My Way is Clear

by Simply Ginger

Nick meets a paramedic after getting injured at a crime scene. In an AU, this is their story. This is not a slash and all the characters from CSI show up eventually.

9. Let Me Sign

A/N: I have to insert a slight mush warning for this chapter. If you don't want to read the mushy parts, skip down to about halfway through the chapter when the funny parts come in. I tried writing this chapter without the mush at the beginning but the upcoming chapters won't make sense. I also tried jumping from the last chapter into the chapter that is now chapter 10, but it didn't make sense. I read chapter 8 then went straight into what is now chapter 10 and even I'm scratching my head going "Huh?" and I'm the one that wrote the story. Some of the little small details in the upcoming chapters will be tied to parts of this chapter. You have been warned and I did my best to not make it too mushy. Just hope I don't alienate any of my readers with this chapter. I do try to keep the mush to a minimum in this story, but I had to do this in order for the upcoming chapters to make sense.

I've been asked a few times about the meaning behind 'le damn.' I took French classes years ago in high school. Our teacher made us speak in French during the class no matter what. One of my classmates blurted out "damn!" after he whacked his knee against the desk. When the French teacher heard him, she told him to say it in French. He was always a sarcastic smart ass so he said 'le Damn!' and the phrase was born. I still use it to this day even though I haven't been in school in over twelve years.

Chapter 9 – Let Me Sign

"Anna?" I opened the door and pulled my key out of the lock. I didn't see her, but I heard music and knew she was probably at the back of the apartment. I set my keys and the newspaper I got for her this morning on the counter and shut the door and followed the sound back to where she was. I stopped at the end of the hallway and watched as Anna was lost in the music again while she was folding towels.

"But something happened for the very first time with you. My heart melted to the ground, found something true and everyone's looking 'round, thinking I'm going crazy…" Anna folded the towel as she started on the next part of the song. 'But I don't care what they say, I'm in love with you. They try to pull me away but they don't know the truth…'

I managed to sneak up on her when she reached in the dryer for another towel and got my arms around her waist from behind. "What? No MMMBop?" I kissed the back of her neck.

"You have got to quit sneaking up on me like that." Anna put the towel back in the dryer and turned around to face me. "No MMMBop. Gotta keep it fresh. I'll do MMMBop another time for you." She reached over and turned the music off and kissed me as she shut the dryer door with her foot.

"Happy birthday." I took her by the hand and led her back up front. I picked up the newspaper that I got for her. "Here's the newspaper from this morning as promised. You made the local section. Can I get an autograph before you become too famous and forget about the little people who got you where you are today?"

"I wouldn't be able to forget about you, but I never did get one from you, Crime Stopper. Where did that newsletter go anyway? I was gonna send it to your parents but now I can't find it."

I groaned. "Bad enough everyone at work still calls me Crime Stopper but now you too? I hope the I Need it Gnomes who live in our closet took it because they know you needed it and hid it and it'll never resurface again. I'm ready for that to be over with. I'm still being called Crime Stopper at work."

"They're just jealous of your fame. Now we can both be famous." Anna laughed as I handed the paper to her. I watched as she got out the section to see what her picture was. The photograph in the paper was of her kneeling next to the little girl from the fire call yesterday. Anna's right arm was on the little girl's shoulders and the little girl had her left arm on Anna's shoulders as the little girl held her cat. "Now that's cute. I need to get that framed and send it to my sister. She says my job doesn't matter. Thank you."

"Your job does matter. Just ask that little girl." I left Anna where she was. "Part one of your surprise is coming up. Stay here."

"Before you leave, toss me my 'Berry. I need to call Bryan and tell him happy birthday. His is today, too. I didn't get a chance to tell him before we left work earlier."

