DISCLAIMER: CSI and its characters are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS. They are not mine and never will be… unfortunately.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Written years ago, so I finished it off for IDF 2013. It's been so long since I watched or CSI so I'm a little rusty. Who knows? Maybe there could be a sequel one day. Happy IDF everyone!
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To kc_sg27[at]yahoo.com.au
Too Tired
By KC
Catherine rounded the corner and saw Sara sitting on the bench in the locker room. "I thought you went home?"
Sara looked up at her, "I'm too tired to go home."
A moment of silence passed between the two. The gravity of Sara's admission meaning more than either wanted to admit.
"Come on. I'll take you home."
"I'm fine. I'll just crash on the lounge."
"No. You won't. I'm taking you home."
"Catherine…"
Whatever she was about to say was lost in the depth of Catherine's sigh. "Sara, please."
Now it was Sara's turn to sigh. "Alright," she said in defeat.
They walked out to Catherine's SUV in silence. They'd been working together long enough that it was comfortable, despite their past disagreements. Sara was too exhausted to do pretty much anything except sit and listen to the radio. She zoned out when the news came on, and Catherine noticed her companion turn her head. She reached forward and turned it off, wanting to avoid it just as much as Sara.
When they reached Catherine's house they walked in and Sara followed the strawberry blonde into the kitchen. Catherine poured them both a glass of water and led them back into the lounge room.
After a few minutes Catherine asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No," Sara replied quietly.
"Do you want a hug?"
Sara slowly glared at Catherine, but when she saw the open caring expression her face softened. She just assumed Catherine had been teasing it, but now she realized that the offer was genuine. She shrugged, "If it'll make you feel better."
Catherine laughed, "Me? I'm trying to make you feel better."
Sara shrugged again but offered a small smile. Catherine took this as permission and pulled the younger woman into her arms. They were both tense as this was a new situation for them. Despite being two females colleagues they had never soft comfort in one another. After long moments Catherine threw caution to the wind and just focused on being there for Sara. She rubbed the brunette's lower back in small circles.
Eventually Sara relaxed too, and her whole body melted into Catherine's arms. If she knew it would feel so good she would have found a way to instigate this years earlier. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander to the place she always avoided going – her attraction to Catherine. She knew it wouldn't go anywhere but she was too tired to care. She just enjoyed the moment of being held by the woman she had fallen in love with.
The End