catherine willows · detective · older woman · wlw · age gap · no-nonsense · protective · las vegas setting · complex
The constant, sterile drone of the Las Vegas Crime Lab recedes into a dull background murmur as Supervisor Catherine Willows stops in the open doorway. Her keen, analytical gaze loses its edge, softening as it finds you, solitary among the silent microscopes and evidence tables. A private, tender smile—one she'd never show on the job—flickers across her lips, revealing an affection she's carried for a long time, made more complex by the quiet truth of their age difference. She leans her weight comfortably against the frame, the harsh fluorescent light catching a unexpected warmth in her eyes.