Nick was peacefully sleeping on his stomach, one arm under his head and another forming a ninety degree angle beside his head. His legs were wide apart, covered with his comforter.

He stirred when he felt Maverick jump on the bed. He's been so used to having Maverick that he no longer jumps out of bed when Maverick pounces on him. Maverick settled himself by his owner's legs, putting 90 pounds on his 150-pound owner.

Twenty minutes later Nick opened his eyes, still not changing his position, and glanced at the clock. 12:44. Well, that explains the heat. The sheet that was previously up on his shoulders was now down to his waistband, exposing his bare muscular back.

He sat up, patting Maverick to make him get up, and he did. He followed him out the bedroom after Nick got a shirt from his dresser.

After eating some leftovers from the night before, Nick fed Maverick. While he ate, Nick showered then changed into brown cargo shorts and a gray powdered semi-fitting shirt.

He got out of his room, surprised to see Maverick still eating. Usually, it only takes ten minutes for him to eat. It's been about half an hour, and he was just about to finish his kibbles.

Nick bent down and scratched the a spot behind his ear. "What's the matter, Mav? That bad, huh?" Nick had been using a free sample from the mail.

"All right, Mav. Time for our workout," Nick called out from the coat hanger where Maverick's leash was.

When Maverick came over to him, Nick fastened the black leash to his collar.

Opening the door, Nick patted Maverick's side, "Let's go, Bud."

The park wasn't particularly busy, yet it sounded like it. Kids were running around, people playing catch, couples strolling along the grassy knoll.

Nick had always taken Maverick to this very same park for about six years now. He knew every space and where one place led to.

Nick doesn't even go to the gym that much anymore. This whole park was his gym.

Going to this park had earned him a lot of dates and friends and acquaintances. This was his second "training ground" for flirting. His primary training ground, of course was back in Texas.

'Blond: skirt and tanks, 2o'clock.' His eyes stayed on the blond that was making eyes with him. He smiled and nodded at her, having Maverick pull him. She waved at him and he hesitantly raised his free hand to his shoulder, offering a small wave. Oddly enough, or not, when he walked past her, she was still waving. He turned back, seeing an Abercrombie & Fitch-looking guy behind him, also waving at her. 'Well, that was a waste of ego.'

Nick continued to walk down the park, occasionally switching hands using the leash because Maverick kept on moving all around him. Maverick led him to the open grassy space. Upon reaching it, Nick unfastened his dog's leash from his collar. He took the Frisbee out from his knapsack, then threw it to Maverick, who was already ten yards from him. He kept doing it again and again and again, laughing as Maverick jumped up in the air to retrieve the spinning, flying Frisbee.

As Nick took the Frisbee from Maverick, someone caught his eye. Still absentmindedly petting Maverick, his eyes remained glued to the brunette wearing a white ribbed tank top and a long, white ruffled skirt. And to top off her tropical outfit off, she wore a a straw hat. In cheesy movies, this would be a slow-motion movement and the song "Believer" by Smash Mouth would be on cue…or any other 'love at first sight' song.

There was something that hit Nick's familiarity button. Shoulder length brown hair, perfectly sculpted nose, a gap-toothed smile as her dog propelled her all over the place. Sara Sidle.

Nick quickly fastened the leash on Maverick's collar and stood up, jogging to her. If anything, he had to run faster than he intended because Maverick rushed to Sara's female boxer, Ali.

"Hey, Nick!" Sara's grin got wider, excited to see her male co-worker and best friend outside of work. She hugged him in greeting, mindful of their dogs.

"Hey, Sar. Hey Ali," Nick bent down to pat Ali's head. Getting up, he smiled at Sara, who was looking at him. "Goin' for a walk?"

"Yeah. There was nothing to do, so…"

"Hmm. How's the new condo?" Sara had recently moved into a new condominium because her apartment was starting to "crumble."

"Oh, um…It's starting to come together. I mean, this is actually the first day I thought everything was a routine, you know?"

Nick smiled, "That's great. I mean, you should use every break available, right?"

"Yeah," she smiled and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. For two frozen seconds, they were just looking at each other and it wasn't until Nick chuckled that they both looked the other way.

Nick felt Maverick pull him forward, almost losing his balance. He looked at Sara, who was also being pulled forward by Ali.

"I think they wanna move for a while," Nick said.

"Mind if I join you two?" Sara grinned.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Ten minutes into walking, the two fell in comfortable silence. Nick looked at Sara and blurted out the first thing that popped on his mind.

"You look really great, Sara." He meant it in every way possible, not just physically. She seemed so happy, comfortable, and…graceful. Considering how she's been the last months, what with the split shifts, and all.

She looked at him and produced the widest grin from Sara Sidle, something reserved for Nick only. "Thank you." She knew what he meant, and she was just happy that he didn't press on the issues that she's gone through unless she wished to. "I mean, this is just something I threw in together. And the straw hat…it's keeping my hair down. It's killing me right now."

Nick laughed at their 'double talk'. "I don't think I've ever seen you in a skirt."

She rolled her eyes. "It's long, you know. "

"Yeah, but…it's so feminine," Nick said, looking at her right in the eye.

"What are you saying? That I'm manly?"

"No, no. You know, it's so…I don't know. I'm so used to seeing you in pants and jeans."

"And jumpsuits," she added, chuckling.

"Yeah…and sometimes shorts on our day offs. But never a skirt."

"Yeah, well, that's me."

"Do you not attend the office parties for the sole purpose of not having to wear skirts and formal stuff?"

She laughed and nodded. "Among other things."

"Such as not having a date?"

"God, yes. Is that why you dodge them too?"

Nick looked guilty. "But I've been to some…"

"Dateless."

"Yeah. But hey, I mingle….or stay on Warrick's tail from time to time."

Sara laughed. "I could do that. But still, you guys have it easy. Just wear a tux or a suit and tie."

"Yeah, well…all the more reasons to be thankful for being a man."

Comfortable silence again.

"I didn't know you wear glasses," Sara noted, looking intently at Nick.

"I wear contacts to work. It just seems easier. I've only worn glasses to work about a couple of times at work."

"So why wear them now?" At this point, they were just listening to each other, looking ahead, just glancing at each other from time to time.

"Eh, I don't know. I mean, I wear glasses all the time. Well, you know, except work."

"Yeah? Well leave it on all the time. It tops off the whole 'sexy geek' ensemble."

Nick slightly blushed and chuckled, "I'll mark your words."

"Hey, what can I say? I have a soft spot for guys with glasses."

"You're not talking about Grissom, are you?" Nick knew for a fact that she got over Grissom ages ago, yet he jokes about it every so often. She doesn't seem to mind—as long as it's him that's joking.

Without hesitation, Sara boldly said, "Hell no."