Scavenger Hunt

Chapter XIV

special thanks to andrea.

mistakes are mine. had to put this out in memory of sara's departure...!

"So you two...?" He points to Sara and then to Catherine, "you two...you and you..."

Sara grins and puts her arm around Catherine's waist pulling her closer. "Yes, Jim. We two." The older CSI rests her head on the brunette's shoulder nodding a 'yes' towards Brass.

He shakes his head and his grin keeps on getting wider. "Wow, I'd never guess..."

Catherine teases him. "And you call yourself a detective."

He shakes his head, "No,no, no. I knew you two were flirting around each other for years. But I never expected you guys to do anything about it since..."

"Excuse me?" Sara raises and eyebrow.

Catherine's jaw drops. "For... years?"

Now it was Brass who had a satisfied smile. "Girls, I've watched you two dance around each other. I've seen the stolen glances, the little flirtations, the bantering. The so called arguments which I would say, hmmm...sexual tension? It was no big secret! Actually, " he leans back on his chair, "it was entertaining, ladies."

"What do you mean 'no big secret'?"

He sighs. "Sara, you were a nervous wreck when Catherine was in the desert alone when her truck broke down two month ago. You were pacing up and down the hallways biting your nails! You kept on bugging Gil that you wanted to come and help find her. You even packed a month's supply of water at the back of your truck. As you said, 'just in case she's dehydrated' and all. I think you secretly collected all the first aid kits in the building!"

Sara shrugs her shoulders, "I was concerned for a fellow worker..."

Brass chuckles, "You threatened Grissom that evening with quitting if you weren't able to come and find her, Sara. I saw your reaction of relief when you saw Catherine sitting on the hood of her truck listening to her ipod while she waited for us."

Catherine beams at Sara, "Really? You were worried?"

"Well," Sara shrugs her shoulders, "I was. What would life be without Catherine Willows?"

"Aw...you are so sweet, Sara dear." Catherine kisses her on the cheek making Sara blush.

"So, " Brass raises his eyebrows at both of them, "how long have you two been together?"

Catherine and Sara looks at each other. The brunette shrugs her shoulders, "give or take..." she glances at Catherine, "less than one...maybe?"

Catheine nods, 'yeah, less than one..."

Brass scratches his chin. "One year, wow! All this time you two were together! Nearing a year and we never knew..."

The older CSI raises an eyebrow at him. "Ummm, no Jim. Not a year..."

Jim Brass looks at her. "One month? Still, it must be hard for you guys keeping it quiet! Funny how we never even suspected that..."

This time it was the brunette who spoke up. "Uh...not a month, Brass. It's uhh..."

Catherine nods her way, "not even close..."

Brass forehead creases in confusion. "I dont understand."

Catherine shrugs her shoulder looking his way. "Make that less than, give or take an hour?"

Sara checks her watch and confirms, "More like thirty three minutes, to be exact."

Brass' jaw drops again in surprise.

Sara puts her arm around Catherine, "You think we get more points by surprising Brass twice in ten minutes?"

"So okay, Sara, this is more your area."

Both women are standing in the breakroom staring at the game controls of the play station.

Sara shrugs her shoulders, "why do you think I'm able to score a five thousand? Nick's the one who put this in. He gets the high scores. he knows he can run circles with this stupid game"

"Well, you play. I've see you beat Greg more thn once.You're really good with..."

Sara cocks her head to the strawberry blond and lifts an eyebrow, "you watch me play? Really?"

"Uhhh," Catherine picks up a remote and hands it to the burnette, "so what if I did? You're nice to watch." She winks at her.

Sara grins and takes the remote. "That's sweet."

"I guess you gotta play against me then, huh." Catherine picks up the remaining remote and sits on the sofa. "How do you turn this contraption on?" She shakes the remote.

"It's not wireless like the Wii game." Sara shakes her head and sits next to her, "first you press this do hicky button here," she presses the 'on' button.

"I think we should get a Wii then." Catherine pauses and elbows the brunette, "what's a Wii? Is that more fun than this car racing game thingy?"

Sara exhales deeply and ignores her. "Let me set this to two players." Catherine watches her, impressed at Sara fiddling with the buttons on the remote. "Okay, that's your red car there." She points to the screen. "And I'm the blue."

"Why do you get blue? I like blue! They match my eyes!"

"Fine!" Sara switches remotes.

With a smug grin Catherine whispers a 'thank you'.

"Okay," Sara lifts up her remote, "this one here is to pick up speed, that's all you need to know about this button. And..."

"Ahh, easy." Catherine leans back, "okay, lets go. Fire away!"

"And this one here," Sara continues, "is how you turn left and right passing cars. And this one here in the front..." She glances at the older CSI, "Cathrine, look where I'm pointing!"

"No need to get touchy!"

"I'm sorry, I'm tired." She touches Catherine's hand, "just listen, okay? I want this over."

