Title: The Encounter

Name: Raven Morbisk

Feedback: Whatever_who_cares@msn.com

Disclaimer: I merely own the words. Sucks, I know…

Fandom: CSI

Pairing: Sara/Catherine (sort of)

Rating: PG13

Summary: Sara doesn’t want to be Catherine’s friend.

A/N: I’m not in a fluffy mood so don’t even think it’s a fluffy story.

Catherine entered the place where she was supposed to meet Luke, a nice enough looking guy with one hell of a stamina. She needed that right now, to take the mind of her fight with Sara. This time Ecklie suspended Sara, not that she could blame Ecklie. Sara was out of line and the brunette knew it. Glancing around the bar she was surprised to see the object of her frustrations drinking what looked like a bottle of Jack. She looked so broken that Catherine’s feet traveled out of their own accord to stand next to Sara.

“Hi.” Catherine cursed herself inwardly at the lame greeting. Sara looked up shocked but hid it just as fast with a menacing glare at the strawberry blonde CSI. A grunt of recognition was all response Catherine received then turned her gaze back to the bottle of jack in front of her.

“What can I get ya?” Catherine looked up from Sara to the bartender, a young man who didn’t look like he belonged in a bar like this. He had a sweet face with blonde curls cascading down the side of his face and pearly white teeth. His blue eyes radiated friendliness as he waited for Catherine to respond.

“I’ll have a beer.” Catherine responded with a bright smile herself. From the moment she had entered the bar she received quite the lustful looks but this guy just pretended she was like any other woman.

“Figures you’d be here.” Sara finally said not taking her eyes away from her bottle after the bartender had brought Catherine her beer. The older CSI quirked an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, wondering what she meant by that.

“I didn’t think you’d be here though.” Catherine said taking a small swig from her beer, already knowing their encounter was not going to end well. She only hoped Luke would be here soon, everything would be forgotten for a while then.

“Then what did you think?” Sara turned her head to face the other woman. Catherine was shocked to find so much pain and hate behind those chocolate brown eyes. Her confidence began to falter the longer she looked in Sara’s eyes until she couldn’t take it anymore and she looked away from the brunette.

“I thought you’d be home-” Catherine started but was cut off by Sara.

“Because I don’t have a social life? Or because you think I’d be at home regretting what I said to you?” Sara laughed bitterly at that. “Hell no, you deserved every word.” She snarled and poured another drink in her glass.

“I wasn’t going to say-” Catherine gritted her teeth irritated when Sara cut her off again. She hated it when people cut her off and she hated it even more when Sara was the person to cut her off.

“Why the hell are you talking to me in the first place?” Even though Sara looked angry beyond recognition, her voice sounded tired. “Shouldn’t you be looking for your flavor of the week?” the anger came back full force as Sara emptied her drink. “What’s his name this time? Jimmy? Kevin? Or are you just waiting to get hit on?” Even though there was truth in Sara’s words, Catherine didn’t need it coming from her.

“None of your goddamn business, Sara.” She snapped at the brunette. She expected an equally angry retort but Sara just snorted and poured another glass, downing it right after. Catherine went to take another swig of her beer only to find it empty.

“Touchy, aren’t we?” Sara smirked. She motioned for the bartender to bring the blonde another beer, which confused Catherine. Here they were, in yet another argument and Sara just bought her a new beer.

“Fine, you know I came here to talk to you because you looked like you could use a friend.” Catherine threw her hands up in frustration with a heavy sigh. She was about to turn when she heard Sara’s voice cut through her with its venom.

“And you really thought you could be my friend? My shoulder to cry on?” The brunette let out an incredulous laugh that was on the verge of crying. “I got suspended because of you, Cat.” She snapped putting a little extra malice in the nickname Catherine loathed so much. “Why the hell would I wanna be your friend?” Sara had foregone the glass and was now repeatedly taking a swig from the bottle that was now half empty.

“You got suspended because of your lack of respect.” Catherine countered, her patience running out. In the back of her mind she noticed it was quieter in the bar, like they were watching the argument. She knew the bartender was watching them. He hadn’t moved from his spot when he handed Catherine her second beer.

