Disclaimer: I own NOTHING.

A/N: Well, this is chapter 3. Thanks to lapetesilente and Starsa for helping me with my writers block. Read and Review, pleeease...

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I wake up smiling, again. It's something I haven't done in a long time. I honestly can't remember the last time I felt this way. Not even in high school. Not that I dated much then either. Guys... Men, have never been interested in me. Not that I ever minded. Not really. I was always too obsessed with my work. But lately that's changed, just a little. I've started to really, really notice Nick. For about the past week we've made leaps and bounds in our relationship. It's new to me to have someone so interested in me. I'm smiling more then ever, and people are noticing. The other day Catherine told me I was glowing. No one had ever told me that before.

Nick has even been acting a little more forward to me at work. Not much, and I'm sure that no one else has noticed, but to me, it means something. The other day, he put his arm around my waist when we were heading out on assignment. It wasn't a big, gallant gesture, but it felt nice. Different.

I lie in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I normally get up right away, but I feel like I can afford to be a little late for once. After all, I've been working here for ages. After about twenty minutes, I pull myself out of bed. My pajama pants are all bunched around my knees, I hate when that happens. I lean back and check the time, I have an hour to get to work. I'll probably still make it on time. I stand up and kick off my pajama pants. I walk over ot the closet and start pulling out clothes for work. Lately I've been putting a lot more thought into what I wear. I feel like Catherine some days. I pick through every scrap of fabric I own, eventually deciding on a pair of dark jeans with gold stiching and an orange tank top. I run a brush through my hair and sprinkle some baby powder on my roots. I hate having to wash it every day, since straightening it is such a pain, and the powder keeps it looking clean. A little trick I picked up in university when I used to stay up all night working on a paper.

I walk over to my mirror to check myself out, I like it. The jeans make my legs look longer. It helps that I'm tall already. Overall, I'd say I look pretty good. I turn around a few times and then head into my kitchen for a quick snack before work. As I pass the living room, I see a red number "2" flashing on my phone. I hit the button and hear the recorded voice, "you have two new messages. To listen to your messages, press one, to.." I press the one.

"Hey Sara." It's Nick. Wonder what he's calling about. "I just thought I'd call to say I'm uh.. Thinking... About you. Um... I wanted to let you know that... Um... heh... I was wondering if you..." BEEEEEEEP. The machine cuts him off. Ha. Nick never gets nervous. It was kind of cute to hear him sputtering over his words like that. The next message starts playing.

"Er... Hi Sara... I kind of forgot to.. um... Tell you who it was... It's Nick... Sorry about that. Um.. yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to go out... Or something... Yeah... So maybe after..." BEEEEEEEP. I can't help but laugh a little. He's so funny when he's nervous. I hit the save button. You never know when I might need a pick-me-up.

I check the clock again, 25 minutes until shift starts. Okay, I might be late. I walk into my kitchen and open the fridge. I haven't done any real shopping in a while, so there's not much there. There's a block of mozzarella cheese and a slightly shrivelled zuchinni. I turn around a little and see a loaf of bread, I can make a grilled cheese and zuchinni sandwich. My own brand of comfort food. I quickly turn on the grill. I go back to the fridge and pull out the food. I start slicing the cheese and cutting the zuchinni. I pull out two peices of bread and lightly butter them. I pile it all onto the bread and put it on a baking sheet. I shove it all in the oven and wait for the timer to ding. I keep checking the clock, I don't want to be very late, if I can help it.

I stand there tapping my foot while the sandwich cooks. The timer dings, so I pull out the tray, it's piping hot and looks delicious. I realise I don't have much time. I pack it into a container and grab my coat. I head outside, lock my door, and head downstiars to my car. The drive to work is alwas boring, but today my stomach has butterflies in it. Just a little flutter, but I can feel it all the same. I pull into the parking lot. It's empty of people, just a few cars. The usuals.

