A/N: My second fan-fic. This one stems from a challenge at UTB. The elements required are:

Takes place at a 'Paranormal Convention'?

Nicky has to be in it.

Somebody has to admit that he or she has been to at least one Convention before.

Somebody has to have headache and have that cured by a 'healer'.

Somebody has to say: "I've never seen an aura like yours. "

Somebody has to say: I think we've met before in a previous life.

Some palm or hand-reading, maybe?

And of course GSR!!

Spoilers: Up to Getting Off

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Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. I just took them out to play for a moment.

Rating: PG-13 at most.

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"The What-Con?"

"Altalities Con." Grissom shrugged as he glanced at Sara. "It's the last place our vic was known to be. While he was alive, at any rate."

"Grissom…" Sara looked dubiously up at her boss from her seat at the break room table. "This isn't like that convention you and Cath investigated a couple of months ago, is it?"

"I doubt very much we'll be meeting Sexy Kitty at Altalities-Con." His mouth quirked in a half-grin, "Round up Nick, will you? And meet me at the car."

No grown men and women dressed as stuffed animals…While that was a relief, Sara wasn't sure it reassured her much. God only knew what else might be the theme of this convention-this being Vegas and Grissom being rather closed-mouthed about it. Then again, when wasn't he closed-mouthed these days? Standing the brunette handed the slip back to Grissom, "Fine. But I'm driving."

The convention center at the Luxor was heady with people as the three CSIs stepped out of the early morning heat. The Conventioneers seemed almost normal, compared to what each had privately imagined. While there were a few costumed people wandering about, most were attired in every-day casual clothing. Near the entrance a large man dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans stood at a booth, calling out to passers-by about guided tours to Area 51.

"Which is ridiculous," Grissom muttered.

"Right." Nick looked sidelong at the black-clad man. "A bunch of hooey, all that. There is no Area 51."

His supervisor, eyes trained on the female investigator, didn't glance his way as he answered, "No Nick. Because that area is still under the control of the United States military, a guided tour would be trespassing. In the eyes of the military, that is tantamount to treason." He paused, ignoring Nick's open-mouthed stare. Was Sara smiling? How long had it been since he saw that? "See something interesting? Sara?"

The young woman had been reading the board announcing the day's speakers when he called her name. "Hmmm?" Shaking her head then, she turned to the men with a wide grin. "Altalities-Con. Alternative Realities Convention. Why didn't you say so, Grissom?"

"I thought I had." He shrugged, that small half-smile once again fleeting across his face in response to her eye-roll and grin. "Come on, we've got a crime scene to process."

Nick jogged to catch up with the others, "Alternative Realities? A convention on dreams?"

"More than that Nick. The convention covers all areas of the paranormal." Sara nodded to a placard in front of one of the meeting rooms. "Not just dream interpretation."

The Texan's eyes followed hers, "Ancient Astronauts and the Sumerian Culture? Come on Sar, you don't really believe…"

The dark haired woman interrupted her colleague with a grin, "Well Nicky, it's not the same as believing…say a Fire and Rescue chopper dumped a scuba diver up a tree, but…"

Grissom hid a grin as he watched the interplay between his two youngest CSIs. Privately, he gave the last point to Sara as he watched the blush creep up Nick's face. A few years before, Catherine had let slip Nick's urban legends inspired theory regarding the scuba diver-up-a-tree. He admired Sara's forbearance in keeping it to herself for so long. With Sara's attention on Nick Grissom could watch her openly, for a moment. It wasn't just the memory of Nick's long-ago case her teasing had brought up…he remembered their own case from that time just as vividly.

'Chalk…'

"Nick." Grissom interrupted before the young man could begin to speak. "We're here to investigate a murder. Not pass judgment on these people's beliefs." He turned to fix the younger CSI with a stern glare. "Talk to the convention staff. See if you can find out which of the programs Clarence Simons signed up for, and which he attended. Sara, you and I will check out the vendors."

TBC