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 else's 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: Now then, I know this isn't the longest of chapters but I wanted to get it up tonight because as you know it's my promise to you to be speedy with the updates. Chapter four brings in a little guest appearance. I confess to not knowing a whole lot about her character so I've just done my own thing. Hope you like it.

Thank you to all the lovely people who have reviewed and PM'd me. It's much appreciated. I still am sure that there's lots more people reading this who could leave me a little review. How can you deny me a wee word that'll make me smile??? (pathetic enough for ya ;-) Hehe. No seriously folks, I love reviews and they seriously do motivate a writer to stick with it even when the mood doesn't strike them to. More on the way as soon as I can. :-)

Warning: This story contains sex between two consenting females. It has been rated M for its sexual content. If femmeslash is not your thing or you are not old enough to read this, don't go any further.


High-Five

Chapter 4

Two hours into the convention and Catherine was flagging. She'd rallied admirably to start with but her green gills had returned in full force during a particularly gross demonstration involving three flasks of stomach contents in varying stages of digestion. They very nearly had a fourth.

Catherine made a dash for it and found a side door onto the small centre courtyard. She leaned unsteadily over the flower bed gasping in great lungfuls of fresh air. A few amused faces glanced in her direction as she composed herself, pushing loose strands of hair from her sweaty forehead. She sat on the little walled border feeling very sorry for herself.

"Never a pleasant demonstration but I don't believe I've ever seen anyone bail out quite that fast."

Catherine looked up surprised by the unfamiliar voice. A woman in her mid-thirties with blonde hair in two thick braids stood in front of her, one hand casually in her pocket the other proffering a bottle of chilled mineral water. Catherine eyed the water as if someone were handing her a winning lottery ticket and gratefully accepted it.

"Thank you very much." She smiled at the woman as she opened the cap and took a sip.

"Detective Calleigh Duquesne, Miami Day PD." The woman introduced herself in her distinct southern drawl.

"Catherine Willows, Las Vegas CSI," Catherine replied, her face contorting as some of the water hit the contents of her angry stomach. "I don't always look this green."

"Well mouldy old stomach contents will do that to y'all sometimes." Calleigh laughed.

"Or perhaps it was the dozen or more mojitos that I indulged in last night?" Catherine whispered guiltily.

"Woah, well it seems we have a party-girl in our midst," she smiled cheerfully.

This girl is just a little too chipper, Catherine thought to herself, especially whilst my brain is playing my skull like a steel drum.

"Catherine, you ok?"

Now there was a voice she recognised.

"One minute you were stood with me, the next you'd vanished. I might have to start calling you Houdini. One of those spotty-faced students noticed you legging it out here. I've brought you some…" she stopped as she saw the bottle already in Catherine's hand, "Oh, you've got one." She then noticed the blonde sat next to her colleague.

"Calleigh?"

Catherine raised her head. Sara knew this chirpy woman?

"Well if it isn't the legend that is Sara Sidle." Calleigh tilted her head on one side. "My, my. So are you still terrorising the residents of San Francisco?"

Sara stared at Calleigh, her face unreadable but Catherine could sense that something wasn't quite right. Sara eventually found her tongue to answer. "No, I'm… I moved to Vegas."

"Vegas huh? Well, you're looking good Sar," she drawled casually as she raked her eyes over Sara's lean frame.

"You too Calleigh," Sara replied stiffly.

"Hang on," interjected Catherine, "how do you two know each other?" her eyes swept from one to the other.

"We both started our careers in Frisco, didn't we Sar?" Calleigh answered brightly. They held each other's gaze.

"Yeah we did. We were both rookies together." Catherine noted the unease in Sara's stance, she never seemed to be the most comfortable in her own skin but right now she almost appeared nervous.

"So you drew the short straw too?" Catherine addressed Calleigh making a sweeping gesture towards the conference centre in an attempt to lift some of the tension.

"I sort of volunteered," she responded in her over-sparkly manner, "I'm babysitting seven of my own rookies."

"Seven?" Catherine mouthed.

"Yes ma'am. Figured it'd be good for them, maybe help them decide what area's they want to specialise in. Though I fully expect one of them not to last both days of the conference let alone more time in the job, she's horrified by everything." There was that slightly insane smile again.

"So Sara," Calleigh returned the conversation to the brunette who was still stood awkwardly in front of them, "you still letting the police scanner lull you off to sleep at night?"

A confused look crossed Catherine's face as Sara tried hard to maintain that she was un-phased by her present situation. "I work graveyard," was her only answer. Calleigh appeared to be about to further her question. Sara quickly cut her off, "but, I still have the scanner."

Catherine noticed that if it was at all possible, Calleigh's smile grew. "I bought one for myself."

"You did?" Sara sounded surprised.

"I guess I kinda got used to it."

Sara's eyes widened a little but she didn't reply. Calleigh stood and wiped her palms on her cords. "I'm glad that you're feeling a little better now Catherine. Don't let that Sidle chick lead you astray."

Sara was struggling with her face, her jaw was set tight. Calleigh shook Catherine's hand before stepping to stand squarely in front of Sara. "It was good to see you again after so long, Sar." For a second it looked like Detective Dusquesne was about to hug the brunette but she settled instead for a quick pat on the arm.

Catherine could tell that it took all of Sara's energy not to flinch at the contact. "See y'all round sometime."

Sara stood stock still for about thirty seconds before turning to face Catherine who wore a thoughtful expression.

"Care for some Advil CSI Willows?" she asked, not waiting for an answer before she slipped two pills into Catherine's hand.

"Thanks Sar." Sara closed her eyes for a half-second as Catherine used Calleigh's way of addressing her. Catherine noticed. She filed it away for later consideration. Staring at the pills in her palm she sighed. "I'm an idiot, I should know better. I'm forty years old for Christ's sake."

"Yes you should Catherine." Sara said in a sober tone. "You're a scientist, you know exactly what all that stuff is doing to your insides."

"You hypocrite!" Catherine propelled herself upright a little too fast for her delicate head which proceeded to let her know so. "You drank virtually as much as I did and…" she stopped, her lips tightening into a thin line as she watched the grin break out on Sara's face, her eyes soft and twinkling. She was winding her up again, will I ever learn?

Come on Cat, we'll be late for the presentation on blood-spatter analysis." Sara nudged her colleague and made for the courtyard door.

Catherine followed muttering under her breath. "Damn Sidle and her damn offbeat humour. Damn this damn convention and damn my aching head." Catherine's murmurs only made Sara smile more. She wouldn't admit it out loud but she was actually having fun.


Time to let me know how you liked it. :-)