"Alright folks, I know this isn't in the brochure, but we're going to do one team-building exercise before y'all head back home," the convention host announced from the stage. "Each crime lab will get a hula hoop." He held up a purple-spotted one as a demonstration.
Pairs of crime scene investigators sat in chairs around the ballroom converted into a rather large meeting room. Exchanging confused glances with their colleagues, they passed the colorful pile of hula hoops around until each pair had one. Greg and Sara received a rather bent Barbie-patterned one.
"Okay," Greg eyed the glittery pink piece of plastic with despair. "Why do we get the girly one?"
Elbowing him sharply in the ribs, Sara nodded her head towards the host. "Listen."
"One partner, put the hula hoop on the floor and step inside it." Greg did so, feeling extremely silly with the rest of the group.
"Then, partners, cross arms and hold hands." Everyone in the room complied. Sara felt a tiny spark of electricity run through them as she and Greg did so, and she resisted the urge to blush.
The host waited until everyone had followed his directions, and then clapped his hands loudly. "Lights off, please?"
Several people gasped in astonishment as all the hula-hoops began to glow in the darkness. The Las Vegas crime lab's hula hoop, of course, was glowing a bright fluorescent pink. "Great! Now…the object is to transfer the hula hoop to the other partner without lifting feet or breaking hands. Everyone got it? Good! Ready….set….go!"
In a mad clatter people began the exercise, some already falling over in their hurry. With great care, Sara used a finger to pick up the hula hoop, carrying it over Greg's head to their arms. Bending down, she shimmied the hoop over her head with the help of Greg. Luck have it, they were the first done.
"Congrats to the…to the…"
"Las Vegas crime lab," Greg helpfully supplied.
"Right. To the Las Vegas crime lab! You win…."
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A/N: I know turning off all the lights isn't exactly a blackout, but it's close, right? Anyway…guess what they win, and you get a Greg-shaped cookie! (It's incredibly easy to get it, since it's completely ridiculous. But for the sake of humor, humor me!)