Title: A Little Evil Comes A Long Way
Author: raug_moss
Pairings: Kahlan/Cara
Rating: NC-17
A/N: modern AU
A/N: hope all of you readers out there had wonderful holidays and a great start into the new year :D and now, as promised, Kahlan and Cara finally talk! yay :D
Chapter 1,
Chapter 2,
Chapter 3,
Chapter 4,
Chapter 5,
Chapter 6,
Chapter 7,
Chapter 8,
Chapter 9,
Chapter 10,
Chapter 11,
Chapter 12 Chapter 13
“Where the hell were you?” Cara scowles at Richard who is busy tugging his shirt into his pants.
“You do realize that this is the men’s restroom?”
“If anyone has a problem with me being here they can tell me themselves. So, answer the question! You’ve let me sit here in all my misery almost all evening. What were you thinking?”
“First of all the chief wanted to parade you around, not me and secondly I was busy helping a woman fend off unwelcome attention and grabby hands...” Richard straightens his shirt and pulls on the jacket of his uniform.
“That’s so much like you. Trying to rescue the damsel in distress wherever you are. I’m sure she was real glad but what about this distressed woman?”
Cara points at herself and raises her eyebrow. Her tone has somewhat softened because she knows that Richard is never one to be late without a solid reason.
“I’m sorry but I’m here now. Let’s go get something to drink.” He buttons his jacket and then pulls Cara out of the men’s restroom toward the main hall.
Although he wouldn’t admit it, he is trying to get another glance at the brunette woman he’d rescued half an hour ago. She truly is a sight to behold and despite giving her his number he doubts that she will ever actually call him.
Luckily enough Richard doesn’t see her as she makes her way through the crowd only a few feet away. Cara however almost trips over her own feet when she sees the dark mane, the silken white skin that is perfectly framed by a simple black dress and those blue eyes that she’s been thinking about for the last couple of days.
“Gimme a minute, I’ll be right back!”
She doesn’t even spare another glance at Richard as she hurries past him, after the woman who has quite an advantage with her long legs.
Cara was going to find out the brunette’s number to give her a call anyway, simply because the case had turned out be more difficult than she’d anticipated. But why she’s chasing after her at a dinner party through the main doors isn’t entirely clear to the detective either.
“Miss Amnell!” She calls, authority clear in her voice.
The brunette immediately stops and her shoulders tense. Cara regrets her decision as soon as she’s caught up with the brunette. She shouldn’t have bothered her at a public event and she feels foolish as she stands there before Kahlan who slowly turns around.
Surprise is evident in her features but they soften as soon as she recognizes Cara.
“Detective Mason...” She fumbles for words as her eyes glance nervously past Cara only to look her up and down a moment later.
“I’m sorry to disturb you Miss Amnell. Were you leaving?”
As soon as the words have left her mouth Cara chastises herself on the inside for asking something so obvious and stupid.
“I...yes...” Kahlan seems slightly uncomfortable with the entire situation and yet she can’t stop herself from ogling Cara’s uniform every three seconds. The detective smirks a little and tries to hide her embarrassment with professionalism.
“I just wanted to let you know that something’s come up in terms of the case. It would be most helpful if you could come by the station very soon. I will explain everything in more detail then.”
Good job, Cara mentally pats herself on the shoulder for getting everything out in such a straightforward way.
“You didn’t leave your number and...” Cara adds and then trails off.
“Yes, yes of course.” Kahlan nods her head slowly. “Tomorrow? How about tomorrow? If I stop by...?”
“That would be great.” Cara realizes that she sounds just a little too enthusiastic and quickly stops a smile from emerging on her lips.
Kahlan nods and takes a small step back. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow detective. Enjoy the party.”
The brunette swiftly turns around and hurries away toward the street. She’s surprisingly fast despite her heels and Cara finds herself staring mesmerized at perfectly shaped calves. Which she’s never done before in her life.
“Alright Mason, you need to cut back on working hours and get in a little more sleep.” She’s talking to herself and luckily there’s no one close enough to witness that little slip toward insanity.
Gathering her thoughts she turns back to the hotel ready to face the wolves, or as others call them, her superiors. They want to parade her around in front of every other agency because she’s almost the only woman in a leading position as well as one of the most successful detectives in the department.
Cara straightens the jacket of her uniform and walks back into the main hall. Richard is already engaged in a conversation and she really doesn’t want to interrupt so she simply turns to the bar to get herself a drink that will make this evening a lot more bearable.
“Mason!” Her boss is suddenly beside her before she even has the chance to order anything. He lays a hand on her shoulder and guides her away from the bar toward a man who turns out to be the chief judge of the city.
“Judge Denston I’d like you to meet Detective Cara Mason...”
Cara tries to smile and takes the hand that’s offered to her.
There’s really not a single thing she could talk about with a judge. This man has no idea what it’s like to be on the streets. To see the dead bodies and to tell the family that their little daughter has been murdered. They get the cases presented when they’re already solved and sometimes even then make the wrong decisions.
She excuses herself at the first possibility that offers itself, earning an angry stare from her boss. But she couldn’t care less, it is his fault that she’s here in the first place so there really is no need to torture her any further. Only a moment later she runs into the arms of Medical Examiner Zedd Zorander while she is on her way to the bar. The M.E. is as quirky a man as can be and his looks only attest to that. He obviously hasn’t even tried to tame that crazy white hair of his and Cara hasn’t decided yet whether that corduroy suit fits him or if it’s just plain ugly.
“Zedd.” She greets him with a smile. In fact she is happy to see him, because he’s much better company than any of those snooty judges and lawyers.
Even though he often throws people off with his in detail descriptions of autopsies and corpses, Cara truly likes the elderly man. He’s good-natured and, as long as he has something to eat, also a pleasure to work with.
“Detective Mason, you look stunning.” Bushy white brows raise to his forehead as he admires Cara’s uniform. “That really suits you. You should wear it more often.”
“Oh yeah? And catch suspects by throwing those heavy golden buttons at them?” Cara jokes. Zedd chuckles quietly.
“Maybe. But uhm... I was just heading over to the buffet, I’m starving. Wanna come along?”
Cara grins and slowly shakes her head. “No, I’m good. You go and have something to eat before we have to feed you intravenous. See you around Dr Z.”
The detective makes her way through the main hall and somehow manages to slip out onto the balcony unnoticed. It’s quite chilly and she is all by herself.
It’s kinda funny really, because she can work on cases for days on end without taking a break but these social events exhaust her endlessly.
Deciding that a small pause is exactly what she needs, Cara leans against the stone railing of the balcony and looks down into the darkness of the garden that surrounds the hotel.
In this moment of quiet she can’t help but wonder what exactly Kahlan Amnell has been doing at this dinner party. First she beats up a few criminals in one of the most dangerous parts of the city and now she attends a dinner party at one of the most expensive hotels. That’s somewhat of a contradiction Cara isn’t sure she understands. But she also can’t ask the brunette about it, right? Because that would simply be inappropriate since it’s none of her business.
She has always been a curious person and Kahlan simply intrigues her. What she doesn’t realize yet, is that this fascination is more than just the desire to solve a mystery.
Chapter 14