Disclaimer: I don't own CSI/Sara/Cath/Any other character, they are the property of CBS/Bruckheimer, this is just me playing with someone elses toys. But don't worry, they are most certainly having fun and I promise to put them back unharmed when I'm finished. Seriously, no copyright infringement intended folks.
Authors Note: It would seem that I have been bitten by the bug. I figured it was about time to put slightly more story into the mix but don't worry, there will be some raunch happening later… hehe! Am not sure how long this is going to be (probably not hugely long) but bear with me. I found it strange going from writing in the first person to writing in the third person… I certainly hope it has worked. I would very much appreciate your thoughts, suggestions and reviews. Hope you lovely folks don't mind being my betas.
Warning: This story deals with a relationship between two consenting females. It has been rated M for sexual content in later chapters. If femmeslash is not your thing or you are not old enough to read this, don't go any further.
Come Ride With Me
Chapter 1
"Hey" Grissom shouted after the figure that had just passed his open office door. Pushing himself out of his seat he made it to the door in time to see the tall helmeted figure, messenger bag over shoulder, round the corner towards the labs. "Hey, the couriers are supposed to leave all parcels with reception."
Hearing Grissom's raised voice, Greg looked up to see the leather-clad form moving gracefully past his lab. The person paid no attention to the frustrated man bumbling along behind waving his glasses in his outstretched hand.
"I'll be having words with his manager," Grissom complained grimacing at Greg. "We have protocols for a reason, sir. If they're going to be openly flouted, we will end up in chaos. This place has to be the very model of efficiency to remain the best lab in the country. Rules are… well rules are rules." The older man was certainly disgruntled.
Suitably intrigued, he rushed from his lab to watch the scene unfold. 'That is no he,' Greg chuckled to himself.
Catherine poured another cup of bad coffee adding the usual three sugars in a vain attempt to make it bearable before wandering to sit opposite Warrick and Nick.
"That man would be late for his own funeral." she complained, though not wanting to be the one to chase him down.
"He needs an alarm clock." Nick volunteered with a chuckle. "He never notices the time, has probably got his nose buried in some book about pupating larvae."
"Gruesome Grissom!" Warrick interjected, rolling his smiling green eyes.
All three heads turn in unison as they're interrupted by the mystery figure in black, closely followed by a vexed Grissom and a grinning Greg.
"Now listen here, sir," Grissom continued in his berating tone. "You need to go and leave the delivery with reception. Unauthorised personnel are not allowed into the labs."
The intruder swung the messenger bag off his shoulder, depositing it at one end of the large meeting table and turned to face the now red-faced Grissom.
"Sir," Grissom tried one last time. "You're earning yourself a police escort off the premises."
"Erm, Grissom," Greg piped up with a smirk, "I have to tell you, she isn't a sir."
The stocky, greying man faltered as Greg's words registered. "Oh, er…"
A stifled snort escaped from Nick as he watched his socially inept supervisor trying to think of what to say next.
The mystery courier reached for her helmet with all eyes upon her. Slowly, for maximum effect Greg thought, she removed the headgear allowing her long, dark, slightly tousled hair to fall elegantly round her shoulders. Her death stare directed squarely at Grissom who visibly shrank under her heavy gaze.
"Sara..." All faces seemed to register the same amazement, except Greg of course who was grinning like the Cheshire cat. He had worked it out instantly. After all, he had not spent years memorising those toned thighs and her graceful gait for nothing.
A low wolf-whistle escaped from Warrick and Catherine's jaw dropped open as she watched Sara advance on the cowering man in the doorway.
"Are you trying to tell me that after knowing me for twelve years and working with me for nearly three, as a trained investigator no less, that one, you don't recognise me and two, I look like a MAN?" Sara was yelling and had it been a cartoon would have no doubt resulted in Grissom's curly hair being blown from his head. Grissom to his credit didn't say anything further though that could've be put down to his legendarily bad people skills. His poor brain probably refused to come up with anything remotely useful in the situation.
Sara peeled off the gauntlets and jacket to reveal a tight black tee. She threw the garments on the sofa where she'd placed the helmet and stalked across to sit at the table next to Catherine who found herself rather embarrassingly unable to stop staring at Sara's leather-clad ass. 'I never would have realised Sara Sidle looked so good in tight leather', she thought to herself.
"So Sara, what's with the coming in looking like a smokin' hot Bond girl?" Greg couldn't help himself Sara was fuelling his fantasies in that getup.
Sara gave Grissom one last evil glare as he shuffled the assignments slips. "I thought maybe your dreams needed a refresher Greg." she said with a wink at the young lab tech.
"Be still my beating heart." He pretended to collapse before breaking into another even bigger grin, making his excuses and disappearing back to DNA.
"So Sara, spill!" Nick urged, voicing the thoughts of all of them round the table, perhaps with the exception of Grissom who seem preoccupied with re-arranging the assignments into some obscure order.
"What?" Sara feigned. "Maybe I was just trying to make Greg keel over?"