I got Anna's phone out of her bag and handed it to her. She told me to take her bag back to our room. I picked it up as I left Anna as she called Bryan while I went back to our room and reached for one of my winter coats. I pulled it out enough to reach in and got out a small box I had put in one of the outside pockets. I knew she wouldn't look in there since it was mid May and well beyond winter coat weather. I reached for the pocket that was on the inside of the coat and got the card out. I dropped my work vest on the bed and took my shoes off and went back up front. Anna was leaving Bryan a voice mail when I sat down on the carpet in front of her and handed her the box. "Open this first."

Anna put her phone down and took the green Tiffany box from me and looked up at me as she used her fingernails to tear the tape on the side of the box. She took the top off of it and handed it to me as she picked up the necklace inside the box. "Oh, Nick." She held the chain out as the silver open heart pendant fell to the bottom of it. "I love it. Love it. This is so me. So perfect." Holding the necklace in one hand, she put her other hand behind my neck and pulled me to her to kiss me. "Thank you."

Anna started to undo the clasp, but I stopped her. "Allow me, my lady." She pulled her hair back using her hands as I put the necklace around her neck and fastened the clasp. "Happy Birthday, Anna." I kissed her again. "Now, read this." I handed her the card. She opened the card and started to read my message. "You've had my heart since the first day I met you and you've had it every day since then. I hope now that when you wear this, you're reminded every day how much I love you. You're my everything and I love you and always will. Happy Birthday, Anna." Anna looked up as a lone tear fell down her cheek and onto my hand as I brushed it off of her cheek and kissed her. I stayed close enough to Anna so she could hear me whisper what I wanted to tell her. "I love you, Anna. You don't know how long I've waited for you."

More tears fell down Anna's cheeks as she closed the short distance between us to kiss me, knocking me over from where I was sitting. She put her hand on the carpet next to me so she could push herself up to see me. She kissed me again. "I have a pretty good idea it's been as long as I've waited for you and to think, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to move to Vegas." Anna kissed me again. "I love you, too Nicky." Her hand reached up to touch the necklace as it dangled from her neck. "Thank you for making this one of the best birthdays I have ever had."

Anna leaned in to kiss me again as I tried to sit up. I managed to get on the couch with Anna still in my lap and her legs wrapped around my waist and her arms around my neck. I pulled away from her just enough to see her face, which was still close to mine. "Anna?"

I didn't even have to finish my sentence. She knew what I was trying to ask her. She whispered yes to me and I picked her up and still kissing her, took her to our bedroom. She took her uniform shirt and her shorts off and pulled me on top of her. Anna kissed me while she helped me take off my shirt. I put my arms around her middle and pulled her up on her knees. Keeping one hand on her back, my other hand took my pants off as we fell back down in the bed and made love for the first time.

Anna was on her side with her arm across my stomach afterwards. She reached across me and kissed me as she sat up and wrapped the sheet across her chest. "When do you want yours from me? Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's fine." I reached behind her and pulled a box of the night stand. "Here."

"What's this?"

"The second part of your surprise." I handed her the box.

She took the box from me and she unwrapped it. "Oooh, Nick." She flipped it over to see the front artwork of the CD case. "Celtic Woman. Their new CD. I've been trying to find this. Thank you."

"That's not the whole surprise. Open the case."

"It's a CD. I've seen one before." Anna looked puzzled, but did as I told her. Two tickets fell out of the case and into her lap. "Ohmigawd!" She looked at the tickets. "How did you get these? Cathy and I have wanted to get tickets ever since they came on sale, but they were sold out." She reached over and hugged me, knocking me off balance again as I fell on my back with Anna on top of me hugging me. "Thank you!" She kissed me again. "This is official. This is the best birthday…" Anna stopped to kiss me again. "Ever." Another kiss. "Thank you."

"I have my sources and you're welcome." I got up out of bed and took Anna by the hand. We got in the shower together and while she was getting dressed, I made her favorite breakfast for her. She was still in the bathroom, blow drying her hair when she saw me in the mirror. "Your breakfast is almost ready, my lady." I took her hand and brought her back up front and told her to have a seat at the table as I brought her orange juice out to her, followed by a stack of blueberry pancakes and a bottle of pure maple syrup. "Your breakfast is served." I kissed the back of her neck as I put the plate down in front of her.

