Catbird Seat 1

Codes- FF, oral, interracial, shower, MFF, exhib, voy.

Intro- This story is fictional and meant for mature open minds in a safe environment. Please do not read it if you do not meet these criteria or do not think you will enjoy the story. The story features graphic sexual action, satirical humor, and discussion of polyamorous dating between consenting adults along with police procedural and comic book fantasy violence and women's softball. The characters include my original creation Doug Ramsay- a rake cowboy cop who later becomes an entertainment mogul- and a fictional version of Cat Osterman, a real life ace softball pitcher. Please note that the latter character is not meant to reflect the real Cat Osterman, instead an alternate reality version specific to my ficverse. Same goes for Cat's coach Connie Clark, Travis County Sheriff Margo Frasier, and any other characters mentioned or featured in the story who are based on real people. I do not know any of these people in real life and I expect they would probably not act with some of the attitudes they display in this story. The supervillain antagonist Igor Blazon and Cat's teammates Stephanie, Lily, and Diana are my original characters. Credit to poet Ernest Thayer for inspiring the secondary antagonists.

This story takes place prior to my previous Cat Osterman fanfics "Two Cats in Heat", "Debrief" & "The Beijing Streakers"- read these at your leisure if you like. For more of Doug Ramsay's adventures in celebrity dating, check out my stories "Off-Track Hookup" featuring Danica Patrick and "Inside Out" featuring Keira Knightley. This story covers how Doug and Cat Osterman (friends with benefits in other fanfics) first met along with some of Doug's police work and Cat's college softball career.

Feedback is appreciated.

***

Work Text:

Austin, TX. April 2002.

Nice day for a softball game, Travis County Sheriff's Deputy Doug Ramsay thought.

The stocky twenty-three year old cop with easygoing features and dark blonde hair was sitting in the stands at Red McCombs Field, enjoying being part of the audience. He had graduated from the University of Texas at Austin sixteen months prior but remained a fan of the sports teams and stopped by to attend games when the mood struck him. Women's softball was especially interesting to him- he enjoyed watching the players as much as any young heterosexual man who had admired female athletes. He wasn't a perv- at least he didn't think so- but there was no harm in looking, right? Long as he avoided inappropriate attitudes, as was proper for a police officer. And he was officially single now after Angie Messina had decided she wanted to cut their relationship back to friends with benefits rather than steady hook-ups. She got frightened by my coming up against a gang of heavily armed robbers last month, Doug recalled. Yeah, I did alright, I survived and took down several of them, but Angie kept fretting over what if scenarios. What if I had been shot? What if I hadn't saved the robbers' hostages? What if my subsequent administrative leave didn't work out in my favor? Yeah, none of that happened, but... Doug supposed he could understand her concerns.

That situation is over now, he reminded himself, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses. And I got some good things out of it- official commendation from Sheriff Frasier, positive media coverage, a subsequent hook-up with Sandra Bullock that turned into a friends with benefits relationship... He smiled at the memories. Maybe he could coax Angie back to a full steady relationship with time.

For the present, he'd relax and cheer on UT's Lady Longhorns against the Prairie View Lady Panthers. His team was up two points and would probably win. The last inning was about to start, so the game would be over soon. He had a particular interest in watching the Longhorns win this game. Two of the players on the field today were also his friends with benefits, and a third was a celebrity crush of his. The Longhorns' shortstop this game was Stephanie Coleman, younger sister of his former girlfriend Lisa. Stephanie was recently returned to UT after transferring back to Austin from San Francisco's Dell branch. This was her last college softball season. Same for Lily Astar, the Longhorns' center fielder and Stephanie's best friend. Doug knew them as Lisa's friends, had enjoyed a few casual orgies with them Lisa had arranged. He had texted them a few times this week, made arrangements to hook up again after the game. Stephanie's boyfriend and fellow computer engineer Keith Wang-Matthews was seated in the stands next to Doug and Lily was between primary partners like Doug was, so they were making it a double date. Dinner, drinks, followed by dancing and a hotel room swap party if everyone was in the mood. It would be a great victory celebration. Doug was looking forward to it.

