Title: Taken for a ride
By: lewis771750
Challenge: Failure
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine, Jerry and the people at CBS would never be quite this twisted:) But it is all just for fun, honest.
Spoilers: Crash And Burn
Words: 362
AN: An angsty twist on an old favourite situation.

***

When Catherine offered to take me out for a drink after I found out about Hank I was really surprised. It was, in part, a peace offering as well I guess, but I needed a sympathetic ear. I accepted for both reasons.

I was surprised at how much I unburdened myself, opening up more than I have ever done to anyone in Vegas before. Catherine listened, made all the right noises and was absolutely a godsend. Suddenly I found myself in tears; the anger and pain leaving me, and Catherine was there for me again. She was holding me, and letting me cry into her shoulder, just like I needed.

I know precisely when things changed, but I still don't know why. Instead of her hands resting against me, soothing me, they were pulling me urgently against her. Instead of muttering calming words near my ear as I cried, suddenly her mouth and her lips were against my ear. The mutters changed too, they turned into sweet words of seduction rather than the soft words of sympathy she had been whispering and that I’d needed to hear.

I didn't know where to put myself. Catherine was beautiful, and on another occasion I would have been flattered and probably happy to see where things went.

I'd hoped that part of today was a sign we were coming back to being friends after our recent problems, but right now I couldn't cope with anything more than that. I certainly wasn't in the right place to start a new romance and wasn't looking for a quickie on the rebound, certainly not with Catherine who I had to work with.

With an anguished noise I pushed myself away from Catherine's uninvited and unexpected embrace. The look of confusion and hurt on her face wasn't something I want to remember, and undoubtedly, later, we'll have to deal with the aftermath. But, for now, she'll have to cope alone with any trouble, whilst I try to cope with my failure to see the signs from Hank - and Catherine too, I guess. So I fled, tears running down my cheeks, the sound of Catherine's sobs chasing after me.

***