A/N: This was placed as the second chapter originally, but now I fixed it. Hopefully. So you can go back to Chapter 2 and actually read it IN CONTEXT. Gosh, I'm such a dunce, NARF! Sorry for the confusion to all my readers. :(

It was Sara's night off and she had a date. She never really liked Detective Vartann, but she figured she should give it a try, after all what was one date. He picked her up at eight.

"You wanna go any place special?" He asked.

"What?"

"Is there any place you want to go for our date?" He asked again.

"Wait, you don't have our evening planned?" She asked incredulously.

"Well, no not really. I figured you might."

"Okay, I may be a bit of a control freak at work, but sometimes a girl needs to be treated to a night out where she doesn't have to think. I don't believe you." She was sufficiently irritated yet she decided to make the best of the situation. "What do you feel like doing?"

"I'm hungry. Know of any good places besides the diner?"

"Yeah. Let's go to Victor's. They have vegetarian meals there."

"You're a vegan?"

"I'm a vegetarian who happens to be a vegan." She answered.

"What's the diff?"

"A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat, a vegan is a person who doesn't eat meat because they feel it's unethical to treat animals cruelly just so you can have a meal."

Vartann had an empty look in his eyes.

"You know like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA?"

Still nothing.

"Tree-huggers for animals." She explained plainly.

"Right. See, I learned something new about you already." He smiled at her.

"Let's go."

"Tina come on!" Warrick hollered in the direction of the bedroom. "We're gonna be late."

"Alright, alright. I'm ready. What's the big deal anyway?" She asked as she exited the room. "It's not like we're meeting anyone there."

"Yeah, I know," Rick came back at her. "But Victor's gets busy fast and they'll give away our table if we're not there in fifteen minutes."

"But don't you know the owner?" She was putting her earrings on leaving the hallway mirror. "He doesn't believe in making exceptions for a friend?"

"This is Vegas. Just because you know someone doesn't make them your friend."

"What a sad world we live in." He shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Ready?" He asked as he held the door open. She stepped through the door and they were off.

Sara was beginning to be at ease as they approached the restaurant. Familiarity with the place & people started to work it's charm on her. There was a forty minute wait for a table and hanging out at the bar was making her hungrier by the second. It had also been some time since she'd been on a proper date. Needless to say it was awkward at some points. Casual conversation was not exactly Vartann's strength and Sara felt like a suspect under interrogation.

"You know what?" She stopped sipping her drink to regard him. "I don't even know where your originally from Sidle."

"Uh, a little outside of San Francisco. A small suburb called Tamales Bay. Not much to talk about. My folks used to run a B&B." She silently hoped he wouldn't request more information about the 'Used to' part.

"Huh, never heard of it. Is the population count like thirty-six?"

"No," she replied with slight exasperation slipping through her tone.

"It was a joke Sidle. Laugh."

Warrick and Tina entered the restaurant and headed straight to the maitre'd station. He was grateful for the valet parking provided, they wouldn't lose their table now. He was in such a hurry he didn't notice Sara sitting at the bar nearby.

"May I have your name please, sir?" The maitre'd asked Warrick.

"Brown. For two."

Sara turned her head around when she heard his voice. Great, she thought. Just what I need. She and Warrick hadn't spoken since that morning he had left her in shambles. She wasn't ready to engage him, even on a professional level. And now this.

Warrick saw her turn out of the corner of his eye. He had to take a second look to make sure it was her. With Vartann? He hid his surprise with an acknowledgement.

Sara gave Rick a smile and nodded.

"Is that Brown?" Vartann asked. "Wow, is that his wife?"

"Uh, I wouldn't know. I've never met her."

"Well, now you can."

"Who is that?" Tina asked.

"That's Sara," he felt the corner of his mouth twist into a smirk. "She's my co-worker. Come on I'll introduce you."

"You mean I actually get to meet someone you work with?" She said mockingly.

"Yeah." He knew both women would be mad at him if he didn't take this opportunity to introduce them.

Vartann got off his stool hand extended. "Hey, Rick."

"Hi Tony," Warrick said as he shook his hand. "Hey, Sara."

"Hi," Sara responded. She was getting nervous and she knew it would show soon so she took the initiative to introduce herself to whom she assumed was Tina. "Hey, I'm Sara," she held her hand out. "You must be Tina?"

"Yeah, that's me," she said as she took Sara's hand. "I was just teasing Warrick here that I finally get to meet someone he works with. He keeps me so separate from his work, I don't even know his boss' name."

Warrick felt the need to interrupt. "So, how long have you guys been here?"

"About ten minutes," Vartann responded. "You guys got reservations?"

"Yeah, don't you?"

"Well, the Detective here decided to play our evening by ear," Sara spoke up. "So now we have to wait another," she looked at her wristwatch. "Oh, thirty minutes or so."

Warrick knew that tone. She was perturbed. Brian, the assistant maitre'd came up behind them. "Rick your table is ready. Sara? Wow I haven't seen you in ages..." His voice trailed off as he realised there was a new woman on Warrick's arm.

Sara's stomach started to twist itself into knots and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was hungry. Warrick started to shift slightly in his spot. Sara took it to mean that he hadn't exactly told Tina the nature of their relationship.

Could this get any more awkward, Sara thought inwardly.

"Why don't you two join us?" Tina invited.

Yup it could, Sara sighed to herself.

"I mean it doesn't make sense for you to wait around for another half-hour when we're already getting our table," Tina added. "That's okay isn't it honey?" She regarded Warrick.

"Uh, yeah," Warrick answered. "If it's okay with you Tony. You guys are out on a date right? I mean we wouldn't want to interrupt anything."

Sara knew that tone. He was being cocky and just a little bit jealous. It incensed him that she was out with another man. Vartann! He thought. Anybody but him. It wasn't his right to get mad. She wasn't his. He had to keep himself in check or he would loose it.

"Sure, I mean if that's okay with you Sara?" Tony questioned.

The ball was in her court and every fiber of her being screamed to say no but her hunger won out. "I'm starving," she conceded.

"Brian, can you add two more to our table?" Warrick requested of the man.

"Of course," he looked at Sara and Vartann. "Would you all follow me?"