Title: Dealing Aces and Jokers

Rated: T

Summary: All Iris wanted was a thrilling CSI career in the bustling city of Las Vegas. What she got was a handful of chaotic encounters on the end of a hilarious crime of passion. Will she keep the faith as she is given advice from everyone she knows in Vegas? Will Iris be able to melt down Brass's rough exterior? Or will she we find herself dancing toward destiny and investigating crimes of the heart?

Disclaimer: CSI is owned by CBS and its affiliates. I write for entertainment purposes only unless Brass gets his own show and then I want to be his writer! The character of Iris was born in the mind of my dear friend Brass Lady. I hope I do her justice.

"Gil! You better rope in your CSI now before I pop a blood vessel!"

"For heaven sakes Captain Brass, if you would stop being so, so what's the word I'm looking for? So thick-headed about everything we could be finished already." Iris said with all the restraint in her voice that she could muster.

Grissom was photographing some blood spatters at the double homicide in front of Treasure Island. He'd been listening to Brass and Iris argue for a good fifteen minutes and he had no intention of intruding. They were like oil and water together, except that Iris was the oil and she was trying her best to jump out of the water bucket.

"I'm not being thick-headed babe, I'm just trying to come out and tell you that I'm the badge and you're the brains. So quit trying to invade my territory."

"I'm not invading your territory. I asked Officer Lennon if he'd gotten the search warrant from the Milson case. And don't call me babe."

"Oh well excuse me Miss, he fired off sarcastically, but I'm the top dog on the Milson case so why'd you go through Lennon? You should've called me and I would've told you that I secured the warrant an hour after you phoned it in. So next time call!"

"I would've called but you act like I'm some incompetent imbecile, why would I call you when Officer Lennon is also on the case?" Iris asked biting her teeth together so hard she feared she might crack a tooth.

Grissom let them continue on until Nick and Catherine arrived.

"Whoa! Who threw the first punch today?" Catherine asked as she knelt down beside Grissom.

"I think it was Brass but I think Iris is up by an uppercut." He answered not looking up from his work.

"Why don't you call em' on it Griss?" Nick asked, watching Brass and Iris throw verbal daggers at each other.

"I can't reprimand Brass. Even in the police force he pulls rank on me, and Iris just got here two months ago, I can't afford to run her back to Dallas, not after Sofia went back to LVPD. Besides I think it's interesting that someone finally got the jump on Brass. He's a great guy and one of my best friends but he can be an arrogant, pompous, bullfrog at times." Grissom said, as he smiled at his own description of the captain.

"Yeah well I think the frog's gonna croak if we don't get in there soon." Catherine said walking towards the shouting.

"You're just a dime-a-dozen aren't you? Probably became a CSI after reading some crime novel or watching court tv!" Brass hissed.

Iris came up off the ground where she'd been collecting her tools, and took a hard step forward. Nick already predicted the next move and when she went for her second step, he hauled her off her feet and over his very strong shoulders. Catherine stared at Brass in disbelief.

"Are you really that mean or just insane, Jim?"

"Well they used to tell me back in Jersey that I was full of piss and vinegar so I guess the first one." He said but with less fire now that Iris had been hauled off.

"Look, Iris is a great CSI, she's good for our team, and I can promise she ain't going anywhere. So you better unbutton another few buttons on your collar and drink less caffeine because we have work to do." Catherine said almost in his face.

"Keep Bloody Mary away from me and we won't have any problems." He demanded back and then walked back to his unit and left.

Nick finally put Iris down at the back of the Denali. When he was carrying her, he could feel her adrenaline pounding against him. He knew he ran the risk of her taking a swing at him but better him then Brass. Much to his relief, Iris hung her head in frustration.

"Oh Nick, I'm so sorry hon! That man winds me tighter than jack in the box! I just can't figure out-" Iris couldn't finish her sentence when she looked into Nick's sympathetic eyes. She began to cry and then to sob. Nick didn't hesitate and wrapped her tightly in his arms. "I really want to do good here. Why can't he just leave me alone?" She sobbed into his shirt.

