WMC Drabbles
Other fandoms just don't seem to be appealing lately, and thanks to the advice of my Aussie Slang Educating, Mistress of Imagery
angelfire_08, have I decided to post up the drabbles I've done for Passion & Perfect to my own little waste of space journal. As I'm an incredibly lazy person, I'll personally be shocked if I manage to keep the drabbles uploaded/updated on time. But seeing as though the only productive thing I've done today is showered, I wouldn't put money on it.
Or maybe I'll just make an occasional drabble dump - as I'm doing right....
001. Tired
Lindsay mustered enough energy to slam the door to her Jeep shut before she ambled to the porch of her apartment. After a twenty-one hour day, all she could hope for was some rest. She stopped short as she saw a young red-head sitting at the top of the stairs with a plastic bag next to her.
Before Lindsay could speak, Cindy stood up and held the bag out to her. “I know you’re tired. But I just wanted to make sure there was something in your stomach before you pass out.
Lindsay could only smile as she walked up to the young reporter. “Food. It sounds great. Thanks, Thomas.”
Cindy beamed and followed Lindsay through the front door, “You’re welcome.”
002. Back Alley
The door opened with a squeak and all Lindsay could do was press Cindy against the wall with her entire body. Seconds later their lips connected in a fierce kiss. A minute later, Lindsay regained her senses and was pretty sure her cover wasn’t blown. She eased out of the kiss and took half a step back.
Brown eyes looked at her questioningly, but for once, the reporter refrained from asking any questions. Lindsay glanced down the back alley as she watched her suspects turn the corner. It was the first time the Inspector didn’t want to do her job.
“Um-“ began the reporter.
Lindsay offered a lopsided grin before she gently tugged Cindy along in a casual pursuit of a suspect. Who knew that a back alley could redeem itself thanks to two drug smugglers?
003. Sunrise
“You’re insane,” Cindy managed between yawns. All she wanted to do was go back to sleep in her cozy apartment but was instead seated on the cold steps outside of her apartment complex at sunrise.
“You asked for it, Red,” The all-too awake Inspector said as she laced her running shoes up. She bounced on the balls of her feet and wiggled each foot a few times.
“Can I un-ask for it?” Cindy asked hopefully.
Lindsay pulled the reporter up by her hands and pushed Cindy along into a steady jog. “Not a chance.”
004. Late
“Damn. Damn, damn, damn, damn!” Lindsay muttered as she hurried out of the shower and dressed in record time. She glanced at the clock. “So late. Damn!” She pulled on her boots, grabbed her jacket, pistol and badge and hurried out the door with an apology and promise to walk Martha as soon as she got home.
She almost collided with the red-head at the bottom of the porch steps. “Can’t talk now. I’m late,” Lindsay called as she attempted to side-step Cindy.
“Uh, Lindsay?”
Lindsay paused and raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not late.”
Lindsay glanced at her watch, “Yes I am, I…” She trailed off when Cindy held up the Blackberry in her hand, revealing the time. “… Am an idiot who forgot about daylight savings.”
Cindy cracked a smile and coughed into her hand, though Lindsay could’ve sworn the younger woman was laughing at her. Lindsay threw a glare which effectively shut the reporter up before she stalked back to her front door. “Damn.”
005. Son
Lindsay slowly perused the shelf of framed photos with a small smile on her face. The pictures showed a small red-head and her father at various San Francisco 49ers games. Both were decked out in the football team’s colors and had identical smiles and red hair.
A set of footsteps approached Lindsay from behind, but she kept her eyes on the last photo. A still young, but slightly older Cindy was seated with her worn-out looking father in a hospital room.
“That was our last photo before he passed. I loved being the son my father never had,” Cindy said with a sad smile. Lindsay turned to Cindy and put a hand on her shoulder, “I’m sure he wouldn’t have traded you for a son anyhow.” Cindy’s smile widened and she put her hand over Lindsay’s in thanks.
006. Hot
“It’s so hot!” Cindy complained as she fanned herself with her hand. The action only increased her sweat and body temperature.
“Thomas,” Lindsay sighed, inwardly regretting bringing the reporter along for the stake-out, “Remember the first rule of this little expedition?”
“No complaining,” Cindy muttered, sulking in the passenger seat. She crossed her arms and pouted.
“That’s right. No compl-“
Cindy unfolded her arms and threw them up in the air, “But it’s so hot!”
Lindsay rolled her eyes and slowly banged her forehead on the steering wheel repeatedly.
007. Friend
“What’re you doin’ here?” Lindsay asked, eyeing one of the three Cindy’s that stood before her.
“Driving you home. C’mon Linds, you’ve had enough for one night,” Cindy answered and carefully pulled Lindsay to her wobbly feet. Lindsay hesitated only a moment to drain the last of her beer before setting it on the table. Cindy grasped her elbow and led Lindsay out of the bar and over to Maggie.
Cindy helped Lindsay into the passenger seat before she climbed into the driver’s side. She glanced at Lindsay, “What’re you doing out at the bar on your own anyway?” Cindy asked, aiming the car into the general direction of her home.
“I had to forget,” Lindsay murmured, staring out the window.
“Forget what?”
Lindsay sighed and shook her head, clearly not wanting to talk about it. “Thanks for coming to get me,” Lindsay said instead.
Cindy reached over with a hand and squeezed Lindsay’s left hand. “It’s what friends are for, Linds.”
008. Floor
Cindy blinked. Claire’s eyebrows almost reached her forehead. Jill made like a fish out of water, mouth moving but no sound. Lindsay lay motionless on the floor, staring at Cindy. Cindy took a step back from the Inspector.
“Did you just-?” Claire asked, keeping her eyes on Lindsay.
“I was provoked!” Cindy squeaked, taking another step toward the door as Lindsay slowly sat up.
“Cindy?” Jill spoke in an even tone, her amusement barely hidden.
“Y-yeah?”
“Run,” Lindsay growled as she clambered back to her former standing position. In a flash, or, Jill mused, looking more like The Flash with her red hair and yellow boots, Cindy was out the morgue door.
“Lindsay?” Jill turned to her friend as Lindsay rubbed her sore bottom.
Lindsay raised an eyebrow, “What, Jill?”
“I can’t believe Cindy totally laid you out flat on the floor,” she burst into laughter.
Claire sighed to keep from laughing; but only because she was under the guise of being a best friend. She moved to take off her latex gloves, “That’s what you get for telling her she’s all talk, Linds.”
Lindsay huffed angrily and relented a few seconds later with a grin, “Oh but it was so worth it after seeing that look on her face.”
Jill grinned, “Absolutely.”
“Where do you think she is?” Lindsay asked, slowly moving toward the door.
“By now?” Jill pondered, “I’d say Guatemala.”
009. Cheat
“You’re such a cheat!” Cindy complained, watching as Lindsay extended her arm and easily tossed the rings onto the metal milk bottles.
“Winner, winner!” the carnie called out and handed Lindsay a giant stuffed Panda.
“I’m not a cheat,” Lindsay said, nodding her head in thanks to the carnie. She led the two away from the booth and they continued down the boardwalk. She glanced to Cindy and saw the red head was pouting as she followed Lindsay. “I just use my limbs to my advantage.”
Cindy harrumphed and crossed her arms. She took two steps before she felt Lindsay lightly grasp her elbow. She turned around and was face to face with the panda. “For you,” Lindsay said, wiggling the bear.
Cindy smiled and hugged the bear to her and Lindsay chuckled. “I like that you’re a cheat.”
Lindsay grinned and wrapped an arm around Cindy’s shoulders and the two continued on.
010. Think
“What do you think?” Jill asked, her crossed arms mirroring the same pose of her two friends. The three women tilted their heads one way and then another.
“I think it’s funny,” Claire remarked with the hint of a smirk.
“I think it’s annoying,” Lindsay spoke as she shifted and shoved her hands into her back pockets.
“I think it’s time you let me out,” Cindy said as she approached the bars of the holding cell. She made to wrap her hands around the bars, glanced at them and for a split second tried to imagine all of the germs that were probably teeming on the worn out iron, thought better of, it and let her hands drop to her sides.
“I think it’s time for lunch. Jill? Claire?” Lindsay moved her eyes from Cindy to her two, un-jailed friends. They nodded and walked off toward the front doors.
“Lunch sounds great after the morning I had,” Cindy said, stepping back from the door to the cell.
“I bet. We’ll let you know how it goes,” Lindsay said with a wink and walked away with what Cindy thought to be an extra bounce in her step.
“Lindsay?” The inspector paid no heed and disappeared through the bullpen doors. “I? I think you suck! Hardcore!” Cindy called after her and plopped down onto the uncomfortable cot.
011. Disgust
Lindsay watched, her fork frozen over her plate, in fascinated horror as Cindy chowed down on her bucket of oysters. Cindy glanced up, “What?”
“Ew,” Lindsay replied, eloquent as ever.
Cindy merely grinned and cracked open another shell, digging in. Lindsay shoved her own plate away and wondered how someone so cute could eat something so disgusting.
012. Shelter
“Hey kid, what’s up?” Lindsay asked, sliding into the booth across from Cindy. Cindy glanced up and offered a smile before returning her concentration to the paper in front of her.
“Looking for shelter,” Cindy said, as she flipped to the next page.
“Shelter?”
“My complex is getting fumigated and it’s gonna take a few weeks so I’m seeing if there’s any temporary rentals,” the reporter explained.
Lindsay nodded and gave a smile of thanks to their usual server as she set down a cup of coffee along with a slice of cherry pie. Lindsay grabbed her fork and cut off a piece. She waved the pie in the air, grabbing Cindy’s attention. “What?”
“Stay with me,” Lindsay said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She ate the cherry pie and raised an eyebrow at Cindy’s silence. “Or not.”
“Can I really?”
Lindsay swallowed, “Pay for this,” she gestured with her fork to her own order and continued, “Pay for this and you’ve got a deal,” she winked.
Cindy smiled and tossed her paper to the seat beside her.
013. Borrow
Lindsay figured she was going to be as content as possible given the situation of being dragged along to a bar with Cindy for some research the red-head insisted on doing to help crack the case. She sipped her rum and coke and scanned for the tiny reporter. She spotted Cindy in the clutches of a very muscular, very butch woman. Cindy’s brown eyes pleaded for Lindsay to help her out.
Lindsay walked across the bar and stood next to Cindy. The woman glanced up at Lindsay, not caring that the inspector was a full foot taller than her. “Hi. Can I borrow her?” Lindsay asked with nod toward Cindy.
“Sorry, we’re talkin’” Came the short answer. Lindsay raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry. Guess I didn’t make myself clear. Can I have my girlfriend back?” Lindsay asked and wrapped her arm around Cindy’s shoulders. The woman huffed and walked away.
“Girlfriend, Linds?”
Lindsay shrugged and took a drink. “Girlfriend. Nosey report friend. Tomato, tomahto.”
014. Chair
The two women finally collapsed against each other, one straddled on top of the other and panting heavily. Lindsay rubbed slow circles on Cindy’s bare back and Cindy planted a few slow kisses along Lindsay’s smooth jaw.
“Who knew you were so good in-chair?” Cindy asked, causing a deep throaty chuckle from the older woman.
015. Avert
“Oh, God!” Jill cried, slapping her hand to her eyes.
“Jill what’re-” Claire began to ask as she followed Jill into her office. Jill turned around and tried to push Claire back. “Avert your gaze! Avert, avert!”
Claire, instead looked around the blonde to see Cindy and Lindsay, hastily putting on the last of their garments, hair completely tousled and faces completely flushed.
“Thought you were going to lunch,” Lindsay tried to sound cooler than she felt.
