Chapter Three:
The Big Night
Norah woke up to the sound of sizzling bacon. She got off the couch and walked into the smoke-filled kitchen. What she thought to be bacon appeared to be more like fried dog crap; small, black and slimy. She prayed Nick didn't make it for her, she thought she was going to be sick just looking at it. And then she'd miss her date. Hmm.actually, it didn't sound like a bad idea.
Nick looked up from the stove. "Good morning," he smiled putting the so- called bacon on a plate next to two other unidentifiable objects, both also black. After seeing how she looked at it he stated what it was supposed to be, "Bacon, toast and eggs."
'I don't think eggs are supposed to be black-bacon either for that matter,' she told herself. "Looks great," she lied. Nick could tell, of course-he always could, she was so easy to read.
"I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"It looks like crap."
Norah braced herself and took a bite of the toast. "It's actually pretty good," she lied again, a burnt after-taste on her tongue. She wondered where his dog was-she could have sworn he had a dog the last time she came to visit.
"I think I have some frozen pizza," Nick said into the freezer, looking for the aforementioned pizza. "Maybe."
"How about I treat you to breakfast," Norah suggested.
"Nah, I'm not hungry-plus I have to get to the lab and get some more work done-hot case," Nick didn't seem to be too upset about her not eating the breakfast he made. And burned.
"Okay."
"Help yourself to something in the freezer," Nick said from the living room after grabbing his car keys. "Oh yeah, Owen called."
"I don't know what I'm going to do about him," Norah groaned following Nick into the living room.
"Tell him it's over-for good-as directly as you can tell an airhead like him," he paused while Norah glared. "Tell him you have a new man," Nick smiled thinking about the night before after Norah left and how happy Greg'd been about scoring a date with Norah.
"Who would that be?" Norah asked knowing whom but asking anyway, irate that Nick would think that Greg was a "man," let alone her man.
Nick smiled and stated the obvious, "Greg."
"He's not my man," Norah corrected. "He's just a guy I met yesterday," Norah said stressing the yesterday part.
"But Owen doesn't know that," Nick winked.
Norah shook her head, "Wouldn't that be like using Greg?"
"No," Nick semi-lied.
"I don't want to hurt him."
"You guys are going on a date tonight-that must mean something. So he kind of is your man, for tonight anyway. And he wants to be so it's not really using him, it's more like.lying to Owen," he explained.
"Fine," Norah gave in, "but don't leave me yet." She picked up the phone and called Owen. "I hope this works," she told Nick while the phone rang.
"He-"
"Look, Owen, it's over. For good. I have a new man and I think you should find a new woman. I mean, it shouldn't be hard, you're gorgeous," she spoke fast. She felt like she was loosing a part of herself afterward. She was though-she was loosing her friend and love of her life. She knew when it was done Nick would say some corny saying about fish.
"You know," a female voice said on the other end, "you're right-it is over."
"You're not Owen."
"You're quick."
Norah heard Owen stir and ask who it was in a tired tone. She quickly hung up, "He took it well," she said holding back the tears in her eyes. She missed Owen already. She forced out a fake smile, "See you later."
"You should come down to work with me," Nick advised, afraid she might do something drastic.
She didn't want to but choose to anyway after telling Nick to give her five minutes she took some clothes into the bathroom and just cried.
She put some make-up on in addition to her solid-colored pink T-shirt and clam diggers with her favorite flip-flops. She walked back into Nick's living room, hunched over from a broken heart.
She didn't know why she felt this way-she wanted him gone.
Nick put his arm around her shoulder. They walked to the car and were off.
-------
Greg was spinning in his stool, even though Grissom had told the insane scientist three times before he had better calm down. Catherine thought it was probably a combination of the pre-date excitement and the abundant amount of candy bars and Mountain Dew she swears he has daily for breakfast. Warrick walked into the lab, "So, excited for your date tonight?"
Greg stopped the stool from spinning and wobbled back and forth unsteadily, "It's going to be fun," he smiled almost cynically.
"Don't do anything to hurt her, Greg," Warrick said firmly. "Both me and Nick will break off your arms if you do," he warned.
"I'm appalled you think I would do something stupid to someone as beautiful as Norah. With so many people that could, for example, break off my arms if I did. I thought you knew me better than that."
"I do, that's why I said it," Warrick said pushing a bit of blood in a container toward him, "I need to know if this matches our Sinker," referring to a body found in a local's pool, a case him and Catherine were working on.
Greg looked suspiciously at Warrick, "How do you know Norah?"
