Disclaimer – Please see chapter 1
A/N – Thank you all so very much for your wonderful reviews, they are great, I really do appreciate them, keep them coming!. My usual apologies again for not having the time to reply to them, I am so crammed with other stuff, but trying to keep to my original posting schedule too, I hope you will all understand.. Story is beta'd by myself so any remaining mistakes are all mine, so I apologize in advance. R & R Enjoy!
Fall Out Boy – Chapter 25 Diner Gossip
Catherine strode into the high class restaurant up to the maître de podium, informing that she would be dining with Mr Brass, who she spotted immediately, grinned at then gave a short wave in his direction.
The maître led her over towards her table, as she added a cocky swagger to her hips and shoulders "Would Madame like to order a drink?" he asked smiling politely as her as he pulled out her seat for her, then offered her the drinks menu as she sat down.
Smiling up at him Catherine answered "Just an iced tea for now please" handing back the menu to him.
Watching the man leave she turned to Brass with a smug smile on her face "Jim" she greeted him.
Sat directly across from her, Jim shook his head in amusement "Catherine" he returned the greeting, oh she had geek gossip for him, he could almost see her bursting to tell him as he eyed her "This is gonna cost me isn't it?" he asked resignedly as he picked up his glass of scotch.
"Big time, and this is just for starters Jim" Catherine chuckled as Jim let out a groan.
"So what you got for me that's gonna leave a hefty dent in my wallet today Cath?" he said cutting right to the chase, her smugness not entirely welcome when he was on the receiving end.
Out right laughing now, Catherine gathered herself quickly to reply "Oh, Jim your just itching to know, aren't you. I bet it's been killing you this last twenty minutes wondering about the latest on our two workaholic geeks" she threw out with a chuckle.
Getting a little irritated at the tease Jim shot back "Are you gonna spill some time soon, or are you just drawing this out because the info's not that big a deal?" he baited her.
Shaking her head as she chuckled again "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......What I got for you today Jim is the jackpot, and further more, this came right from the horses mouth" she said catching her breath again, then thanking the waiter who'd just placed her drink at the table.
"Sara?" Jim asked as he watched her open her menu, then picking up his own to browse it.
"Nope" she said absently as she scanned the menu "Ah, the fillet Mignon sounds very appetizing today" she said with a cheeky smile.
Jim Brass groaned audibly at her expensive possible selection.
"The bugman himself....Nah. No way" Jim shot back not lifting his eyes to her over the top of his menu.
"Yes, our enigmatic and very private friend, Gil indeed" Catherine replied, oh she was enjoying this way too much "Oh look, they have Lobster Bisque on the menu too Jim" she chucked as she looked over at him grinning.
Shaking his head Jim shot her a glare "Your killing me Cath, and my poor wallets gonna suffer too. Have a little sympathy here will ya" he said looking back at his menu for a cheaper choice of dinner for himself.
That one earned him a bark of laughter, as the few occupants of the restaurant looked over at them.
Just then the waiter came over to take their orders, with a smug smile at Jim first she turned to smile sweetly at the waiter "I'll have the crab stuffed mushrooms, followed by a medium rare fillet Mignon please" she said handing him the menu, and nodding at the young man's smile before he turned to Brass.
"Sir" the man asked.
Slamming his menu shut offering it back to the waiter Jim spoke "No starter, just a regular, rare rump steak for me, and non of that fancy crap trimmings on that" he said looking back at Catherine now, his attention focused her now.
Leaving the waiter gave a light bow as he left their table.
"Enough games. Spill whatcha got, and this better be good for what it's damned well costing me Willows" Jim said sitting back in his seat.
Chuckling and holding her hands up defensively she spoke "Okay, okay. And it is way more worth just this meal I'll guarantee you Jim" she said as she went on to tell him what she knew about Grissom and Sara.
"Wait! Back up. Sara is looking after a five year old kid from a case, and that's why she took personal time off?" Jim asked, shock clearly on his features.
Chuckling as she set her glass on on the table Catherine spoke "Oh it gets way better than that Jim" she said sitting back herself.
Regaining his former shock, Brass frowned now "Oh really. Do tell" he requested.
Catherine went into more details watching as her friend gaped at her in awe "Okay so your telling me, not only are our geeks shacked up together at the town house, but Gil is playing temporary Daddy to some kid" Jim worded, clearly shocked at the details.
Nodding with a huge shit eating grin, Catherine picked up her glass and took a drink as she let him digest that bit of news.