"He's a complicated bull Iris. You just happen to be wearing the red flag. It'll be all right. Big Nick here is on your side I promise." She sniffled and muttered, "Thank you," into his already soaked CSI shirt. Finally she felt more collected and pulled away from his chest.

"I'm so sorry I got your shirt all wet. I promise if you change it I'll take it home and wash it for you."

"No dice Iris. I've had a lot worse then tears on my shirt. This is a level one-shirt disaster I promise, but all the same I will change it. Don't want Grissom thinking I went swimming in the fountain over there. You'll be ok?" He asked, handing her his clean handkerchief.

"Yes thanks to you hauling my butt out of the lion's den. But after I lost my cool with Brass I'm going to have to go home and repent." She said with a sigh.

"Just think of how bad it would've been if you'd been David taking down Goliath instead of Daniel in the lion's den."

"Nick! I didn't know you knew the word!"

"I have Saturday nights off to go to church." Nick said quietly.

"Really? Greg and Warrick always tease you before you leave Saturday mornings. Something about a hot date with a Philly from Fontana?" Iris said trying to piece together her memory of the teasing she'd heard outside the locker room.

"Anna Philly from Flower Mound, Texas is my niece. She's fifteen and lives here in Vegas with my Aunt Delores. I take them both to Harvest Fields Ministries every Saturday night. I'm in training right now to become a youth pastor." Nick said rather sheepishly.

"Well buckle by buttons! I had no idea!" Iris said excitedly.

"Nick! Iris! Hey the coast is clear. Brass has fled the scene. O'Reilly's coming in to give us a hand!" Catherine shouted from the front of the Denali.

"Yeah, be right there Cath!" Nick hollered back.

"Listen Iris, no one on the team but Grissom knows where I go on Saturday nights and I'd appreciate it if you kept it our secret. It's not that I'm ashamed of what I'm doing, I just feel like God isn't ready for me to reveal it yet. But now that you know, I'd be happy if you stopped by to check out my kid's basketball practices."

"Sure thing sweetie! Will you tell me your testimony one of these days?"

"Count on it!" He said with that sheepish smile. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to change my shirt before I head back.

"All right Nick. Thanks again. You really make a gal feel so much better."

Iris walked back over to Grissom and Catherine who were finishing collecting evidence.

"I'm back. I just wanted to apologize for my fight with Captain Brass. I should've been the bigger person and that old Texas fire sparked right up."

"Iris you're a valuable part of this team. I appreciate everything you've brought to the table and you are still continuing to impress me. As for Brass you just have to avoid him until we can figure out what's got him so uptight. I'll do my best to keep you out of his path but it won't be easy." Grissom acknowledged.

"Yeah cause he's always around." She agreed.

"That and the fact that he is the captain and you're one of the best CSI's I can't see throwing you on B&E with the experience you have. We'll work it out."

"Yeah Iris don't worry about it. I sent him home with his tail between his legs. He'll lick his wounds and figure the rest out." Catherine added with a smile.

Iris felt better when she finally punched out that morning. She'd seen Brass in the hallway briefly but was able to easily duck out. It was 5:30am when Iris clocked out. She knew her friend Olivia would just be pulling into work at the boarding kennels so she'd have time to talk before they opened at 7am.

"Good Morning Miss Iris."

"Good Morning. Ready for another fun-filled day with your playtime puppies?"

"I had to leave James Bond and Zorro home today. Jack is taking them to the vet for their shots." James Bond was a black and white Great Dane and Zorro was an all black Husky and Dane cross. Olivia took them to work twice a week. "Maybe Cyrano and Durante could come and visit." She said playfully about Iris's big dogs.

"With all the females that come in there? I don't want to be the mother of the grooms just yet." She laughed.

"So you sound like you're in a good mood. Did you manage to avoid Brass tonight?"

"Negative. In fact if Nick Stokes hadn't hauled me out of there by the seat of my britches, Captain Brass would've been taken down a notch. I nearly hit him."

"You Iris? I can't see you hitting anyone. You're so gentle." Olivia said surprised.

