TIC... TOC...
By Basilea
Disclaimers: Not mine... never will be.
Spoilers: None. This story takes place in my mind.
Pairing: Catherine/Warrick
Rating: This one finally gets PG13... I think ;)
A/N: Again, this is un-betaed... so, be patient...! – And thank you all for your great reviews!!! You helped me finish it!
Two – Pasta!
Meal was enjoyed by all, and they spent long hours after it chatting and enjoying each others company. Lindsay came back from school and joined the fun in her living room. She chose to sit close to Warrick, claiming she had the right to because she had missed the meal with him. The whole crew helped her with her homework and she was delighted with being everyone's favourite. But even she noticed her mother's distant look and discomfort.
When the sky beyond Catherine's window turned violet, and all lights had to be turned on, friends started to leave. The graveyard shift was about to begin and they were short of personnel: One of the CSIs was no longer a LVPD employee, and another had the night off, apparently, she hadn't been feeling well lately.
All gave Warrick a hug when they left, and all wished him well. All but Catherine. She was frozen standing by the door. When Warrick finally closed it, she was sure of what she wanted. Of what she needed. But there was no way she could possibly tell him, she kept looking at the floor instead. He stood silent in front of her. One hand held the door knob, the other was inside his pocket. This time they both heard that haunting noise, it set the same rhythm inside both their heads ...tic...toc...tic...toc... They just stood in silence for what seemed like hours till Lindsay's voice flew from the living room. "Have they all gone now, mum?" Catherine looked to the living room and Warrick answered her. "I'm the only one that's left." Lindsay run to the door and hug his legs. "I've missed launch with you, but I can still have dinner, right? Can he stay mummy? Please?" Catherine wanted him to stay, but she wasn't sure of what he wanted. Sensing her hesitation and Lindsay's eagerness it was him the one to answer again. "I think I can stay. If your mother wants me to." That line hurt deep but she didn't want it to show, so she just smiled and asked Lindsay what she wanted for dinner, they both answered at the same time "pasta!"
Cooking with Lindsay around never gave Catherine much time to think, but having Warrick so close, moving around, making Lindsay laugh while helping her to set the table, made her think of how much she was going to miss him and how sorry she was for not having had him around as much as she would have wanted to. But Lindsay's laughter was always a reason to smile, she always surrendered to it, so she smiled... and that held her tears back as she cut some garlic into pieces according to that rhythmic sound she kept hearing in the background ...tic...toc...tic...toc...
He loved making Lindsay laugh. She could jump from soft giggles to crazy laughter in a second, and then became all quiet only to burst into laughter again. And making her happy was the best way he knew of making her mother smile, and he wanted her to smile so badly he didn't mind losing his cool style to play with forks and knives and chase Lindsay around the table. He was very aware of the fact that he wasn't going to be able to do it again, there was that little sound that kept reminding him of that. ...tic...toc...tic...toc... matching Catherine's cutting garlic rhythmic noise.
Lindsay enjoyed her pasta, and reprehend the grown-ups for not eating their food and just play with it, as her mother had always told her well mannered people can't do. When she finally became aware that she was the one doing all the talking, she knew there was something wrong, and needed to know what it was.
"Aren't you ever coming back?"
Lindsay's question echoed in the kitchen because of the thick silence it produced. Warrick looked at her, while Catherine looked at him. Neither said a word. "You aren't!" and Lindsay run off the table to her room, crying.
Warrick looked at Catherine trying to know what was he supposed to do, but she said nothing. She just stood up and went after her daughter.
Lindsay was crying on her bed, hugging her pillow. Catherine's heart broke at the sight of her daughter. She knew there was no way she could possibly make her feel better, so she just sat on the bed and caressed her hair. She loved her hair, and she knew she loved her touching it.
"He has to go Linds. He's got a new job there. But I'm sure he'll come to visit us someday and I know he will never forget you." Catherine didn't truly believe what she just said, but she knew that was what her daughter needed to hear, and what she wanted to believe. But saying it didn't make her feel any better. Still she kept caressing her daughter and talking about all the things they would do together when he came back, and all the happy thoughts Warrick would have about her. She kept talking till Lindsay's sobbing became a soft rapid breathing, and then she laid by her side and held her daughter until they both felt everything was really going to be all right.
"Go say goodnight to him while I get your things ready for bed". And Lindsay left her room to kiss Warrick goodbye while her mother got her pyjama out of the closet and opened the bed for her. She was leaving the room when Lindsay came back. Catherine kissed and hugged her daughter goodnight, closed her door, and took a deep breath before starting walking down the corridor, her steps fitting the recurrent tickling sound that had accompanied her through all last week ...tic...toc...tic...toc...
When she got back to the kitchen, he was doing the dishes. She asked him to stop, and he obeyed. She stood at the door, looking at him in silence. She knew what she needed to say, but she thought it was selfish to say it, so she kept quiet. It was him the one to break that uncomfortable silence. He said goodbye.
When she left with Lindsay, he felt the urge to run after them, so he stood up and went to the kitchen instead. He wanted to do something, anything, but think. Quiet only made is thoughts speak louder. So he picked the dishes and started washing them. He washed them twice, just to keep busy, and suddenly Lindsay grabbed his arm. She wanted to say goodnight. He bent down so that she could kiss him. She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and he kissed her back. But then she whispered something in his ear. Something that made his knees weak and his heart break. "She wants you to stay. She is too sad to tell you, that's all." ...tic...toc...tic...toc... his mind got lost on that sound
His heart jumped when he heard her voice: "Stop". He stopped, turned around and met her eyes. They were filled with what he could only describe as pain. He didn't want to hurt her. He was sure now Lindsay was right about her. She didn't want him to leave, but he couldn't stay. Not like this. If she wanted him to be around, she should let him "be around", but she didn't want that. So he tried a smile and whispered "Goodbye, Catherine".