Claire raised the plastic bag of Chinese food, “Yeah. We got take-out. We weren’t going to eat-ou”
“Don’t,” Lindsay said, holding up a hand. Too late.
Jill chuckled, “But two other people we know were!”
Cindy turned redder than her hair and groaned before hurrying out of the office and toward the elevator.
“Next time, please knock.” Lindsay muttered as she put on her hip holster.
“Next time, don’t let there be a next time. My desk is not a place for you two to be doing the hibbity dibbity.” Claire shot back. Jill sniggered, ignoring the laser vision aimed at her as the Texan stalked out.
016. Peace
“What’s this?” Lindsay asked, eyeing the cellophane wrapped gift basket that Jill plopped on her desk. She leaned back in her chair, keeping a wary eye on Jill.
“A peace offering,” Jill explained with a smile.
“Peace?”
“Offering. Yes,” Jill sat down, “For the other day.”
Lindsay sat up fully and investigated the basket. She looked up at Jill, “Peace offering accepted.”
Jill smiled and stood, “I included a certificate for a hotel room that way you can leave Claire’s poor desk out of your sexcapades.”
Lindsay glared and stood up but Jill was too quick and was already headed toward the exit with a cackle.
017. Beach
“Fifty-nine, Cindy,” Lindsay said as she and Cindy loaded their gear into the back of Lindsay’s Jeep. Martha hopped in and immediately went to the backseat’s open window as the women got in.
“Oh Linds, it’s not that big of a deal. So men were ogling me at the beach, big deal!”
Lindsay huffed and started the car.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Cindy said as she took off her giant sunhat and tossed it into the back with Martha, “Sixty-seven guys ogled you. And thirteen women.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah,” Cindy affirmed.
“We should go to the beach more often,” Lindsay declared and put the Jeep into drive.
018. True
“Is it, or is it not true that you two played hooky to go to the beach without us, more importantly,” Jill cast a quick but not too sincere apologetic look at Claire, “without me?”
“It’s true,” Cindy answered with a wince as her shirt rubbed against her sunburn.
Lindsay gave Cindy a small look and the red head unbuttoned her top, leaving her in a tank top. Lindsay reached into Cindy’s purse, pulled out the savior of the day - aloe vera gel - and carefully rubbed it onto the red head’s shoulders.
“If I wasn’t so disgustingly bitter about being left out, I’d say that you two are sickeningly sweet,” Jill said as Lindsay, completely ignoring Jill, leaned over and whispered something into Cindy’s ear, making the latter smile widely.
“I second that, Councilor,” Claire remarked. “It’s true though. I’ve never seen you so… doting, Lindsay.”
Lindsay threw a lopsided grin at Claire and shrugged.
019. Crazy
The two women stood at opposite ends of the couch, glaring. Cindy crossed her arms and Lindsay planted her hands on her hips. Martha sat between them and worriedly looked from one to another. Lindsay sighed and rubbed her forehead, dropping her gaze down to the ground.
Cindy unfolded her arms and walked over to Lindsay. She grasped Lindsay’s wrist and pulled it around her shoulders, semi-forcing a half-hug from the older woman.
Within seconds, Lindsay was pulling Cindy closer to her. She kissed the top of Cindy’s head, “You drive me crazy sometimes, you know that?”
Cindy nodded and leaned up to kiss Lindsay’s collarbone, “I know. So do you.”
020. Love
“What’d you just say?” Cindy asked, completely disbelieving her ears. Lindsay went rigid and began a desperate backpedal out of the corner she just talked herself into.
“Nothing,” Lindsay said, “Nothing at all.”
“You love me,” Cindy grinned.
“No, I don’t.”
“You’re madly in love with me and want to have my red-headed babies,” Cindy sing-songed, wrapping her arms around Lindsay’s middle. Lindsay half-heartedly tried to pry herself away.
“You’re mistaken, Thomas,” Lindsay said giving up as Cindy nuzzled her.
“You so love me. That’s cute,” Cindy said, pinching Lindsay’s cheek.
Lindsay grinned and looked down the pier to the ships in the harbor, “Yeah, yeah.”
“I love you too, Linds.”
Lindsay looked down with an even wider smile, “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
021. New
“I really don’t need new sheets, Cindy,” Lindsay complained, purposely dragging her feet. “Or a new comforter. Or new… anything,” she added. This didn’t deter Cindy as she eagerly pulled Lindsay toward the bedding section of the store.
“Yeah, you really do Linds,” Cindy said as her eyes came upon a bed, displayed with throw pillows and all. She released Lindsay’s hands and tossed herself onto the bed, thoroughly “inspecting” that particular comforter and accessories. Lindsay stood at the foot of the bed and watched Cindy peel away the comforter to run her hand on the sheet. “We found a winner!”
Lindsay merely raised an eyebrow at the unusual colored sheets. “Orange?”
“Egyptian cotton, Inspector. Egyptian. Cotton,” Cindy shot her a look as if that was the only explanation needed. She patted the spot next to her and Lindsay eased herself onto the bed. She ran her hand on the sheets and her eyebrows shot up.
“Wow,” said Lindsay, shocked that something could feel so incredibly soft and smooth. “We do have a winner. I’ll say it again: I like your style, Thomas.”
Cindy’s ego seemed to inflate a little more when Lindsay threw her a beaming grin, “I try.”
022. Beggar
A pale hand shot out in front of Lindsay before she was able to eat the Animal Cracker in her hand. She sighed and put it into Cindy’s hand and reached into the small bag to pull out another cracker - this time a lion.
Again, the hand shot out and Lindsay threw Cindy a small look of annoyance before giving her the lion. For the third time, it happened again and Lindsay watched the hippo disappear into Cindy’s mouth.
“What Oliver Twist, were you a beggar in another life?” Lindsay griped and tossed the empty bag into the trash.
Cindy only smiled and swallowed the last of her hippo. She leaned in and gave Lindsay a deep kiss that tasted of lions and hippos and tigers.
“Oh, my,” Lindsay drawled and went for another kiss. She broke away for a second and lightly nipped Cindy’s neck. “Just don’t go getting crumbs all over. These sheets are new.”
023. False
“Hey,” Cindy pouted as she looked around the messy basement, “I was brought here under false pretenses! You said there was a susprise”
Lindsay chuckled and tossed her a box, “Surprise!,” Lindsay waggled her fingers, “Spring cleaning. Fun for the whole family.”
Cindy plopped the box down and sighed, “I hate Spring.”
024. Happy
“C’mon Cindy,” Lindsay pleaded with a hint of frustration, “What do I have to do to make you happy?”
The red-head merely glared at Lindsay and got up from her desk. She grabbed her keys and purse and marched out of the newsroom. Lindsay ignored the obvious stares of Cindy’s co-workers and followed Cindy, silently confused as to how someone so little could walk away from her at such a high speed.
They burst through the door to the stairwell and Lindsay grabbed Cindy’s elbow, pulling the young woman toward her until they were face to face with no chance of escape. “Talk to me!”
Cindy sighed, “You gave someone else the story. No,” She held up her hand when Lindsay was about to open her mouth, “You gave Jared, I’m-out-for-your-job-Thomas-so-watch-out-Jared, the story Lindsay!”
“He was first on the scene!”
“You know, there’s a little phrase you always told me, Lindsay. How about, oh, I don’t know- No comment?”
Lindsay sighed, “I had to get word out there somehow, Cindy. Y’know? Do my job and catch the bad guy? Let the public know that there’s a guy out there killing randomly? It’s not my fault you weren’t there to get the story,” she hissed back, fully agitated. “Where were you anyway?”
Cindy only averted her gaze. It was that in itself that knocked the wind from Lindsay’s chest.
“Fine,” Lindsay muttered releasing Cindy’s elbow. “I hope you’re happy.”
025. Cancer
Lindsay stood between Jill and Claire as the three women observed Cindy and her brunette-we’re-just-friends-but-not-really friend.
“I always get along really well with Cancers,” the brunette said and placed her hand on Cindy’s knee at the bar. Cindy smiled and glanced around the room and before she knew it, her hands locked with Lindsay’s. “You must be a Cancer,” the unimportant - to Lindsay, at least - girl continued.
Lindsay crossed the room in four easy strides, jaw set. She tossed her bar tab and a few bills onto the counter and looked at Cindy.
“She’s a Sagittarius,” Lindsay informed the girl and left the bar.
026. Pickpocket
Lindsay arrived at her Jeep and patted her jacket pockets. Finding nothing there she felt each jean pocket and came up empty.
“Looking for these?”
Lindsay whirled around, hand at her pistol. She only slightly relaxed as Cindy walked up.
“So not only are you a reporter but you’re a pickpocket too,” Lindsay grumbled and held out her hand.
Cindy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Why are you so intent on fighting with me Lindsay?”
Lindsay wiggled her fingers impatiently and Cindy sighed, dropping them in the Inspector’s hand.
“Why are you so intent on keeping things, people, from me?” Lindsay countered.
“Because they don’t matter!” Cindy retorted.
“Sure. I bet Zodiac girl thinks otherwise,” Lindsay replied and got into her Jeep.
“Why are you acting like a jealous girlfriend?” Cindy asked and stood between the door and Lindsay.
Lindsay let out a hollow laugh, “Girlfriend? See Thomas, in order for me to be your jealous girlfriend, we’d in fact, have to be dating first.” With that, Lindsay gently but forcefully moved Cindy out of the way and drove off.
027. Reverse
Cindy watched the Jeep drive half a block before it stopped. It’s rear lights lit up and drove in reverse until it was next to Cindy again. Lindsay rolled down the window and glanced at her. “And I’m not jealous.” She rolled up the window and drove off again.
Cindy was battling between laughter at the absurdity of Lindsay’s statement, and annoyance at being driven away from twice in the span of a minute. “So jealous.” Cindy muttered and turned around to begin her walk toward her car six blocks away.
For the third time, Lindsay’s Jeep pulled up next to her after a block. Cindy sighed, “Okay, I get it. Not jealous. Not my girlfriend. What else Lindsay?”
“Get in. You’re not walking to your car alone,” Lindsay said and gave Cindy a look that left no room for argument. Cindy huffed and got into the passenger seat.
028. Deliver
Lindsay yawned and half-heartedly typed out a few more sentences into the computer, hoping that it would make a dent in the mounds of paperwork that threatened to bury her in an avalanche. She only hoped to avoid the slightest upset in the environment.
Without warning, her laptop lid shut closed. “What the-?”
Cindy stood proud, and gently waved a steaming cup of coffee at Lindsay, careful not to spill on the laptop, or worse, on the Inspector.
“I’ve come to deliver you from work,” Cindy said and walked around the desk, leaning her hip against the edge.
“Cindy, I’ve got work to do.”
“It’s seven in the evening on a Saturday, Lindsay. You’ll suck the tax-payers dry with all your overtime. C’mon,” Cindy said and nudged Lindsay with a knee.
Lindsay sighed and finally nodded, accepting defeat. “You could have at least delivered me some pizza along with this freedom of yours,” the Texan grinned and pulled on her coat.
“It should arrive at my door when we get there.”
Lindsay chuckled and held the door open for Cindy, glad to have escaped the potential avalanche.
029. Arrival
“Well guys,” Cindy started as she paced back in forth in front of a seated Jill, Lindsay and Claire. “I have some news for you.”
Lindsay and Jill shared a bewildered look and Claire raised and eyebrow in interest.
“Out with it, Thomas,” Jill spoke, breaking the tense silence.
“There’s going to be a new arrival in nine-”
Lindsay shot up to her feet like a rocket, “You’re pregnant!?” The unnoticeable to anyone but Cindy vein at Lindsay’s temple throbbed angrily.
“Cindy!” Jill uttered, equally shocked. Claire tried to pull Lindsay back down and after giving Jill a look, did the two women manage to bring Lindsay back to the couch.
