"Wow, who's that beautiful woman?" Greg jumped of his chair and hugged Sofia. "You look gorgeous, Sofia."
"Thanks Greg. You don't look too bad either. Nice hair." She got with her hand through his short hair and messed it up.
"The detective, who didn't want to help me in a container of sand, but wanted to lift some prints with me." Nick grinned and took Sofia in his arms. "What brings you here? Are you back with the LVPD?"
"No. I'm only a visitor. Sara told me, I've to say hello to you guys. Apparently, you missed me."
"We did. Where did you go to?"
"I'm still around."
"But not with the LVPD."
"No, I work in the private sector now."
"Real estate security? Isn't that a step back? From detective to…something like a mall cop?"
"I think I'm a level above mall cop." Sofia laughed.
"She's the head of security of Bubbles." Sara explained.
"You sit with the rich and famous. What does your mother say about that?" Grissom asked.
"Get the hell back to LVPD and he an honest cop. No wait, first she wonders, what she did wrong and then she orders me to get my old job back."
"A captain by heart."
"Yes."
"I bet your money is better than what your mother earns." Cath guessed.
"Yes."
"So we won't get you back?"
"No Nick."
"How is the Fort? Tell us about it. Is it as big as everybody says? And how does it look inside?"
"Greg, I'm the head of security, do you think, I'll tell you details about the Fort? No way."
"Oh, come on."
"No."
"What do I have to do to get a tour?"
"You ask Bubbles, if he invites you, you're welcome."
"Why was Sara allowed to be in there?"
"Because she was stranded and needed a shelter."
"I could be stranded too."
"No, you want to stalk, Greg."
"I want to be informed."
"That's the same in your case. Only with other words."
"So I need to get rich and be a friend of Bubbles to see his Fort? Alright. Grissom, am I not due for a pay raise?"
"No, but for work."
"Damn." Greg grinned. He had tried.
"Tell me what has changed." Greg poured some coffee in Sara's cup. After their shift, they went together to a diner to have some breakfast.
"What do you mean?" She had no idea what her friend was talking about. What did change? A lot of things changed all the time. Was he talking about something in particular or the world in general?
"You and Sofia."
"Huh?"
"You weren't friends years ago, now she meets you for dinner."
"She saved my life twice. Don't you think it's a good reason for me to thank her?"
"Yes. What's her reason to agree on that?"
"You say that like I'm a person nobody wants to spend some time with, thank you very much, Greg."
"I love to spend time with you, but I didn't think Sofia would be one of these people too."
"Maybe after three years we were able to handle each other for one night."
"Actually two."
"Whatever."
"Will there be a third night?"
"Why are you so interested in my relationship to Sofia?"
"I didn't know that you and Sofia have a relationship." He grinned.
"Like we both have."
"You're that close to her?"
"You go on like that and you won't be close to me anymore. Fact is, after a rough start, Sofia and me got along alright. My life isn't only work anymore, why not reactivate an old contact and spend some time with her?"
"It doesn't look like you, Sara."
"Maybe I want to surprise you."
"You do."
"Good. Leave it alone now, will you?"
"Alright…one more question."
"What?" Sara sighed.
"When you go there the next time, can you smuggle me in? Like I'll be in your trunk and have a look around on myself. I want to see the Fort."
"Greg, beside that this sounds ridiculous, the security would catch you right away."
"You think?"
"Hey, you know their head of security, do you think she isn't good enough?"
"Your point." He grinned. He was curious, as a fan of the old Vegas stories, as being very interested in mob stories, a rich man, who built a fort in the desert and kept it closed for most people, was high on Greg's list of things, he wanted to see. And if he couldn't meet the owner of the fort, the last thing he could do was having a tour through the fort.
"What did you see when you were in there?"
"A kitchen."
"A kitchen?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"A dining room."
"Like any other room?"
"No, there were some painting on the wall. Same for the lobby. Greg, I didn't pay much attention to the house, I was in the kitchen to get something to eat, ate in a small dining room and went up to Sofia's apartment. No pompous guest room, no golden sink, no butler, no maids."
"But a fort."
"Yes."
"Did you have some champagne?"
"No."
"You stay at the place of a guy, who is famous for his champagne and don't drink it?"
"I didn't meet him, I had spent a few hours in the desert, was probably dehydrated, I wasn't in a status in that champagne was good for me."
"If you ever meet him, let him invite you to some champagne, even better, make him give you a bottle as a gift and share it with me. Unfortunately, these bottles are so expensive I can't afford them."
"And I'm not interested in them."
"Do it for your best friend."
"You mean, do it for the one, who annoys you so much and maybe he'll finally shut up if you tell him, you'll try?"
"Yes." Greg grinned widely.
"Thought so." Sara buried her face in her hands. Maybe the idea to have breakfast with Greg wasn't a good idea at all. Her friend was a little bit annoying today. Only a little bit..
Note of Author: I'll be on holidays the next 12 days and have no idea if I can upload while I'm away. So this might be the last chapter for 2 weeks.
