Title: It's up to You
By: Ranlie
Pairing: Cath/Sara
Rated: G
Challenge: Vices of any kind
Spoilers: Cool Change, if you want to be picky about it
Disclaimer: They're not mine. Really.
Word Count: 397
Author's Notes: This is the unwitting follow-up to "Awkward". Unwitting, because I didn't intend to write it. Damn these women and their inspirational qualities.

***

With her eyes closed and a cigarette hanging lazily out of her mouth, it was easy to forget what she had gotten herself into. Sara let out a long, smoky breath, and opened her eyes to find the ashtray in the dark. If anyone found burn marks on the leather, the gig would be up.

The attempt was fruitless, however, as it's difficult to hold a cigarette when one is gasping at the large shadow standing outside the passenger side of her parked car.

The shadow moved, and with the questionable help of the Christmas lights that fringed the nearby houses, Sara recognised Catherine.

Catherine knocked on the window, looking both confused and amused. More of the latter, Sara decided, cursing as she retrieved her cigarette from where it was burning a hole through the carpet. She flicked the unlock switch, allowing Catherine to climb into the warm car. The night was cold, and she was only wearing jeans and a pretty sleeveless sweater that Sara didn't remember seeing before.

Catherine eyed her cigarette, and after a moment's hesitation, Sara slipped it back between her lips for another long drag. Let Catherine suffer. Serve her right, for scaring her.

"'Nicorette' my ass," Catherine said mildly.

Sara breathed out a cloud of smoke. "It's a vice. Is sneaking around suburban neighbourhoods at night yours?"

"You're in front of my house."

"Technically it's yours and Linds--"

"You know what I meant."

There was another moment's hesitation, and then, reluctantly, Sara took the cigarette and stubbed out what was left of it. There was lipstick on the filter. She wondered if she would need to reapply it.

"I thought maybe you'd changed your mind," she said, quieter now.

"I thought you had," Catherine replied. "You should come in. Lindsey wants to see you."

Sara's lips momentarily parted as she felt an urge to press further in this line of questioning, but the answer was suddenly apparent. Catherine had come looking for her, after all. She tilted her head to look more closely at her passenger.

Catherine gave something akin to a smile. "It's up to you," she said, and in the silence that followed, she took the opportunity to hop out of the car and head back to her brightly lit house.

She had nearly reached the front door when she heard footsteps tapping up the driveway behind her.

***

Next story in series - Trickery.