“You’re pregnant?!” Lindsay asked again.
“Weeks,” Cindy finished her eyes wide. “Nine weeks, scary cop lady.”
“Well I’ve gotta say, you don’t look knocked up a day over four weeks,” Jill spoke calmly. Cindy rolled her eyes and looked at Lindsay.
“A puppy. I’m getting a puppy.”
Lindsay visibly relaxed and sank against the backrest. Claire nudged Lindsay with an elbow, “Though I’m glad to know how you would’ve taken if Cindy really had been, as Jill so eloquently put it, knocked up.”
030. Fall
“Don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall…” Cindy muttered to herself. She felt the ladder shake and held in a whimper until she heard a chuckle below her. Cindy looked down to Lindsay. The brunette had her hands on the aluminum ladder that Cindy was currently perched upon. She attempted to play Super Cindy and rescue a cat that now, in hindsight, didn’t seem like it needed rescuing. At least that’s what the hissing meant, Cindy thought to herself.
“You know, I hope I do fall,” Cindy grumbled down, “On you.”
Lindsay merely winked, “I’d still catch you.”
Cindy was about to grin at the overall cheesiness of Lindsay’s declaration but decided to glare when Lindsay shook the ladder again.
031. Knife
“Son of a-!” Cindy turned her attention from the tv, and looked toward the kitchen.
“Linds?”
“What?”
“You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Lindsay grumbled and shuffled into the living room with a towel wrapped around her right hand. “Stupid knife.”
“You cut yourself?” Cindy asked with a smile. At Lindsay’s pout she grinned.
“No. The knife cut me.”
“Operator error,” Cindy said and took Lindsay’s toweled hand into her own.
“Faulty equipment,” Lindsay rebuked.
Cindy inspected Lindsay’s battle wound and bit back a laugh. “Lindsay, I think you’ll live.”
Lindsay huffed and pulled her hand back to her chest. Cindy smiled and stood up, “C’mon, let’s get you a band-aid.”
Lindsay looked up and took the proffered hand. “Okay.”
“Then you can get back to making us dinner.”
“Dang.”
032. Torn
“I’m torn,” Cindy moaned.
“For the love of- Cindy, it’s not that hard!”
“Lindsay,” Cindy eyed Lindsay with a grim look, “It’s incredibly hard.”
“It’s ice cream. Strawberry or vanilla,” Lindsay deadpanned.
Cindy shook her head. Obviously Lindsay had no idea that it was more than just picking a flavor. Well, it was. But there was a science to it. One had to go through the scientific process before deciding.
Lindsay shook her head and stepped up to the amused ice cream vendor. “Vanilla cone, please.”
After much deliberation, Cindy settled on a strawberry cone. The two began walking away but Cindy stopped short after one lick of her ice cream. “Bad choice! Today’s clearly not a strawberry day.”
Lindsay rolled her eyes for what felt like the fifteenth time in five minutes and switched their cones. Cindy took a lick and smiled. “Crisis averted.”
033. Danger
“I wasn’t in any real danger,” Cindy said and winced as a paramedic swabbed at her cut eyebrow with an alcohol-soaked gauze. The reporter was sure she’d have been on the receiving end of a glare if the irritated Inspector across from her was able to see her. Luckily two paramedics were back to back, attending each of the women; a makeshift human wall. Even though she couldn’t see Lindsay, she could feel the anger radiating off of the Inspector in waves.
“Cindy,” Lindsay began with a small hiss as her own paramedic staunched the bleeding of her arm. The use of her first name let Cindy know she was in trouble. She found it odd that her last name, at least when used by the Inspector rather than her Editor, was almost a term of endearment. Her first name, however, meant she was in the dog-house. Again. Or worse, headed for the SFPD holding cell.
“You were almost shot in the head. By a gang member. I’d call that being in danger.”
“But I wasn’t. In fact if you want to get technical about it, I wasn’t in any danger.” She was given a pat on the shoulder and one layer of the human barricade peeled away as the paramedic left the van.
“Do I even want t know how that’s even remotely plausible?” Lindsay sighed.
“You were there,” Cindy replied easily and honestly. She knew it was immature if not a far too optimistic explanation. She knew she easily could’ve had a bullet in her head rather than grazing her head but Cindy liked to live in the comfort and safety that Lindsay unknowingly provided by sheer proximity.
“So?”
“So I wasn’t in danger..” Her heart skipped a nervous beat or three as Lindsay’s own attendant finished up and left. Cindy was fixed with a stare she never saw from Lindsay before. A stare she couldn’t decipher in the few seconds that Lindsay let it show before the brunette grumbled something unintelligible, signifying the return of pissed-off cop.
Cindy looked down at her hands and realizing there weren’t any cuffs, she hopped down from the ambulance and hurried after Lindsay.
034. Neutral
“Claire, tell her she’s overreacting!” Cindy pleaded the Medical Examiner.
“I am not overreacting. You shouldn’t have put yourself in that situation. Tell her she’s wrong, Claire,” Lindsay fired back, arms crossed.
Claire merely looked at the two women on each side of the table where a gang member was lying with four bullet-holes in his chest. She shook her head, “Don’t drag me into this, I’m Switzerland.”
“Switzerland?” Lindsay asked, giving Cindy a momentary rest from her laser vision as she looked confusedly at Claire. “Switzerland, Claire?”
“Switzerland,” Cindy started before she could stop, realizing too late that it would and of course, did in fact,, bring the laser vision back to her, “is… Neutral,” she finished lamely. Wince included.
“I’ll give you ‘neutral’,” Lindsay snapped.
"I bet you will, Il Duce," Cindy muttered, cementing her fate.
"Il Duce?" Lindsay balked, "I am not an evil Fascist dictator!" She clamped and iron grip on the reporter’s shoulder and led her away into Claire’s office. All the better to rule with an Iron Fist, Cindy angrily thought.
“This is seriously not neutral!” Claire heard Cindy whine as the door shut. The Examiner rolled her eyes heavenward and for a moment debated if she should help the young reporter. She shrugged her shoulders instead and dove back into the gangster’s chest cavity.
035. Mate
“It’s such a weird word,” Lindsay wrinkled her nose and dipped a fry into some ketchup.
“It’s not that weird. Mate,” Cindy argued and chewed her salad thoughtfully. “Mate.”
“See? It even sounds weird if you say it enough.”
“Mate, mate, mate,” Cindy spoke with a different inflection each time and shrugged. “Not weird, Lindsay. I mean your obsession with the word is weird, but not the word itself.” She speared a cucumber slice and waggled it in front of her, “G’day, mate!”
“Your accent is weird,” Lindsay said, nabbing the cucumber slice and popping it into her mouth.
“Your accent is…” Cindy trailed off at the look Lindsay shot her. “Uh. Texan.”
“Nice save, Thomas,” Lindsay smirked.
“I try… mate.” Lindsay cringed at the word and dove back into her food, certain that their argument was going nowhere.
036. Fly
The two women sat side by side on a pair of swings. Cindy kicked her feet up and gained some height, enjoying the breeze through her hair. “Don’t you wish you could just fly whenever you wanted to?”
Lindsay kicked at the gravel and gave a chuckle, “Not really, no.”
“No?” Cindy glanced at Lindsay as she swung by.
“I’m happy being on the ground.”
Cindy laughed. “I need to get to work,”
“What? I thought you had today off…“
“Lindsay Boxer is afraid of flying! That’s front page news!” Cindy hopped off her seat mid-air and landed gracefully in the gravel. The finesse of the childlike move almost made Lindsay forget the insult.
Lindsay crossed her arms. “Real funny, Thomas. You’re a riot.”
Cindy grinned and ambled over to Lindsay and ducked her head the few inches it took to be eye-level with the Inspector. “Don’t worry scaredy-cat,” She placed a quick kiss on Lindsay’s pouty lips. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
037. Loud
Cindy felt the bed shift but ignored it anyway. Besides, she figured, if she were in real danger, she’d be dead by now. And that would be fantastic alternative considering how much her head was pounding.
“C’mon Thomas. Wake up. It’s past five,” a familiar drawl boomed.
“God,” Cindy moaned and held a pillow over her head, “Stop yelling at me!”
“I’m not yel-”
“I get it, I drank too much but really Lindsay,” Cindy whimpered, “Can’t we save the whole loud thing for later?”
Lindsay pulled the pillow and blanket off of Cindy’s head and the reporter slammed her eyes shut. When she was sure it was safe, she slowly opened them. Her bedroom was dark with only small hints of the setting sun poking through.
Lindsay wordlessly held up a glass of water and opened her other palm to reveal two delicious looking aspirin.
Cindy sat up and three seconds later, the aspirin and entire glass of water were gone. She gave a weak smile to Lindsay. The latter grinned and took the glass, setting it down on the bedside table as gently as possible.
“Thanks,” Cindy said quietly.
Lindsay winked and carefully stood up, careful not to jostle the red-head. She leaned close and whispered, “Get up and I’ll burn us some dinner.” She pecked Cindy’s forehead and left the bedroom.
038. Touch
“Don’t touch!” Cindy said, quickly slapping Lindsay’s hand away from the cake she had just iced.
“I just wanted to try the frosting,” Lindsay explained with a guilty look.
Cindy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure Nate will understand you ruined his thirteenth birthday cake.”
Lindsay mumbled something unintelligible and looked away.
Cindy held up an icing knife and pat her lips with it. “Oh look, here’s some extra frosting,” she said all too innocently.
Lindsay’s eyes lit up and she leaned in for a chocolate-covered kiss. She pulled back a minute later and took the knife from Cindy. She shook the knife over Cindy’s chest, glad that the red-head wore a v-neck for the party. A dollop of icing landed on Cindy’s exposed skin.
“Oops,” Lindsay murmured and dipped her head to retrieve the icing. She wrapped her arms around Cindy’s waist. “Silly me.”
Cindy’s chuckle stopped in her throat as the Inspector made slow work of cleaning up her mess. God, she loved Lindsay’s touch.
039. Seek
The rainclouds were threatening to burst and, Lindsay thought, they were about to ruin the crime scene. A potential downpour could literally send their investigation down the drain. She sighed and glanced around at the officers and investigators, ignoring the flashing lights that came from all angles. Her eyes landed on a familiar red-head. She moseyed over to the reporter.
“Seekin’ me out again Thomas?” she asked, tiredness making her accent that much heavier.
Cindy smiled and held up her notepad, “Seeking out a story Inspector. As usual.”
Lindsay kept herself from frowning and mentally shook her head. That statement shouldn’t have bothered Lindsay as much as it did. Of course Cindy would be covering a story. It was her job. It’s not like the reporter wanted to be at a murder scene at three in the morning on a Saturday night; no, Sunday morning, in the chilly San Francisco cold.
“And,” Cindy interrupted her thoughts, “maybe I was seeking you out too.”
040. Argue
“Why do you insist on arguing with me?” Lindsay asked, exasperated. She crossed her arms and a mere second later, planted them on her hips. It only took three seconds for her to shift her weight to the other foot and fold her arms again.
“Why do you insist on arguing with me, while, might I add, I’m in jail?!”
“You’re not in jail. You’re in a holding cell.”
“Same difference.”
“Totally different. In fact, I can throw you in jail. Get you a firsthand experience. You can even do a story about it,” Lindsay held her hands out in front of her. “My Night on the Inside: Exclusive by Cindy Thomas”
“Oh and let me guess, you’ll charge me with; Wait, don’t tell me. Obstruction.” Cindy retorted. “You-”
“Oh for the love of-!” Lindsay threw her hands up. “Could you for once, just listen to me when I tell you to not get yourself in trouble?”
Cindy opened her mouth, cheeks flushed in anger.
