Title: Awkward
By: Ranlie
Pairing: Cath/Sara
Rated: G
Challenge: Use Lindsey
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but if I did, there'd be more kissing.
Word Count: 399
Author's Notes: Whipped this up quickly because the challenge was too tempting to pass up!

***

Catherine didn't mind taking Sara home. She enjoyed her company, and in a town where gridlock could attack at any time of day or night, it was good to have someone to talk to. Besides, they lived close to each other. If they tended to carpool more so than the others, it was for perfectly sensible reasons.

Today, however, traffic was worse than usual, and Sara had agreed to go with Catherine to drop Lindsey off at school before going home herself. Sara smiled as the girl leaped into the backseat, and wondered how someone could be that perky in the morning without coffee.

"Hi Mom! Hi, Sara!" Lindsey said, as Catherine pulled out of the driveway. "Why're you here?"

"Traffic was bad, so Sara said that she didn't mind coming with me to drop you off at school," Catherine said. "We wouldn't want you being late, would we?" Lindsey made a face, which Catherine echoed.

Sara smiled uncertainly: apparently this was an old argument. Something inside her wondered if she was out of place: an intruder in an exclusive mother-daughter moment.

Lindsey didn't seem perturbed, though, as she turned to Sara. "So, are you gonna come, Sara?"

Sara was confused. "To wha--" she began, only to be cut off by a threatening "Lindsey..." from Catherine.

Lindsey ignored her mother, and continued to grin at Sara. "Mom said that she was gonna ask you to come to Christmas dinner with us, 'coz we're alone this year and so are y--"

"Lindsey!" Catherine said, louder this time. Lindsey stopped mid-sentence, and slid back into her seat. "You said you wanted her to come," she pouted.

An awkward silence descended on the car.

When they'd pulled into the drop-off zone of the school, Lindsey hopped out of the car without a word to Catherine. When she thought her mother wasn't looking, she whispered, "You've still gotta come!" to Sara before fleeing the scene.

They sat in the car, watching Lindsey run off.

"Was she serious?" Sara asked, her tone impenetrable.

Catherine shrugged uncomfortably. "I meant to ask you at work," she began, but a glance at Sara made her realize that that wasn't what she had been asking.

There was another pause.

Sara's lips suddenly curled into a faint smile. "Dinner sounds nice," she said softly.

After a beat, Catherine smiled back. "We'll be happy to have you."

***

Next story in series - It's up to You.