In the kitchen, Nick grabs a pineapple out of the fridge, "Wanna help?" he looks at Sara.
She nods, "Sure. What will that be?"
"Dreamy Vegas", Nick smugly replies, "a fruit-cocktail a la Nick Stokes."
Sara giggles, watching him preparing the process.
"Why don't we use tinned pinapple?" she wonders, rolling her eyes, registering the large knife in Nick's free hand.
"Nah," he grimaces, "that tastes terrible. I've already tried in that way. Believe me, you don't want to know the result."
"Maybe that bottle had already expired," she ponders.
"Sidle!" he casts a warning glance at her. "Consider your words when I have a knife in my hand!"
Sara can't help but chuckling.
"Ah, Mr Stokes doesn't seem to bear anyone judging his sense for cooking and stuff, huh?" she smirks teasingly. "Is it such a huge crime that deserves death-penalty?"
Nick feigns annoyance, but the sparks in his big, dark eyes give his amusement away.
"Yeah, hon'. It's one of the biggest crime in the Stokes' residence."
She grins, "Oh, really? I wonder what the most serious ones might be..."
"You're lucky not knowing them."
"Have I already committed any of them?" Sara inquires cautiously.
"If you had had, we wouldn't be so good friends now, " Nick replies honestly, looking into her eyes.
"Then I'm glad for being a good girl," she returns the gaze, her voice is serious and soft. "I'd hate not having you on my friend's list."
He rewards her comment with a warm smile.
"Me too," he answers in a bare whisper, not breaking the gaze.
She gives him one of the rarest smile of hers, which sends tingles through his entire body - it always does.
But there are some sweet crimes I wouldn't mind you doing, the sudden thought flashes through Nick's mind, and he can't resist smirking.
Sighing, Nick turns his attention back to their current task.
"Hold the pineapple and I will cut it into two," he tells to Sara.
Following the instruction, she holds the fruit on the chopping board, while watching Nick clumsily adjusting the knife in his hand.
"Shouldn't we rather... switch?" she wonders tentatively, biting her lip. "I don't want to make Bloody Vegas from this drink..." she notes, eying his moves anxiously. "Furthermore, I still need my fingers..."
Exchanging a thoughtful look with her, he nods with a sigh, "You're right. Better safe than sorry. Also I wouldn't endanger your delicate fingers," he smiles and hands her the knife.
Blushing slightly, Sara returns the smile.
"Just be careful!" Nick warns her, casting unsure glances at her. A woman with knife in her hand is always a dangerous combination.
"Don't worry, I'm not intending to cut your fingers off," Sara reassures him with a smile, "you'll need them yet. To finish that case we have."
Nick grimaces, "Good to know you care for me a little after all."
Sara grins playfully and without warning, she cuts the fruit into two halves.
Startled, his eyes widen in shock and he gasps indignantly, "Hey... you might have warned me..."
Chuckling, Sara puts the knife down, "'t was faster this way."
"Oh, thanks," he sneers, still gasping. Getting thirsty for revenge, he sends her a threatening look, "Sar'...!"
"What?" she laughs, "I thought you're cooler than that."
"Cool, huh?" Nick quirks his brows, "I am. But I don't think it also goes for you," a strange light appears in his eyes, promising nothing good. He grabs the bottle of cold mineral-water from the table in a split of second, and pours some of its content on his colleague.
Sara squeals as the ice-cold drops meet her skin.
"No need to panick," Nick laughs, "Mineral water is said to be beneficiary for hair. At least that's what those models say on Discovery channel."
Wiping some water-drops off of her face, Sara frowns and punches him on the chest.
"Stokes, you'll pay for this, I promise!"
Nick can't reply, just laughs along, with which he earns another piercing look from the female CSI.
"You should rather be glad for me caring about the health of your hair," he remarks, when his laughter subsides.
"Aw, Nicky, how have I not thought of that?" she mocks him, "How can I thank you for that attention?"
