A/N: I am so proud that I got this out before Christmas.

Once again, thanks to Wanda for taking the time to beta this for me.

Thanks to all who are reading and reviewing it.

Merry Christmas! ; )


Chapter Twelve

Grissom sat at his desk finishing up paperwork. Hearing a knock at his office door, he looked up to find a very tired Nick standing there.

"Nick, come on in." Grissom said, taking his glasses off.

"Hey boss, I finally solved my hit and run." Nick walked to Grissom's desk and handed him some papers. "Here's my report, just finished it."

Grissom placed the report on his desk. "Good job, now go home and get some sleep."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Nick started for the door. When he reached the doorway he stopped and turned back around. "Griss, I saw that next Saturday we both have off. I was wondering if you wanted to come over and watch the football game with me."

Grissom thought about what Catherine said earlier at dinner. "Sure Nick, what time?"

"Really! Cool, umm the game starts at five so, anytime before that." Nick said. After receiving a nod from Grissom, he turned and headed out the door.

Grissom found himself standing at Nick's front door with two six-packs in hand. Taking a deep breath in and letting it out, he pushed the doorbell. Seconds later Nick appeared at the door sporting his Dallas Cowboys jersey.

"Hey Griss, come on in." Nick held the door open. As Grissom stepped inside, Nick reached for the six-packs. "Here let me put these in the fridge. Go ahead and have a seat."

As Grissom made his way to the couch, he looked around the room. Things looked pretty much the same, since the last time he was there. The only thing different was, Sara wasn't with him this time.

Nick walked into the room and handed Grissom one of the beers in his hand. "Here ya go." He sat down at the opposite end of the couch. "Half hour before game time, pre-game should be on." He reached for the remote and turned on the TV.

Grissom twisted the cap off the bottle. "So Cowboys vs. Panthers, who are they favoring?"

Nick picked his feet up and rested them on the coffee table. "I never listen to what they say about that, I have confidence in my Cowboys." Nick paused to take a sip of his beer. "So I was thinking we could order a pizza for half time. Ohh and I made those wings you like."

"I don't mean to offend you, but I am still surprised you know how to cook. Those wings you make are damn good." Grissom said.

"If you think that's good, you should have tried some of the turkey I made for Thanksgiving." Nick reached up and scratched his head. "Hey what did you end up doing for Thanksgiving, anyway?" Nick asked.

"Thanks for the invite, but I ended up pulling a double." Grissom placed his arm over the back of the couch. "I heard everyone had a good time, but I was surprised that you didn't head home for the holiday."

"I figured since I was going home for Christmas the family wouldn't mind if I missed turkey day." Nick took another sip of his beer. "Now mom is pissed that I canceled on Christmas. She is calling everyday to see if I can get out of working. Back to Thanksgiving, did you at least eat some turkey?"

"I had tofurkey, does that count?"

"What the hell is tofurkey?" Nick asked.

"Basically it is vegetarian turkey." Grissom shrugged his shoulders. "Its tofu and some other things."

Nick scrunched up his nose. "Does that even taste good?"

"Add a little salt and pepper and..." Grissom shook his head, "who am I kidding. I think it tastes like shit."

Just then Nick's home phone began to ring and Nick answered it. "Hello. Hey mom." Nick looked over to Grissom and rolled his eyes. "Mom, hold on a sec." Nick covered the bottom of the phone with his hand. "I am going to take this in the other room." Nick whispered to Grissom. Once Nick was in the other room, Grissom thought back to the last time he was there.


January 1, 2007

Grissom and Sara found themselves on Nick's front door step.

"Do you think it is wise that we are showing up here together?" Grissom asked.

"Look, if anyone asks, I will tell them we were working late and I dragged you here." Sara pushed the doorbell. "Plus everyone is probably still drunk or very hung over from last night to even notice."

Just then a slightly tipsy Nick opened the door. "Griss, Sara, come on in and join the party." Nick stepped aside to let them enter. Turning to Sara, he wrapped his arms around her giving her a bear like hug. "Happy New Year, Sar" he said while picking her up.

"Happy New Year to you too Nick, now put me down." Sara said as she tried to wiggle out of his grip.

"There ya go darlin." Nick said as he put her down. Giving Grissom a wink he added. "Feels like someone had a few extra Christmas cookies this year."

Sara turned to Grissom with a shocked look. When she saw Grissom stifling his laugh, she elbowed Nick in the stomach.

Wrapping his arms around his middle, Nick doubled over and let out an "oomph." Sara looked up to Grissom and shot him a "you're next" look. Grissom raised his eyebrows and gave her an "oh shit" look in return. Still doubled over, Nick extended his hand out to Grissom. "Happy New Year, Boss."

"Happy New Year, Nick." Grissom said as he shook Nick's hand. "Looks like you're off to a great start."

"Hey, when you start the year off by getting your ass kicked by Sara, you know it's going to be a good one." Nick said, as he tried to stand up straight. "Come on, everyone is in the other room, the Sugar Bowl is on."

Grissom and Sara followed Nick towards the noise.

"Griss and Sara are here." Nick announced.

