be okay?" asked Lindsey excitedly.
"I would, it will be nice to see you two again," said Catherine, smiling just a little.
"Great, but I gotto run, and mom…" she stopped.
"Yes butterfly," said Catherine in a very soft tone.
"I love you," said Lindsey.
"I love you too, see you this weekend, I'll try to get some time off so we can do something together," Catherine promised before she hung up. Sighing she looked over at her dresser, in addition to the framed picture of Lindsey, there was now one of Buffy. She could hardly wait to explain that one to her daughter.
'What have you gotten yourself into,' she thought with a sigh, slowly getting out of bed to make breakfast…or would that be lunch? She wasn't sure anymore. She only knew one thing and that was that she love Buffy Summers with all her heart, and right now that was all that mattered.
Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)