Title: The Question
Author: cjacsifan
Pairing: Catherine/Riley
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: CSI is owned by CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer
Summary: Catherine would like to ask Riley a certain question.
Spoilers: Post 'One To Go'

"Jeez Louise mom, why not just ask her when she gets here, she will be
here that I know because even if was her night off last night she will
bring or cook us breakfast, hasn't she been doing that since the two of
you started dating."

"I know Lindsey but it's one hell of a huge step to dating someone to
asking them to live with you, God this is driving me crazy."

"Tell me about it, you acting crazy is getting me all crazy."

Unbeknownst to the two Willows women, Riley heard the last statement
that Lindsey made...she then knocks on the door.

"No more about this Lindsey...now shush...Hey baby how are you?....God I
missed you last night we really could have used you." Catherine greets
her girlfriend with a small peck and hug.

"Then you should have calles me honey, I was busy doing not much of
anything...Oh by the way here's breakfast." Riley says as she returns
the kiss and hug and hands the Desert Rose take out bag to Catherine.

"What did you bring me Lee...tell me please...what...what?"

"Is she always like this or is it just that I told her she was getting a
surprise for breakfast today?" Riley laughs as the three sit at
Catherine's dining room table.

"This is nothing, you should see her on Christmas morning." Catherine
answers.

"Well maybe I'll get to see that...some day." Riley answers as she hands
out the breakfasts.

Lindsey just smiles at her mother and gives her a look that says 'ask
her about moving in', to which Catherine just glares at Lindsey which is
her way of saying 'drop it'

"Cool, you got me Strawberry and Whipped Cream Waffles, thanks Lee."
Lindsey kisses Riley's cheek then sits back down.

Catherine almost protests because she isn't too happy about giving her
daughter sugar so early in the day," Don't forget Cath, Linds has the
soccer team tryout today and I figured she could use a bit of energy for
that."

Catherine seemed very touched by the small loving gesture and digs into
her own Western Omlette which Riley found out was her favorite.

Riley enjoys the love of these two women and digs into her own
Everything Omlette and enjoys the banter between the three of them,
breakfast passes quickly and now it's time for Lindsey to get ready for
the ride to school.

"Remember what I said mom, you won't know until you ask," Lindsey
whispers as she kisses her mom goodbye.

"Okay baby...Good luck on the tryouts...don't be home too late."

"I won't be, I'll catch a ride from Barb Morris she is also trying out
for the team."

"That's fine see you then...love you."

"Love you too, come on Lee let's go." Lindsey says as she and Riley head
out the door and into Riley's car.

Catherine waves goodbye to the two of them, then as they drive out of
sight, she moves to the kitchen to clean up the breakfast mess, all the
while thinking about what she andLindsey had been talking about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It takes only twenty minutes before Riley gets back and walks back in to
Catherine's house, she notices Catherine just sitting in the living room
staring into her cup of coffee, "You seem deep in thought Cat, anything
I can help you with?"

"No baby, I just need to ask someone something and I'm having a hard
time figuring out how to ask them."

"Well, one of the best pieces of advice my father gave me was, When you
need to ask someone for, about, or to do something the best thing to do
is just ask and get it out in the open."

"Okay here goes nothing...Riley would you like to move in with Lindsey
and me...there I asked...what do you think baby?"

Riley was momentarily stunned by the question and didn't answer right
away, Catherine took that as a bad omen, and put her coffee cup on the
table, and with tears in her eyes ran up to her bedroom, "I knew this
was a bad idea." Riley heard Catherine say as she went upstairs.

Riley came out of her fog, only to hear Catherine crying, and it hurt
her knowing she was the cause, so she quietly crept up the stairs and
silently went into Catherine's room, closed and sat down on the bed.

Riley gently rubs Catherine's back as she begins to speak, "Catherine
please tell me what's the matter...you know I hate to see you cry,
especially when it's my fault."

"It's not your fault baby, it's more mine anyway...I told Lindsey you
wouldn't want to move in with us but she hounded me so I thought I'd
ask...and I guess I got my answer...so please let's just drop it and
please leave."

Riley is now in tears and she tenderly turns Catherine over, pulls her
into an imbrace and holds her until the two stop crying, "Who says I
don't want to move in with you."

"Well...I thought that hesitation in answering was your way of letting
me down easy."

"Not at all sweetheart...the question just took me by surprise, that's
why I didn't answer right away...Cat, you know how much I love both you
and Lindsey...but there are somethings that worry me...like if we have a
disagreement here wll it affect our work relationship...or if we fight
at work I'd hate to bring that here afterwards."

A smile grew on Catherine's face as she listens to Riley rant, "How bout
this baby, we try it out for let's say...a month...that should be enough
time for us to find out how well it will work out, and if it works out
good, then you can move here permanently...if that's okay with you."

"No Cat it's not okay...It's wonderful, GOD what did I do to deserve
this?"

"What do you mean baby...do to deserve this."

"What I mean is what did I do that God has blessed me with not only a
wonderful job and new friends, but the love of the two most wonderful
women in the world."

"Aww baby, and We Love You too, now how bout we start this 'practice
living arrangement' on Monday, that way you can bring somethings of your
own over and we can find some places to put them before we start."

"Sounds like a plan." Riley says as she kisses Catherine sweetly and the
two fall blissfully asleep in each other's arms.