Feasibility Study
Written by Ms. Maggs / Edited by: KJT

"Night and Day"

July 29, 2005 (Day 98)
Las Vegas Crime Lab
Nick Stokes's Office
6:45 a.m.

Sara was sitting at Nick's desk reviewing case files when Catherine strolled in with a Starbucks Venti cup and a small paper bag.

"Compliments of the Night Shift Supervisor, who thought it best to be discreet." Smiling, she set the items on the desk. "He didn't send a note or give me a message to pass along, but I'm pretty sure you know how he feels."

"Yes, for once…I'm really sure." Try as she might, she couldn't stop the gushy smile from spreading. "And, from the look on my face, I'm sure you know how I feel."

"Congratulations on legalizing." Tired from shift, she dropped into a side chair. "The ring looks as good on you as it does on him."

"Thank you, and I don't mean for the compliment…for your little nudges along the way that got us this far. Make him take you out for a really nice lunch." Sara brought the coffee cup to her nose and breathed in the delicious aroma. "Mmm…perfect."

"Couldn't help but notice that's decaf. Which is ironic because I just heard Hodges telling Diane you're not pregnant." Catherine smirked. "Safely under the eight day test window, just in case, huh?"

Pulling out her chocolate chip muffin, Sara didn't answer.

"Tell me…" Catherine found the situation highly amusing. "Since you were hoping to get pregnant before you knew you were getting married, how were you planning to explain the pregnancy to the curious hoard?"

"I never thought about it. I blocked it actually." Her smile fading, she plucked off a hunk of muffin. "I was living in a fantasy world. It would have been brutal."

"Yeah well…don't worry, right now you're the talk of the town but they'll move on once the shock wears off." In a cocky tone, she added, "Although I know they still talk about Warrick and me, but who can blame them?"

"Yeah, trust me, they do. And watch out for Kevin from Trace because he wants your man."

"Who doesn't?" She flipped her hair off her shoulder. "Except you of course."

Focused on herself, Sara prodded, "So what are they going to think now that I'm not pregnant?"

"Well, Theresa was telling Diane and Hodges, that Vartann told her, he knew you and Grissom were engaged for a while. I heard her say that after you almost died in the desert, Grissom begged you to marry him now, rather than waiting for your November wedding date."

"Thank you Vartann!" In celebration, Sara took a swig of decaf.

"Good morning, Ladies!" Brass strutted into the room with a bounce in his step.

Catherine immediately picked up on his demeanor. "Finally find something better than banana bread?"

"As a matter of fact…" Grinning, he adjusted his tie. "…never you mind."

"Oooh…sounds scandalous," Sara teased. "Come on, it will help Grissom and I out if you have some tawdry love affair."

"Unlike you, I keep my love life a secret, so let's just leave it at I'm a very happy boy." He took a seat in the empty chair next to Catherine and asked Sara, "So do you have the scoop on this merry band of misfits you're about to lead?"

Catherine huffed, "No kidding. I've been in your shoes a few times, Sara and let me tell you, supervising this crew can make root canal seem like a fun way to spend the afternoon."

"I've got Nick's take on the situation, but now tell me yours."

She took the liberty of running through the cast of characters. "Trey Riggs…a pompous ass who feels anything but the hottest case is beneath him. Nina Birch…a Sofia wannabe and she must be doing a good job being Sofia because, most people who have dealt with her call her, Nina Bitch not Birch. Pete Jones…disgruntled from not getting the supervisor spot instead of the guy Ecklie brought in, and now as I understand it, he is doubly disgruntled from not getting the supervisor spot over Nick, who he feels is a night shift bottom feeder. They never had much respect for Night Shift thanks to Ecklie's distaste for Grissom." Turning to Jim, she laughed, "But I'm sure they won't hold their dislike of Grissom against Sara because, what does she have to do with him?"

Brass casually replied, "You mean aside from being pregnant with his child after their drunken one night stand at the no-tell motel?"

"That's last night's news," Sara happily reported. "I'm not pregnant. And Grissom and I were engaged before we decided to push up our wedding date."

"So now they'll think you wanted to marry him instead of having to marry him?" Brass chortled. "Yeah, that will help them hate you more."

Catherine tried to be optimistic. "Maybe the new girl will respect you."

Brass nodded. "Mindy Kapoor…she's scared shitless of her predatory team members. I told Nick if she can't turn it around, he's going to have to let her go. She can't be intimidated in the field."

