Disclaimer: I don't own them, I didn't create them, and I definitely don't profit from them. However, if it was up to me, the writers' strike would have never happened (because the networks would have ponied up the cash in the first place), Jorja Fox would still be on CSI, and GSR would only stand for gun shot residue because the aforementioned writers had absolutely no clue what to do with Sara and Grissom once they'd actually put them into a relationship. (They could certainly learn a thing or two from fanfiction writers now couldn't they?)
Author's Note: This is dedicated to Mel who is sick with the flu and for whom I have come out of semi-CSI retirement to give her a prescription of some Snickery fun to make her feel better.
"This is the strangest team bonding experiment I think I've ever heard of," Catherine mumbled under her breath as they Las Vegas Crime Lab night shift gathered for the evening's briefing.
"Well this is what the consultant's report indicated that we needed to do and the sheriff signed off on it. We don't really have a choice," Grissom had heard her loud and clear and he was doing his best not to stare given the circumstances surrounding this particular evening's shift.
"I don't know, I kind of like it," Greg Sanders flashed a smile; letting is linger a big longer on the ladies in the room.
"You would, Greggo," Warrick Brown smirked as he considered that other than his own personal discomfort, he was definitely enjoying the view of his coworkers.
"Surely this is breaking some kind of policy somewhere," Sara Sidle protested as she considered that the break room had a draft that she'd never really noticed before, "And what about accidentally contaminating evidence?" That little piece of information ought to ring true with Grissom.
"Yeah, I think Sara has a point," Nick Stokes was uncomfortable about this whole scenario for an entirely different reason that thankfully wasn't all that obvious at the moment.
Grissom raised a single eyebrow to silence the protests, "It meets OSHA requirements; you've got protective footwear and lab coats, what else do you need?" He'd had his doubts, but since he'd been specifically told by Ecklie who had gone out of town for a forensics seminar that whatever the consultant came back with he was supposed to implement or he'd get written up, he had come to the conclusion that as long as it didn't endanger his team that he had no problem with it.
"Oh, I could think of a few things," Sara sounded annoyed, "What kind of team building consultant comes up with naked work day?" If they worked in a nightclub maybe this would be a good idea, but the Las Vegas Crime Lab? How in the world could anyone take them seriously if all they were clad in were lab coats and steel toed shoes?
"It's the consultant that the lab hired; Ecklie was very specific that we were to implement the results as soon as we got them," Grissom responded. "If you're called out into the field, you can wear coveralls so that Brass doesn't site you for indecent exposure, but in the lab, you wear lab coats; that's just the way it is tonight." Grissom thought that it was odd, but in some strange way he found it freeing and exciting to know that all of his coworkers were going commando underneath their lab garb.
Sara simply rolled her eyes, forensic coveralls or not, this was going to be the longest shift of her life. It was bad enough that she'd returned to the lab after a leave of absence for three months to find that Grissom was strangely not interested in picking up where they'd left off. And maybe even more strangely that she was ok with it. Not that she lacked for male attention; both Greg and Nick were great at fanning her ego and with all of the flirty banter, she found that at least for the moment that was all she needed.
"Ok, Catherine, you have a 419 at the Tropicana," Grissom handed out the slip, "Take Greg with you." He reasoned that he would pair the two that complained the least as some semblance of reward for taking it all in stride.
"You're a peach, Gil," Catherine's voice was laced with sarcasm, but since she could at least exchange her lab coat for her forensic coveralls, she could more than deal with this, maybe she could make it a regular thing. Who knew, maybe it would even give her an extra edge in her investigations.
"I prefer nectarines actually," An amused smirk adorned Grissom face and then he turned his attention to the others, "Nick and Sara, you have a 419 out near Nellis Air Force Base, Brass will meet you there." He glanced over at the last member of the team, "And Warrick, you and I have suspicious circs down near Fremont Street."
With the assignments handed out, Nick and Sara made their way to the department issued Denali. Sara seemed very out of sorts about the whole thing, "What in the hell is he thinking?" Clearly she was certain that someone up the food chain at the department was missing more than a few brain cells.
"He's our supervisor, Sara, there isn't much we can do about it," Truth be told, he was more than a little thrilled about getting to work with Sara on this evening of all evenings. They'd been flirting quite a bit of late and given their current attire, it certainly wouldn't take much to push the envelope a little bit.
"I think he's getting some perverse pleasure out of having all of us naked under our lab coats," Sara retorted as she climbed into the Denali.
"Oh, I think all of us are getting a little perverse pleasure out of this if we're being honest," He flashed her a hundred watt grin and earned a laugh and a fist lightly whacking his shoulder for his efforts.
