FIC:Metronome 2/?
TITLE: Metronome
AUTHOR: KL
FANDOM: CSI (Vegas)
PAIRING: Catherine/Sara
SUMMARY: One pushes and the other pulls. What will it take to get them on the same page?
RATING: PG13
DEDICATION: This was and still is for wonkots42 who is my everything
A/N: I wrote this story almost five years ago, but it's not archived anywhere and I've never posted it here so...let's pretend it's new, okay?
[ Part 1 - Prologue]
Part 2
"So what happened next?"
"Eventually we got back on speaking terms and she even took me out for a drink after that thing with Hank."
It was't like Sara had never woken up hot and aroused because of an erotic dream before, but finding that the hand between her legs was not her own was definitely a new thing. Fortunately for her, it belonged to the only person on earth who wouldn't take offence at what happened. But that didn't mean that Sara had a chance in hell of making the whole incident go away without explanation.
The light streaming through the crack of the bathroom door was the brightest thing in the room but that suited both of them just fine. It was a ritual they shared, lying in bed, talking in the gloom. The current subject of conversation was Catherine. Obviously.
"You've been out on a date with her before."
Sara sighed and shook her head.
"It wasn't a date."
"What was it then? From what you've told me so far, the two of you weren't exactly bosom buddies. She didn't have to go out of her way to spend time with you."
"She was just trying to be nice. She may not have liked me but we still had to work together."
The other woman let out a soft chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Sara's defensive instinct kicked in automatically.
"Do you know what your problem is?"
"I don't have one but you're going to tell me anyway, right, Miss Hot-Shot Psychiatrist?"
Sara got a raised eyebrow for her retort.
"Don't put ideas in my head otherwise I'll have to start billing you for my advice."
"Why do I have the feeling that I'll still get the benefit of your wisdom even if I were broke?"
There was a hint of resignation in her voice, laced with just enough humour for it not to be taken completely seriously. It worked.
"Because, sweetheart, I am a sucker for your charms."
Both women smiled at each another simultaneously.
"Where do you hide your Nicorette substitute these days?"
The sudden change of topic caught Sara off guard.
"What?"
"You know what I'm talking about - the last pack of smokes you can never bring yourself to throw away. The one you always replace every time you empty the pack just in case ... "
"...they run out of Nicorette," they finished the sentence in unison.
Christ, she knew her so well.
"Top drawer on your left."
Sara studied the delicate profile and decided that the morning light brought out the aquamarine of her eyes very well. She wondered why she'd never noticed that before. How had she missed out on so many things in the past? And, from what had just happened, how she was it that she was just as clueless in the present?
"I'm sorry."
Sara's voice was low and contrite. The response she got was a thin wisp of smoke wafting lazily from the lips of the woman sitting on the other half of the bed. Strange but the glowing embers at the tip her cigarette were hypnotic and distracting enough to ease the silence. She almost didn't hear it when the answer finally came.
"What are you sorry for?"
"I thought you were... I mean, I was dreaming and you..."
She was cut off before she could finish.
"Sara, you were in a semi-sleep state and fantasizing. From what I can tell..." she held up her right hand while wiggling her fingers, "...it was very vivid. Good to know I haven't lost my touch."
Sara groaned and buried her heated face in her hands.
"Hey, don't tell me you've grown all coy on me now. We've always been completely open with each other. And I've earned that privilege, being your first and all..."
That brought a smile to Sara's face, her embarrassment temporarily forgotten.
"You, on the other hand, had a reputation that preceded you for miles by the time we got together, Alex."
Alex tossed the burnt out cigarette butt into an ashtray and leaned back against the headboard.
"I was..." she paused momentarily, looking for the words, "...searching for the right one. It's not my fault there were so many wrong ones in the way. At least I was always honest about it once I realised it wouldn't work."
Sara rolled her eye in mock exasperation.
"Yeah, I'm sure they would all agree - Diane, Jenny, Samantha, Laura...." she counted off the names on her fingers before being interrupted by a pillow being thrown at her face.
