Chapter Ten

It was Christmas Eve Day and the Team decided to meat after shift for some breakfast and a gift exchange as Greg had suggested. Instead of their usual haunt, the Team decided to meat up at Nick's place. The mood was jovial and the music was just as jolly. Nick and Greg donned Santa caps and Catherine decided on a reindeer antler headband to get into the spirit.

Grissom sat on Nick's sofa between Warrick and Sara, sipping on eggnog. They had just finished eating from a buffet of assorted fruits, donuts and bagels. Greg decided to play Santa and give out the gifts from under the small fake tree in the middle of Nick's dining room table.

"Ok! The first gift is for..." he paused for a moment to heighten anticipation.

"Just give it already!" Nick yelled at him from across the room.

"Warrick!" Greg smiled and handed the small box to Warrick.

Warrick tore off the paper and opened the box. He smiled and pulled out a coffee mug that read "I'm Down With Forensics". Everyone tried to hide their chuckles, knowing who must have given it to him.

"Thanks, Greggo!" Warrick shrugged at the rest of the team and placed the mug in the box.

"How did you know it was from me?" Greg was dumbfounded, but everyone just laughed at him. "What? I don't get it?"

"And you never will. Just hand out the next gift, Greg, or I'm revoking your Santa duties." Catherine pointed at him and spoke in her best Supervisor tone.

"Fine." He reached over and took a medium sized red gift bag off the table and read the tag. "This one is for...GRISSOM!"

Gil took the bag and pulled out the tissue paper. He pulled out a bright blue knitted scarf and gave a sarcastic grin. "Well, this will come in handy in the desert."

"HEY! I spent two weeks knitting that!" Nick protested from his seat.

"You. Knit. A scarf?" Greg burst out laughing.

"Yeah. Tess took me to a knitting class." Everyone snickered at this. "It's a valuable skill!!"

"Thanks, Nick. I really appreciate it." Grissom threw the scarf around his neck to show his admiration of the gift. Nick smiled and settled back into his chair.

"Oookaaaay! Now the next gift is for...Catherine!!" Greg handed her a small flat wrapped gift.

"Wonder who this is from?" Catherine clawed at the paper and had it unwrapped in record time. "OH! A CD! Of Beethoven's Symphonies. This HAS to be from you, Gil."

"Well, a little culture never hurt anyone." He grinned at her.

"Thanks, Gil." She smiled back at him.

"Alright. Now. The big one!" Greg picked up a large package and he jumped up and down when he read the tag. "This one is for ME!"

Greg attacked the package like a little kid. He got the wrapping paper off and encountered a taped box top, so he ripped the tape off and dug into mounds of crumpled newspaper, pulling out a smaller wrapped box. "Ok, I get it. Tease Greg cause he loves the Holidays. That's fine! Big things come in small packages!" He smiled and opened the second box only to reveal a third smaller box.

"Go on, Greg. Don't look so disappointed. You just said it. Big things can be in small packages."

"Thanks, Sara. I take it this is from you?" Sara just smiled a crooked grin at him.

Greg pulled out a folded envelope from the box and opened it to reveal tickets. "Van Halen? Awesome!! Thanks, Sara!" Greg ran over to Sara and pulled her into a hug. Grissom just scowled at him as he watched Greg paw his girlfriend. When he caught Catherine looking at him, he sat back and smiled a fake smile, hoping no one had noticed his reaction.

"No problem, Greg. I knew you'd like it." She patted his back as he squeezed her a little too tightly. "You can let go now, Greg."

"Oh, sorry!" He stood up, all smiles and bounced back over to the table to grab another gift.

"Ok, this one is for...Sara!" He handed her the small gift bag.

Sara smiled at Greg's enthusiasm and timidly pulled out the red and green tissue paper. She frowned and then immediately set her gaze on Warrick. "Ha ha, Warrick!"

"What? What is it?" Catherine sat up to see better.

Sara pursed her lips and pulled out a bottle of flavored massage oil and a small candle. When Gil realized what she held, his eyes couldn't hide his shock.

"What makes you think its me?" Warrick was smiling wide and laughing.

"Deductive reasoning, genius CSI."

"Oh, yeah. Well, I thought you might find it uh, useful, with a new beau and all." He chuckled and looked over at Grissom, who was NOT laughing.

"Thanks." Sara commented dryly and put the items back into the bag.

"Well, that leaves one more! And its for Nicky!!" Greg handed nick the last box.

"Well, using my deductive reasoning skills as a CSI, I am guessing this is from Catherine." He smiled at her as he opened the box. "Thanks, Cath!"

"What is it?" Greg leaned over Nick to pear into the box.

"Get back, man!" He waved Greg off and pulled out a giant belt buckle that read "Texas" across the face.

"You know this means we'll all have to go out somewhere that I can wear this?" He beamed at the group. Then frowned at the collective disappointed sounding "Yeah."

"Well, way to show enthusiasm!" He plunked the buckle back into the box.

"He, don't worry, man. We'll suck it up and go to a Redneck Bar with you."

"Thanks, Rick! I think." Nick just sat back and pouted.

Catherine looked over at Sara. This was the first she had heard of Sara and a boyfriend. Why hadn't the guys let her in on it? She got up and took the seat next to Sara that Grissom had vacated.

"So, new boyfriend, huh?"

Great! Here it comes! Sara smiled at Catherine and just shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, come on, Sara. You can tell me about him. Woman to woman." She nudged her with her shoulder.

"It's...complicated. He's, uh, really...well, shy. So, we don't go out much." I hope she bought that!

"Well, then Warricks gift won't go to waste." She smiled mischievously at Sara, who just turned a bright pink. "Uh, uh. See? He knew what he was doing!"

"Catherine, Please!" Sara looked at her pleadingly.

"Ok, Sara. I know you are very private about, well, everything. But I do wish you the best. You really do deserve someone who loves you wholeheartedly." With that comment she focused her gaze on Grissom. Catherine knew Gil had feelings for Sara, but somehow he could never take his head out of the microscope long enough to realize what he had in front of him. She smiled gently at Sara and patted her knee.

"Well, I need to get home. I have my mom and Lindsey and my Aunt and Cousins to entertain tomorrow."

"Yeah, I think I'm going to get going as well." Sara stood up, grabbing her bag and headed over to grab her coat from the pile near the door.

"Well, thanks, ya'll for coming over. This was a good idea, Greggo!" Nick smiled at him and patted him on the back.

Everyone said their goodbyes, leaving Nick to clean up the mess alone.

A/N: well, this is just a FUN chapter with the Team. Thought I would throw it in. I have no idea if Van Halen played Vegas in early 2006, but this is fiction, so deal! Hehehe. More fun and mayhem to follow soon! Please read and review! :O)