"You are such a pervert, Nick," Truthfully, Sara was glad she was working with Nick tonight, if she had to participate in naked at work night, at least it was with someone that she enjoyed being with.
"And you love me for it," Nick laughed.
"Just drive, pervert," Sara smirked at him anxious to get the damn case taken care of so that the night would just speed on by and she could go home and wear clothes like a normal person.
Several hours later, they were on their way back to the lab and Sara in particular was dreading having to change from her coveralls to her lab coat to comply with the policy for the evening. "This is ridiculous, you know."
"I don't know, it certainly makes things a little more interesting knowing that all y'all aren't wearing anything under that lab coat," Nick winked at her, he'd had a difficult time at the crime scene not just imagining her without the coveralls, seeing her in just her lab coat was going to be far worse.
"At least some of us don't have the danger of being found out if we get a little turned on by that little bit of knowledge," Sara had been reconsidering her position during the investigation, seeing the boys, and Nick in particular, in nothing but a lab coat had distinct possibilities.
"Oh?" Nick played dumb, but she had honed right in on his worst fear for this little event. What if he did get a little excited at the whole thing; he was sure that his lab coat would do little to hide it. At least the coveralls provided some sense of decorum.
Sara simply winked and watched the scenery go by for the rest of the trip back to the lab. A quick change into her lab coat and she had plenty of evidence to process and she had to admit that seeing all of the lab techs in the same boat they were made her think that she had the better end of the deal; at least she had the option to change if she had to go out in the field.
It was a little while later and she and Nick were sifting through the evidence across one of the layout tables. She was having a hard time focusing, what with Nick's chest yelling at her as he catalogued each piece of evidence.
Nick was having the same problem, he did his best to avert his eyes, but how could he ignore the view of cleavage that was right there in his line of sight? The problem was that the more he tried not to look the more things further south were getting excited at the ideas that he was trying to squash.
Sara seemed to pick up on her partner's frustration and deemed that maybe what they really needed was a break; perhaps a break outside to loosen some of the tension that was building up in the room, "Uh, Nick?"
He glanced up and immediately cursed himself for looking at her chest and not her eyes, "Uh, yeah?" As soon as he looked at her eyes, he knew that he was in trouble.
Sara felt a wicked smirk flicker across her face, "I think we left something really important in the Denali...maybe we should go out there and get it." She knew that all of the evidence was right here in front of them, but maybe if he picked up on the subtle hint it might just be her lucky day.
"Right, I thought something was missing here," Nick was jumping up and down cheering in his head, she was just as hot and bothered as he was and he didn't hesitate at all as she quickly put down what she'd been examining and turned and walked out of the room, heading in the direction of the front door of the lab.
By the time they reached the Denali, which seemed to be in the darkest corner of the parking lot, Sara had given up all pretense of why they were out there, she yanked open the back door and launched herself inside with Nick right behind her.
Nick's lips were on Sara's before she had a chance to say a word and as she eagerly returned the kiss, he felt some semblance of a draft as he realized that she'd made quick work of the front of his lab coat; maybe just maybe this naked work night should become a regular thing and he quickly returned the favor, losing some of her buttons in the process.
With their lab coats askew, the backseat of the Denali was getting quite the workout. Nick was sure that he was going to have to ask her back to his place after work so that he could reacquaint himself with every little inch of her that seemed to be one big pleasurable blur at the moment and for her part, Sara couldn't seem to make this go fast and slow enough all at the same time. It had been quite some time since she'd had the pleasure; since before she'd left Vegas and then returned to be exact and she was certainly trying to make up for lost time. In the back of her mind she wondered if they could get extra credit for this extra little bit of team building that they were working on.
By the time they were slowly coming back down to orbit all Nick could think about was how much he they'd done this before and would certainly have to do again.
Sara smirked at him, "Now this is what I call naked work night." She leaned in and kissed him, definitely in no hurry to get back inside the lab. In fact, she fully intended to try for round two and since Nick was just lying there trying to catch his breath, she took the opportunity to pull herself astride his thighs wearing nothing but a smirk and that damn lab coat.
She was just about to lean in for another kiss as Nick reached up to reacquaint himself with her chest when someone opened the front door of the Denali causing them both to fumble for their lab coats.
Warrick Brown let out a knowing snicker, "Uh, I don't mean to interrupt you on your 'break', but Grissom just got a call from the sheriff. Apparently, the consultant mixed up the results for the team building assignment with one they were supposed to provide to Shady Lady's Strip-o-Rama."
The End