FIC: Romance, PG, 2/3
Title: Romance, 2/3
Rating: PG
Summary: Jim's voice, even covered by the white noise of traffic, is a balm to her.
Notes: Previous installments can be found here. And I need some Brass/Willows icons. You know. If anyone is interested in letting me be lazy or something. ETA: Crap! Just realized I should have indicated potential spoilers for Part 2 of A Bullet Runs Through It. Sorry folks.
Disclaimer: Zuiker and company own the rights to CSI and its characters. I own a garage with a leaky roof.
~*~*~
Valentine's Day starts badly for Catherine. Both her mother and Lindsey start in on her as soon as she gets out of bed, and neither of them lets up the entire time she's eating breakfast and getting ready for her shift. For once, she's grateful she's still on swing. It means she can leave the house by five instead of nine.
Still, despite longing thoughts of her tiny office, Catherine handles her mother and daughter reasonably well and with a minimum of swearing and hand gestures. She tells Lindsey it doesn't matter who her grandfather is, she still isn't allowed to go to a concert on a school night, no not even an extra special concert for Valentine's Day. Catherine tells her mother to back off when she tries to get her to change her mind about Lindsey going to the concert.
"But Mom!" Lindsey puts extra effort into the whine, adding at least three syllables to "mom."
"No! Jesus, Linds --"
Lily snaps, "Catherine! Your language!"
"Mom! My house!" She ignores her mother's complaints and heads into the bedroom to finish getting dressed. It's then that he calls.
"Catherine?" Jim's voice, even covered by the white noise of traffic, is a balm to her.
"Thank god -- a reasonable adult." It wasn't that long ago, Catherine thinks, that she would have fought tooth and nail against the warm, fuzzy feeling she gets whenever she talks to Jim. This change in her personality is disconcerting, and she trips over it whenever she expects to react with cynicism and ends up being a poster child for Hallmark.
"It's good to hear your voice too," he says, sounding a little too serious for Catherine's comfort.
Immediately suspicious, she pounces. "What's wrong?"
He sighs heavily. "I know we planned to get together after shift, but I got word I have to go to Carson City for a few days."
"What? Why?"
"State Legislature is holding hearings about high-speed chases. Bell's name came up, and Sheriff Burdick wants me there to answer questions."
"Oh, Jimmy." If Catherine thought it would do any good, she'd tell Burdick to go to hell. The man is a disaster as sheriff, and she's looking forward to the time the voters realize this and vote him out of office.
"Yeah. That about sums it up. I should be back Friday. Get together then?"
"Sounds good." It doesn't, not really, but she's not about to tell him that. He doesn't need to hear her whine if he has to go before the Legislature and recount one of the worst days of his life. Instead, she suggests they drive out to Lake Mead after he gets back. There's a restaurant out there they both enjoy, and he agrees it's a good idea.
When Catherine makes it to the lab an hour later, her mood has disintegrated further, thanks to Lindsey's last-ditch efforts to obtain permission to go to the concert. She's ready to tear the head off the first person who looks at her funny, and just her luck, it happens to be Ecklie. "What are you doing here, Catherine?"
She frowns, and after a moment's hesitation answers, "As far as I know, I work here. Did something change?"
"You're not on the schedule." Disgusted, Ecklie adds, "We just talked about this last week."
"Talked about what?" Ecklie's put her on the defensive, and Catherine has to remind herself to remain calm.
"Overtime. Remember? We need to cut back, especially when the caseload isn't that heavy."
"What overtime? Conrad, I'm on the schedule." She moves toward the clock-in area. "I'll show you."
When they arrive, Catherine points to the grid and finds -- nothing. Her name isn't there. "What the hell?"
Grissom, wearing a suit for a court appearance, approaches them. "Not that it isn't lovely to see you, Catherine, but I distinctly remember Conrad telling us last week that we have to cut back on overtime."
"Grissom!" It was bad enough to have Conrad lecturing her, but Gil? The man barely pays lip service to administrative procedure, so where does he get off reminding her about overtime? Catherine doesn't take it very well. "I was on the schedule."
Ecklie and Grissom exchange a look. Grissom nods, and Ecklie leaves the two of them standing there. "I know you've been a little distracted with Jim lately --"
"Gil!"
