Disclaimers: They're not mine, but I promise I'll have them back by midnight.

A/N: All mistakes and British spellings are mine.

This is one of two stories I wrote for the same challenge. Hope someone enjoys it.

All Bets Are Off

Part One

I'm sitting in our usual diner with Warrick, Nick and Greg, We're waiting for Gil and Sara before we order, they're twenty minutes late, but then they're the workaholics, so nobody is surprised.

"Which one was it?" Asks Nick, he's referring to the boy who asked me out on my way back from the ladies a minute ago.

"The one sitting at the counter in blue, he was sweet."

"He looks crushed. Cath you're just plain evil." We all laugh at Warrick's comments.

"I'm sure he's not crushed, but it is nice to know I still got it." I say smiling and it is, I think I'd let the incident with Chris affect me more than I care to admit, even though he was a boy and I'd never even consider it, it's flattering nonetheless.

"That's a bold statement to make Catherine, are we to assume you think you could get just about anyone?"

Only Greg would ask that. "No Greg, not at all, just that it's flattering to be asked out by someone half my age."

"Well damn, can't you be a little less modest?"

"Why Greggo, what you up to?" Nick asks.

"I was just going to see if Catherine here was interested in a bet."

"What type of bet?" I know I shouldn't encourage him, but still, we're bored.

"Next person to walk through that door, you have to get a date with or at least their number."

"What if it's a woman?" Nick asks looking at me.

"Fine with me." I say earning myself mildly shocked looks from everyone but Warrick.

"What, never heard of bisexual?" Nick shoots Warrick his 'why didn't you tell me' look and earns himself a shrug. Greg's over his momentary shock and ready to continue.

"I didn't deliberately not tell you, just never came up till now." I say in total honesty.

There's none of the awkwardness usually associated with moments like this, which I'm grateful of.

"So, do you accept my bet? The next person through that door. Man or woman?" Greg says, effectively killing that conversation.

"Well, how about you tell me what I get when I win?" I reply.

"Me, as your personal slave for the whole day." He grins; we chuckle at him, only Greg would pick something like that.

"That sounds like fun Greg, but if I lose theirs no way I'm being your personal anything."

He looks a little disappointed. "I somehow knew you'd say that, but that's okay, you can give me your night off this week if you lose, you cover for me in the lab and I get to stay home."

"That sounds fair Cath, what do you say?"

Nick and Greg are looking at me excitedly and I can't help smile.

"Oh what the hell, you're on Greg." I lean across the table to shake his hand.

The subject changes as we all keep an eye on the door.

About ten minutes later Greg draws our attention to the parking lot outside, Gil and Sara are making their way over.

Greg laughs. "I wonder who will be through the door first." He can't be serious.

"Man are you serious?" Warrick asks.

"Totally, a bet's a bet, and the bet was the next person through that door, I was hoping it would be Griss, this should be funny."

Okay, I can do that, Gil is ahead of Sara anyway, so I tell him about the bet, we go to dinner, pretend it's a date, problem solved.

They're reaching the door and Gil is still in front of Sara. I bet they're wondering why all three of us are staring at them.

I sit and watch my chances of winning this bet dissolve as Gil opens the door, then steps aside to let Sara in. Why in hell does he have to be such a gentleman?

The guys look at me, not sure what to say.

"Okay, so maybe we shouldn't ..."

"A bet's a bet Greg." I can't just give up now I have to at least try. Damn my competitive nature to hell.

"Rule change, I get two weeks." Why am I doing this? Why don't I just back out now? There's no way she'll agree to go out with me.

"Erm, okay, sure." Greg says, he was sure it was going to be Gil in first, that's why he made this stupid bet.

I leave everyone talking as I sit and contemplate. What the hell have I got myself into? I glance at Sara a few times, the impossibility of my task setting in.

Sometimes I get the impression she can't stand me, not that I'm bothered, I've lost no sleep over it; still, I wonder why occasionally. A lot actually. I know everyone thinks I dislike her, but that's never been the case. We work well together, okay so we argue, but I've had blow-outs with everyone here at some point, so why is attention always drawn to the ones I have with her?

I remain quiet for pretty much the rest of the time we're here, lost in my own thoughts. What the hell have I got myself into? And why? I could have backed out, said I'd wait for the next person to come in after them, so why didn't I? It's Sara for Christ's sake, I'm never going to ask her out in a million years, and even if I did she'd laugh hysterically at me before saying no, so why did I agree?

Thanks for reading.

I'd love some feedback.