'Hi, there stranger,' Catherine teased. 'You're looking mighty fine tonight. Very rustic, like a renaissance man.'

Grissom shot her a withering looking of disgust.

'Tough crowd,' she exclaimed. 'Why so glum? I'm sure you didn't get all dressed up -and let me spend all that money on tickets- to come here stand around looking like a man who just discovered his first murder victim.'

He frown grew.

'Geez, relax,' Catherine said blowing out her breath in exasperation. 'Actually, you'll be happy to know someone's been looking for you. A certain brunette…'

Grissom's interest piqued.

'Ah, so now you're with me,' she grinned. 'Well I'll give you a clue. They're not from Texas, they're not African-American, they don't have bad highlights and they're not a cop. Does that narrow it down for you?'

He started to move away from her in annoyance.

'Ok, I can see you're in no mood for jokes,' Catherine sighed. 'I think Sara said something about going out onto the balcony at midnight. Maybe she's hoping someone special will join her there?'

Grissom continued to leave but there was now a tiny smirk of amusement adorning his face. Perhaps tonight wouldn't be such a tragedy after all…

Sara was bored and mildly disorientated. Greg had long ago proved himself to be the most exuberant dancer ever if not the most graceful. He spun so much it made her dizzy just looking at him. Mind you the vast quantities of alcohol she had previously consumed didn't seem to help matters.

'Sidle!' She heard a stern voice in her ear. 'Mom?'

'Close enough,' the blurred figure barked out. 'It's Catherine. You better come with me. You look like you could use some fresh air.'

'Hey!' Greg pitifully protested. 'You're stealing my dance partner!'

'Easy Greggo,' Catherine remarked pulling Sara away from him across the bustling dance floor. 'We're just stepping out to the balcony for a second. She'll be back.'

'That's what they all say,' he voice dejectedly before shrugging off his troubles and turning back to his vibrant attempt at "doing the hustle".

As 'Juliet' and 'Catwoman' stepped out onto the empty balcony the light breeze hit them. It was welcome relief to Sara's flushed complexion and she took in large gasps of air to help with her steadily increasing light-headedness.

She approached the balcony ledge and lent on the cool stone whilst letting out an overwhelmed sigh.

'Not having a good time?' Catherine questioned knowingly as she took a place next to Sara. 'Perhaps it's because you're waiting for someone in particular to arrive'

Sara turned away from the dazzling lights of Vegas to address her annoyingly smug colleague. She squinted at her and hissed 'I'm not waiting for anyone.'

'So I watched you turn down a long line of hotties because, what, they were too good looking?'

Sara shrugged unenthusiastically.

'You could have at least pointed them in my direction.' Catherine sulked before continuing. 'You know, I just saw Grissom arrive.'

'Oh yeah? What was he wearing?' Despite Sara's attempt, the blasé act didn't fool Catherine.

'I guess you'll have to wait and see. He said he wanted to speak to you out here.' Catherine allowed Sara time to process this information and watched as she struggled with her thoughts.

'I can't talk to him like this.'

'Maybe he won't notice you're drunk.' And maybe he'll learn to fly as well. She added mentally.

'I'm not drunk.' Sara replied vehemently as Catherine stared at her unconvinced. 'WhatI meant is I can't talk to him when I'm wearing something even medieval Barbie would turn down.'

'You look fine, in fact, it's very appropriate so don't worry. You, the balcony, Grissom…'

She trailed off as all the pieces of her plan fell nicely into place. She couldn't help but commend herself inwardly.

'Now you stay put and wait for your Romeo. He'll be here at the stroke of midnight.'

Sara murmured her acknowledgement as Catherine returned to the dance floor.

She discovered the party had been eventful in her absence when she found Warrick and Nick dancing around a sheepish looking Greg. He had been tied up with Nick's lasso and they were tormenting him with their toy weapons.

Deciding to bypass that scene, she located Grissom to tell him Sara was waiting, and continued on to find her deputy on a leash. As far as she was concerned, her work here was done. Grissom and Sara would acknowledge their feelings for one another on the balcony and all would be right with the world.

Grissom looked up at the clock, it was two minutes until his midnight rendezvous. He began the short journey to the balcony door, becoming more tense with each step.

'Gil'

His motion was halted as someone grabbed his arm. He turned to find a patch wearing, parrot wielding, sword bearing Jim Brass.

'Jim, you're a pirate.' Grissom voiced disbelievingly.

'And that's why you're the C.S.I.' He chuckled back. 'I know it's unoriginal, but it was either this or come as a teletubby. And I couldn't decide between being the yellow one or the purple one.'

'Tele-what?' Grissom asked totally bemused and Jim waved away his comment.

'Never mind. Who are you supposed to be?'

Greg was finally let go from his rope confines after Nick and Warrick got bored with their childish game. Half the fun had been listening to Greg plead with them to be freed but once he gave up, so did they.

So instead, they now set their sights on Hodges. The lab tech, everyone loved to hate, had been cowering in the corner all night and they decided it was about time he joined in with the fun.

Greg wandered away from the playground in search of Sara. She had been gone a while and he wanted his dance partner back. He followed the trail to the balcony, hearing a girlish yelp behind him. When he rotated he sniggered at the scene he saw. Hodges was tied up and powerless at the hands of Zorro and the demented cowboy.

Greg continued toward the balcony door, passing Brass and Grissom on the way. He overheard his boss explaining about the Capulets and Montagues to Jim the pirate in a frustrated tone. Neither noticed his presence as he pushed his way onto the balcony.

TBC