For two hours everyone was packed on the dance floor pushed up against their dates and strangers, but the music blasted and no one cared, but soon enough the DJ decided to let it go slow for a song. Mostly everybody cleared the floor to either sit and drink or cuddle with their partners. Only a few people stayed on the floor, two were Greg and Katrina. He rested his hand on her waist as she rested hers on his shoulders; they put their foreheads together and stared at each other. Katrina recognized it as a country song and was shocked to hear Greg singing softly so only she could hear him, "And you're always in my heart, You're always on my mind, When it all becomes too much, You're never far behind, And there's no one that comes close to you, Could ever take your place, 'Cause only you can love me this way."

"You're so cheesy," Katrina smiled at him, "that it's cute."

"I was going for hot, but cute works too," Greg kissed her lips softly, "You have no idea how long I've waited for you."

"I'm sorry I was stupid not to notice," Katrina whispered, "I wasted two months know you only to gawk over Nick…who might actually turn out be gay!"

Nick kissed her again, "You are so cute when you're mad."

"Yeah, but you're just too damn sexy when you're mad," Katrina smirked devilishly at him.

"I try," Greg gave her a lopsided grin and kissed her neck marking her in three different places.

"I'm going to have fun explaining those in the morning," Katrina giggled.

Greg took her hand and pulled her to the bar where Hodges and Wendy sat; Wendy looked at Katrina's neck and laughed, "Greg, you couldn't at least put those where nobody could see them."

"Shush," Katrina hissed as Greg sat down on the stool next Hodges. Katrina wrapped her arms around him and gave him a love bite right on the side of his neck, "There."

Greg sighed and looked at her, "Be glad you're hot."

"Why?" Katrina teased tugging on his ear, and in a pouty voice added, "Is the big-bad-geeky-lab tech going to hurt me?"

Greg spun around on the stool startling her; he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her lustily.

She pushed him away, but he held her tight, she giggled and gave him another love bite on the opposite side of his neck.

Greg stood up and tossed Katrina over his shoulder like a potato sack, she squealed and giggled at the same time, "Let's go Hodges…the girls still need to shop."

Hodges stood up and took Wendy's hand following after Greg. Wendy held both purses in one hand as the other squeezed Hodges holding back a laugh.

Outside in the parking lot Greg slid Katrina down his chest and put her back on the ground, "Your carriage awaits."

Katrina glared at him before crawling into the backseat next to Wendy.

Greg crawled in, "Where to?"

"The Mall," both girls said.

"Just, so everyone can see you carrying our purses," Wendy giggled.

"Do we have to?" Greg asked.

"No," Katrina saw the two men relax, "but then Wendy and I are talking a cab home and we'll see you two in the morning."

"Fine," Greg sighed out, "We'll hold the purses, right Hodges?"

"We don't have a choice," Hodges said.

"How bad are they?" Katrina whispered turning her head to see Greg's gift to her.

"Make up will definitely help," Wendy said.

"I hope so," Katrina muttered.

"Can you believe Nick is…?" Wendy trailed off.

"No, it's crazy," Katrina paused, "I don't think Greg is telling us everything."

"What else is there to tell?" Wendy asked.

"What if Greg was with him," Katrina muttered going pale, "Oh, God."

"NO, don't think like that," Wendy said, "He is completely straight…I hope."

"I am overreacting," Katrina said and took a deep breath; she suddenly changed the subject, "Are they coming over afterwards?"

Wendy smiled, "I was just about to ask you that."

"I guess that answers my question," Katrina muttered.

)()()(

Greg and Hodges leaned against the back of the chairs they sat in outside of the changing rooms…holding their dates purses. They looked at each other both desperate to get out of their…the looks they were getting were not ones they needed.

"Kat, I don't think this is my color," Wendy said from somewhere inside the rooms.

"Let me…" she trailed off, "Maybe you should try the blue one."

"Yeah," Wendy said.

"So," Greg said as the girls giggled and continued to talk, "Hodges, are you actually happy about this baby?"