"The DNA of the Sinker should be on file," Warrick continued ignoring Greg's question.
"Okay, okay, I see you don't want to discuss it," Greg started, "I'll ask later."
"I met her four years ago at Christmas, I went home to Nick's because I had no where else to go, satisfied?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Greg shrugged and let it go. He knew better not to push Warrick too far.
-------
Nick and Norah walked into the LVPD Crime Lab building like they did the day before, but quieter, sadder. Nick promised not to tell anyone about the break-up. She promised not to cry.
Catherine passed them in the hall, "Hey Nick, hey Norah." She smiled and they smiled back. "Norah could you do me a favor?" Norah looked at Nick and then silently nodded. "Can you baby-sit Lindsey from 3 to 5 this afternoon? She needs to be picked up from school, but I figure you could use Nick's car. Just give her some ice cream and she'll be happy." Norah nodded a couple more times and gave a silent smile. "Thanks." She was obviously in a hurry; she rushed out of the building before she barely got the 'Thanks' out. Norah only knew who Lindsey was from her conversations with Nick.
"I'll pick her up with you because she won't know who you are and the people at her school'd probably go psycho if some chick just picked her up," Nick said, thinking way farther ahead than Catherine, obviously. For once. The people at Lindsey's school definitely knew him well enough-he'd pick her up many times when Catherine was tied up with a case and Eddie was just too lazy too get up.
Norah nodded.
Nick looked at his watch. "We have about two hours." The day shift seemed to have mysteriously fallen off the face of the Earth, as the night crew grew more enticed by their cases. Maybe it was the unseasonably warm weather that got them more hyped about working. It actually freaked Eckley out that Grissom's crew was working so hard, but he didn't complain; less work for him. But it was hot even for Las Vegas this December, but once the sun went down on the Desert City it was nice to curl up with someone to keep toasty. But Nick tried not to think of that for fear that his pity for Norah would grow.
Norah nodded.
"What time is your date with Greg?"
Norah shrugged.
Nick hoped the old Norah would return soon. The talkative Norah. The Norah that would only shut up if-well, he hadn't found out how actually to shut her up, but was fun to listen to anyway. "Okay, well." Nick tried to think of something else to say but really couldn't, he was too used to the old ways with Norah. Norah talks, Nick listens. Not Nick talk, Norah sulk. 'Why Norah, why?' he asked himself.
But he was sure Lindsey would cheer Norah up. Little kids have these little emotion detectors in their fragile little bodies that sense when someone was sad and they, sometimes, are the only ones who have the power to cheer that person up. Who thought little kids could be so cool? Not Nick, but that's how he remembers Norah from his teenage memories.
If Norah was Native American they would have named her Little Girl With Big Heart. Instead, she was born into a Texan-Italian family named after her great-grandmother. Nick still remembered jumping on the bed, when no one was looking, of course, with Toddler Norah, laughing her cute giggle and her huge green eyes letting you know that she loved everyone. Even then she was a talkative one. By age three, she could recite the alphabet, minus N, thanks to Nick. She would sing it to the point were everyone would curse Nick under their breaths that he taught her it. At dinner, at the store, in front of the television, anytime she could. But the number one thing Nick remembers about his time with Norah when they were little was how she cared so much about him. Nick would come home from Junior High School, a frown on his face, his shoulders low, his heart heavy. Norah would greet him with a hug and ask him what was wrong. Even when he said 'nothing,' she could tell something was up. He told her about the mean homework-giving teacher, the rude friend who split his milk at lunch, or the bully who pushed him down and Norah would just listen, with the occasional outbreak of the ABC's. After pouring his heart out, he'd steal some cookies, while she poured the thick milk into two tall glasses, even though she'd end up spilling them both by the time they were done.
He smiled at the daydream which reminisced the past. It must have been a long one because Sara looked at Nick like she was waiting for an answer to some question she just asked. "Hmm?"
"This whole ignoring Sara thing that seems to be going around-is this a result of Norah, by any chance?" Sara asked, obviously pissed off.
"I'm not ignoring you."
"Then repeat what I just said," Sara countered quickly, sounding like a whiny teacher trying to teach a student a lesson about listening they'd forget about next period anyway. One that was taught to Nick many times in high school.
Nick let out a few 'um's and then Sara pounced.
"I said that the time of death according to David was 9:00am, Dr. Robbin's confirmed David's hypothesis was right, the DNA in the tobacco and spit wasn't our victim's, our victim isn't Paul, and Bigfoot wears official pro- baseball cleats" Sara said furiously, almost shouting.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Nick said. He mentally checked over each thing that she said to make sure that he'd remember it. "Wait, pro-baseball cleats?"
