Disclaimer: I don't own Any of the CSI characters, they are all property of Jerry Bruckheimer … but oh, the fun I'd have if they were mine …

A/N: This story just sort of popped into my head and had to be written. If you're wondering, I have every intention to finish 'Came with the Wind', but I'm not sure when I'll be posting again.

A/N2: This story might, at some points, be slightly OOC. I really appreciate Reviews and constructive criticism If you're just reviewing to flame, don't bother.

Christmas in the Loan Star State

"Hey guys?" came Nick's voice as he saw Grissom and Brass walking past the break room where he, Catherine, Warrick, Sara and Greg were waiting.

"Yea?" asked Brass turning on his heel while Grissom stared at the notes in his hand.

"Um, could I talk to you all for a minute?"

After looking quizzically at Grissom who simply shrugged his shoulders, the two men followed the Texan.

"You gonna tell us what's going on now, Nick?" asked Warrick who was sitting on the couch.

"Ok, well, last night I got a call from my folks. They wanted to invite you all over for Christmas and new year's. They say it's to show their thanks for finding me and saving me. I told them y'all probably have families to be with and all, but they still wanted to know"

After a few seconds of thinking, Greg was the first to speak "I'll be there"

"Count me in too" said Warrick who was already desperate to get away from the wife

"Same here" said Sara

"Christmas meal home-made?" asked Brass

"yea…" said Nick

"Wouldn't miss it"

After sharing a laugh with the team, Nick looked towards Grissom who nodded and then to Catherine.

"How 'bout you Cath?"

"Um, I have to be with Lindsey"

"Well, I understand if you can't, but all my family will be there including all of my nieces and nephews, so you could bring her along"

Catherine thought about it and merely replied "I'll ask her what she thinks"

"Ok well, I've checked and we all have enough vacation days to go, Judge Stokes has offered to put in a word with Ecklie if he doesn't want to let us go and, if everything runs as smoothly as I think it will, we'll arrive next Saturday the 2nd at noon"

"22nd? That leaves us two days to Christmas eve, what are we…" said Greg

"Yea, uh, I took my parents invitation as a chance for y'all to get to know the loan star state. But hey, if you prefer to go later, that can also be arranged"

"No. It's ok." said Warrick quickly, thoroughly looking forwards to leaving.

"Ok then, you're tickets should be arriving in the next few days"

With that over, each team member went their way.

Over the next few days, they all began getting more and more excited about the trip. Nick refused to tell them what he had planned for each day but promised it would be fun all around.

On Friday night, Nick called everyone to confirm and was happy to find that even Catherine would be coming; her mother was going to spend Christmas with her new 'boy' friend and so she was free to go and take Lindsey with her.

"Where're the girls?" asked Greg as he, the other three CSI's and Brass stood waiting for Catherine and Sara.

"Well, Cath said she'd stop by Sara's to pick her up so, they really shouldn't be taking this long" said Nick.

Just as he finished the sentence, they heard the blond CSI's voice and turned to see her, Sara and Lindsey approaching.

"What took you?" asked Warrick taking a bag from Catherine causing her to look at him slightly suspiciously.

"My fault" said Catherine "I forgot to fill up on gas last night so I had to do it this morning or we wouldn't have made it here"

"Well, now that you have, let's get checked in so we can find a McDonald's. I'm starving" said Greg picking up his suitcase and receiving an agreeing nod from the teenager.

"Flight 477297 to Dallas, Texas is now boarding" came a voice over the PA.

"That's us" said Nick as they got up from their table and picked up their bags.

After passing through security where Greg and Warrick had to be searched because their belts which they claimed to be 'in' caused the metal detector to go off, the group finally settled in their seats on the plane ready for the two hour flight.

Though seats were assigned on each ticket, because they were all together, they were able to switch round and sit with whom they wanted.

In row 12 sat Grissom, Sara and Nick, behind them, on row 13 sat Brass, Warrick and Catherine and across the isle from them sat Lindsay, Greg and an overweight, sweaty businessman whom the two couldn't help but laugh at.

Though the flight wasn't very long, it was an excellent chance to begin relaxing. In their isle, Grissom and Sara were going through a forensics magazine Grissom had been reading while Nick was turned around in his seat to play cards with Catherine, Warrick and Brass. In the row across from them, Greg and Lindsey were having fun reading some of her gossip magazines and listening to his iPod which, according to him, would be an unbeatable learning experience for her.

TBC

Thank you for reading; next chapter should be up shortly. Please tell me what you think.