Beautiful
By Basilea
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be.
Rating: PG... I think ;)
A/N: Unbetaed... I've used a brand for beauty products that's quite well known here, but I'm not sure if it would have the same name in USA, but you'll know what I mean ;)
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Two – Unwanted and unopened
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Catherine was having a hard shift. It was one of those days when the world seems to be against you and having to solve a crime in which a 42 year old woman killed her husband when she found out he was having an affair with a much younger woman didn't help. All she wanted to do was to go home and sleep. And maybe find the youth she thought had lost somewhere along her way.
But as she headed to the break room to have some coffee, she suddenly knew that wasn't possible. Some of her best friends were waiting there for her, smiles on their faces and gifts on the table. 'Oh God' she thought, 'Greg is a dead man'.
Nick was the first one to wish her a happy birthday as she walked in. She barely whispered 'thanks' and move straight to the coffee pot.
"C'mon Cath! I know you've seen them, come open some gifts".
Catherine was secretly hoping for a hurricane, a tornado, an earthquake, a sudden wild desert storm, anything to make them forget about her. But, as the world seemed to hate her, none of that happened. She had to open her unwanted presents.
"You really shouldn't have done this, guys. I don't want presents. I'm not in the mood right now"
No one cared, of course, and she had to open them. Nick's was first. A book. A book on blood drops spills. Creative.
Sara's was next. Earrings. At least they were nice. 'Like them? I wasn't sure of what your style was so I bought the ones I would never wear' Cath knew Sara meant that as some sort of compliment but she was too pissed off to give the girl a little credit.
Greg had a present too. And he was smiling. That wasn't good. She opened it carefully, unsure of what to expect. 'L'Oreal: Age perfect beauty care'. That wasn't funny. Nothing was. Not today.
She didn't bother to tell him off this time. She knew it was just a silly joke but she was tired and she didn't really feel any need to be kind to them. 'Nice' and 'Thank you' was all that came out of her mouth before leaving the room. She didn't care much for what Nick and Sara were doing to Greg either, in spite of his desperate cries for help. She also forgot Warrick's present was left unopened.
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After a quick shower and long minutes before her mirror, she wasn't feeling much better. Lindsay's birthday card and painting had made her forget all about it. Her daughter made her remember what she loved about growing up and growing old. How life goes on. How she marveled at it's permanent renewal. But she was off to school and she was left alone before her mirror and when you've been described as 'amazingly beautiful' at age 20, the image your mirror gives you back twenty years later is disappointing. The miracle of life vanishes and the reality of it hits you.
Her bed was calling her and she didn't want to think about it anymore. She wrapped herself up in her soft white covers and closed her eyes trying to turn her brain off. Before she could do it, the doorbell rang.
'Go away' she said softly. But the bell rang again.
'I'm sleeping' she said to the disturbing noise. But it rang once more.
'Fine! Thank you!' She didn't bother to get her robe. She was too busy planning the most painful death for the vendor that dared to ruin her sleep.
Warrick wasn't ready for her dressing choice. Somehow, a small T-shirt and white panties seemed a bit too much for him to stand without blushing. But looking in her eyes didn't made things any better. Fury and wrath made her eyes shine in a way that reminded him too much to desire.
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TBC...
