The two senior CSIs stepped into the bustling break room, taking in the
chatter, jokes and discussions that hummed, vibrating off the walls and
seemingly transforming the usual tranquil room into a zoo-like
phenomena.
Catherine sighed, accidentally making eye-contact with the bold brunette who was ever keen on slicing her with a daggered stare. Her eyes soon found his, and she basked in the comfort they offered. Smiling thanks, she rested her weight on one leg, her body inadvertantly brushing up against his.
Gil inhaled sharply, casting a sideways glance to his partner. Clearing his throat, he too subconciously neared her body, reciprocating the pressure she was offering. "We've been called out to head an investigation over seas..." Gil began, gaining the attention of his team.
"Ooh, who's the lucky one to get a free round trip?" Greg's eagerness showed through as he sat up, rubbing his hands together.
"All expenses paid?" Nick scoffed, his interest presenting itself blatantly. "I can deal with the jet lag."
"Hey man, another town - another murder." Warrick's usual indifferent expression brought a sense of reality to the other two hopefuls.
"So who's going?" Sara filled everyone's expectations of bluntness and curiosity.
"Given the nature of the crime, and accepting the fact that a lot of blood work is in demand, the board of directors and I see it fit that Catherine's skills as a blood spatter specialist be employed." His intent was curt, leaving no room for discussion.
"Typical."
The entire team shared a look before tossing their attention to the young CSI.
"Sair." Nick tried to calm his co-worker, placing a hand on her shoulder and trying to get her to relent her crusade for their supervisor's affection.
"In Catherine and my absence...Nick," Gil turned to the younger CSI, "I'm trusting you with the lab." With that, he left the room, closely followed by Catherine.
"This is so typical of him!" Sara stood up, shrugging off the Texan's hand that, moment's ago, had claimed heat from her shoulder.
"Sara, relax okay?" Nick looked to Warrick and Greg for help, only to note of their convenient absence.
"Why not me, Nick?" She clenched her fists with anger. "Is he doing this just to piss me off?" She let out a tight smile. "Or is he just looking for an opportunity to jump into bed with her?"
He let out a sigh, falling to the couch with defeat. "Maybe -you're- the reason why he didn't chose you." He spoke softly, but steadily.
"What?" Anger and surprise meddled, causing her voice to raise slightly.
Normally, such a tone would intimidate the recipient, but Nick sat unmoving. "Don't you think Grissom is wise to your intent, Sara? I mean, we all know your desire doesn't lie solely within the case..."
Pressing her lips together, she turned on her heel, heading straight for the door.
"Ask yourself this, Sara - "
His voice stopped her, and she turned slowly, knowingly facing the one who never failed to bring truth into her life. Closing her eyes briefly, she sometimes wished he wasn't her personal touchstone, wanting him to realize that the truth often hurts.
"If it was me or Warrick...would you have put up such a fight to go?" He watched her exit the room, her brow crinkled with a furious but pensive air. Sighing, he thrust his hands into his pockets, directing his steps towards his temporary office. He passed the locker room, his eyes taking in her vulnerable state. "Sara."
She felt the bench shift slightly, and made no effort to retreat from the welcoming warmth his body offered to her. "You're right, you know." Her head bowed, she bit her confessionned lips, wanting to express but afraid of the repercussions.
He held out his hand, a welcoming gesture that surprised both the young CSIs. "Partners - until they get back."
She placed her hand in his, smiling slightly at the tingling sensation that coursed straight to her toes. No touch had ever affected her in such a manner and her eyes snapped to his face, curiosity and fear bubbling behind her dark eyes. "Partners." It was softer, and she wasn't sure if the unconscious had stalked a different intent.
Hands still connected, he gave her a bright smile. "I'll help you through this, Sara - trust me." Getting up, his hand comfortably slid out of her grasp, and he headed once again, towards their supervisor's office.
"Don't I always?" The pensive question was directed to herself; mirroring an inner monologue with the sole purpose of revelation.
"Sair..." He watched her eyes find his, an eyebrow quirked upwards. "Just don't swear off men, okay?" Another smile brightened up the room. "It'd be a real shame..."
She watched his form leave again, though her eyes rested on her memory's picture that she had snapped moments before his exit. The twinkle in his eye held a playful undertone, and she suddenly found herself intrigued by his recent statement. She got up, not realizing that she was heading towards Gil's office where Nick was settling in. Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her, startling the young Texan. "Shame? Shame for who?"
He heard the lock click, and flashed her a mischievous smile.
Catherine stepped out of the taxi and made her way to the trunk. She picked up an her supervisor's overnight bag, and placed it on the curb behind her. Dipping into the trunk, she struggled to reach for both of her suitcases, letting out a frustrated grunt as one stubborn piece of luggage refused to see day's light.
"Typical - sticking me with the bill..." Gil mumbled, walking towards his strawberry-blond counterpart. He stopped short, his mouth slightly open and eyes minutely glazed over while taking in the heavenly view that had been presented to him. His eyes trailed up her toned legs to her shapely thighs, which led his gaze to her firm buttocks.
"Gil - you want to give me a hand?" Her muffled demand echoed through the trunk, followed by a few cusses.
Mouth dry, he cleared his throat and gently pushed her out of the way. Giving a final tug to the suitcase, he managed to free it from its captivity, and he placed it on the curb beside his overnight bag. Closing the trunk, he waved to the cab driver, and both CSIs watched it drive off. They simultaneously turned, staring at McCarron International Airport.
"And so our journey begins..." A pensive comment slipped out of her mouth, reaching his ever attentive senses.
His rich tenor voice sought out her ears, and her keen sense of hearing singled it out amidst the chaosed traffic of voices and cars that surrounded them. "Journey's end in lovers meeting, every wise man's son doth know..."
