Well, here I go again. This chapter was a bit hard for me to write; thank God I got through it. I hope you all enjoy the trouble I went through, because this chapter was more or less completely written until my teacher killed it. Actually, I should thank her because it evolved into something better. But enough about all that…on with the show!

Take My Hand

Chapter 4: It's All Fair

It was the eve of Casey's "one-month mark," as everyone at the lab called it, and Greg knew that his plan for the next day was foolproof. There was no way she would say no to the surprises he had in store for her. He was excited, but at the same time, utterly frightened.

What if his information was faulty? He could hardly bear the consequences if it was. He trusted his source, though, and knew that Casey would appreciate the lengths he had gone to for her. At least, he hoped that she would appreciate it all.

Casey woke up on the afternoon of Thursday, November 1, with a smile on her face. Somehow, she knew that it was going to be a great day. It was about five o'clock, earlier than Sara and Grissom liked to wake up, but she liked to be up and at 'em before those two even thought about getting up. Besides, she always liked to be to work early in the hopes that they would let her go early so she could catch up on some sleep before her class the next morning. Her schedule had taken some getting used to, and she had been moody at first, but she had gotten through the worst of it and was functioning better.

She made herself a little BLT as a snack and sat down on the couch to watch some TV. One of the national news channels popped up when she turned it on. She settled in for a minute, even though she did not particularly care for CNN Headline News. Grissom and Sara did not have too many choices on cable, mainly because they hardly ever watched TV. It was pretty much either CNN or Spanish telenovelas, and she really disliked soap operas, especially when she could hardly understand the language.

She would have headed out to work by the time five-thirty hit, but did not have her own car. She may have had a driver's license, but somehow she never felt comfortable asking Grissom or Sara if she could borrow one of their cars. She usually just took the bus or went in with Sara. The bus was option number one today.

She heard Sara and Grissom stirring upstairs and decided she was ready to go. She slipped on her shoes, grabbed her purse, and was out the door before Grissom and Sara came downstairs.

When she arrived at work, Casey was greeted with a lot of smiles and congratulations. She could hardly believe her luck; she was working with the nicest people on earth. When she reached her desk, however, she could not help but let out a groan. A gaudy "Congrats!" Mylar balloon floated above a black teddy bear and a bud vase containing a rose.

She picked up the card and had to stifle another groan. This garish display was all Hodges' design. She had to admit, she admired the man's efforts, but he had forgotten to get the whole story. He had never bothered to find out enough about her to know what she liked and what turned her off.

"Well?" Hodges spun around in his chair to face her, clearly pleased with himself. Like a begging puppy, he was expecting praise for what he had done. It was almost pitiable enough to make her laugh.

"Um, I appreciate the effort, but…" She paused, thinking about what she really wanted to say to him.

"But what?"

"Not to be rude, but I see three problems with it—problems you could have avoided if you had bothered to find out what I like."

"Why? What don't you like? What's wrong with it?" He seemed affronted, as if she had insulted him, and not the other way around.

She counted off on her fingers. "One: I think balloons are tacky and ridiculous. Two: some teddy bears are cheesy, and this is one of them. And three: I'm allergic to roses." She swept his gifts off the desk and into the wastebasket. "Sorry, Hodges, but if we were playing baseball, you would have just struck out." A wry smile crossed her face.

Hodges turned back to his computer, clearly sulking. A twinge of regret bored itself into her heartstrings: her intention had never been to hurt his feelings or damage his self-esteem. Yet she pushed these thoughts away as she walked over to the lab, praying that Hodges would stay away from her.

He stayed put in his chair, thankfully, and when she got to the lab, it was empty. She began running some evidence through the mass-spec machine when Greg tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and saw a huge box obscuring most of his torso. "Got a box of stuff for you to process," he stated.

"Great." She sighed and took the box from him. She peered inside and nearly dropped it when she saw its contents. "Greg! This isn't evidence!"

"I know." He laughed "Congrats, you've survived one month in the psych ward. You gonna take it all back to your desk or not?"

He escorted her back to her desk, where she unloaded the box. It contained a vase of bright lilies and orchids, a rather large box of chocolates, and a Build-A-Bear dressed like a magician—complete with his own little top hat, tuxedo, and magic wand. "I…I don't know what to say." She was fully aware that Hodges was shooting them both a toxic glare.

" 'Thank you' works fine," Greg admitted, grinning.

Casey's grin matched his. "Thank you." She paused, her head cocked in mock thoughtfulness. "So, who told you about all my favorite stuff, huh? Who told you that lilies and orchids are my favorite flowers? And that my dad used to buy me Build-A-Bears on special occasions? I want names!"

His grin changed back to his usual smirk. "Like a journalist, I have my confidential sources. I can't reveal them by law. So sorry."

She raised her eyebrows. "Oh, really? Well, the snitch could only be one of two people, one of whom is me, so just fess up and I won't have to give these back to you."

"Okay, you got me," he said. Casey was struck by how cute he looked when he smiled. "A little birdie named Sara told me."

Casey made a mental note never to tell Sara anything personal again. "Thanks anyway."

"You're welcome, and I hope you enjoy everything." Their eyes met, and the sincerity in his sent a shiver up Casey's spine. "See you later." Greg strolled out with his grin still etched on his face.

Casey could hardly help herself; she grinned to herself as she turned back to her now-colorful desk. His happiness was as contagious as the flu, although slightly more enjoyable.

Greg was happier than a cat in a birdcage as he headed into the locker room at the end of his shift. He could barely believe his luck. She had genuinely enjoyed his gift, and once again, he had scored some brownie points by just being his charming self. He whistled a lilting tune as he shoved his field vest back into his locker. This could be the beginning of a good relationship.

"Hey, Greg, I wanna talk to you." The voice, which came from behind him, was very familiar and annoying. He turned to face a very put-out Hodges, who looked akin to a miniature poodle who had just met up with a Doberman.

"Fire away, Hodges." Greg knew what was coming, so he was ready for it.

"How come you went for outside info? I mean, I got Casey a gift, too, but she hated it. Isn't it cheating to ask someone who knows her better what she likes?"

"Hodges, Hodges, Hodges." Greg shook his head, though his grin grew wider by the second. "I'm sorry for you, I really am. But haven't you ever heard that all's fair in love and war?" Laughing, he closed his locker and left a bewildered Hodges standing in his wake.

"Casey!"

She heard him call her name, and her heart did a little flip-flop. She was confused about her feelings for him. On the one hand, he made her happier than any guy she had ever known, besides her father. On the other, she was quite certain that she never wanted to fall in love with anyone again. She had her hand on the door when he called her name for a second time.

Casey turned to face him, her red ponytail bobbing as she walked over to him. "What is it now, Greg?" She hated that infuriating little smile of his in some ways, but it nevertheless captivated her attention. She forced herself to stop thinking about his lips, as pleasant as they were.

"I forgot to mention…there's a part two to your present."

"Okay, so bring it on."

"You'll accept it? Without even knowing what it is?" His smile grew ever wider. "How do you know you'll like it?"

"Just tell me." She sighed. Sometimes, the male species frustrated her so much. She was drained and simply wanted to go home and get some sleep before her class.

"You and I are going on a date Saturday night." He stated it as though it were fact, not a question that she should answer.

Casey was too tired to care about the alarm bells ringing in her head. "Whatever. Sure." She turned back to the door. "See you then."

Poor Hodges, I do feel sorry…but not too sorry. Now the plot starts to get fun. How will Casey and Greg's date go? Well, let's just say my plans may not be what you're thinking. In fact, I guarantee they probably won't be. Click the review button to offer suggestions as to how it should go and to tell me how this is going so far.