Scavenger Hunt

chapter III

"I'll drive." Catherine pulls out her keys when they got out of the building. "No arguing either, so you better put a cork in it," she added when she saw Sara open her mouth to protest.

Sara closes her eyes for a moment, takes a deep breath and continues walking towards Catherine's car. Obviously trying hard not to make a comment.

"Besides, I know a couple of people and my way around Vegas." Catherine adds with a satisfied smile.

"You got me there then." Sara nods in agreement. "So where to?" She askes as she got in the passenger's seat.

"Read the list again." Catherine slowly drives out the parking lot.

Sara reads the first one again with disbelief. "Mayor's signature." She turns to Catherine, "How in the world are we going to get that at this early in the morning?"

"Oh, that's an easy one." Catherine glances at the list. "It wouldn't be a problem. He used to have a thing for me."

"Everyone does." Sara says under her breath.

But Catherine caught that. "Meaning what exactly?"

"Huh? Oh, I...I didn't mean it in that way. I mean...I meant..." Sara could feel her ears burning even with the morning breeze coming through the half rolled down window.

Catherine noticed her passenger was fidgiting in her seat, and it amused her but still she askes. "Again, meaning what exactly?"

"Well," the brunette steals a glance at the driver, "well, you're Catherine Willows."

"So?"

Sara says quietly, "can't I just please read the second one on the list?"

"No. And you know I'm not going to let this go. I want to know." Catherine gives a long sigh, "see? now you got me rhyming crap."

Sara laughs, "ha! You're good at it! How about if..."

"Don't change the subject, Sara."

"Alright! It's just... " Sara pauses and looks at Catherine, "it's just that you're beautiful, smart, drop dead gorgeous. Everyone desires you."

"Everyone? That's a first."

"Everyone."

"Sara, I've never known you to exaggera..."

"Everyone." Sara says flatly.

They drive in silence for a few seconds. But Catherine could not hold her tongue any longer, "does that include...you?"

Sara leans back on the seat and snaps, "Catherine, I'm tired, you're tired. We'll just get this hunt over with and go home, okay?"

Catherine didn't push the subject any further but tries to lighten the mood, "well, don't forget we'll be a hundred dollars richer."

With that Sara smiled again, making Catherine feel much better.

They arrive at the City Hall.

As the walk up the steps, Sara asks, "how are we going to get his signature?"

Catherine grins mischeviously. "Let's just say I've known him since he was vice mayor."

"Oh, that way..." Sara says uncomforatably trying to look away, "oh, I...I see. Okay then."

"Not like that way, Sara. Come on!" Jokes Catherine.

"But you said..."

"I used to go with my father, Sam, to these political functions. Sam donated a lot of money during his campaign. So he kind of like..."

"...owes you a favor,"says Sara with relief. "For awhile there I was a bit..."

"Jealous?" Catherine faces the brunette with a little smirk.

"What? I... I... I'm not...I...I didn't..."

"Stop stuttering, Sara. It's too cute!" Catherine slips her arm playfully around the brunette's waist. "Relax, I was joking! Why in the world would you be jealous, it's not like you got something for me. Hell, we've been fighting for years!" She pulls Sara, "come on, there's his office."

Sara follows her but Catherine's last comment made her think, hard. Especially with the blond's arm around her waist giving her an unusual tingling sensation.

Catherine approaches the secretary, "Hi, My name's Catherine Willows,"she flashes out her CSI badge and points to Sara, "and this here is my partner, Sara Sidle. Is the mayor in? We need to ask him a few questions."

The secretary flips a notebook open and asks, "do you have an appointment?"

Catherine exhales slowly, "no, we don't. We didn't want to make this an official meeting...just yet." She leans in and in a low voice, "if you know what I mean."

The secretary's eye's widen. "Oh, I'm sorry, Miss..."

"Catherine Willows and I'm Sara Sidle." Sara adds with a serious look as she flashes her badge. "Can we see him now? You know, before everyone gets here and asks too many questions?"

"Sure, sure. Umm..." the secretary looks at both of them, "he is expecting you, right?"

She says to the secretary, "just say it's Catherine Willows. He'll know."

"Just wait here, please. I'll check if he's available." The secretary walks in the office.

Sara leans sideways the blond and whispers, "you are way too confident, Catherine Willows. I think you scared her."