"Thank you but you only know me now. You know the Iris that gave her life back to the Lord. If you would've seen Dallas Iris, you'd never question that I had the great Texas temper."

"Well so what did he say?"

"He told me I became a CSI to satisfy some television related fantasy."

"What a jerk."

"I guess he can be, and yet everyone else on our team says what a great man he is. I wish I knew why he disliked me so much."

"Well some men you just have to break in I guess."

"I hope I break him in before I break his jaw. Lord, forgive me for saying that. Bad Iris." She scolded herself.

"Hey don't sweat it. It's Saturday night and The Black Aces are playing at The Coalminer. We will have a wonderful time. Grace says she can pick you up on the way down and I'll meet you both there."

"I'm looking forward to it. The Black Aces are a great bunch of cowboys and they play a lot of the older stuff."

"Yes indeed. Jack is going over to play poker with Alan and Luke so he gave me his blessing. He told me not to bring home any strange cowboys. I asked him who could I bring home that was stranger than him!"

"Oh that was a good one. I envy you and your Jack. I don't think they make men that wonderful anymore." Iris said with a romantic sigh.

"The Lord cut him out of a fine cloth but don't tell him that, I don't want his head bigger than his stomach."

Iris laughed happily and told Olivia she would see her after work. She drove home and let her boys out back while she showered and put on her pajama top and shorts. The weather in Las Vegas was a lot warmer than Dallas. She went outside and checked the food and water for Cyrano and Durante and then slipped into bed.

Brass couldn't seem to get comfortable. The argument he has with Iris was on every last one of his nerves. He couldn't quite figure out why she put such a fire in his belly and he didn't like it. He got out of bed and got on the treadmill. He tried to workout in his mind just what it was about Iris that set him off. He was so engrained in his mental workout that walked for over an hour! He showered, put on his black and red shorts and collapsed into bed. The fish that he kept in the small aquarium by his bed were witness to his continuous grumbling in his sleep.

Iris woke up refreshed even before her alarm went off. She sat on the edge of her bed praying as she did every morning. Her heart's intention that afternoon was for Brass to warm up to her side. After she ate an English muffin with butter and jelly, she leashed up the dogs and began her one-mile walk to the park. It was warm outside and she was in good spirits by the time she arrived at home. Iris quickly dressed into black jeans and boots, with a rose colored button-down shirt. She sprayed some of her favorite perfume called Design onto her neck and was just in time for Grace's arrival.

"Iris!" The woman shouted rushing over to give her a big hug. Grace was a large woman in her mid-30's who had such a beautiful heart for people. Iris had loved her from the minute she'd met Grace and Olivia at church. The three of them had spent lots of time together.

"I talked to Olivia on my lunch and she was telling me about your latest problems with that Brass guy."

"I'm starting to really understand what Jesus meant when he said pray for your enemies. My stars he makes my life miserable at times."

"Ok well get in cause I have a theory."

Iris slid into the front seat of the 2008 Mazda 6 and buckled in. "All right I'm listening with my mental pad and pen ready. Fire away."

"Have you considered the fact that maybe he has a crush on you and he can't easily deal with that?"

Iris stared at Grace in complete and utter shock. "A crush? For heaven's sake Grace, this isn't high school."

"No it's not but some men still haven't figured out how to get out of that mentality. I'm just saying maybe you fluster him."

"Grace you are one of the last true romantics. I can't see that I fluster him in that way. He's just a grouch."

"All right you can shoot down my theory for now, but like a good CSI I know you will look for evidence."

"I will do that." Iris said getting out of the car at The Coalminer Dance Hall.

"Do what?" Olivia said walking up behind Iris.

"Grace said that Brass probably has a crush on me. Silly right?"

"Grace! I told you not to tell her that till we got more information!" Olivia squawked at Grace.

"What a minute? You agree with it?"

"A conspiracy theory takes at least two people Iris. But yes I think it is possible that he has a liking toward you. You just watch. In the meantime let's go inside. Maybe we can find you two some cowboys to dance with."

Grace and Iris piped up at the same time, "Yeah right."