Author's note: Tadaa, Tokala productions is proudly presenting it's 2nd challenge entry ever. Compared to the first one (dealer's choice) this one came to me rather easily thanks to the fantastic prompt. I first thought coming up with a good idea for the pairing Rossi/Strauss would be really challenging, but after receiving the prompt I knew at once what to write… I hope you enjoy it and would be thrilled to receive any reviews! Oh yeah, and once again, please don't forget I'm a foreigner and English isn't my first language, so my wording/grammar/vocabulary will suck in some places (blahblahblah)… Summary: Murphy's Law – The car only breaks down at the least convenient time. Written for PYOP (pick your own pairing) challenge on the Author's corner forum. Rossi/Strauss. OS. Prompt: Character A teaches Character B, much to his/her dismay, how to change a tire.
Murphy's Law
"If a woman is sufficiently ambitious, determined and gifted - there is practically nothing she can't do" – Helen Lawrenson
At last the evening was over.
Section Chief Erin Strauss sighed with relief as she felt the chilly December air hit her cheeks. She pulled her coat tighter around her and turned around to the person she expected to follow right after her. But he wasn't there. No. Scanning the restaurant she saw that he was still standing at the restaurant's elegant bar and chatting with the young, female barkeeper. And they sure as hell weren't discussing different vintage whiskeys…
Erin Strauss rolled her eyes. David Rossi was incorrigible. She thought back to their mutual time at the academy. Even then he'd had all the females at his feet and it that hadn't changed much over the years. Though she never had wanted to know which agent/assistant/liaison officer was his current bed bunny, she'd regularly be kept up to date about his dalliances as she, as his superior, had to soothe the waves after he had screwed up again.
Finally she saw him slip the barkeeper his obligatory calling card and seconds later he was standing on the sidewalk next to her. "Took you long enough." She commented wryly as they started to walk toward his SUV. He simply shrugged in response. "No need to be envious, Erin. Just because I still know how to have fun." Erin Strauss only snorted in response. That was typically David Rossi. With an ego bigger than the whole population of D.C. put together…
She hoped that this would be the last time in a while she'd have to attend a dinner together with him. About a week ago FBI director Hawthorne had approached her and demanded she'd do some networking with one of the big shots on D.C.'s political scene. Since said politician obviously was a big fan of David Rossi, Hawthorne had suggested she'd bring him along. She'd already hoped that she'd have to endure David Rossi's ego only for the dinner at the restaurant, when the politician had chosen a restaurant a long way from D.C. and Hawthorne had suggested that they, as superior and direct subordinate, go there together to appear united.
Thus they made the drive to the restaurant in Rossi's SUV. Erin had thought herself wise, when she'd let him drive. She'd thought if he had to drive, he'd have to cut back on the alcohol and that way his flirting and reckless behaviour wouldn't get out of hand. She'd been proven grossly wrong. Not only had Rossi sweet-talked the politician's wife over the course of the evening, no, he'd also managed to leave his phone number with for sure half of the staff. As Rossi held the door open for her and she got into the car, she swore herself that next time she'd stand up to Hawthorne and make him send someone else.
David Rossi on the other hand, thought that the evening had gone rather well, considering he'd had to spend it with his despised supervisor. The wife of the politician had turned out to be a feast for the eyes and an agreeable conversational partner and he knew he'd see that barkeeper again as soon as possible. He had to admit though, that Erin Strauss, as much as he may not like her, had networked brilliantly. She had emphasized her female attributes and charmed the politician the whole night. And regardless of his dislike for her, he'd been surprised to see that there actually still was a woman under that shell of the cold-hearted, scheming strategist.
Of course they didn't really talk to one another as they headed back home. It wouldn't take them that long to reach D.C., where Erin Strauss and her husband owned at townhouse (she, of course, had to own a place at the heart of all political scheming). There weren't really many people on the road, since it had snowed heavily during the day. Shortly before they reached the highway, the car suddenly jerked. David was barely able to hold onto the steering wheel and keep the car from sliding off the road, before he managed to stop it. "Damn!" David cursed loudly. That SUV just had been at the mechanic's two weeks ago, how could something already be kaput again? He didn't want to admit it, but while he was considered a prime example of an alpha male by his environment, he wasn't really that good with any kind of technology. Of course that was something he'd never be caught alive admitting in front of his supervisor (it was already embarrassing enough that he had to ask Garcia for help every time he had problems with his computer…).
"What happened?" He heard Erin Strauss ask and he could hear the slight shock in her voice. "I don't know." He gave an irritated sigh and opened the door. "Let me check." He walked around the SUV and at once spotted what was wrong with the car. "Oh, fuck!" He swore, staring at the flat tire of one of the back wheels. There was no way they would be going anywhere without having that fixed first. "A flat tire?" He suddenly heard Erin Strauss exclaim behind him. "And I already thought it was something with the engine… we'll be able to get back on the road in no time." He just started at her. Shuffled. No, he couldn't tell her…It was too much of a disgrace. "What?" Erin asked him, as he didn't reply. She stared at him and then a sudden look of understanding appeared on her face. "Don't tell me…" She couldn't suppress the snigger anymore. "… you do not know how to change a tire?" Dave wanted to look anywhere but at her gleeful face. "No, I don't." He finally mustered up the courage to admit. "Ha. The great David Rossi doesn't know how to change a flat tire on a car. That I still live to witness that." Now, Erin Strauss' voice definitely had a smug ring to it. "Yeah, yeah. Why don't you make a big ad in the Post about it, if you're so thrilled about said fact?" David retorted and reached for his mobile phone. "I'm calling the next towing service, but this will take a while…"
"Do you have a lifting jack in that car?" Erin Strauss' voice suddenly broke the silence. "Come again?" Dave turned around, momentarily forgetting about his call to the towing service. Erin Strauss stared at him as if he was completely daft. "A lifting jack." She repeated slowly. "You know the thing used to lift a car so one can change the tire." She explained. David still stared at her as if he was seeing a ghost. Was she joking? "Well?" Strauss demanded impatiently. "Ehm…" He cleared his throat and tried to remember everything the mechanic had said. "Yeah…" He finally said. "I think there as lifting…a lifting jack somewhere in the trunk. Right next to the spare tire I think." He watched in amazement as Section Chief Strauss started to rummage around his trunk. Moments later she'd produced both items followed by a triumphant "A-ha!". His amazement grew by the minute as he watched his superior lifted her elegant black dress, crouch down on the dirty side of the road and set to work. About a quarter of an hour later she stood up again and turned around to face him. "There you go, David. That is how you change a tire." She stated. "Now, can we get back home? It's getting cold out here." She continued. Dave was speechless. He started at the fixed tire, then at Strauss, then at the tire and finally his gaze wandered back to his supervisor once again, who was eyeing him expectantly. "I…where did you learn how to change a tire?" He blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. Erin Strauss looked at him quietly and then for the first time ever, he saw an emotion he'd never seen before appear in the Section Chief's eyes – playfulness. "Wouldn't you like to know, eh?" She said, her eyes almost twinkling and real grin spreading across her face, before she got back into the car. "I'm a woman of many talents."
- The End -