Part Two of Two

………

"Stokes. Good to see you, man. Hey, Sara." Jake Norton greeted Nick and Sara as he came out of the backroom, ready for his drive home. He shook hands with Nick, and bent to kiss Sara's cheek. "What did you think of my Gracie? She's got the best set of lungs in Nevada." Jake smiled, watching Grace toss her purse over her shoulder and join them. She nodded hello to Sara, and her features broke into a grin as she turned her attention briefly on Nick, placing a gentle hand to the side of his face, pulling him down to her, and pressing a sweetly chaste kiss to his lips, before turning back to Sara.

"Hi, I'm Grace." She held out her hand, and Sara shook it, smiling.

"Hi, Sara Sanders. You were amazing."

"Well, Jacob here writes beautiful pieces." She slipped an arm around Nick's waist, catching his attention. They fit easily together, comfortable with each other. Jake nodded, acknowledging her praise.

"The music doesn't come off the page if there isn't anyone to sing it, love." Grace rolled her eyes, a soft grin on her face.

"Alright, alright. Enough." Sara could see, even in the dim light, that Grace's cheeks had a rosy tint to them. They had sat back down at the little table, Nick's arm thrown casually around the back of Grace's chair. A few minutes later the bar tender brought four cups of coffee, on the house.

"How're the kids?" Jake asked her, and Sara took her eyes off Nick and Grace for a moment, turning to answer him.

"Nora's good, liking Chicago. I left the oldest at home with a copy of Rolling Stone, though." Jake smiled at her joke, laughing softly, and taking a sip of coffee.

"Well, tell Greg I said hello."

"I will, certainly."

"From what Nick has said, I thought you only had one child." Grace took a sip from the mug before her, her attention turned to Sara.

"Well, I only have one, but I married one as well."

"Robbed the cradle." Nick grinned.

"Kettles and pots, Nicky." Sara grinned, feeling at ease as Grace laughed.

"Greg, right? Why didn't he come out tonight?"

"Meeting Nick's women is Sara's thing." Jake muttered, earning him a smack in the arm from Sara.

"He's on standby tonight, the lab sent him home." Sara took a sip of her coffee, and leaned forward. "Nick tells me you have a son."

"Yeah, Adam. He's almost eleven." Grace slipped away from Nick only just, reaching into her purse, and taking out a photo, handing it to Sara. "This one's pretty recent." Children we always good topics to break the ice, and soon Sara found that Grace was unbelievably articulate, intelligent, sweet woman; everything she could have ever wanted in a woman for Nick. She was sharp-witted, with a sense of humor that would keep even Greg on his toes.

………

An hour and a half later, Sara quietly unlocked the front door of the little house on Harris Street, and waved to Nick as he pulled out. She clicked it shut behind her, and made her way through the darkened house, dropping her keys in the bowl by the door, kicking off her shoes by the couch, occasionally shedding articles of clothing as she made her way to the bedroom. Warrick hadn't needed Greg to come in after all, when she opened the door, the sound of his soft breathing made her smile. The best part of her day was climbing into bed with him. She lifted the slimming black shirt from her frame, replacing it with a thin tank top, and slid the skirt over her hips so it pooled around her ankles, stepping out of it, and pulling up an old pair of Greg's boxers in it's wake. She unclasped the tiny diamond pendant from around her neck, placing it gently in the jewelry box Nora had made last semester, before making her way to the bed and pulling back the covers.

"So what's our official position on Grace the jazz singer?" Greg mumbled into the pillow, reaching out and pulling Sara against him, the back of the length of her body flush against the front of his. He sleepily cradled her in his arms, wrapping an arm around her stomach tightly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder before breathing in the scent of her curls. Sara smiled, settling in against him, relaxing into his grasp.

"We like her. We think she's sweet, and funny, and elegant, and perfect for Nick."

"Do we think she'll last?"

"He's going to propose."

"What?" Greg sat up only just, pulling her to face him. "He's only been seeing her a few weeks." Sara smiled warmly, placing a gentle palm to the side of his face, and he took the invitation, leaning in to press his lips to hers chastely. "Did you see the ring?"

"Nora's making it. He said he picked out a diamond and sent it to Chicago already. She's taking all those metals classes, and she's good at that sort of thing. He said he wanted something original, something different."

"He's really thought this through." Greg kissed her again, and settled back down into the bedding, pressing another kiss to her shoulder. "I'm sure she'll fashion something eclectically classic."

"I think he really does love her." Sara placed a hand over his on her waist.

"Really?" He mumbled sleepily into her shoulder.

"She's from Georgia."

"Oh, a southerner. That's perfect, then." He cuddled against her, making her smile. "You smell nice."

"Ha. Like a smoky jazz club."

"You know I love it when you smell like Miles Davis." She laughed, twisting in his hold, accepting the kiss he dropped slowly against her lips. She responded instantly, stilling her playful movements in favor of leisurely running her fingers along his arm, granting him access as he kissed her lazily.

"I do not smell." She mumbled against his kiss, making him chuckle softly.

"No, it was just a line."

"Trying to pick up your own wife?"

"Thought I'd make it interesting." He shrugged, rolling on top of her, making her laugh again. She returned his suggestive grin, and ran a hand through his unruly wavy hair, smattered with the fainted hints of gray, still very much overwhelmed by his natural chestnut brown. "What's so funny?" His words pulled her out of her thoughts, and her eyes left his scraggly hair and met his gaze.

"Nothing. I'm game for interesting if you are." He laughed softly, pressing into her hips as he placed a delicate kiss to her lips.

"Oh, I'm game."

……….

A/N: I lied about the smattering of Nora in this one… changed my mind halfway through, and couldn't work her in without interrupting Greg and Sara…she'll be in the next one.