Holidays at the Stokes Place
Pairing: Nick and Sara (Of course! I would have it any other way!)
Nick and Sara go to Texas to spend the Holidays with his family.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Sara, Nick or any other mentioned character on CSI. If I did own Sara and Nick, they would have been hooked up and hitched already! (Writers of the show: take notice!) However, I do own Nick's family.
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Signing Off and Going to the Airport
Nick was signing some paperwork. It wasn't his favorite thing about being a CSI. Torture was the perfect description for it. However, it needed to be done or his shift wasn't officially over.
Sara stopped at Grissom's office to turn in her paperwork. She was about to leave when she stopped.
"So, Sara, what are your plans for the Holidays?" Grissom asked.
"Nick and I are going to Texas to celebrate the Holidays with his folks," Sara replied.
"I thought the two of you were going to San Francisco to be with your folks," Grissom replied with confusion.
"We went there for Thanksgiving," Sara said.
"Oh, I remember now!" Grissom said. "Have a wonderful Holiday season!"
"Thanks, you too!" Sara said and she left the office.
She almost bumped into Nick.
"Whoa, Sara, I know we have to pack our things and head to the airport," Nick said as he held on to his wife with one arm and the paperwork with another. "Our flight doesn't leave until 2:30. We have some time. I just got to drop this off with Grissom and wish him Happy Holidays. Sara, why don't you go to the break room and wait for me? That way we can go around the crime lab and spread holiday cheer together."
"Sure, that would be fun," Sara said.
"I won't be long," Nick said in his sexy Texas drawl.
"Nick, do you have some paperwork to give to me that you signed?" Grissom asked.
"There are all right here," Nick said. "So, Gris, what are you doing for the Holidays?"
"I am spending them with Catherine and Lindsey," Grissom replied. "I hope to propose to Catherine on Christmas Day."
"That would be the best Christmas present she will ever get," Nick beamed. "Lindsey really adores you and she would be disappointed if you weren't her stepfather."
"Thanks for the compliment, Nick," Grissom said. "Sara told me that you are going to Texas to be with the family."
"Our flight leaves at 2:30," Nick said. "We should get going! Happy Holidays!"
"Happy Holidays to you, too," Grissom said. "Stay out trouble while you are in Texas!"
"I will!" Nick said as he left Grissom's office.
Sara was sitting in the break room talking to Catherine.
"Catherine, do you think Gil is going to pop the question?" Sara asked.
"Sara, I have a feeling he will before 2005 begins," Catherine said. "We love each other so much. Lindsey is nuts about him and calls him daddy."
Nick suddenly appeared in the break room. Catherine and Sara almost jumped.
"Nick what are you doing here?" Sara asked forgetting that he was meeting her at the break room after dropping off the signed documents at Grissom's.
"I told you that I would meet you here," Nick said. "Didn't I?"
"I forgot," Sara said. "I am sorry."
"Here is something that means apology accepted," Nick said and kissed her passionately.
"Nick, we should get going," Sara said. "We have to be at the airport before 1:00 for our 2:30 flight."
"Yeah, we have to go home and pack," Nick said to Catherine. "Catherine, have a happy holiday season and let us know what happened between you and Grissom."
"I will, Nick," she replied. "Enjoy your Holidays in Texas."
"We will have fun over there," Nick grinned.
"Sara, have a wonderful holiday in Texas," Catherine said.
"Thank you! Being with my husband's family will be enjoyable," Sara said. "Enjoy your Holidays with Grissom."
"It will be a lot fun," Catherine said. "Thanks! I will call you after Christmas to let you know what happens."
"That would be great," Nick and Sara said.
Moments later, they went around the crime lab wishing their colleagues Happy Holidays. The only one they didn't speak with was Warrick. That would have to wait until he took them to the airport.
