DISCLAIMER: CSI and its characters are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
SPOILERS: Werewolf
On the cutting room floor from 'Werewolf'
By raginhoops
As Sara began to reprocess the phone booth, she continued to seethe, though she had to admit that Sofia was thorough and methodical. But once again, Curtis was pissing on her territory. She stopped abruptly noting the thorn in her side returning with two cups of coffee in hand.
"I figured you'd be about through now and you might want a cup." She said cheerfully.
"So you are timing my work now? Let's get something straight here. I do my own work and I don't need any favors from you." Sara arose out of the booth like a cobra out of a cane field.
"Whoa. I was just trying to save you some time."
Sara incensed, spit out her venomous tirade. "Just what is it with you? You are so far up my butt that I can touch my finger to your nose." She put her finger to her lips and added, "Is this about Grissom? If it is your intention to impress him, leave me the hell out of it."
Sofia stepped back, buffeted by the blast of words and finally staggering into the consciousness of the embarrassing truth- her furrowed brow softened. "Clearly, there has been some miscommunication. I respect the man immensely, as I do you, but I have no interest in him in a sexual way. If you think otherwise, you have just not been paying attention." She laid the coffee cup on the hood of Sara's car and backed off. "Don't worry, I won't be doing you any more favors. I got the message, loud and clear." She threw out the last sentence as she neared her vehicle. "With your free time tonight, why don't you just ask Gil out for dinner?"
Momentarily deflated, Sara watched the detective unceremoniously disappear in the dusty wake of a hasty retreat. What the hell did all that mean? As she gathered up her equipment, it registered that Sofia had indeed estimated her job time accurately and she began to feel guilty about blowing up at her. She had cut her day down an easy two hours. Sofia was fully qualified to do the job and was there to secure the scene, so why not get a jump on the work instead of sitting on her ass. The exchange between them replayed in a loop all the way back to the lab. I can be such a prick. She was still lost in thought when Catherine entered the locker room at the end of the shift.
"You OK?" Catherine ventured, testing the unchartered Bay of Sara of the day. "Want to talk about it?"
Sara automatically shook her head then in an impulsive spurt asked, "Could I ask you something completely off the record?"
Catherine was so shocked that she just mutely stared.
"Do you think Sofia has it for Gil?"
Catherine blinked for a moment before she burst out in a half-snort. "Jesus, that's a hell of a question." Her eyes crinkled with amusement as she added sarcastically, "I think if she was going for someone older, she'd be more into me than Gil." Her eyes widened as she turned back to Sara who wore the strangest expression on her usual impassive visage. She hasn't a clue, Catherine thought. How can such a smart chick be so dumb?
"You think she's gay."
"Sara, are you on this planet? All I can say is that it's a good thing you are a CSI 'cause you ain't no detective."
The dawn of all their conversations came crashing through the dark recesses of Sara's mind. She looked at Catherine, bemused at Sara's tumult. "I think she's been hitting on me."
"And that surprises you? Sara, you need a life. If it bothers you, tell her. I can't see her as the kind to pursue someone that isn't interested." She paused and carefully added, "Unless, of course, you might be interested."
Sara whipped around and said much too quickly, "I don't swing that way. It's not that I haven't tried it. Doesn't everyone in college? It just isn't my cup of tea, you know."
"Hey, no harm, no foul. I was just thinking that she's not chopped liver. I wasn't suggesting that you frequent that particular deli." Catherine continued in her head. Maybe you should. It might get that gorilla off your back.
The End