Catherine's eyes fluttered opened. As her senses became more aware, she
realized that she and Grissom had fallen asleep on his couch. As she
dislodged herself from him, she realized she had a kink in her neck from
the awkward sitting position she'd been in. She stood up and stretched,
looking back at Grissom who was still sleeping, his head lolling back
against the couch. She smiled.
She looked at her watch. Just enough time to get home for a quick shower and a change of clothes before shift started. She grabbed her purse and coat and headed for the front door. As she opened it, she heard a soft voice, "Catherine, thanks for staying with me today."
A smiled tugged at her mouth, "You're welcome, Gil." She closed the door behind her and headed home.
After a shower and a change of clothes she drove to the lab. She headed for the break room, knowing that the team would gather there before shift. As she walked in, Nick was already there pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"Got an extra?" Catherine asked.
Nick handed her the cup he had just poured, flashing her a smile, and grabbed himself another cup.
"Thanks, Nick." Catherine said gratefully. "Is Sara in yet?"
"I haven't seen her yet." Nick replied taking a sip of his coffee.
Catherine raised an eyebrow in a quizzical expression, "She wasn't with you?"
Nick tried to contain a smile at what Catherine was hinting at, "No."
A wry grin crossed Catherine's face, "You are dating?"
"Yes," Nick was having fun with this.
Catherine looked slightly puzzled, "But you're not sleeping together."
Nick grinned, "That's right."
"I am talking to Nick Stokes, ladies man." Catherine probed.
A more serious expression crossed Nick's face, "That reputation is way overrated. I told you, Cath, this thing with Sara's not a fling. I'm not going to rush anything with her. What if it's the real deal?"
Catherine grinned at Nick as she sipped her coffee, "Nicky, you're really falling for her aren't you?"
Nick couldn't suppress a wide grin, "Oh, yeah."
Warrick walked in, "What did I miss?" He walked over to where Nick and Catherine were leaning against the counter and grabbed a cup to pour coffee into.
Catherine winked at Nick before replying to Warrick's question, "I think our Nicky is really smitten."
Warrick cast Nick a curious glance, "Where did you two go after I left?"
"Lake Mead." Nick answered taking another sip of coffee.
"Lake Mead." Warrick answered rather dryly. "Give."
Catherine stood there with her arms crossed taking in the exchange between Nick and Warrick.
Nick leaned back against the counter and smiled, "We played catch."
"Catch." Warrick replied.
"Yeah, you know, two people throw a ball back and forth. Catch. As in football." Nick said wryly making the shape of a football with his hands.
"I'm familiar with the concept." Warrick tossed back. "What's the story?"
"We wanted to have fun." Nick replied.
"So you played catch?" Warrick pushed.
Sara walked in. "Yeah, Nick throws pretty well too, for a Texan." She smirked at Nick and winked as she walked over to grab a cup for coffee.
"For a Texan, eh?" Nick protested as he grabbed Sara around the waist.
Sara swatted playfully at his arms, but didn't protest when he leaned in to give her a soft kiss on the lips. They broke apart smiling.
Warrick and Catherine just looked at each other with bemused grins. Warrick cleared his throat and commented, "I know I said you shouldn't make out at crime scenes, but I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea to do that here either."
Nick grinned and replied, "I'm just saying hello." He winked at Sara who had a bit of extra color in her cheeks.
Warrick raised an eyebrow, "No offense, Nick, but if you're going to say hello to me, I'd prefer a handshake."
Nick chuckled. And Sara and Catherine smiled at the image that flashed into their minds.
Catherine added, "He has a point, Nick. Not that I want to put a damper on your budding relationship, you two, but you might want to keep it outside the lab walls."
Nick look sufficiently chastised. "Point taken."
Catherine checked her watch, "Ok, shift has officially started."
Nick sat down at the table and looked up at Catherine, "Ok, boss woman, what's on the agenda tonight?"
She raised an eyebrow and smiled a half smile, "I'm glad you asked, Nicky." She looked around at the rest of the team. "Paperwork."
Sara groaned and joined Nick at the table.
Warrick silently joined them at the table.
