Title: Undercover Angel
Disclaimer: CBS takes the credit for everything but my little fluffy (not) plot bunny.
Rating: T at the most
A/N: Will be an extremely long one-shot. Don't know squat about Vegas, so if there's something wrong...sorry! Song belongs to Alan O'Day. In response to a challenge:
1: Grissom has Greg and Sara go undercover, while undercover Greg's feelings for her come out.
2: Sara ignores the comment
3: Greg takes her ignorance the wrong way, talks to Nick and Warrick about Sara, and finally decides that maybe it'd be better for him to leave.
4: What will they do with news? What does Sara do with the news?
5: characters MUST USE; Brass, Grissom, Nick, Warrick, Greg, Sara (of
course) any other character optional
6: (of course) Greg/Sara, any other pairs optional
7: any rating
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"Oh, you've got to be kidding me, Grissom." Sara Sidle whined as the older CSI leader laid out his newly created plan to the rest of the team.
"I wish I was. But in order to catch the perp in the act, you and Greg need to go undercover for this assignment." Grissom adjusted his glasses as he studied his paper.
The red-haired beauty beside him sighed and drummed her fingers on the break room table. "Is this absolutely necessary?"
"I'm afraid it is, Catherine. Greg and Sara will have to pose as a newly married couple in the Lady Luck Casino. That's where the perp is appearing, and that's where they'll be staying. The department will pay for all reasonable expenses."
Sitting across from Catherine, Warrick Brown whistled. "You two have no idea how lucky you are."
"Some damn luck," Sara muttered.
"I would kill for that kind of vacation." Catching a dark look from Grissom, Nick Stokes added, "Figure of speech, Griss."
Sara groaned and buried her head in her hands. Just what she needed...pretending to be some posh gambler playing the slot machines with her husband.
Greg Sanders, however, wasn't even going to complain. "That's great, Grissom! When can we go?" The other CSIs except for Sara and Grissom held back a grin at the younger man nearly bouncing off the walls.
"How does tonight sound?"
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A sleek, black limousine pulled up to the main lobby doors of the Lady Luck Casino. Neon lights flashed all around; couples walked around in blinding sequined dresses and crisp-looking suits.
Turning his head around to face the two lone occupants in the back, the driver nodded at them. "Your destination awaits. Congrats to your marriage." He winked.
"Thanks, Brass. Glad to know you're on our side." The brunette frowned as she bent forward to open the door.
"YOUR side, Sara. For me, it's a dream come true," Greg said cheekily, dragging out his suitcase.
Sara raised an eyebrow but dismissed it. "We'll contact you in a few hours. See you later." She picked up her luggage.
As soon as Brass gave a mock salute and drove off, Sara dropped her frown and slapped on a dazzling smile. Or it would be if her eyes didn't shoot deadly bolts at her partner.
"Shall we check in, baby?" Greg nearly dropped his bag in surprise, but quickly recovered.
"Whatever you want, honey bun."
Stepping inside, they reached the front desk where a young primly dressed woman gave them a smile. "Can I help you?"
"Reservation for Eric Gallagher." Greg held out the fake driver's license that Grissom had given to them before they left. Sara nervously twisted the tasteful but simple diamond ring that was wrapped around her ring finger.
The receptionist typed furiously onto the computer beside her, and picked up a key from under the desk. "Suite 702. Enjoy your stay, Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher."
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"You take the couch, I'll take the bed." Sara ordered as soon as they stepped foot into their room.
Greg clutched at his chest in mock hurt. "Oh, come on, Sara, we're married and yet I still can't sleep with you?"
Ignoring him, she plunked her bag into the walk-in closet she found next to the bathroom.
"We can at least pretend we're married, you know. That's why we're on this," Greg sighed. "Besides, you need to have fun."
"This isn't my idea of fun, Greg."
"What, sipping martinis in a hot tub with a hot guy naked beside you isn't fun? You've got to be kidding."
Without meaning to, Sara burst out laughing. Looking up at her friend, she stopped upon seeing the real hurt on his face. "I'm sorry, Greg, it's just that there's no chance of us being nude together."
A moment passed, and she became worried that she really had hurt his feelings. Then, in a quick movement, Greg grabbed her around the waist and promptly threw her onto the fluffy king bed with a smirk.
"Is the oh-so-great Sara Sidle ticklish?"
With that, he attacked her sides with his fingers. Not to be outdone, she did the same to him despite the giggles wanting to come out.
Laughter wafted through the overly large suite as the two resorted to pillows and god-knows-where-they-found-it water guns. In a moment of slow reflexes, Sara was thrown once more onto the bed, this time held by her wrists.
A brief silence played out, followed by a very serious-looking Greg Sanders giving one very surprised Sara Sidle a kiss on the lips.
The moment hardly lasted, as she roughly shoved him off. "What was that for?" Flustered, she attempted to straighten out her clothes.
Greg ran a hand through his messy hair. "I've always wanted to do that, kiss the one I love."
Ignoring him, Sara quickly strode over to the nightstand and picked up her purse. With one last confused glance at him, she left the suite and an upset CSI.
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"I don't get it, guys. Why would she be mad?"
Nick and Warrick exchanged looks. They knew Greg really liked their friend, but it was hard to say what she felt.
"Are you sure she's mad?" Warrick wrinkled his brow. "It's something she'd do, but she's never really got angry at you." His best friend nodded in agreement.
