Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are liking this. So here's Part Two...This part isn't as well written as I wanted it to be, but coz of all the amazing responses I wanted to finish this now while I have the time to write. It's a lot longer than I expected, but all will be revealed! I hope you like it!
Britt
Ghouls just wanna have fun
Part Two
Grissom sat at his desk in almost complete darkness. He could feel a migraine approaching, he'd already taken a couple of pills to counter the pain that was surfacing. He attempted to massage his temples, tried to clear his thoughts, distract himself from the party that was only hours away. He remembered the looks he had received when he purchased his costume. He was embarrassed in front of complete strangers. How was he going to feel when he was actually wearing the costume in front of the people who had become like a family to him? He shook his head, he'd made the commitment, and there was no way he could get out of it now. He went to his room and searched the closet for the perfect thing to wear over the top of his costume. He pulled out a trench coat, one that he hadn't worn in years. He felt a little comforted by this, but he still knew that he'd have to show them his costume. It was inevitable. He sighed. He might has well get it over and done with. He picked up the bag from beside his bed and emptied the contents onto the bed. He was going to regret this.
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Catherine looked down at the costume laid before her and smiled. The costume and accessories weren't cheap, but she knew she was going to look amazing. She went into the bathroom and laid out the make up she would need once she was dressed. She looked down at the wig that sat beside the basin and smiled. This was going to be good. She remembered how relieved she was when she read out her costume, glad that it wasn't anything extreme. She wondered if the others had been so lucky. She looked down at her watch. Impatient, she began to get ready.
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Warrick held his costume out in front of him. It was still on its hanger, wrapped in protective plastic. He checked it over before laying it down on the couch in front of him. He wondered who'd picked out the costume he had written. Catherine or Sara, or maybe even one of the guys. It wasn't that bad, just something one of his girlfriend's in college had dressed up as. He chuckled to himself. If one of the men had chosen it, it was going to be hilarious. He stretched before checking the time, he still had a while before he needed. He slumped down on the couch beside his costume and flicked on the television.
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Greg looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. He looked good, he was glad that it wasn't anything over the top, but he was disappointed at the same time. He was expecting something a little more out there, nothing this ordinary. He shrugged it off, at least he wasn't a fairy princess. He reached into the bag and pulled out the remaining piece of his costume. Now he was ready. He looked down at his watch, he needed to be at Nick's soon to help set up. He gathered up the bags of food, drinks, decorations and cds, and headed out to his car. He wondered whether or not Sara had chosen his costume, or whether someone else would be dressed up in that costume. He hoped, he wished she had picked his, it'd complete the image in his mind. He shook the thoughts from his mind and started the engine. Soon he'd see her in costume.
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Sara held her costume in her hands. She knew exactly who had chosen it. It was plainly obvious. She looked down at the bright colors of the costume, and mused...It could've been worse. She went into the bathroom and took a quick shower before getting changed into her costume. She wiped the condensation from the bathroom mirror and saw her reflection... Not so bad. She looked down at the bottom half of the costume. That's the part that made her uncomfortable. She wondered if she could get away with wearing a long coat, or if they'd make her wear nothing other than her costume. She guessed that she didn't really mind, it was Halloween after all. The time when you could dress up as something completely different from yourself and still fit in somehow. She remembered the costume she had written down, and wondered who'd chosen it. She remembered the statistics, more than likely a male had her costume, and could possibly be pretty embarrassed of it. She smiled to herself. The others were probably going to be embarrassed by their costumes, she found comfort in that. She went to her bedroom to get the finishing touches of her costumer. She'd have to beat Nick's soon.
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Nick finished dressing, and stared down at the costume he was now wearing. He shook his head, he couldn't believe it. Of all the Halloween costumes out there, this is what he was stuck with. He was glad he was fully clothed. Whoever chose his wasn't so lucky. He chuckled, hoping that the costume was chosen by the woman he had intended it to. He looked down at himself once more. He could already hear Warrick, and Greg taking jabs at him. He heard a knock at the door, it was Greg. He looked down at himself once more and shook his head. He mentally prepared himself for anything Greg could and would say, before he reached for the door knob. The party would be underway in under an hour.
Nick and Greg took a seat on the couch and admired their work. Halloween decorations hung from the ceiling, candles, jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween themed decorations were spread throughout the room. Greg's Halloween mix played softly, completing the room's atmosphere. The two sat beside each other, waiting for their co-workers to arrive. There was still 15 minutes until the party officially began, but Nick knew that some of them would arrive early. Greg had kept his mouth shut since he had arrived. The moment Nick had opened the door he had controlled himself, kept his comments to himself, kept the laughter in... But as he looked over at the Texan sitting beside him, he couldn't help but let out a giggle.