Checking her watch, Catherine jumped up from her seat. "I'm off the clock. Good luck, Sara." At the door she yelled back, "I'm going home to get some rest before my date with your husband."

"Make sure Hodges knows your plans," She joked before glancing at Jim. "Next rumor they'll have Grissom taking everyone else's women…even your new mystery lady."

Knowing the scenario, he choked out, "I doubt you'd like that."

Simultaneously, Brass's and Sara's pagers signaled and shifted their attention.

"It's show time and a double homicide no less." He stood up and winked. "Make me proud, young lady."

His confidence in her was a cherry on top of an already extraordinary twenty four hours. "Yes, Dad," Sara teased, before taking one last sip of coffee and following Brass out of the room. "Don't worry, I will do a good job, because I've got something to prove."

He couldn't resist. "Is that what you said to Grissom in back of the limo, Boom Boom?"

"Way to separate yourself from the pack, Jim. Instead of taunting me about the current scandal, you opt for the old one."

"What can I say, I'm nostalgic."

McCarran Airport
7:02 a.m.

Seated in the boarding area, Carrie, now fueled with one pertinent piece of information, grilled Nick. "What made you pick New York?"

"Convenience." As in it's the quickest way to get from here to Paris today, Baby.

"Convenience?" Surprised by his answer, she knitted her brows. "Not very romantic, Stokes."

"Sorry, Honey." He pecked her cheek. "I try, but in this case, I put practicality over romance. I won the tickets to New York in some casino contest last year and never used them so, when I wanted to take you somewhere, I thought I'd use the tickets."

Feeling bad about her insensitive comment she sweetly said, "Honey, we could go camping for all I care. I'm just happy you asked me to go away with you."

"You like to camp?" Immediately he pictured taking the future Stokes family for an adventure in the great outdoors.

"I camped once when I was a Girl Scout."

"I bet you were a very good Girl Scout…all that planning and rule following."

"Let's just say I earned so many badges I ran out of room on my vest." She elbowed him. "Oh please…I bet your Boy Scout shirt was covered in patches." His 'aw shucks' grin supplied her answer. "Hmm…do you think an overachieving Girl Scout and an overzealous Boy Scout could live together without driving each other crazy?"

He couldn't believe she was asking him a significant question before he asked her one. Although he was certainly hoping they'd move in together after getting engaged. "Are you asking me to shack up with you, Baby?"

"Is that what I just did?" A nervous giggle followed. "It probably goes against the Girl Scout honor code I vowed to follow for the rest of my life."

"You'll be expelled from the sisterhood."

"You're right." Straightening up in her chair, she sighed. "Forget I mentioned it."

"If you insist." Inwardly he smiled. Knowing her desire to cohabitate definitely boosted his confidence regarding a yes answer tomorrow in Paris.

Flight 534 to New York is now boarding rows 20-35

"That's us, Honey." Nick took her hand. "New York City he we come." For approximately one hour and fifteen minutes while we wait to board our flight to Paris. I can't wait to see the look on your face when I tell you.

Crime Lab Conference Room B

7:04 a.m.

Despite Brass's reminder of her notorious nickname and the fact that every whisper in the building was seedy speculation on her personal life, Sara held her head high as she walked into the conference room to greet her new team mates. "Good morning, guys." She flashed her warmest smile and in return got nothing. "Uh…before I get down to business in a minute, I just want to say that I'm really excited to be a part of the team. I've worked with all of you before, except you, Mindy." Extending her hand, she said, "Hi, I'm Sara Sidle, nice to meet you." The timid twenty-four year old returned the greeting without making eye contact.

"Don't you mean, Mrs. Gil Grissom?" Trey hissed.

Realizing the elephant in the room was taking up too much space, Sara decided to speak to it. "Okay…I know you all know that Gil Grissom and I married recently. I assure you, there's nothing scandalous about it. We're just two lab rats who met at work and tied the knot. There are at least six other married couples working here at the station and it's really no big deal. Oh, and at work, to answer your question, Trey, I will continue to use my professional name, Dr. Sara Sidle."

Nina smiled. "Hey, if boinking the boss got you bumped to Days, and consequently sent Sofia packing to Nights then, let me be the first to say, welcome."

"Uh…thanks." Sara added a note in her mental profile regarding Nina…passive aggressive tendency. "As much as I'd like to continue this bonding session, we've got a double homicide to process. I'm going to take Mindy and Pete with me and I'll have…"

"Hold up!" Trey shook his head. "If there's a double homicide, I'm working it not Minnie."