The two shared a gaze, surprise and dare both present within the flirty nature their banter had adopted.
—TBC—
Catherine sighed, accidentally making eye-contact with the bold brunette who was ever keen on slicing her with a daggered stare. Her eyes soon found his, and she basked in the comfort they offered. Smiling thanks, she rested her weight on one leg, her body inadvertantly brushing up against his.
Gil inhaled sharply, casting a sideways glance to his partner. Clearing his throat, he too subconciously neared her body, reciprocating the pressure she was offering. "We've been called out to head an investigation over seas..." Gil began, gaining the attention of his team.
"Ooh, who's the lucky one to get a free round trip?" Greg's eagerness showed through as he sat up, rubbing his hands together.
"All expenses paid?" Nick scoffed, his interest presenting itself blatantly. "I can deal with the jet lag."
"Hey man, another town - another murder." Warrick's usual indifferent expression brought a sense of reality to the other two hopefuls.
"So who's going?" Sara filled everyone's expectations of bluntness and curiosity.
"Given the nature of the crime, and accepting the fact that a lot of blood work is in demand, the board of directors and I see it fit that Catherine's skills as a blood spatter specialist be employed." His intent was curt, leaving no room for discussion.
"Typical."
The entire team shared a look before tossing their attention to the young CSI.
"Sair." Nick tried to calm his co-worker, placing a hand on her shoulder and trying to get her to relent her crusade for their supervisor's affection.
"In Catherine and my absence...Nick," Gil turned to the younger CSI, "I'm trusting you with the lab." With that, he left the room, closely followed by Catherine.
"This is so typical of him!" Sara stood up, shrugging off the Texan's hand that, moment's ago, had claimed heat from her shoulder.
"Sara, relax okay?" Nick looked to Warrick and Greg for help, only to note of their convenient absence.
"Why not me, Nick?" She clenched her fists with anger. "Is he doing this just to piss me off?" She let out a tight smile. "Or is he just looking for an opportunity to jump into bed with her?"
He let out a sigh, falling to the couch with defeat. "Maybe -you're- the reason why he didn't chose you." He spoke softly, but steadily.
"What?" Anger and surprise meddled, causing her voice to raise slightly.
Normally, such a tone would intimidate the recipient, but Nick sat unmoving. "Don't you think Grissom is wise to your intent, Sara? I mean, we all know your desire doesn't lie solely within the case..."
Pressing her lips together, she turned on her heel, heading straight for the door.
"Ask yourself this, Sara - "
His voice stopped her, and she turned slowly, knowingly facing the one who never failed to bring truth into her life. Closing her eyes briefly, she sometimes wished he wasn't her personal touchstone, wanting him to realize that the truth often hurts.
"If it was me or Warrick...would you have put up such a fight to go?" He watched her exit the room, her brow crinkled with a furious but pensive air. Sighing, he thrust his hands into his pockets, directing his steps towards his temporary office. He passed the locker room, his eyes taking in her vulnerable state. "Sara."
She felt the bench shift slightly, and made no effort to retreat from the welcoming warmth his body offered to her. "You're right, you know." Her head bowed, she bit her confessionned lips, wanting to express but afraid of the repercussions.
He held out his hand, a welcoming gesture that surprised both the young CSIs. "Partners - until they get back."
She placed her hand in his, smiling slightly at the tingling sensation that coursed straight to her toes. No touch had ever affected her in such a manner and her eyes snapped to his face, curiosity and fear bubbling behind her dark eyes. "Partners." It was softer, and she wasn't sure if the unconscious had stalked a different intent.
Hands still connected, he gave her a bright smile. "I'll help you through this, Sara - trust me." Getting up, his hand comfortably slid out of her grasp, and he headed once again, towards their supervisor's office.
"Don't I always?" The pensive question was directed to herself; mirroring an inner monologue with the sole purpose of revelation.
"Sair..." He watched her eyes find his, an eyebrow quirked upwards. "Just don't swear off men, okay?" Another smile brightened up the room. "It'd be a real shame..."
She watched his form leave again, though her eyes rested on her memory's picture that she had snapped moments before his exit. The twinkle in his eye held a playful undertone, and she suddenly found herself intrigued by his recent statement. She got up, not realizing that she was heading towards Gil's office where Nick was settling in. Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her, startling the young Texan. "Shame? Shame for who?"
He heard the lock click, and flashed her a mischievous smile.
Catherine stepped out of the taxi and made her way to the trunk. She picked up an her supervisor's overnight bag, and placed it on the curb behind her. Dipping into the trunk, she struggled to reach for both of her suitcases, letting out a frustrated grunt as one stubborn piece of luggage refused to see day's light.
"Typical - sticking me with the bill..." Gil mumbled, walking towards his strawberry-blond counterpart. He stopped short, his mouth slightly open and eyes minutely glazed over while taking in the heavenly view that had been presented to him. His eyes trailed up her toned legs to her shapely thighs, which led his gaze to her firm buttocks.
"Gil - you want to give me a hand?" Her muffled demand echoed through the trunk, followed by a few cusses.
Mouth dry, he cleared his throat and gently pushed her out of the way. Giving a final tug to the suitcase, he managed to free it from its captivity, and he placed it on the curb beside his overnight bag. Closing the trunk, he waved to the cab driver, and both CSIs watched it drive off. They simultaneously turned, staring at McCarron International Airport.
"And so our journey begins..." A pensive comment slipped out of her mouth, reaching his ever attentive senses.
His rich tenor voice sought out her ears, and her keen sense of hearing singled it out amidst the chaosed traffic of voices and cars that surrounded them. "Journey's end in lovers meeting, every wise man's son doth know..."
The two shared a gaze, surprise and dare both present within the flirty nature their banter had adopted.
—TBC—