"So, Mr Cheerleader, got any cheers? Or are you saving them for when everyone's arrived?" Greg smiled.
Nick shook his head, he knew this would happen. He simply glared back at Greg. Why did he get off so easily? A baseball player... More than likely Grissom's choice. He still thought it was strange that he was actually interested in a sport. Nick heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. He waited until there was a knock at the door before he moved from his position on the couch.
"C'mon Nick, where's your spirit?" Greg teased as Nick lazily moved across the room.
Nick opened the door to find Warrick.
"Don't..." Nick warned, preventing Warrick from commenting on his costume.
Warrick chuckled as he entered the house. Nick closed the door behind him. Warrick had gotten off lightly too.
"The King has arrived," he said as he struck an Elvispose, getting into the character of his costume. He took a seat next to Greg as he checked out the decorations. It reminded him of college. "You got anything to drink?" He asked, directing his question to Nick who was standing on the other side of the room.
As soon as Nick left the room he heard his friends burst into laughter. He grabbed the beers from the fridge and hoped that someone else would turn up soon, someone who was worse off than him. He returned to the room, carrying three beers.
"Laugh it up, I'm a male cheerleader."
"Thanks darlin'." Greg said in a mock Texan accent as he took the beer from Nick.
There was a knock at the door. Nick crossed the room quickly and swung the door open, finally someone else was there to take the focus away from him.
"Wow," he said, taken aback by Catherine's costume.
"Thank you," she replied as she gave him a quick once over. Male cheerleader...She giggled to herself as Nick closed the door.
"You picked mine!" Catherine exclaimed as she noticed Warrick's costume.
Warrick looked up to see her dressed in the costume he had chosen, "you're in mine." He said as he stood. She looked amazing. "You really went all out," he said as he inspected her costume. She was wearing the proper wig, complete with white streak, and her make up was dead on.
"If Ihadto be the Bride of Frankenstein I had to do it properly." She replied as she looked at the Elvis costume he was wearing. It wasn't the one she had seen the year before, but he still looked great. "Gonna sing anything for us?"
"Only if Nicky here will accompany me with a routine."
Nick groaned to himself. This was getting old, fast. He leant against the wall adjacent to the front door, waiting for Sara and Grissom to turn up.
Greg sat himself beside the cd player and changed the tracks. The volume gradually became louder. With only two of his co-workers yet to arrive, there was a big chance that Sara would be dressed in his costume, either she would be or it'd be Grissom... He hoped it was Sara, depsite how amusing it would be to see his boss dressed as that, he'd prefer not to have that image burned into his skull for the rest of his life.
Catherine glanced down at her watch, they were all early. Knocking suddenly sounded, causing Nick to spring to the door. Nick opened the door to find Sara.
"Oh... you got mine..." she trailed off, almost apologetically. She couldn't help but smile. Nick the cheerleader.
"Don't I just look pretty?" He winked. She definitely did.
She smiled. He couldn't help but keep his eyes fixed to her. He'd never seen her showing so much skin, usually she was covered up. He managed to snap himself out of it, and showed her inside. She caught Greg's attention straight away.
"Wow." He managed to choke out as the image of Sara as one of his favorite super heroes burnt into his memory.
"Hey Wonder Woman!" Warrick exclaimed as he recognized Sara's costume.
"The one and only.There is only one, right?" She directed the question towards Greg. She knew that he had chosen it, who else would have?
"Yeah, that's right." He replied.
Sara grinned as she looked at each of their costumes. "You guys look great!"
"Someone got their fantasy.." Warrick softly said to Catherine. She elbowed him in the ribs.
"I guess this just leaves Grissom..." Catherine trailed off.
"Oh shit," Nicky almost whispered as the realization hit him. Grissom would be wearing his costume.
"What'd you write?" Sara asked, but didn't get a response, "is it that bad?"
He slowly nodded before downing the rest of the beer in his bottle.
"Sucks to be you." Greg said as he chuckled. From Nick's reaction with Sara at the front door, he knew that it was something he'd wanted to see her in... But he wasn't so lucky.
"Man..." Warrick began as a knock came from the front door, stopping him mid sentence.