I head on inside. There are a few people milling around, but it looks like it's gonna be a slow night. I walk into the break room. Everyone's sitting around the table. Grissom's standing up, handing out assignments.

"Nice of you to join us, Sara." He gives me a quick nod.

"Sorry." I say. I pull my sandwich out of my bag. Nick gestures to the chair next to him. I walk over and sit down. Nick smiles. I can feel a flush creeping into my cheeks. I take a bite of my sandwich. It's hot. I keep eating, I'm hungry. Ravenous, really.

"Sara?" Grissom's voice interrupts my concentration.

"Mmm hmm?" I reply, my mouth full of sandwich. I shove the rest into the container again.

"We're in for a slow night tonight. So there's not much for you to do. You and Nick have some paperwork from your last case to finish, am I right?" He raises his eyebrows.

"Erm.. Yeah...Yes, we do. So we've got the time to do that tonight then?" I'm delighted to have the chance to finish that paperwork. It's been piling up on us all week. Besides, if we get it all done, we can probably take a long break.

"Yes. You and Nick can go and get that done. There's some more that's just come in, so you two have your work cut out for you. Go." He waves us out.

Nick shoots me a thankful look and stands up. He pushes his chair in and leans against it. I stand to face him.

"Are you ready to go do some real work, cowboy?"

He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Are you ready to go do some real work, Sara?

I shoot him a look that says "don't push your luck." He understands.

We walk out and head to Grissom's office. The pile of papers is already sitting on his desk, ready for us. It's bigger then it was yesterday. Nick picks it up, I grab a pen.

He turns to me.

"Break room?"

I nod.

"Break room."

I grab the pile of papers and start out the door. On the way out, his hand holds me back.

"Let me take those."

He pulls the pile out of my hands before I have a chance to respond. A few of them slip to the floor.

"Sorry 'bout that Sara."

I bend over and grab the stray paper. We keep walking to the break room. Everyone's gone when we get there. A pot of Greg's special coffee is puttering away. I pull out a chair and sit down. Nick drops the papers onto the table. He pulls a chair and sits next to me.

"You split and I choose?"

"What?" Sometimes he doesn't make any sense.

"Split the pile. You split the pile, I choose the one I want."

"Alright cowboy." I split the pile in half.

Nick grabs a pile and we start to work. The paperwork is long, and tedious. It's without question my least favourite part of the job. The work is boring, punctuated by occaisional bursts of Greg, making sure we aren't drinking his coffee. Or checking up on us... I'm not quite sure which. After the fifth time, it's getting a little old. I give him a smirk and a jerky little wave, he turns dark red, gives a quick nod and runs out. He doesn't come back.

After four hours, the paperwork is done. It took longer then usual. We head to Grissom's office. I knock on the door.

Grissom opens the door. He has waffle face. "Sara? What do you want?" He says thickly.

Nick can barely contain his laughter.

"Grissom?" I say incredulously, "were you sleeping on the job?"

"I must have dozed off. What do you want?"

"Nothing... Nothing, it's just... You were sleeping... Anyway, we were done with the paperwork and are going on our break. We've got our cell phones and pagers, so call us if you need us."

Grissom nods his approval and shuts the door. Nick and I head to the parking lot.

"Coffee?"

He nods.

"Coffee, I'll drive."

He drives us to a Starbucks about fifteen minutes away.

I get out of the car and head inside. Nick follows me. He has his wallet in hand.

I look behind the counter, two teenage employees... Making out. Lovely.

Nick leans over and snaps his fingers.

"Hey! Hey! You two!"

The two kids spring apart.

"Sorry sir. What can I get you?"

Nick scowls and puts his hands on his hips.

"Nothing til you wash your hands. Get on it."

He turns to me.

"Sorry, I just don't want them to contaminate our drinks. What do you want?"

I'm about to answer when the kids come back from cleaning up, red-faced and staring at their shoes.

The girl looks to me.

"What can I get you, Miss?"

