Disclaimer: Characters belong to Anthony E. Zuicker, etc, and in no way to me.
Authors note: Oh well... my quick update wish didn't go exactly to plan, did it? Blame my school... they persist in giving me homework, and strangely enough they don't like it when I don't do it... even if it's because I was writing. Shrugs Well, that's teachers for ya. And don't ask about Greg's parents' names. They were just the first ones that popped into my head.
CHAPTER 4
Greg offered his arm to Sara. "You ready for this?" he asked, swallowing a gulp. Everything was going to go fine. He was fairly sure he could keep up the act that Sara was his girlfriend, and he had no doubt that Sara could. She seemed to be able to do whatever she wanted to do well.
Sara smiled at him, and took the proffered arm. "We'll be fine," she told him under her breath, "Just be normal. Why would they have any reason to think you'd be making up the fact that I'm your girlfriend?"
Greg knew she was right. His parents had believed him over the phone, so much that they wanted to come and meet his 'girl'. They should have no trouble believing that it was Sara. They always seemed to think he could get any girl he wanted. Possibly because a lot of the time he had, when he was younger. Plus they were his parents. That always introduced a bias. But it was a good thing for him, in this case. Hopefully it meant they wouldn't realise that Sara was the sort of girl that'd never go out with him.
He smiled as they reached the table, trying to keep all signs of nervousness out of the smile. He knew from years of experience that his parents were expert at picking up on the scent of nervousness. But he had to pull this off. He could just imagine how upset they would be if they found out that he'd only made up that he had a girlfriend, for their sake, to stop them worrying about him.
"Hi Gregory darling," his mother smiled, standing up to give him a hug. "You look so well. Your friend must be doing you good."
There was absolutely no doubt as to which 'friend' she was talking about. And he was fully aware that that was a not-so-subtle request for an introduction.
"Um, mom, dad, this is Sara," Greg started. That much was easy. "Sara, this is my mom and dad," he couldn't help wincing at that. Well, obviously they were his parents. Duh. But really, what else was there he could say?
Sara smiled inwardly at how awkward that introduction had sounded. Obviously, he wasn't fully comfortable with the situation. But then again, did anyone ever like introducing someone to their parents? It could be so embarrassing. She could remember that much from times in the past when she had introduced boyfriends, or even just friends, to her parents. They always seemed to like to hit the person being introduced with a mild interrogation. Although, that didn't seem to be happening with Greg's parents. Yet.
"Sara, these are my parents- Harvey and Erin," Greg concluded with the second half of the introduction.
Sara smiled at the couple, "Hi, it's good to meet you," she told them, "Greg's told me so little about you, I've got to admit, I've wondered what you'd be like." That was perfectly true. She had occasionally wondered what Greg's parents were like, considering that their son could be so odd at times. She had been expecting, well, a pair of people rather like Greg. And really she was right. The couple before her seemed like what Greg might be, when he, well, matured a little.
"I must say the same about you, dear," Erin said, smiling at the pretty woman her son had just introduced. She seemed pleasant enough, although really not to her son's usual tastes. Not that that was a bad thing, at all. She had seldom approved of the girls Gregory had brought to introduce to her. "Gregory hasn't been very forthcoming at all about you," she smiled again, a trifle mischievously, "In fact, I must admit I was beginning to wonder if he had made you up. He's usually so happy to tell us everything about his girlfriends."
Greg started. Uh oh... sometimes he hated how perceptive his mother could be. She had just knocked on the truth, without even meaning to. If she thought about it hard, she could well see right through this whole ruse.
"Well, Sara's just... hard to describe over the phone," he said, smiling at Sara in a way which he hoped looked adoring. Although he rather suspected it looked apologetic. "You have to meet her, to really be able to know what she's like."
And God, was that true. He didn't think he could possibly manage to describe Sara to anyone, and fully do her justice. Although, mostly it was her character that was difficult to describe. The meld of tough and soft that was Sara. The CSI who could investigate most scenes without getting squeamish, but who always felt so strongly for the victims and their families.
Erin could see how strongly her son obviously felt for this young woman. She didn't think she had ever seen his shy side exposed to one of his girlfriends, as it was now. He was usually so sure of himself around those of the opposite sex. But around this Sara he seemed almost hesitant, as though he was being very careful what he said and did.
"Well, we can get to know each other over dinner Sara," she said, "Please, have a seat you two, we should order soon."
Greg hadn't even noticed that they hadn't sat down, he was so worried about stuffing this up. He slid a chair out for Sara, and slid into the one next to it once he was seated.
Sara was surprised at how chivalrous Greg was being. She hadn't imagined him like this at all. She had never seen this side of him at work, that was for sure. Perhaps it only really came out in front of his parents, or maybe it was his worry over making this look real. But if he was being over the top with the chivalry, surely it would make his parents more suspicious, surely they knew what their son was like with his real dates.
