Thanks to candaceFABULOUS, countryfreak, and krisnina77 for reviewing chapter 1. I appreciate it!

~~$~@~$~~

He was born in the summer of his 27th year
Comin' home to a place he'd never been before
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again
You might say he found a key for every door

"Oh, Nick, what is this shit?" Sara asked as they drove down Main Street towards the lab.

Nick smiled and sang along to the lyrics flowing out of the speakers in his Tahoe.

When he first came to the mountains his life was far away
On the road and hangin' by a song
But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care
It keeps changin' fast and it don't last for long

"It's John Denver, Sara. Don't tell me you've never heard of him."

Sara blushed and slumped down in her seat, praying that they'd get to the lab soon. She had nothing against Nick's singing. He actually had a pretty good voice. She just didn't like the song. "I need some Evanescense," she muttered under her breath.

Nick laughed as he sang even louder.

But the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado)

"Have you ever been to Colorado, Sara?"

"What?"

Nick smirked, and reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. "Colorado. It's a state. You do know what states are don't you?"

Sara's jaw dropped. She reached over and smacked him playfully. "Yes! I know what Colorado is, and what states are! I know you're used to dating dumbasses, but I'm not one of those." She shook her hand free of his, and crossed her arms over her chest.

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say he got crazy once, and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept his memory

"I've never been there." Nick spoke quietly, more to himself than Sara. He knew he'd upset her yet again, and he was mentally kicking himself for being such an ass, but he'd make it up to her once shift was over.

Sara didn't say anything and continued looking out the passenger side window.

"I was thinking-"

"Oh, Nick, don't hurt yourself." Sara voice was dripping with bitterness.

Nick cringed at her words. "I was thinking maybe we should go. Maybe go camping, and hike some, or something. Just the two of us."

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forests and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake
And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado)

Sara sighed, and looked back over at Nick. He was smiling. "We'd have a hell of a time getting time off for a trip."

"I'll work on that. Would you really wanna go?"

Sara smiled, the bitterness completely gone now. She never could stay mad at him for long. She put her hand on top of his. "Yes, I would love to go. Sounds fun."

Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear
Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend
Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more
More people, more scars upon the land

"Seriously, though, Nick. This song-"

"Is almost over. Just bare with me, okay? I listen to your music, can't you listen to mine?"

"But Nick-" her voice was more of a whine than anything now.

"Would you like some cheese to go along with that whine, honey?" Nick braced himself for a punch in the shoulder that never came.

And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
I know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly
Rocky Mountain high
It's a Colorado Rocky Mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Friends around the campfire and everybody's high
Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado)
Rocky Mountain high (high Colorado) Rocky Mountain high do de do

He looked over at her grinning face. "I'm not going to hit you this time." She said playfully. "I'll get you where it hurts…. Later. But oh look, we're here. Finally!" Sara hopped out of the car, and headed into the lab.

Just as she was getting ready to pull open the door, she felt Nick wrap his arms around her waist. He pulled her body up against his, and leaned down so his lips were level with her ear. "I love it when you play dirty."

Sara giggled as his hot breath tickled her ear. She pulled away, and headed into the building. Nick followed, admiring the view.

Catherine strutted into the break room, coffee pot in her sights. Nothing was going to stop her from reaching her destination. Nothing, except for one 6'2", 190 pound man. He gently rested both of his hands on her hips, letting his thumbs caress the bare skin between her shirt and jeans. "Warrick. Coffee. Move."

He smiled down at her, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Yes ma'am"

Just as Warrick was getting ready to kiss her again, Nick and Sara entered the room, bickering about something. Warrick pulled away from Catherine slightly, allowing her access to the coffee pot. Luckily Greg had already brewed a pot.

"Hey guys" Warrick said to his two friends as they sat down on one the couch together.

"Hey Warrick. You look happy" Sara pointed out.

Catherine couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. She didn't dare turn around to show the blush that was rising to her cheeks.

Warrick smiled. "I am"

Before Sara could pursue the subject anymore, Greg walked into the break room, his ear glued to his cell phone. "Yes, Megs, I will be there as soon as I get off work. *pause* I love you too. *pause* Bye, hon." He flipped his phone shut, and shoved it in his pocket, finally noticing the four pairs of eyes that were trained on him. "Oh, that was my girlfriend, Megan."

Sara was the first to speak. "Girlfriend? You're cheating on me, Greggo?" She tried to pout, but the smile that was tugging at her lips showed through.

Greg laughed and pointed to where Nick and Sara's hand lay joined on the couch between their bodies. "Look who's talkin', sweetie."

Catherine cleared her throat. "So… Anyone see Grissom?"

Greg laughed as he went to sit down on the other side of Sara. "He'll be here eventually. That is if he can ever pull his lips away from Heather's."

Again, four pairs of eyes turned to the young lab tech.

"Oh, I saw them makin' out in the parking lot." He paused, enjoying the looks on his co-workers' faces. "I'm not kidding either."

Nick cringed. "Dude, I feel like I just found out my dad was having an affair with my teacher or something. That's just sick!"

Warrick laughed, and then cringed as he also got the same mental image that Nick had. "Gross! Well, at least maybe she can chill him out a bit more, ya know? More attention he gives her, less attention he gives us."

All five of them were too busy laughing, and cringing at various mental images of their boss and the young dominatrix to notice the man in question enter the break room, wearing a dopy grin, and a very dark shade of lipstick. "All right guys."

The sound of his voice brought their attention to the 5'11" workaholic, but the sight of the lipstick, and his ruffled hair, brought complete silence to the whole room.

"I don't have any assignment for you tonight. I'd let you go home, but last time I did that we got three different 419's and getting you all back here was like pulling teeth."

Catherine was the first to speak up. "Uh.. Gil, you wanna tell us when you started wearing lipstick? Or did you just eat one of those cherry tootsie pops?"

Sara couldn't take it anymore. She gave in, and the laughter shook her whole body. Soon tears were rolling down her cheeks. Soon Nick and Greg joined her.

Grissom walked out of the room and down the hall to his office, the blush that had been creeping up his cheeks now a dark shade of crimson. He wiped the lipstick off his lips, and ran a hand through his hair. "Secret's out" he said to himself.

~~$~@~$~~

TBC

I realize that this story is basically pointless, but I still don't really care. It's my fiction, and I'm just writing it as it comes to my mind.

Hee hee!

More to come soon!

Read and review, please!