Sara gently pushed back. "It's my call. I'm taking Mindy and Pete. You and Nina have reports to finish and if something else comes up, I'll send it your way."

Not satisfied with the answer, Trey snapped, "You don't understand."

Since playing nice wasn't working, she toughened. "This isn't a negotiation. I'm handing out the assignments and you'll work what is given to you."

Trey snipped, "Is that how the Night Shift Supervisor talked to you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Turning on her heels, she headed out the door. "Mindy you ride with me. Pete, meet us there. I'll write the address down for you."

In the conference room, Trey and Nina exchange pissed off glances until Trey grumbled, "As if Good 'ol Boy Stokes isn't bad enough, now we have Grissom's wench barking at us."

"She's exercising a little power." Nina smoothed her long blonde hair. "I can't blame her after taking it from the boss all those years."

"You don't think she was giving it to the boss all those years?"

Even though they loathed each other, they shared a laugh.

Leaving the table, Nina said, "If she was giving it to him for years, then she must be pretty bad in the sack because Grissom always seemed a little pent up to me."

Trey followed her. "Do you think it started after he grew the beard?"

Flight 534 Las Vegas to New York
7:52 a.m.

"So…" Carrie wasn't sure how she'd stay buckled in her seat for the five hour flight and they hadn't even taxied yet. "Where are we going to stay?"

Nick flipped through the in flight magazine. "A French hotel."

"Which one?"

"Le something."

"We don't have to eat at the hotel, right?" Carrie cautiously asked. "Because I really don't like French food."

"Oh...no…we don't have to eat French food." No French food in France? Then he realized they must have Italian in France. "I'm sure it won't be a problem."

Relaxing in her seat, Carrie told him. "I went to France the summer of my freshman year of high school with my parents. What a nightmare. Not a place I ever want to visit again as long as I live."

"R…really?" Those were not words he needed to hear.

"Yeah. It was so bad, I haven't even thought of traveling abroad since." Pulling down the shade screen on her window, she sighed, "That's why I didn't even bother to renew my passport when it expired a couple of months ago."

"What!" Wendy gave him the passport, but he never thought to check the expiration date. "What do you mean you let your passport expire!"

Laughing, she informed him, "While some people may think New York is a foreign place, you don't need a passport to go there."

Hart Residence
7:55 a.m.

When Sara arrived on the scene with Mindy, who didn't utter a word in the truck on the way to the scene, she was happy to see a friendly face. "Well, if it isn't my knight-in-shining-armor, Detective Vartann."

Pretending to tip a hat, he replied, "At your service, milady."

Mindy followed Sara to the front door and Pete was coming up the walk behind her.

Shifting to the business at hand, Sara asked, "What do we have?"

"Male vic…Denny Hart, forty-nine, divorced, owner of the residence. Female vic…Steffi Branson, twenty-nine, single, guest of the owner. Both bodies are on the living room floor. No wounds, no sign of struggle, but we're calling it homicide because giant red letter A's are drawn in lipstick on the backs of their shirts."

"Scarlet red?" Sara asked.

"I'm a guy. I don't know the difference between red and scarlet red. Anyway, isn't that your job?" He laughed. "According to a neighbor, Denny started having sleepover parties with Steffi, about a month ago after Mrs. Hart moved out. Jenny Hart, forty-eight, whereabouts currently unaccounted for."

Pete decided to announce the motive. "Sounds like Mr. Hart traded in the old model for a newer one." Eyes locked on Sara he said, "You know…some men like 'em younger."

Sara politely reminded her co-worker, "When I work a scene I prefer to acquire all pertinent information before making judgments. So let's shift our focus back to the scene."

"Married less than a day and you already sound like Grissom." Laughing, Vartann lifted the crime tape. "Your bodies await, milady."

Sara went under, followed by Mindy then Pete, all three clicking on their flashlights and walking toward the living room. Phillips was already there. "Hey, Sara."

"Hey, David." Setting down her kit, she turned to Mindy. "Acquaint yourself with the scene and then tell me your observations." Next she looked at Pete. "Check the fridge and the…."

"You got a craving?" He cracked.

"Yes." Not amused, she shined her flashlight in his face. "I crave an answer to the question, what killed these two people lying on the floor surrounded by their own spew?"

Phillips chuckled, "You sound like Brass."