"This isn't a formal reprimand, but things like knowing your own work schedule should be basic. If you're so wrapped up in a new relationship that you're not paying attention to this kind of stuff, that's a problem."
She can't believe she's hearing this -- she can't believe Gil is actually saying these things to her. Catherine is beginning to wonder if she's in the Twilight Zone, because that's the only explanation that makes sense at the moment. Her name was on the schedule -- she's sure of it. Yet, Grissom and Ecklie are both acting like she's out of her mind.
"I know we've all been working hard lately." Grissom gives her a little half smile. "Otherwise, why would we get slapped for overtime, right?"
"I guess, but --"
"Look at it this way -- you've got a night off that you didn't expect. Even if Jim is working, maybe you can have a nice lunch together." Grissom puts his hand on her shoulder and turns her back toward the parking lot entrance.
"I can't. He's on his way to Carson City. I could work tonight and take another night off." She glances up in time to see Grissom shaking his head.
"Sorry, but no. There are too many vacations, personal days and court appearances this week to accommodate an unnecessary change." Grissom gives her a little push toward the door. "Go home, Catherine. Enjoy your night off."
She's near tears by this time, and she thinks that leaving probably is the best thing. Going home, however, isn't an option. Not with Lily and Lindsey both in pissy moods. After a moment's consideration, she decides to treat herself to a night at the Bellagio.
Her mind made up, she moves quickly, going through the exit at a near run, only to be brought up short by the sight of Jim, leaning against a limo. He's holding her favorite red dress in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. More impressive than that, he's wearing a black suit, crisp white shirt and black tie. It's hard to tell under the sodium lights, but she thinks he has a red silk handkerchief in the breast pocket.
Catherine has never seen him look so damn good, so damn sexy, so damn smug.
"You son of a bitch," she says in wonder. "You set me up."
Jim smiles. "I had help."
From behind her, Grissom says, "Have fun, kids."
Ecklie chimes in with, "Jim, remember her curfew." And then more quietly, "Gil, Catherine isn't the only one with overtime issues. Shouldn't you be clocked out by now and on your way home?"
Rating: PG
Summary: Jim's voice, even covered by the white noise of traffic, is a balm to her.
Notes: Previous installments can be found here. And I need some Brass/Willows icons. You know. If anyone is interested in letting me be lazy or something. ETA: Crap! Just realized I should have indicated potential spoilers for Part 2 of A Bullet Runs Through It. Sorry folks.
Disclaimer: Zuiker and company own the rights to CSI and its characters. I own a garage with a leaky roof.
~*~*~
Valentine's Day starts badly for Catherine. Both her mother and Lindsey start in on her as soon as she gets out of bed, and neither of them lets up the entire time she's eating breakfast and getting ready for her shift. For once, she's grateful she's still on swing. It means she can leave the house by five instead of nine.
Still, despite longing thoughts of her tiny office, Catherine handles her mother and daughter reasonably well and with a minimum of swearing and hand gestures. She tells Lindsey it doesn't matter who her grandfather is, she still isn't allowed to go to a concert on a school night, no not even an extra special concert for Valentine's Day. Catherine tells her mother to back off when she tries to get her to change her mind about Lindsey going to the concert.
"But Mom!" Lindsey puts extra effort into the whine, adding at least three syllables to "mom."
"No! Jesus, Linds --"
Lily snaps, "Catherine! Your language!"
"Mom! My house!" She ignores her mother's complaints and heads into the bedroom to finish getting dressed. It's then that he calls.
"Catherine?" Jim's voice, even covered by the white noise of traffic, is a balm to her.
"Thank god -- a reasonable adult." It wasn't that long ago, Catherine thinks, that she would have fought tooth and nail against the warm, fuzzy feeling she gets whenever she talks to Jim. This change in her personality is disconcerting, and she trips over it whenever she expects to react with cynicism and ends up being a poster child for Hallmark.
"It's good to hear your voice too," he says, sounding a little too serious for Catherine's comfort.
Immediately suspicious, she pounces. "What's wrong?"
He sighs heavily. "I know we planned to get together after shift, but I got word I have to go to Carson City for a few days."