When they got home, the first thing Nick did was take out the largest suitcase he and Sara had from the closet as well as the garment bag. Sara took a shower first since she and her husband had to pull a double shift. It didn't leave them time to even have a decent shower. Also they had to think of their fellow passengers as well as Nick's parents, siblings and their spouses, nieces and nephews. After Sara finished with the shower, it was Nick's turn to shower. Sara then dried herself and got dressed. She saw that he had all the clothes he was planning to take on the trip and placed all but his suit in the suitcase. She went to her side of the dresser and the closet and picked out all the clothes she was going to take. She also chose a dark blue cocktail dress she wore to the wedding one of Nick's fraternity brothers. She carefully put his suit and her dress into the garment bag and closed it. Nick got out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his body.
"You are very sexy when wet," Sara said.
"Thanks, Sara," he said as he dried himself and got dressed. "I take it you packed all the clothes. Is my suit in the garment bag?"
"Yes, I did," Sara said. "I also placed my cocktail dress in there. The one that I wore to Andrew's wedding."
"That is my favorite dress," Nick smiled. "You look stunning in that and my family would love to see you in it on."
Sara said nothing, but she gave Nick a smile.
"We still have to pack some of our personal care stuff," Nick said. "First, we need to eat something. I am starving."
"I am hungry, too," Sara said. "I am in the mood for those chocolate chip pancakes."
"I will make them," Nick said as they headed towards the kitchen.
He made the pancake batter and started making the pancakes. The smell permeated the apartment. Sara was sitting at the table waiting for breakfast. Nick came with two dishes containing two pancakes each.
"Does my wife want butter, syrup or my homemade whipped cream on her pancakes?" Nick asked.
"Some of your homemade whipped cream," Sara said. "I never liked butter and syrup on chocolate chip pancakes."
Nick went back to the kitchen and grabbed a container of whipped cream. He took a spoon from the dish rack. He put two spoonfuls on Sara's pancakes and the same amount on his.
"What time do we have to call Warrick?" Sara asked between bites and sips.
"Well, traffic to McCarran Airport is going to be murder," Nick said. "You know how holiday traffic is at this time. Do you remember when we had to fly to San Francisco for Thanksgiving? Grissom took us to the airport the Tuesday before and he almost lost it. I think we should call Warrick at about 11."
When they finished their breakfast, they wash, dried and put away all the dishes. Sara returned to their bedroom to pack their personal care things and her hair towel. A few moments later Nick came by to take the suitcase the foyer. He went back to the room and carefully brought the garment bag to the foyer.
"I hope you didn't pack the hairdryer," he said. "My mom said she has a spare you can use."
"I know," Sara said. "That's why I am not bringing it with me to Texas. Do you have our tickets/flight itineraries?"
"I am getting them as we speak," Nick said going to the cupboard to get the needed documents. "Here hold on to them."
Sara placed them in her purse. She looked at her watch and it was five minutes to 11. She grabbed the cordless phone and dialed number 3 on the speed dial for Warrick's cell phone.
"Brown!" Warrick answered.
"Warrick, this is Sara," she said. "Nick and I are ready to go to the airport. How soon can you get here?"
"I think I can get to your place in about twenty minutes," Warrick said. "I will help with the luggage if you need it. I'll see you two lovebirds later!"
"Later!" Sara said and they hung up.
"When is Warrick coming to get us?" Nick asked.
"He said about twenty minutes," she said. "What are you doing now?"
"I forgot that we usually bring a bag with books and snack food," Nick said as hastily grabbed a tote bag. Sara immediately stopped him.
"Nick, relax, I already took care of that," she said pointing to the forest green tote bag.
"Oh, I see now," he said. "I think it is my turn to have pre-flight jitters. It's usually you that has them."
"You'll be fine," she reassured him the same way he reassured her numerous times.
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang. Nick looked at the peephole and it was Warrick. He immediately opened the door and signaled him to enter.
"Hey Nick!" Warrick said. "Hey Sara! Are you ready to go to the airport?"
"We sure are," Nick said as he lifted the suitcase.
"Sara, let me take that garment bag," Warrick said.
"It's not that heavy!" Sara protested.
"I know," he said. "I just wanted to carry something."
They went to Warrick's car and he put the suitcase and garment bag in the trunk. Nick sat in the front and Sara sat behind him. Warrick sat on the driver's seat and they were on their way.
"I have a CD with funny Christmas songs that I would like to play," Warrick said. "I hope you don't mind."