"Hmmm..." Nick smirks, "I'm sure we find a way for that..."
"No way, Nick," she protests firmly, "I won't tidy up your house."
The image of Sara Sidle in a maid's outfit spins up his fantasies, sending his thoughts to places where they shouldn't wander to.
The sound of the doorbell puts him out of his reverie.
"This must be the pizza-guy," he swallows, still under the effect of his previous thoughts.
"Great!" Sara rejoices, "I'm hungry."
They open the door together, and watching out for not revealing their bond to the guy, take the box and pay.
"Mmm, it smells good," Sara murmurs.
"And it also tastes good," Nick adds, putting the box down onto the living room's table, in front of the TV, "It's from the best pizzeria in Vegas."
"Now I'm even more hungry..." she says.
He smiles, "We finish the cocktail in no time and then we can eat."
Sara nods, and they go back to the kitchen to process the drink.
In ten minutes time, the famous Stokes-cocktail is ready, and the two CSI are sitting on the couch in the living room, devouring their pizza, while watching the movie that Sara has chosen.
"A good film for every CSI: how twist the truth," Nick remarks when the opening credits of 'Chicago' appear on the screen.
Yumming a mouthful piece of pizza, Sara grins.
Catherine-Zeta Jones' entry following, she instinctively sings along.
Come on babe
Why don't we paint the town?
And all that Jazz
I'm gonna rouge my knees
And roll my stockings down
And all that jazz
Start the car I know a whoopee spot
Where the gin is cold
But the piano's hot!
It's just a noisy hall
Where there's a nightly brawl
And all That Jazz
Nick's watching her, smirking, and that's when she just realizes what she is doing exactly.
"Oops..." she utters with a blush.
"No, that was good," Nick protests, "But you should do that without Miss Jones too," he smiles and winks at her.
Sara's eyes widen, "No, no, no... I don't have such a good voice..."
Nick sighs, "But yes, you have. How many times should I tell it till you finally believe me?"
Bowing her head in embarrassment, she pouts.
"I know I'm right," Nick notes with resolution, sending a supportive smile to her.
"Aren't you a bit smug?" she averts her look at him, a little smile playing in the corner of her mouth.
"No, I'm just certain about something. That's a difference," he takes a sip of his drink, then smirks.
"What's now?" she's eying him suspiciously.
Nick chuckles.
"I'll suggest the guys holding a karaoke party next time."
"Don't you dare!" Sara revolts against the idea with a little jump so that she almost spills her cocktail.
"You and Cath could do that duet of Velma and Roxy at the Christmas party," Nick grins, his imagination already at full gear."I'm sure everyone would enjoy that."
"I bet you guys would," Sara mutters.
As Roxy and Fred's sex-scene is coming, Sara is getting to feel more uneasy for having Nick beside. They have never watched such scenes alone, just in two. And since having those unusual thoughts about him, acting nonchalantly is harder than ever before.
Trying to calm herself, Sara grabs her glass of cocktail and takes some huge gulps.
"Do you like it?" she hears Nick's voice. Startled, she almost spits the last gulp.
She averts her look at him, embarrassed, not getting quite what's he aiming at. Her first thought is that he means the scene, but seeing his glance wandering at the glass in her hand, she realizes he's referring to the cocktail.
"Oh, yeah..." she smiles with relief, "It's very good."
"I'm glad you like it," Nick notes and turns his attention back to the movie.
No, I'm no one's wife / But, Oh, I love my life / And all that Jazz, the last lines of the song fill the air, That Jazz!
As time is passing by, finishing the dinner, Sara and Nick comfortably lean back on the couch. Watching movie, they exchange remarks on the scenes and continue their friendly, flirty banter. Tired as hell, neither of them notices having dozed off by the end of the movie. Nick slumbers peacefully, his head supported by Sara's, which is resting on his shoulder, while their cuffed hands are lying on Nick's tigh.
TBC