Explanations: Chapter 4

Well, chapter 4's here. I know the previous chapter was, 'meh', but I think (and hope) this chapter is much better! (:

Thanks to everyone who faved and reviewed the previous chapters!

Warrick and Grissom were at the LVPD car park, headed towards the SUV.

Please, don't ask, Gris, Warrick pleaded silently in his head. What in the world was he supposed to say? As much as he wanted to screw up Nick's 'plot', Catherine could be right – what if it wasn't a hoax? Things would get an awful lot worse if Grissom decides to drop Ecklie a note, though he may or may not do that. Then, Nick might end up getting switched to day shift, and he would hate Warrick forever...

"So, what was going on among all of you?" Grissom spoke, breaking Warrick's train of thoughts. "You guys seemed… secretive."

Great. He asked. Well, act like you don't know anything, Warrick.

"Sorry?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Warrick," Grissom replied, unlocking the door of the vehicle.

Okay, new plan... Well, he certainly couldn't fool Grissom, but at least he could try.

"Uh, it wasn't anything, really," Warrick answered as he climbed into the passenger's seat, earning a raised eyebrow from the older man. "We were… uh… talking about the soccer match later on."

"So what trouble was Nick getting into?" Grissom asked again as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"He betted… on an unreliable team," Warrick continued. "He's crazy, I swear. We told him they wouldn't win, but he wouldn't listen..."

Grissom nodded, and didn't say anything else while he started the engine. Warrick heaved a (silent) sigh of relief at this, and prayed that he wouldn't mention about that again…

"Why are we going this way? I thought the Denali was outside?" Greg asked, pointing towards the direction they came from, as he and Catherine were walking along the corridor, passing by several laboratories.

"I left my cellphone in one of the labs," Catherine stated.

"It's just an excuse to get away from Grissom and Warrick, right?"

Catherine pursed her lips. "Well, yeah," she said. "But I did leave my cellphone somewhere. Should be with Hodges."

They had reached the trace lab, and Catherine strode in, with Greg outside waiting. Hodges and Wendy were inside, deep in conversation.

"Hey," Catherine greeted, picking her phone off of one of the tables.

"Oh, hey," Hodges responded, turning around, and Wendy smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. "Uh, I was gonna ask you to get your phone, but I see you've remembered," he added with a smile.

"Thanks," Catherine replied, returning the smile, and making to exit the lab.

"We heard about a bet going on," Wendy started suddenly. Catherine swiveled around, surprised, and Greg entered the lab as well. "What? From where?" Greg asked.

Wendy shrugged. "Archie told me. He said he heard it from Henry. Apparently Henry overheard your… conversation," she said, as Catherine and Greg swapped glances.

"Wow… News spread like wildfire here," Greg commented, as Catherine nodded in agreement.

"Especially issues like that," Hodges explained. "So? Has the answer been revealed? Did Nick and Sara…?"

"We don't know for sure yet," Catherine answered. "But I think they did."

"I beg to differ," Greg said. "I think they're joking."

"Of course you do," Hodges replied, and Greg raised an eyebrow at that, with Catherine and Wendy grinning. "I don't want to speculate about it, though."

"Oh, good for you," Greg quipped.

"Well, we have to go now," Catherine cut in, grabbing Greg by the arm. "He's getting a little distracted here."

"No, I'm not!" Greg shot back, miffed, as Hodges and Wendy watched him get hauled out of the lab by Catherine, with humor written all over their faces.

They turned a corner into the locker room, and both of them leaned against the lockers.

"They're gone?" Sara asked.

"I think so," Nick replied, peering out into the corridor.

Ducking back into the locker room, he swapped looks with Sara.

"Okay, what just happened?"

"Uh, we fabricated a total lie, and tried to fool everybody."

"And everybody started betting on it."

"Uh-huh."

A slight pause ensued.

Sara broke the silence. "What are we gonna do?"

"Uh… I guess we'll keep this up till Ecklie finds out."

"Which is something that'll eventually happen, right?"

"Unfortunately, yeah."

"But it was kinda fun, wasn't it?" Sara asked, smiling.

"Yeah, it was," Nick answered, a grin forming on his face. "The looks on their faces were hilarious!"

"And they started betting on it so spontaneously!"

Another pause ensued.

"You know, maybe…" Nick started, moving closer to Sara. He was now standing in front of her. "Uh, Nick…?" Sara uttered uncertainly, as he leant an arm on the locker behind her, his face dangerously close to hers now.

"What the heck. Let's just do the deed worth punishing for."

"Are you crazy?" Sara exclaimed, flushing, as she grinned and hit Nick's arm playfully.

"I'm kidding! Look at you, you're blushing!" Nick responded, grinning widely himself.

"Oh, stop flirting with me," she replied, smirking, but still evidently flushing.

Suddenly, they heard someone clearing his throat. The pair looked up at him, and they were gripped with shock and surprise at his appearance.

"Stokes. Sidle. My office, now."

Crap.

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