By Jane Doe
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CSI characters. I cry myself to sleep because of it!
Author's Notes: I needed a break from all the angst, so this is the product. Of course I want any and all reviews so please feel free to tell me what you think. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Nick Stokes
~~~~~~~~NICK'S POV~~~~~~~~
"Come on. I for one would like to know a little more about everyone." I threw the words into the dead quiet air. We were all sitting in the lounge with nothing to do.
"But its the stupidest game I've ever heard of." Sara said without taking her eyes off of her book.
"It is not. It was designed for getting to know your coworkers better. It'll be good for us." I shot back defending the idea.
"Is this game by any chance suitable for the workplace?" Grissom peered over the rim of his glasses at me. Leave it to Grissom to question merit.
"If you are referring to whether or not it is clean fun, then yes. It can only become as dirty as the players make it."
"That's what I am afraid of." He went back to his latest crossword.
The lounge was again quiet then Catherine decided to break the silence. "I agree with Nicky. Its unhealthy to know nothing about the people you work with. We don't even know each other's middle names. That's pathetic."
Warrick flipped through his 'Sports Illustrated' loudly. "If you want my middle name look it up in a file."
"Your missing the point Warrick, the interesting stories that go with such questions aren't in the file."
"Whatever. I'm with Sara, I think its stupid." He ignored her and went back to reading.
"Spoken like true cowards." I said.
"Like intelligent cowards." Sara smiled over to me. "I refuse to indulge you with your stupid questions. I can only imagine what you would 'challenge' me to do if I didn't answer."
"I told you I would keep it clean. We all will because Grissom is playing to." I stood up and started to prepare for the game.
Grissom's head shot up. "No I am not playing any game that you could have in mind. And I don't remember approving of this."
"Grissom come on. We cleared all of our cases and we are all caught up on paperwork. And you said we can't go home because its too early so come on. What can it hurt?"
"Gil, come on. It will be good for us." Catherine jumped in for my defense. I was suddenly very grateful that she was such good friends with the boss. If anyone could make him change his mind it would be Catherine.
Grissom looked at everyone in the room then lowered his eyes to his crossword again. "Fine. But I am not playing."
"Not fair!" Sara shouted getting out of her cozy position on the sofa. "If Grissom isn't playing then neither am I."
"And if Sara doesn't have to play then I don't have to." Warrick chimed in without looking up.
"No Damnit! Everyone is going to play this stupid game." Catherine's authoritative voice boomed. Go Catherine, I thought.
"You can like it or lump it, but you're all playing. You are worse than Lindsay for crying out loud." She added.
Again the room lapsed into silence as Grissom considered his next move. It appeared that Catherine was persistent on playing the game so he really had no choice. And it couldn't be too bad. I actually got it off the Internet and it seemed like a great game.
"How do you play Nick?" He asked.
"Good." I rubbed my hands together. "This is how it goes. Each of us is asked a question by each person in the group and by the end of the game everyone is asked a question by the number of players. So if I start, each one of you get to ask me any question you want. Then the next person goes and so on."
"And if the question is not answered?" Grissom inquired.
"I was getting to that. If you pass on a question you have to do the Challenge."
"Which is?" Sara asked.
Somehow I was not surprised that the two most private people in the world asked about passing up a question. This was going to be good. Very good. "Well whoever's question you turned down, gets to challenge you to do something. And anything goes."
"I thought you said this was clean." Grissom gave me a disapproving glance.
"Relax none of us will make a dirty challenge. So who starts?"
"Its your game you go first." Sara snickered.
"Well fine then I will go first. Give me my first question."
"I want to ask the first question." Warrick said.
I was glad to see at someone get involved. "Bring it."
"Okay. Have you ever slept with a woman on the first date?"
My ears turned red but I knew that Warrick was going to make my life a living hell with the ladies tonight. I was prepared for this though so I handled it cool like everything else. "I would like to apologize if I offend anyone especially you ladies. Yes I have. Summer Rodgers."
"Nice Nick." Catherine mumbled.
"Yeah real southern gentleman." Sara added.
"What? She was in complete agreement and I thought I was in love." I touched my heart in a romantic gesture.
"Sure and you fell back out of love when the booze wore off." Greg said. I didn't noticed that the lab tech came in earlier for a cup of coffee. This little game was going to get interesting very soon with Greg around.
"No Greg its not like that. We dated off and on for awhile after our first date but it didn't work out. It was college man."
"That's your excuse." Sara teased.
"I should have passed if I would have known the women would be upset by this. Somehow I think Warrick planned this mob attack." I added coolly.