"Thank you, Nicky." Anna took a bite. "Ohmigawd, you're making these for me more often." She reached over to get the syrup bottle I brought out earlier and drowned the remaining pancakes in syrup. "These are so good. Need more syrup though."

"Just make sure you leave me some syrup." Anna was drowning her pancakes in even more syrup. "I think they're dead, honey." She continued to pour. "You've drowned them enough. Any more syrup on them is just cruel torture." She finally put the bottle down. I sat down next to her as we finished up breakfast.

I told her about what Grissom had told me and she told me Brad had some more pictures for me. "I told him to hold off on emailing them to you. He said he'd give me his memory card later on."

"That's fine. Enough about work. Now what?" I looked at my watch again. "le Damn." I shook it. "It stopped again."

"You and that watch are about to drive me crazy." Anna shook her head and got up. "Wait here." She disappeared and came back in the living room a minute later, holding her LVFD bag that she took to work by the straps. After searching for whatever it was Anna was looking for, she found a box that was wrapped in bright pink Strawberry Shortcake wrapping paper before she dropped the bag on the floor next to where she was sitting. "Happy early birthday, Nicky."

"Strawberry Shortcake?" I couldn't help but stare at the bright pink wrapping paper. "My sisters went through a phase when they were younger where they were all absolutely nuts over Strawberry Shortcake."

"I did, too. I think all girls liked her at one point in time and sorry about the pink paper. It's all we had at work and I couldn't ever get free to stop and get more. It was either this or run report forms, besides it's what's inside that counts." She handed me the box. "I know you said tomorrow, but I think you can use this now."

I took the frilly pink paper off and opened the box. "Anna." I pulled the watch out of the box and put it on. "Now it's my turn to thank you." I leaned in closer to her to kiss her as I pulled her in my lap. "Thank you." I got a closer look at the watch on my wrist as she sat down. "This is like yours?"

She reached over the table and stabbed a piece of her drowned pancakes with her fork and ate it. "Yours is the men's version of the one I wear and the best part is that it's kinetic. Never needs a battery. Now when I ask you what time it is, you can actually tell me rather than complain your watch battery died. Again."

"A day early, but thank you." I brushed a strand of her hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. "Thank you. This has been the best birthday I've had and it's all thanks to you." I kissed her again. "Thank you."

The show at the Bellagio didn't start until 7 so we spent the rest of the day at my apartment. After breakfast, we both wound up falling asleep as we watched a movie. Anna woke up first and finished the movie while she let me sleep. After she woke me up, we showered again. Anna shoved me out of the room while she finished getting ready telling me she didn't want me to see her in the dress she bought until she was finished. I went up to the kitchen to fix myself a drink while I waited on her. I heard her come up behind me and I set the glass down on the counter and turned around. Anna was wearing a strapless black and white sun dress that stopped just above her knees. She had pulled her hair up in a twist behind her head and used jeweled hair pins to hold it in place. "Wow." She smiled and turned around, giving me a full view. "Mind if we stay here tonight? I'm not sure I want to take you out looking like that. Someone else might take you."

"That won't happen. I belong with you. Figured since we were going out, might as well dress the part since you rarely get to see me looking like this and you're looking pretty hot yourself."

Anna finally took me shopping for some new shirts and I was wearing one of the ones she picked out with a pair of khaki pants. "Thank you. You should like it considering this is one of the shirts you picked out for me."

Anna slipped one of her shoes on and smiled. "I like you wearing anything though." I watched as she braced herself against the kitchen cabinets as she put her other shoe on and stood up, looking proud about something. "See! With both of them, I'm somewhat taller." She reached up to kiss me. "I don't have to stand on my tip toes as much to reach you."

"You're perfect just as you are." Anna put on her earrings as I continued to stare at her. "Too bad you can't wear that to work. I'd trip and injure myself over another flower pot if that meant you got to treat me again."

