This was written as a part of a CSI Santa project. We're allowed to publish them for everyone else now. So here's my belated Christmas present to my readers, and Happy 2006! to all!
"How much longer are we going to keep this a secret from all of our friends? We've been dating for four months now, and the Christmas party is only two days away. I don't feel like hiding the fact that I'm in love with you in front of all of them, it's hard normally, but this is an informal setting," she said as she looked into his eyes.
"I know," he responded. "Neither do I Catherine. So, should we announce that we're dating while we're there, or should we just let everyone figure it out?"
Catherine looked up, and smiled. "I think we should make it a surprise Gil."
He smiled back, and kissed her lips softly, before they left the scene they were working at and heading back to the lab.
"Would you stop fidgeting, your tie will never be straight if you keep moving!"
"Fine Sara, I'll stop, but ties are annoying," Nick said as he stood as still as he could. "It's only the office Christmas party, why exactly are we dressing up so well?"
"Because it's tradition, and we're all going to a nice hotel for it. Besides which, you look handsome in a suit," Sara replied with a smirk. She then stepped back to look at his tie.
"And you look beautiful in that dress," he said as he ran his arms down her back and kissed her. She reciprocated, but she pulled his arms in front of her.
"The dress is staying on until after the party tiger." She kissed him again, and then they put on their coats and went outside.
Sara's red satin dress shimmered in the streetlights as she went on Nick's arm to his car. It was their first time being a couple in front of all of their friends, so they wanted the surprise to be doubled by how they looked. They had only been dating for a week, which was why they hadn't announced it yet, and they knew that the holiday party would be the perfect occasion.
Nick and Sara entered the ballroom of the Venetian Hotel and Casino where the company Christmas and holiday party was being held. They walked in, arm in arm, and they saw all the police officers, lab workers, and CSI's who had been able to make it. They saw Warrick and his wife Tina standing near a table with Greg, Catherine, and Grissom, Brass, and Sofia, so they joined their friends.
"Well, don't the two of you look cozy walking arm in arm," Warrick said.
Sara smiled and lowered her head slightly, but then she looked up again with an even bigger smile. "Sara and I have started dating," Nick stated with a large smile.
"When," Greg questioned.
Sara answered, "Last week, but we wanted to wait to tell everyone."
Warrick, Tina, Greg, Brass, and Sofia congratulated them, and so did Catherine and Grissom, but not before they slipped off to an out of the way corner together.
"We can't tell them now, it would take away from Nick and Sara's fun."
"Gil, how would it take away anything from them, they're only dating, it's not like they're engaged. We've been putting off telling anyone that we're together for four months. The only person outside of our families who even has hinted that he suspects something is Jim, which isn't too big a deal because he's our closest friend, but the others are our friends too, and they deserve to know."
"I know Cath, but I don't know if…"
"Don't worry about it, they'll think it's great that the two of us are together. Lets go dance."
So instead of arguing, they go onto the dance floor and dance. During the evening, everyone switches partners multiple times, but the last dances of the evening were slow songs, so Catherine and Gil were able to dance together again.
They held one another closely, and swayed to the tunes. This caught the attention of their friends, who were dancing nearby. Sara whispered into Nick's ear, and he looked as well, Grissom and Catherine were resting their heads on one another's shoulders, and standing close enough to one another that no space could be seen between them. Slowly, the entire room starts to notice, and so do Catherine and Grissom, instead of becoming embarrassed, they decided to take hold of the moment. They kissed, slowly and passionately, and they smiled at the same time. When they finished, they were surrounded by friends who congratulated them and bombarded them with questions at the same time.
Grissom and Catherine both agreed, it was more fun to show their friends that they were in love, then to tell them. The rest of the evening was more amazing than the beginning. For never were people so happily in love, than there were that night.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays!
The End