"Yeah, they're custom-made, which doesn't surprise me by the size of the foot," Sara commented.
Nick noted that it was a minor league ballpark in his head, but he knew a major league team was practicing there for two weeks. "The Expos are practicing there this week." Nick said, "They're getting a much needed head- start for next season."
Sara let Nick play newscaster for about three minutes; he rattled off batting averages, team scores and players from the past 16 years. "But, what does this have to do with our case?" Sara inquired.
Nick thought about it for a second, "Well, do you know what size the shoe is?"
"Bigger than a size 13," Sara stated, "which is about the biggest they come but I can't get an exact size because they're made exactly to fit this guy."
Nick flipped threw the file folder in his memory bank under 's' for 'shoe sizes.' "There's only 2 pro-players with a shoe size bigger than a 13-one on the Expos. Jerry Donahue."
Sara jerked her head to see if there was some hidden cue card Nick was reading. She was surprised by the way it sounded-like from a book, but not surprised the jock-turned-scientist knew it. "Well, let's go talk to this guy."
Nick looked at his watch, "I can't, I have to take Norah to pick up Linds in fifteen minutes."
Sara practically turned into a green-eyed monster at the sound of Norah's name roll off his tongue. Ever since she came here, a mere two days ago, it seems like she was always the center of attention and quite frankly Sara was jealous. Greg had even stopped hitting on her and the neglect was noticeable to her. "Okay, I'll go by myself," she tried to sound like she didn't care, but secretly hoped Nick would sympathize.
"Great, I'll see you later," Nick said trailing off as he left the room.
"By the way, I know the brand of chewing tobacco," she said to the empty chair, wishing it would talk back since no one else would while Norah was going to be in Vegas.
-------
"Nicky!" Lindsey ran out of the school into Nick's arms. Norah smiled, remembering herself at Lindsey's age and how attached she was to Nick then.
"Hey Linds," Nick smiled and hugged her. After putting her firmly on the ground she discovered a smiling Norah. "Lindsey, this is my niece, Norah. She's a friend of your mom's and she's going to be watching you will Uncle Nicky goes back to work."
Lindsey looked her over as if her Emotion Detectors sensed she was sad. Lindsey gave a warm smile, "Hi, Norah."
"Hi Lindsey."
After introductions were over and done with Norah drove Nick back to work and was off for a day with Lindsey. "Do you like ice cream?" She asked the outgoing, youthful face in the backseat, which nodded back with enthusiasm in the rearview mirror. "Me, too. What's your favorite flavor?"
"Vanilla."
"Mine is chocolate."
"Chocolate isn't as good to me as vanilla," Lindsey explained.
Norah had to smile at the little kid reasoning. She couldn't wait to have kids, even though finding the right man was the real problem.
-------
Norah walked into the house to find Nick lounging on the couch, his head on one arm, feet on the other, watching some sports game on the TV. "Hey."
"Hey, Greg told Sara to tell Catherine to tell me to tell you that he'd come to pick you up at 5:15," Nick said, trying his best to sound like some popular gossip from Anywhere, USA.
"I have five minutes. I'm going to get ready and take a shower, keep him occupied for a couple of minutes," Norah said grabbing one of the three bags she had packed to come from California.
"Sure." Nick wanted to know if she was feeling better but decided to hold back on his questions about Owen and ask about her babysitting instead, "How did it go?"
"Good," Norah shouted through the bathroom door. "We went to McDonald's to play in the Ball Crawl and the manager threatened to kick us out if we didn't buy anything." She went into a voice that was supposed to resemble the manager's voice, "The Ball Crawl is for paying customers only!" She took off her shirt and continued, "So I asked him if we could buy one of those cheap-o Barbie Happy Meal toys that doesn't do anything buy sit there and we played for the rest of the time."
He smiled, "Definitely sounds like you."
She laughed too and proceeded to tell him about the rude ice cream vendor she threw ice cream at and the new sneakers she bought for Lindsey at the mall while she finished undressing for her shower. Nick knew the old Norah was back.
Their conversation paused for Norah's shower.
The doorbell rang like someone had fallen asleep on it. "Lay off the freaking bell!" Nick screamed at Greg. He rang the bell one more time, this time a normal ring. Nick growled and got off the couch mumbling.
Greg was there smiling when he opened the door. He frowned when he saw that it was Nick and not Norah.
"Come in, Norah'll be ready in a minute." He looked at Greg oddly.