Anna laughed. "I'd never last two hours at work in these heels and you know I'd treat you again. Gladly." She bent down to fasten the straps on the back of her shoes. "That day was one of the best I've had in quite some time. I finally got to meet you after watching you for so long. I was seriously contemplating paying someone to shove you down a flight of stairs or just doing it myself so I could meet you."

"It would have been worth it." I hugged her as my senses were overloaded by the signature vanilla scent that was unmistakably Anna's. "Just to be treated by you, I'd trip over a thousand flower pots again." I kissed her. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

We went outside and it was then I realized my truck was at the lab. "Crap." I turned to face her. "My truck's at work."

"I know. That's why I figured you'd need these." Anna handed me the keys to her truck. "Want to drive?"

I took the keys from her and helped her in before I got in. We got to the Bellagio about thirty minutes before the show started. I gave the keys to Anna's truck along with a tip to the valet as another attendant opened the door so we could go in. I couldn't help but smile to myself as he watched Anna with a little too much enthusiasm as we walked in. "I shouldn't have let you out of the house wearing that."

She turned around to look at me. "What?"

"The door guy over there. I think his eyes just fell out."

"He'll be strong." Anna took my hand and I led her back to the theater where the concert was.

I handed our tickets to the attendant and she tore off the side she needed and handed them back to me and pointed us in the right direction of where our seats were. I led Anna down the steps and stopped at a section of the orchestra seats that were on the first level off to one side of the theater stage. "Ohmigawd." Anna looked at me and then sat down, looking at the stage. "I don't know how you did this, but thank you." She leaned over to kiss me again. "Thank you."

The lights in the theater dimmed and the concert started. I couldn't figure out what was a better show. The women on stage put on a great show but Anna's delight in being able to be here was just as good.

The concert ended about three hours later and after two standing ovations from the crowd, the group made their way off stage and the lights came back on. I stood up and taking Anna's hand in mine, we got ready to go back up front to get her truck and head back home. "Thank you, Nick. This was amazing." She kissed me again. "The whole day has been amazing. All of it."

I checked my new watch and told her it was almost time for the last water fountain show of the day up at the pool in front of the hotel. I took her up to the front of the hotel and found a spot by the railings that surrounded the pool. Anna leaned against the railings surrounding the pool as I stood behind her, pinning her between me and the railings. She leaned her head back on me as the water show started and took one of my hands in hers and brought her arm across her stomach, still holding onto my hand. We watched the choreographed show for about half an hour until I heard someone call my name out behind us. I turned around and Greg and Warrick were standing off to one side of the pool with Catherine as they watched the show.

Anna led me over to where they were, never letting go of my hand. "Hey everyone."

As we got closer, I noticed Greg was staring hard at Anna. "Greg, put your eyes back in your head before I intervene in an illegal manner." Greg continued to stare. "With blunt force trauma or by using an electric nail gun. Pick your poison."

"Uh, sorry. Just not used to seeing you like this." He shook his head and exhaled sharply. "Happy birthday, Anna. Oh, and you too, Nick."

It sounded like it was almost as an after thought that he remembered my birthday was the next day. "Gee. Thanks. Glad I matter so much, Greg. Mighty appreciative. What are y'all doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

Catherine shook her head. "Well, we were but it's slow. Grissom and Sara got a robbery case, but that's the only case for tonight. It was so slow tonight and all our work in the lab is caught up so Grissom and Ecklie let us and a few of the lab rats go, but told us to keep our pagers on in case something came up. We just got done at the buffet here and were about to head across the street for karaoke when the water fountain show started. I wanted to see it again, so I made these two stay with me. Join us."

I looked at Anna who shrugged her shoulders. "Fine. We'll join you, but I'm not singing."

Greg pushed me as we started to walk towards the karaoke bar. "The heck you're not. I've got just the song for you, my friend." He looked at Anna. "I hear you've got quite the voice. Duet?"

She laughed, "We'll see. What's the song you want Nicky to sing?"

