Chapter One

The Night Shift drove up to the scene in silence. Sirens were blaring and flames were being doused as a small trailer was being consumed. Grissom turned to his left and right looking at his team. It sure felt good to have them all together again. After Nick's abduction and near fatal burial, he informed Ecklie he wanted "his guys" back. That, of course included Catherine. The investigation to find Nick made everyone realize just how much they all meant to each other, and how short life could be as a CSI. Apparently Ecklie saw this as well, and decided to reunite the night shift. This was their first case all together, Greg included. He was a part of the team now.

When the flames were doused, the team broke out on the scene. Grissom was glad to see Nick in a somewhat jovial mood, even when asked how he was by an officer his comment of "above ground" made Grissom smile a little. As they approached the scene, Brass was standing there with two DB's.

"Inside or Out?" Sara asked of Nick.

"Inside." He continued towards Brass to assess the damage. Sara was reaching into her kit when Officer Metcalf had to give his two cents of "probably a meth lab." Grissom was laughing inside as Sara replied to him saying "just because someone lives in a trailer doesn't automatically mean it's a meth lab."

When Metcalf replied "you guys area a real pain", meaning Sara specifically, of course. Grissom couldn't resist saying "get used to it", knowing Sara would catch his double meaning. She caught his gaze and smiled. He nodded his head slightly and got to work.

Sara was lost deep in thought as she took photos. Her mind wandered to Grissom and their conversation before leaving her apartment this morning. They had been seeing each other, well, sleeping together mostly, for the past two months. This morning, as they lay in bed, discussing a case, Grissom made an assumption about a suspect and Sara called him on it.

"Gil, you should know better than to speculate and stereotype like that."

"Ok, mom." He joked. Sara was not amused.

"Im serious, Gil. You always say that we shouldn't make assumptions. Wait and see what the evidence tells us."

"I was just thinking out loud, Sara. I wasn't making any assumptions."

"Yes you were."

"No, I was merely throwing out all possible hypothesis to consider. You sometimes have to look at all viewpoints before settling on one that all the science can back up."

"You are so full of it."

"What?" He pulled her on top of him. "Why are you being such a pain, Sara Sidle?"

She ran her fingers across his beard. "I'm not intentionally trying to be a pain. I just want to be there to steer you in the right direction."

"So, you have my best interest at heart, huh?"

"Of course, I do." She kissed him and smiled.

"So, you're going to continue to be a pain in my side, huh?"

"Yeah" She kissed him again. "Get used to it!" With that she jumped off of him and ran to get into the shower.

Sara chuckled at the memory. Only Gil Grissom could take a crime scene and weave in a private joke that would leave her speechless and the others having no idea what had just happened.

The buzz around the lab later that day centered around Warrick and his quickie marriage. Grissom was happy Warrick found someone, but it did seem to be based on emotions brought about by Nick's abduction. Who was he to judge? Since Nick's abduction, he and Sara had not spent a night apart. Having someone there, feeling the closeness of skin on skin, somehow took away the fear and reality of it all. Yes, Grissom knew why Warrick got married so quickly.

"Hey Grissom." Nick sat tying his shoes on the bench in the locker room after shift. "We're taking Warrick here to the Peppermill to celebrate his marriage, you wanna join us?"

"I have something to finish first" was his reply and he was off to see Archie in A/V. Ten minutes later he met up with the guys and Sara, who was now included in the celebration. Nick drove them to the Peppermill in his truck. Sara sat with Gil in the backseat, casting flirtatious glances his way every couple minutes. Grissom was trying his best to ignore her lustful looks.

They went into the lounge and were seated in a large half circle booth. Grissom made sure he was next to Sara. They ordered their drinks and some food and relaxed.

"To Warrick and Tina" Nick held hoisted his beer into the air.

"To Warrick!" They all chimed in, clanking bottles around the table.

"So, tell us about Tina." Sara was interested to find out about his mystery wife.

"Well, she's a nurse. She's working right now actually. I think since she works odd hours and long shifts, our lives will mesh pretty well. She understands how crazy our days can be."

"Good for you, man." Nick chimed in. "Is she hot?" He whispered to him.

Warrick chuckled, while Sara shot Nick a disapproving glare. Grissom chuckled at that. He knew that look all too well, and was glad he was not on the receiving end of it.

"Not that its that important," he made note to look right at Sara, "but, yeah, I think she's beautiful." He smiled the smile of a man smitten and lost in love.

"Awww...that's great, man!" Nick patted him on the back. Sara and Grissom shared a knowing look, clasping their hands between them under the table where no one could see.

