Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. CBS does.

Author's Note: I initially posted this over at my livejournal. Just thought I'd share it here as well. All titles are from the song "Street Map" by Athlete.


Sara walked towards the break room feeling a little bored. When Grissom asked her to have dinner with him, he literally meant that—dinner. They ate, talked a bit, and that was it. She tried to think why she thought having dinner with him would be so great anyways. She reached the room and almost turned back out when she saw Nick and Warrick in there. She wasn't really in the mood to see Nick after he brusquely hung up on her the other night.

"Yo Sara come here a sec." It was Warrick who beckoned her.

"What's up…" Sara walked in and limited her gaze to Warrick. She could feel Nick carefully watching her.

"I was thinking Nick needs to get his act together and go on a date. Don't cha agree?"

"Uh yeah I guess…" Warrick was right though. Ever since Nick's horrible experience months ago, he hadn't been going out a lot. He would rather stay home and watch a movie. So Sara wouldn't push him and they'd just settle themselves on his couch and pull out one of his DVDs.

"So I set him up with this girl and now he doesn't wanna go. Pretty messed up huh?" Warrick slapped Nick's back with more force than expected.

"I'm… just not in the mood bro."

"When will you be? This girl is fiiiiine, man I'm telling you."

Nick let out a long breath. "One date."

Warrick laughed. "Meet her at Andre's on Thursday. And don't embarrass me." He gave Nick a light punch before going out of the room.

Sara opened the fridge and stared inside, having completely forgotten what she was doing there in the first place. All brain cells were focused on the fact that Nick is going on a date, with a "fine" girl. She stole a glance at Nick but he was also avoiding her gaze. They stayed silent for a long moment—Nick grasping his mug, and Sara fumbling stuff in the fridge.

"I'm not his girl, you know." She broke the silence.

It took a while before he responded. "So you're not gonna go out again?" He stood and got ready to leave.

She winced at that. They do have a second date. She heard him sigh so she turned around and looked directly at him. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Nick, why does it irk you so much that I go out with him?" She paused for a while and tried to read his expression.

"I just thought that after all the crap you two have been through, that you'd know better…"

Sara was quiet for a while, pondering the truth in his words. "You're right… I don't know better. Maybe if I give this a chance, I'd know." She'd been over Grissom, but when he brought it up again she felt that she at least owe it to herself to give it a chance. She refused to accept that after all the effort and waiting she put to this relationship, it would turn out not right after all. She'd been strung along for so long that it became difficult to let it go.

Nick just gazed at her. "Sara, if he hurts you again…"

"What? You gonna punch him?" She laughed sarcastically.

"I just might." His somber tone showed her just how serious he was.

ooo

Nick almost spurt the water he'd been drinking when he saw Sara and Grissom walk through the front door of the restaurant. "What the hell!" It was Thursday night, so here he was at Andre's fulfilling Warrick's wish.

"I'm sorry, what?" His date Gina was looking at him weirdly.

"Uh nothing." Nick forced a smile. Warrick wasn't kidding when he said that this girl is fine. Maybe this could go somewhere.

She grinned at him, displaying a cute dimple on her cheek. "We can order now, right? Do you think they have sushi? I love those…"

"Honey, it's a French restaurant." Fine indeed, a little lacking in the brain department though.

"Oh right." She smiled again, but didn't look so cute anymore to Nick.

He glanced back at the entrance and looked for Grissom and Sara, then panicked a little when he noticed them walking towards their table. At least they weren't holding hands, he thought. That would just make him gag.

"Nick, hi. Do you mind if we join you?" Grissom glanced at the girl in front him. "That is, if it's alright with the pretty lady?"

Nick glanced at Sara and remembered she knew where his date would be. He tried to catch her eyes but she was staring at the back of Gina's head. "Sure, Griss." Nick stood and walked over to Gina's side of the table. "We were just about to order actually."

"Thanks." Grissom offered his hand before going to his seat. "Gil Grissom, I work with Nick. And this is Sara Sidle." Sara just nodded and continued staring at the girl. Gina introduced herself and smiled. She seemed genuinely pleased to have more company.

Nick finally caught Sara's eyes as she stood in front of him and gave her a questioning look. She chose to ignore it, pulled out her chair instead because Grissom seemed to have forgotten to do so.