"It's a surprise. I'm actually going to pick songs for everyone to sing." Greg took Anna's hand and Catherine's hand and took it upon himself to lead the two of them across the street as Warrick and I followed. He let go of their hands while he got us a table once we got inside the building.

Anna moved back by me and stood next to me as we waited. The door opened and someone else needed by, so I took a step to the side and pulled Anna with me. She wasn't paying attention and stumbled a little bit, but I caught her. "Sorry about that, someone needed in."

Greg brought the waitress back and we got a table on the opposite end of the entrance to the bar. I ordered a beer and Anna ordered a mojito. The waitress took orders from the rest of the table and went to go fix drinks.

"So, Nick. You want to go first, or what?" Catherine looked at Greg. "I know he wants you to sing, so you have to. It's your birthday." She checked her watch. "Or it will be before too much longer."

"I told you, Cath, I am not singing." The waitress brought our drinks back and set them on the table. I took a drink of mine. "Period. Anna's welcome to sing if she wants to, but I am not." I put the bottle down on the table. "No singing."

"Me either." Warrick looked at Greg. "You do it to either of us Sanders and you die. Nick'll help me kill you if you force either of us to sing."

"Spoil sport. Both of you." Anna nudged me. "Sing. I will if you will."

Greg didn't even give me a chance to answer. "Then it's settled. I'll go first and I'll sign everyone else up while I'm there and give the DJ the songs I want you to sing. Neither of you are not getting out of this." Greg took the song book off of the table and started to flip through the pages. He stopped on one. "Perfect for me. I've already got songs in mind for everyone else." He closed the book. "Be right back."

Greg got up and made his way to the stage and after telling the DJ what to play for his song and giving the DJ the rest of our song selections, the sounds of Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" started up, sending all of us at the table into a fit of laughter.

Catherine put her Sprite down, stood up and whistled. "Just like Greg."

We watched as Greg started singing the song. 'I'm too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts.' Greg took off the button down shirt he had on, leaving him in the white t-shirt he had on and tossed the shirt on the stage and continued to sing. 'I'm a model you know what I mean and I do my little turn on the catwalk. Yeah, on the catwalk, on the catwalk, yeah. I do my little turn on the catwalk.' Greg put the microphone back on the stand so he could strut his stuff across the stage. He got the microphone off the stand and started in on the next part of the song. I looked over at Warrick who had tears coming out of his eyes from laughing so hard. Catherine and Anna stood up to cheer at Greg. The song finished and he got a standing ovation from the audience as he picked his shirt up and made his way back to where we were. Warrick gave him a high five as Catherine hugged him from behind. "So I take it that was a win, huh?"

"Win?" Anna put her drink down. "Not just a win, but an epic win." She shook his hand from across the table. "Monumental epic win. Nicely done, Greg."

Greg stood back up and bowed for all of us and sat down again. "I've already told the DJ everyone's song. Nick, I picked out something special for you. You'll love it. Every time I hear it, I think of you. Oh, and Warrick you're going to love what I picked out for you. According to what the DJ said, Anna, you're next."

Anna stood up. "Yay!" She kissed me before making her way through the crowds and up to the stage. Anna stopped at the DJ's booth so he could tell her the song that he was about to put on for her. I saw her as she looked back at our table and laughed. She got the microphone off of the stand before turning to face the crowd. "This one goes out to someone very special. Happy birthday, Nicky."

I started laughing again when I realized that Greg had picked out MMMBop for her. "Nice one, Greg-o. You do have a death wish, don't you?"

"No, I don't. This is all in fun Nick. Relax!" He turned his attention back to Anna on the stage.

She stopped after the first verse and the chorus ended. While she was waiting on the next part of the song to start, Anna pointed to our table and waved. "Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose. You can plant any one of those. Keep planting to find out which one grows. It's a secret no one knows. It's a secret no one knows."