"What? Is there stuff in my teeth? Ohmigosh." He ran toward the bathroom.
"No, It's weird seeing you without your lab coat," Nick said but not fast enough apparently. Greg had opened the door at the exact moment Norah was getting out of the shower. He now stood there staring at her, mouth gaping. Nick threw a towel in the bathroom covering his eyes and reaching for Greg's.
"Ow! My eye! You poked my eye!"
"Don't look at her, she's naked you pervert!"
"Get your finger out of my eye socket!"
"Close the door! Close your damn eyes, Greg!"
"I'm going to kick your balls."
"I'm going to rip yours off and fry them for my neighbor's cat."
"Well I'm going to feed yours to my grandmother!"
The shouting continued until she came out of the bathroom.
"I can't believe you sat there just staring at her," Nick stated, disgusted.
"Nick, half the country's seen my boobs anyway," Norah said, referring to the movie she was in.or her body was in anyway. Greg looked more mortified than he'd ever looked in his whole life.
"And I still can't watch that movie."
Greg's expression changed to confusion.
Norah looked at Greg and tried to explain, "I was a body double for Anne David in Intended."
Greg's face lit up, "I knew your tattoo looked familiar!"
If Norah were anyone else she probably would have been freaked out by now. Of course, if Norah were anyone else she probably wouldn't have done the movie.
She had put on a jean skirt that fell just below her knees and a white tank with a tight pink plaid button-down top with all but the top two and bottom buttons buttoned exposing her bellybutton. Her make-up was minimal, but she didn't really need it. Her hair was done up messily, but it looked cute. Only a few strands hung down into her face.
When the two finally noticed Norah she was smiling, ready for Greg.even though it took about 15 minutes for them to completely shut up about balls and perverts. She let out a breathy "Finally" when they were finished and Greg and her started out to Greg's car.
"Have fun, Norah," Nick shouted out praying that she wouldn't think of anything Owen-related on the date. "As for you, Greggo," He shook his head. "Remember what I said about you touching her." He made his jaw tight to show that he meant business.
Greg held his hand up in argument, "Don't worry about us." Greg speed out of the driveway before Nick could say anything more-he was sick of the threats he had heard all day. Everything from broken arms to fried balls. At one point Warrick and Nick even paid Judy, a secretary, to say they would cut his ears off if he hurt Norah. He had started asking himself why he was taking her out if there were so many bad things they could do to poor Greg if he even said the wrong thing. A crime in the crime lab? Greg smiled to himself at his humorous thought. "So, what do you do for a living?"
"Act. I'm here to try to get re-discovered, I guess. I've been in a few movies and stuff but nothing major. I hope to get into some show or something to boost my career."
He smirked at the thought of Norah as a Las Vegas showgirl, luckily she was too busy searching through the radio stations to find some good tunes. "Did you go to college?"
"Yeah, in France."
"So, can you speak French?"
"No.well.I can say a few words," although she didn't specify which ones.
"How did you survive in France if you don't speak French?"
She shrugged, "Bilingual friends mostly."
He smiled. "Now that's resourceful. So is France really as pretty as they show it on the Travel channel?"
"It's nice, the café's are really cute, it looks just like something out of Madeline," referring to the French orphan girl who starred in her own book series and television show. Norah remembered Nick reading the books to her and she promised him that she was going to go to France to see the Eiffel Tower, just like Madeline. "Did you always want to be a scientist?"
"Well, when I was five I wanted to be a pro-wrestler, my mom told me I had potential, but my dad was worried about me," He laughed at Norah's 'Are you serious' smile. "I know, my family's quite odd, now you know where I get it." Norah laughed and Greg smiled. "When I was ten I decided I want to be a lunch lady."
This statement made Norah go into a fit of laughter. "Seriously?"
When the laughing of both of them dulled down Greg told of some more professions. "When I was fifteen I wanted to be a pimp. When I was sixteen," he paused a second, "a race car driver, my dad didn't approve of any of those so he persuaded me to take up my best subject in school- science."
Norah wondered if he was telling the truth but then decided that it didn't matter, he was so funny and oh-so-adorable. "I think you would make one sexy wrestler," She laughed.
He flashed a smile at Norah. She wasn't too sure that she liked Greg until then. At that moment she knew that she wouldn't be missing Owen as long as Greg was around. Then she told herself to stop jumping to conclusions. 'How do you know that you REALLY like Greg? Really, really like him? You don't know him!' She frowned at herself and shook the thoughts out of her head. She was going to have a good time tonight if it was the last thing she would do.
