Sorry I've been slacking on the updates recently, I've had a slight case of writers block. So anyway, I powered through and managed to get this little chapter wrote for you. Also, I am attempting to write the next chapter for Chasing Dreams so hopefully you guys won't have to wait long for that.
Catherine opened the solid wooden front door to Lou's house and, allowing him to rest some of his weight on her, she guided him inside. She quickly located the living room to the left of the foyer and deposited him into the chair he motioned at, after setting him down she got onto her knees and removed the slippers from his feet, he had complained that only old men wore slippers even though the nurses and Catherine had told him they would be comfier to wear and easier to remove, he did eventually concede when he felt how comfy they were.
She looked up at the wall when noise suddenly started blaring from the TV mounted there, Lou must have the remote. She briefly noted the opening theme to a TV show Lindsey loved, something about a group a nerdy science guys, according to Lindsey it was hilarious and she often raged about how funny some guy Sheldon was but that he was annoying as hell, she had once commented that if she ever lived within the same building or even neighbourhood as him Catherine would be investigating Lindsey murdering him. Catherine knew she had been joking but she still sometime's worried if having death around their lives so much was affecting her daughter. She made a quick mental note to take some personal time, spend the day with Lindsey, maybe watch this show like she had promised so many times. God knows when that would happen though, work was hectic and now she was playing nurse to her injured colleague and sometimes lover. There just weren't enough hours in the day.
Turning her head from the screen she looked at Lou, whose eyes were glued to the TV and a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. She smiled slightly and released a sigh of relief, thankful that he had found a distraction. The nurses had warned her that he was a little crabby due to a mixture of the pain, the meds he was taking and, the main reason, the vulnerability having such an injury left him with. He needed help with anything that involved using or moving his leg.
Their warning had been an understatement, he wasn't crabby, he was being a complete bastard. The whole car journey from the hospital to his place was a disaster, Catherine had been thankful once it was over. He had complained about just about anything possible. The heating was too high, the seat too far forward then when she tried to slide it back a little for him it had jerked and hurt his leg causing him to yell at her for the next ten minutes. When that fiasco was over he moved onto how her car reeked of perfume. She had commented that she thought he liked her perfume to which he responded. "Yeah, when I'm not choking on the bastard stuff! Did you decide to just bathe in it instead of spraying? Moderation, I think you need to learn the meaning."
That comment had stung and Catherine had to bite her tongue not to snap back with a snide comment about him not looking so hot right now. Lou had always complimented her appearance and on more than one occasion he had told her she smelled gorgeous, now she was starting to doubt the honesty behind those compliments. Had he been telling her what he thought she wanted to hear just because he wanted to get his dick wet?
No. He wasn't like that, was he?
She really hoped not.
She brought her attention back to the present and the baggy sweats he was wearing; she threaded her fingers under the waistband. "Let's get these off." She smiled in what she hoped was a cheerful way.
"Leave it." Lou's tone was curt.
Catherine didn't give up. She tried to tug them down again. "Come on, you'll be comfier without them rubbing your bandages."
"Dammit woman! I said no." He snapped and roughly pushed her hands away.
Catherine sighed and stood up. "Can I get you anything?" She stood by the side of the recliner waiting for a response, when none came she shook her head slightly and went back to the foyer, kicked off her boots and went in search of the kitchen.
She needed a good, strong coffee. Hell she needed a good, strong alcoholic drink but she couldn't find any so coffee would have to do. While she waited for the machine to work its magic she ran her fingers through her hair and took in her surroundings. She had never been to Lou's place in all their time together, they always went back to hers or, on a few occasions, they had checked into a motel room. To say their relationship was screwy would be the understatement of the century and they both knew it. They were more fuck buddies than partners, but for a while that had worked for them. Meet up after a difficult case and have a bit of fun, some human contact without any expectations or commitment. Both had third degree burns from their previous marriages and enough baggage to load a cargo ship, emotionless sex had been working for them. Then Lou had started asking questions, had started wanting to get closer to her. Catherine knew he wanted them to be a proper couple, do things other than have wild sex in a seedy motel room, truth is she wanted it too but it was difficult to lower to iron clad fortress she had built around her heart.
The bleeping of the coffee machine dragged Catherine out of her musings and she poured herself a generous mug full of the steaming hot liquid, added the necessary milk and sugar, she stirred the drink and watched the coffee swirl around the spoon, making little ripples.
Maybe now, while she cared for him, would be a perfect time to show him how she really felt, that he meant more to her than a good ride.
She wasn't going to let his bad mood bring her down, she was going to prove to him that she loved him and nothing was going to change that. She was here to stay, with him.
She took a big gulp of coffee, set the mug down on the counter and nodded resolutely, she was going to do this, and she could do this. She told herself over and over again that this was the right thing to do; she couldn't keep running from love.
She snapped to attention when Lou started calling her from the living room, she'd deal with him now then when he was settled in bed she would have time to come up with a plan of action.
Nodding she pulled herself up straight and walked to the living room with more determination in her step.