I got the in joke she was trying to tell me from across the room, but had to explain to everyone else at the table that the verse she just sang was the verse she was singing when I walked in on her singing MMMBop before. Anna did pretty well on stage. I could tell she was having fun and that's all that mattered. She kept laughing during the last part of the song and missed some of the words. As the song wound down, the crowd gave her a standing ovation. She curtsied and handed the DJ back his microphone as he helped her off stage. He said something to her which made her laugh. Anna made her way back to our table. "What'd y'all think?" Something caught Anna's attention as she looked over at the bar while she waited on me to get up so she could sit down. "He's staring at me." I turned to see who she was talking about, but I didn't see anything. Anna moved in closer to me as I put my arm across her shoulders. "Did Nick explain the in joke?"

"Yeah he explained it to us. My only regret is that I wish I could have seen that performance before now. That's why I picked the song I did." I kicked Greg under the table again. "This is becoming a pattern with you isn't it?" He reached under the table to rub the sore spot on his shin. "I need shin guards."

"I'm the only one that gets to see Anna sing MMMBop at my house. You're on your own on that one."

Another couple of singers got on stage after Anna was finished. Greg told Catherine the song he picked out for her has parts for two singers. "Anna, do a duet with me? I know you've already been up there once, but the song Greg wants me to do, I need a partner. Help me?"

"Sure." She took another drink from her glass. "Why not?"

"There's another singer coming up now, then Anna and Cath. Then after they are done, there's three singers, then Warrick, then another singer, then you're up birthday boy." Greg looked pleased at himself. "You're going to love the songs I picked out for the two of you."

"You just better hope Rick and I don't beat the sense out of you after this is over with." I shook my head and took another drink.

The singer on stage got done and Anna and Catherine walked up to the stage after finding out from the DJ what song Greg had picked so they could start in on their song. "We are dedicating this song to a very special birthday boy." Anna handed the microphone to Catherine.

"Happy birthday, Nicky. We love you." She kept the microphone as the music started so she could sing the first voice.

Warrick recognized the song right off. "Nice one, Greg. Nicely done. Never thought I'd hear this song again. Cath did this song before when we were at that conference in Utah last year."

I recognized the song and started laughing, "I had completely forgotten about Catherine doing the Savage Garden song in Utah."

I listened in as Catherine started with the first verse to the song. Anna stayed in the background watching Catherine sing. When the chorus came up, Catherine held Anna's hand as they both sang it. Catherine handed the mic to Anna who started on the second verse. 'I'm the kind of person who endorses a deep commitment, getting comfy, getting perfect is what I live for But a look, then a smell of perfume, it's like I'm down on the floor and I don't know what I'm in for.' Catherine came back next to Anna and they held hands again as the chorus played out and they sang. When the third verse came on, Anna and Catherine both sang together as much as they could in between laughing at each other. 'Any time I need to see your face, I just close my eyes and I am taken to a place where your crystal mind and magenta feelings take up shelter in the base of my spine sweet like a chic-a-cherry cola.' Anna and Catherine both started laughing again and missed the first few words of the next part of the song, but recovered and sang most of the rest of the song in between laughing fits until it ended. Both of them got standing ovations from the crowd as they made their way back towards our table.

"Now that was hot." Warrick stood up to let Catherine back in her seat as Anna came around and sat by me. "Very good, both of you. That was much better than the Utah version."

Catherine picked up her Sprite. "Thank you. That was the most fun I've had in a while. Anna, if this paramedic thing doesn't work out for you and if this CSI thing doesn't work out for me, think we got a future in Vegas as singers?"

She laughed. "I wouldn't go that far, but it is fun. I still don't know what Nick's song is going to be."

Two other singers got up to sing after Anna and Catherine sang. We were all busy talking that we didn't notice when the third singer took the stage. "This song goes out to a very special lady from work and happy birthday to a certain CSI birthday boy."

"What?" I looked up to see who it was. I started laughing. "Hodges?" Catherine and Warrick turned to look at the stage. I stared harder at the figure on the stage, trying to figure out who it was. "It is Hodges."

Catherine looked through the crowd trying to find out who his special lady is. "I don't see who he's singing to though."

"Hodges?" Anna looked at me. "From the lab? Didn't Greg introduce me to him?"

