Part Seven.

It's déjà vu all over again! But this really is the final part, I promise. Whoever might want more!

Sara sat at the kitchen counter, head in hands, contemplating the coffee sat in front of her. The sun was bright through the lounge window, lighting up the whole of the room. It was the start of another typically hot Las Vegas day, and she was meant to be going to bed. It was three weeks since she'd made that horrible bet with Warrick, and it had been plaguing her ever since. Warrick hadn't mentioned it aloud, but had taken to leaving men's mags around open at scantily clad women in sexy provocative poses. If she thought that she could murder him and get away with it, she would have done by now.

Ten years ago, she would have thought nothing of dressing to the nines, short top, shorter skirt, high heels, make up plastered on. College had been one party after another. The problem was that it was ten years ago. Since then she'd thrown herself into work, and had only recently really had any social life to speak of. It had suited her, until now, but now she had a week's paperwork riding on reclaiming her college days in some small way.

Of course, the thought that she could just forfeit had certainly entertained her more than once. But it wasn't just the fact that like any criminalist she didn't treasure the paperwork aspect of their job, and having to do double the amount was the stuff of nightmares. It was the principle of the matter, that she had made this bet. However drunk she was on that night. She would say she was never going to drink again, but all she wanted to do was get drunk, and get this bet over with. At least after this night it would be all over and she could get back to her relatively quiet life again.

The other thing that was bothering her was the fact that this bet was bothering her so much. She would never admit it aloud, but she wanted to prove to Warrick that she wasn't just a workaholic colleague, that she could dress up nice, and, gulp, even be slightly feminine. She wanted to show Warrick that she was a woman, as stupid as that sounded.

She had pushed those thoughts away, not wanting to think too much about why she wanted Warrick to consider her in any other way than as a colleague. Whatever slight feelings she might have developed for Warrick were never gonna be reciprocated, so there was no point in wondering about them.

She finally picked up her coffee cup, drained the last of the coffee, and put the cup in the sink. It was time to get some sleep before having to go shopping to find something remotely nice looking. She groaned as she changed into her sleep gear, and slumped face down onto her bed.

Tonight was not going to be fun.

She was up again at midday, unable to sleep. She kept having weird dreams that she had shown up at the bar in some frilly underwear and high heel shoes, trying to strike a sexy pose, and then Warrick had turned round, laughed at her, and walked out.

The dream was clearly an omen, telling her not to even try this. That she should just go to the bar, in her normal clothes, get plastered before Warrick showed up, and then have absolutely no idea what Warrick was talking about. The idea cheered her up until she remembered that she only had no memory after the event, not whilst she was drinking.

She quickly showered and changed, before reluctantly gathering all her vital items of equipment; cell, pager, keys, money, credit card, into her purse and hitting the shops, deciding that she could have an outfit in under an hour, and be home to have a nap before she had to start getting ready.

That was the idea anyway.

All her usual shops had nothing that could be even slightly mistaken as sexy. She knew she was going to have to search somewhere else, but had little idea of where. She went into a few boutiques, but found all the shop assistants a little too snobby, and the prices way too steep.

She was beginning to think that the search was hopeless and she should fain a coma or something to get out of it, when she stumbled upon a tiny boutique in a back street on the way back to her car. It was called Stripes, the front of the store painted in black and white stripes to match the name. With nothing to lose, and knowing Warrick probably wouldn't believe the coma story, she reluctantly walked in. The store was very quiet and peaceful, minimal stock laid out in the tiny front room. The only shop assistant looked up and smiled warmly at her. Sara browsed for a few moments, and even if she had no idea what to wear to make her look sexy, she could at least imagine herself in some of these clothes.

'Hi, can I help you?' The shop assistant asked.

Sara went to say her usual no, thank you, but stopped. The shop assistant seemed friendly, and maybe she could help. She had to know more than Sara did, anyway.

'I'm looking for an outfit to wear on a night out.'

'Ah.' The understanding look on the shop assistant's face was followed by 'Big date?'

'No!' Sara exclaimed. 'No.' She added more softly seeing the slightly startled look on the shop keepers face. 'Just a big night out. I want to look…good.' She finally came up with.

The smile on the shopkeepers face told its own story of disbelief but she nodded. 'Right. How dressy is this place you're going to?'

'Oh, not exactly dressy, as such.' Sara said, wondering how she could explain.

The shopkeeper came up with her own explanation. 'You just want to feel good.'

'Yeah.' Sara said. 'Something like that.'

For a moment, the shopkeeper looked her up and down, making Sara consciously aware of the fact she'd thrown on her tattiest jeans, and just a plain white t-shirt. 'What do you feel are your best features?' She asked.