The Big Night
Norah woke up to the sound of sizzling bacon. She got off the couch and walked into the smoke-filled kitchen. What she thought to be bacon appeared to be more like fried dog crap; small, black and slimy. She prayed Nick didn't make it for her, she thought she was going to be sick just looking at it. And then she'd miss her date. Hmm.actually, it didn't sound like a bad idea.
Nick looked up from the stove. "Good morning," he smiled putting the so- called bacon on a plate next to two other unidentifiable objects, both also black. After seeing how she looked at it he stated what it was supposed to be, "Bacon, toast and eggs."
'I don't think eggs are supposed to be black-bacon either for that matter,' she told herself. "Looks great," she lied. Nick could tell, of course-he always could, she was so easy to read.
"I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"It looks like crap."
Norah braced herself and took a bite of the toast. "It's actually pretty good," she lied again, a burnt after-taste on her tongue. She wondered where his dog was-she could have sworn he had a dog the last time she came to visit.
"I think I have some frozen pizza," Nick said into the freezer, looking for the aforementioned pizza. "Maybe."
"How about I treat you to breakfast," Norah suggested.
"Nah, I'm not hungry-plus I have to get to the lab and get some more work done-hot case," Nick didn't seem to be too upset about her not eating the breakfast he made. And burned.
"Okay."
"Help yourself to something in the freezer," Nick said from the living room after grabbing his car keys. "Oh yeah, Owen called."
"I don't know what I'm going to do about him," Norah groaned following Nick into the living room.
"Tell him it's over-for good-as directly as you can tell an airhead like him," he paused while Norah glared. "Tell him you have a new man," Nick smiled thinking about the night before after Norah left and how happy Greg'd been about scoring a date with Norah.
"Who would that be?" Norah asked knowing whom but asking anyway, irate that Nick would think that Greg was a "man," let alone her man.
Nick smiled and stated the obvious, "Greg."
"He's not my man," Norah corrected. "He's just a guy I met yesterday," Norah said stressing the yesterday part.
"But Owen doesn't know that," Nick winked.
Norah shook her head, "Wouldn't that be like using Greg?"
"No," Nick semi-lied.
"I don't want to hurt him."
"You guys are going on a date tonight-that must mean something. So he kind of is your man, for tonight anyway. And he wants to be so it's not really using him, it's more like.lying to Owen," he explained.
"Fine," Norah gave in, "but don't leave me yet." She picked up the phone and called Owen. "I hope this works," she told Nick while the phone rang.
"He-"
"Look, Owen, it's over. For good. I have a new man and I think you should find a new woman. I mean, it shouldn't be hard, you're gorgeous," she spoke fast. She felt like she was loosing a part of herself afterward. She was though-she was loosing her friend and love of her life. She knew when it was done Nick would say some corny saying about fish.
"You know," a female voice said on the other end, "you're right-it is over."
"You're not Owen."
"You're quick."
Norah heard Owen stir and ask who it was in a tired tone. She quickly hung up, "He took it well," she said holding back the tears in her eyes. She missed Owen already. She forced out a fake smile, "See you later."
"You should come down to work with me," Nick advised, afraid she might do something drastic.
She didn't want to but choose to anyway after telling Nick to give her five minutes she took some clothes into the bathroom and just cried.
She put some make-up on in addition to her solid-colored pink T-shirt and clam diggers with her favorite flip-flops. She walked back into Nick's living room, hunched over from a broken heart.
She didn't know why she felt this way-she wanted him gone.
Nick put his arm around her shoulder. They walked to the car and were off.
-------
Greg was spinning in his stool, even though Grissom had told the insane scientist three times before he had better calm down. Catherine thought it was probably a combination of the pre-date excitement and the abundant amount of candy bars and Mountain Dew she swears he has daily for breakfast. Warrick walked into the lab, "So, excited for your date tonight?"
Greg stopped the stool from spinning and wobbled back and forth unsteadily, "It's going to be fun," he smiled almost cynically.
"Don't do anything to hurt her, Greg," Warrick said firmly. "Both me and Nick will break off your arms if you do," he warned.
"I'm appalled you think I would do something stupid to someone as beautiful as Norah. With so many people that could, for example, break off my arms if I did. I thought you knew me better than that."
"I do, that's why I said it," Warrick said pushing a bit of blood in a container toward him, "I need to know if this matches our Sinker," referring to a body found in a local's pool, a case him and Catherine were working on.
Greg looked suspiciously at Warrick, "How do you know Norah?"