"Yeah he did." I watched as Hodges started in singing 'Aint No Sunshine When She's Gone' to a lady sitting at the front table. Whoever it was had her head down. "He's pretty good actually. I would have never guessed it from working with him." Hodges was looking at the lady at the table, but from where we were sitting, I couldn't see who he was singing to. The dark haired woman had her head in her hands, trying to hide as Hodges kept singing to her. "Anyone see who the lady is?" I stood up to look, but still couldn't tell who she was.

Catherine got out of her seat and started up the aisle to get a better view. Hodges saw her and waved from the stage as he continued on the song. She waved back and made her way back to our table. "It's Wendy!" Catherine motioned for Warrick to scoot over so she could sit down. "Are they together or something? When did that happen?"

Greg shook his head, "Not that I know of, but apparently that's about to change." The song Hodges sang ended and he got off stage and hugged Wendy. "Now that is sweet. I didn't know he knew how to be anything but annoying."

They were on their way out when Greg got them to come talk to us before they left. Wendy was still red faced from Hodges's song. "Happy birthday, Nick."

"Thanks, Wendy and nice song by the way. Didn't know you had it in you."

Hodges looked at Wendy, "I'm just full of surprises. Anyway, Wendy and I are about to have to head back to the lab to check in with Grissom. Slow night tonight and Ecklie sprung us. We just stopped in to eat at the buffet and she wanted to come by. I surprised her with the song."

Wendy laughed. "Surprised? Yes. Embarrassed? Yes. I'm still red." Wendy looked at Anna. "Don't believe we've met." She held out her hand. "Wendy Sims."

"Anna Gigandet." Anna shook Wendy's hand. "I don't think you were in the office when Greg gave me the tour not too long ago. I remember meeting Hodges and Grissom, but you weren't there."

Hodges and Wendy sat with us for about half an hour. They got up to leave just before the DJ called out Warrick's number. Greg looked at Warrick." Your turn, Rick."

Warrick got up and gave Greg the evil eye before he made his way to the stage. "I'll know how badly I've got to beat Sanders after this song." He stopped at the DJ's booth and got the title of his song. I saw Warrick laugh before he made it on stage. "Dedicating this song to a friend of mine who better be afraid. Be very afraid." His song started and Catherine and Anna stood up again to whistle as Warrick sang the Rascal Flatts version of "Life is a Highway." After the first verse was over with, Warrick went to the DJ's booth and borrowed the DJ's sunglasses and wore them to sing the second verse as he did his best to show us his James Brown side while singing the country music version of the song. As he sang the lyrics, I couldn't help but laugh at what I was seeing. He got done and took a bow as the audience cheered for the improv session on stage. Another singer took his place on the stage as Warrick sat back down at our table.

That singer got done as the DJ called out my number. "Your turn my love." Anna kissed the back of my neck as she shoved me out of my seat and I reluctantly made my way up to the stage.

I stopped at the DJ's booth and asked what song I'd be singing. "They picked it out for me and I don't even know what it is."

The DJ looked at his list. "Ah, the birthday boy. You'll be singing something he swore you knew and if not, that TV monitor over there will show the lyrics.'" He handed me the microphone. "Have fun." He went behind the partition to start the music.

I took the stage and looked out towards the audience. The music started and I groaned when I realized what the song Greg had picked out for me actually was. I made eye contact with Greg and made a mental note to kill him later. The opening notes played as I continued to think of the most painful way possible to kill Greg. The music finally changed and I got ready to start singing the lyrics. 'Plowin' these fields in the hot summer sun, over by the gate, Lordy, here she comes with a basket full of chicken and a big cold jug of sweet tea.' I looked out at Anna who was laughing. 'I make a little room and she climbs on up. Open up her throttle and stir a little dust, just look at her face, she ain't foolin' me. She thinks my tractor's sexy.' I watched as Anna stood up to cheer me on as I started singing again. She and Catherine were both standing and cheering me on until the final notes of the song stopped and once again, the crowd erupted into applause for my rendition of the song. I handed the mic back to the DJ and made my way down the stairs and back to our table. Anna met me halfway in the aisle. "You better post my bail." I put my arm around her to lead her back to our table. "I'm about to kill Greg-o."