"Thank you." Sara couldn't help but smile. So far she sounded like Grissom and Brass, she wondered when Catherine's influence would manifest. "Oh and Pete, about the fridge…with no wounds and no signs of struggle, I'm wondering if it's something they ate that killed them, which makes me want to know what's in the kitchen…which includes the fridge. So I wouldn't sneak any snacks while in there if I were you. Bag and tag everything."

Kit in hand, Pete marched toward the kitchen.

After walking the perimeter of the room, Mindy came to rest next to Sara.

"Thoughts?" Sara prompted.

"The couple was going to be drinking wine….Merlot to be exact. I say going to because I don't see evidence of the wine in their vomit. The bottle is on the table along with one full glass, the other glass is on the floor, but it's standing up, not lying down, which tells me someone righted the glass. Approximately a foot away from the empty glass, there is a wet spot in the rug…slightly foamy and smells of cleaning product…the wine spilled and someone took the time to clean the stain."

"Who would do that?" Sara prodded.

"Someone who cares about the house and wants to preserve the rug." Taking a breath she answered, "Someone like the woman who decorated the house…perhaps Mrs. Hart. She was upset that Mr. Hart was replacing her and enacted revenge for his infidelity. That's why the scarlet letters, like in the book…she wants everyone to know they're guilty of adultery. So she poisons them, in hiding, watches them suffer, and when they're dead, she comes out of hiding to write the letters. That's also when she cleaned the wine stain."

"You read a lot, Mindy?"

"Yes, quite a bit actually."

"Me too." Sara smiled and was pleased to see she got one in return. "Excellent assessment. What next?"

The Cheesecake Factory
11:03 a.m.

"I was surprised you wanted to come here again so soon," Grissom remarked as he slid into the booth.

"I want to bring some cheesecake home for dessert later." Catherine relaxed on her side of the booth. "Warrick and I are celebrating an anniversary today."

"Which one?"

"We celebrate unconventional anniversaries." Spreading her napkin over her skirt, she grinned. "If I told you specifically which one, I fear you'd be a little uncomfortable." She adored his puzzled expression. "Let's just say, the cheesecake will be utilized during the celebration."

"I…"

"Maybe you should bring some cheesecake for Sara to enjoy when she gets home from her shift today." Grinning, Catherine smoothed her napkin. "I assume you'll be marking your one day anniversary during the two glorious hours you'll see each other today."

Finally he could track her. "Yes, we plan to make the most of our time together this evening."

"Hey you two!" Tawny bounded over with two glasses of ice water and placed them on the table. "Did Greggy tell you I'd be working?"

"Hello, Tawny." Grissom greeted her with a pleasant smile. "Greg can't stop talking about you." Yes, as a matter of fact, just last night he shared every last detail about you with Warrick while I was in the room, and I'm trying very hard not to remember several of those details right now.

Catherine smiled. "So you stole our little Greggo's heart, huh?" Actually, from what Warrick told me, I believe it is another part of Greg's body you've captivated.

"He's such a sweetie." Tawny plopped down in the booth next to Grissom. "Thanks so much for introducing us that night at Tweeters." Eternally grateful, she took the kind man's hand in hers. "Greg is the best thing that's happened to me in weeks."

Just then, Mabel and Theresa from Trace strolled by behind the hostess.

Catherine was the first to notice the untimely gawkers. "Hi, ladies." The looks on their faces were priceless. "Care to join our threesome?"

Grissom couldn't believe his bad luck.

"Uh…" Theresa looked at Mabel. "Actually, we're planning a baby shower for a friend so we need to…"

"Maybe another time." Catherine waved as they kept walking. "Tawny, Honey, can you send those women a round of drinks compliments of Mr. Grissom?"

"Sure." She slid out of the booth. "And what can I get the two of you?"

Catherine decided for the both of them. "Luxury Martinis, because we're celebrating."

"Be right back."

Grissom shook his head at his lunch mate. "Care to join our threesome?"

"That's how you deal with those guttersnipes. They're going to talk no matter what, and if you hide, they'll feed on your insecurity." She took a sip of water. "Okay, blank filling time begins now."

After a gulp from his glass, he asked, "What do you want to know? Why we married so quickly and privately?"

"Nah…are you kidding? I can't imagine the two of you doing it any differently. You're not the, 'stand up in front of a room full of people and wear your hearts on your sleeves', types." Curiosity filled her voice. "But I do want to know, did she propose to you, or did you propose to her?"

"I proposed." He proudly admitted. "Shocked the hell out of her as a matter of fact."

"I bet you did." She loved his expression. "What motivated you? Because for once I know it wasn't me."

