A/N: I already have this entire story written and I will probably add a new chapter every day until it's all up, so please stay tuned. It is seven chapters. Anyway, this is a N/S story, and is my take on the episodes in season two when Sara first meets and first dates Hank ("Bully for You" and "The Finger"). R&R please. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.


"Ready?" I turned to her as I prepared myself for the descent.

"I'll race you!" she shouted back over the roar of the helicopter, a flirty smile creeping past her lips. My goggles shifted slightly as a goofy grin overtook my face. I paused for a second, delighting in her attention, before leaping off the ledge.

I couldn't believe my luck when Grissom paired me up with her for this case. Sara was in fine spirits: all smiles and playful banter. I was feeling very optimistic about tonight. By all accounts it was shaping up to be a good night. Maybe I would even get the courage to ask her out before it was over…

As I touched the ground, making a quick mental note that I had beat her and to rub it in later, my mind switched into professional mode. A few months ago when the Sara thoughts had changed from friendly to the kind associated with cold showers I made a rule to only indulge myself in them when I was on my own time and not when there was work to be done. Flirting and R-rated thoughts were saved for the long rides to and from crime scenes, break time and home time.

As the first-witness gave the standard observations I crouched down to examine the bag, only half listening to what he was actually saying. I subconsciously began to listen a little more when Sara began to speak. However, it took me a minute to process her personal response to the paramedic's obvious disgust over the state of the body: "I thought you Emergency Service guys were tougher than that." Once her barb registered I watched him carefully for his response.

"Hey, I'm plenty tough!" he huffed loudly. He was obviously into her. I looked down at the bag in front of me as I felt a pang of envy course through my body.

"Down, boy. It was a joke," she replied with the same flirty smile that had been directed at me mere minutes earlier. Suddenly I wasn't feeling as optimistic as I had been during our race. I fixed a smile on my face to hide my jealousy and strode towards her to try and get her mind back to the case. I forced a chuckle as I neared her.

"Nothing like flirting over a D.B." I only glanced at her once while I made my comment, afraid she'd see the bitterness that had sparked it. Just for effect I ended with another laugh. After all, I'm Nick Stokes: ladies man. I don't get jealous, I make others jealous.

I turned back towards my opponent for the moment and gave him instructions to remove the body, hoping to remove the competition in the process. And to my credit, my not-so-subtle comments to the pair almost worked; Sara had briefly focused solely on the crime at hand as she knelt to cut off the straps on the duffle bag. However, pretty-boy had managed to grab her attention one last time before we left and they gazed stupidly at each other for a minute. I couldn't stand to watch.

I turned and smirked knowingly. He could enjoy her interest for now, but she was going away with me in the end and he would soon be forgotten. I shook my head forcefully to clear away my possessive thoughts and got ready for the ride back to the lab. The sooner I was ready, the sooner we could leave… sans medic-man.