AN: Hey, guys! Sorry I haven't posted an update in a sooner date. Oh, well, I've already written half of the next chapter, and I'm real excited to post it, because it's probably the truning point of the story. To those who watched the movie, You'd know what the situation is after reading the first few words of the next chapter.

Oh, yeah. Just wante dto let you know, that Catherine is 'playing' the role of the old woman who has aging issues in the movie...you know her? Yeah. It serves the irony, right? Never mind. Oh, yeah. I wanna apologize in advance because I think I made Catherine so bitchy in this chapter, and that was never my intention. I'm a novice writer, what can I say?

Thanks to those who are reviewing, and still sticking with me even though I'm slow. Okay! Enjoy!

Nick sauntered in the lab with a grin plastered on his face. Sure it was no surprise that Nicholas Stokes would wear a big, huge grin, but being buried alive lessened the occurrence.

To say that he was happy was a bit of an understatement. Ecstatic, delighted, overjoyed…were still understatements. Never had he thought "hell no" would make him this happy.

And that was how he walked in the break room. A foolish grin on his face, a relaxed swagger, and wearing an accessory he had previously disliked to wear to work.

"Hey, Nick. What's with the glasses?" Catherine was the first to notice. Of course, it helped that she was the only one there.

"I don't have perfect eyesight, Cath," he smirked.

"Well, don't you wear contacts?"

"Yeah." Nick noticed Warrick and Sara come in. They nodded their heads in each other's direction to say hi, except for Sara, who greeted Nick with a "Hey Nicky" on her way to the coffee machine.

"So why are you wearing glasses now?"

"Why are you giving me the third degree for wearing glasses? Is that against the lab policy?"

Catherine chuckled at his amused defensiveness. "No, no. It's just that in all six years you've worked here, I never saw you in glasses."

"Yeah? Well, a bright woman told me to wear it all the time," he glanced at Sara, who smiled at him, which didn't go unnoticed by Catherine.

Moments later, Grissom entered the break room.

"Good evening, my fellow nocturnals," Grissom was in an unusually good mood. "Hey, Nick. New glasses?" he pointed at Nick's black framed glasses.

"No…what's with the sudden fascination with my glasses?" Nick asked, a smile at bay as Sara winked at him from her place in the couch.

Grissom donned a confused look, then shook his head slightly. "Okay, assignments: Warrick, Sara, 419 at a club. Brass said he'll meet you there. Nick, Catherine…paperwork," Grissom grinned.

"Are you serious?" Catherine half-fumed, her eyes wide open.

"Why yes, Catherine. I indeed am serious," Grissom stated in a rather Victorian fashion, eliciting a glare from Catherine. "We're backed up. Severely. But if Warrick and Sara need any help with their case, you guys can help out."

"Oh, we won't be needing help, boss," Warrick said. Another glare from Catherine.

"Bye guys," Sara and Warrick waved at the three remaining CSIs.

"So, you're helping us with the paperwork?" Catherine nodded to Grissom.

"No. I have to attend a staff meeting," Grissom waved goodbye.

When Grissom was out of earshot, Catherine turned to Nick, "Since when does he attend staff meetings? Happily, I might add."

Nick ignored her comment and started to walk out the door. "Let's get goin'."

Catherine's brows furrowed in confusion. She knew Nick's hatred for paperwork, especially after his kidnapping, when he was confined in the lab for three weeks.

Upon reaching an office full of file drawers, Catherine saw that Nick already had a head start. Pulling one of the metal drawers, she stole a glance at Nick.

"You look a little happy for someone doing paperwork. No, actually. Make that way too happy," Catherine let the subject out in the open, smiling.

Nick looked at her, still wearing his grin. "Are you opposed to me being happy?"

"Come on, Nick. There's a difference between happy and wearing a stupid grin."

"There is?" Not that he was perplexed, but he wanted to bluff Catherine for no reason.

"Yes, and you're wearing that grin like you've met the girl of your dreams or something." Catherine looked at him and saw him try to keep it together as he made eye contact with her. "Nick, Oh my God! Am I right?" she practically rushed to sit down on across from him, her blue eyes wide.

"Somewhat…" he decided to bait her in.

"Come on, Nick! Tell me something here!" Though she wasn't completely clueless, she wanted to hear him say it.

"Okay…I may have met the girl of my dreams," he reiterated.

She shot him a sardonic look. "Where?"

Nick rolled his eyes, "Why do you need to know?"

"I don't need to know, I want to know."

"Why?" It wasn't that Nick didn't want her to know, but he wanted to know why she was so curious.

"Because…you're a very close friend, and I want to know what's happening."

Nick eyed her, "Cath, I'm not a CSI 3 for nothing."

"Fine, but that was a true reason, too. Just not my primary reason."

"Okay, so what's your top reason?"

Catherine took a deep breath. "Well," she started, sighing. "It's just that I haven't seen you like this. I mean, to be blunt, you're not the type that falls in love so much…And of course, since Kristy," she paused and looked at him. His eyes were still at her, betraying nothing. "…And of course, since your…you know."

"Kidnapping? You know, you can just say it. It makes me more uncomfortable when people leave blanks, especially after my kidnapping. See? I said 'kidnapping'. That wasn't so hard, wasn't it? Considering I was the one who went through it."

"Right. Sorry, Nick." She could sense his uneasiness, but she didn't want to press on it any further.

Nick looked at the files that were spread out in front of him. Catherine started working, too, but after only seconds, she looked at the younger man across from her. She found herself thinking that she had destroyed what must've been a great day for him.

"I'm sorry, Nick. That was very insulting."

Nick was actually shocked. "What was?"

"Judging your love life."

"No, hey, it's all right. I'd rather have you hurt me and tell the truth than spare me but lie about it."

Catherine smiled at how genuine he was, and couldn't help but silently congratulate whoever the woman was that captured his heart. Nick looked down, knowing that he's already made his point. They worked in silence in a while.

"The park," Nick said, still reviewing the files.

"What's that?" Catherine looked up from what she was doing.

"I saw the 'girl of my dreams', as you put it, in the park." He smiled widely, half- hoping Catherine could see, though he knows she could anyway, since she's an experienced mother.

Catherine beamed. "You 'saw' her? You mean you didn't talk to her?"

"Oh, we talked. A lot, actually." He smiled at the memory of talking to Sara about the most random things, yet still having the most fun.

"So you met her." Nick nodded.

"Why didn't you say you 'met the girl of your dreams'?"

"Why are you overanalyzing?" Nick looked up.

"Answer the question, Nicky."

He sighed, "Because I already know her."

Catherine's eyes widened. "Oooooh!" she exclaimed. Then she inched closer to him and whispered, "Do I know her?"

Nick pretended to think hard. "Umm…. Very well, as far as I know."

Already, Catherine was formulating a list in her head. Nick laughed at her reaction. Catherine motioned for him to continue. "And…?"

"And what?" Nick feigned naïveté.

"Go on."

"Nah, I'll let you work it out," Nick grinned.

"Why?" she whined.

"You weren't a supervisor for nothing." With that, he turned back to the files with a faint smile gracing his lips, leaving the older woman to rack her brain for an answer.

AN: That wasn't so subtle, wasn't it?

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