“No. No arguing with me,” Lindsay cut her off. She jabbed a finger toward the reporter, “One more word from you and I promise I’ll book you in a cell with a big lonely butch lady who goes by the name of Bertha.”
Cindy clamped her mouth shut, eyes showing how much she’d love to say something right then.
They stared each other down until Cindy looked away.
Lindsay sighed and a moment later, stepped up to the cell and unlocked it. Cindy made to leave, obviously still angry. Lindsay put a hand on her shoulder. “You’re drive me nuts, Thomas.”
Cindy looked up at Lindsay and let out a half-smile and shrugged. “Would you have it any other way?”
“No.”
“Can’t argue with you there.”
041. Work
“How are things like this?” Cindy wondered aloud. She glanced down at Lindsay, the Inspector’s head in her lap.
“Hmm?” Lindsay asked. She closed her eyes as Cindy ran her fingers through the Inspector’s hair.
“This,” Cindy said, waving her hand between the two of them. Lindsay wiggled her head, silently demanding the hand return to its previous job. Cindy let out a small smile and lightly scratched her scalp.
“Because,” Lindsay answered simply with a happy sigh, “We just work.”
042. Sink
“Tell me why you’re not doing this yourself?” Lindsay asked as she eyed the drain of the sink in Cindy’s kitchen.
“Because I’m deathly terrified of garbage disposals,” Cindy answered, keeping her hands stuffed in her pockets and watched the Inspector-turned-plumber roll up her sleeve.
“Mmm.” Lindsay shined the flashlight into the drain. She reached her hand down and made a face.
“Find it?”
“I found something… squishy.” Lindsay replied with an irked expression. A few seconds passed before she grinned and threw a wink at Cindy.
“Find it?”
“Ye-” Lindsay stopped short as a clinking sounded. “Damn.”
“Lost it?” Cindy asked worriedly.
“It fell down the drain,” answered Lindsay and stalked out of the kitchen. She returned a moment later armed with a wrench and a bucket.
Forty-five minutes, two head bumps, and countless curses later, did Lindsay appear from under the sink cabinet.
“…Find it?”
Lindsay held out her hand and produced a small silver ring. Cindy slipped it on her ring finger and threw herself into Lindsay’s arms. “It was the last thing my dad gave me. I thought it was gone for sure. Thank you.” She stretched up and planted a kiss on Lindsay’s jaw.
“Anytime.”
043. Nut
Lindsay watched, amused as the red-head wriggled around and flailed her legs to the music. Cindy and Nate Washburn were in a frenzied dance-off. Their eyes were glued to the screen as it flashed arrows at the players, directing them in their moves.
Five minutes later Nate whooped and jumped in the air. Cindy pouted and trudged over to the couch, breathing hard. She sat next to Lindsay and the Inspector wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“You’re a Dance Dance Nut,” Lindsay murmured.
“Yeah,” Cindy sighed and looked up at Lindsay, “But I’m your Dance Dance Nut.”
044. Stuck
“I give up,” Cindy muttered and set her laptop aside.
“What’s up?” Lindsay asked, coming into the living room. She plopped down next to Cindy.
“I’m stuck.”
“On your story?”
“Um... Yeah.” She bit her lip.
Lindsay raised an eyebrow and reached across the red-head. Cindy tried to stop her but the Inspector easily held the younger woman back and looked at the lap top’s screen.
“Hmm,” Lindsay observed, “Looks like you’re stuck on Mah Jong. And here I thought you were actually working.”
“It’s research,” Cindy sniffed, trying to look affronted.
“Research?”
“Well my story is on that crime in Chinatown. I’m just getting a feel for- hey!” She glared at Lindsay as the woman clicked on two tiles, and made them disappear.
“There,” Lindsay said and gave Cindy back the laptop, “You’re unstuck.” She planted a kiss on Cindy’s forehead and went in for a peck on the lips. “Now,” she nipped the younger woman’s bottom lip, “Get back to real work.”
Cindy pouted.
045. Animal
Lindsay Boxer, Cindy decided, was an animal. And not the furry cute kind that you’d take home as a pet even though your mom specifically said ‘no more pets.' No. Lindsay Boxer was an animal in the most predatory of ways. She was a mix of everything scary, dangerous, and just plain overwhelming. Especially when she paced back and forth, trapped like a lion in a cage. Or when she bared her teeth in a snarl, not unlike a wolf. It was super scary. And super hot. Cindy gulped as she realized that for the umpteenth time, she was lost in her supposed lecture. Supposed only because Cindy had no idea what Lindsay had just yelled about.
“Cindy,” Lindsay growled. “I swear, if you zoned out on me yet again, so help me…”
Oh shit. Cindy thought.
One of these days, Cindy hoped, she’d learn to actually pay attention to Lindsay. The Inspector threw a glare at Cindy and began ranting again. She began pacing again. And again, it fell on deaf ears.
046. Pray
“You’d better pray that this,” Lindsay stabbed a finger toward her ringing desk phone, “is a call from Claire telling me good news or I’m not going to be happy.”
Cindy considered herself a relatively good Catholic who, like most people, were due for a chat with the Big Kahuna upstairs. She prayed silently for some saving grace; namely in the form of Claire Washburn: Medical Examiner and Life Saver to Attention Lacking Reporters.
Lindsay hung up the phone after a few brief positive sounding grunts and uh-huhs, and she looked down to Cindy.
“Nice praying.”
Cindy exhaled and let out a small hopeful grin. “Someone up there likes me.”
“Yeah. Or you made a deal with someone down there,” Lindsay muttered and pulled Cindy up and out of the chair. The reporter was left to figure out whom Lindsay was referring to, ‘down there.’ She watched Lindsay lead the way to the morgue and couldn’t help but appreciate the swagger with which she walked. Like a panther.
“God, Thomas. Stop with the animal stuff already,” she muttered to herself and hurried after the Inspector.
047. Kill
“I’ll kill him,” Lindsay growled. Claire and Jill held her down on the couch and Cindy sunk lower into the recliner across from the women.
“You tell me where that son of a bitch lives,” Lindsay demanded. Cindy nervously glanced between the three women across from her. Apparently, wearing big sunglasses to cover a black-eye made her eye more noticeable. As a result, she was under the Boxer Inquisition.
“Lindsay, calm down,” Claire, the voice of reason spoke up.
“Cop or not, you can’t go kill a guy that hit her,” Jill added. “Even I couldn’t get you out of that.”
Lindsay seethed, shrugged off Claire and Jill and stepped over the small coffee table to kneel in front of Cindy. Cindy worried her lip and looked away.
Lindsay sighed and gently lifted Cindy’s chin to look the young woman in the eye. “Fine. I won’t kill him.”
“Promise?” Cindy asked.
“Promise. Though if by some chance he gets roughed up for, oh I don’t know, resisting arrest, then I can’t really do anything about what force I may have to use to restrain him.” Lindsay said with a hint of a grin.
Cindy smiled weakly and threw her arms around Lindsay’s neck. The Inspector held her tightly.
“Now that,” Jill said, “I can get you out of.”
048. Light
Cindy was her light.
One could only work on the police force for so long before a certain darkness consumed them. Lindsay knew she wasn’t blessed with the naiveté of what the real world encompassed. Her profession showed her grisly murders of all kinds. The darkness that filled her, especially after seeing a child’s dead body, was all consuming. After nights like that, Lindsay would usually go home and let the darkness envelope her even more.
These days, all Lindsay had to do was look a few yards to the taped off police barricade and look for Cindy. When their eyes met, the darkness faded away and the Inspector found that she was able to function better. It was Cindy, her light, which fueled Lindsay’s passion to solve the case, and go home.
These days, it would be Cindy’s arms enveloping her instead of that darkness. Lindsay needed that light.
049. Cold
“Cold?” Lindsay asked, eyeing Cindy on the bench next to her.
Cindy nodded. She was folded into herself and Lindsay thought, would certainly disappear if she balled herself up any more.
Lindsay chuckled and held her arm up. Cindy immediately crawled into Lindsay’s lap and the brunette smiled, pulling her closer to share body heat.
“Better?”
Cindy nodded again and pecked Lindsay on the lips. Her cold nose briefly pressed against Lindsay’s cheek. Lindsay rubbed her hand up and down Cindy’s back and the two returned their attention to Nate’s football game; both of the women somewhat less cold than before.
050. Affair
“Never have I ever…” Cindy thought for a moment, “Had an affair!” She threw a sly grin to Jill and the blonde grimaced before taking a shot. Lindsay sighed and took a shot herself.
Cindy’s eyes fixed on Lindsay. Claire and Jill occupied themselves with the drink menu, clearly not wanting to be part of whatever was going on between the reporter and the inspector.
“You’ve…?”
Lindsay nodded.
“Oh.”
With that, Cindy excused herself and made her way to the restroom. Not two seconds later did Lindsay come into the room.
“Cindy?”
“I didn’t think you were that type of-,” Cindy shook her head, “Forget it. It’s not my business.”
Lindsay sighed, “It didn’t mean anything, Cindy.”
“No?” Lindsay shook her head in the negative and slowly approached Cindy but stopped when Cindy took a step back.
“I don’t know why I’m freaking out about this. I mean. It’s not like it happened recently. And it’s not like we’ve been… whatever we’ve been doing, for a long time, right?” At Lindsay’s silence Cindy looked up. “Right?”
Lindsay shoved her hands in her pockets. “It um. Was sort of recent. A few months ago.”
“What?” Cindy asked. “With?”
“Tom.”
Cindy’s face went blank and she nodded. “Oh. Okay then. Well. I’ll uh. I’ll see you later Lindsay.”
Lindsay took a step toward the red-head but Cindy held up her hand. “Please... Don’t.” With that Cindy left the restroom and Lindsay, for the first time in a long time, felt utterly helpless.
Annnnnnd the drabble table. To be filled. Someday. Taken from... I don't know where. Somewhere on LJ. I'll give credit. When/If I ever find it.
001.
Tired
002.
Back Alley
003.
Sunrise
004.
Late
005.
Son
006.
Hot
007.
Friend
008.
Floor
009.
Cheat
010.
Think
011.
Disgust
012.
Shelter
013.
Borrow
014.
Chair
015.
Alter
016.
Peace
017.
Beach
018.
True
019.
Crazy
020.
Love
021.
New
022.
Beggar
023.
False
024.
Happy
025.
Cancer
026.
Pickpocket
027.
Reverse
028.
Deliver
029.
Arrival
030.
Fall
031.
Knife
032.
Torn
033.
Danger
034.
Neutral
035.
Mate
036.
Fly
037.
Loud
038.
Touch
039.
Seek
040.
Argue
041.
Work
042.
Sink
043.
Nut
044.
Stuck
045.
Animal
046.
Pray
047.
Kill
048.
Light
049.
Cold
050.
Affair
051.
Restaurant
052.
Movie
053.
Wait
054.
Patient
055.
Crime
056.
Choke
057.
Fever
058.
Summer
059.
Eat
060.
Thirst
061.
Chance
062.
Appear
063.
Whisper
064.
Day
065.
Scream
066.
Fail
067.
Confused
068.
Smile
069.
Come
070.
Alone
071.
Fast
072.
Slow
073.
Return
074.
Fire
075.
Positive
076.
Baby
077.
Upset
078.
Kitchen
079.
Winter
080.
Ignorant
081.
Fool
082.
Afraid
083.
Prison
084.
Sex
085.
Hate
086.
Alarm
087.
Genius
088.
Negative
089.
Flood
090.
Bomb
091.
Hospital
092.
Trap
093.
Celebrate
094.
Old
095.
Disappear
096.
Writer‘s Choice
097.
Writer‘s Choice
098.