Nick ordered a round of tequila shots. Warrick ordered another round. Sara decided to see what a drunk Gil Grissom was like, and ordered a third round. By the fourth round, Gil was licking salt off Sara's hand and she was feeding him his lemon. Nick and Warrick looked on in wonder at the interaction. Warrick leaned over and whispered to Nick. "Well, at least they aren't fighting about something." Nick nodded in approval.

"Excuse me, Grissom." Sara tapped Gil on his shoulder. "Let me out. I gotta pee."

"OH!" He got up to let her out of the booth, nearly toppling over as he stood.

"Whoa there, mister." Sara put her hand on his chest to steady him. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ffffine!! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Ok. I'll be right back." Sara was beginning to wonder if all the shots were a mistake.

Grissom thunked back down into the booth. Nick just gave him a funny look and chuckled. Grissom watched as Sara made her way across the room to the rest rooms. He didn't mean to speak his thoughts out loud, but before he realized it, it was too late.

"God, she sure has a great ass."

"WHAT?" Warrick nearly choked on his beer.

"Are you talking about Sara, Griss?" Nick couldn't believe his ears.

"What?" Grissom was confused. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah" They said in unison.

"NOOOO! I wasn't talking about Sara, geesh!" He looked around the room quickly. "I was talking about that blonde over their by the bar!"

"OOOH!" They both said, letting out relieved breaths.

"Yeah, she's a hottie all right." Nick commented. "I've just never heard you comment about women before. Kinda threw me for a loop." He sipped his beer glancing at Warrick, who was nodding in agreement.

"You should go talk to her." Warrick suggested.

"What?" Grissom's eyes grew wide in horror, but not for the reason the two men at the table imagined.

"Oh, come on, you ole dog. I bet you got some lines to sweet talk the honeys." Nick chuckled.

"I DO NOT have 'lines', Nick. And I'm pretty sure I'd get slapped if I called her a HONEY!" Warrick just laughed at Grissom, trying to imagine him picking up a young, hot blonde.

"I'm just saying..." Nick took the final swig from his beer. "I bet you'd be more successful than you think."

"I really doubt it Nick." Grissom fidgeted nervously in his seat. Where the hell was Sara? She could put a stop to all this non-sense!

"Oh, MAN! I'm out of beer!" Nick turned his bottle upside down to indicate it was indeed empty, giving it a slight shake to emphasize the point. "Hey, Griss, I think it's your turn to buy the rounds, why don't you go up to the bar and get us some beers?"

"Yeah, ok." He got up, trying to keep himself steady. He was feeling the buzz hard right now and probably shouldn't be walking.

"And hey, Grissom? While you're up there, I bet you can get that hottie's number, don't you think so, Rick?"

"NOOO! I bet he can't, Nick. I'll put 20 on him NOT getting a number." They shook hands, laughing at a frustrated looking Grissom.

"Go, on. Come on. You can do it, Griss!" Nick encouraged as he walked towards the bar. "I'll cut you in on half of what I win off of Warrick."

"Ffffine. I'll be back in a moment." They both laughed as they watched Grissom stumble his way over to the bar.

Sara got back to the booth and sat down. "Hey, where'd Gi-Grissom go?"

"Oh, he went to get us another round." Nick snickered and Warrick had a huge grin on his face.

"What? What's going on? Is there some kind of practical joke I'm unaware of here guys?" Sara was smiling at them. They pointed to the bar at Grissom, who was trying to engage the young blonde in conversation.

"What's he doing?" Sara's smile vacated her face.

"Oh, he had made a comment on how she had a nice, uh, uh...backside. So, I told him to get her phone number, but Warrick here bet he couldn't" They both laughed, then stopped when they noticed Sara didn't join in their hysterics.

"So, he just decided to go try to get the bimbo's number?" Sara sat back and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Yeah. Why? Does that bother you?" Nick was looking at her with concern.

Snap out of it, Sidle! They don't know he's your boyfriend. And weren't you the one filling him full of tequila? Sara shook her head and realized Nick had asked her something. "What?"

"I said, does it bother you that he's trying to get her phone number?"

"Nooo. Of course not!" She hoped they couldn't see through her lie. "I don't care who Grissom decides to spend his off time with, even if it is some bimbo at a night club."

"Yeah." Warrick laughed. "You sound like you don't care."

"Look, guys. At one time I probably did care. But...I have moved on. There's more to life than Gil Grissom."

"Some one talking to me?" Grissom leaned heavy on the back of the booth behind Sara to keep himself upright and steady.

"Uh, no." Nick answered. "Hey, Griss, where's the beers?"

"Beers? I thought I was trying to win a bet?" Grissom held up a napkin with a phone number on it and shook it in front of the guys.

"DAMN!" Warrick slapped a 20 in front of a smiling Nick.

