Title: Chained to you
Author: CryssieM
Category: General/Humor/Romance
Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters, they belong to CBS and the writers of the show. Only this story's idea is mine.
Summary: Sara, Nick and a pairs of handcuffs... What happens? (S/N)
Spoilers: none - at least in this chapter.
Author's note: the story takes place before Ecklie split the team. So I'd say somewhere in the middle of the 3rd season.
Chapter 1.
Grissom like a whirlwind storms out of the interrogation room, and stumbles immediately into Sara, almost knocking her over.
"Hey, hey! What's this rush?" Sara tries to regain her balance. "Your bugs-collection is just being stolen?" she teases her supervisor with a grin.
"Very funny, Sara," Grissom grumbles, casting her a reproachingful glance. "Oh, I almost forgot something. Take care of these," he tosses a pairs of handcuffs to her and walks further. "I don't have time for your jokes, I must go to investigate a crime scene." he waves and disappears at the corner.
Sara just stares after the whirlwind called Gil Grissom, jaws dropped by the record-quick encounter. She just looks down at the cuffs in her hand, wondering what to do with them, when a familiar voice greets her ear.
"Yes... alert the biohazard-unit too. We may never know.."
Turning round, her look meets Detective Brass' serious one.
"Where's Grissom?" Brass asks casually, without stopping.
"He's just left," Sara replies, trying to catch up with his pace.
"Good," the detective acknowledges with satisfaction.
"Detective...", Sara is about to ask him about the handcuffs that Grissom has just committed to the care of hers, but Brass rejects her saying "Not now, Miss Sidle,"and hurrying out of the Lab, leaves Sara alone.
Furrowing her brows, Sara shrugs and sinks the cuffs into the pocket of her jacket.
Amused by the encounter with Grissom and Brass, Sara enters the break room with a big smile on her face.
"What?" Nick Stokes' voice welcomes her. "Someone put chewing-gum onto Ecklie's chair?"
Sara chuckles and glances at her colleague.
"We don't have such luck."
Nick grins and emerges from beside the table.
"You should smile more," he walks up to her, while she is pouring a cup of coffee for herself. "Looks good on you."
Sara blushes and looks up at him with a slight smirk. She almost returns the compliment, but then changes her mind.
"What's now?" Nick inquires.
She shakes her head. "Nothing."
"You're a bad liar, Sidle."
"What did you call me?" the female CSI raises her brow with a playful smile.
"You've heard that," he smirks, seemingly enjoying the situation.
A mischievious plan starts to form in Sara's mind.
"Mr. Stokes, I arrest you for insulting a CSI," she grins triumphiantly and chains his wrist with either ring of the cuffs.
Nick shoots an astonished glance at her and chuckles, "Hey Sar', I didn't mean to..."
Sara watches his face with amusement. She doesn't reply, just grins broadly like a school-girl who has just played a cheeky joke on some classmate.
"Take this thing off of me," Nick gives her a threatening look, but she just keeps on grinning.
"Sara! I'm not..." he starts a bit impatiently, also slightly annoyed, but can't go on as Greg's head appears in the doorframe.
Both CSIs turn their faces toward the unexpected visitor; Nick also hides his cuffed hand behind his back. No way Sanders should see that. He'd immediately misinterpret the situation and next day the whole Lab would gossip about the "hot game between Stokes and Sidle". Though Sara's expression would worth that, he notes, he must miss that fun this time.
"Whadda ya want, Sanders?" Nick asks grudgingly.
The labrat answers shyly, "I'm looking for Grissom.".
"He's just left for a crime scene with Brass." Sara says with a slight, encouraging smile.
Greg nods, giving her a slight smile."Thanks. Oh and sorry if I interrupted anything..." he adds a bit puzzled and leaves.
Nick exploits Sara's sudden distraction and in a flash, he clasps the other ring of the handcuffs onto her left wrist.
Realizing the situation she's gotten into, Sara whirls to face a smirking Nick Stokes.
"So, who is arrested now?" he teases her, feeling definitely better to see the shock and annoyance on her face.
"What the hell?" Sara snaps, "Stokes, you…!"
Nick chuckles with satisfaction.
"I thought you found it funny..."
Sara gives him a threatening look and mockingly punches him in the chest.
"Ouch!" he rubs the spot. "Sidle, You're dangerous..." he grumbles, casting a hurt and reproachful glance at her.
"Realize that just now?" she retorts with a grin.
He grimaces, still rubbing his chest.
"Oh, poor Nicky, does it hurt so much?" Sara teases him, smiling broadly.
"You're lucky for being a woman, otherwise you'd get this back," Nick murmurs.
"And you're lucky for being on duty, otherwise you'd pay for this remark too."
Nick looks at Sara, their eyes meet and they both burst out laughing in the next moment.
"We're like children in the kindergarden..." Nick notes.
"Yes, you are." Sara grins.
"Don't ya start it again..." He warns her quizzically.
She smirks mischieviously.
Nick shakes his head with a smile and sighs.
"Okay, Sar'," he gets back to his serious CSI manner, "We must go on with work, so no matter how much I enjoy being chained to you, I must refuse this opportunity and rather chain myself to the computer..."
Sara smiles sadly and nods, "Yeah..."
"'Kay. So would you unlock us then?" Nick raises his brow expectantly.
The female CSI's smile fades and Nick can tell she blushes slightly.
