Note: Hi folks, it's been a while, but here it is; chapter seven, set during Crow's Feet! Before you guys can start reading though, I really wanted to say a big thank you to those of you who reviewed. I really appreciate it, so very, very much, and I'm so happy to read you all enjoy it. I hope you'll enjoy this one as much as the previous ones! xx.
7. Crow's Feet.
"You're sure you can't stay?"
Lou laughed while he grabbed Catherine's hands –that were currently placed on his hips, not planning on letting them go,- and tried to get them off of him. He knew she knew he had to go; duty had called. He couldn't blame her for being annoyed with it though. Catherine's hand were holding him tight, and he leant in for a quick kiss on her lips. After that, he was finally able to remove her hands and he said: "I wish I could sweetheart but I have to go, Brass will get angry if I don't."
Catherine pouted and fixed Lou's collar before she said: "Fine. But call me when you're done, okay?"
He laughed at the small pout Catherine was showing and then nodded. He gave her one last kiss before walking out of the door.
Catherine smiled after the man that just left. They were both on call that night, and Lou had been called in. After she'd found out about Chris cheating on her a week ago, Lou had been her saviour. He had been with her whenever and wherever she'd wanted him to be, and he had been able to make her tears disappear as soon as he'd started talking. He'd been able to convince her that she wás smart and that she wás beautiful enough. Catherine knew he was so much better than Chris could've ever been. While she walked upstairs to make herself ready for a shower –and a day filled with laziness because she was on call that day,- she couldn't stop thinking about Lou. He was so perfect for her.
Thirty-five minutes later, Catherine's lazy day officially ended. Brass called her; he needed her on a case. Catherine wanted to slam the phone in his face when he called her, but when he'd told her where she had to go. She was put on the same case as Lou. With her ID-card in her hand, she walked into the hotel lobby, on her way to the floor where she was supposed to be. She walked up to the officer guard standing near the crime scene tape, but, to her surprise, she was held back. "Ma'am, I'm sorry, but you can't go up."
Catherine raised her eyebrows and showed him her ID before saying: "Catherine Willows, crime lab."
The officer shook his head and said: "I know who you are, but the hotel rooms are under quarantine. No one goes up, no one goes down."
"Quarantine?" Catherine raised her eyebrows again, but this time it was out of shock. She looked at the officer and said: "What happened?"
The officer shook his head again and said: "I'm sorry ma'am, I can't tell you anything else. You have to wait here, I'll let you know when I've some news."
Catherine nodded and said a quick "Thank you," before walking to the nearest corner of the lobby where it was a little bit quiet. She immediately grabbed her cell phone and dialled Lou's number.
Meanwhile, Lou was a couple of floors up, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't quite sure of what was going on with the dead woman lying at the bed in the room his was currently in, but, according to David, it wasn't very good. They had to wait for doctor Robbins, and had to stay in the room until then. When his phone rung, he expected it to be Brass and he answered with a somewhat grumpy "Vartann." As soon as he heard Catherine's concerned voice, his mood lightened a little bit.
"Lou, it's me. What's going on, they won't let me go upstairs."
Lou sighed and said: "I'm not sure, but something's wrong with this body. She's covered with red, spotted lesions. We're not sure what exactly it is, but David suspects Ebola. We can't go down."
Lou could her a slight bit of panic in Catherine's voice when she said: "But you haven't touched her, have you? Can't you come downstairs?"
"I've already been exposed. It's too late." He sighed before continuing. "Can you get a list of all the countries she's visited in the past thirty days."
He knew Catherine would be less in panic when she was able to do something. He was relieved when he indeed heard her say: "Sure, I'll go after it. Anything else I can get you?"
"Yeah, her passport. Try the State Department."
"Okay, I'll make sure people go after that. Lou… I… Just… Just be careful, okay?"
He smiled to himself and made sure no one was able to hear him when he tried to comfort Catherine by saying: "Don't worry, I'm sure things will be fine I'll see you in a couple of minutes, okay?"
When he hung up his phone a couple of seconds later though, he knew he had to admit to himself that he definitely wasn't so sure about that.
Fifteen long, long minutes later, Catherine was finally allowed to go upstairs; it had been a false alarm. She couldn't even describe how those fifteen minutes had felt. If Lou actually hád been in danger, she knew she would've been devastated. She'd just found him, and she wasn't ready to lose him. Catherine knew she would never be. When she entered the room, she immediately spotted him. It sucked that she wasn't able to touch him, to show him how glad she was nothing was wrong. But she knew she would be able to do that soon. When Lou saw her, he simply said "Hi" and gave her a small smile. "Hey!" He motioned for her to walk into the bedroom while saying: "Go on in."
When they walked into the bedroom, their arms brushed lightly. The exchanged a small smile before Catherine turned her face to the dead woman's body on the bed.
