Author: Joyce

Title: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Note: Sorry for the long wait between updates, life got in the way. This chapter of the story revolves around episode 1.6 Who Are You? I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think. Ok, I'm off on a holiday, see you all in two weeks time!

Keeping your mind on the job

Walking into the lab the next day Sara heard about Grissom and his latest case, he had found bones under a house and he and Nicky were working the case. She envied Nick, it sounded like a hot case and Sara always liked the cases that were a challenge. Her thoughts were cut short when Grissom announced that she and Warrick were working a case together and she glanced at her partner, smiling a bit when she noticed him doing the same. She vaguely heard Grissom telling them to be careful and something about cops but her mind was to busy with the fact that they were finally working together, as a team. She and Warrick, working together. Her heart started to beat a little faster and she shook her head, trying to clear it and be the professional Sara she always was. She was not a teenager getting all giddy over a first date, she was a forensic scientist and she was working with a fellow scientist today. She nodded her head to emphasize the point she was making to herself, seeing Warrick smile in a teasing manner when he looked at her. Fellow scientists should not be allowed to look that good she mused and she got up.

"I'll meet you in the locker room," she told Warrick. "I need to grab my kit."

He nodded, giving her a wink and she blushed and left him with Grissom, who was telling him about their case. Apparently Warrick was less shaken by the events of the night before then she was. She could still feel him in her arms and everytime she looked at him it was there; that undeniable fear that told her that he was going to change her life and there was nothing she could do about it. Walking into the locker room she found Nick there.

"Hey," she greeted him, "How's your case going?"

He greeted her back with a warm smile on his face.

"Fine," he told her and she nodded once, turning to open her locker and grab her kit.

"Your case sounds hot," she said with her back to Nick and she was startled when a new voice entered the conversation.

"Don't worry, Sidle," Warrick said while leaning in the door frame, "Our case is going to be hot too."

She heard Nick chuckle behind her and turned around slowly, seeing the object of her troubles standing there with an impossible smirk on his face.

"Funny, Brown," she replied, trying to act cool for Nick's benefit but the look on his face told her that she was failing miserably.

"You guys have fun today," Nick told them both, nudging his friend on the way out. "And try to concentrate on the job," he added helpfully, not hiding his grin and they could hear his laughter when he walked away. Sara closed her eyes in defeat, sighing a bit.

"Great," she whispered, looking up and seeing that Warrick was standing right in front of her. "I hope you're happy. He's probably out there right now, telling the whole lab about us."

He shrugged, his hand reaching out and he tucked some hair behind her ear.

"I have no clue what you are talking about," he answered innocently and he managed to step even closer to her. "I was talking about the case, there is a chance that our murderer is a cop."

He paused, leaning into her and Sara held her breath and cursed him in her mind while her heart was hoping that maybe... "Why?" he continued, "What did you think I was talking about?"

She just shook her head, not really able to speak right now and he leaned down and stroked her cheek with his fingers while she felt his lips on the top of her head, placing a short kiss in her hair. "We're hot too, " he admitted, "But I would never talk about that with Nicky in the room. The guy's like a local newspaper."

He grinned and stepped away from her. "I'll see you outside," he told her. "I'm driving."

It took her a minute to regain her composure and then she smiled, following him outside. "Sure you're driving," she muttered to herself, "If hell freezes over." She then marched out of the lab, determined to get the control over her life back.

Outside she blinked in the sun, grabbing her sunglasses and searching for her partner, she found him leaning against the car with the keys in his hand. Once she approached him he reached out his hand and dangled the keys in front of her. "Do you want to drive?" he asked her and she narrowed her eyes, surprised by the sudden turn of events.

"Is this a trick?" she said while she eyed him suspiciously. Warrick shrugged, getting into the car and winking at her. "I just like to see you drive, Sidle," he admitted and she blushed. "You're cute when you're in control," he continued and she decided to get in the car and ignore him for a while if she ever wanted to concentrate on her job this shift.

"I'm sorry," Warrick said ten minutes later, breaking the silence and she turned slightly towards him, one eyebrow arched. "For what?" was her response.

"I'm teasing you," he said with a sigh, "And I shouldn't do that...It's just...you scare me."

She parked the car at the crime scene, making no move to get out. "I scare you?" she repeated in a whisper, hurt by his comment.

"Yeah," he said again before he noticed her look. "No, Sara, it's not a bad thing. I just mean...I find it difficult to see anything but you when we're together and that..." he paused, a grin breaking out, "that's scary," he finished and she laughed.

"It is," she said before she leaned over impulsively and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you're scared too," she whispered in his ear before she pulled back. "Ready to solve this crime, partner?" she changed the subject and Warrick nodded with a serious expression on his face, eyeing the crime scene and getting out of the car.

Several hours later Sara was walking in the lab when she heard yelling in the hall, walking towards the sound she found Warrick and Brass staring at each other in an eery silence.

"You want to nail my cop because you have a score to finish," Brass announced, looking at the younger man before him with contempt. "Admit it, Brown."

"No, that is not true!" Sara interrupted before Warrick could say anything. "The evidence is pointing towards your cop, we're not trying to nail anybody here." She looked at Brass in silent anger and the older man responded with a shake of his head. "Don't go there, Sara," he warned her before he walked off and gave Warrick one last look of disgust, "He'll break you."

"He just loooves me," Warrick muttered next to her and she broke out laughing. "He does," she responded, "I can tell."

"Want to go search for a bullet?" he asked her and she followed him to the garage. "Are you thinking that maybe the cop didn't do it?" she asked him and turned around. "You never know," he answered and proceeded to take of his shirt.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing?"

He looked at her with a big smile on his face, his green eyes twinkling. "It's hot in here," he explained like she was a little kid, "This is tough work, I don't want my shirt to get all sweaty. Is that ok with you?"

She looked at his tall, muscular body in the white tank top, taking her time. "Oh, that's fine by me," Sara finally responded, wondering if these shoulders were as strong as they looked and how his arms would feel...She stopped her thoughts just in time. "Let's get to it," she told him and he repeated that in low voice. "Yeah, let's get to it," he said, never taking his eyes of hers and she had to look away and remind herself that they were at work and in a public place.

"Behave yourself, Brown," she told him before they started their job. They worked well together Sara realized, they didn't speak much but knew what the other one was doing and thinking. She liked working with him, even if it was bad for her nerves. When they finally found the bullet her eyes were sparkling in enthusiasm. "We dit it!" she told him and he looked up at her and just smiled.

An hour later Sara cleaned out her locked for the day, thinking back on her night with a smile on her face. She turned when the door opened and the subject of her thoughts walked in.

"How did your talk with Brass go?" she asked him and he shook his head. "It was lovely," he answered, "but I guess we're making progress, we didn't yell once."

"You'll guys get there someday," Sara said and she really believed that, the two man shared a passion for the job that had to overcome their anger towards each other eventually.

"Picture that," Warrick just said and she grabbed her bag out of her locker. "It was nice working with you," she told him and he looked at her for a long while.

"It was," he agreed and Sara felt like the air got thicker all of a sudden.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she managed to choke out, her voice sounding strange to her and Warrick took a step towards her. "Sleep well, Sara," she heard him say before she felt his lips on her cheek. "I like being afraid," he whispered when he pulled back and she couldn't help but smile at him before she turned to go home. Being afraid was definitely a feeling she could get used to.

Tbc...