"The DNA of the Sinker should be on file," Warrick continued ignoring Greg's question.
"Okay, okay, I see you don't want to discuss it," Greg started, "I'll ask later."
"I met her four years ago at Christmas, I went home to Nick's because I had no where else to go, satisfied?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Greg shrugged and let it go. He knew better not to push Warrick too far.
-------
Nick and Norah walked into the LVPD Crime Lab building like they did the day before, but quieter, sadder. Nick promised not to tell anyone about the break-up. She promised not to cry.
Catherine passed them in the hall, "Hey Nick, hey Norah." She smiled and they smiled back. "Norah could you do me a favor?" Norah looked at Nick and then silently nodded. "Can you baby-sit Lindsey from 3 to 5 this afternoon? She needs to be picked up from school, but I figure you could use Nick's car. Just give her some ice cream and she'll be happy." Norah nodded a couple more times and gave a silent smile. "Thanks." She was obviously in a hurry; she rushed out of the building before she barely got the 'Thanks' out. Norah only knew who Lindsey was from her conversations with Nick.
"I'll pick her up with you because she won't know who you are and the people at her school'd probably go psycho if some chick just picked her up," Nick said, thinking way farther ahead than Catherine, obviously. For once. The people at Lindsey's school definitely knew him well enough-he'd pick her up many times when Catherine was tied up with a case and Eddie was just too lazy too get up.
Norah nodded.
Nick looked at his watch. "We have about two hours." The day shift seemed to have mysteriously fallen off the face of the Earth, as the night crew grew more enticed by their cases. Maybe it was the unseasonably warm weather that got them more hyped about working. It actually freaked Eckley out that Grissom's crew was working so hard, but he didn't complain; less work for him. But it was hot even for Las Vegas this December, but once the sun went down on the Desert City it was nice to curl up with someone to keep toasty. But Nick tried not to think of that for fear that his pity for Norah would grow.
Norah nodded.
"What time is your date with Greg?"
Norah shrugged.
Nick hoped the old Norah would return soon. The talkative Norah. The Norah that would only shut up if-well, he hadn't found out how actually to shut her up, but was fun to listen to anyway. "Okay, well." Nick tried to think of something else to say but really couldn't, he was too used to the old ways with Norah. Norah talks, Nick listens. Not Nick talk, Norah sulk. 'Why Norah, why?' he asked himself.
But he was sure Lindsey would cheer Norah up. Little kids have these little emotion detectors in their fragile little bodies that sense when someone was sad and they, sometimes, are the only ones who have the power to cheer that person up. Who thought little kids could be so cool? Not Nick, but that's how he remembers Norah from his teenage memories.
If Norah was Native American they would have named her Little Girl With Big Heart. Instead, she was born into a Texan-Italian family named after her great-grandmother. Nick still remembered jumping on the bed, when no one was looking, of course, with Toddler Norah, laughing her cute giggle and her huge green eyes letting you know that she loved everyone. Even then she was a talkative one. By age three, she could recite the alphabet, minus N, thanks to Nick. She would sing it to the point were everyone would curse Nick under their breaths that he taught her it. At dinner, at the store, in front of the television, anytime she could. But the number one thing Nick remembers about his time with Norah when they were little was how she cared so much about him. Nick would come home from Junior High School, a frown on his face, his shoulders low, his heart heavy. Norah would greet him with a hug and ask him what was wrong. Even when he said 'nothing,' she could tell something was up. He told her about the mean homework-giving teacher, the rude friend who split his milk at lunch, or the bully who pushed him down and Norah would just listen, with the occasional outbreak of the ABC's. After pouring his heart out, he'd steal some cookies, while she poured the thick milk into two tall glasses, even though she'd end up spilling them both by the time they were done.
He smiled at the daydream which reminisced the past. It must have been a long one because Sara looked at Nick like she was waiting for an answer to some question she just asked. "Hmm?"
"This whole ignoring Sara thing that seems to be going around-is this a result of Norah, by any chance?" Sara asked, obviously pissed off.
"I'm not ignoring you."
"Then repeat what I just said," Sara countered quickly, sounding like a whiny teacher trying to teach a student a lesson about listening they'd forget about next period anyway. One that was taught to Nick many times in high school.
Nick let out a few 'um's and then Sara pounced.
"I said that the time of death according to David was 9:00am, Dr. Robbin's confirmed David's hypothesis was right, the DNA in the tobacco and spit wasn't our victim's, our victim isn't Paul, and Bigfoot wears official pro- baseball cleats" Sara said furiously, almost shouting.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Nick said. He mentally checked over each thing that she said to make sure that he'd remember it. "Wait, pro-baseball cleats?"