"Smart aleck. Just remember that you're on that list too and the last time I checked, you weren't complaining."
The remark evoked a flashback of what just happened and Sara felt a tingle run down her spine; among other places. Their relationship hadn't worked out for many reasons, but sex was definitely not one of them. Even after all this time, Alex knew exactly how to touch her in the right places and that made her feel even worse about her mistake.
"Alex, I feel really bad about what happened just now..."
"I told you, don't worry about it. Although..."
Alex arched an eyebrow and smiled suggestively.
"...if it'll make you feel better, you can return the favour."
The brunette looked sufficiently shocked and red-faced that Alex broke into a laugh immediately.
"Relax, Sara, I was just kidding. My ego may be dented but it's not damaged enough to resort to a pity-fuck. Besides, it was my own fault for trying to wake you up in an imaginative way. You were tossing and turning in your sleep."
"I haven't been sleeping well lately. Work has been stressful, I guess."
Alex's face grew serious.
"I think it's more like you have some issues keeping your mind occupied. Maybe it's a personal issue named Catherine..."
Sara shook her head vehemently.
"There are no issues. She's just a colleague."
Alex sighed. She was glad to see that Sara hadn't changed after all these years and that included her legendary pig-headedness. They weren't going to get anywhere with this topic and, glancing at the clock, she realised that they had to be up in a few hours' time. Plenty of time to continue this in the light of day, so she decided not to persist with this topic for now.
"She sounds like quite a woman. I can't wait to meet her."
"You will soon enough."
Sara leaned over and gave Alex a hug, barely suppressing a yawn along the way.
"You don't know how glad I am to see you. I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, Sara. Now, some shut eye. And this time..." she added mischievously, "...try to remember that I'm borrowing this half of your bed, not Catherine."
Sara glared sleepily as she snuggled under the covers, turning onto her favoured right side. Alex watched as sleep overtook the slender body next to her; she was just as tired but knew sleep wouldn't come that easily for her. Her mind replayed the conversation they'd just shared as she realised that, as much as she hated to admit it, she had lost Sara once again.
AUTHOR: KL
FANDOM: CSI (Vegas)
PAIRING: Catherine/Sara
SUMMARY: One pushes and the other pulls. What will it take to get them on the same page?
RATING: PG13
DEDICATION: This was and still is for wonkots42 who is my everything
A/N: I wrote this story almost five years ago, but it's not archived anywhere and I've never posted it here so...let's pretend it's new, okay?
[ Part 1 - Prologue]
Part 2
"So what happened next?"
"Eventually we got back on speaking terms and she even took me out for a drink after that thing with Hank."
It was't like Sara had never woken up hot and aroused because of an erotic dream before, but finding that the hand between her legs was not her own was definitely a new thing. Fortunately for her, it belonged to the only person on earth who wouldn't take offence at what happened. But that didn't mean that Sara had a chance in hell of making the whole incident go away without explanation.
The light streaming through the crack of the bathroom door was the brightest thing in the room but that suited both of them just fine. It was a ritual they shared, lying in bed, talking in the gloom. The current subject of conversation was Catherine. Obviously.
"You've been out on a date with her before."
Sara sighed and shook her head.
"It wasn't a date."
"What was it then? From what you've told me so far, the two of you weren't exactly bosom buddies. She didn't have to go out of her way to spend time with you."
"She was just trying to be nice. She may not have liked me but we still had to work together."
The other woman let out a soft chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Sara's defensive instinct kicked in automatically.
"Do you know what your problem is?"
"I don't have one but you're going to tell me anyway, right, Miss Hot-Shot Psychiatrist?"
Sara got a raised eyebrow for her retort.
"Don't put ideas in my head otherwise I'll have to start billing you for my advice."
"Why do I have the feeling that I'll still get the benefit of your wisdom even if I were broke?"
There was a hint of resignation in her voice, laced with just enough humour for it not to be taken completely seriously. It worked.
"Because, sweetheart, I am a sucker for your charms."
Both women smiled at each another simultaneously.
"Where do you hide your Nicorette substitute these days?"