"Venti cappucino half skim half whole milk two shots of espresso extra foam whipped cream chocolate shavings but hold the cinammon please." I say without pausing for breath. When you come here as often as I do, your orders get pretty complicated.

Nick's mouth drops open and he turns to stare at me.

"I'll just get a large latte, thanks."

The girl punches in our orders, I pull out my wallet to pay for mine, but Nick stops me.

"No way Sara. You don't pay when I'm here."

I fumble with my wallet, but I oblige and put it away.

Our orders arrive at the pickup counter, we grab them and head to a table in the corner with two big armchairs.

When we sit down, Nick cocks his head and opens his mouth.

"That was... Some coffee order... I didn't know you were into those things."

"As I've said many times, the things you don't know about me could fill several thick books."

He smirks at me.

"Alright then. Fair is fair. I need to learn some of those things. Lighten my books up a little, you know?"

I roll my eyes.

"What are you talking about, Nicky?"

He pulls his wallet out and grabs a quarter.

"Old date game.We flip a coin and..."

I cut him off.

"Wait, this is a date?"

"I was hoping it was..." Nick looks like he's trying to be nonchalant. It's not working. His eyes betray the nervousness.

"Okay."

"Really?" His eyes widen.

"Yes. Really. I mean, Nicky, in case our last 'date' was any indication, you can be pretty certain that I like dating you." I give him a winning smile.

"Thanks." He seems to soften a little.

"Anyway, what were you saying?" I feel a little bad for interrupting him earlier.

"Oh... Yeah! That game thing. It's just something my friends and I used to do when we wanted to get to know a pretty girl."

"Nick, flattery will get you nowhere." I raise one eyebrow, challenging him to respond.

"Who said I was flattering you? I said we used to play it to get to know pretty girls."

"So I'm not pretty?"

Nick blanches.

"Kidding!"

He smiles a little, clearly, he's glad I didn't take it badly.

I take a sip of my drink.

"So Nicky, we keep getting off topic here. This game of yours, I'm curious. How do we play?"

He pulls his wallet out.

"Well, we agree on a question, then we flip a coin. One of us is heads, one is tails. Whoever's side the coin lands on has to answer. It's a good way to pass the time until the food comes, and it can be a good way to get to know a person."

I have to think for a minute. This could be good or bad. But then again, I'm sure Nick's not going to ask anything creepy, he's a nice guy.

"Alright cowboy. Flip that coin."

He pulls out a quarter.

"So. We need a question. Why don't we start with the easy stuff. Middle names?"

"Fair enough." Nothing too embarassing there.

"So, you can be heads, I'll be tails, fair?"

"Just flip it."

He sets the coin and sends it spiralling into the air. He catches it.

"Heads. So, what's your middle name, Sidle?"

"It's Faith." I see the look on his face. "You were expecting something else?"

"Well. Yeah, actually. I thought it would be like, Sunshine or something."

"Well you thought wrong. You gonna tell me yours?"

"Not how the game works. Next question. You answered so you get to pick the next one."

"Okay... Hmm. What about... Do you prefer boxers or briefs?"

"Kind of hard for you to answer that if it lands on heads."

"Every girl has a preference."

He shakes his head, like he's trying not te hear me.

"Okay. Fine."

He flips the coin.

"Heads."

He drops the coin, it rolls across the table and into my lap. I pick it up. I turn it over.

"Hey! This coin has heads on both sides!"

Nick smiles sheepishly.

"What can I say, you're more interesting then me."

I throw the coin back at him, gently of course.

"Well then, by default, you have to answer, and from now on, we're using my coin."

He looks a little embarassed. But in the end he realises he's been beaten.

"Alright. But just because it's you asking. This doesn't go back to the lab, okay?"

"Sure. So Nicky. Boxers or briefs?"

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A/N: I know it's shorter then usual, but it took me ages! Don't worry, the next chap will get into some fun territory. Promise.

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