'One drink? I'll even pay. I'll pick you up, drop you off, hell I'll even spring for a nice little dress, whatcha say?' Sara and Nick are walking in stride with one another down the corridor of the lab, heading towards the breakroom. A brown file each tucked under their arms. Styrofoam cups of molten coffee in their hands. Nick's old college friends recent visit to Vegas and the lab his provided him with the opportunity to play cupid and has him trying to match his friend up with the tall brunette after their brief introduction the night before peaked his friends interest and heart strings.
'No way!' She raises the brown sludge to her lips, taking a tentative sip.
'C'mon Sar!' Nick stops and turns towards her, forcing her to stop next to him but she doesn't turn to give him her full attention.
'No!' She steps forward to carry on their trek through the bright hallways.
'Why?' He follows quickly, the coffee threatening to splosh over the rim of the cup.
'Cos, I don't want to!'
'Don't want to what?' They turn, Grissom silent as ever has creeped up behind them, glasses perched on the end of his nose, clip board in one hand a pen poised over the page in the other.
'Go on a date with my friend.'
'No Nick, stop!' Sara pulls the file from under her arm and thrusts it into Nick's chest. Patting him heavily on the arm she ejects herself from the conversation quickly. Nick stands rooted in the spot, watching her strut away, tucking the new folder under his arm with the other, bringing his coffee closer to his mouth, then changing his mind last minute before taking a sip he lowers it.
'It's just one drink. Where's the harm in that?' He hollers after her, turning back towards Grissom for some reasonable explanation, a look or something.
'Maybe she's seeing someone?' Nick lowers his cup too quickly, coffee threatening to spill over the chewed edges yet again.
'Do you know something I don't know?'
'About Sara?' A pause. His mind explodes. I know what she looks like when she wakes up, how she likes her tea before bed, how her hair curls when drying after a shared shower, I know the sounds she makes when she... 'No.' He looks back down at his clipboard and scurries away towards his office, leaving Nick alone.
Nick steps into the breakroom, dropping both files onto the table, Greg at the coffee machine turns at the loud slap of paper on glass but quickly turns back around to readdress his cup.
'Greggo, you would know if Sara was seeing someone right?' Greg looks up and round towards Nick.
'No. How would I know?' He pours himself a cup carefully and turns on the spot, blowing on the blue Hawaiian brew.
'You guys are close? Anyway doesn't matter, you met Mark yesterday right? I introduced him to Sara, she's his type, smart abit sassy, he likes that. I'm trying to set them up but she isn't having any of it. I even offered to pay.' Nick throws a chair out from under the table and sets himself down defeated.
'Yes we are close, thank you for noticing but no I don't think she has been on a date since Hank.' He leans back on the counter, crossing his legs at the ankles.
'The slimy paramedic?' Warrick strolls into the room, plopping himself down in a chair at the table. Nodding in Greg's direction who raises his cup in response.
'Yeah. Nick thinks Sara is dating someone.'
'Aw man, if it is that Hank dude, I am going to kick his ass. No you know what I'm going to kick Sara's ass too for going back out with him!' Warrick leans forward in his chair.
'Kicking my ass Warrick? Meet me in the back lot in fifteen minutes, your ass is grass.' Sara stands hands on hips in the doorway to the break room. Warrick and Nick looking up in horror at the thought she might have heard their whole conversation. Nick stares open mouthed between Sara and Warrick when his cell phone beeps on his waist.
'Ah.. Grissom... 419 at The Ra Ra Rooms. Meet me outside in 5. That's me gone, good luck Rick.' Nick shuts the case file forcibly, throwing his now empty cup into the trash striding past a pissed of Sara in the doorway, knocking into her lightly on his way past. Sara moves over towards the sink, washing her hands, pulling some kitchen towel from the hook and drying her hands thoroughly. She looks over at Greg, leaning back in the chair, feet crossed over on the tables edge.
'You look comfortable Greggo. Are you ready? Brass is waiting for us.' His feet drop down with a thud as he nods and downs the rest of his coffee too quickly it burns down his throat, he collects his cell and rushes out of the room, leaving Sara and Warrick alone.
