Scavenger Hunt

chapter VII


"Ummmm," Sara begins with a bit of hesitation, "you... okay, Catherine?"

Lost in her own world, Catherine aparently not heard her, continues to mumble under her breath.

"Catherine?" She rests her hand on the older woman's arm, "everything fine? Need another caffeine rush or something?"

Startled, she jerks at Sara's touch, "huh? Oh, sorry, Sara. I was...uh, preoccupied."

"Okay then." Sara jokes, "back there in the club it looked like you were... a bit...you know..."

Catherine looks at her with her piercing blue eyes, a look Sara knows not to mess with. "...Jealous? Is that what you were going to say, Sara? That I was jealous?"

"I...I... I'm not, I didn't..." Sara could feel the blood rush up her head.

"Why would I be jealous of an alley cat?" Catherine shot back.


They drove in silence for a few seconds. Then Sara spoke up, " Uh, next on the list is 'an old pepsi glass bottle- can't be bought, must be found'." She shakes her head and sighs, "this is truly Hodges... something unimaginative, boring and useless."

"I'd say shrewd." Catherine whispers with a sly smile, "really shrewd."

"Uh, Catherine," Sara begins, now looking at the strawberry blond, "are we still talking about Hodges here? Davis Hodges, who claims to know it all? Who also has this illusion that he and Gris are like, buddies? That David Hodges?"

The older CSI continues to drive, a smirk can be seen at the side of her face, "when was the last time you've seen a glass pepsi bottle floating around here? Sure, they still sell coke and root beer in glass bottles but pepsi? I really haven't seen one for awhile. I know it's truly a boring task to do but come on, you gotta hand it to him for putting it in."

Sara was silent , thinking. After awhile she whispers, "shrewd. Really shrewd." Catherine laughs out loud when she adds, "but still a jack ass for suggesting it!"

"My thoughts exactly, Sara." Grins the blond in agreement.


They drove to the nearest antique store. Catherine explained to the owner of their predicament and was allowed to poke around the storage area. "You break, you pay, lady," adds the owner in a delightful tone. In hopes that one of them might get clumsy and drop something worth hundreds.

Knowing the owner was listening for any breaking noises, the two moved antique furniture and dusty boxes slowly. The brunette was the one doing most moving, lifting, pushing and reaching since she was more casually dressed and not in heels like Catherine. Sara was cursing under her breath, beads of sweat slowly forming around her forhead.

Catherine grabs a tissue from her purse and wipes the brunette's brow. Sara, suprised at the sudden gesture, shyly shows off her gap toothed grin and whispers a 'thanks'.

"Don't mention it." Beams Catherine in return.


After five minutes of shifting through dust filled boxes Sara triumphantly says, "jackpot, baby... Hey, Cath! Lookie here!"

Catherine turns to her. She sees the brunette holding up an old pepsi bottle. In her excitement, she jumps to Sara's side and gives her a a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You are so wonderful!"

Again speechless at the unexpected response, Sara blushes as she touches the cheek that was kissed, leaving a smudge from her dust filled fingers.

Catherine suprised of her own action, "I'm sorry. I... I didn't...I was excited. The bottle..." She eventually lets out a long sigh, shrugs at Sara, unable to explain herself.

"It's okay," the brunette says with a mischevious grin, "I would've done the same."

Catherine taken aback, raises an eyebrow. And a smirk slowly crosses her face.


She takes out her cellphone and takes a picture of a smiling Sara, complete with the smudge across her cheek holding the bottle of pepsi. Number four was crossed off their list.

The antique dealer pops in the storage room, "you ladies found what you're looking for?" His eyes were showing the need for dollars.

Sara sighs as she puts the bottle back, "Uh, no. Wrong bottle. It was suppose to be Jack Daniels."

The blond leaned toward Sara, "oh, god, we both need that later on!" Sara chuckles as they both leave the shop.


Catherine starts up the engine.

But there was something at the back of Catherine's mind that she needed to clear up. She switches off the ignition and faces the brunnette, "Sorry for snapping at you awhile ago, you know before we went to the antique shop and all. Back at the club I was...let's just say a tad..."

Sara sits up straight in her seat. "Jealous?"