Too bad my celebrity crush won't be there, he thought, glancing at the pitcher's mound below. The tall tanned brunette standing on it was the Longhorns' star pitcher Cat Osterman. Like many of her male fans, Doug found Cat attractive as heck. He also appreciated her game skill- Cat was already known for her shutout and strikeout records even though this was just her freshman season. He'd heard her high school record was great also, and in the future- who knew? Yeah, the sport of women's softball didn't have the national prominence of men's baseball- but there were professional leagues and the sport even had an Olympic presence. Cat was good enough for the Olympics, if he was a judge. So maybe...

She could truly be great, Doug reflected. And maybe if I could just meet her... I have dated two famous women in the past. I can be a charmer. If I had a chance...

He looked at Keith, a lanky Chinese-Caucasian the same age as him with a shag haircut and rose-tinted glasses. "Hey, can you text Stephanie, see if she can get us a meet with Cat after the game?"

"Cat as in..." Keith raised his eyebrows and frowned. "I don't know, Doug. Maybe. I've met her, but..."

"You met Cat Osterman? You never told me!"

"You haven't asked. Stephanie used to play against her in high school, you know. They renewed their friendship thanks to mutual classes and social interests. It was last year before our temporary move to Friscoe. What are you thinking here?"

"Just a fan meet and greet, nothing stupid," Doug said quickly.

Keith saw through him instantly. "Uh huh. You're getting with Lily tonight, pal. Stephanie again too, if she and I let you. Don't get cocky. No way a star chick like Cat Osterman would be into your 'aw shucks overly honest nice guy' act."

I thought that too, Doug reflected, before I scored with Sandra Bullock and Danica Patrick before her. But yeah, Keith has a point. "I'm a cop," he reminded Keith. "No way I'd risk my badge on a harassment charge. I just want to meet the legend. That's cool, right?"

"If you keep it to that, maybe. We'll see what Stephanie and Cat herself think. Let's let them win the game first, okay?"

Doug nodded in agreement, then settled back to watch.

***

Nice day for a softball game, Cat Osterman mused as she stood on the pitcher's mound. At least I thought that until about twenty minutes ago.

A first year student at the University of Texas at Austin, the tall muscular tanned brunette was currently pitching in a game between UT-Austin's Lady Longhorns and the visiting Prairie View Lady Panthers. It was the top of the last inning in the game and Cat- an ace pitcher known for her streaks of no-hitters- had already scored two strikeouts.

Of course, she added to herself as she waited for her latest opponent to step into the batter's box, I did only come in the latter half of this game. Before that, another Lady Longhorn pitcher not as good as me gave up two runs to our visitors. That makes the current score of this game two to four. Close, but we can still win. And I have an especially important reason to win today.

"Lose today's game," the strange note she'd found in her locker during the last mid-inning break said. "Three batters you will face next inning will make it easy. If you do not comply, you will suffer."

This has to be a joke, Cat Osterman thought when she saw the note. No way they can honestly expect me to lose, it's right before the last inning. I've been playing hard as I often do, giving up no hits and striking out opposing batters one by one, and now somebody wants me to throw the game? Not possible, we're two runs ahead of the visitors and they're not good enough to beat me. My ethics won't allow me to throw the game either. How the fuck could anyone expect any serious ball player to... Who would do this? she wondered. Who would slip the note into her locker? Her teammates knew she would never go for losing a game on purpose, and they wouldn't want to lose either. The visitors were intimidated by her star power, sure, but they too had to know she'd never lose on purpose, right? And even if she did lose, all she had to do to call the game result into doubt was show the note to a coach or umpire. So therefore... who would be stupid or insane enough to...?

Cat looked at the note again. It was typed with a labelling machine like in a pulp detective novel. The first three lines she'd already read. The next two- "Tell no one. You will be sexually outed and physically maimed if you do not comply."

Okay, that was a specific threat. Maybe she could use it to track the perp. But who could out her? Like many nineteen year old college students, Cat had spent her first few months as an adult experimenting with sexuality. She had visited local clubs, hooked up with guys and girls both, found she liked them equally on an intimate basis. Since she was a celebrity athlete, she had decided upon a few dating precautions to avoid controversy. Only hook up with people she trusted, only date men publicly, and make sure any man she dated was okay with her polyamory before she slept with them. Her instincts had recommended these rules, and Cat agreed they were reasonable, especially now. This was the first time she had been threatened like this. My instincts were right, Cat thought. It was wise to anticipate such an attack.