“That’s rich, coming from you.” Sara chuckled irritated. “You didn’t seem too fond of respect when you were riding me about my reaction to the case.” She scoffed then held a hand up to stop Catherine. “Don’t even think about asking.” She turned her head slightly shooting a half glare, half pleading look at the strawberry blonde.

“You know what? Have it your way, I’m done with this.” Catherine pushed herself away from the bar. “Don’t be surprised when you burn out because of it.” If she had any doubt of people watching them, they were all washed away when the bar went completely silent except for the music. “Thanks for the beer.” She sneered and drank the liquid in one smooth motion before slamming it on the counter and leaving the bar.

When Catherine was out the door the noise came back in full force. Sara knew the regulars here, she wouldn’t go as far as calling them her friends but she knew that if Catherine stayed a little longer that some of the burly customers would have something to say about it.

Sara kept looking at the entrance, a part of her wanting Catherine to come storming back in. It wasn’t until Henry, the bartender, took away her empty bottle that she looked away from the door. She checked the large clock on the wall to see that already twenty minutes had passed.

“Hey,” Sara had to suppress a groan when a slick voice attached to a sickening smiling face stood next to her. “The bartender told me you were talking to Catherine.” She snorted incredulously at the odds of Catherine’s boy toy talking to her about the older CSI.

“Yeah, so?” She all but slurred. She motioned for Henry to bring her a beer, trying to ignore the man next to her. It wasn’t working because the guy took a step closer to the brunette, just about invading her personal space.

“I was wondering if you know where she was. We were supposed to meet here. I’m Luke by the way.” She lifted her head to take a good look at him. Tall, muscular but not overly, brown eyes and dark, almost black, hair that was gelled back.

“Yeah, she left.” She replied then let her jealousy take it from there. “Something about being done with this.” She waved a hand lazily in front of the man, hoping he’d get her insinuation. A glee of joy slid in her mind when the man’s eyes flared up.

“That bitch.” Sara took a drink from her beer and waited for the man to continue. “Ah well, just as good, didn’t need no whore with a kid calling me every time some dumb bitch from work pushes her buttons.” He shrugged and ordered a beer. Before Henry could handle him the bottle he found himself staring up Sara while holding his groin.

“Give me a hand, boys.” Sara said with a small smirk played out on her lips. Two large men took Luke by his arms and dragged him outside. Sara slammed some money on the counter with a decent tip for Henry plus something extra for the two helpful men and walked out of the bar with her bottle still in her hand.

Outside she shot a smile at the two men as they returned inside. Luke had in the meanwhile stood up while still bending over slightly, to relieve some of the pain coming from his pants. Sara took a swig from her beer then kneed him again causing him to drop to his knees.

“Get up and I’ll just put you down again.” Sara was smirking at his pained expression. She took one more swig from her beer then threw the bottle in the gutter. She winced slightly when a car drove over it while parking.

“What’s the bitch to you?” Luke asked wheezing slightly. He tried to get up again but stopped the moment he felt the cold metal of a gun pressed to his forehead. He snuck a glance up to the brunette and could vaguely hear someone call out to the brunette in the background.

“I said stay down.” She hissed. Her mind was too clouded to register a female voice calling out to her, somewhere she thought it was Catherine but that couldn’t be right, Catherine left. “Don’t talk trash about Cath; I care more about her than about putting a bullet through your head.” She emphasized this by pressing the gun harder to his head.

When Luke began to whimper and sending soft prayers to whoever was up there Sara dropped her gun to her side and backed up. With one nod of her head Luke scrambled to his feet and fled the scene. Sara looked up from where the guy had been kneeling and stared right in Catherine’s blue eyes.

“Sara, I-” Catherine couldn’t comprehend what she just witnessed and heard. She had only come back because she had forgotten all about Luke and was here to look for him. She didn’t expect Sara to put a gun to the guy’s head.

“I don’t wanna be your friend.” Sara stated cold but her eyes betrayed her pain. She put her gun back in her holster and walked away from Catherine.