"Well you managed that alright." Catherine wondered if she might have had the same effect on her had she not already been sat down.
"Come on girl." Warrick's soft warm drawl intervened. "What did you get, and more importantly, when do I get to take it for a test ride?"
Sara held up her keys, the shiny new fob dangling from the ring.
"A Harley?" Catherine drew breath in awe.
"Woah! Wait, you bought a Harley D? Who'd have thought it Sara, you're actually cool." Nick piped up, his big brown eyes shining. "Where'd you leave it? Let's go see."
"Ahem." Grissom seemed to find his voice again. "It's already well into shift and as much as I'm all for team bonding, you all have work to do."
"Spoil sport." Nick mumbled under his breath but the twinkle in his eye was enough to stop Grissom rising to the bait, again.
"Nick, B&E, Henderson" Nick groaned, Catherine looked at him in sympathy. "Warrick 419 off the I-15. Take Cath with you. Sara, you can get changed and finish up your paperwork from the Osbourne case. Ecklie wants copies of all the reports so make sure you dot all your i's and cross all your t's.
Catherine's eyebrows raised as she realised Grissom had bravely passed some sort of comment on Sara's attire. That man mustn't want to live to see his next birthday. 'If I were her supervisor I'd demand that she stayed dressed just like that', she mused silently and then promptly caught herself wondering just where that wicked thought had come from. She wandered after Warrick, throwing an apologetic grin Sara's way on Grissom's behalf.
"Don't you go anywhere on that beast." Nick warned her. "I want the grand unveiling when I get back."
"You betcha Nicky boy," Sara promised.
"Well I'd best go get that paperwork done then I suppose. Want me to take any parcels anywhere while I'm on my feet?" Sara taunted her old friend.
"I… I'm sorry Sara. I didn't think it was you, I mean you don't usually… well… you have a car and I thought you were already here in the lab. I didn't realise you liked bikes."
"Hey Gris, I've forgiven you." Sara watched the older man let out a breath he didn't seem to be aware he was holding. She bent to collect the protective gear that had caused all his confusion and headed for the door. As she stepped through she couldn't resist turning for one last dig. "Well apart from the part where you thought I was a man!" and with that she was gone.
-- -- --
Catherine pulled the Denali back into the parking lot and smiled gently at her friend. It had been a particularly grisly shift and they both needed some time out. "Come on Rick, I know you're dying to see Sara's bike. As it so happens, so am I."
"As if you could stop me?" he bantered trying to shake off the repugnant images of the evening.
As they stepped out they both heard a throaty roar from across the lot. "Hey she's starting without us." He slammed the door and strolled across to the little throng of people gathered round the shiny new toy. Even Grissom was on the fringe of the little group trying not to look out of place.
Sat astride the Sportster was sexy Sidle back inside her figure-hugging leathers. The engine grumbled away under the vibrant green fuel tank and Catherine noted she looked at ease. It was the first time she'd seen Sara looking quite so natural, like the bike was an extension of her body. Catherine found herself appraising that lithe body again before she realised and gave herself a mental slap.
"So who's my first passenger?" Sara giggled. It had been a long time since she'd had this much attention, but then she knew it wasn't her, it was the bike. In fact the last time was when she got her first bike back in college, a vintage Triumph. Oh yes she was popular then. All the girls wanted a ride and Sara was most happy to oblige.
Greg lunged forward. "Well I've taken the liberty of coming prepared," he boasted brandishing a battered looking crash helmet, "I think I should get to be your first pillion. Especially seeing as all this is for my benefit anyway."
"Where did you get that?" Nick asked astounded at how blatant Greg could be and that Sara let him get away with it.
"From the lab garage my friend, there's two or three in there you know. Too bad only I thought about it." With that he swung his leg over the pillion seat and settled in against Sara, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Ok Grego, now remember, it's a motorcycle ride not molest-a-CSI." Warrick wagged his finger in mock-seriousness.
"Yeah Greg," Sara joined in, "hands on the waist, no higher, no lower."
"Get going already, Sidle." Greg chided and with that Sara flipped down her visor and they peeled out of the lot, engine roaring and tyres squealing on the warm tarmac.
"Damn that bike is sexy." Nick shook his head as if trying to get the image of Sara Sidle on a Harley to gel in his mind.
'Damn that rider is sexy', thought Catherine in silent response. She had been watching from the periphery, finding herself entertaining all kinds of thoughts, one of which involved wondering how it would feel to be that Harley right now, being ridden by a leather-bound Sara Sidle. 'Stop it!' She reprimanded herself at a loss as to where all the mental pictures she was conjuring up were coming from.
The bike never made it out of earshot. It's throaty snarl audible over all the usual city noises.
"We might have to get Greg a box of tissues for when he gets back." Hodges remarked lewdly in his usual oily voice.
"Hodges, you're sick man." Nick grimaced at the oddball lab tech. The guy didn't really fit in and everyone was hoping Grissom would be able to palm him off to the day shift.