The sudden change of topic caught Sara off guard.
"What?"
"You know what I'm talking about - the last pack of smokes you can never bring yourself to throw away. The one you always replace every time you empty the pack just in case ... "
"...they run out of Nicorette," they finished the sentence in unison.
Christ, she knew her so well.
"Top drawer on your left."
Sara studied the delicate profile and decided that the morning light brought out the aquamarine of her eyes very well. She wondered why she'd never noticed that before. How had she missed out on so many things in the past? And, from what had just happened, how she was it that she was just as clueless in the present?
"I'm sorry."
Sara's voice was low and contrite. The response she got was a thin wisp of smoke wafting lazily from the lips of the woman sitting on the other half of the bed. Strange but the glowing embers at the tip her cigarette were hypnotic and distracting enough to ease the silence. She almost didn't hear it when the answer finally came.
"What are you sorry for?"
"I thought you were... I mean, I was dreaming and you..."
She was cut off before she could finish.
"Sara, you were in a semi-sleep state and fantasizing. From what I can tell..." she held up her right hand while wiggling her fingers, "...it was very vivid. Good to know I haven't lost my touch."
Sara groaned and buried her heated face in her hands.
"Hey, don't tell me you've grown all coy on me now. We've always been completely open with each other. And I've earned that privilege, being your first and all..."
That brought a smile to Sara's face, her embarrassment temporarily forgotten.
"You, on the other hand, had a reputation that preceded you for miles by the time we got together, Alex."
Alex tossed the burnt out cigarette butt into an ashtray and leaned back against the headboard.
"I was..." she paused momentarily, looking for the words, "...searching for the right one. It's not my fault there were so many wrong ones in the way. At least I was always honest about it once I realised it wouldn't work."
Sara rolled her eye in mock exasperation.
"Yeah, I'm sure they would all agree - Diane, Jenny, Samantha, Laura...." she counted off the names on her fingers before being interrupted by a pillow being thrown at her face.
"Smart aleck. Just remember that you're on that list too and the last time I checked, you weren't complaining."
The remark evoked a flashback of what just happened and Sara felt a tingle run down her spine; among other places. Their relationship hadn't worked out for many reasons, but sex was definitely not one of them. Even after all this time, Alex knew exactly how to touch her in the right places and that made her feel even worse about her mistake.
"Alex, I feel really bad about what happened just now..."
"I told you, don't worry about it. Although..."
Alex arched an eyebrow and smiled suggestively.
"...if it'll make you feel better, you can return the favour."
The brunette looked sufficiently shocked and red-faced that Alex broke into a laugh immediately.
"Relax, Sara, I was just kidding. My ego may be dented but it's not damaged enough to resort to a pity-fuck. Besides, it was my own fault for trying to wake you up in an imaginative way. You were tossing and turning in your sleep."
"I haven't been sleeping well lately. Work has been stressful, I guess."
Alex's face grew serious.
"I think it's more like you have some issues keeping your mind occupied. Maybe it's a personal issue named Catherine..."
Sara shook her head vehemently.
"There are no issues. She's just a colleague."
Alex sighed. She was glad to see that Sara hadn't changed after all these years and that included her legendary pig-headedness. They weren't going to get anywhere with this topic and, glancing at the clock, she realised that they had to be up in a few hours' time. Plenty of time to continue this in the light of day, so she decided not to persist with this topic for now.
"She sounds like quite a woman. I can't wait to meet her."
"You will soon enough."
Sara leaned over and gave Alex a hug, barely suppressing a yawn along the way.
"You don't know how glad I am to see you. I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, Sara. Now, some shut eye. And this time..." she added mischievously, "...try to remember that I'm borrowing this half of your bed, not Catherine."
Sara glared sleepily as she snuggled under the covers, turning onto her favoured right side. Alex watched as sleep overtook the slender body next to her; she was just as tired but knew sleep wouldn't come that easily for her. Her mind replayed the conversation they'd just shared as she realised that, as much as she hated to admit it, she had lost Sara once again.