Chapter nine! Wow you guys get snippy if I'm not prompt don't you? Well, keep it up! It keeps me writing!

Greg wandered back into the room where he had just left Warrick. Nick was now there, flipping through Sara's magazine. Greg sat down, a defeated smile playing across his features, and picked up his abandoned video game.

"Hey man, what's up?" Nick asked offhandedly.

Greg looked up at him, and then at Warrick. "Women are nuts." He stated.

Nick laughed, "You got that right buddy."

"You're just realizing this now?" Warrick chimed in.

"Naw," Greg replied, "just stating a well known fact."

Nick leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his stomach. "You know it. I'm seeing this girl right now, and man its exasperating! It's not even like we've gotten to the good stuff, she'll just, you know, tease me for a bit, and then back off. It's annoying as hell, but she's got me hooked."

Greg laughed. "I feel your pain, my friend. But the question is, what the crap can we do about it?"

"Not much, man." Warrick said, "I was in a situation like that once, and decided I'd had enough and told her just that."

"What happened?" asked Greg, intrigued.

"Nothing. At all. Let's just say, as aggravating as it was, I liked it the other way better."

Greg frowned. "So, lose-lose situation, huh?" Warrick nodded. "Crap."

"I think I prefer this to nothing at all," Nick offered, "At least I'm getting some semblance of action."

"There is that," Greg stood up to leave, "But if it's not leading anywhere, what's the point, right?"

"Hey, where're you going?" Warrick asked.

"To take my chances." Said Greg's retreating back.

He caught up with Sara, who was struggling to change the tire of her Tahoe in the parking lot. Taking the jack out of her hands and placing it under the vehicle, he said "Sara, we've got to talk about this."

Sara, stunned that Greg was taking a stand, just stared at him; or, more specifically, stared at his arms as he jacked up her car.

"I mean, you can't keep doing... what you've been doing the past few days. It's getting to be really... too much." He wasn't looking at her, but instead was focused on fixing her tire.

Sara knelt down next to him and watched his profile, fixed in an expression of concentration. Sighing, she leaned against the door of the car and stretched her legs out in front of her. "You're telling me."

Greg looked at her for an instant before removing the offending tire and getting up to fetch the new one. Bending back down to put it in place, he said "So, what do you want from me, Sara?"

The phrase 'dirty, passionate, monkey sex' raced across her mind; upon being pushed aside was replaced with 'companionship' followed by 'meaningful relationship'. The last one wasn't something she had expected. A meaningful relationship with Greg? No... it would never work.

"I want..." she started, "Something that probably isn't possible, not for us."

Greg finished with the tire and sat down nest to her. "What?" he asked gently, using all of his willpower not to prod her.

"Greg, we work together. Anything we do we do at the risk of being caught."

Greg gave a halfhearted, lopsided grin. "Especially if we keep doing it in the locker room."

"Even if we don't, Greg, we work with highly trained investigators. People will know, no matter how hard we try to hide it."

"I see," he nodded to show he understood. "But why can't people know? Why hide it?"

Sara held her breath, as if not breathing would make time stop. Letting it out slowly, she started to explain. "In the past few months I have done a lot of very unprofessional things. I don't want to add 'fraternizing' to the list."

Greg sighed. "If that's the way you want it," he said, moving to stand, "then I guess that's fine." He was lying through his teeth. Instead of standing, he moved himself in front of her, taking her hands in his. Leaning in, he placed a simple kiss on her lips. He stood up and pulled her up by their still entwined hands, and looked at her, wearing down her resolve with his dark brown eyes.

Sara inhaled deeply and looked at him, wishing she hadn't already made up her mind. "I'm sorry Greg."

"Well," Greg said, leaning against her, "You just tell me if you change your mind." He then leaned in again, for what they both wished wasn't the last time, and kissed her softly. She pulled him closer to her and opened her mouth, letting all of the frustration and tension she held fuel the increasingly passionate kiss.

They reluctantly pulled apart and Sara held his gaze as she explained, "One for the road."

Greg smiled down at her and she got into the Tahoe. "Thanks, Greg; for the tire and... everything."

Greg simply nodded and waved to her as she drove off.

Dun dun dunnnnnn... Don't worry folks, this is not the end. Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will most likely be very enjoyable... R&R please!