Sara swung the bike back into the lot and a beaming Greg dismounted. "I was a gentleman." He assured holding his hands in the air.
"Well I'd say maybe you were a lady," Sara laughed lightly. "That definitely was a lady's scream."
"You screamed Grego?" Warrick teased, taking the spare helmet and passing it to Nick.
"Yeah I did a u-ey at the end of Benson and he shrieked like a little girl on the dodgems." Sara was really laughing now.
"It wasn't a shriek, I just wasn't prepared for you to be doing an um… a u-ey." Greg tried to keep his ego unscathed.
"Greg! You shrieked!" Sara motioned for Nick to climb on and stuck her tongue out at the young lab tech before roaring off again.
Grissom sighed as he watched the fun. He always felt so out of it, so like Dad presiding over a group of brilliant but feisty teenagers. He turned to make his way back up to the lab and Catherine fell in step with him. She knew she couldn't have a ride on that thing with Sara. Out of nowhere her mind was already playing weird tricks on her and she didn't want her body joining in. No, she had to take her kit back to the lab, get a strong coffee and systematically try to erase the images swirling round her head. Maybe she'd have a cold shower instead?
-- -- --
Catherine sat in the locker room in a daze. She'd tried to bury herself in processing her evidence but the impression of Sara in leather had burnt into her brain and refused to fade. What had happened to her? Since when did Sara Sidle become an object of desire, a sex symbol? There must be something wrong with her maybe she was sickening for something? Sara had taken all the boys out and they'd come back with grins plastered from ear to ear. She was secretly pleased for Warrick, he seemed to have been able to shake the demons from their case tonight but she was also frustrated with herself for missing out. Damn her betraying mind and body when she could have let go and had some fun. No doubt Sara would think it was Catherine being Catherine again, old frosty knickers. 'Damn her! Damn me!' "Damn!"
"Damn what Cath?"
Catherine was snapped out of her inner dialogue by a smirking Sidle standing in the doorway.
"You seem quite out of it. You ok?" Sara probed, a twinge of concern evident in her voice.
"What? Was I? Um… well… it was a rough scene tonight I guess and I…"
Sara nodded, unconvinced, letting the locker room door swing shut behind her. "You didn't fancy a ride then?" Sara smiled down at the zoned-out Catherine sat in front of her.
Catherine closed her eyes momentarily, clamping down on the whirling images flashing through her mind again. "I just thought you'd have enough on your plate with all the boys champing at the bit. It's a beautiful bike Sara. I didn't realise you were a hells angel."
Sara was beaming now. Catherine couldn't help but wonder 'since when did Sara Sidle beam?'
"Ah the boys loved it. In fact Greg keeps pestering for another go."
"Mmm, I have no doubt. You don't half tease him Sara."
Sara rolled her eyes and brushed off the topic of Greg. "Ah he's good for my ego. Anyway, I would've liked to take you out Catherine. I know you'd have enjoyed the ride."
'Damn her, damn her!' "Oh you have no idea." Catherine's jaw dropped. 'Shit did I say that out loud?'
"What?" Sara countered managing to keep the surprise out of her voice.
"Er… I meant… yeah, I have no doubt I would. It has been a long time since I've ridden pillion." Catherine fought hard to stop the blush rising from her previous comment. She stood, turned to her locker to fish out a change of shoes.
Sara watched her, intrigued. Catherine seemed to be nervous. 'Since when does Catherine get nervous?'
Sara opened her own locker, wrestling the infamous leathers once again from their hanger. "So how about it?"
"How about what?" Catherine didn't look up from zipping her boot.
"Gees, you are spacey today. How about taking a ride with me?" Sara spoke slowly quite bemused at Catherine's out of character behaviour. "We're both off the clock, it'll be fun. What do you say?"
Out of the corner of her eye Catherine saw Sara throw her leather trousers on the bench next to her and start to undo the buttons on her jeans.
She hurriedly slammed her locker and put on her interview voice, it was the only one she could trust not to betray her. "I can't I'm afraid, I have to pick Lyndsey up and take her to school, in fact I'm already running late." She strode to the locker room door, swung it open and without looking back threw one last comment to the half-dressed brunette behind her. "Maybe some other time."
Sara was left staring after her, one leg in, one leg out of her leather pants. "Sure…" she frowned as her words bounced off the closed door. 'Something is definitely bothering Catherine,' she mused.
Fastening her jacket she grabbed the gloves and helmet, knocked the locker shut with her hip and made her way down to the parking lot with a contented smile on her face. She was looking forward to some road time with her beast and she wasn't going to let Catherine puzzle her any further.
"Let's go get breakfast baby, then you and me are gonna spend some quality time together," she whispered patting the seat before donning her gloves. She turned the key, stamped on the starter and kicked up the kick stand. 'Catherine doesn't know what she's missing' she concluded as she eased open the throttle and the bike purred out of the lot.
I'd very much appreciate your thoughts so far. Hit that button... go on, you know you want to. ;-)