WASTING TIME

Disclaimer: Not Mine. Duh.

Author's Note: I suppose warnings are useless if after all this time you are still reading.
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Chapter 9: Trading Places

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Greg was beaming.

Watching him go from one end of his apartment to the other, laughing, cracking jokes, and dancing – being his usual self – Warrick and Sara concluded he was having the time of his life.

Indeed, he did look like a kid who had just gotten exactly what he wanted on Christmas morning.

Quite right too. It wasn't every day he could throw a party at his apartment and have all the people working on the Las Vegas crime lab attending.

OK, maybe not everybody. Just everyone who wasn't working that night.

Much to his amusement the whole night shift had showed up, minus Catherine who was pulling a double. Other than that, even Grissom seemed to be enjoying himself.

It was pretty much like a late Christmas miracle.

"Well, I can recognize a girl who's enjoying herself when I see one." Warrick commented lightheartedly. Sara smiled.

"Oh really? How can you tell?"

"Um, let me see. First, there's that big smile on your face, a bottle of beer in your hand..."

"Empty, I might add." She said while shaking the object.

"...Oh, and the fact that you've practically danced with every man in the room."

She smiled and shrugged, an odd twinkle in her eyes.

"I'm just trying to catch up with you guys. Speaking of which, where is the one and true soul of the party?"

Her friend let out a chuckle.

"In the kitchen, spending some quality time with his beer I suppose. In case you haven't noticed, he hasn't been much of a party animal lately."

His tone was casual, and she wondered if he knew how much curiosity his words had stirred in her.

She hadn't noticed.

"Well," She started. "let me see what I can do about that. After all, I do need another beer."

The young man smiled, but his attention was no longer hers. She followed his gaze to a woman on the other side of the room, and decided that was her cue.

Following her partner's directions, she found him – just as expected – sitting on the counter, nursing a bottle of beer uncharacteristically solemnly. Possibly drunk.

He acknowledged her presence with a smile, but remained quiet, letting her be the one to make the first move. She pondered on it, and somehow took comfort on the fact that it was unlikely that he had seen her dancing with Grissom.

Not that she would have noticed it, been a little preoccupied with the matter at hand at that moment.

"Hey, I was looking for you."

"Yeah?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah. I was wondering if you'd like to dance with me." Sara put on her best smile, considering it necessary after seeing his posture.

"No." Another sip.

Maybe he had seen them after all. Which wouldn't explain while he had been so out of character all night, but would be a start.

"Oh, c'mon!"

He grimaced, before replying. "Forget it. I really don't feel like helping you to make Grissom jealous."

Sara stared, astonished.

"I'm not asking you to dance to make Grissom jealous."

"Then I wouldn't want to risk damaging your relationship with him." Sip.

There was nothing drunk about that. She narrowed her eyes and struggled to meet his, if only to prove her point.

A slow song started to play. Perfect.

"I am not asking Grissom to dance now. I am asking you."

Her hand was held out for him to take, and he did, placing his bottle in the same spot he had been sitting on. On the inside remained most of its content.

She led him through the small crowd back to the living room and tried to place her arms around his neck, only to encounter resistance.

Nick Stokes was willingly keeping her at arms length. Sara had to stifle a laugh.

"What are you, twelve?"

She closed the gap between them and started swaying to the music. He mumbled something and vowed himself to relax, but failed inevitably: he could very well feel Grissom's eyes burning a hole in the back of his neck.

Oh yes. He had spotted him talking animatedly to one of the techs while Sara dragged him mercilessly right in front of their boss – not on purpose, he wanted to believe.

He was certain the talk had already ended, and his whole attention was diverted to them. Soon Sara would notice and start pretending like it didn't affect her, but things would become uncomfortable between them.

Not Grissom and himself. And certainly not Grissom and Sara.

But Nick and Sara.

"Ouch!"

His foot had somehow found its way to Sara's.

"Sorry." His apology came out a little too heartfelt, making her disentangle herself from his embrace to meet his eyes.

They stood like that, not moving, for a few seconds before she opened her mouth to speak.

"It's OK."

Somehow, he knew she wasn't talking about stepping on her. And he believed her.

He smiled, and drew her nearer, closing his eyes. As they swayed, he knew her eyes were closed as well. And a smile spread across her face.

It occurred to her that Catherine not being there was a good thing after all. She had always been great at reading people.

And they were forgetting that they were not alone in the room.

Her smile remained impassive as she sighed.

"I love it when we dance."

- END OF CHAPTER NINE
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Written by Mary S.