"You did well and don't kill him. This was fun and you know it." I took her hand as I helped her sit down at our table. She moved over in the bench seat so I could sit next to her.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Nick." Catherine high fived me from across the table. "Way to go."

"Thanks. Greg you better enjoy your last few hours alive, my brother. You're about to die in an extremely violent matter like being doused in honey before I strap you to a red ant hill before a bear buries you in the desert for setting me up like that. Warrick, do you want to hold him down or should I?"

Anna didn't give him a chance to answer before she swatted my hand. "We all had fun tonight. I thought you both did well."

"You're biased though." I took another drink from my beer. "But thank you. As much as I want to beat Greg upside his big head, I will admit, this was fun. Nice way to celebrate our birthdays." I leaned over to kiss Anna.

"Ugh, get a room." Warrick threw a napkin at me. We watched another couple of singers come on stage to try their hand at karaoke. After the third singer got off the stage, he checked his watch. "Wow, it got really late." He stood up with Catherine and Greg. "We need to go check in at the lab. You two enjoy the rest of your night and happy birthday to you both."

Anna and I followed them out. The three of them went one direction while Anna and I went in the direction of the Bellagio valet booth across the street. I got the ticket out of my pocket as Anna put her arms around my waist from behind. "This was fun and I had no idea you could sing like that."

I pulled her arms off of me and brought her around to stand in front of me. "It was and if I ever get tricked into doing that again, someone will pay for it." The valet brought Anna's truck up. She didn't want to drive, so the valet held the door open for her as she got in. We left there and went back to my apartment. She took her shoes off and held them in her hand as she got out of the truck. I picked her up to carry her inside, even though she was protesting. I carried her back to our room and set her on the bed. She fell back against the pillows. "This has been so much fun."

I took my shoes off and threw them in the closet and leaned back next to her. "Even though I wanted to kill Greg for setting me up, this was fun." I used my fingertips to trace her cheek until I leaned in to kiss her. "Mostly because of you."

Anna kissed me back and got up to change. I watched as she slipped the dress off of her body and it fell to the floor. She got one of my t-shirts out of the drawers as I changed also and put that on before getting back in bed next to me.

A/N: Shout out to Rainack who got to pick the song Warrick sings at the karaoke bar. Thank you.

Shout out to RockyWench for giving me the idea about Hodges singing to Wendy. Thank you.

Disclaimer – CSI isn't mine. I also do not own a sexy tractor, the songs MMMBop, Bleeding Love, Life is a Highway, Caledonia, Lost, She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy, I Want You, I'm Too Sexy, Aint No Sunshine, nor do I own James Brown, Hanson, Doom, Leona Lewis, Al Green, Michael Buble, Kenny Chesney, the University of Arkansas, Apple, BlackBerry, Savage Garden, Sprite, Nissan, Texas A&M, Strawberry Shortcake, Steel Magnolias, Deadliest Catch, Discovery Channel, DirecTV, Right Said Fred, Tiffany and Co, Toyota, the Las Vegas Wranglers, GMC, Rascal Flatts, the Bellagio, the Orleans Arena, the LVFD, the LVPD, the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Texas Longhorns, the Texas A&M Aggies (who'd want to own them anyway?), Celtic Woman, Xbox, Las Vegas as well as numerous other references in this story. Please take a moment to deal with these devastating revelations I have made and compose yourself so you can move on and review this chapter. I know it might be hard, but try for me. I can lay claim to the two destroyed flower pots in this story.

However, I'd give my right kidney to be Anna right now. Just to be all over George Eads like Anna was…Mmmm…No shirt on and…What was I saying? Something about reviews I think? Lost my train of thought. I gotta go wipe the drool off of my keyboard now. Happy Friday everyone!