"The moment was right." He unfurled his napkin and placed it on his lap. "At the conference…I uh…I realized that I had wasted a lot of time over the years and…"

When he floundered, she helped him out. "Your birthday is around the corner. So, I'm guessing turning forty-nine for a man is a lot like thirty-nine for a woman. It sucks." She laughed. "Of course, now I'd love to be thirty-nine again."

"Catherine…do you ever worry that…"

"Two luxury martinis." Tawny gently placed them on the table. "Is it okay if I come back for your orders in a bit?"

"Take your time," Catherine advised. Knowing exactly where Grissom was going with his question, she answered. "Do I ever worry if the ravages of time will send Warrick shopping for a younger version?" Lifting her martini, she groaned, "Hell, yeah. I wouldn't be human if I didn't."

He raised his glass with her and they both took a sip.

After smacking her vermouth covered lips, she said, "The thing is, when guys age…you get a little grey, you sprout a few character lines and suddenly you're distinguished. Women are often more attracted to older men because they sense this stability factor…you can take care of them. A man's odds of getting a date increase even as he ages. Hell, I bet Sara wouldn't have been interested in you when you were twenty-eight…forgetting for a moment she would have been fourteen and speaking figuratively."

Considering what Sara had told him in Colorado Springs, as well as remembering what he was like at twenty-eight, Catherine was absolutely right.

"Women, we just get old, and we're out there competing with Tawny, who isn't experiencing the harsh effects of gravity yet. Our odds of getting a date plummet as we age, which of course is ironic because we couldn't be hungrier physically."

"You'll always be a beautiful woman, Catherine." It was hard hearing her talk this way about herself. "And beyond that, you have a life force that people can't help but envy. I know I always have."

"Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment." After another hearty sip, she sighed, "Hey, I'm not the one who is supposed to be bearing their soul, that's not how these lunches work, so let's return you to the spotlight again. Now, you don't honestly worry that Sara will trade you in for a boy toy in a few years, do you?"

"No." He sipped his drink. "But…"

"Come on, I told you my biggest fear, let's have some reciprocity. We've been doing this for nearly a year now and you've come so far. Spill it." Again she raised her glass. "What are you possibly worried about now that you have that ring on your finger?"

Clearing his throat, he reluctantly shared his, most likely unwarranted fear. "The dynamics of my relationship with Sara are changing just when I got comfortable with how it used to be. Partnership is something I…I mean, I know the change is necessary, but I'm afraid if she doesn't need me to take care of her the way she used to, and if she's not…for the lack of a better word…chasing me anymore…once the excitement of the marriage wears off…"

"Ahh." Catherine tapped her nails on the table. "The old, now that I got what I always wanted it's not as exciting as it used to be, scenario."

"The law of diminishing returns." He lifted his glass once more. "To use your words…I wouldn't be human."

"Hey, it's a valid concern."

When Grissom choked on his cocktail, Catherine realized she phrased her reply incorrectly. "I mean it's generically valid considering the scenario, but I don't think in a million years Sara will ever toss you into the scrap heap."

After coughing into his napkin, Grissom grabbed his ice water.

"Sorry." Catherine chuckled into her martini as she lightened the mood. "Isn't there still one thing Sara needs from you? Didn't she chase you to Colorado for it?"

Sheepishly, he replied, "She may already have it, we'll know in approximately six to ten days."

"And don't you think she's going to need you if that test shows a positive result?"

"Yes, of course she will and I intend to be there every step of the way."

Catherine leaned into the conversation. "Now that you're married she just needs some different things."

"Like what?" He curiously asked, hoping to receive an easy to follow list.

"First of all, fear not, she still needs all the things she couldn't count on when she was single: someone to share her life with…a shoulder to lean on in times of need…pampering…nice jewelry…someone instead of something to satisfy her needs in bed." Sensing she had lost him on that one, she broke out laughing. But then again, he wasn't the one who searched Sara's bedroom back when they were looking for a lead on where Sara was staying in Tahoe, so maybe he didn't know he had replaced another'man' in her life. Finally calming herself, she added one more thing. "Cheesecake…she needs plenty of intimate evenings filled with cheesecake."

While inhaling the information, he exhaled a sigh of relief that he knew how to give her all those things. Comforted by that thought, he forged on into the unknown territory. "You said first of all, what else is there?"

After finishing her drink, she continued her tutorial. "The new thing she needs, which I doubt she's gotten much of in the past is, for you to lean on her. Instead of being the one taking care of her all the time, you need to let her take care of you…and I don't mean in bed."