"Yeah, they're custom-made, which doesn't surprise me by the size of the foot," Sara commented.
Nick noted that it was a minor league ballpark in his head, but he knew a major league team was practicing there for two weeks. "The Expos are practicing there this week." Nick said, "They're getting a much needed head- start for next season."
Sara let Nick play newscaster for about three minutes; he rattled off batting averages, team scores and players from the past 16 years. "But, what does this have to do with our case?" Sara inquired.
Nick thought about it for a second, "Well, do you know what size the shoe is?"
"Bigger than a size 13," Sara stated, "which is about the biggest they come but I can't get an exact size because they're made exactly to fit this guy."
Nick flipped threw the file folder in his memory bank under 's' for 'shoe sizes.' "There's only 2 pro-players with a shoe size bigger than a 13-one on the Expos. Jerry Donahue."
Sara jerked her head to see if there was some hidden cue card Nick was reading. She was surprised by the way it sounded-like from a book, but not surprised the jock-turned-scientist knew it. "Well, let's go talk to this guy."
Nick looked at his watch, "I can't, I have to take Norah to pick up Linds in fifteen minutes."
Sara practically turned into a green-eyed monster at the sound of Norah's name roll off his tongue. Ever since she came here, a mere two days ago, it seems like she was always the center of attention and quite frankly Sara was jealous. Greg had even stopped hitting on her and the neglect was noticeable to her. "Okay, I'll go by myself," she tried to sound like she didn't care, but secretly hoped Nick would sympathize.
"Great, I'll see you later," Nick said trailing off as he left the room.
"By the way, I know the brand of chewing tobacco," she said to the empty chair, wishing it would talk back since no one else would while Norah was going to be in Vegas.
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"Nicky!" Lindsey ran out of the school into Nick's arms. Norah smiled, remembering herself at Lindsey's age and how attached she was to Nick then.
"Hey Linds," Nick smiled and hugged her. After putting her firmly on the ground she discovered a smiling Norah. "Lindsey, this is my niece, Norah. She's a friend of your mom's and she's going to be watching you will Uncle Nicky goes back to work."
Lindsey looked her over as if her Emotion Detectors sensed she was sad. Lindsey gave a warm smile, "Hi, Norah."
"Hi Lindsey."
After introductions were over and done with Norah drove Nick back to work and was off for a day with Lindsey. "Do you like ice cream?" She asked the outgoing, youthful face in the backseat, which nodded back with enthusiasm in the rearview mirror. "Me, too. What's your favorite flavor?"
"Vanilla."
"Mine is chocolate."
"Chocolate isn't as good to me as vanilla," Lindsey explained.
Norah had to smile at the little kid reasoning. She couldn't wait to have kids, even though finding the right man was the real problem.
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Norah walked into the house to find Nick lounging on the couch, his head on one arm, feet on the other, watching some sports game on the TV. "Hey."
"Hey, Greg told Sara to tell Catherine to tell me to tell you that he'd come to pick you up at 5:15," Nick said, trying his best to sound like some popular gossip from Anywhere, USA.
"I have five minutes. I'm going to get ready and take a shower, keep him occupied for a couple of minutes," Norah said grabbing one of the three bags she had packed to come from California.
"Sure." Nick wanted to know if she was feeling better but decided to hold back on his questions about Owen and ask about her babysitting instead, "How did it go?"
"Good," Norah shouted through the bathroom door. "We went to McDonald's to play in the Ball Crawl and the manager threatened to kick us out if we didn't buy anything." She went into a voice that was supposed to resemble the manager's voice, "The Ball Crawl is for paying customers only!" She took off her shirt and continued, "So I asked him if we could buy one of those cheap-o Barbie Happy Meal toys that doesn't do anything buy sit there and we played for the rest of the time."
He smiled, "Definitely sounds like you."
She laughed too and proceeded to tell him about the rude ice cream vendor she threw ice cream at and the new sneakers she bought for Lindsey at the mall while she finished undressing for her shower. Nick knew the old Norah was back.
Their conversation paused for Norah's shower.
The doorbell rang like someone had fallen asleep on it. "Lay off the freaking bell!" Nick screamed at Greg. He rang the bell one more time, this time a normal ring. Nick growled and got off the couch mumbling.
Greg was there smiling when he opened the door. He frowned when he saw that it was Nick and not Norah.
"Come in, Norah'll be ready in a minute." He looked at Greg oddly.
