The moment she lifted up her head for the first time the next morning, a racking headache told her that she was up for a bad hangover.
She found herself in her own bed, though she could not remember how she had come there. Somebody had taken of her boots and pulled a blanket over her.
She sat up, moaning and rubbing her face, realizing that she was still in yesterday´s clothes. Regarding the nebulous memories of some kissing and cuddling lingering somewhere at the back of her head, she found the fact rather reassuring. If things had gotten more serious, she would have preferred to remember them a little more clearly.
When she finally managed to put her feet out of bed, she found her boots standing neatly in front of it. She grabbed one of them and set it back to its place after a short lock at it. The laces had been cut through, obviously to simplify getting them of. It made her grin weakly. Her gaze fell on the clock right next to the bed. It was almost noon.
Well, at least she had slept for some hours.
An almost empty bottle of whiskey stood right beside the borrowed helmet on the shelf besides the door. She let her fingertips wander over it on her way to the bathroom, trying to remember how the last night had ended. She smiled weakly - all effort was useless. But she mused that there was probably someone else able to shed light on that.
Tool, in for a late breakfast, watched her scuffling through the kitchen, a smile on his face.
„Had a good time last night ?" he asked from behind the newspaper.
She was busy sending a small prayer of thanks up to heaven that there was some fresh coffee left. Savouring the first sip, she turned to him, a tired smile playing around the edges of her mouth.
„To be honest - I have no idea!"
„Oh girl!" Tool exclaimed in amusement, sitting back.
She counted the empty mugs at the sink.
„The boys are out for their equipment check ?"
„Nope. Barney had to do some business first, something came up unexpectedly. Lee and Toll are downstairs, Yang left with Barney...Gunnar and Caesar left for some workout, if I got that right - I think that´s what you wanted to know ?"
She sighed at the mere thought of doing anything else than moving slowly back to bed.
„Workout, huh ?"
The empty mug slipped out of her hand and crashed noisily into the sink. It made her groan.
„You know", he told her after watching her for a while, „I know a very good old home remedy to cure your hangover."
„Some painkiller I could help you out with ?"
She stopped him with a wave of her hand.
„Thanks, but it was an old fashioned painkiller that caused this fuckin´ headache in the first place...think I´ll simply have to live trough it!"
„Why don´t you take a day off, darlin´ ?"
„My dad used to say that if you´re able to party all night you´re able to work in the morning as well."
„I insist", Tool contradicted. „In this state, your going to scare our customers away, you know."
Ignoring his comment, she threw a look into the fridge, but the mere smell of anything eatable was too much for her stomach and she closed the door in a hurry.
„In this case", she stated drily," I´ll be back to bed! Don´t wake me `til it´s over!"
„Hey!" Lee greeted, entering the garage at the backside of the shop.
„Hey!" Tool greeted.
„Got everything ?" Barney asked.
„Got everything!"
He handed Barney the tools.
„Good job", Barney said, checking them out.
„Told you the guy would be able to deliver !"
He looked around.
„So where´s Cathie ? Lace loaded me with some books she wanted to borrow from her."
„Haven´t seen her the whole day", Barney answered while Tool played the innocent and kept silent.
Lee turned.
„Gunnar! Where´s Cathie ?"
„Haven´t seen her", Gunnar answered airily.
„What do you mean, you haven´t seen her ? Haven´t seen her since when ?"
Gunnar ignored him.
Lee exchanged an amused look with Barney and Tool.
„Come on! You gave her a ride home, didn´t you ?"
„Now that you´re mentioning it... I t hink they got lost on the way home last night", Barney joined the game.
„Tell me, man, what did you do to her that she´s not been able to leave her room today ?" Lee went on.
The guys chuckled.
„Uh, you guys are really nasty", Tool fainted indignation. „Girl´s got a day off. From what I could see - hangover."
„You had to get her drunk first and overdid ?" Christmas went on teasing.
Barney and Tool raised their eyebrows and kept their breath, both remembering how tipsy Lace had been at the end of the night before.
„Thought it was you who had to get his girlfriend drunk before you get to bed her", Gunnar answered promptly without looking up from the workbench in front of him. „And from what I see, every time."
„Ouch", Barney said while Lee only growled lowly.
„The man is damn relaxed today!" Tool chimed in.
„You know, I had some weight training with Caesar this morning", Gunnar adressed Lee. „Had some workout with Road later on. Got my car washed, my bike cleaned, got a good deal on a set of new wheels... what did you do except painting pumpkin´s toenails, huh ?"