Who would leave me this note? she wondered. I haven't parted with any of my girlfriends on bad terms, they know I can't date women publicly and understand me keeping things casual. I only have three girlfriends on the team, and we're not currently on bad terms, nor are they the type to do something like this. I have broken up with a few guys on bad terms in the past, but none who knew of my bisexuality. At least I don't think so. And I don't think any of the guys I've dated would be able to do something like this either. Even if it was one of my exes who wrote this note, how would they get it into the women's locker room at McCombs Field?

That last question prompted her to wave at the only one of her teammates in close proximity, shortstop Stephanie Coleman. Stephanie, an athletic bottle blonde with an aquiline nose, had the locker across from Cat, maybe she had seen something? Stephanie was an old friend of hers from her native Houston suburbs, a friendly rival from another high school softball team. Cat had ran into her in the Downtown Austin entertainment district during her first semester at UT and renewed their acquaintance. Visits to Austin's LBGT-friendly bars followed in subsequent weeks after Cat expressed her interest in college sexual experimentation to Stephanie, a more veteran Austin resident who confirmed she was into the local swingers' scene and willing to initiate a newcomer. Cat's celebrity status did not bother Stephanie- it turned her on instead. They were soon enjoying a casual affair and bringing in mutual friends when they could, other adventurous people one or the other knew as sexual partners. It was a fun source of ways to indulge the need for adventure Cat felt now and then. They had broken things off when Stephanie moved to San Francisco, then rekindled their relationship once she returned to Austin.

Cat considered not telling Stephanie about the note's specific content or hiding it- no, she decided. She would not be intimidated by this situation. "Hey Steph!"

"What?" Stephanie asked, turning to face her.

"I found this note in my locker. Did you see anyone who might have slipped it in?"

Stephanie looked at the note and her eyes widened. "I... hmm, I saw a girl from the other team slamming the locker two down from yours when I walked in here a few minutes ago. I didn't think anything of it, we're sharing the locker room with them. But maybe... blonde girl, real blonde, purple streaks in her hair. I didn't know her. Shit, we have to show that to Coach Connie!"

Cat was about to respond when the team's tall black centerfielder Lily Astar walked up waving at them. "Hey, you two, they're about to start the bottom of the ninth. We need our other two best players on the field!"

"We got a problem, Lily," Stephanie countered. "Someone's stalking Cat. Show her the note!"

Cat did so without hesitation. Stephanie and Lily were two of her three girlfriends on the team, so they already knew of her bisexuality. She trusted them both to keep her secret. Lily was also a senior pre-law student with a mind appropriate for amateur investigation while Stephanie was skilled with technology and worked part time at Dell. Both had dealt with stalkers in the past. Surely they would have advice on this, Cat thought hopefully.

Lily read the note, raised her eyebrows, then looked at Stephanie. "You thinking of showing this to Coach Connie?"

"Yeah!"

"Hold on. We may not have time with the game, and if some of what this note says is correct... our opponents today have three players who have yet to step up to bat. If they're the last three batters the note is talking about..."

The three of them had discussed the situation quickly as they headed out onto the field and also brought in catcher Diana Patel, Cat's third team girlfriend and a sports medicine major who kept her ear to the gossip grapevines. They had agreed to wait and see if any of the upcoming batters Cat would face were troublesome as the note said. If they could trace the note's sender before showing it to the coach, that was a good thing. Maybe we won't even need to show the note to Coach Connie, Cat thought. She'd probably keep my secret, but if I don't need to tell her, all the better.

The plan was for her to draw the unfamiliar batters out as quickly as she could. The first two batters she'd faced in the inning were familiar. She had no problem striking them both out. The third batter also looked familiar- Cat hadn't struck her out before, she had achieved a walk and been struck out trying to steal second in a previous inning, but if Cat changed up her pitching a little...

Suddenly the Panthers' coach stepped in front of the next batter in line, waved them to step back. Connie Clark, the Longhorns' coach, caught the unusual move and stepped over to the Panthers' coach, started arguing with her. Soon the umpire was joining in along with the stadium announcer and the game was stopped.