Catherine leans next to her, "I'm also sorry, babe." Then she beams at her, "so, is this like our first official little spat as...lovers?"

Sara grins, "I guess so. It's kind of cute how we readily apologize!"

"Well," Catherine leans forward and stares at the screen, "don't get used to it, babe. Coz it's gonna be a long while before I appologize that fast. Come on now, play ball!"

Sara sighs, "I'll let you get away with the 'play ball' thing for now." They both press the start button and both cars on the screen picked up speed zooming through the highway.

For a few seconds both women were quiet, concentrating on the game. After awhile Sara comments, "you're pretty good, babe, for a beginner."

"Beginner, my foot!" Catherine exclaims, "I've been drivng fast since I was twelve, this game has no challenge! Ha! Overtaking three cars at one time. Feel my breeze, Sidle!"

"Oh, really?" Sara leans forward, "what do you say about that?" Sheovertakes Catherine's blue car.

Catherine steers her car to the left, overtaking Sara again. "Since it's my first game, babe. I've decided not to let you win."

"Ah, still the arrogant, humble woman. I like that, honey. One of the qualities that I admire." Sara picks up speed. "But no, I always play to win." She again overtakes Catherine's blue shiney car.

Both women were were leaning forward. A vice grip on the remotes, pressing buttons for dear life. It was hard to see if they were blinking, it was even harder to see if they were breathing. their wrists simutaneously tilting back and forth the remotes as if it was a steering wheel.
Greg walks in the break room followed closely by Hodges.

"Damn! They beat us to it!" Whispers Greg. He stands besides the women and watches the game.

Hodges lifts his hands in surrender, "That's it. I'm done. My neck is aching from Sofia's grip. I'm going home."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Greg says in a hoarse whisper pulling his shirt.

Hodges almost trips, "What the...?"

Greg points to the TV screen. Hodges follows his gaze, drops his jaw and was transfixed.

"This is freaking hot!"

Both women, without missing a beat said in unison, "Shut up, Greg!"

Sara and Catherine were now way over the scores of five thousand, with no hints of slowing down. Sara was biting her lower lip manuvering her car through the busy streets. Catheine was doing the same, avoiding bystanders and other vehicles, picking up speed every now and then and picking up points.

Hodges flips his cellphone and whispers to someone at the other end.

Three more people from the lab quietly shows up in seconds. Two of them called two more people. Soon there was a crowd behind the women. Whispers of betting started to arise. Quiet chants of 'go, Sara!' and 'let her eat dust, Catherine' arise. Employees who came in innocently to get coffee now stood with the crowd. A few pulling out dollar bills to join the bet.

Ecklie passes by the breakroom and takes a step back as he sees the gathering, "What the hell...?"

A few whispered "Shhh...!" to his general direction.

He steps in to see what the commotion was all about. He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out when he sees the players.

Sara and Catherine both unfazed of what was happening behind them. Their concentration on winning was intense. Both cars were now neck to neck on the street. Their scores kept on rising. The excitment in the room was building.

Precious minutes pass by.

Ecklie glances at his watch and takes a deep breath, "Everybody back to work. Fun's over. Come on now...back to work." He stands there with both hands on his hips, trying to look authorative.

Murmurs from the crowd pick up. One by one they hesitantly leave. Greg and Hodges remain, suprisingly Sofia and Brass were there. Ecklie raises an eyebrow at Greg.

Greg points to Hodges. "Me and him are off the clock, Sir."

Ecklie turns to Brass and Sofia.

Brass smoothly responds, "Sofia's under my wing. And we're on a break." Sofia tries to supress a giggle and clears her throat instead.

"Fine." Ecklie looks at the seated women. "Go home, girls. That's an order. Now!" And he walks out the breakroom .

Catherine smirks when a thought formed in her head. Keeping her eye on the screen with her fingers on the remote, she slowly leans close to the brunette and whispers in her ear.

Sara suddenly breaks out of her trance, glances at the older CSI and accidentally crashes her car making Catherine win.

"YES!" Catherine jumps up triumphantly.

"Damn!" Hodges whispers.

Greg raises his fist in the air, "I knew it!" He pats Catherine in the back and hands her half of the bet. "The odds were against you, Cath. But I knew it! You are my rock goddess!"

"How? She was just learing how to play!" Hodges faces Greg as they walked out.

"Simple," Greg flashes a grin, "I've rode with Catherine twice chasing a perp on wheels. She's the ultmate car driver, man!"

Brass' smile was ear to ear, "never estimate the power of women." He hands them the winnings, "Nick and Warrick didn't make it past the governor's office."

Sofia looks intently at Catherine, "What did you say to her?"

Catherine smiles sweetly, "I can't say, Sofia." She rests her hand on the brunette's shoulder, "come on, Sara."

Sara stands up, dazed. Catherine gently whispers, "Come on, babe. let's go home." And they walk out the breakroom, hand in hand.

Sofia's mouth hangs open.

Brass pats her shoulder, "gotcha!"

r/r would be nice