Writer‘s Choice
099.
Writer‘s Choice
100.
Writer‘s Choice
angelfire_08, have I decided to post up the drabbles I've done for Passion & Perfect to my own little waste of space journal. As I'm an incredibly lazy person, I'll personally be shocked if I manage to keep the drabbles uploaded/updated on time. But seeing as though the only productive thing I've done today is showered, I wouldn't put money on it.
Or maybe I'll just make an occasional drabble dump - as I'm doing right....
001. Tired
Lindsay mustered enough energy to slam the door to her Jeep shut before she ambled to the porch of her apartment. After a twenty-one hour day, all she could hope for was some rest. She stopped short as she saw a young red-head sitting at the top of the stairs with a plastic bag next to her.
Before Lindsay could speak, Cindy stood up and held the bag out to her. “I know you’re tired. But I just wanted to make sure there was something in your stomach before you pass out.
Lindsay could only smile as she walked up to the young reporter. “Food. It sounds great. Thanks, Thomas.”
Cindy beamed and followed Lindsay through the front door, “You’re welcome.”
002. Back Alley
The door opened with a squeak and all Lindsay could do was press Cindy against the wall with her entire body. Seconds later their lips connected in a fierce kiss. A minute later, Lindsay regained her senses and was pretty sure her cover wasn’t blown. She eased out of the kiss and took half a step back.
Brown eyes looked at her questioningly, but for once, the reporter refrained from asking any questions. Lindsay glanced down the back alley as she watched her suspects turn the corner. It was the first time the Inspector didn’t want to do her job.
“Um-“ began the reporter.
Lindsay offered a lopsided grin before she gently tugged Cindy along in a casual pursuit of a suspect. Who knew that a back alley could redeem itself thanks to two drug smugglers?
003. Sunrise
“You’re insane,” Cindy managed between yawns. All she wanted to do was go back to sleep in her cozy apartment but was instead seated on the cold steps outside of her apartment complex at sunrise.
“You asked for it, Red,” The all-too awake Inspector said as she laced her running shoes up. She bounced on the balls of her feet and wiggled each foot a few times.
“Can I un-ask for it?” Cindy asked hopefully.
Lindsay pulled the reporter up by her hands and pushed Cindy along into a steady jog. “Not a chance.”
004. Late
“Damn. Damn, damn, damn, damn!” Lindsay muttered as she hurried out of the shower and dressed in record time. She glanced at the clock. “So late. Damn!” She pulled on her boots, grabbed her jacket, pistol and badge and hurried out the door with an apology and promise to walk Martha as soon as she got home.
She almost collided with the red-head at the bottom of the porch steps. “Can’t talk now. I’m late,” Lindsay called as she attempted to side-step Cindy.
“Uh, Lindsay?”
Lindsay paused and raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not late.”
Lindsay glanced at her watch, “Yes I am, I…” She trailed off when Cindy held up the Blackberry in her hand, revealing the time. “… Am an idiot who forgot about daylight savings.”
Cindy cracked a smile and coughed into her hand, though Lindsay could’ve sworn the younger woman was laughing at her. Lindsay threw a glare which effectively shut the reporter up before she stalked back to her front door. “Damn.”
005. Son
Lindsay slowly perused the shelf of framed photos with a small smile on her face. The pictures showed a small red-head and her father at various San Francisco 49ers games. Both were decked out in the football team’s colors and had identical smiles and red hair.
A set of footsteps approached Lindsay from behind, but she kept her eyes on the last photo. A still young, but slightly older Cindy was seated with her worn-out looking father in a hospital room.
“That was our last photo before he passed. I loved being the son my father never had,” Cindy said with a sad smile. Lindsay turned to Cindy and put a hand on her shoulder, “I’m sure he wouldn’t have traded you for a son anyhow.” Cindy’s smile widened and she put her hand over Lindsay’s in thanks.
006. Hot
“It’s so hot!” Cindy complained as she fanned herself with her hand. The action only increased her sweat and body temperature.
“Thomas,” Lindsay sighed, inwardly regretting bringing the reporter along for the stake-out, “Remember the first rule of this little expedition?”
“No complaining,” Cindy muttered, sulking in the passenger seat. She crossed her arms and pouted.
“That’s right. No compl-“
Cindy unfolded her arms and threw them up in the air, “But it’s so hot!”
Lindsay rolled her eyes and slowly banged her forehead on the steering wheel repeatedly.
007. Friend
“What’re you doin’ here?” Lindsay asked, eyeing one of the three Cindy’s that stood before her.
“Driving you home. C’mon Linds, you’ve had enough for one night,” Cindy answered and carefully pulled Lindsay to her wobbly feet. Lindsay hesitated only a moment to drain the last of her beer before setting it on the table. Cindy grasped her elbow and led Lindsay out of the bar and over to Maggie.
Cindy helped Lindsay into the passenger seat before she climbed into the driver’s side. She glanced at Lindsay, “What’re you doing out at the bar on your own anyway?” Cindy asked, aiming the car into the general direction of her home.
“I had to forget,” Lindsay murmured, staring out the window.
“Forget what?”
Lindsay sighed and shook her head, clearly not wanting to talk about it. “Thanks for coming to get me,” Lindsay said instead.
Cindy reached over with a hand and squeezed Lindsay’s left hand. “It’s what friends are for, Linds.”
008. Floor
Cindy blinked. Claire’s eyebrows almost reached her forehead. Jill made like a fish out of water, mouth moving but no sound. Lindsay lay motionless on the floor, staring at Cindy. Cindy took a step back from the Inspector.
“Did you just-?” Claire asked, keeping her eyes on Lindsay.
“I was provoked!” Cindy squeaked, taking another step toward the door as Lindsay slowly sat up.
“Cindy?” Jill spoke in an even tone, her amusement barely hidden.
“Y-yeah?”
“Run,” Lindsay growled as she clambered back to her former standing position. In a flash, or, Jill mused, looking more like The Flash with her red hair and yellow boots, Cindy was out the morgue door.
“Lindsay?” Jill turned to her friend as Lindsay rubbed her sore bottom.
Lindsay raised an eyebrow, “What, Jill?”
“I can’t believe Cindy totally laid you out flat on the floor,” she burst into laughter.
Claire sighed to keep from laughing; but only because she was under the guise of being a best friend. She moved to take off her latex gloves, “That’s what you get for telling her she’s all talk, Linds.”
Lindsay huffed angrily and relented a few seconds later with a grin, “Oh but it was so worth it after seeing that look on her face.”
Jill grinned, “Absolutely.”
“Where do you think she is?” Lindsay asked, slowly moving toward the door.
“By now?” Jill pondered, “I’d say Guatemala.”
009. Cheat
“You’re such a cheat!” Cindy complained, watching as Lindsay extended her arm and easily tossed the rings onto the metal milk bottles.
“Winner, winner!” the carnie called out and handed Lindsay a giant stuffed Panda.
“I’m not a cheat,” Lindsay said, nodding her head in thanks to the carnie. She led the two away from the booth and they continued down the boardwalk. She glanced to Cindy and saw the red head was pouting as she followed Lindsay. “I just use my limbs to my advantage.”
Cindy harrumphed and crossed her arms. She took two steps before she felt Lindsay lightly grasp her elbow. She turned around and was face to face with the panda. “For you,” Lindsay said, wiggling the bear.
Cindy smiled and hugged the bear to her and Lindsay chuckled. “I like that you’re a cheat.”
Lindsay grinned and wrapped an arm around Cindy’s shoulders and the two continued on.
010. Think
“What do you think?” Jill asked, her crossed arms mirroring the same pose of her two friends. The three women tilted their heads one way and then another.
“I think it’s funny,” Claire remarked with the hint of a smirk.
“I think it’s annoying,” Lindsay spoke as she shifted and shoved her hands into her back pockets.
“I think it’s time you let me out,” Cindy said as she approached the bars of the holding cell. She made to wrap her hands around the bars, glanced at them and for a split second tried to imagine all of the germs that were probably teeming on the worn out iron, thought better of, it and let her hands drop to her sides.
“I think it’s time for lunch. Jill? Claire?” Lindsay moved her eyes from Cindy to her two, un-jailed friends. They nodded and walked off toward the front doors.
“Lunch sounds great after the morning I had,” Cindy said, stepping back from the door to the cell.
“I bet. We’ll let you know how it goes,” Lindsay said with a wink and walked away with what Cindy thought to be an extra bounce in her step.
“Lindsay?” The inspector paid no heed and disappeared through the bullpen doors. “I? I think you suck! Hardcore!” Cindy called after her and plopped down onto the uncomfortable cot.
011. Disgust
Lindsay watched, her fork frozen over her plate, in fascinated horror as Cindy chowed down on her bucket of oysters. Cindy glanced up, “What?”
“Ew,” Lindsay replied, eloquent as ever.
Cindy merely grinned and cracked open another shell, digging in. Lindsay shoved her own plate away and wondered how someone so cute could eat something so disgusting.
012. Shelter
“Hey kid, what’s up?” Lindsay asked, sliding into the booth across from Cindy. Cindy glanced up and offered a smile before returning her concentration to the paper in front of her.
“Looking for shelter,” Cindy said, as she flipped to the next page.
“Shelter?”
“My complex is getting fumigated and it’s gonna take a few weeks so I’m seeing if there’s any temporary rentals,” the reporter explained.
Lindsay nodded and gave a smile of thanks to their usual server as she set down a cup of coffee along with a slice of cherry pie. Lindsay grabbed her fork and cut off a piece. She waved the pie in the air, grabbing Cindy’s attention. “What?”
“Stay with me,” Lindsay said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She ate the cherry pie and raised an eyebrow at Cindy’s silence. “Or not.”
“Can I really?”
Lindsay swallowed, “Pay for this,” she gestured with her fork to her own order and continued, “Pay for this and you’ve got a deal,” she winked.
Cindy smiled and tossed her paper to the seat beside her.
013. Borrow
Lindsay figured she was going to be as content as possible given the situation of being dragged along to a bar with Cindy for some research the red-head insisted on doing to help crack the case. She sipped her rum and coke and scanned for the tiny reporter. She spotted Cindy in the clutches of a very muscular, very butch woman. Cindy’s brown eyes pleaded for Lindsay to help her out.
Lindsay walked across the bar and stood next to Cindy. The woman glanced up at Lindsay, not caring that the inspector was a full foot taller than her. “Hi. Can I borrow her?” Lindsay asked with nod toward Cindy.
“Sorry, we’re talkin’” Came the short answer. Lindsay raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry. Guess I didn’t make myself clear. Can I have my girlfriend back?” Lindsay asked and wrapped her arm around Cindy’s shoulders. The woman huffed and walked away.
“Girlfriend, Linds?”
Lindsay shrugged and took a drink. “Girlfriend. Nosey report friend. Tomato, tomahto.”
014. Chair
The two women finally collapsed against each other, one straddled on top of the other and panting heavily. Lindsay rubbed slow circles on Cindy’s bare back and Cindy planted a few slow kisses along Lindsay’s smooth jaw.
“Who knew you were so good in-chair?” Cindy asked, causing a deep throaty chuckle from the older woman.
015. Avert
“Oh, God!” Jill cried, slapping her hand to her eyes.
“Jill what’re-” Claire began to ask as she followed Jill into her office. Jill turned around and tried to push Claire back. “Avert your gaze! Avert, avert!”
Claire, instead looked around the blonde to see Cindy and Lindsay, hastily putting on the last of their garments, hair completely tousled and faces completely flushed.
“Thought you were going to lunch,” Lindsay tried to sound cooler than she felt.
Claire raised the plastic bag of Chinese food, “Yeah. We got take-out. We weren’t going to eat-ou”
“Don’t,” Lindsay said, holding up a hand. Too late.
