A/N: This is an idea that I had floating around in my brain. I hope you all like it!
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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Title: The Science Fair
Summary: The Northrose Elementary School Science Fair, CSI style.
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DINNER: Present Time
"Are you sure that you want to do this…?" Sara Sidle nervously cleared her throat, looking at her friend and colleague, Nick Stokes.
"Yes, Sara, I am," Nick replied with a slight smile, as he held her chair out for her, waiting for her to sit down. When Sara was comfortably seated, Nick gently pushed her in, before sitting down himself. "A deal's a deal, right…?" he asked. "You won, fair and square…"
Sara slowly nodded, staring at her water glass. Thinking about what else the 'deal' actually entailed, a small smile graced her lips.
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THE INVITE: Seventy-Two Hours Prior
"Hey, Warrick," Nick greeted his friend, walking up to him in the layout room.
"What's going on, Nick?" he replied with a hint of a smile, looking up at him.
"Question for you, man."
"Sure, what is it?" Warrick asked, setting down his magnifying glass.
"My buddy is a science teacher at Northrose Elementary School, and they are having a science fair," Nick told him.
"I did a couple of those in elementary school," Warrick grinned. "I made a bottle rocket, and man, could that thing fly!"
"Did you win?" Nick asked with a small smile, sitting down across from him.
"No," Warrick frowned. "Some kid's volcano beat my rocket. Can you believe that?" he squinted, shaking his head.
"Not really…" Nick grinned. "Everyone makes a volcano. But hey, I was wondering what you were doing on Friday night…?"
"Nothing, actually," Warrick told him. "Tina is out of town visiting family. Why do you ask?" he questioned Nick.
"Would you be interested in judging the science fair with me…?" Nick asked with a smile.
Warrick grinned. "Do I get to wear a badge that says 'judge?'"
Nick laughed. "I believe so."
"Well, then count me in!"
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THE PHONE CALL: Twenty-Nine Hours Prior
"Sara?" Warrick croaked into the phone. "I need your help, please…" he told her, coughing once more, and then blowing his nose.
Sara frowned, trying to wipe the sleep out of her eyes. That sounds disgusting! "What can I do for you, Warrick?" she asked.
"I need you to help Nick judge the science fair. I was supposed to do it—" he sneezed again, "But I'm sick. Please," he continued. "He needs some help…" Warrick finished, once again loudly blowing his nose.
Gross! "I don't know, Warrick," Sara hesitantly replied. "What about Greg?" she asked. "Greg loves science fairs…" And children. "I think he'd be great at it…"
"Greg is going out of town this weekend with his friend…"
"Catherine?"
"Lindsey is in a school play, and Catherine is taking her out for dinner afterwards, in order to celebrate… And before you ask," Warrick sneezed, "Grissom is at that conference in San Francisco. Please, Sara, you're the only one who can do this," he mumbled, stifling another cough. "You'll be fine… it'll be okay…" he added, frowning, as another coughing fit wracked his body.
"What happened to you…? You don't… sound good at all…" Sara quietly commented, once again frowning.
"Tina says that I have the flu and a cold," he told her, trying to cough and sneeze all at the same time.
"Oh," Sara sighed. "Alright…but you owe me."
"Fine," Warrick replied, rubbing his sore throat.
"Big time."
"You need to meet Nick at Northrose Elementary School in two hours, Sara. And thank you…"
"Wait a minute. This is a science fair for little kids…?" Sara asked. "Not middle or high school aged children?"
"First through sixth grade…" Warrick confirmed. "Please, Sara," he sneezed, "I can't go!"
"Oh all right," Sara sighed. "Just feel better, okay…?"
"Thank you," Warrick again coughed, before hanging up.
"Great…" Sara mumbled. "A science fair… I just hope I don't have to judge fifty different volcanoes. I still can't believe that that broken volcano beat out my study of gravity."
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THE FAIR: Twenty-Seven Hours Prior
"Hey, Mister!" a little boy of around eight years old said to Nick, running up to him. "Are you a judge…?" he asked, peering up at Nick's face.
Nick grinned. "Yes, I am. Do you have a project here today?"
"Uh-huh!" the little boy replied with a smile. "My name is James, and I made a volcano! Wanna see it?" he asked, pulling on Nick's sleeve.
"As soon as my partner gets here, we're going to look around," Nick told him with a smile. "We'll come check out your volcano soon, okay?"
"'Kay, Mister Judge!" James laughed, running off down the hall to find one of his teachers.
Nick smiled, as he walked over to the school's front door. Peering outside, he sighed. Where the heck is Warrick? He promised that he'd be here! Wait a minute, is that… Sara…? he asked himself, slowly opening one of the school's front doors, and walking outside to meet her.
"Don't ask," Sara tried to muster up a smile, heading towards him. "But Warrick is sick, and you're stuck with—"
All of a sudden, a loud scream filled the air.
"What…?" Nick asked, darting back inside, Sara right on his heels.
"It's gone!" James screamed. "Someone stole my volcano!"
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TO BE CONTINUED