DISCLAIMER: CSI and its characters are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS. No infringement intended.
CHALLENGE: Written as part of the 1001 Nights Challenge - whisper
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Good Whispers and Bad Whispers
By KT
Monday- Early Morning
The first whisper of the day was when she closed her cell phone and leaked a profanity. She was supposed to have off today, but apparently a certain brunette had told Grissom it was urgent that she have off instead as she had to take care of a personal matter. Catherine turned to the aforementioned brunette and voiced softly, "Sara." Sara was dead to the world. Catherine gave her a light shove. Sara just barely avoided falling off the bed. "Sara."
Sara wiped her eyes and focused them on Catherine. "What is it baby?"
"You told Grissom you needed off today, when you knew I asked him first. I'm in charge of hosting a PTA meeting today."
"Dammit." Sara cursed and brought a hand to her face. She had gotten so caught up in her plans for the day that when Grissom told her Catherine wanted off, she assumed it wasn't as important as what she planned- that it was one of Catherine's days at the spa or something similar. Who knows, maybe her plans wouldn't be as important in the end. "I'm sorry Catherine, but I really have to do this…thing. Can't it be rescheduled?"
Catherine laughed angrily and jumped out of bed. "Rescheduled?!" She ran a hand through her hair and paced her bedroom. "Yeah, I'll just go do that. Call 25 other moms and tell them with less than a day's notice they need to change their plans and make time off for another day to have this meeting. Sara, do you even know how upset these women are going to be with me? I already stand out as the worst mom in the group because of how many meetings I have to miss. So yeah, thanks a fucking lot."
"Cat." Sara winced as Catherine slammed the bathroom door. Maybe I should reschedule. 'Don't.' Her conscience told her. 'It already took you this long to work up the nerve to do it…if you wait any longer, you'll drive yourself crazy with worry and regret.' Determined, Sara nodded her head and got ready for the day. She made coffee and breakfast- blueberry pancakes- Catherine's favorite, and waited for her lover to walk in.
Well, Catherine didn't walk in- more like stormed in. She didn't look at Sara as she headed straight to the coffeemaker and filled her thermos.
"I made you some breakfast." Sara voiced softly.
"I don't want it." Catherine replied and headed for the door, grabbing her keys along the way.
Sara ran up to the door to catch up with her. "Catherine, wait!"
Sara wrapped her arms around Catherine and tried to kiss her, but Catherine shied away from her touch. Sara awkwardly stepped back and tried to mask her hurt with a smile. "I love you and...um, I promise to make it up to you later."
"Yeah, right," Catherine scoffed as she opened the door and shut it behind her just as quickly.
Sara bit her lip, hoping she made the right decision.
Monday Afternoon
The second time Catherine whispered, it was after receiving a message from Brass. The phone rang right when she was helping Warrick collect evidence from a body found in the park.
"What?!" She yelled into the phone, not caring if it was the Head of the Crime Lab herself.
"Catherine," Brass sighed, "Something has happened to Sara. She's at the hospital."
Catherine felt her heart stop, "Is… is she okay?"
"I don't know. I think you should come over here yourself Catherine. Grissom told me he's sending Sofia to help Warrick. Just get over here Catherine." There was a hitch is Brass's voice.
"Uh, okay." Catherine said with a shaky voice and tears forming in her eyes. She hung up her phone, met Warrick's questioning gaze, but couldn't manage to get anything out except "hospital, Sara" before heading to her car.
She met Brass in the lobby. He looked worse in person than he sounded on the phone. His eyes were bloodshot- no doubt from the tears present in his eyes.
"What happened?" Catherine was crying freely now. "Where is she?"
Brass hugged her to try to calm her down even though he wasn't doing so well either. "She was mugged when she was coming out of a jewelry store, she put up a big fight, and the guy hit her head pretty badly. I'm sorry Catherine, but Sara's in a coma."
Catherine pulled away from him to meet his eyes. "A coma? Do they know how long it will last?"
"No." Brass stated. "It could be days, months, or years."
"Fuck." Catherine closed her eyes. "We had an argument this morning. The last thing she told me was she loved me and I laughed at her and slammed the door in her face."
Brass gave her a look of sympathy, "All you can do now is be there for her. The doctor said we could visit her later."
Catherine swallowed thickly and nodded.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
The next 3,498 times Catherine whispered was to tell Sara how much she loved her, missed her, how sorry she was, and how lost she would be without her. In her other whispers, she urged Sara to fight harder, come back to her, and to not leave her.
Friday- Early morning
Catherine was resting her head on Sara's stomach, having finally succumbed to sleep last night. She probably would've still been sleeping if it were not for the faint touch of someone's hand brushing through her hair.
Catherine's teary eyes met Sara's equally- watery eyes, evidence that Sara did indeed remember what happened to her. Catherine showered Sara with kisses until Sara's soft push on her shoulders caused her lips to pause in their attack.
The first whisper of the day was not from Catherine, but from Sara. She did not murmur 'Catherine' or 'I love you,' instead, she asked a question:
"Will you marry me?"
The second whisper of the day, which was followed by a kiss, was "Yes."
The End