Everyone in the room had gathered behind Nick, waiting to see what was so bad about whatever Grissom was dressed as. Nick faced the door. Why didn't he write something different? Why did he have to take his chances and believe that Sara would choose his. He swallowed hard as he reached for the door knob, he was going to get it.
He opened the door slowly to find a grim-faced Grissom dressed in a trench coat. He breathed a sigh of relief, he hadn't dressed up. He gestured for his boss to enter the house and join the party. He slowly closed the door and silently thanked whoever was listening to him. With the exception of the Halloween mix, the room was silent.
"Want me to take your coat?" Nick asked, like a proper host.
"No, it's fine." Grissom replied, almost too quickly.
"That's your costume?" Warrick asked as he raised an eyebrow and passed a quick glance towards Nick.
"No." Grissom simply replied. He looked at the costumes his colleagues were wearing. None of them seemed embarrassed, uncomfortable in their costumes. But then, they really didn't have to. They were all fully clothed, in modest costumes. Though Sara surprised him, he never thought she'd wear a costume like that. He wondered what she was thinking, wondered whether or not he should remove his trench coat. He noticed that they were having a conversation while he was alone with his thoughts...he turned his attention towards them.
"What were you so scared of Nicky?" Catherine asked as Grissom joined the conversation.
"You?" Grissom questioned as he turned on the balls of his heels, now facing Nick. The guilty culprit. He did this.
"Yeah," Nick almost winced, "sorry Gris, I really didn't intend for..."
"Are you going to take that off?" Sara interrupted, curious about the costume he was hiding beneath the coat.
Grissom tilted his head and stayed silent as he considered this. Why was he there? What was the point of being in that room, at that party if he wasn't going to uncover his costume. Sara had stepped outside her comfort zone, why was it so hard for him to do the same? He took a deep breath, he was in costume. He was wearing something he would never be caught dead in, but this was Halloween. This was his chance to be someone else. He took a deep breath, what the hell?
He made his way to the coat rack near the front door and began to unbutton the coat. He could feel their eyes upon him, burning into his back as they waited. With all buttons undone, he slowly slipped the coat from his shoulders. All he needed now was theme music... He removed the coat and placed it on one of the hooks. Immediately he could hear their reaction.
Greg broke out into laughter. Catherine tried to suppress a giggle, she knew how uncomfortable he must have been, but it was hard not to laugh. Warrick cleared his throat and covered his mouth, trying to hide the wide grin that was imminent. Sara did nothing but smile. To wear something like that, in the company of his co-workers took guts. Grissom moved to the center of the room and stood beside Sara. She inspected his costume. She never thought she'd live to see the day that Grissom would wear that much vinyl. Grissom the stripper.
"Hey can I get a lapdance?" Greg said, taunting Grissom as he waved a one dollar bill.
"You couldn't afford me Greg..." Grissom replied slyly. He was going to have fun with his. What more could he do?
"I'm sure I could," Warrick said as he pulled out his wallet, "how 'bout a little dance for the cheerleader?"
Grissom turned to Nick and raised an eyebrow. He obviously wasn't the only one who had to put up with this sort of thing, Nick the cheerleader would've got his fair deal before Grissom even arrived.
"Sorry to turn you down but I'm more of a lace man...vinyl just doesn't do it for me. " Nick winked.
Grissom shrugged as he sat down beside Catherine.
"You make quite the stripper..."
"Thank you. You look lovely yourself...Bride of Frankenstein."
"Now that we're all here, we can get this party started!" Greg exclaimed, a little too enthusiastically.
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The next few hours blurred together. Everyone was having fun and enjoying themselves. Grissom observed his friends sing and dance together. He didn't want to join in, he felt more comfortable watching from the couch. He looked down at the costume he was so worried about, the costume that had literally worried him sick. It was all for nothing. His colleagues knew him, they knew what he must have felt and the significance of him wearing the costume at all. He leaned back as the music continued to play. He felt relaxed.
"C'mon," Sara said as she grabbed Grissom's hand and pulled him to his feet.
He let her pull him to the center of the room, joining the others on the 'dance floor'. He wasn't a fan of dancing, especially to this music...Greg's music. But he ignored it, he wanted to forget about what he liked and what he didn't like, and to just have fun... Afterall, it was Halloween. What better time to do something different? He smiled as Sara moved his arms, trying to get him to dance to the music with her. Finally he gave in and followed her movemets. The lyrics that repeated out of the speakers rang in his ears...
Ghouls just wanna have fun.