Jill chuckled, “But two other people we know were!”
Cindy turned redder than her hair and groaned before hurrying out of the office and toward the elevator.
“Next time, please knock.” Lindsay muttered as she put on her hip holster.
“Next time, don’t let there be a next time. My desk is not a place for you two to be doing the hibbity dibbity.” Claire shot back. Jill sniggered, ignoring the laser vision aimed at her as the Texan stalked out.
016. Peace
“What’s this?” Lindsay asked, eyeing the cellophane wrapped gift basket that Jill plopped on her desk. She leaned back in her chair, keeping a wary eye on Jill.
“A peace offering,” Jill explained with a smile.
“Peace?”
“Offering. Yes,” Jill sat down, “For the other day.”
Lindsay sat up fully and investigated the basket. She looked up at Jill, “Peace offering accepted.”
Jill smiled and stood, “I included a certificate for a hotel room that way you can leave Claire’s poor desk out of your sexcapades.”
Lindsay glared and stood up but Jill was too quick and was already headed toward the exit with a cackle.
017. Beach
“Fifty-nine, Cindy,” Lindsay said as she and Cindy loaded their gear into the back of Lindsay’s Jeep. Martha hopped in and immediately went to the backseat’s open window as the women got in.
“Oh Linds, it’s not that big of a deal. So men were ogling me at the beach, big deal!”
Lindsay huffed and started the car.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Cindy said as she took off her giant sunhat and tossed it into the back with Martha, “Sixty-seven guys ogled you. And thirteen women.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah,” Cindy affirmed.
“We should go to the beach more often,” Lindsay declared and put the Jeep into drive.
018. True
“Is it, or is it not true that you two played hooky to go to the beach without us, more importantly,” Jill cast a quick but not too sincere apologetic look at Claire, “without me?”
“It’s true,” Cindy answered with a wince as her shirt rubbed against her sunburn.
Lindsay gave Cindy a small look and the red head unbuttoned her top, leaving her in a tank top. Lindsay reached into Cindy’s purse, pulled out the savior of the day - aloe vera gel - and carefully rubbed it onto the red head’s shoulders.
“If I wasn’t so disgustingly bitter about being left out, I’d say that you two are sickeningly sweet,” Jill said as Lindsay, completely ignoring Jill, leaned over and whispered something into Cindy’s ear, making the latter smile widely.
“I second that, Councilor,” Claire remarked. “It’s true though. I’ve never seen you so… doting, Lindsay.”
Lindsay threw a lopsided grin at Claire and shrugged.
019. Crazy
The two women stood at opposite ends of the couch, glaring. Cindy crossed her arms and Lindsay planted her hands on her hips. Martha sat between them and worriedly looked from one to another. Lindsay sighed and rubbed her forehead, dropping her gaze down to the ground.
Cindy unfolded her arms and walked over to Lindsay. She grasped Lindsay’s wrist and pulled it around her shoulders, semi-forcing a half-hug from the older woman.
Within seconds, Lindsay was pulling Cindy closer to her. She kissed the top of Cindy’s head, “You drive me crazy sometimes, you know that?”
Cindy nodded and leaned up to kiss Lindsay’s collarbone, “I know. So do you.”
020. Love
“What’d you just say?” Cindy asked, completely disbelieving her ears. Lindsay went rigid and began a desperate backpedal out of the corner she just talked herself into.
“Nothing,” Lindsay said, “Nothing at all.”
“You love me,” Cindy grinned.
“No, I don’t.”
“You’re madly in love with me and want to have my red-headed babies,” Cindy sing-songed, wrapping her arms around Lindsay’s middle. Lindsay half-heartedly tried to pry herself away.
“You’re mistaken, Thomas,” Lindsay said giving up as Cindy nuzzled her.
“You so love me. That’s cute,” Cindy said, pinching Lindsay’s cheek.
Lindsay grinned and looked down the pier to the ships in the harbor, “Yeah, yeah.”
“I love you too, Linds.”
Lindsay looked down with an even wider smile, “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
021. New
“I really don’t need new sheets, Cindy,” Lindsay complained, purposely dragging her feet. “Or a new comforter. Or new… anything,” she added. This didn’t deter Cindy as she eagerly pulled Lindsay toward the bedding section of the store.
“Yeah, you really do Linds,” Cindy said as her eyes came upon a bed, displayed with throw pillows and all. She released Lindsay’s hands and tossed herself onto the bed, thoroughly “inspecting” that particular comforter and accessories. Lindsay stood at the foot of the bed and watched Cindy peel away the comforter to run her hand on the sheet. “We found a winner!”
Lindsay merely raised an eyebrow at the unusual colored sheets. “Orange?”
“Egyptian cotton, Inspector. Egyptian. Cotton,” Cindy shot her a look as if that was the only explanation needed. She patted the spot next to her and Lindsay eased herself onto the bed. She ran her hand on the sheets and her eyebrows shot up.
“Wow,” said Lindsay, shocked that something could feel so incredibly soft and smooth. “We do have a winner. I’ll say it again: I like your style, Thomas.”
Cindy’s ego seemed to inflate a little more when Lindsay threw her a beaming grin, “I try.”
022. Beggar
A pale hand shot out in front of Lindsay before she was able to eat the Animal Cracker in her hand. She sighed and put it into Cindy’s hand and reached into the small bag to pull out another cracker - this time a lion.
Again, the hand shot out and Lindsay threw Cindy a small look of annoyance before giving her the lion. For the third time, it happened again and Lindsay watched the hippo disappear into Cindy’s mouth.
“What Oliver Twist, were you a beggar in another life?” Lindsay griped and tossed the empty bag into the trash.
Cindy only smiled and swallowed the last of her hippo. She leaned in and gave Lindsay a deep kiss that tasted of lions and hippos and tigers.
“Oh, my,” Lindsay drawled and went for another kiss. She broke away for a second and lightly nipped Cindy’s neck. “Just don’t go getting crumbs all over. These sheets are new.”
023. False
“Hey,” Cindy pouted as she looked around the messy basement, “I was brought here under false pretenses! You said there was a susprise”
Lindsay chuckled and tossed her a box, “Surprise!,” Lindsay waggled her fingers, “Spring cleaning. Fun for the whole family.”
Cindy plopped the box down and sighed, “I hate Spring.”
024. Happy
“C’mon Cindy,” Lindsay pleaded with a hint of frustration, “What do I have to do to make you happy?”
The red-head merely glared at Lindsay and got up from her desk. She grabbed her keys and purse and marched out of the newsroom. Lindsay ignored the obvious stares of Cindy’s co-workers and followed Cindy, silently confused as to how someone so little could walk away from her at such a high speed.
They burst through the door to the stairwell and Lindsay grabbed Cindy’s elbow, pulling the young woman toward her until they were face to face with no chance of escape. “Talk to me!”
Cindy sighed, “You gave someone else the story. No,” She held up her hand when Lindsay was about to open her mouth, “You gave Jared, I’m-out-for-your-job-Thomas-so-watch-out-Jared, the story Lindsay!”
“He was first on the scene!”
“You know, there’s a little phrase you always told me, Lindsay. How about, oh, I don’t know- No comment?”
Lindsay sighed, “I had to get word out there somehow, Cindy. Y’know? Do my job and catch the bad guy? Let the public know that there’s a guy out there killing randomly? It’s not my fault you weren’t there to get the story,” she hissed back, fully agitated. “Where were you anyway?”
Cindy only averted her gaze. It was that in itself that knocked the wind from Lindsay’s chest.
“Fine,” Lindsay muttered releasing Cindy’s elbow. “I hope you’re happy.”
025. Cancer
Lindsay stood between Jill and Claire as the three women observed Cindy and her brunette-we’re-just-friends-but-not-really friend.
“I always get along really well with Cancers,” the brunette said and placed her hand on Cindy’s knee at the bar. Cindy smiled and glanced around the room and before she knew it, her hands locked with Lindsay’s. “You must be a Cancer,” the unimportant - to Lindsay, at least - girl continued.
Lindsay crossed the room in four easy strides, jaw set. She tossed her bar tab and a few bills onto the counter and looked at Cindy.
“She’s a Sagittarius,” Lindsay informed the girl and left the bar.
026. Pickpocket
Lindsay arrived at her Jeep and patted her jacket pockets. Finding nothing there she felt each jean pocket and came up empty.
“Looking for these?”
Lindsay whirled around, hand at her pistol. She only slightly relaxed as Cindy walked up.
“So not only are you a reporter but you’re a pickpocket too,” Lindsay grumbled and held out her hand.
Cindy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Why are you so intent on fighting with me Lindsay?”
Lindsay wiggled her fingers impatiently and Cindy sighed, dropping them in the Inspector’s hand.
“Why are you so intent on keeping things, people, from me?” Lindsay countered.
“Because they don’t matter!” Cindy retorted.
“Sure. I bet Zodiac girl thinks otherwise,” Lindsay replied and got into her Jeep.
“Why are you acting like a jealous girlfriend?” Cindy asked and stood between the door and Lindsay.
Lindsay let out a hollow laugh, “Girlfriend? See Thomas, in order for me to be your jealous girlfriend, we’d in fact, have to be dating first.” With that, Lindsay gently but forcefully moved Cindy out of the way and drove off.
027. Reverse
Cindy watched the Jeep drive half a block before it stopped. It’s rear lights lit up and drove in reverse until it was next to Cindy again. Lindsay rolled down the window and glanced at her. “And I’m not jealous.” She rolled up the window and drove off again.
Cindy was battling between laughter at the absurdity of Lindsay’s statement, and annoyance at being driven away from twice in the span of a minute. “So jealous.” Cindy muttered and turned around to begin her walk toward her car six blocks away.
For the third time, Lindsay’s Jeep pulled up next to her after a block. Cindy sighed, “Okay, I get it. Not jealous. Not my girlfriend. What else Lindsay?”
“Get in. You’re not walking to your car alone,” Lindsay said and gave Cindy a look that left no room for argument. Cindy huffed and got into the passenger seat.
028. Deliver
Lindsay yawned and half-heartedly typed out a few more sentences into the computer, hoping that it would make a dent in the mounds of paperwork that threatened to bury her in an avalanche. She only hoped to avoid the slightest upset in the environment.
Without warning, her laptop lid shut closed. “What the-?”
Cindy stood proud, and gently waved a steaming cup of coffee at Lindsay, careful not to spill on the laptop, or worse, on the Inspector.
“I’ve come to deliver you from work,” Cindy said and walked around the desk, leaning her hip against the edge.
“Cindy, I’ve got work to do.”
“It’s seven in the evening on a Saturday, Lindsay. You’ll suck the tax-payers dry with all your overtime. C’mon,” Cindy said and nudged Lindsay with a knee.
Lindsay sighed and finally nodded, accepting defeat. “You could have at least delivered me some pizza along with this freedom of yours,” the Texan grinned and pulled on her coat.
“It should arrive at my door when we get there.”
Lindsay chuckled and held the door open for Cindy, glad to have escaped the potential avalanche.
029. Arrival
“Well guys,” Cindy started as she paced back in forth in front of a seated Jill, Lindsay and Claire. “I have some news for you.”
Lindsay and Jill shared a bewildered look and Claire raised and eyebrow in interest.
“Out with it, Thomas,” Jill spoke, breaking the tense silence.
“There’s going to be a new arrival in nine-”
Lindsay shot up to her feet like a rocket, “You’re pregnant!?” The unnoticeable to anyone but Cindy vein at Lindsay’s temple throbbed angrily.
“Cindy!” Jill uttered, equally shocked. Claire tried to pull Lindsay back down and after giving Jill a look, did the two women manage to bring Lindsay back to the couch.