"Go right ahead," Nick said. "At least it will keep us amuse during the ride to McCarran. It should make getting stuck in traffic more bearable. Grissom gave us a ride to the airport for Thanksgiving and he nearly had a nervous breakdown. Sara and I spent an hour in traffic listening to a lecture on insects."
"Yeah, Grissom can sometimes get on your nerves," Warrick said. "Don't tell him I told you that. It does mean either demotion to a Level 2 CSI or having your ass tossed to the curb."
"Warrick, it is awesome you are giving us a ride to airport," Sara said. "We appreciate it."
"No problem," he replied. "I wouldn't waste money keeping a car parked at the airport for two weeks. Also, I have a friend in auto recovery that is concerned about cars getting stolen for airport parking lots."
"My sister had a friend who had her car stolen at Dallas-Fort Worth," Nick said. "That poor woman had to take a taxi home and her car was stripped for parts. Warrick, we are grateful for your offer last night."
"Thanks!" he replied.
"Warrick, do you have plans for the holidays?" Sara asked.
"I am going to celebrate Christmas and New Year's with some of my college friends," he said. "I am sticking around Vegas, but I might go the Grand Canyon for a day or two."
When they arrived at the appropriate terminal, Warrick helped them with their suitcase and garment bag. Nick got out the car, opened the rear passenger side door and Sara got out of the car.
"Nick, Sara, enjoy your holidays in Texas," Warrick said.
"Thanks, we will," both Nick and Sara said. "Enjoy yours in the home area."
"Thank you," he beamed. "Have a safe trip!"
"Thanks, we will," Sara said as she and Nick went inside the terminal.
Once they finally checked in after waiting in a long line, they checked the suitcase and garment bag and got their boarding passes. They proceeded through security and passed. Now there were sitting in at their gate waiting for the boarding announcement.
"Sara, I think we should get something to eat," Nick said. "I am not sure if we should eat it here or take with us for the flight."
"I agree," Sara smiled. "We should eat it here. Do you remember the last time we bought food before boarding our flight?"
"It was our honeymoon and we going to Paris with a connection at Newark International," Nick said. "We bought lunch and took it with us in the plane. After our Newark bound flight took off, we fell asleep. We ended up throwing it away when we arrived in Paris."
"I guess you made your case," she replied. "Do you want to grab a pizza?"
"Yeah," Nick said.
They got up, took the tote bag and purse with them and headed to the food court. Nick ordered a slice of pizza with sausage and bottled water. Sara ordered a slice with veggies and bottle water. They found an empty table and sat there.
"Nick, I need to ask your opinion of something," Sara said between bites and sips.
"Go right ahead," he said.
"Do you think Grissom is going to propose to Catherine before the end of the year?" she asked.
"Not only will he pop the question before the beginning of 2005," Nick smiled. "I have a feeling he won't wait until Christmas to do it. What do you think?"
"I think he will do it on Christmas Eve," Sara said. "Then again, he'll do it on Christmas morning."
"Christmas morning, that's a beautiful time to propose," Nick said with a light chuckle.
The finished their lunch with time to time spare. Sara looked at her watch and saw the time was 1:55. Nick looked at his and they returned to their gate for the boarding announcement. When their row was called they gave their boarding passes to the airline employee. She processed them and gave Nick and Sara their stubs for their records. They walked through the jetway and into the plane. A flight attendant greeted them and wished them a Merry Christmas. They found their seats, sat down and fasten their seat belts.
"How are doing?" Nick asked Sara.
"So far, I am doing fine," Sara said.
After the pilot and a flight attendant made their announcements about the weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the duration of the flight, the safety features and the no smoking policy. All the flight attendants were standing on the aisles demonstrating the seat belt, oxygen mask and the flotation devices. The captain ordered the flight attendants to prepare for departure and take off.
"I love you, Sara," Nick said.
"I love you, too, Nick," Sara said.
As the plane taxied down the runway, Nick held Sara's hand in a gentle grip. He held it as their plane started to take off. It seemed to calm each other down slightly. When the flight was in a comfortable altitude, Sara fell asleep. Nick gently released his grip as not to disturb her, gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek and fell asleep himself.
TBC