Catherine stares at her. "Would you let me finish, Sidle?" Sara mouths an 'okay' and she continues, "I was a bit... irritated. I mean obviously the stripper was a hussy looking for a quick buck, flirting with you trying to see your reaction, she was like a leech who hung on to you for dear life, I wouldn't be surprised if she started sucking your blood! She's not even photogenic, her costume was tacky. Her dark roots were showing- she's in dire need of a touch up. Her make up was too thick, her hair was way to bouncy. Her voice was squeaky like a mouse on the run. She was, I'd say forcing herself to the rhythm of the song, trying too hard. All in all she absolutely had no class. An amateur." She crosses her arms and leans back, "so, Sara, what did you think about her?"

Sara caught in the middle, not really sure why the blond was giving her a monologue. She gazes at the older CSI's face and chooses her words, "you're right. She absolutely had no class at all, Catherine. She was most likely jealous of you, being a real woman standing infront of her. Threatened by your presence. I mean of all the women I've met, you are the one who tops them all." She locks eyes with Catherine, " No one, I mean no one can ever hold a candle near you. "

Catherine sighs, "Sara, I have no time for your buttering up and trying to make me feel..."

The brunette interrupts her. "Have you ever heard me butter up people, Catherine? Have you ever heard me say something nice about anyone before? No? Well, 'coz I don't. And If I do, which is less than rare, then I really mean it from the heart, okay? So when I say you're at the top, you're at the top. No if's, but's or maybe's. So..." Her brown eyes hold the stare with those blue ones, "I have never met anyone like you. You are, by all standards the envy of every woman."

Catherine stares at her, digesting every word that was said. Then Sara saw the most beautiful smile grace across the older CSI's face. Catherine's mouth opened, but words seemed to fail her.

Amused, Sara laughs, "this is the first time I've seen you speechless. You okay? Did I over do it? I mean, I meant every word, Catherine. You better say something coz you're scaring me. Hope I didn't cause an aneurism or something." She takes Catherine's hand, "hello... you still in there?"

Catherine finally says, "wow! When you open up, you really open up!"

The brunette replies with a smile. "You're killing the moment, Catherine. And you do know it's not going to happen again, okay!"

She starts the car, "well, thank you, Sara. That was really sweet of you." Catherine teases her, "does that mean you envy me, too?"

Sara chuckles, "Nope, it's the opposite. So shut up and drive. We need coffee!"

"Coffee it be!" Laughed Catherine as they drove off but she wondered about was the opposite that Sara felt. Admiration? She wanted to know but she knew not to pressure the younger CSI as of the moment. She knew there will a right time to ask her. And this kept her spirits up.


"So what time is it now?" Catherine asks.

Sara glances at her watch, "quarter to nine..." She does a double take and looks at her watch again, "quarter to nine?! Holy crap!! you mean it took us an hour to finish four stuffs?"

Catherine shakes her head, "we gotta double up time, Sara. You uhh... wanna to split or something? I mean I'd rather have us stay together but if you want..."

Sara looks at her amused. "So you get the car while I jog and run in all directions..."

The blond laughs, "I'm sorry, Sara. I forgot! Hell, We'll stick together, Sara. It's more fun anyway."

"And if we don't win?"

"Shoot. Who cares about a hundred bucks. I'm having the time of my life with you!"

"I wouldn't even think of separating!" Replies Sara with a laugh.


"Next on the list is..." Sara's eyes widen, "lizzard eggs?"

Catherine cringes, "ewwww!"

Sara chuckles. "Ha! I bet you this is Nicky, being Texan and all. Thinks we'll freak out with these little reptiles. No problemo. I could get ..." She glances at her seatmate, "Catherine? You okay? It's just lizzard eggs and..."

"Sara!"

"What?"

"Eww! See? Now I got goose bumps thinking about lizard eggs!" Catherine rubs her free hand on her other arm.

Sara looks at her amused, "think of it this way, minature chicken eggs."

Catherine cringes at the thought. "Yeah, and when they hatch out comes ...yuck...lizards crawling all over. Augh! Now look at me! More goose bumps!"

Sara rests her eyes on the strawberry blond, "I have been looking at you. And you still are beautiful, goose bumps and all."

Catherine looks at her quizically. All she got was a warm smile from her, making her own heart skip a beat.


r/r would be nice

it's my death bed, sue:D