Disclaimer: Nope. And I pity myself for it.

Hi everyone! Here's what I promised: Chapter 5 up!

Thank you so much for all of your reviews. I really appreciate them!

Oh, and if you haven't already :SHAMELESS CROSS-PROMOTION: I suggest you check out my other story The Rooftop. It's darker and a bit more mature in content than this one, and I'd love to hear your opinion on it.

Now...without further ado...

Chapter 5- All Business

Nick cursed under his breath as he pulled into the LVPD parking lot.

How the hell am I going to do this? Nick thought to himself as he practically threw his head onto the steering wheel in frustration. He had no idea what to do about his confusing, awkward situation.

Shift had started 10 minutes prior, but he'd been so busy pacing around his apartment he'd forgotten all about work. He had knowingly placed himself in a dangerous situation with one of his best friends and liked it. His night with Sara scared him, not because it was awful or embarrassing, but because he'd developed an addiction for her in such a short time. They made love, and he wanted more of her. He wanted to touch her and kiss her so bad his body ached. He'd never felt this way over a girl, and it was killing him. But, she left; disappeared without a trace, except for a black ribbon tied around the doorknob of the front door of his apartment.

He reached inside his front pocket and pulled out the ribbon. It was his only tangible evidence to even suggest he and Sara had actually consummated their long and flirtatious relationship. Nick stared at it for a few seconds, contemplating his situation. He felt the silky smoothness of the thin ribbon, and thought of Sara. He wanted so badly to rush up to her, grab her, and kiss the living daylights out of her. Yet, his less-lustful side urged him to hang back and let her explain herself. Nick let out a long, heavy sigh, shoved the ribbon back in his pocket, and made his way to the lab.

Apprehension took him over as he briskly walked through the glass-walled lab. His breathing became uneasy, and he thought of the dark side of his own endeavor. What if she thinks the whole thing was a mistake? What if she shuts me down? Nick was a nervous wreck. He felt like a little seventh-grader in corrective shoes, ready to ask a cheerleader to his first junior high dance. His palms became sweaty, his neck became hot, and a tense, lust-filled fever filled his body.

He took a deep breath, and reached a sweaty palm out to open the door to the break room. Slowly, he pulled the door open and stepped inside.

"Glad you could make it, Nick." Grissom said as he motioned him to sit down. Nick looked at his coworkers with a sheepish smile, and waved to Catherine, Greg, and Warrick reclining around the conference table. He glanced downward and approached his chair, easily sitting down. He felt cool and calm. He was ready for the day ahead, and he assured himself that his Sara-ordeal wouldn't cloud his mind on the clock. He was confident, cool, and collected.

That is, he was until she walked in.

"Sorry everyone," Sara said as she took her seat directly across from Nick's. She smiled and slid a stray wisp of her straight brown hair around her ears. Catherine sighed and urged Grissom to continue the debriefing now that everyone was present.

"Now people…." Grissom said as he began to talk in detail about everyone's cases. Nick couldn't help but tune out his boss's orders and briefings. He studied Sara's features with great intensity. She seemed like her normal self: straight hair, sensible clothes, and interested only in her work. Nick even knew Sara wouldn't notice his careful investigation of her body, as it was obvious she was absorbed in the new cases at hand. Nick grew uneasy, and began to shift around in his chair.

This doesn't make sense, Nick thought to himself, She looks like her regular, studious self. She doesn't even look like she went out last night, let alone gave me quite possibly the best sex I've ever had. She just seems…the same. But, she's beautiful nonetheless. Did I ever know she was this beautiful before? Even under the ultraviolet break-room lights she's breathtaking. I can't believe I passed this up for so—

"Stokes!" Warrick chuckled as he alerted his coworker. "You're on the clock, man. It's valuable to pay attention right now."

"Huh?"

"Nicky." Catherine said, "The case?"

"Oh… yeah. Sorry, I must've checked out for a second." Nick explained.

"Well, you should check back in soon, this case is important." Sara teased. Nick grew silent and embarrassed at her simple gibe. What the hell is going on? She's bubbly, and sharp, like a friend?

Nick was beyond reasoning the current situation. Sara was definitely not acting like he'd made her scream his name in his bed, on the floor, on the counter, and various places in between. She was normal, everyday Sara, and Nick couldn't believe it.

"Like I was saying," Grissom continued, "Nick, I know you had the day off, but Catherine's case is getting hot and we need all available hands helping her out. The remains of two bodies were found buried in the middle of a business park that caters to doctors. Warrick noted that all the bones were clean at the ends, which points the finger at one of the surgeons in the medical practices surrounding the park. We need help sorting out the bones and identifying the victims."

"Sure, no problem." Nick said resolutely. He was thankful to be let on Catherine's case. It gave him an opportunity to throw himself into his work and not onto Sara in a desperate attempt to remind her exactly what had blown up between them the previous night. He could concentrate, and focus on his job.

"Good," Grissom said, "Work with Sara."

Oh no….

"What?" Nick questioned.

"You heard me. Both of you were off yesterday, and we need results as fast as possible. Both of you will work on bones in the morgue. You guys work great together, but I need it harder, better, faster, and stronger than you've ever done before with her, okay?"

"Yes." Nick managed to squeak out. God, that was awkward. Harder, better, faster, stronger…oh no. Gotta keep focus. Gotta keep focus.

Nick knew everyone was staring at him in all his red-faced glory, and he knew that he needed to explain himself fast. He couldn't necessarily tell them the truth, and the looks of confusion marring his coworkers' faces begged an explanation of his embarrassing, pubescent boy vocal tone. He breathed in slowly and delved deep in his mind for the most plausible explanation to his unusual actions.

"Sorry about that, Gris. I just…had a bit of an episode last night. I caught a fever, and I couldn't sweat it out," Nick locked eyes with Sara, who glanced back with a slightly worried face, "It was with me a long time, and in the morning it just kind of escaped me. Now, I'm feeling it again."

"Just as long as it doesn't affect your work." Grissom muttered.

"I'll be fine." Nick replied. He studied Sara's face: she looked concerned for him, but any trace of the wanton undertones in her eyes the previous night had dissipated. Nick was beginning to think that the whole thing really was a dream, or someone was toying with him. In any respect, Nick needed to pull himself together. He was going to be spending almost his entire shift in close proximity of her, and fantasies or not, Nick wanted to do exactly what he'd done to her over and over again. In black, in a lab coat, he didn't care at this point. All he knew was he craved her body, and it was going to be a painful night.

As they all filed out of the break room, Sara strode up to face Nick.

"So…ready to get this thing started, cowboy?" Sara smirked at him. She touched his chest, and tapped her fingers against his collarbone. Inadvertent or not, Nick was starting to thing maybe she did remember after all. Mixed signals were clouding his brain.

"Yeah." He managed to gulp out.

"I'll be waiting for you." She pushed away and briskly walked away, towards the direction of the morgue.

Nick pulled out the black ribbon, and felt its silky smoothness for the second time in an hour.

Oh yes, it was going to be one long shift.

Hee! There's Chapter 5! I hope you liked it, and keep reviewing! I'll be on vacation next week, so I'm going to be evil and leave you with a slight cliffy to ponder over!