“You’re pregnant?!” Lindsay asked again.
“Weeks,” Cindy finished her eyes wide. “Nine weeks, scary cop lady.”
“Well I’ve gotta say, you don’t look knocked up a day over four weeks,” Jill spoke calmly. Cindy rolled her eyes and looked at Lindsay.
“A puppy. I’m getting a puppy.”
Lindsay visibly relaxed and sank against the backrest. Claire nudged Lindsay with an elbow, “Though I’m glad to know how you would’ve taken if Cindy really had been, as Jill so eloquently put it, knocked up.”
030. Fall
“Don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall…” Cindy muttered to herself. She felt the ladder shake and held in a whimper until she heard a chuckle below her. Cindy looked down to Lindsay. The brunette had her hands on the aluminum ladder that Cindy was currently perched upon. She attempted to play Super Cindy and rescue a cat that now, in hindsight, didn’t seem like it needed rescuing. At least that’s what the hissing meant, Cindy thought to herself.
“You know, I hope I do fall,” Cindy grumbled down, “On you.”
Lindsay merely winked, “I’d still catch you.”
Cindy was about to grin at the overall cheesiness of Lindsay’s declaration but decided to glare when Lindsay shook the ladder again.
031. Knife
“Son of a-!” Cindy turned her attention from the tv, and looked toward the kitchen.
“Linds?”
“What?”
“You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Lindsay grumbled and shuffled into the living room with a towel wrapped around her right hand. “Stupid knife.”
“You cut yourself?” Cindy asked with a smile. At Lindsay’s pout she grinned.
“No. The knife cut me.”
“Operator error,” Cindy said and took Lindsay’s toweled hand into her own.
“Faulty equipment,” Lindsay rebuked.
Cindy inspected Lindsay’s battle wound and bit back a laugh. “Lindsay, I think you’ll live.”
Lindsay huffed and pulled her hand back to her chest. Cindy smiled and stood up, “C’mon, let’s get you a band-aid.”
Lindsay looked up and took the proffered hand. “Okay.”
“Then you can get back to making us dinner.”
“Dang.”
032. Torn
“I’m torn,” Cindy moaned.
“For the love of- Cindy, it’s not that hard!”
“Lindsay,” Cindy eyed Lindsay with a grim look, “It’s incredibly hard.”
“It’s ice cream. Strawberry or vanilla,” Lindsay deadpanned.
Cindy shook her head. Obviously Lindsay had no idea that it was more than just picking a flavor. Well, it was. But there was a science to it. One had to go through the scientific process before deciding.
Lindsay shook her head and stepped up to the amused ice cream vendor. “Vanilla cone, please.”
After much deliberation, Cindy settled on a strawberry cone. The two began walking away but Cindy stopped short after one lick of her ice cream. “Bad choice! Today’s clearly not a strawberry day.”
Lindsay rolled her eyes for what felt like the fifteenth time in five minutes and switched their cones. Cindy took a lick and smiled. “Crisis averted.”
033. Danger
“I wasn’t in any real danger,” Cindy said and winced as a paramedic swabbed at her cut eyebrow with an alcohol-soaked gauze. The reporter was sure she’d have been on the receiving end of a glare if the irritated Inspector across from her was able to see her. Luckily two paramedics were back to back, attending each of the women; a makeshift human wall. Even though she couldn’t see Lindsay, she could feel the anger radiating off of the Inspector in waves.
“Cindy,” Lindsay began with a small hiss as her own paramedic staunched the bleeding of her arm. The use of her first name let Cindy know she was in trouble. She found it odd that her last name, at least when used by the Inspector rather than her Editor, was almost a term of endearment. Her first name, however, meant she was in the dog-house. Again. Or worse, headed for the SFPD holding cell.
“You were almost shot in the head. By a gang member. I’d call that being in danger.”
“But I wasn’t. In fact if you want to get technical about it, I wasn’t in any danger.” She was given a pat on the shoulder and one layer of the human barricade peeled away as the paramedic left the van.
“Do I even want t know how that’s even remotely plausible?” Lindsay sighed.
“You were there,” Cindy replied easily and honestly. She knew it was immature if not a far too optimistic explanation. She knew she easily could’ve had a bullet in her head rather than grazing her head but Cindy liked to live in the comfort and safety that Lindsay unknowingly provided by sheer proximity.
“So?”
“So I wasn’t in danger..” Her heart skipped a nervous beat or three as Lindsay’s own attendant finished up and left. Cindy was fixed with a stare she never saw from Lindsay before. A stare she couldn’t decipher in the few seconds that Lindsay let it show before the brunette grumbled something unintelligible, signifying the return of pissed-off cop.
Cindy looked down at her hands and realizing there weren’t any cuffs, she hopped down from the ambulance and hurried after Lindsay.
034. Neutral
“Claire, tell her she’s overreacting!” Cindy pleaded the Medical Examiner.
“I am not overreacting. You shouldn’t have put yourself in that situation. Tell her she’s wrong, Claire,” Lindsay fired back, arms crossed.
Claire merely looked at the two women on each side of the table where a gang member was lying with four bullet-holes in his chest. She shook her head, “Don’t drag me into this, I’m Switzerland.”
“Switzerland?” Lindsay asked, giving Cindy a momentary rest from her laser vision as she looked confusedly at Claire. “Switzerland, Claire?”
“Switzerland,” Cindy started before she could stop, realizing too late that it would and of course, did in fact,, bring the laser vision back to her, “is… Neutral,” she finished lamely. Wince included.
“I’ll give you ‘neutral’,” Lindsay snapped.
"I bet you will, Il Duce," Cindy muttered, cementing her fate.
"Il Duce?" Lindsay balked, "I am not an evil Fascist dictator!" She clamped and iron grip on the reporter’s shoulder and led her away into Claire’s office. All the better to rule with an Iron Fist, Cindy angrily thought.
“This is seriously not neutral!” Claire heard Cindy whine as the door shut. The Examiner rolled her eyes heavenward and for a moment debated if she should help the young reporter. She shrugged her shoulders instead and dove back into the gangster’s chest cavity.
035. Mate
“It’s such a weird word,” Lindsay wrinkled her nose and dipped a fry into some ketchup.
“It’s not that weird. Mate,” Cindy argued and chewed her salad thoughtfully. “Mate.”
“See? It even sounds weird if you say it enough.”
“Mate, mate, mate,” Cindy spoke with a different inflection each time and shrugged. “Not weird, Lindsay. I mean your obsession with the word is weird, but not the word itself.” She speared a cucumber slice and waggled it in front of her, “G’day, mate!”
“Your accent is weird,” Lindsay said, nabbing the cucumber slice and popping it into her mouth.
“Your accent is…” Cindy trailed off at the look Lindsay shot her. “Uh. Texan.”
“Nice save, Thomas,” Lindsay smirked.
“I try… mate.” Lindsay cringed at the word and dove back into her food, certain that their argument was going nowhere.
036. Fly
The two women sat side by side on a pair of swings. Cindy kicked her feet up and gained some height, enjoying the breeze through her hair. “Don’t you wish you could just fly whenever you wanted to?”
Lindsay kicked at the gravel and gave a chuckle, “Not really, no.”
“No?” Cindy glanced at Lindsay as she swung by.
“I’m happy being on the ground.”
Cindy laughed. “I need to get to work,”
“What? I thought you had today off…“
“Lindsay Boxer is afraid of flying! That’s front page news!” Cindy hopped off her seat mid-air and landed gracefully in the gravel. The finesse of the childlike move almost made Lindsay forget the insult.
Lindsay crossed her arms. “Real funny, Thomas. You’re a riot.”
Cindy grinned and ambled over to Lindsay and ducked her head the few inches it took to be eye-level with the Inspector. “Don’t worry scaredy-cat,” She placed a quick kiss on Lindsay’s pouty lips. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
037. Loud
Cindy felt the bed shift but ignored it anyway. Besides, she figured, if she were in real danger, she’d be dead by now. And that would be fantastic alternative considering how much her head was pounding.
“C’mon Thomas. Wake up. It’s past five,” a familiar drawl boomed.
“God,” Cindy moaned and held a pillow over her head, “Stop yelling at me!”
“I’m not yel-”
“I get it, I drank too much but really Lindsay,” Cindy whimpered, “Can’t we save the whole loud thing for later?”
Lindsay pulled the pillow and blanket off of Cindy’s head and the reporter slammed her eyes shut. When she was sure it was safe, she slowly opened them. Her bedroom was dark with only small hints of the setting sun poking through.
Lindsay wordlessly held up a glass of water and opened her other palm to reveal two delicious looking aspirin.
Cindy sat up and three seconds later, the aspirin and entire glass of water were gone. She gave a weak smile to Lindsay. The latter grinned and took the glass, setting it down on the bedside table as gently as possible.
“Thanks,” Cindy said quietly.
Lindsay winked and carefully stood up, careful not to jostle the red-head. She leaned close and whispered, “Get up and I’ll burn us some dinner.” She pecked Cindy’s forehead and left the bedroom.
038. Touch
“Don’t touch!” Cindy said, quickly slapping Lindsay’s hand away from the cake she had just iced.
“I just wanted to try the frosting,” Lindsay explained with a guilty look.
Cindy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure Nate will understand you ruined his thirteenth birthday cake.”
Lindsay mumbled something unintelligible and looked away.
Cindy held up an icing knife and pat her lips with it. “Oh look, here’s some extra frosting,” she said all too innocently.
Lindsay’s eyes lit up and she leaned in for a chocolate-covered kiss. She pulled back a minute later and took the knife from Cindy. She shook the knife over Cindy’s chest, glad that the red-head wore a v-neck for the party. A dollop of icing landed on Cindy’s exposed skin.
“Oops,” Lindsay murmured and dipped her head to retrieve the icing. She wrapped her arms around Cindy’s waist. “Silly me.”
Cindy’s chuckle stopped in her throat as the Inspector made slow work of cleaning up her mess. God, she loved Lindsay’s touch.
039. Seek
The rainclouds were threatening to burst and, Lindsay thought, they were about to ruin the crime scene. A potential downpour could literally send their investigation down the drain. She sighed and glanced around at the officers and investigators, ignoring the flashing lights that came from all angles. Her eyes landed on a familiar red-head. She moseyed over to the reporter.
“Seekin’ me out again Thomas?” she asked, tiredness making her accent that much heavier.
Cindy smiled and held up her notepad, “Seeking out a story Inspector. As usual.”
Lindsay kept herself from frowning and mentally shook her head. That statement shouldn’t have bothered Lindsay as much as it did. Of course Cindy would be covering a story. It was her job. It’s not like the reporter wanted to be at a murder scene at three in the morning on a Saturday night; no, Sunday morning, in the chilly San Francisco cold.
“And,” Cindy interrupted her thoughts, “maybe I was seeking you out too.”
040. Argue
“Why do you insist on arguing with me?” Lindsay asked, exasperated. She crossed her arms and a mere second later, planted them on her hips. It only took three seconds for her to shift her weight to the other foot and fold her arms again.
“Why do you insist on arguing with me, while, might I add, I’m in jail?!”
“You’re not in jail. You’re in a holding cell.”
“Same difference.”
“Totally different. In fact, I can throw you in jail. Get you a firsthand experience. You can even do a story about it,” Lindsay held her hands out in front of her. “My Night on the Inside: Exclusive by Cindy Thomas”
“Oh and let me guess, you’ll charge me with; Wait, don’t tell me. Obstruction.” Cindy retorted. “You-”
“Oh for the love of-!” Lindsay threw her hands up. “Could you for once, just listen to me when I tell you to not get yourself in trouble?”
Cindy opened her mouth, cheeks flushed in anger.