'Uh…I don't know.'

'When you want to look good, you have to feel comfortable, so pick what you like best, and emphasise it.' Erin, as the name badge announced, said.

'Ok…my legs, maybe?'

'That's a start.' Erin encouraged. 'Ok, long legs, want to emphasise that. How about this?' She rummaged at a rack of clothes, before finally picking out a skirt. It was black, with detail sewn in around the waist band and down one side. The bottom was slashed so that on one side it started just above her knee, and on the other fell to half way down her calf.

Before Sara could give her verdict, Erin had pulled out a black high neck top that fell loosely at the bottom to a waistband. Cut into the top at the front was a diamond, and as the shop assistant turned the top around, Sara saw that it was backless, joined at the bottom and top in a tie.

Sara didn't have any particular hang-ups with her body, but hadn't shown off that much flesh in public since her college days. Erin must have seen her look, because she suggested trying the combo on, seeing how it felt.

It took Sara five minutes to muster up the courage to show Erin the effect. Erin whistled when she saw Sara, and even Sara had to admit, the outfit at least made her feel feminine. Before she could turn to go back into the changing area, the door to the shop opened and a short blond woman walked in.

'Sara!' Catherine exclaimed in surprise when she saw her.

Sara couldn't say anything, feeling much like a deer caught in headlights.

'Woah, looking good girl. Hot date?'

Sara quickly found her voice. 'No!'

Catherine and Erin exchanged disbelieving looks. 'Well, whatever it's for, it looks good on you.' Catherine told her.

Sara didn't reply, just stalked back to get changed, wondering how bad her luck had to be, to be found by Catherine of all people. Gee, wonder what the gossip was going to be at the lab when she returned the following night. She did however, take the clothes up to the counter and pay for them, deciding it was better than nothing, and at this point she would have taken anything slightly good looking.

She thanked Erin, and was about to say goodbye to Catherine, who had better ideas, and walked out with her. 'I know this great shoe store just around the corner.' Catherine said. Sara couldn't think of a good enough excuse to split, and reluctantly followed Catherine.

'So, what is all this in aid of?' Catherine asked as they walked.

'Just a night out.' Sara said vaguely.

Catherine glanced at her but didn't comment.

Sara rejected almost all of the shoes Catherine suggested, namely because she never managed to walk in three inch heels. She finally settled on some strappy kitten heel sandals, paying for them quickly, glad to be finished.

'Thanks Cath, you've been a big help.' Sara said with a bright smile, 'I really have to go now.'

Catherine looked at her, and for a moment, Sara felt like a suspect that Catherine was sizing up. She just about forced herself not to squirm under the gaze. She knew that Catherine was going to do everything in her power to find out what Sara was up to.

There was nothing Sara could do about that now, and no reason for Catherine to ever find out. She certainly wasn't going to say anything, and Warrick wasn't about to admit that he spent nights off with her, was he? Catherine reluctantly said goodbye, adding that she'd try and keep Grissom from calling her.

Sara smiled her thanks, although getting called in by Grissom had to be a valid excuse to void the bet. Or to at least postpone it. Why hadn't she thought of that earlier?

With the outfit brought, Sara at least managed a few more hours of sleep without the nightmares she'd had before.

That night she shaved in all the necessary places, applied make up more carefully than she had ever done in her life, straightened her hair with the proper ceramic straighteners she'd had for a year and never used. She dressed in the new clothes, remembering at the last minute to remove the label. For once in her life, Sara was running late, and when the cab finally managed to pick her up she was so hyped she almost forgot to bring her purse.

She was hoping to get there before Warrick, as she normally did, but on that day, he was already there, sitting in the corner, two drinks all ready. She slipped in, blending towards the back in a group of office workers, as he glanced up and to the door. Sara could guess why Warrick was suddenly early. He was certainly eager.

Sara was about to walk up to him, see if smiling could be constituted as sexy, when a better plan formed in her mind. Grinning to herself, she slipped round the back of the room, till Warrick had his back to her.

Warrick glanced up at the door once again, before taking a sip of his drink. He knew he was early, for him anyway, but for once, Sara was actually late. What could he say, he had been looking forward to this evening for so long. To mark the occasion, he'd even made a bit of an effort. Black trousers, a long sleeve deep purple vest, open at the neck. He didn't want to look out of place with Sara.

That was, if she showed up. It wasn't the first time that he had wondered if she would come, or if she would try and get out of it somehow. He had been expecting a phone call all day saying that a case had come in, or she was working on her night off for some reason. It wouldn't have been that uncommon for her, after all.