"Oh this is good Cath. Our bugman has his old flames kid living in his home, while he tries his moves on someone he's been mooning over for the last five years or more, who also just happens to be living with him" Jim grinned, oh his having to pay for their expensive dinner wasn't going to hurt him that much now.
"That sly old dog....What a dark horse he's turned out to be" he said shaking his head still pretty stunned by the revelations "But then again with Gil's rumoured liaison with Miss whip mistress it shouldn't really surprise us" Jim said as a grin formed on his lips "This is dynamite Cath" he chuckled now.
Taking in her friends grin she couldn't wait to deliver the rest of it to him "Oh there's more yet Jim" she said smugly, this was the best bit of enjoyment she'd had in a long time and she was certainly milking it for all it's worth.
"What?" Jim spluttered his drink as he sat it on the table and got his napkin to dry his chin "Your kidding right?" he asked, not sure if she was just feeding him a lie or not.
"Ohhhhhhhh it gets a lot more interesting from here on in let me tell you Jim" she said then added "When I tell you who the kids father is".
Jim's eyes were like saucers now "Your jerking my chain now Cath, you gotta be. No way" he said awestruck thinking Gil was the kids natural parent.
Shaking her head, Catherine chuckled before speaking "No, it's not Gil" she said taking a drink from her glass.
"So who's the Daddy then?" Jim asked intrigued.
"A certain past, flimsy romantic interest of one Sara Sidle" she offered.
Frowning Jim racked his brains for who it could possibly be "Not Sanders he'd be a little too young" he said looking at Catherine.
Chuckling whilst shaking her head, Catherine gave him another clue "Nope, and it was Greg who had romantic interests in Sara, not the other way around" she paused for effect "Think.......About the time when Gil went all moody and snappy with everyone, handing out solo cases to Sara and not pairing himself with her" she said watching as Jim searched his memory.
The penny seemed to drop for Jim, but he was a little apprehensive to make such a stupid guess at his findings, but did so anyway at a loss to who else it could be "Not that punk Pettigew that did the dirty on Sara" he offered weakly.
"The one and the same, Jim" Catherine said raising her eyebrow at him.
"Jeezus Cath. You know how complicated that makes all this shit right now if he is, for Sara" He said now, clear concern showing through for Sara.
"And Gil" Catherine echoed back, all amusement now dropped from them both.
"This is just so screwed up for them right now" Jim said thoughtfully, then added "And Sara not being able to have kids is gonna rip at her emotional heart strings with this one" he said absently trailing off.
"What? Sara can't have kids?" Catherine shot back sitting up in her seat now at the new revelation.
Shit!
Me and my big mouth running off!
Fuck!
Why did I let that slip? Now of all times.
Shit! I need to do damage control and quick, Jim thought a little panicked.
Avoiding her eyes and demanding question, Jim thought rapidly for a way out of this, he just couldn't repeat what he'd found out about Sara accidentally a few years back.
Luckily the waiter came over with Catherine's starter "Madame" the young waiter said placing the plate in front of her "Would either of you require another drink?" he asked.
"Scotch, neat" Jim said still not looking at Catherine across the table.
"No thank you" she replied, then looked back at Brass.
"You think they've gotten it on and gotten laid yet?" Jim said the first thing that came to mind, as the waiter left and Catherine shook out her napkin, he chanced her gaze now hoping he could get past this.
Shaking her head Catherine spoke "Come on Jim, you know something I don't. So start talking" she said as she picked up her knife and fork to eat.
"Cath. I can't" Jim pleaded with her as she swallowed her mouthful, he really didn't want to tell this to anyone, it wasn't his place to, plus he felt that Sara having kept her past a secret had obviously wanted it kept that way.
"No fair Jim. After what I've told you today" she said loading her fork again.
Meanwhile back at the town house;
Leave her alone.....Please.....Don't hurt her" echoed loudly from the direction of Kye's bedroom "Leave my Mommy alone" was followed up by the most horrible, and haunting, childlike scream that either Gil or Sara had ever heard before in their lives.
Both dogs shot off the rug down towards the direction of guest bedroom growling, closely followed by two very worried and apprehensive adults in hot pursuit.
A/N - I hope you all enjoyed the Brass/Catherine interaction and bit of humour before the angst to come. I also hope you all liked the new twist, but it will be some time before you all know if Jim spilled the beans to Catherine, sorry! New chapter mid week time permitting!