"What? Is there stuff in my teeth? Ohmigosh." He ran toward the bathroom.
"No, It's weird seeing you without your lab coat," Nick said but not fast enough apparently. Greg had opened the door at the exact moment Norah was getting out of the shower. He now stood there staring at her, mouth gaping. Nick threw a towel in the bathroom covering his eyes and reaching for Greg's.
"Ow! My eye! You poked my eye!"
"Don't look at her, she's naked you pervert!"
"Get your finger out of my eye socket!"
"Close the door! Close your damn eyes, Greg!"
"I'm going to kick your balls."
"I'm going to rip yours off and fry them for my neighbor's cat."
"Well I'm going to feed yours to my grandmother!"
The shouting continued until she came out of the bathroom.
"I can't believe you sat there just staring at her," Nick stated, disgusted.
"Nick, half the country's seen my boobs anyway," Norah said, referring to the movie she was in.or her body was in anyway. Greg looked more mortified than he'd ever looked in his whole life.
"And I still can't watch that movie."
Greg's expression changed to confusion.
Norah looked at Greg and tried to explain, "I was a body double for Anne David in Intended."
Greg's face lit up, "I knew your tattoo looked familiar!"
If Norah were anyone else she probably would have been freaked out by now. Of course, if Norah were anyone else she probably wouldn't have done the movie.
She had put on a jean skirt that fell just below her knees and a white tank with a tight pink plaid button-down top with all but the top two and bottom buttons buttoned exposing her bellybutton. Her make-up was minimal, but she didn't really need it. Her hair was done up messily, but it looked cute. Only a few strands hung down into her face.
When the two finally noticed Norah she was smiling, ready for Greg.even though it took about 15 minutes for them to completely shut up about balls and perverts. She let out a breathy "Finally" when they were finished and Greg and her started out to Greg's car.
"Have fun, Norah," Nick shouted out praying that she wouldn't think of anything Owen-related on the date. "As for you, Greggo," He shook his head. "Remember what I said about you touching her." He made his jaw tight to show that he meant business.
Greg held his hand up in argument, "Don't worry about us." Greg speed out of the driveway before Nick could say anything more-he was sick of the threats he had heard all day. Everything from broken arms to fried balls. At one point Warrick and Nick even paid Judy, a secretary, to say they would cut his ears off if he hurt Norah. He had started asking himself why he was taking her out if there were so many bad things they could do to poor Greg if he even said the wrong thing. A crime in the crime lab? Greg smiled to himself at his humorous thought. "So, what do you do for a living?"
"Act. I'm here to try to get re-discovered, I guess. I've been in a few movies and stuff but nothing major. I hope to get into some show or something to boost my career."
He smirked at the thought of Norah as a Las Vegas showgirl, luckily she was too busy searching through the radio stations to find some good tunes. "Did you go to college?"
"Yeah, in France."
"So, can you speak French?"
"No.well.I can say a few words," although she didn't specify which ones.
"How did you survive in France if you don't speak French?"
She shrugged, "Bilingual friends mostly."
He smiled. "Now that's resourceful. So is France really as pretty as they show it on the Travel channel?"
"It's nice, the café's are really cute, it looks just like something out of Madeline," referring to the French orphan girl who starred in her own book series and television show. Norah remembered Nick reading the books to her and she promised him that she was going to go to France to see the Eiffel Tower, just like Madeline. "Did you always want to be a scientist?"
"Well, when I was five I wanted to be a pro-wrestler, my mom told me I had potential, but my dad was worried about me," He laughed at Norah's 'Are you serious' smile. "I know, my family's quite odd, now you know where I get it." Norah laughed and Greg smiled. "When I was ten I decided I want to be a lunch lady."
This statement made Norah go into a fit of laughter. "Seriously?"
When the laughing of both of them dulled down Greg told of some more professions. "When I was fifteen I wanted to be a pimp. When I was sixteen," he paused a second, "a race car driver, my dad didn't approve of any of those so he persuaded me to take up my best subject in school- science."
Norah wondered if he was telling the truth but then decided that it didn't matter, he was so funny and oh-so-adorable. "I think you would make one sexy wrestler," She laughed.
He flashed a smile at Norah. She wasn't too sure that she liked Greg until then. At that moment she knew that she wouldn't be missing Owen as long as Greg was around. Then she told herself to stop jumping to conclusions. 'How do you know that you REALLY like Greg? Really, really like him? You don't know him!' She frowned at herself and shook the thoughts out of her head. She was going to have a good time tonight if it was the last thing she would do.