Eight-Legged Sentiments
It was an old habit for Sage to wander into the office that was once Grissom's that was now shared by Nick, Greg and the radiated pig and just hang around or occasionally do some work. True she had her own office to work in; one that she hounded Ecklie with much to the amusement of the lab, but she often liked to take a break and spend time with the people she had grown to respect and care for over the years she worked there. There were ulterior motives as well.
The office was empty and Sage figured that they were on assignment. It happened and since she and her team was on a different schedule, sometimes they missed each other. Still she knew that they wouldn't mind. She spent her wait time looking at the radiated pig in the jar in its place of honor. She remembered the day Hodges came in matter of fact with the jar and set it there stating that it was where it belonged.
It had been the one thing that she always looked at when Grissom occupied the office. She really didn't have a reason why. She liked to think that it was because it reminded her of the purpose of the job and her love of science. Yet there really was no definitive reason why. She just liked to look at it and second was the two headed scorpion.
"You know I've never been able to figure out why you like to stare at that thing."
Sage twisted while standing at an at ease position to see Nick grinning at her with his arms over his chest. She gave a slight smile and replied, "I never been able to figure that out myself. I just do."
"Like a little kid watching his sea cucumbers grow."
"Please," Sage replied in mock indignation. She was smiling though. "I grew an ecosystem in a turtle tank along with the turtles. First place in the science fair… beats a volcano."
"No fair Sass," Nick replied strolling into his office.
"Not my fault if you can't keep up," she replied as she turned to face him with a sweet smile. She was using the cute expression when she was shamelessly manipulating the situation with Ecklie in terms of budget and other things in order to keep up her campaign of not being a doormat. She looked at him as he stood toe to toe with her and continued to smile sweetly and taunted, "Unless you have something better?"
Nick looked at her like he was suspicious about something while she stared back. He took in her smile and her stance and noted that she was challenging him to come up with one better. He had something that would pique her interest. "I might but I know about you being squeamish," he dropped, knowing that he was inciting something worse than a sparring match that would turn bad for him in less than two seconds.
"Squeamish? You think you can get me squeamish?" Sage raised a brow in a challenging way.
"I know Grissom did at the mortuary."
"Only because the mortician decided to be a gentleman about feminine sensibilities… unlike you," Sage countered, feeling her cheeks burn slightly at that memory and another, "With no regard for indecent exposure."
"In my defense I didn't know he would do that."
"Liar."
"I made it up to you."
Sage narrowed her eyes playfully but still maintained that she was in an indignant fit. She could see Nick breaking down. "I'll give you that given that you know my weakness for nutter butter," she allowed, using her reference for the various nut butters she had tried and kept stock of her preferences. "But you still haven't beaten my ecosystem. Still first place."
Nick couldn't help but smirk as he walked over to where his desk was. It was hidden so he could have some fun with it. "And what kid makes an ecosystem at the age of ten?"
"One who knows that that live things always beat the inanimate," Sage countered matching Nick's grin with her own as she followed. "Some kid was a good contender with his lima bean experiment but the volcano came behind me."
"Really?" Nick raised his brow with a teasing smile. His hands were behind his back, making it look like he was leaning against the desk. "So you admit it's a cool experiment."
"Cool demo. An experiment implies that a hypothesis is postulated based upon current theory and observation. It is then followed by a devised set of procedures with protocols that include a placebo to compare with the experimental. Results are observed and summarized either verifying the hypothesis or disproving it and sometimes there could be flukes." Sage was smiling as she finished her recitation of the scientific method. "The evidence produced is added to the body of knowledge."
"You know I love it when you talk geek."
"Don't try changing the subject Stokes, unless you have something to add."
The use of his last name prompted Nick to continue. Over the years, when she was being friendly she used her new favorite nickname 'Ness', emotional she used his name proper, and challenging she used his last name. He grinned, "I live to take you on with the geek, Parker."
"Test your theory then and maybe the acceptable conclusions might be made." Sage gave a slight movement of her brow.