Hodges looked at Greg then played with Wendy's purse zipper, "Yeah…"

Greg smirked and hit Hodges shoulder lightly, "You don't sound convincing."

"Well, I don't think I'm ready to be a dad," Hodges said forcing a laugh.

"Nobodies ever prepared or ready to be one," Greg said.

"What if Katrina got pregnant?" Hodges asked

Greg looked at Hodges surprised, "She can't we've…" he went silent as he realized they never did use protection, "I don't think she will."

"Now you're the one not sounding convincing," Hodges smiled.

Greg chuckled, "To tell you the truth Hodges, I never thought I'd hang out with you."

"Yeah," Hodges muttered, "I throw that vibe out don't I?"

"A little, but I'm glad I did," Greg smiled at him.

"Wow, do we sound like a sappy pair or what?" Hodges asked laughing.

Greg laughed as well agreeing with him.

"Oh boys," Katrina cooed from behind them, they both turned and stood up quickly.

Wendy and Katrina wore matching dresses that cut three inches above the knee, looking pinched into layers all the way up to the tube top piece that showed their matching cleavages, they each had pulled on black strappy heels that crisscrossed around their ankles. Wendy wore a baby blue that made her hair look darker and her eyes lovelier, Katrina's dress was crimson red showing every curve of her body and making her blue eyes stand out. Katrina had stretched an arm onto the wall above her and leaned on it resting her opposite hand on her hip. Wendy was leaning against the opposite wall with a foot resting on it.

"Whoa," Greg and Hodges said in unison.

Katrina walked over to Greg grabbing the dark green tie she bought him earlier throwing it over his head and pulling him down to kiss her sweetly.

"I'd definitely search you for prints," Greg muttered.

"You could, but then you'd be found guilty," Katrina smiled then let him go to stand next to Wendy, "So what do you boys think?"

"I think that it's time," Greg looked at Hodges and the two shared a devise grin.

"Time for what?" Wendy asked.

"Oh, nothing, just the Girl-Protecting-Buddy-System," Hodges shrugged.

"Also known as G-P-B-S," Greg smirked.

"What's that?" Katrina asked.

"It's where two guys, like us," Greg said pointing at him and a smiling Hodges, "make sure that nobody can see their lovely girls in revealing clothes."

Katrina and Wendy looked at each other with confused faces; Wendy looked at Hodges, "So what happens next?"

"This," Hodges and Greg pulled off their jack and held them up in front of the girls hiding most of their exposed skin.

"Quick, before anyone sees get them back inside the dressing room," Greg said loud enough to attract attention.

Greg picked Katrina up sideways carrying her towards the room she had changed in while Hodges had tossed Wendy over his shoulder like a sac bringing her to her changing room. They put the girls down, took their jackets and shut the doors.

"This isn't fair," Katrina shouted.

Greg smiled and didn't respond until a red fabric fell on top of his head, he pulled it off and looked at the dress Katrina had just been wearing.

"Wendy, could you toss that white one across?" Katrina called.

"Yeah, if you send that green one over," Wendy agreed.

"Greg, hand this to Hodges to give to Wendy," Katrina said sticking her hand out the door with a line green dress in her hand, Greg rolled his eyes and handed it to Hodges as Wendy passed a white dress to Hodges to give to Greg to give to Katrina.

"I feel like a slave again," Greg said.

"Well, if you let me keep the dress there wouldn't be a problem," Katrina said followed by a thud, "Ow."

"What happened?" Greg asked.

"Wendy!" Katrina called, "I need your help."

"Boys, don't look," Wendy called. She peeked outside the door to make sure the boys weren't looking as she jumped across to Katrina's stall with the green dress only pulled up to her stomach. She slammed the door shut, "Okay, you're good."

Greg looked at Hodges, "Next time, don't let them trick you."

"If I remember correctly, you were the one who agreed to it," Hodges said as he walked back towards their chairs holding Wendy's purse still, Greg followed after him and sat down next to him.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't two of my new co-workers," Greg and Hodges attention both snapped towards a man standing in front of them.