But no call had come, and earlier than usual, he'd made his way to the bar, excitement at what the evening would be. He just hoped it was a skirt. He'd heard about Sara in a skirt when she'd gone undercover for the FBI, but couldn't quite believe it himself.

He was just draining the dregs of his drink when two warm hands were placed over his eye, and a voice whispered in his ear. 'Guess who?'

The voice didn't sound anything like Sara's at first, and Warrick wondered if some old friend or other had seen him in the bar and decided to come over and surprise him.

'Come on, you've got to guess.' The voice teased playfully, and Warrick decided it was Sara, it just didn't sound like the Sara he knew from work.

'Um, Sara?' He asked, playing along.

'Good guess.' She said. 'Now close your eyes.' She instructed. The soft purr to her voice made him shiver slightly, and he did as instructed. One hand left his eyes and gently ran down his cheek, his skin feeling hot whether it was in contact. Fingers running softly over his chin and down to the neck of his shirt. For a moment, they paused, skin against skin, until they carried on descending, running ever so gently down the front of his shirt. For a split second, Warrick wondered where the hand was going to, but then decided he didn't really care right now, and carried on enjoying the warm feeling spreading in his chest. The hand came to rest at his abdomen, and he found he'd been so entranced with that one hand's movement, he hadn't realised the other had also left his eyes. He wondered what had happened to it, until he felt a light brushing over his shoulders, and he felt Sara cross round to his front. He heard a scrape as the table was pushed back slightly, and then Sara softly straddled his lap.

They were in the middle of a crowded bar, but Warrick barely noticed. All Warrick was aware of, all he wanted to be aware of, was where Sara was in relation to his own body, and the frustrations of not being able to see her.

He felt a tickle against his right cheek as she leant her head next to his. 'Keep your eyes closed.' She whispered.

'But I want to see.' He whispered back, even though he hadn't meant to whisper.

'You'll get to see.' She promised. 'But the bet wasn't on seeing. I had to be sexy, I had to move you.' She brought both hands to the side of his face, gently stroking with long soft fingers. 'You never said it had to be purely on what I was wearing.'

'No.' He had to agree.

For a moment, all he was aware of was the slight tingling of air against his ear lobe every time she breathed. Such attention on his earlobe suddenly made it feel hot and red, and he wondered if Sara could tell he was beginning to blush.

'See, this is punishment. For making bets with me when I can't remember.' Sara whispered, her fingers spreading across his cheeks, brushing slightly into his hair.

For some reason, his breathing wasn't all that steady at the moment. 'Somehow, I don't think this is punishment.' He managed to get out.

This seemed to phase her for a moment, as he felt her sit back, immediately missing the contact. He reached out, deciding he could get in on this act. His hands settled at her sides, stopping her from going anywhere. A silky feel under his fingers was his only clue to what she was wearing. His hands had their own adventure, moving up the silky material, his fingertips suddenly realising that whilst there was silky material at the front, there was bare skin at the back. He followed the line of the top up to her arms, finding her face, briefly skimming her chin as they settled on her cheeks.

Unbeknownst to him, Sara's eyes had also closed, the touch of his fingers scorching her skin where the contact came and went. His thumb found her lips, tracing them, feeling the moisture of lipstick.

For Sara, she had stopped thinking, as soon as her plan had crashed and burned. She was hoping that she could just laugh it all off, try and make him feel uncomfortable, then get on with the drinking. But he'd responded in a way she hadn't expected, hadn't planned for. So while his fingers did their soft journey up her sides, she had sat frozen, unable to think.

Until now. Because suddenly it wasn't his fingers on her lips. He'd gently moved forward, so that more of his body was in contact with hers. Keeping his hands on her face, his lips had somehow found hers, and for a split second made contact.

The fleeting touch left her wanting so much more, and without bothering to open her eyes, she leaned forward, pressing back into him, finding his lips again, receiving as much pressure back from him as she was using.

The kiss was like nothing he'd felt before. Even the first one, when he'd been unsure how she would respond, the amount of feeling, of longing it left afterward took his breath away. But the one thing he'd feared, that she would flee, didn't happen, and she'd kissed him back.

He'd cheated on this one, and opened his eyes; so that he could look at her face, see her closed eyelids, soft smooth hair. He didn't care much what she was wearing. He didn't need to see. Because she had something far better than just being sexy. She was beautiful. And he would have done a year's paperwork to get to enjoy this moment.

As she gently broke away, she opened her eyes, holding his look steady, passion dancing in them like fire. And a round of applause broke out in the bar that made them both blush.

'I think you won the bet.' Warrick murmured to her.

'I know.' Sara murmured back with a wide smile on her face.