Response to a Fic Challenge posted on CSI:Brasil Forum. We should write a fluff scene about one of three choices. The one I chose was about how two of the CSIs met before working at a Crime Lab.
Notes: The clubs' names are fictitious. Thanks a lot to Allie09 for the beta.
Disclaimer: CSI characters don't belong to me, they belong to CBS, but they're fun to borrow and play with. Constructive criticism, suggestions and reviews are welcome.
"I'd like fifty bucks in chips, please".
The lady in the booth looked at the young man from top to bottom, examining him. Light blue shirt, tight jeans, boots. Longer hair than it should be, a tacky silver chain on his neck. One of those stupid 'Know Las Vegas' book in his hands.
Tourist.
Poor Tourist.
Poor Tourist from Texas. She held back the laugh; the place was filled with them.
"May I see your ID, please?" she asked with that fake sympathy she had trained.
"Oh, sure". The guy took his ID and proudly gave it to her. He had turned twenty-one three days ago. Ah, the dreamt adulthood. Finally.
The girl thanked her shift would be over in half an hour and she wouldn't have to see another one be sucked in by the tricks in Vegas. This one looked kind of nice, but seemed a little naïve.
"Here it, is, Mr. Stokes. Have fun", she returned his ID and gave him the chips.
"Thanks". He took the stuff and started walking through the Casino, trying to locate himself on the map inside the stupid book. He was fascinated by the size of everything, by the amount of people e by all the choices he had.
This was his twenty-one years old birthday present. Three days in Las Vegas. Too bad most of his fraternity friends couldn't be there. They were on summer vacation, and at least his best friend Kevin would come. But he would only arrive the next morning. He remembered Kevin's sister.
Kevin's sister. Donna. Eighteen years old, freshman in college, brunette, beautiful. He had a thing for her since he saw her at the beginning of last semester, but never said anything. He thought about taking a couple of classes with her, but the girl only took Art and Language classes. There was no time for that in his schedule. He needed to finish his credits in Criminal Justice and he still wanted to take a couple of Science classes. And the pressure at home was big.
His graduation would be in a year, and he should decide soon what he would do for the rest of his life. Life in College gave him a bigger perspective and a taste of freedom he would never have if he kept living near his parents, in Dallas. And sure, if he went back, they would insist he got married to Louise, his high school sweetheart. She was the Sheriff's daughter, cheerleader, straight A student, home coming queen, best friend of one of his sisters, demanding girlfriend. Good thing they broke up.
He decided that the first place he should go was the bar. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he would get drunk, but it would be the first time it was allowed by law. He could choose whatever he wanted, scotch, vodka or tequila, his parents weren't there, and his siblings were all too busy back home, preparing the wedding of his older sister. He knew they were all a little controlling, but it was only because they cared about him, but he never felt so free before.
He sat down on one of the high benches at the bar, put on his bass voice, tried to disguise the Texan accent and asked the bartender. "A beer, please".
He quickly drank it, and asked for another one. Yeah, now it's good.
He wondered around the casino, he would start at the Blackjack table. It was easy and fun. At least it should be. And if he won a little cash, it wouldn't hurt either.
He collided with a man around his age, taller, black, with a shaved head, who came in the opposite direction.
"Hey, watch it!" the other guy said.
"You watch it!" Nick answered. He was already starting to feel braver than usual. He was ready to pick a fight with anyone. In fact, he was excited about it; it would be a great story to tell his friends when he went back.
The other guy studied him like the lady in the chips booth had done before, disregarded him and continued walking.
Nick decided that this time he would let go. A while later, he found a place at a blackjack table, sat down and placed a bet.
Fifty dollars and a few minutes lost later, he started to think that all the hard earned money at the internship at the police station early this summer would go away faster than he thought. He started observing the table next to his. That same arrogant guy that had hit him before seemed to be making a lot of money. He approached to observe.
"Hit me", the guy asked. The pit boss did it. Nineteen. "Stop it".
He won another round. Wow, there must be like five hundred bucks there. He took the chips and saved them to exchange on his way out.
"Hey, you can't stop playing now that you're being so lucky" Nick commented, walking by his side.
"Right, and I'm a tourist coming to Vegas for the first time and I believe I'll become millionaire playing at a casino" he mocked.
"At least celebrate, have a beer" Nick offered.
The boy looked harmless. And his date with Lucy had been canceled anyway. He took a deep breath. "Ok".
"Nice to meet you, I'm Nick Stokes" he showed his hand.
"Warrick Brown" he shook his hand.
By the second beer, it started playing some country song. Warrick said then. "This one is sending me home".
"Dude, com'on! Garth Brooks is The Man!" and Nick started following the rhythm of the song like he played a guitar.
Warrick looked at him, made a grimace. "Do you wanna listen to really good music? I know some people that are playing today, not far from here".
The guy was arrogant, but he sure should know about the good places in town. "Some other time. Now I wanna know about the important stuff: girls. Where is the hottest point here?"
Warrick couldn't hold a smile. The guy was tacky, but had some good ideas. "Do you want to meet them or watch the shows?"
Nick remembered the plans he had made with his friend. He had an older cousin who had come to Vegas a few years before and said that the best show ever was of a girl named Cathy Cat, at the Stars. They had planned to go together to that club. Maybe the fabulous blond he never saw before, but had been a part of his teenage fantasies, still worked there. "Today, Nightclub".
Warrick thought for a moment. "The Night 'N Noise".
"Let's go?" Nick suggested, excited.
Warrick thought that the guy was a little nuts, or maybe too naïve. "I have to go home".