"Relax Greggo," she murmured, leaning over to his ear "You're acting stiff. It's your parents. They know what you're like. Just be how you always are."
Harvey smiled over at his son. Obviously the boy really liked this girl. They were already at the whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears stage. It was about time the boy settled down with a nice girl. This one was certainly a lot better than his usual bunch. She seemed much more respectable than the ones Greg normally went for.
"What is it you do Sara?" he questioned. This was Las Vegas after all, and he wanted to be sure his son wasn't going out with some stripper or something. Although, Gregory being Gregory, that could easily be a possibility. After all, appearances could be, and often were, deceiving. From the look of his son, you'd think he was a surfer or such, not an intelligent scientist. And the boy's look of discomfort, probably due to the clothes he was wearing, just strengthened the look of a fish out of water.
"I'm a crime scene investigator," Sara explained.
Erin raised her eyebrows. Well that was not the sort of occupation she'd expected for one of Gregory's girlfriends. He generally seemed to go for women who worked away from his field of experience. Although she had a suspicion he probably flirted with every woman he met at work. He had always been like that at school. The boy had left a trail of old girlfriends behind when he had moved out here.
"So you work with Gregory then?"
"Well, he's in the lab, and I'm more in the field, but yes, we do help each other out." Sara hadn't missed the surprised look that had flashed over both of Greg's parents' faces. She wasn't exactly wondering as to the reason for that look. As she knew from personal experience, she wasn't the type who'd normally be Greg's date. He'd tried, and failed, to pick her up so many times. No doubt he would have had similar experiences with other women.
The waiter approached the table then, interrupting any further line of questioning for the moment. Placing her order for vegetarian lasagne, and waiting for the others to finish ordering, Sara had a little time to think.
What had Greg really told his parents about his 'girlfriend'? It seemed like it had been very little, so she should be able to stick to the truth. But would he have warned her if there were details he had already elaborated? What if she managed to completely contradict something that he had made up? With luck, a situation like that wouldn't arise. But what was she going to do if it did? She didn't want to blow poor Greg's cover. Not after how hard he was trying. But there was really nothing she could do. She would just have to hope luck was on their side.
Authors note: Well, I hate to leave this here, but I have to say, I try and write the entire dinner, this is going to drag on. Anyway, I will get around to updating this fic again... I'm not going to say when, because that never works out. But please, review and tell me how you think things are going... and whether or not you think the others should find out about this little 'date' ;o)
Authors note: Oh well... my quick update wish didn't go exactly to plan, did it? Blame my school... they persist in giving me homework, and strangely enough they don't like it when I don't do it... even if it's because I was writing. Shrugs Well, that's teachers for ya. And don't ask about Greg's parents' names. They were just the first ones that popped into my head.
CHAPTER 4
Greg offered his arm to Sara. "You ready for this?" he asked, swallowing a gulp. Everything was going to go fine. He was fairly sure he could keep up the act that Sara was his girlfriend, and he had no doubt that Sara could. She seemed to be able to do whatever she wanted to do well.
Sara smiled at him, and took the proffered arm. "We'll be fine," she told him under her breath, "Just be normal. Why would they have any reason to think you'd be making up the fact that I'm your girlfriend?"
Greg knew she was right. His parents had believed him over the phone, so much that they wanted to come and meet his 'girl'. They should have no trouble believing that it was Sara. They always seemed to think he could get any girl he wanted. Possibly because a lot of the time he had, when he was younger. Plus they were his parents. That always introduced a bias. But it was a good thing for him, in this case. Hopefully it meant they wouldn't realise that Sara was the sort of girl that'd never go out with him.
He smiled as they reached the table, trying to keep all signs of nervousness out of the smile. He knew from years of experience that his parents were expert at picking up on the scent of nervousness. But he had to pull this off. He could just imagine how upset they would be if they found out that he'd only made up that he had a girlfriend, for their sake, to stop them worrying about him.
"Hi Gregory darling," his mother smiled, standing up to give him a hug. "You look so well. Your friend must be doing you good."
There was absolutely no doubt as to which 'friend' she was talking about. And he was fully aware that that was a not-so-subtle request for an introduction.
"Um, mom, dad, this is Sara," Greg started. That much was easy. "Sara, this is my mom and dad," he couldn't help wincing at that. Well, obviously they were his parents. Duh. But really, what else was there he could say?
Sara smiled inwardly at how awkward that introduction had sounded. Obviously, he wasn't fully comfortable with the situation. But then again, did anyone ever like introducing someone to their parents? It could be so embarrassing. She could remember that much from times in the past when she had introduced boyfriends, or even just friends, to her parents. They always seemed to like to hit the person being introduced with a mild interrogation. Although, that didn't seem to be happening with Greg's parents. Yet.
