Author Note: This has been written for about a week and half but balancing a 60 hour week and finding the time to finalize it was a bit difficult, hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing! :(
Rating: M for later ;P
"It's on the other side of the world Gil!" Catherine argued as she paced back and forth in front of his Desk.
"Catherine." Grissom warned with a slight sigh.
"No!" She interrupted with a snarl, "I have a teenage daughter who is rebellious enough as it is without me gallivanting half-way around the world!"
"Catherine!" Gil raised his voice slightly, if only to be heard over Catherine's already half-hour rant, "you've been working on this case for over a month, do you really want someone else cracking your case?"
"No!" Catherine shouted, surprising herself and Sara who had been sitting quietly for the last half hour on the settee behind Catherine's pacing body. "Shit." Catherine flopped down on the settee beside Sara, knowing she'd been defeated by her own stubbornness. "She already hates me."
"She's a teenager," Sara patted Catherine's leg, "She's programmed to hate you."
"I guess." Catherine huffed.
"Then it's settled." Grissom smiled proudly and tapped the case file in front of him, "You're going to London, England."
"Is the Department going to pay for this?" Sara tilted her head.
"It was suggested, that you both spend more time together." Gil tested the water, "Where better than in a strange country, working together on a case?"
Both women shrugged their agreement and left his office, turning their separate ways without a word.
X X X X
Flight day
Catherine's House
"I'll be fine, Mom." Lindsey groaned, rolling her eyes.
"make sure you eat enough, and don't forget to do your homework!" Catherine raised an eyebrow and tucked a stray blonde hair behind Lindsey's ear.
"Mom!" Came the growl in response as she un-tucked the stray hair again, "I'll be fine!"
"Behave yourself, OK?" Catherine pointed a finger.
"Bye Mom!" Lindsey rolled her eyes as she shut the door behind Catherine.
Sara's Apartment
Sara took one last look around the bare walls of her apartment before checking one last time that she had definitely packed everything she'd need. A forensics journal caught her eye and she quickly made room for it in her hand luggage.
Later… on the plane
Catherine tried her hardest to calm the trembling her body was partaking in. It didn't go unnoticed, however; Sara had realised at the air port that Catherine quite obviously wasn't comfortable flying, but chose to pretend to be oblivious. She knew Catherine couldn't stand anyone seeing her at her most vulnerable. She was a strong woman, she couldn't allow herself to show any weakness.
Sara continued to flick absent-mindedly through her Forensics Journal, but secretly watched the older woman in her peripheral. As the engines started, Catherine gripped the arm rests and pressed her head back in to the head rest, closing her eyes.
"hey," Sara grabbed the attention of the passing Stewardess, "Could I get a Mineral Water, and a Scotch for her?" She nodded towards the stiff woman beside her.
"Sure Darlin." The 36-24-36 Stewardess drawled with a wink.
"Thanks." Catherine said quickly before holding her breath again.
"You know," Sara started, "You shouldn't hold your breath like that."
"It helps." Came the quick reply.
"You'll go a strange colour," Sara tried again, "you're much more attractive the colour you are now." Appealing to her Vanity.
Catherine opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow.
"Your water," a voice interrupted. Sara looked up and smiled her thanks, "and your Scotch." Catherine graciously took the glass and watched a short exchange of awkward flirtatious glances between Sara and the pristine woman, before the Stewardess handed her a piece of paper - which no doubt held her phone number. After she'd disappeared a considerable distance down the aisle, Catherine coughed to attract Sara's attention.
"What?" Sara grinned, blushing slightly.
"What was that?" Catherine laughed, suddenly more occupied with the interesting exchange she had just witnessed to think about the fact that the plane was about to take off.
"That?" Sara feigned ignorance, avoiding eye contact, "Oh, that, that was nothing."
The blush creeping across Sara's neck suggested otherwise.
"So… what?" Catherine asked, her jaw hitting the floor, "You're in to women?"
Sara laughed, and then coughed nervously, before placing a hand over her eyes for a moment.
"Is that a problem?" She finally asked.
"No!" Catherine nearly shouted, grinning, "Course not! I just wish I'd known!" She suddenly realised that she knew very little about her co-worker.
"You never asked." Sara shrugged casually.
Catherine pondered a moment. "But what about Grissom?"
"I liked him," Sara started, "but for his mind. It was nice while it lasted I guess, but I'm not attracted to men generally."
"Wow." Catherine sighed, leaning back again. "This trip is already turning out to be different to what I was expecting."
Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for lasting until this point!