Catherine explained, "Sorry, guys, but after the shooting and bank heist, we'll be filling out paperwork for a while. Especially with all the Sam Braun ties involved." Her face clouded for a moment at the mention of Sam Braun's name. The look wasn't lost on Warrick who made a mental note to ask her about it later.
She looked at her watch. Just enough time to get home for a quick shower and a change of clothes before shift started. She grabbed her purse and coat and headed for the front door. As she opened it, she heard a soft voice, "Catherine, thanks for staying with me today."
A smiled tugged at her mouth, "You're welcome, Gil." She closed the door behind her and headed home.
After a shower and a change of clothes she drove to the lab. She headed for the break room, knowing that the team would gather there before shift. As she walked in, Nick was already there pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"Got an extra?" Catherine asked.
Nick handed her the cup he had just poured, flashing her a smile, and grabbed himself another cup.
"Thanks, Nick." Catherine said gratefully. "Is Sara in yet?"
"I haven't seen her yet." Nick replied taking a sip of his coffee.
Catherine raised an eyebrow in a quizzical expression, "She wasn't with you?"
Nick tried to contain a smile at what Catherine was hinting at, "No."
A wry grin crossed Catherine's face, "You are dating?"
"Yes," Nick was having fun with this.
Catherine looked slightly puzzled, "But you're not sleeping together."
Nick grinned, "That's right."
"I am talking to Nick Stokes, ladies man." Catherine probed.
A more serious expression crossed Nick's face, "That reputation is way overrated. I told you, Cath, this thing with Sara's not a fling. I'm not going to rush anything with her. What if it's the real deal?"
Catherine grinned at Nick as she sipped her coffee, "Nicky, you're really falling for her aren't you?"
Nick couldn't suppress a wide grin, "Oh, yeah."
Warrick walked in, "What did I miss?" He walked over to where Nick and Catherine were leaning against the counter and grabbed a cup to pour coffee into.
Catherine winked at Nick before replying to Warrick's question, "I think our Nicky is really smitten."
Warrick cast Nick a curious glance, "Where did you two go after I left?"
"Lake Mead." Nick answered taking another sip of coffee.
"Lake Mead." Warrick answered rather dryly. "Give."
Catherine stood there with her arms crossed taking in the exchange between Nick and Warrick.
Nick leaned back against the counter and smiled, "We played catch."
"Catch." Warrick replied.
"Yeah, you know, two people throw a ball back and forth. Catch. As in football." Nick said wryly making the shape of a football with his hands.
"I'm familiar with the concept." Warrick tossed back. "What's the story?"
"We wanted to have fun." Nick replied.
"So you played catch?" Warrick pushed.
Sara walked in. "Yeah, Nick throws pretty well too, for a Texan." She smirked at Nick and winked as she walked over to grab a cup for coffee.
"For a Texan, eh?" Nick protested as he grabbed Sara around the waist.
Sara swatted playfully at his arms, but didn't protest when he leaned in to give her a soft kiss on the lips. They broke apart smiling.
Warrick and Catherine just looked at each other with bemused grins. Warrick cleared his throat and commented, "I know I said you shouldn't make out at crime scenes, but I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea to do that here either."
Nick grinned and replied, "I'm just saying hello." He winked at Sara who had a bit of extra color in her cheeks.
Warrick raised an eyebrow, "No offense, Nick, but if you're going to say hello to me, I'd prefer a handshake."
Nick chuckled. And Sara and Catherine smiled at the image that flashed into their minds.
Catherine added, "He has a point, Nick. Not that I want to put a damper on your budding relationship, you two, but you might want to keep it outside the lab walls."
Nick look sufficiently chastised. "Point taken."
Catherine checked her watch, "Ok, shift has officially started."
Nick sat down at the table and looked up at Catherine, "Ok, boss woman, what's on the agenda tonight?"
She raised an eyebrow and smiled a half smile, "I'm glad you asked, Nicky." She looked around at the rest of the team. "Paperwork."
Sara groaned and joined Nick at the table.
Warrick silently joined them at the table.
Catherine explained, "Sorry, guys, but after the shooting and bank heist, we'll be filling out paperwork for a while. Especially with all the Sam Braun ties involved." Her face clouded for a moment at the mention of Sam Braun's name. The look wasn't lost on Warrick who made a mental note to ask her about it later.