Almost three hours later, Catherine walked into the police department. Her case was a tiny little mystery, but she hoped that some lab results would help her out a little bit. The moment she walked into the building, she spotted Lou talking to someone in the hallway. Catherine was sure he had noticed her; he had seen her the moment she had walked into the building. When she saw him standing in the hallway, in his suit, she had the urge to just jump at him and make love. That was one of the reasons why she quickly walked to her office and texted Lou to come to her office on her way.
Two minutes later, he slammed open the door of her office and locked it behind him. Catherine smiled and said: "I knew you would hurry."
Lou snorted and said: "I would've been faster if that guy wouldn't have kept me so long. Didn't know he could take that long to tell me so little."
Catherine chuckled and walked up to him. She put her hand on his chest and said: "I'm glad your okay. I was scared.."
Lou smiled at Catherine and caressed her cheek with his thumb before he said: "I knew you were. But everything's fine, don't worry about it anymore."
Catherine kissed his lips for a couple of seconds before she said: "I won't. Just wanted to let you know that I'm glad everything was okay. Wouldn't want to miss kissing you."
He smiled and put his arm around her waist so he could pull her closer to him. Their bodies touched and Lou kissed Catherine's lips. Gently, at first. The kiss became more passionate after less than five seconds. Their tongues started duelling with each other and Catherine's hands moved to his lower back. He moved himself so he was able to press Catherine against the wall of her office before he started to attack her neck. Doing that caused Catherine to chuckle a little bit; she was ticklish, and he knew it. Catherine could feel Lou growing through his pants and when his hands disappeared under her shirt, she knew things were going to far. His hands just felt too good.
Lou was about to put her shirt over her head when here phone interrupted their actions. Both sighed heavy before Catherine reached for her phone and listened to Nick on the other side. When she hung up, she put her forehead againstLou's chest while she said: "It was Nick. He found something, I have to go."
Catherine felt Lou nod and they shared one last kiss before both took off to the place they were supposed to be.
While Catherine was driving to Lou's place, she stared at the reflection of herself in her mirror. That doctor Malaga made her doubt everything about herself she used to be so certain about. He felt like growing old was a disease. As if wrinkles were a worldwide problem. He had made her look further into a mirror than she usually did, and at that point, she'd started to doubt everything. Wás she getting too old? Were her wrinkles making her look bad? She suddenly felt so insecure. Something she wasn't used to feeling. When she arrived at Lou's house, she felt even worse. Wás she attractive to him? Or would he soon think she wasn't beautiful enough and let her down as if she was just a piece of nothing? With aversion, Catherine walked to the door and knocked on it. She wanted to hide; she felt terrible.
As soon as Lou opened the door, he could tell something was wrong with Catherine. She smiled at him, kissed him, greeted him… But her eyes looked sad, and he knew there was something spinning in her head. He let her walk into his living room, hoping she would talk herself. She didn't though, and as soon as both had settled on the couch with a drink he said: "Okay, what's wrong?"
Catherine raised her eyebrows and said: "What do you mean, what's wrong?"
Lou looked at her and said: "Don't lie to me, I can tell something's bothering you. What is it?"
Catherine shrugged and said: "I don't really know if I want to talk about it."
He put his hand around her neck and pulled her a little closer to him. Catherine's head now rested on his shoulder, and a loud sigh was coming out of her mouth. After a few seconds, she finally said: "It's just… That case, that doctor.. He just.. He made me feel like I'm some kind of old piece of nothing. He felt like growing old was a disease and I just can't help but feeling like… Like, I don't know… Like I'm too old. I suddenly feel as if I'm nothing and I'm afraid you'll think I'm too old and that you'll run off eventually."
Catherine let out another sigh after saying those words and looked in Lou's eyes. He turned a little bit so he was able to cup her cheeks with his hands and said: "Promise me you'll never think like that again. You're the most gorgeous woman in this world. I wouldn't want to trade you for anything."
He kept staring into Catherine's pretty blue eyes until a tear felt down her cheek and he heard her whisper: "I… I promise. You're incredible."
Lou smiled and joked: "I know." He pulled Catherine into a hug, and after a couple of seconds filled with warmth, they let go of each other again. Catherine smiled, her eyes still wet, and said: "Thank you. I.. I know this might sound lame and perhaps this is going to fast because I know we don't know each other that well but.. I think I love you."
Catherine couldn't help but look hopeful into Lou's direction, praying he wouldn't run away. And he didn't. In fact, he just moved his face closer to Catherine's and whispered: "That's a good thing. Because I think I love you too," before placing his lips on Catherine's and kiss her, with all the love he had in him.
Note: Hope you liked it! Please let me know... Only takes you a few seconds! xxx.
