CHAPTER 3

As Sara made her way to the locker room, Greg fell in step beside her. "So Sara, what are you doing tonight for Christmas Eve?" Greg asked, innocently enough, but it still made Sara's bad mood even worse. Why did he have to come and rub it in that he had plans, probably with his latest girlfriend, and she didn't?

"Nothing at all. How about you? Something exciting, I would suppose." She tried to sound as light as possible, but the words still sounded harsh.

"Well, if you call sitting at home alone, with some eggnog watching old Christmas movies exciting… then I'd guess you're right." He smiled.

"Oh, I naturally assumed you'd be hanging out with your girlfriend." Sara shrugged.

"We're not supposed to assume anything Sara, remember?" He smirked, "And besides, I don't have a girlfriend, and also, I was sort of wondering if maybe you'd want to join me in watching old Christmas movies tonight? That is, if nothing can wait until another night." Sara didn't say no right away like she usually would if Greg had asked her to go watch some movies at his apartment with him, but took the time to seriously consider the offer. It could take her mind off the awful memories Christmas Eve usually brought forth, and what harm could come of it, really?

"Sure, I guess so." She nodded, and Greg looked like someone had just told him he'd won a million dollars.

"Really? Alright! Well, do you want a ride then?" He excitedly asked.

"Sure." Sara smiled. By this time, they were in the locker room, and ready to head out.

"Let's go." Greg was practically bouncing up and down with excitement. Sara had just agreed to spend Christmas Eve with him at his apartment watching movies. He couldn't have asked for anything more.

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"Hey guys." Nick sighed as he entered the break room.

"Hey Nicky." Catherine smiled from the couch where she and Warrick were sitting.

"Hey Nick, what's up man?" Warrick asked, not taking his eyes off the TV screen.

"Nothing really… but have you guys noticed something really… off with Sara? She wasn't herself today on our case, you know?" He asked worriedly.

"Yeah, tell me about it. First, she agrees to spend Christmas with us, totally not Sara, and doesn't even protest when she finds out we're going somewhere that she'll most likely have to dance." Catherine informed Warrick and Nick.

"Yeah, and if I heard correctly, she just agreed to go spend Christmas Eve with Greg watching movies." Nick shook his head in disbelief.

"That is definitely not Sara… something's really bugging her." Warrick agreed, finally peeling away from the TV show and giving his friends his attention.

"Well, what could it possibly be?" Catherine wondered aloud as Grissom walked into the break room.

"What could what possibly be?" He inquired, heading to the coffee.

"Oh, we're just worried about Sara. Something's up with her… we don't know what it is, but something's wrong." Catherine told Gil.

"I wouldn't' worry about it too much." Grissom advised. He knew more about Sara and her past then anyone else did, in the lab anyway, and he figured that it was all the old family memories Christmas brought around the took her mind off the things she normally worried about, but it wasn't his place to share this information, so he'd just try to get his friends to lay off the questions because he knew they'd upset her.

"But Grissom, she agreed to go dancing with us tomorrow, and she is spending Christmas Eve with Greg watching movies." Nick explained the situation as if it were the end of the world.

"So she's not being a total workaholic like she usually is, and you guys are freaking out?" Grissom clarified.

"Uh, I guess so." Warrick shrugged. When Grissom put it that way, it seemed like they were being a bit harsh.

"And speaking of workaholics," Catherine smirked, "What are you doing for Christmas, Gil?"

"I'm um," Grissom tried to think of an excuse to what he was doing, when in truth, he didn't have plans as usual.

"That's what I thought." Catherine's smirk grew in size. "So why don't you join us and take some time off being a workaholic since Sara is as well?"

"Well, I don't know if it would be a good idea…" Grissom started to make up an excuse for not being able to go.

"Come on Gil, Lindsay would love to have you there." Catherine pleaded.

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to come." Grissom gave in.

"Yes!" Catherine exclaimed. "Hear that guys? Even our labs most devoted workaholics are going to have some fun on Christmas."

"Alert the press." Warrick joked. Catherine giggled and Nick shook his head. Catherine always giggled girlishly at Warrick's jokes, even when they weren't that funny, like that one for example. Maybe Christmas would help them get their feelings out in the open, or maybe he would help them.

"Well, I should get going home, I'm pretty tired." Nick announced.

"See you tomorrow Nick!" Catherine told him with a smile.

"Bye man." Warrick called as Nick turned to leave.

"I should get going too." Grissom announced. And with that, Warrick and Catherine were left alone in a silent break room.

"Walk you to your car?" Warrick suggested.

"Sure." Catherine smiled. They couldn't wait to see what Christmas brought, with both Gil and Sara going, and Sara being so unlike herself… it was bound to be one eventful Christmas.

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A/N: How was that? I hope it wasn't too bad. This story is sort of WAY behind the times now, haha, but ohwell.