"A-Aaron," Greg stumbled out, "What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you that," Aaron mumbled looking at the purses the two men held.

Greg looked at the purse, "Hodges and I were out walking around when we ran into these two girls who looked like they needed help carrying some stuff. Next thing you know they're convincing us to carry their purses. I mean Viva Las Vegas, right?"

Hodges nodded quickly, "Yeah, I mean look at those bags." Hodges nodded towards ten shopping bags that sat on the ground next to him.

"Wow," Aaron said with a laugh, "There was only one girl I knew who could shop that much." Aaron crossed his arms and took a deep breath, "I could almost smell her remembering it now. We went shopping, went out to dinner, and then spent the night wrapped in each others' arms kissing."

"No sex?" Greg asked.

"No, she said she wasn't ready for that," Aaron smiled, "Would you believe me if I told you it was Katrina Grissom."

Hodges looked at Aaron wide eyed, "You and Katrina were a thing?"

"In college, yeah," Aaron shrugged, "When I found out I was going to work with her for awhile I called to tell her, but she didn't answer her phone…some guy did."

Greg stiffened knowing that guy was him.

"But when I talked to her today, I could see that gleam in her eye that showed she still had feelings for me," Aaron smiled at Greg, "You're so lucky to be working with her all the time."

"Yeah, but you don't have to put up with her attitude," Greg said forcing a laugh.

"Yeah, it is pretty bad," Aaron smiled then changed subject, "Do you think she'd try again with me?"

"Like as in a relationship?" Greg asked then shook his head, "Her dad wouldn't allow it, and Brass wouldn't allow it and Ecklie especially."

"What if we didn't tell anyone?" Aaron asked.

Hodges snorted, "Good luck with that. Eventually everyone finds out."

"Thanks for the opinion, but I'm still going to ask her tomorrow," Aaron smiled.

"So, what are you doing here Aaron?" Greg asked.

"Oh, I was taking my niece shopping when I spotted you two," Aaron smiled just as a little girl in blonde pigtails ran up pulling on his hand, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yep, see ya," Greg said and watched as they left the store. He looked at Hodges both of them in complete shock and relief, "That was too close."

"I think it's time we go," Hodges said.

Greg nodded in agreement and stood up to get the girls, but stopped to see the two looking in the floor length mirror. Katrina spun around to show the dress she had on now, it was a floor length silky white dress that wrapped around her neck like a collar with no sleeves, "I was thinking of wearing this to the banquet coming up."

"You look beautiful," Greg gave her a lopsided grin as she blushed, "Now that I'll buy."

Wendy wore a line green dress that stopped just below her knees and went up into a halter top with a circle of diamonds in the middle her chest.

"Gorgeous," Hodges said smiling big, "Now get dressed so we can get out of here."

)()()()(

Greg pulled Katrina closer to him as they sat on the couch next to a sleeping Hodges and Wendy; Katrina was on the verge of sleep and Greg chuckled, "Katrina, do you want to go to sleep?"

She nodded, her blonde hair bouncing.

"C'mon," Greg said standing up; he bent down picking her bridal style carrying her to her bedroom.

She curled up turning over with her back to him, her white night gown bouncing moon rays into her hair making it silver.

Greg turned to leave, but Katrina muttered something that sounded like, "Don't leave." He chuckled and walked over to the other side of the bed. He dropped his jacket to the floor and pulled of his jeans crawling into the bed next to her in his shirt and boxers, "C'mere."

Katrina inched towards him groaning in frustration on having to move, but once she was by him he pulled her against his chest and kissed the top of her head, "I love you Katrina Grissom."

"I know," she mumbled.

Greg smiled, but then it slowly faded as his heart sank…she hadn't said 'I love you too'. Greg stared at her perfect face and felt as if a hawk had swooped down ripping his heart out, did she still have feelings for Aaron? Or was he just a toy in her game until she found someone else…someone better, smarter, athletic, and brave…nothing like him. He held her closer letting the moment last thinking that this might be the last time he ever held her again…