Catherine smirks and in a low voice, "you're the one who scaring her with your serious look and your low mafia voice saying, 'can we see him now? You know, before everyone gets here and ask too many questions,' Hell, that would have been enough for me to pee in my pants!"

Sara laughs and gets nudged by Catherine, "Shhh. Here she comes."

The secretary eyes Sara who was trying to supress a smile, "the mayor says he's free for the moment, Miss Willows. You and your partner can come in."

"Thank you!" They both say in unison and proceed to enter his office.

"Catherine!" The mayor stands up with open arms and gives the blond a hug. "Ah, you are looking lovlier!"

"You always knew how to flatter, Steve." She pats Sara's arm, "this here is Sara. Sara Sidle."

"Oh!" He extends his hand and Sara shakes it, "how lovely! So how long have you two been together now? Do you need me to officiate your union?"

Surprised, Sara jerks her hand back. Catherine's eyes widen in horror as her jaw drops, "no, no, no, no, no, no! Steve, Sara and I work together at the crime lab! We're on an errand."

The mayor takes a step back, "I'm sorry, ladies!" And he gives a little chuckle, "My mistake, Catherine. When the secretary said you and your partner, I assumed...well, I was going to say you two look sweet and cute together!"

Catherine's eyebrow lifts at Sara as she looked at her head to toe.

"What?" The brunette asked.

"Nothing!" Came the blond's reply.

"Then why are you sizing me up?" Sara asks.

"I was not!" Catherine defends.

"You definetly were. I saw your eyes go up and down! Why? Are my clothes not matching or sometthing?"

"You're delirious as usual, Sidle! I was not..."

"You checking me out or something, Wilows?"

"Why the hell would I check you out? You're the one..."

"So," the mayor interrupts, "so, ladies. Ummm, ladies, excuse me..."

Catherine and Sara were still glaring at each other.

"Ehem... ehem...what can I do for you this early in the morning?"

Catherine not breaking the stare from Sara says, "we're on a scavenger hunt and I need your signature, Steve."

It was the mayor's turn to look surprised. "A what?"

"Scavenger hunt, Mr.Mayor." Sara turns to him finally breaking the stare, "we need your John Hancock to cross off our list."

The mayor's eyes dart back and forth among the women, "a what again?"

Catherine takes a deep breath, "Scavenger hunt. I know it sound silly, Steve, but your signature will be our part of our winning ticket. Getting your signature was part of the list. And I...well, we," she nods to Sara's way, "we don't like loosing to the boys at work."

The mayor exhales and chuckles lightly. "As long this goes to the shredder when you're done, Catherine. I trust you." He takes a pad and signs it, then hands it to her with a smile, "you two are crazy to do this, you know. Crazy."

"We know. Thank you so much. And sorry for busting in like this, Steve." Catherine gives him a hug.

"Hey," he says, "it's always a pleasure seeing you again, Catherine." He leans in and whispers in her ear, "I see the way you two look at each other. You sure? It's not known yet?"

Catherine takes a big step back, "Steve, you're crazy! That wasn't nice!" She pulls Sara by the hand and out of the room,"well, we're going now before you say something else!" Catherine turns again to the mayor before she closes the door, "Steve, again, thank you! Say hello to the missus."

The mayor laughs, "you know I won't! She'll be jealous again! And Catherine," he calls out to her with a smile, "are you absolutely sure?"

Catherine smirks, "Oh, go do some mayoral work or something!"

They go down the steps with Catherine unconsciously still clutching Sara's hand . The brunette asks, "what did he say to you?"

"Oh, you know men. He wanted to know if I could see him." She says casually.

"Such a jerk!" Came the brunette's reply. "I could see why," she raises her eyebrows towards Catherine, and notices their intwined fingers. She stops dead on her track, pulling the blond back.

"Sara! What the...?" Catherine follows where the brunette's eyes were focused. And her eyes widen once again.

"I'm sorry!" Catherine suddenly lets go, feeling blood rush up her head." Oh, I didn't realize we were...our hands still...shit..."

The brunnette also apologizing simultaneously, "I didn't...crap. I didn't realize. Oh, hell..."

Both of them paused for a few seconds then burst laughing out loud as they reached the car.

"No wonder they thought we were partners...!" Sara said in between wiping her eyes.

"Yeah!" Came Catherine's reply, "what a silly thought!"

"Me and you? That would be priceless!"

r/r would be nice