"What? Why?"
"State Legislature is holding hearings about high-speed chases. Bell's name came up, and Sheriff Burdick wants me there to answer questions."
"Oh, Jimmy." If Catherine thought it would do any good, she'd tell Burdick to go to hell. The man is a disaster as sheriff, and she's looking forward to the time the voters realize this and vote him out of office.
"Yeah. That about sums it up. I should be back Friday. Get together then?"
"Sounds good." It doesn't, not really, but she's not about to tell him that. He doesn't need to hear her whine if he has to go before the Legislature and recount one of the worst days of his life. Instead, she suggests they drive out to Lake Mead after he gets back. There's a restaurant out there they both enjoy, and he agrees it's a good idea.
When Catherine makes it to the lab an hour later, her mood has disintegrated further, thanks to Lindsey's last-ditch efforts to obtain permission to go to the concert. She's ready to tear the head off the first person who looks at her funny, and just her luck, it happens to be Ecklie. "What are you doing here, Catherine?"
She frowns, and after a moment's hesitation answers, "As far as I know, I work here. Did something change?"
"You're not on the schedule." Disgusted, Ecklie adds, "We just talked about this last week."
"Talked about what?" Ecklie's put her on the defensive, and Catherine has to remind herself to remain calm.
"Overtime. Remember? We need to cut back, especially when the caseload isn't that heavy."
"What overtime? Conrad, I'm on the schedule." She moves toward the clock-in area. "I'll show you."
When they arrive, Catherine points to the grid and finds -- nothing. Her name isn't there. "What the hell?"
Grissom, wearing a suit for a court appearance, approaches them. "Not that it isn't lovely to see you, Catherine, but I distinctly remember Conrad telling us last week that we have to cut back on overtime."
"Grissom!" It was bad enough to have Conrad lecturing her, but Gil? The man barely pays lip service to administrative procedure, so where does he get off reminding her about overtime? Catherine doesn't take it very well. "I was on the schedule."
Ecklie and Grissom exchange a look. Grissom nods, and Ecklie leaves the two of them standing there. "I know you've been a little distracted with Jim lately --"
"Gil!"
"This isn't a formal reprimand, but things like knowing your own work schedule should be basic. If you're so wrapped up in a new relationship that you're not paying attention to this kind of stuff, that's a problem."
She can't believe she's hearing this -- she can't believe Gil is actually saying these things to her. Catherine is beginning to wonder if she's in the Twilight Zone, because that's the only explanation that makes sense at the moment. Her name was on the schedule -- she's sure of it. Yet, Grissom and Ecklie are both acting like she's out of her mind.
"I know we've all been working hard lately." Grissom gives her a little half smile. "Otherwise, why would we get slapped for overtime, right?"
"I guess, but --"
"Look at it this way -- you've got a night off that you didn't expect. Even if Jim is working, maybe you can have a nice lunch together." Grissom puts his hand on her shoulder and turns her back toward the parking lot entrance.
"I can't. He's on his way to Carson City. I could work tonight and take another night off." She glances up in time to see Grissom shaking his head.
"Sorry, but no. There are too many vacations, personal days and court appearances this week to accommodate an unnecessary change." Grissom gives her a little push toward the door. "Go home, Catherine. Enjoy your night off."
She's near tears by this time, and she thinks that leaving probably is the best thing. Going home, however, isn't an option. Not with Lily and Lindsey both in pissy moods. After a moment's consideration, she decides to treat herself to a night at the Bellagio.
Her mind made up, she moves quickly, going through the exit at a near run, only to be brought up short by the sight of Jim, leaning against a limo. He's holding her favorite red dress in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. More impressive than that, he's wearing a black suit, crisp white shirt and black tie. It's hard to tell under the sodium lights, but she thinks he has a red silk handkerchief in the breast pocket.
Catherine has never seen him look so damn good, so damn sexy, so damn smug.
"You son of a bitch," she says in wonder. "You set me up."
Jim smiles. "I had help."
From behind her, Grissom says, "Have fun, kids."
Ecklie chimes in with, "Jim, remember her curfew." And then more quietly, "Gil, Catherine isn't the only one with overtime issues. Shouldn't you be clocked out by now and on your way home?"