"What exactly…"

"Next time you have a problem go to her with it and lean on her shoulder." Relaxing against the back of the booth, she smiled. "She wants to be your partner, and partnership is a two way street. Show her you need her intellectually and emotionally…she'll be thrilled." She snickered. "Almost as thrilled as she is when you bring home cheesecake."

"Are you ever going to tell me specifically about the cheesecake?"

"Nope." A delicious grin sprouted on her face. "Just bring it home and see where it leads…literally."

Tawny returned with her order pad. "Okay, sorry for the wait. What can I get you today, ma'am?"

"I'll start with you calling me Catherine instead of ma'am. If you ever call me ma'am again, it's going to get ugly."

"Oh…okay." Tawny wasn't sure why, but she was always one to go with the flow.

Grissom lowered his head as he laughed.

"For lunch, I'll have a salmon salad."

"One salmon salad for Catherine. And for you, Mr. Grissom?"

"Blackened chicken sandwich."

"And Tawny…" Catherine changed to a devious tone. "Later, we'll need two orders of Strawberry topped cheesecake to go…extra sauce…extra whipped cream. Pack the containers separately in those cooler bags you have."

"Got it." She tossed an all-knowing wink.

Once Tawny walked away, Grissom asked, "Okay, is there a movie I should be watching to explain this cheesecake thing?"

The combination of his bewildered expression and the pathetic question propelled Catherine into a fit of laughter.

30,000 feet over Kansas
11:35 a.m.

While Carrie was using the airplane restroom at the front of the cabin, Nick rifled through his carry-on to find their passports. He hoped that Carrie had figured out his plan and was yanking his chain about the 'I never want to go to Paris' thing. "Damn it!" It was true. Her passport was expired. He shoved them bag in the bag, cursing himself for not checking.

After stuffing the carry-on under the seat, he closed his eyes. If I knew the passport was expired I would have asked her to renew it. But how would that have helped because she still would have hated the idea of going to Paris. As of right now she doesn't know we were going to Paris and she's excited about going to New York. The problem is we don't have any reservations in New York. Unless…I could make reservations on the sly. Then she would be none the wiser. Yeah…

"I'm back." Carrie announced before kissing Nick's cheek and sliding past him to the window seat.

"My turn." As he reached to unbuckle his seat belt, suddenly the 'fasten seat belt' sign flicked on and the pilot's voice boomed over the intercom…

Howdy folks, this is Captain McKay. I just got a call I've been waiting on and well…I'm afraid I'm going to have to make a pit stop due to a faulty indicator light. We aren't in any danger, it's just protocol. We need to pull in and have it checked. Sorry about the inconvenience. The crew has print outs regarding your connections and will be coming to speak with you about options for your connecting flights. I'll keep you posted on when and where we're going to land. Thank you.

Carrie smiled at Nick. "Good thing we don't have a connecting flight."

"Mr. Stokes." Vanessa, from the flight crew, flashed her requisite sunny smile. "I see you have a connecting flight to Paris at…

"You're taking me to Paris!" Carrie shrieked. "Oh my god, that's so awesome!"

"What!" Nick was dumbfounded. "Yes, I was, but you said you hated Paris."

"I wouldn't hate it with you!" She gushed while bobbing in her seat. "That is the most romantic thing I've ever heard of. You were sneaking me to Paris because on our first date we had that moment in front of the fake Eiffel Tower in Vegas! I can't believe you! I love you!"

Vanessa sighed, "Awww, is that true?"

Proudly, Nick admitted it was his great idea. "Yes, but we can't go because someone didn't renew her passport." Turning to Carrie he explained, "I had Wendy snatch it for me but I didn't think to check the expiration date. Sorry, Baby."

"So you won't need a new connecting flight?" Vanessa confirmed while already walking away.

"No." He sighed.

"What were we going to do in Paris?" Carrie asked, still beaming from the revelation.

"Eat French food that would make you sick." He replied, trying to laugh his way out of the funk. "And a few other things."

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Captain McKay again. We've been routed to Dallas. We should land in about forty-five minutes. Thank you for your patience.

Deciding to make the most of the situation, Nick cracked a loving grin. "Carrie, would you like to meet my family?"

"Yes!"

His grin expanded. Say it just like that when we're in Dallas, Honey.

Next Chapter: Night and Day – Part 2

Teaser…It's all in the delivery!