After everyone was done calling out their hellos, Brass walked up to Nick. "Hey Nick, did you show them where the coats go?" Brass asked, trying his best not to break out in laughter.

Nick gave Brass a confused look. "Ummm, Brass, they didn't wear coats." He looked over towards the kitchen. "I am going to check on the food, make yourselves at home." Nick headed for the kitchen.

Grissom looked over and saw the pissed off look on Sara's face. "I'll help you." He said, as he followed Nick. As Grissom stepped into the kitchen, Nick handed him a small plate of wings.

"Do me a favor and try these. Tell me if they need anything."

Grissom ate a few before he looked over to Nick. "These are really good, they don't need a thing." Grissom said as he picked up another wing.

The sound of cheering could be heard in the other room. "Ahh, man, I just missed something good." Nick said, as he was in the middle of chopping up the celery.

"Go ahead and watch the game, I can finish this." Grissom said, as he finished off another wing. "Just let me know what needs done."

Nick told Grissom what needed done and then he left him alone in the kitchen. Grissom consumed a few more wings, when he heard someone clear their throat. Turning around, he found Sara standing with her arms crossed.

"Uh oh, I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Grissom asked with a mouth full.

Sara walked over to him. "I have told you before, just because I don't eat meat, doesn't mean you can't." She reached up and wiped away some sauce at the corner of his mouth. "You are supposed to be preparing the food, not eating all of it. I came in here to see if you needed any help."

Grissom gave her a crooked smile. "The other wings have a few more minuets to go."

"Well in that case." Sara looked around the kitchen and spotted the pantry. Backing Grissom into it, she pressed her body against his and began to kiss him. A few minuets later the ding from the timer caused them to back away from each other. "The wings are done." Sara said as she walked over to the oven.

"I think I need a really cold shower right now." Grissom said, leaning his back against the wall.

Sara glanced over at him and started to laugh. "Yeah, you need to do something about that." Shaking her head back and forth she added. "You definitely can't walk out there like that."

"Well I am glad you find this funny, cookie girl." Grissom said as he walked over to her. Sara glared at him as she shut the oven off. "Right, well by the time we get everything ready here, I should be fine." Grissom said as he reached fore the wing sauce.

About ten minutes later, Sara and Grissom carried the food out to the coffee table.

Nick looked up at them. "Thanks guys."

As everyone started to dig in, Brass paused.

"Wait, the two of you were alone... in the kitchen... making this?" Brass asked.

"Yeah, why?" Grissom asked, wondering what the big deal was.

Brass reached for a chip. "I'll think I will just stick with these." He said as he popped a chip in his mouth.


Grissom saw Nick walking back into the room with the phone at his side. "Sorry about that. Mom is trying to do everything she can to get me to spend Christmas with them." Nick said as he took his seat on the couch again.

Grissom began rubbing his chin. "I know you told Ecklie you would cancel your Christmas plans to fill in for Warrick, but I think we could manage without you. You should be with your family on Christmas." Grissom said as he took a sip of his beer.

"Thanks Griss, but can I be honest with you?" Nick asked.

"Go ahead."

"I really don't want to go back home for Christmas this year. I am the baby of the family and I feel like the black sheep." Nick held his hand out and began listing things. "You know... I don't live close by, not married and I don't have any kids. When I go home and see everyone with their spouses and kids I feel like the outcast." Nick paused to take a sip of his beer. "Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but this year I wanted to stay here. Everything is crazy right now, with Warrick and Sara being gone..." Nick leaned forward in his seat. "I just feel like I am needed more here."

"Hey, you do what makes you happy." Grissom said as he finished off his beer.

"Yeah." Nick nodded his head up and down in agreement. "Do you need another one?" Nick held his bottle up.

"Sure" Grissom handed Nick his empty.

Nick returned with two more beers and handed one to Grissom again. Once Nick sat back down, he looked over at Grissom. "Can I say something here?"

Grissom twisted the cap off and tossed it on the table. "It's your place."

"That's the thing, it really isn't, but I think I need to tell you this." Nick paused to twist the cap off of his beer. "There was a time when Sara and I were pretty close. After I found out about you two, I asked Greg if he knew. He said he did and that is when I realized, Sara and I weren't as close as we used to be." Nick reached back and ran his hand along the back of his neck. "If we were still close I would have noticed the change that you made in her. What I am trying to say is this." Nick shifted in his seat. "I don't know what is going on right now between you two. Also I might not know Sara as well as I once did, but I do know this. Sara loves you and you love her too." Nick paused to take a sip of his beer. "Someone once said that true love conquers all."

The rest of the night, they pretty much sat in silence watching the game and drinking their beer.

The next morning, Grissom got called in early to work. He worked straight through to Christmas Eve. It took Brass threatening him, to make him go home and get some sleep. Even though he was up for over twenty four hours, he was surprised what a few hours of sleep did for him. In the early hours of Christmas morning, he found himself in the kitchen making something to eat. He heard the key in the door and someone walking towards the kitchen. "Hey Jim, I got a few hours of sleep already. So you don't have to worry about..." Grissom looked up to see her standing there. "Sara"

"Hey" she said as she placed her bag on the floor.