"Sara, these are my parents- Harvey and Erin," Greg concluded with the second half of the introduction.
Sara smiled at the couple, "Hi, it's good to meet you," she told them, "Greg's told me so little about you, I've got to admit, I've wondered what you'd be like." That was perfectly true. She had occasionally wondered what Greg's parents were like, considering that their son could be so odd at times. She had been expecting, well, a pair of people rather like Greg. And really she was right. The couple before her seemed like what Greg might be, when he, well, matured a little.
"I must say the same about you, dear," Erin said, smiling at the pretty woman her son had just introduced. She seemed pleasant enough, although really not to her son's usual tastes. Not that that was a bad thing, at all. She had seldom approved of the girls Gregory had brought to introduce to her. "Gregory hasn't been very forthcoming at all about you," she smiled again, a trifle mischievously, "In fact, I must admit I was beginning to wonder if he had made you up. He's usually so happy to tell us everything about his girlfriends."
Greg started. Uh oh... sometimes he hated how perceptive his mother could be. She had just knocked on the truth, without even meaning to. If she thought about it hard, she could well see right through this whole ruse.
"Well, Sara's just... hard to describe over the phone," he said, smiling at Sara in a way which he hoped looked adoring. Although he rather suspected it looked apologetic. "You have to meet her, to really be able to know what she's like."
And God, was that true. He didn't think he could possibly manage to describe Sara to anyone, and fully do her justice. Although, mostly it was her character that was difficult to describe. The meld of tough and soft that was Sara. The CSI who could investigate most scenes without getting squeamish, but who always felt so strongly for the victims and their families.
Erin could see how strongly her son obviously felt for this young woman. She didn't think she had ever seen his shy side exposed to one of his girlfriends, as it was now. He was usually so sure of himself around those of the opposite sex. But around this Sara he seemed almost hesitant, as though he was being very careful what he said and did.
"Well, we can get to know each other over dinner Sara," she said, "Please, have a seat you two, we should order soon."
Greg hadn't even noticed that they hadn't sat down, he was so worried about stuffing this up. He slid a chair out for Sara, and slid into the one next to it once he was seated.
Sara was surprised at how chivalrous Greg was being. She hadn't imagined him like this at all. She had never seen this side of him at work, that was for sure. Perhaps it only really came out in front of his parents, or maybe it was his worry over making this look real. But if he was being over the top with the chivalry, surely it would make his parents more suspicious, surely they knew what their son was like with his real dates.
"Relax Greggo," she murmured, leaning over to his ear "You're acting stiff. It's your parents. They know what you're like. Just be how you always are."
Harvey smiled over at his son. Obviously the boy really liked this girl. They were already at the whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears stage. It was about time the boy settled down with a nice girl. This one was certainly a lot better than his usual bunch. She seemed much more respectable than the ones Greg normally went for.
"What is it you do Sara?" he questioned. This was Las Vegas after all, and he wanted to be sure his son wasn't going out with some stripper or something. Although, Gregory being Gregory, that could easily be a possibility. After all, appearances could be, and often were, deceiving. From the look of his son, you'd think he was a surfer or such, not an intelligent scientist. And the boy's look of discomfort, probably due to the clothes he was wearing, just strengthened the look of a fish out of water.
"I'm a crime scene investigator," Sara explained.
Erin raised her eyebrows. Well that was not the sort of occupation she'd expected for one of Gregory's girlfriends. He generally seemed to go for women who worked away from his field of experience. Although she had a suspicion he probably flirted with every woman he met at work. He had always been like that at school. The boy had left a trail of old girlfriends behind when he had moved out here.
"So you work with Gregory then?"
"Well, he's in the lab, and I'm more in the field, but yes, we do help each other out." Sara hadn't missed the surprised look that had flashed over both of Greg's parents' faces. She wasn't exactly wondering as to the reason for that look. As she knew from personal experience, she wasn't the type who'd normally be Greg's date. He'd tried, and failed, to pick her up so many times. No doubt he would have had similar experiences with other women.
The waiter approached the table then, interrupting any further line of questioning for the moment. Placing her order for vegetarian lasagne, and waiting for the others to finish ordering, Sara had a little time to think.
What had Greg really told his parents about his 'girlfriend'? It seemed like it had been very little, so she should be able to stick to the truth. But would he have warned her if there were details he had already elaborated? What if she managed to completely contradict something that he had made up? With luck, a situation like that wouldn't arise. But what was she going to do if it did? She didn't want to blow poor Greg's cover. Not after how hard he was trying. But there was really nothing she could do. She would just have to hope luck was on their side.
Authors note: Well, I hate to leave this here, but I have to say, I try and write the entire dinner, this is going to drag on. Anyway, I will get around to updating this fic again... I'm not going to say when, because that never works out. But please, review and tell me how you think things are going... and whether or not you think the others should find out about this little 'date' ;o)