“No. No arguing with me,” Lindsay cut her off. She jabbed a finger toward the reporter, “One more word from you and I promise I’ll book you in a cell with a big lonely butch lady who goes by the name of Bertha.”
Cindy clamped her mouth shut, eyes showing how much she’d love to say something right then.
They stared each other down until Cindy looked away.
Lindsay sighed and a moment later, stepped up to the cell and unlocked it. Cindy made to leave, obviously still angry. Lindsay put a hand on her shoulder. “You’re drive me nuts, Thomas.”
Cindy looked up at Lindsay and let out a half-smile and shrugged. “Would you have it any other way?”
“No.”
“Can’t argue with you there.”
041. Work
“How are things like this?” Cindy wondered aloud. She glanced down at Lindsay, the Inspector’s head in her lap.
“Hmm?” Lindsay asked. She closed her eyes as Cindy ran her fingers through the Inspector’s hair.
“This,” Cindy said, waving her hand between the two of them. Lindsay wiggled her head, silently demanding the hand return to its previous job. Cindy let out a small smile and lightly scratched her scalp.
“Because,” Lindsay answered simply with a happy sigh, “We just work.”
042. Sink
“Tell me why you’re not doing this yourself?” Lindsay asked as she eyed the drain of the sink in Cindy’s kitchen.
“Because I’m deathly terrified of garbage disposals,” Cindy answered, keeping her hands stuffed in her pockets and watched the Inspector-turned-plumber roll up her sleeve.
“Mmm.” Lindsay shined the flashlight into the drain. She reached her hand down and made a face.
“Find it?”
“I found something… squishy.” Lindsay replied with an irked expression. A few seconds passed before she grinned and threw a wink at Cindy.
“Find it?”
“Ye-” Lindsay stopped short as a clinking sounded. “Damn.”
“Lost it?” Cindy asked worriedly.
“It fell down the drain,” answered Lindsay and stalked out of the kitchen. She returned a moment later armed with a wrench and a bucket.
Forty-five minutes, two head bumps, and countless curses later, did Lindsay appear from under the sink cabinet.
“…Find it?”
Lindsay held out her hand and produced a small silver ring. Cindy slipped it on her ring finger and threw herself into Lindsay’s arms. “It was the last thing my dad gave me. I thought it was gone for sure. Thank you.” She stretched up and planted a kiss on Lindsay’s jaw.
“Anytime.”
043. Nut
Lindsay watched, amused as the red-head wriggled around and flailed her legs to the music. Cindy and Nate Washburn were in a frenzied dance-off. Their eyes were glued to the screen as it flashed arrows at the players, directing them in their moves.
Five minutes later Nate whooped and jumped in the air. Cindy pouted and trudged over to the couch, breathing hard. She sat next to Lindsay and the Inspector wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“You’re a Dance Dance Nut,” Lindsay murmured.
“Yeah,” Cindy sighed and looked up at Lindsay, “But I’m your Dance Dance Nut.”
044. Stuck
“I give up,” Cindy muttered and set her laptop aside.
“What’s up?” Lindsay asked, coming into the living room. She plopped down next to Cindy.
“I’m stuck.”
“On your story?”
“Um... Yeah.” She bit her lip.
Lindsay raised an eyebrow and reached across the red-head. Cindy tried to stop her but the Inspector easily held the younger woman back and looked at the lap top’s screen.
“Hmm,” Lindsay observed, “Looks like you’re stuck on Mah Jong. And here I thought you were actually working.”
“It’s research,” Cindy sniffed, trying to look affronted.
“Research?”
“Well my story is on that crime in Chinatown. I’m just getting a feel for- hey!” She glared at Lindsay as the woman clicked on two tiles, and made them disappear.
“There,” Lindsay said and gave Cindy back the laptop, “You’re unstuck.” She planted a kiss on Cindy’s forehead and went in for a peck on the lips. “Now,” she nipped the younger woman’s bottom lip, “Get back to real work.”
Cindy pouted.
045. Animal
Lindsay Boxer, Cindy decided, was an animal. And not the furry cute kind that you’d take home as a pet even though your mom specifically said ‘no more pets.' No. Lindsay Boxer was an animal in the most predatory of ways. She was a mix of everything scary, dangerous, and just plain overwhelming. Especially when she paced back and forth, trapped like a lion in a cage. Or when she bared her teeth in a snarl, not unlike a wolf. It was super scary. And super hot. Cindy gulped as she realized that for the umpteenth time, she was lost in her supposed lecture. Supposed only because Cindy had no idea what Lindsay had just yelled about.
“Cindy,” Lindsay growled. “I swear, if you zoned out on me yet again, so help me…”
Oh shit. Cindy thought.
One of these days, Cindy hoped, she’d learn to actually pay attention to Lindsay. The Inspector threw a glare at Cindy and began ranting again. She began pacing again. And again, it fell on deaf ears.
046. Pray
“You’d better pray that this,” Lindsay stabbed a finger toward her ringing desk phone, “is a call from Claire telling me good news or I’m not going to be happy.”
Cindy considered herself a relatively good Catholic who, like most people, were due for a chat with the Big Kahuna upstairs. She prayed silently for some saving grace; namely in the form of Claire Washburn: Medical Examiner and Life Saver to Attention Lacking Reporters.
Lindsay hung up the phone after a few brief positive sounding grunts and uh-huhs, and she looked down to Cindy.
“Nice praying.”
Cindy exhaled and let out a small hopeful grin. “Someone up there likes me.”
“Yeah. Or you made a deal with someone down there,” Lindsay muttered and pulled Cindy up and out of the chair. The reporter was left to figure out whom Lindsay was referring to, ‘down there.’ She watched Lindsay lead the way to the morgue and couldn’t help but appreciate the swagger with which she walked. Like a panther.
“God, Thomas. Stop with the animal stuff already,” she muttered to herself and hurried after the Inspector.
047. Kill
“I’ll kill him,” Lindsay growled. Claire and Jill held her down on the couch and Cindy sunk lower into the recliner across from the women.
“You tell me where that son of a bitch lives,” Lindsay demanded. Cindy nervously glanced between the three women across from her. Apparently, wearing big sunglasses to cover a black-eye made her eye more noticeable. As a result, she was under the Boxer Inquisition.
“Lindsay, calm down,” Claire, the voice of reason spoke up.
“Cop or not, you can’t go kill a guy that hit her,” Jill added. “Even I couldn’t get you out of that.”
Lindsay seethed, shrugged off Claire and Jill and stepped over the small coffee table to kneel in front of Cindy. Cindy worried her lip and looked away.
Lindsay sighed and gently lifted Cindy’s chin to look the young woman in the eye. “Fine. I won’t kill him.”
“Promise?” Cindy asked.
“Promise. Though if by some chance he gets roughed up for, oh I don’t know, resisting arrest, then I can’t really do anything about what force I may have to use to restrain him.” Lindsay said with a hint of a grin.
Cindy smiled weakly and threw her arms around Lindsay’s neck. The Inspector held her tightly.
“Now that,” Jill said, “I can get you out of.”
048. Light
Cindy was her light.
One could only work on the police force for so long before a certain darkness consumed them. Lindsay knew she wasn’t blessed with the naiveté of what the real world encompassed. Her profession showed her grisly murders of all kinds. The darkness that filled her, especially after seeing a child’s dead body, was all consuming. After nights like that, Lindsay would usually go home and let the darkness envelope her even more.
These days, all Lindsay had to do was look a few yards to the taped off police barricade and look for Cindy. When their eyes met, the darkness faded away and the Inspector found that she was able to function better. It was Cindy, her light, which fueled Lindsay’s passion to solve the case, and go home.
These days, it would be Cindy’s arms enveloping her instead of that darkness. Lindsay needed that light.
049. Cold
“Cold?” Lindsay asked, eyeing Cindy on the bench next to her.
Cindy nodded. She was folded into herself and Lindsay thought, would certainly disappear if she balled herself up any more.
Lindsay chuckled and held her arm up. Cindy immediately crawled into Lindsay’s lap and the brunette smiled, pulling her closer to share body heat.
“Better?”
Cindy nodded again and pecked Lindsay on the lips. Her cold nose briefly pressed against Lindsay’s cheek. Lindsay rubbed her hand up and down Cindy’s back and the two returned their attention to Nate’s football game; both of the women somewhat less cold than before.
050. Affair
“Never have I ever…” Cindy thought for a moment, “Had an affair!” She threw a sly grin to Jill and the blonde grimaced before taking a shot. Lindsay sighed and took a shot herself.
Cindy’s eyes fixed on Lindsay. Claire and Jill occupied themselves with the drink menu, clearly not wanting to be part of whatever was going on between the reporter and the inspector.
“You’ve…?”
Lindsay nodded.
“Oh.”
With that, Cindy excused herself and made her way to the restroom. Not two seconds later did Lindsay come into the room.
“Cindy?”
“I didn’t think you were that type of-,” Cindy shook her head, “Forget it. It’s not my business.”
Lindsay sighed, “It didn’t mean anything, Cindy.”
“No?” Lindsay shook her head in the negative and slowly approached Cindy but stopped when Cindy took a step back.
“I don’t know why I’m freaking out about this. I mean. It’s not like it happened recently. And it’s not like we’ve been… whatever we’ve been doing, for a long time, right?” At Lindsay’s silence Cindy looked up. “Right?”
Lindsay shoved her hands in her pockets. “It um. Was sort of recent. A few months ago.”
“What?” Cindy asked. “With?”
“Tom.”
Cindy’s face went blank and she nodded. “Oh. Okay then. Well. I’ll uh. I’ll see you later Lindsay.”
Lindsay took a step toward the red-head but Cindy held up her hand. “Please... Don’t.” With that Cindy left the restroom and Lindsay, for the first time in a long time, felt utterly helpless.
Annnnnnd the drabble table. To be filled. Someday. Taken from... I don't know where. Somewhere on LJ. I'll give credit. When/If I ever find it.
001.
Tired
002.
Back Alley
003.
Sunrise
004.
Late
005.
Son
006.
Hot
007.
Friend
008.
Floor
009.
Cheat
010.
Think
011.
Disgust
012.
Shelter
013.
Borrow
014.
Chair
015.
Alter
016.
Peace
017.
Beach
018.
True
019.
Crazy
020.
Love
021.
New
022.
Beggar
023.
False
024.
Happy
025.
Cancer
026.
Pickpocket
027.
Reverse
028.
Deliver
029.
Arrival
030.
Fall
031.
Knife
032.
Torn
033.
Danger
034.
Neutral
035.
Mate
036.
Fly
037.
Loud
038.
Touch
039.
Seek
040.
Argue
041.
Work
042.
Sink
043.
Nut
044.
Stuck
045.
Animal
046.
Pray
047.
Kill
048.
Light
049.
Cold
050.
Affair
051.
Restaurant
052.
Movie
053.
Wait
054.
Patient
055.
Crime
056.
Choke
057.
Fever
058.
Summer
059.
Eat
060.
Thirst
061.
Chance
062.
Appear
063.
Whisper
064.
Day
065.
Scream
066.
Fail
067.
Confused
068.
Smile
069.
Come
070.
Alone
071.
Fast
072.
Slow
073.
Return
074.
Fire
075.
Positive
076.
Baby
077.
Upset
078.
Kitchen
079.
Winter
080.
Ignorant
081.
Fool
082.
Afraid
083.
Prison
084.
Sex
085.
Hate
086.
Alarm
087.
Genius
088.
Negative
089.
Flood
090.
Bomb
091.
Hospital
092.
Trap
093.
Celebrate
094.
Old
095.
Disappear
096.
Writer‘s Choice
097.
Writer‘s Choice
098.
Writer‘s Choice
099.
Writer‘s Choice
100.
Writer‘s Choice