"Oh, com'on! You made a fortune today!"
Actually, he had already made enough to pay for college this month. He even made more than when he worked as a runner, and it was less risky.
"Today it was slow. But do you have any idea how much an Organic Chemistry book costs?"
"Actually, I do" he answered, fascinated by what he was discovering about this city. There were people there whose work was gambling, they didn't play for fun. It was a side of Vegas he had never thought about, the people that weren't tourists, people who lived there.
Warrick decided to ignore the antipathy the country boy had caused and decided to enjoy the evening. "Ok. Let's go".
At the crowded club, Warrick found a gorgeous 'old friend', and disappeared with her, and Nick was left alone, drinking his beer. He saw a blond by herself at a corner of the dance floor, he thought she was really hot. Actually, after what he had already drunk, any girl was.
"Hi" he said close to her ear and giving his best smile.
She looked at him like she was picking up a fruit at the supermarket, and decided. "I'm married".
He stepped back, embarassed. But what could he do, the lady didn't even have a ring!
He tried again, and this time he even talked a little with this one, but when she found out his age, she just had to 'be honest and reveal the truth: she was a lesbian'. However a couple of minutes later she was smiling at another man.
He started to think that in Texas he was more successful picking women. Until a tall, thin, light brown haired girl caught his attention at the other side of the dance floor, and appeared to be checking him out as well. They couldn't stop exchanging glances. It must be his charm, he thought. She wore a really short black dress and danced with sexy movements. He got closer to her, she smiled at him.
"Hi".
"Hi".
"Do you know that you're the most beautiful lady in this place?"
"And you're not bad yourself".
A few pick up lines and many kisses later, he thought his luck was about to change. Night in Vegas was becoming really hot. He was about to invite her to his hotel room.
Suddenly an explosion was heard inside the club. People started running around and ducking to protect themselves, the music stopped, there was a big turmoil. The girl disappeared. Nick tried to discover what had happened, but couldn't see anything, or distinguish suspicious people.
A few moments later, a voice was heard on the microphone, telling the people to stay calm, the situation was under control and the police were on their way, but no one could leave until they talked to the investigators.
He sat down on a step of the ladder that led to the lounge upstairs. Damn. It was all going so well. Now he had to wait. He should've stayed at the casino, maybe he would've won some money. It was all that guy's fault, what was his name again? Warren, no, Warrick.
He didn't even finish his thought and Warrick approached and sat down next to him.
"So, do you know anything?" Nick asked.
"Somebody put a bomb in the bathroom, apparently someone got hurt. The police are going to talk to everybody".
"I didn't see anything, I was busy".
"So was I, but we won't get out of here so soon".
They saw a group of paramedics get in the club to work, and a huge group of police officers coming to talk to the small groups of people. Then the CSI team came, they started to photograph and take notes.
"Well, I'll try to find out something else" Nick got up, at least he would try to do something useful with what was left of this evening.
He came back a couple of minutes later, and sat down again, frustrated. "A man was injured, but he has already been taken to the hospital, through the back door. They're asking questions to everyone and there is a CSI that is stunning! Blond, with phenomenal cleavage" he gestured with his hands, emulating her curves. He couldn't find out anything else.
"Dude, this is serious, there was an explosion here and you're thinking about cleavages?"
"Hey, I didn't kill anyone, I was having fun. But you have to see her, she is hotter than Cat-Woman. Only in Vegas, man".
Warrick surrendered, after all, he too had his hormones. "Look, I haven't been going to the movies, but they say that she is wonderful in this new Batman movie".
He started looking around for her. Nick was actually right. She was in her late twenties, and, ops, had a wedding band. Forget it. Not worth it. He wondered why people get married. He swore to himself he would never be caught in the marriage entrapment. He wasn't built to that, he wanted to enjoy life and every chance he got. He would never give in to an impulse to make promises and be attached to someone forever.
Forty minutes later, they still waited, and fatigue hit them.
"I can't stand this anymore. I gotta get out of here" Warrick said.
"Get a Swiss army knife that we'll pull a MacGyver and build something to escape from the venting system" Nick answered ironically.
Warrick smiled. "Man, don't even talk about MacGyver. I still can't believe the best TV show ever has ended this year".
"Me neither. Can you believe I wanted to learn how to play hockey because of him?"
"Me too". And they both laughed.
They kept observing the criminalists work.
"It's pretty cool what the CSIs do, don't you think?" Warrick asked.
"I don't know, it seems kind of boring. I think the cops have all the action. But aren't you a Chem. student?"
"Yeah, but Chemists can be CSI too. I'm not saying it's a career I'll pursue, only that it seems interesting. And what do you do?"
"I'm in college, I'll get a degree in criminal justice, but my parents want me to go to law school. I don't like it very much, I think they want me to follow in their steps. But the police seem like a good career for me".
"Well, good luck with that".
They remained silent a few more minutes. Until Nick broke the silence, angry.
"This was supposed to be the funniest night of my life. But I'm here, in a crowded nightclub, not being able to get out or do anything else. Damn Las Vegas. I'll never step in this town again, write down what I said".
"And I could be home sleeping, or studying, or having fun somewhere else, but because of a country boy who can't stop complaining, I'm stuck here instead", Warrick gave the acid response.
"Hey, FYI, I didn't like you either".
"Then we're fine, 'cause after today we'll never see each other again, right?"
"Definitely!"
At this moment, the gorgeous CSI they had seen before came close to them, put her case on the floor and showed her ID. "Excuse me, I'm Catherine Willows, Las Vegas Crime Lab. I have a few questions for you".
THE END