Challenge Fluff Reponse -- A Light at the End of the Tunnel

[darandkerry.livejournal.com]

Title: A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Author: Ann

Fandom: CSI

Challenger: femme_slash_fan

Challenge: Sara/Cath, locker room, bad day

 

Gingerly sitting on the bench in the locker room, I lean back with an ice pack on my nose and rest my head against my locker. What a day from hell. I can’t wait for this shift to begin so I can concentrate on another day and put this one behind me.

 

**Looking Back**

 

It all started midway through last shift. Greg and I were assigned to an alley to recover evidence in a dumpster. We drew straws, and I actually won. Greg donned one of CSI’s finest blue jumpsuits and crawled up onto the dumpster, and that’s when things went south. 

 

He got his foot hung on the corner, and I had to climb up to help him out. Just as I released his foot, I fell backward into the putrid smelling container. Oh, and did I mention, I wasn’t wearing the protective covering? 

 

No, I hadn't bothered putting it on.  Instead, I had on a long sleeve button up shirt tucked into my low riding black jeans. I had the grossest stuff slip into my shirt and land in my bra, not to mention, the slime that seeped into the back of my jeans. 

 

Suffice it to say, I was a walking pile of goo. Greg wouldn’t even let me ride in the Denali. He had a garbage truck drive me back to the lab, and the driver made me stand on the back of the truck holding onto the side handle just like a regular garbage man.

 

No one and I mean no one said a word to me when I headed for the shower. It took thirty minutes to wash all the stuff off, and as a precaution, I washed my hair three times. I didn’t try to save my clothes; I just bagged them and threw them in the back dumpster.

 

On the drive home from the lab after the end of my shift, my tire blew when I was just four blocks from my apartment, and I narrowly missed hitting a parked car. Miraculously, I managed to pull to the curb to avoid getting rear-ended. Of course, my spare was flat, and I ended up calling a tow truck. The whole experience cost me two hundred dollars as well as two hours of much needed sleep.

 

Finally, I crawled into my bed and surprisingly fell asleep right away only to wake screaming an hour later from a horrible nightmare. It still gives me the heebie geebies just thinking about it. I was in some hotel room with Grissom of all people. He was wearing some Hawaiian looking shirt, and I was wearing a very revealing robe. Thank God, I woke up before anything happened between us.

 

I laid in the bed tossing and turning for the next six hours. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get that horrible image out of my mind.  I even went so far as to try to morph Grissom’s image into Catherine’s, but it was to no avail.

 

Around three, I gave up on sleeping and decided to take a shower. Mid-way into my washing, the visual of Catherine overshadowed Grissom, and I took an extra fifteen minutes to get ‘clean.’ At least my waking dreams allowed me a little enjoyment.

 

I was actually smiling as I climbed out of the bath tub, but it was short-lived when my foot slipped on the tile, and I performed a split any cheerleader would proud of. Too bad I’m not as limber as I used to be.

 

Limping into the bedroom, I very slowly put on my underwear and jeans. I’m fairly certain that I pulled something vital when I hit the floor.

 

I managed to finish dressing and walk to the kitchen to get something to eat. First, I went to the coffeepot for my caffeine fix, but I immediately noticed that the pot was scorched. I must have left the pot on last night, and it would take me at least thirty minutes to clean so I threw it in the garbage and made a note to purchase another one on the way home from shift tomorrow.

 

It didn’t take me long to realize that there was absolutely nothing to eat in my refrigerator or cabinets. I guess I forgot to go to the store too.

 

I quickly decided to go into work early and stop to get something to eat on the way in. Grabbing my keys, I headed for the door and my car with its new tire.

 

An hour later, I arrived at work and sat down at the break room table to eat my sandwich. The line at the deli was out the door, but I had my mind set on a veggie wrap. Opening the wrapper, my mouth began to water, and I couldn’t wait to get my first bite.

 

I unwrapped the tortilla to savor the smell before consuming my meal and immediately put it back down. The pimply-faced, incompetent teenager had given me a ham salad wrap. I tossed the offensive sandwich in the trash and headed for the coke and candy machines.

 

Choosing water, I punched the button, and the bottle came tumbling down, but the machine decided to keep my change, so I reached into my pocket and pulled out another dollar bill to put in the candy machine. 

 

I made my selection of crackers, and this machine managed to give me the correct change. Now, if it would release the crackers from the slot, I’d be happy. I watched as the crackers hung on the edge. This was the final straw. Pissed, I got behind the machine and began to rock it back and forth. When I heard the wonderful sound of my crackers falling forward, I let go of the machine, and it popped back and hit me square in the nose.

 

***Back to the present***

 

So now, I’m sitting here with my water and crackers beside me while I try to get my nose to stop bleeding. The throbbing has stopped so it should only be a matter of time before the bleeding does the same.

 

The door to the locker room opens and a set of feet make their way toward me. I keep my eyes closed hoping the intruder will go away, but Catherine’s voice comes through loud and clear. “What happened to you? You look like hell.”

 

No shit. Not wanting to top off my day by getting into a fight, I reply, “And I love you too, Catherine.”

 

I wait for one of her snappy replies, but instead I'm greeted with silence. Slipping the ice bag off my face, I shift my eyes in Catherine’s direction to find her looking at me or rather looking me over. Maybe that machine knocked me for a loop because I’m definitely seeing things that aren’t there.

 

Catherine immediately moves to sit next to me and takes the ice bag from my hand. She very gently holds the bag on my nose and says, “Do you, Sara? Love me, I mean.”

 

My day is about to get worse when my head begins to slide down the locker at the same time my ass begins to slip off the bench. I am saved from a brutal encounter with the floor by Catherine who grabs hold of me and pulls me into an embrace. Now I find my face smashed up against her breasts, and with my nose situation, I can barely breathe. Somehow I don’t think I would mind dying in this particular position.

 

Catherine helps me sit upright, and I quickly look down at her breasts just to see if I got any blood on her shirt, of course. When I spot a red circle, I cringe and say, “Oh man, I got blood on your shirt. I’ll buy you a new one; I promise.”

 

Looking down at her ruined blouse, Catherine replies, “Don’t worry about it. It will come out with cold water.”

I stare at Catherine stunned by her response.  She's jumped down my throat for much less.  What's going on?

 

Hesitating, Catherine takes my hand and adds, “If you really want to make it up to me, you’ll take me to breakfast after shift, then we can go to my house and talk. What do you say?”

 

Smiling broadly, I reply, “I’d like that.”

 

Wow, what a great day.