"Sara?" he stares at her, surmising that something is wrong. "There isn't any problem with that, is there? You have the keys, right?"
Puzzled, Sara bites her lip and reluctantly looks up at her coworker with a guilty expression that tells everything.
"You're fooling me, aren't you?" Nick chuckles nervously. "Come on, Sara, it's not the time of playing games. We're in shift."
"Sorry..." she murmurs innocently, casting her look down. "The truth is that..."
Nick stares at her with shock and annoyance.
"What? You wanna tell me that you've chained me with these damn cuffs while not having the keys on you?"
Sara blushes with guilt.
"I'm sorry," she says quietly, "It was a spontaneous idea..."
"Oh, great!" the male CSI frowns."Sidle, your spontaneous ideas just take us into trouble..."
"Hey!" Sara snorts, "And what about you? It wasn't me who chained me with the other ring!"
Nick shoots a puzzled glance at her.
"I assumed you had had the keys! Where the hell should I have known that you...?"
Sara sighs conceding., "Okay, let's stop blaming each other... We should rather find a solution to this little problem."
"Okay," he nods agreeing and takes a deep breath,"So where are the keys?"
Being afraid of his reaction in advance, Sara answers reluctantly.
"Well, I guess on Grissom"
"Grissom?" Nick's eyes widen of shock. "Well, we're lucky that it's not Ecklie after all..." he adds with a slight sigh.
"All we have to do is getting the keys from Gil," Sara points out.
Nick chuckles nervously, "And how do you imagine to do that? Asking him directly? 'Griss, do you happen to have the keys of a pairs of handcuffs? We have chained each other with Nick and now can't unlock it.'"
"Not exactly with these words, but yes, in that way." Sara replies with a serious look.
Nick laughs, "You're crazy, Sidle."
"Have any other idea?" she snaps with annoyance.
He shrugs.
"But you ask him," he notes.
"Look who's a coward..." she teases him.
"Sidle, watch your words!" Nick shoots a warning look at her.
"And if I don't?" Sara smiles.
"Don't you wanna know that," he answers mysteriously."Come on, let's get over with it."
He is about to head out of the room, when Sara drags him back.
"Uh...There's a little problem yet..." she casts down her look, puzzled.
"My God, Sara! What else are you hiding?"
"Grissom is investigating a crime scene with Brass right now."
"Damn!" Nick curses. "And what are we going to do till he gets back?"
"We still can go on with our duties..." Sara notes, glancing innocently at her coworker."We have a hand free."
Nick grimaces and helplessly shrugs.
"Have no other choice..."
"Then let's go," she suggests.
"Wait," Nick stops her and glances at their cuffed hands. "We shouldn't raise attention."
"Oh, right," Sara agrees. "Grab your jacket to hide the cuffs," she suggests.
Nick obeys and covers their hands with his darkblue forensic jacket so that it gives the impression like Nick was holding that piece of clothing.
Exiting the break room, they go along the hallway.
Alarmed, Sara suddenly stops and faces Nick who looks inquiringly at her.
"Catherine." Sara whispers with panick in her voice. "At the corner."
Nick checks the place she has mentioned and sees Catherine talking to Ecklie.
"And Ecklie," he adds with less enthusiasm.
Startled, Sara is about to cover her mouth with her cuffed left hand, but realizing not being able to do that, she moves the other hand to her lips and murmurs a curse.
"Maybe we should turn back..." she ponders loudly.
"Late," Nick claims. "She has noticed us."
Sara sighs uncomfortably, "Then nothing else than forward..."
He nods, "I guess so."
The two CSIs walk toward their colleague, nervous smile on their faces.
"Hi, guys," Catherine greets them with a broad smile. "What's up?"
"Hi Cath," Nick replies. "Nothing special," he says, trying to keep the poker-face on and suppress the chuckle that is choking him. 'Nothing special, huh? Being chained to Sidle.'
"Actually we have a lot to do..." Sara excuses.
"Sara, the workaholic!" Catherine turns to Nick, "You should watch out for her - such amount of enthusiasm is dangerous for one's health."
"Sorry to argue with you, Miss Willows," Ecklie joins the chat with his typically bossy smile, "but everyone in your team should be so devoted to work like Miss Sidle..."
Ecklie gives them his usual smug grin and leaves.
"The annoying bastard," Catherine grumbles.
Sara and Nick exchange a smile.
"Sorry, Cath, we really must go back to work..." Nick says, "Grissom will kill us if we aren't proceeding with this case..."
"Oh, I don't think you should bother about him," the blonde woman smiles. "He called me. He and Brass had to fly to New Orleans and they won't be back until Sunday."
The two CSIs are standing there dumbfounded - but before either of them could say a word, Catherine's cell-phone rings and she excuses for a moment.
Nick stares at Sara, his shocked expression meets her similar one.
"I must go now, guys," Catherine turns back to them, "I must visit Robbins. See ya later. Oh, and don't worry about Gil. He is out of the city for this weekend. And you know the proverb - when the cat's away the mice will play." she winks."Oh and should Warrick look for me, I'm in the morgue," she adds and leaves.
Sara and Nick stare after her, frozen and stucked to the ground.
"Great, Sidle," Nick sneers, averting his look at her. "Seems we're going to spend the weekend together," he smirks.
Slightly puzzled and scared, Sara stares back at him.
TBC