'Can I ask why you are planning on kicking my ass?' She comes behind Warrick leaning down over his shoulder.
'Because of your new boyfriend.'
'What!?' Sara snaps up as Warrick spins in the chair, leaning back again.
'Don't worry I didn't say anything. I just acted dumb.' Sara drops a slim hand down onto his shoulder squeezing with some light pressure.
'Thanks... I best go, catch up with wonder boy.' She turns, heading towards the door but stops just before she breaks out into the corridor. 'Oh and Warrick...' He turns and catches her face lit by the bright fluorescent lights of the lab. 'I would so kick your ass.' She pushes out and disappears into the hallway, leaving him to sit back and chuckle to himself.
The drive to their destination is quiet. Greg fiddles with the radio stations one too many times and Sara shuts it off in anger leaving them under this blanket of silence.
'You ok?'
'I'm fine.' But he knows when Sara Sidle says she is fine, she is anything but. They sit in silence for a few minutes before Greg chances it, he can't piss her off any more surely.
'So why won't you go out with Nick's friend. He seemed a nice guy, decent hair, well mannered, good hygiene.' Sara turns to look at him as she pulls up to the suspects house, almost in awe of his ability to try her right now. 'I'm just saying, it wouldn't hurt to get yourself out there a bit more.'
'I'm seeing someone already, that's why. Can we drop it now please?' She slams the visor up, the morning sun beaming down bouncing off the road onto her face. She reaches for her sunglasses on top of her head, but they aren't there. 'Can you check if my glasses are in there, please?' She points to the glove compartment. He hesitates, processing the information that Sara Sidle the workaholic is actually seeing someone. How does she have the time, whats he like? What does this mystery man have that his doesnt. 'Greg?' He unbuckles his seat belt and leans forward.
'Sorry.' Apologising for his delay he pops open the door, rummaging around inside. 'Nope, sorry.' She sighs loudly, checking the car door before flinging it open and pulling the keys from the ignition. She slams the door shut and makes towards the house. He rounds the front of the car, jogging slightly to catch up on the suspects driveway, Brass stationed already at the door waiting for them. As soon as he falls into stride with her he shrugs. 'Maybe you left them at your boyfriends?' She stops dead in her tracks and side eyes him before shaking her head and continuing to the door, saving the verbal beating til later. He hunches his shoulders and falls behind her, just as Brass kicks in the front door.
Their suspect in custody, all further evidence locked up ready for the start of their next shift Sara and Greg are back at the lab. Marching through to the locker room eager to to get home, shower and in bed after a long and slow night. Sara stops in front of her locker and leans forward her head thumping lightly into the grey metal, Greg hops over the bench behind her to face his own locker before turning slightly to watch her defeated form slump onto the cool haven.
'Just think, twenty more minutes and you will be home, to snuggle with your mystery man.' He wiggles his eyebrows in her direction.
'Knock it off Greg please. I'm not in the mood right now.' He swings open his locker door with abit too much force and his jacket falls from the hook inside, landing in a crumpled pile on the floor. His body shielded by the door and Sara's body, goes unnoticed by Grissom as he steps into the room, not seeing the young CSI crouching down to retrieve his jacket in the dark room.
'Hey, you err left these on the bed last night. I forgot to give you them before shift started, sorry.' He hands her the purple sunglasses and smiles sweetly, glad to have a few moments with her after a long night apart working separate cases. The promise of a hot shower and some decent sleep wrapped around her warm body urging him through the last few hours of the shift. He takes in her pained expression his face dropping instantly.
'Are you ok?' He leans in, whispering now. 'Honey what's wrong?' Greg stands, slamming his locker door loudly behind her making them both jump and spin around to see him stood leaning against the lockers a cheshire cat grin plastered across his face.
'Guess you found your sunglasses? I mean, was I wrong?' She looks back over her shoulder at Grissom, his lips pursed in deep thought. He drapes his jacket over his shoulder and pushes past them. 'See you tonight.' He waves behind him as he leaves them stood rooted into the spot.