"Doesn't sound like Sara."
"All I know is that she didn't like it all, ok?" Greg began pacing the lab break room for what seemed like the 5th time in an hour.
"You flirt with her all the time, Greggo. This isn't any different." Nick realized he said the wrong thing as Greg abruptly stopped wearing a hole through the tile floor.
"Not different? I pretty much GAVE my heart to her." Greg's voice took on one of hurt indignation.
Warrick shook his head. "Maybe she just needs some more time, bro."
Greg turned, and the other two were surprised at the look on his face. "I've given her enough time. I should just move on."
The cowboy CSI leaned forward in his seat. "What d'you mean?"
"I'm starting over. I'll hand in my resignation slip to Grissom tonight."
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The door to the break room slammed open as one furious brunette stomped through the opening.
"What is the meaning of this, Greg? You're leaving?"
Without turning around, the man gave a barely audible sigh and calmly took a sip from his Blue Hawaiian coffee. "I see Nick and Warrick told you."
"The whole damn LAB is telling me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they think it's all my fault."
Silence filled the room, and Sara realized it WAS her fault. Walking over, she tried to apologize.
"Whatever I did, I'm really sorry, Greg. Don't leave us, please?"
Greg swiveled around in his chair to face her. "Us? I'm sure Grissom will find you guys a better replacement after I'm gone."
"We don't want you to go!"
"I made up my mind, and that's final."
"Be reasonable, Greg..."
Greg cut her off. "Reasonable be damned! I'm tired of playing games with you, Sara. I'm going to start over and there's not a fucking thing you can do about it. It's your fault, and you're not going to do anything about it. So leave me the fuck alone!"
The sharp words bit harshly into her skin. He was right...she couldn't do a single thing. Without a second thought, Sara fled, her hair flying behind her.
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Two days later found Greg holed up in his apartment surrounded by heavy rock CDs, semi-porn mags, and quite a few cans of beer. His Sony radio, however, was on the soft rock station playing melancholy, broken-hearted songs.
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Outside his door stood Sara, looking more tired and depressed as usual. Hesitantly, she held her hand up to the dark-colored wood and knocked.
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If Greg didn't know any better, he could've sworn he heard some light rapping...and then he really did hear it. Someone was at his door. It was almost eleven at night, according to his clock.
Slowly pushing himself out of bed, the quite-disheveled former CSI drudged over to the front door and yanked it open. He blinked in surprise as an unfamiliar-looking but very pretty dirty-blonde woman stood awkwardly out on his welcome mat.
Sara, knowing Greg didn't recognize her, began to speak. "Um...hi. I'm Sasha. I just moved into the apartment two doors down, and since the whole air-conditioning system doesn't work..." She remembered that no-one had lived in those rooms in quite some time, so her lie was highly probably.
Rubbing his hand over some unshaved stubble, Greg shook his head to clear the cobwebs. Huh?
"I just wanted to know if I could...maybe just camp out for tonight until they fix the AC in the morning. But if not, I'll go..." Sara turned to leave, but was stopped by Greg's hand clamped around her wrist.
"No, it's fine. I'll go set up my bed."
"The couch is fine, thank you."
"I insist."
Sara gave a grateful smile to him, to which he thought Sasha's smile could easily rival Sara's. Not that he would want to remember Sara, but old habits died hard.
"Here, how about we both sleep in your bed? That way, you don't have to bother cleaning off all your...stuff." Biting the inside of her cheek, Sara gave an internal frown at the mess.
Greg astonished her by nodding, and led her by the arm to his bedroom.
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In the middle of the night, Sara awoke to quiet sniffles and the melody of Alan O'Day's "Undercover Angel". To her dismay, Greg was crying.
Cryin' on my pillow, lonely in my bed
Then I heard a voice beside me, and she softly said
Wonder is your night light, magic is your dream
And as I held her, she said, see what I mean
"Are you ok?" Rolling over, she flipped to her other side to face Greg.
"Yeah. Just painful memories, that's all. Sorry if I woke you."
She smiled sadly. "It's alright."
"No, it isn't. I love this girl but she didn't love me."
A pang echoed in Sara's heart as she realized that Greg was paining all because of her stubbornness. (Catherine called it stupidity.) She had to make it right...
With a lilting sigh, she kissed him softly on the lips and felt him jerk in surprise but responding. After a few seconds, it went deeper. Nipping at his bottom lip, Sara drowned in his taste, feeling the inside of his mouth with her tongue. Their hands began to wander, until Greg gave a gentle shove and a very confused look.
I said what? she said oo-oo-oo wee
I said alright? she said, love me, love me love me
Undercover angel, midnight fantasy
I've never had a dream that made sweet love to me
Undercover angel, answer to my prayer
You made me know that there's a love for me
Out there
Oh somewhere
It took him a few seconds, but looking into Sasha's eyes...those were Sara's.
Heavenly surrender, sweet afterglow
Given up my heart to you, now angel don't go
She said, go find the right one, love her and then
When you look into her eyes, you'll see me again
"Sara?"
Now you know my story, and girl if it's right
I'm gonna take you in my arms and love you tonight
Underneath the covers, the answer lies
I'm lookin' for my angel in your sweet lovin' eyes
Pulling the covers over them, she kissed him again.