DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters. To be honest, I own very little. Wonderful Bobby and Alex belong to Wolf, who probably has no time or inclination to worry about fanfic, anyway. But, not to leave things unsaid… Not disrespect intended. Copying is the ultimate form of praise! So, don't sue.
A/N: A little casefile for our detectives to solve; first chap is merely an introduction.Also, it will be subtle, but there will be a little romance between them. You have been warned!
Mostly finished… though, as it remains my biggest problem, I can't seem to decide how to finish it. Posting now, because it will sit gathering dust in my comp otherwise. Suggestions welcome!
HEARTS UNDEFINED
by bloodymary2
CHAPTER 1: First glimpse…
The first thing you notice is the silence.
A woman, tall and fit, stands near the long conference table, arms crossed. Her long, naturally blond hair cascades down her back and serves as a curtain to her bent face, hiding it from view. She is dressed casually in dark jeans and a snug red t-shirt, making her seem younger than she really was. As the silence permeates the room, she remains unmoving, except for the sporadic shaking of the shoulders.
She tries to suppress it and refuses to glance up.
A man, taller than his companion, stands a few feet away, on the opposite side of the oak table, which takes up most of the room. He is leaning forward, towards his friend, supporting his weight by his arms. The tan of his hands contrasted lightly with the white papers adorning the table. They were flat against the surface of the barrier between them. He is handsome, in an unconventional sort of way, with light blue eyes and dark brown hair. The frown gracing his tired face, though, seems to mask the soft lines of his features.
He is watching the woman before him with the utmost attention.
Snort…
Eyes widening, the man's face is suddenly taken with indignation.
"Cath!" his voice, deep, was far from being angry. He sounded like a parent scolding their child.
Upon his outburst, Catherine stopped trying to restrain herself and allowed the laughter to resound loudly on the walls of the room they were in. When her face finally came out of its golden hide-out, she met her coworker's outing face. She grinned wildly.
Her male counterpart did not seem to share her amusement.
"Oh, c'mon, Paul!! Can you really blame me for finding what you just proposed hilarious?" He sighed, still in the same position he had taken a few minutes before. Paul averted his eyes, glancing down.
"I'm really pushing it, aren't I?" She nodded and he straightened up. Resignation. Cath couldn't leave it be, though. An opportunity like this? Priceless. It was too much temptation and she wasn't best known for her self control…
Not in moments like this anyway.
"I've heard of some really strange attempts at insanity plea, but sorcery? He unintentionally zapped her to death with his powers?" She smirked. "Really, Paul, that's just grasping at straws." Hearing his theory thrown back at him, made the lawyer realize that he had indeed been silly.
What had he been thinking?
Strong fingers covered his tired eyes, rubbing hard against his closed lids. Momentarily he saw nothing but green splotches swimming back and forth in his line of vision. When that cleared up a bit, Cath's sympathetic gaze swan into focus.
"You are beyond tired, Paul. When was the last time you slept?" he uttered a shy retort, but the woman made herself ignorant of it. "Go home and get some rest…" Her gentle smile soothed him immediately and he consented. To be true, her presence alone was almost always enough to calm him when he was restless.
Besides, tired didn't even come close to explaining the level of exhaustion his body felt.
His partner helped him pack up the messy paperwork scattered all around and then proceeded to the door. She had a coat draped on her left arm. Paul turned out the lights and followed Catherine to the elevator, briefcase and winter coat in hand. His body leaned heavily against the wall nearest to him. Zoning out, he only snapped back into reality with a small tug at the sleeve of his rolled up shirt sleeve.
He looked down.
Cath pulled him behind her, leading her zombie of a friend through the empty street. Their cars were parked next to each other on the curb near the main entrance. She hesitated.
"Are you fit to drive, Paul?"
He smiled at her, a small, tired smile that managed to make butterflies flutter in her belly. He looked adorable and he wasn't even trying to be charming. Leaning forward only slightly, given their already close proximity, Paul dropped a quick kiss on her cheek, maybe lingering just bit longer than he should have.
Cath didn't seem to mind, though.
With a hand on the small of her back, he guided her to the driver's side of her grey car. Patiently he waited for her to get inside the vehicle and the relative security it provided. It was late, after all.
She didn't start the engine, though.
Paul, aware of her silent message, rolled his eyes. Conceding her this small victory, he made his way to his own black sports car and got in.
Together they left the office of Smith, Benson & Hart, a well respected firm of law they had come to know as a second home over the years. Paul and Catherine drove in separate directions, the constant noise of the city that never slept quickly swallowing the sounds of their respective engines.
That was the beginning of the end.
Agony scream…
UPDATES ON SATURDAYS! Still, it would be nice to get reviews... You know you want to!