"What do you suppose is going on?" Cat whispered to her shortstop teammate Stephanie Coleman as she watched the Longhorns' coach confer with their visitor coach. "I'm just a freshman, you're a senior. Have you seen anything like this from the Panthers before?"

Stephanie popped her bubble gum, then grimaced as she watched the coaches argue. Hard enough getting back into UT and on the softball team again moving back here from San Francisco three weeks ago, she mused, and now we got something weird going on in this game! Oh well, the best softball pitcher she knew was depending on her and she better fulfill her confidence. Stephanie had enjoyed a friendly rivalry with Cat since her final year of high school when the then-eighth grade prodigy pitcher had thrown multiple near-perfect games against her team. Stephanie had dedicated herself and actually been able to hit some of Cat's most challenging pitches, though it had been rough. In college, they had met again, hooked up as friends into casual sex, and were now on the same team. Stephanie considered Cat an opponent few could beat. Unless the visitors had a secret weapon of some kind...

She shook her head, thinking about the other team. "I've never known the Panthers to not play fair. Maybe they're bringing in some new Designated Hitters or something?" Stephanie coached her speech carefully to avoid mentioning the threatening note.

"Great..." Cat muttered with sarcasm.

Designated Hitters were a type of player used by pro baseball and college teams to give their star players a break at the batter's box. Cat used them herself to save her energy for pitching. But her opponents didn't often employ unfamiliar tactics like this. A last inning set of new players? Could this have had to do with the note she found? Was there a conspiracy at work?

Cat waved at the Longhorns' coach and beckoned her over. "Hey, what's going on?"

Coach Connie, a middle-aged blonde woman wearing a Longhorns uniform and sunglasses, waved at the umpire and Panthers' coach to hold on, then dashed over to Cat. "They want to rotate their batting order," she explained. "Some whiz scientist who invested in the Panthers designed a computer-based training program that is supposed to simulate your best throws. He put some Panthers players through training using that program. The Panthers' coach was holding them back, now she wants to bring them in. The umpire's going to allow it."

"Guess we have to find out if the whiz did a good job," Cat grumbled. "Wonder who these girls are."

Coach Connie shrugged. "You'll do fine, Cat. I'm sure they're nowhere near your level."

Cat hoped she was right. She readied herself as the Longhorns coach walked back to the dugout and the Panthers' coach stepped aside. Then she watched three statuesque platinum blondes in Panthers uniforms step from the dugout and line up near home plate. They marched like polished tin soldiers, rubbing their hands with dirt and then wiping them on their shirts. The stadium announcer introduced them to the crowd. "We have a special treat for fans today! Presenting the Panthers' designated hitters specifically trained to counter Cat Osterman- triplet sisters Flynn, Blake, and Casey Mudd!"

"Triplets and their name is Mudd?" Stephanie growled. "Okay, this has to be connected to that note in your locker. Who do you think these girls are?"

"Don't care who they are," Cat snarled back. "They're going down."

Stephanie nodded agreement, then quickly returned to her position on the field. She waved gestures at Lily and their other teammates while Cat readied her ball.

Cat sized up the first batter- they looked almost identical though each was successively larger than her sister who stood ahead of her. Flynn Mudd, the shortest, had black warpaint on her cheeks and a haughty sneer on her face. She moved like a sleek strip of flowing mercury, stepping to the plate and readying her bat. Cat decided to throw her best fastball at her. Sure, she'd never seen these players before, but that meant they hadn't seen her either. And most players couldn't defeat her throws.

She paused, wound up, then let loose.

Flynn Mudd struck the fastball head on and knocked it flying.

Lily leapt and caught the ball quickly, then threw it to Stephanie. Flynn stopped at second base.

"Okay," Stephanie mouthed to Cat after tossing the ball back, "so they got a good hitter. No way it can happen again, right?"

"Not if I switch to a curve ball," Cat signaled back with whispers and hand gestures. She could feel the second Mudd sister's eyes on her like meticulous cameras. Blake Mudd was of slightly larger frame than Flynn and had purple streaks in her hair. Cat noticed the dyed streaks and raised an eyebrow at Stephanie, who nodded. She is the girl Stephanie saw near my locker, Cat mused. I thought so. Okay, let's end this. She angled a curve ball towards Blake, spun it a bit, then threw.