Nick smiled back knowing what that meant. Her wordplay was fun especially when she said a couple of choice phrases that could be taken either way. It was on. "Well an ecosystem all well and good but… for someone who likes to bungee jump and once drove a Denali to catch up with a suspect in high speed pursuit… it doesn't cut it."
"Cite your source."
"Observation of test subject in high adrenaline activities. The resulting facial expressions included a goofy happy and vocal expressions of delight."
Sage nodded in approval, her grin keeping the laughter in. "Very astute. And I really like the addition of the technical geek added in."
Nick was chuckling. "So this is an experiment to add to the goofy happy factor based upon observation of what the test subject has been viewed to like." With deliberate movements, he took one of Sage's hands and opened her palm and with his free hand, he put the orange kneed tarantula that he had been playing with after finding him into it. "Introducing Brachypelma smithi to test subject," he murmured.
Sage slowly lifted her hand as the tarantula to meet at eye level. She looked at him with a scrutinizing eye. She recited, "Native of Central and South America and popular with enthusiasts. Venom is not particularly fatal and don't attack unless they feel threatened." A slow smile started to spread on her face as the tarantula started moving.
"It prefers to kick with its legs rather than bite," Nick added in a low voice. "The urticating hairs that it kicks from its abdomen have a particularly nasty sting." His eyes were on her with an intense expression.
Sage looked at Nick and her eyes flickered back and forth to keep an eye on the tarantula. She replied equally low, "And you know you're in trouble when he rears like a horse and hisses and usually they go for smaller bugs… indication that they are a predator."
"Some have been known for having a relationship with certain species of toad for the compound on their skin. The tarantula will protect the toad for the resource."
"But wasps have been known to lay their eggs in the body and the young eat it alive."
"And yet they are very shy and come out at night." Nick had grasped her hand by then and was holding it steady, letting her move it to keep the tarantula from wandering off. "If they do bite, it leaves a mark." He caught her eye as he said that.
Sage looked at Nick and noted his expression. "Shy is cute and indicative that they are not generally violent or vicious… except when threatened," she replied. "They are gentle to the touch and often times leave no trace of their presence."
Nick felt his lip twitch in a smile. He watched as she held the tarantula and her gaze going back and forth between him and the spider. He gave a slight nod and said, "It seems that Brachypelma smithi has made an impression on the test subject. Based on previous observation, subject shows signs of rapt attention and fascination. Recitation of attributes is accurate in exchange with researcher."
"And what does this conclude?" Sage had removed her hands to cup the spider in her hands and it seemed content to stay there.
"That subject likes spiders."
"Fairly obvious. Sports, bugs and blood, Ness."
Nick's features settled into a grin. He thought she looked like a little girl holding the tarantula in her hands. She always looked younger and more innocent than meets the eye; it hid her tenaciousness and fierce sense of duty towards justice. It also hid what a treasure she was; a shield for her most tender of feelings. He continued, "Subject has an interesting way of describing characteristics like it is a whole second language. The researcher was not surprised that he was able to translate. Conclusion: researcher likes it when subject talks geek."
"Subject takes that as a compliment," Sage teased. She giggled slightly and said, "Seems the variable likes to tickle."
Nick chuckled, "The researcher does too… only he knows the most sensitive areas." He whispered the last part in her ear as he took the spider out of her hands carefully. His movements were slow and deliberate and his gaze never left hers even when he put the tarantula back in his cage.
Sage felt the tickle of his breath on her ear and merely gave a slight swallow since she knew the meaning behind his words. "And the subject knows a few things but they can leave a mark like Stevie there." She motioned towards the tarantula.
"A risk worth taking."
"Then rewards are great."
Nick would have said something but Ray came in with something on the case that they were working on. He gave his attention to the report and barely noticed as Sage slipped away to go back to her office. He spotted her sitting at her desk as if nothing had happened but at one moment she turned and caught his eye. She gave a slight nod and a smile along with a blush that made her prettier than ever. He felt the smirk on his face and diverted his attention to Ray and their findings while ignoring the curious look that he was getting. All was right with the world.
A/N: Alright I'll say it now, guilty as charged on more Nick/Sage fluff even though they are talking about spiders... well have fun and enjoy.