Barney and Tool grinned and even Lee had to chuckle.
„But you still haven´t seen her since ? Tool, did she look that exhausted ?"
After another round of laughter, Barney straightened.
„Since you guys have obviously nothing better to do... what if I invite you to a beer ?"
The men turned their heads at his canting tone.
„What do you got in mind ?" Lee asked curiously.
„I think it´s time to find a new bar to have a drink at for a change", Barney told him.
It was still early in the evening when somebody knocked softly at Cathie´s door.
„What is it ?" she asked, just out of the shower.
„It´s me, Barney", Ross answered. „Sorry to disturb you, but we need your magic hands."
She looked around for something to put on.
„I am just out of the shower", she called. „I am with you in a second!"
„Training accident."
Gunnar looked up to her, a surprisingly convincing innocent expression on his face.
She put a pair of robber gloves on. It was obvious from their street clothes and grins that the three of them had surely not just returned from the gym.
„Go and lie to someone else", she answered drily, causing Barney and Lee to chuckle.
It was the first time that day she had encountered him and felt as if the guys at her back where watching the two of them closely.
There was a lot of blood all over his face and she started carefully to clean it away to find the source of it.
To her amazement, he was still grinning.
She was still not completely back to life and the sight of the damage on his face made her skip her usual policy of not asking questions.
„What the hell happened to you ?"
„You´re asking the wrong questions!" Christmas scolded her from behind.
„Things are not happening to Gunnar!"
She turned half to throw him a surprised look.
„Gunnar is happening to them!" he explained as if she was a half-wit.
„That´s right!" Gunnar agreed enthusiastically.
Barney only grinned.
„You´re mad!" she groaned. „All of you!"
„Come on", Gunnar grumbled. „We had just a little fun."
„Stop talking", she ordered lowly, putting one hand carefully under his chin to make him turn his head to grant her a better look. She realized belatedly that she offered him great insight into her cleavage that way.
„Close your eyes", she commanded dispassionately.
Laughter followed the order.
She threw him an impatient look when he didn´t follow it though.
„Kill-joy", he rumbled, finally closing his eyes.
„I hope you had your fun, big boy", she told him after a moment. „Think this requires stitches."
He opened his eyes again and looked up to her.
„Don´t get annoying!"
„Barney, we´ll have to talk about additional compensation for dumb comments", she stated, throwing Ross a side glance. She turned towards Gunnar again. „How is it that you´re the largest of these guys and still get your face ruined every time you´re roughing someone up ?"
„Don´t be so strict with him", Barney threw in. „The man just loves a good brawl and it was for a good cause."
She frowned, inspecting Gunnar´s latest laceration.
„Really ?" she asked, her disbelief obvious.
„Really!" Barney reasserted.
„I am sorry, man, I don´t see that skin closure strips will do the trick here", she told Gunnar finally.
He sighed.
„Fine. Get goin´ then."
„Lay down."
She padded the surface of the table he was sitting on.
„Is this about Elira ?" she asked while checking her kit for the things she would need.
None of the men answered, but the expressions on their faces were answer enough for her.
„In this case", she said lowly," I am gonna patch you up for free."
After she had taken care of their bruises, Lee bid them goodbye to take Lace out while Barney had some workout appointment with an old friend of his, though Cathie suspected that they would probably skip it and have a beer instead.
„I need a shower, something to eat and a drink", Gunnar stated. „What about you ?"
„Maybe something to eat, but surely no drink", she answered, smiling. „But as it happens, I haven´t done any grocery shopping today and the fridge´s empty."
„As usual."
„As usual", she nodded.
„What´s the basketball game tonight ?" he asked, more out of fun than real interest.
„Phoenix Suns against Sacramento Kings, if I am not mistaken."
„What the hell is wrong with you, girl ?"
„Five older brothers", she reminded him casually.
„Wanna watch it ?"
She chuckled.
„Yeah, but there´s a problem."
He raised his eyebrows.
„There´s not room enough for you and me on the sofa upstairs", she told him with a smile.
„Besides, I can´t see a damn thing on this screen without lenses."
„Your eyes are that bad ?"
„The screen is so tiny!"
„Alright!"
He got up.
„Put something on then."
She looked at him, confusion showing on her face.
„I am unpresentable today."
„I am not going to show you to anybody."
She frowned.
„Where are we going ?"
„Come on!"
„Alright, alright." She waved surrender. „Just gimme five minutes, ok ?"