"No going back Nick. You're in hot water now and its my turn to ask the question." Catherine sat up straight in her chair.
"Great. Thanks for breaking the ice Warrick."
Both Warrick and Greg gave me thousand watt grins at my current predicament.
"Quiet. Now since we have established just how you really work, I want where is the craziest place you've had sex?"
Again my ears turned beet red. "What is with everyone and questions about sex?"
"Well you avidly claim yourself as a ladies man, so you shouldn't be phased by such line of questioning."
"Just know you started this Catherine. Craziest place? I don't know if it's crazy but I did have sex in a theme park before. Spring Break. I remember because we got caught. One of the guards found us and sent us running through the crowd naked. Of course everyone thought we were just streaking so it was cool. I still got it bad the next day from my frat brothers." I smiled at the memory. Those were that good ole days.
"I would have given anything to see the look on your face." Greg laughed spilling his coffee.
"What did the frat brothers do to you?" Sara asked.
"Made me wear women's underwear for a week, but I got to pick so it wasn't that uncomfortable. They were these real nice cotton ones..."
"Nick listen to what you just said. Don't admit that to anyone. Ever." Warrick threw his magazine at me. Even Grissom had to laugh at the current display.
"Me next." Sara put her book down and turned to face me directly. I knew Sara was going to have a good one but I had an even better one for her.
"No I think I should take over before this sweet innocent game becomes something else." Grissom interrupted and gave Sara a warning glance. "What is the most trouble you have ever gotten into?"
Thank you Grissom! Sara will never try anything following Grissom's question. "I never really got into much trouble as a kid or in college. I admit I did stupid things but never anything too bad. Like I said I got caught by that guard but I was never the kid that got arrested. Good luck I guess."
He nodded. "That's a more sufficient question for the workplace. Keep it clean Sara."
"Well that's no fun I have to follow Grissom. And I had a good one to."
"Rethink it." Grissom let a half-smile appear on his face to let Sara know he wasn't that upset but he didn't prefer to lose his job tonight.
"Fine Grissom. Who was your high school sweetheart Nick?"
"Oh how sweet." I cooed.
"Just be glad that Grissom saved your ass." She said shaking her finger at me.
"Whatever Sidle. My high school sweetheart was Tiffany Ambers, I think." I saw Sara's mouth drop and I had to smile. "Just kidding Sara. We dated for three years. She had red hair, long legs, the prettiest smile, and she was smart too. We actually talked about marriage after high school but when we separated for college we lost contact. Its a shame, I really loved her and probably haven't loved a girl like that since."
"Wow Nick. If you didn't become such a jerk in college, I would fall in love with you because of your story." Catherine said in a sarcastic tone.
"Thanks Catherine. I think. Now its my turn to ask the questions."
"No wait! I am playing too." Greg jumped up.
"Fine ask your question Greg." I said.
"Would you sleep with Sara or Catherine?"
Did he just ask me that in the presence of the two women? What the hell was he thinking?
"Greg!" Grissom yelled.
"What?" He said innocently but the wagging of his eyebrows gave him away. "So how 'bout it Nicky."
"Well since that's suicide to make me choose between such wonderful women," Catherine and Sara looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "I'll take the Challenge instead."
"Good I want you try and kiss Sara."
"Greg!" Everyone shouted this time. Greg was in for it tonight.
"Come on man. She's going to kill me, how about Catherine?" I pleaded. I knew to try and steal a kiss from Sara was death by beheading. I was not in the mood to die.
"No I said Sara. Its not that your hideous Catherine but I know Sara would never let Nick that close to her without a fight. No offense but I want to see her slap him."
Gee thanks Greggo, I thought.
"None taken." Catherine said nodding to the young lab tech. Actually it was more of a shake of disgrace that Greg was still breathing. She was probably thinking the same thing I was, that Sara was loosing her touch.
"Kiss her, we are waiting." Greg said.
I boldly walked over to Sara, closed my eyes, and leaned in to her face. I was going to take whatever came my way, which was probably a right hook.
"Nick you touch her and I'll have to put you on suspension." Grissom serious voice made my eyes fly open and I jumped back from Sara.
"Yeah and then, I'll kill you." Her smile was more of an evil grin.
I looked at Sara then at Grissom. I have never seen him get so upset before. For that matter I don't think any one could believe that Grissom said such a thing in front of everyone. Sara seemed shocked too, even though she tried to play it off.
"Okay given the circumstances, I think it's safe to say that its okay to pass on this Challenge. Everyone agreed?" I asked.
"Yes!" Sara shouted. "And Greg you're dead."
I and everyone else in the room could actually hear Greg swallow his tongue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
tbc...