DISCLAIMER: I own nothing here. Please don't sue me. 'Nuff said.

Chapter 1:

Sara walked into the break room just in time to hear Nick saying "And there was a blade inside the vacuum so when the guy stuck his." At which point Warrick and Catherine both made groaning noises of disgust. Sara walked quietly by them towards the coffee maker in search of her second cup of the evening. Warrick came up beside her with an empty mug of his own.

"Hey, Sar."

"Hey." She held the pot up, offering to pour him some as well, and he happily accepted. They both walked back to the table and sat down waiting for Grissom. Sara noticed a hardshell guitar case with "Gretch" written on it leaning against the desk next to Warrick, and raised an eyebrow.

"New toy?" She asked, motioning towards the case.

"Yeah. Been making payments on it for months. Finally got it out this evening. It's gonna be a long shift." He looked towards the case like a groom looks at his bride on their wedding night. Nick looked at his friend and grinned.

"So play something." Catherine put her papers down, and smiled at him across the table.

"Nah. Not here. Besides, I don't have an amp with me. Sounds way better with an amp." He patted the case. "And I doubt Grissom would appreciate it."

"I never knew you played guitar." Sara looked at him with respect. She'd heard that he played piano, and now guitar.

"Hehehe. Yeah. Been playing with some friends for a while. Place I DJ at sometimes has a band that plays live every Thursday night. I've been sitting in with them." Warrick smiled and gazed at the case until Grissom walked in and brought him back to the moment.

"Alright people. We've got a busy night ahead of us. Catherine, you and Nick have a DB at the Palms. The security guard and owner are waiting for you in the lobby, and Brass is on his way as well. Nick, Warrick, Sara, you three are on a possible murder/suicide out in the dessert." As they headed out, Grissom caught sight of Warrick carrying his forensics case, and another thin, long case. An instrument case?

"Warrick?" Grissom called the younger man over. "Why are you bringing that with you to a crime scene?"

"Well, I can't leave it here. I thought I'd just stash it in the back until end of shift. No harm done." He didn't see what the problem was. Grissom walked off leaving Warrick a bit irritated.

"He seems pretty on edge tonight." Nick noted.

"Yeah." Warrick glanced back at the retreating Grissom. He wondered if Catherine had spilled his secret. He had admitted to her during a long shift the past week that if the band he was currently playing with ever made it, he was willing to give up his career at Las Vegas Crime Labs to pursue his music career. It's not like it was likely to happen. The odds of it were near insane. Still, you never can tell.

"Penny for 'em." Nick elbowed Warrick as they got into the Tahoe.

"Just daydreaming, Man."

"What's her name?" Nick grinned and started up the Tahoe. Sara just rolled her eyes.

"I may have to come see you play this week." Sara chimed in, having more of an idea where Warricks dreams probably lay.

"I wish you would. Be nice to see you guys there. It'd give me a chance to really show off." He laughed.

"What kind of guitar did you get? I saw it was a Gretch. Nice." Sara looked behind her at the case.

"You know guitars? Why doesn't that surprise me." Warrick smiled at Sara from the review mirror.

"I dabble. Just for fun. I'm not that good. I have a cheapo Epiphone copy of a Gibson SG." She smiled.

"Really? I would've pegged you for an acoustic player."

"What? No way. I'm totally amped." She laughed.

Nick just fiddled with the radio. They were talking a different language to him. His knowledge of guitars was that some had six strings and some had four, and chicks looked really sexy with them. That was it. The two guitar aficionados groaned in unison as they heard the familiar twangs of classic country music blare from the speakers.

"No, Man!" Warrick quickly adjusted the station to a mix station to avoid anymore musical conflicts as they sped off into the night.

TBC