"Good job, man!" Nick had a huge grin on his face.

Grissom sat down next to Sara and placed the napkin triumphantly in his pocket. He smiled over to Nick and Warrick, but his smile faded when his gaze landed on a not so happy Sara Sidle.

"Oh, uh, Sara...I'm sorry. I guess we got carried away when you were away." He smiled. "That rhymed!"

Sara was trying to fight her anger, but then after Grissom's last comment, she couldn't help but laugh. She broke out into a fit of laughter. "I'm sorry, Gil. But this is funny." She wiped her eyes.

"What? Why is it funny?" He felt a little hurt.

"Well, I mean...it's you. And she's...well, look at her!"

"Think what you like, Ms. Sidle, but I got her phone number, remember." He smiled at her waving the napkin in front of her. She smiled mischievously at him. Before he knew what happened, Sara had grabbed the napkin and dunked into her glass of water, forcing it deep into the glass under the ice cubes.

"WHOA!" Nick and Warrick were stifling their laughter, waiting to see what would happen next.

Grissom shot her a smirk. "Guess no one's getting lucky tonight then, huh?"

"Guess not." She just stared at him.

Nick leaned towards Warrick. "What the hell just happened here?"

"I have no idea, man. I think we need to stop drinking though." They both laughed.

After they finished their drinks, Nick decided he wanted to try out a country bar close by. Warrick said he had to get home to Tina who was now off shift. They said their goodbyes to Warrick and Grissom, Nick and Sara stumbled their way over to the country bar.

They got their beers and sat on stools at the bar. Sara had no idea how to dance to this music, but Nick was stomping his foot along with the beat.

"Hey, Nicky!" A blonde in cowgirl attire walked up to Nick. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Hey, Janine." Nick smiled wide at her, his Texas drawl seeming to be more prominent all of a sudden. "I'd like ya'll to meet Janine."

"Hey, there." She shook Sara's hand, then Grissom's.

"I work with these two over at the Crime Lab. That's Gil Grissom and this is Sara Sidle."

"Nice to meet ya." Janine smiled wide. "So, is Nicky as wonderful a boss as he is a dancer?"

"Uh, what?" Grissom asked in confusion while Sara just chuckled and elbowed Grissom. "What?" He turned to Sara.

"Umm, yes, Janine. Nick's a great CSI." Sara commented, enjoying the look of horror then sudden relief on Nick's face.

"Come on Janine, lets go dance." He took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor, mouthing "thank you" as he walked away.

Sara and Grissom began to laugh. "Boss? NICK? Wonder what else he's told her?"

"Why do men feel the need to lie to impress a woman. I will never understand that." Sara shook her head as she watched Nick two-step with Janine.

"I never lied." Grissom took her hand and kissed it.

"GIL! Nick's just over there, not gone."

"I don't care." He stood up and walked the few steps to stand in front of her. He pulled her in for a mind blowing kiss, wrapping his arms around her. Sara moaned into his mouth, then, realizing where they were, pulled away abruptly.

"We can't. Not here." She whispered, pushing him away from her slightly.

"I know. I'm sorry." Grissom sat back down, not letting go of her hand.

"So, what was all that business with the blonde at the bar? Hmmm?" Sara was having fun watching him squirm.

"It was nothing. Actually it's funny. When you were walking away, I was admiring your figure from behind." Sara smiled her pursed lip smile at him. "And I guess since I had a little too much to drink, I said something out loud that I thought was only in my head."

"So, you told them I had a nice ass." She laughed.

"Exxxactly!" Gil took a swig of his beer. "So, to cover it up, I told them I was referring to the blonde at the bar. And then they made a bet and I had to play along. You know the rest."

Sara laughed and pulled Grissom up off his stool. A ballad was beginning and she wanted to dance with her adorably dorky, cute boyfriend. "Come on, Player. Let's dance."

"So, are they married?" Janine asked Nick as they swayed to a ballad that had just begun.

"What? Who?"

"Those two. You're employees." She pointed to Grissom and Sara.

"No. They aren't married. Both single."

"Huh, I usually get such a good read on people. They seemed like a couple."

"What? You mean you thought they were married to EACH OTHER!" Nick laughed at the ridiculous idea of Sara and Grissom.

"Yeah, they just seemed to have an soul connection. Guess I was wrong."

Nick watched as the duo made their way to the dance floor. They kept far enough apart and barely touched. Typical Grissom and Sara. No, Janine was just off on this. The way those two used to argue, there was no way they were a couple.

A/N: Well, hope you liked the first installment in what will most likely be a lengthly series. Please R&R!! I'm working on the second chapter now, but I need feedback before I will post it!! So, you know what to do!! :O) Wendy