Okay, not tons of Ryan/Sara and Nick/Calleigh, but that’s how the cookie crumbles, or how the story goes. More next chapter. And Catherine being pregnant comes from my other story, but Sara and Greg aren’t romantically involved in this story. I won’t make Sara too much of a player. And yeah. Don’t own them. Wish I did.

“Well, before we get started,” Grissom began, “Horatio-“

“Call me Mr. H, fool!”

“Erm. H. Would you like to take off your sunglasses? You don’t really need them in here. It’s pointless to be wearing them.”

The Miami team gasped while Horatio searched for the right words to defend his sunglasses fetish but Calleigh regained the power of speech well before he did. “Don’t suggest he EVER takes off his sunglasses! Those, and the wind that seems to follow him on every case and blows at the most opportune times are what make Horatio, well, Horatio. It’s what defines him. Look under sunglasses and you’d see the name ‘Horatio.’”

Vegas nodded blankly and Ryan picked up the conversation from before Grissom had ‘insulted’ Horatio’s necessity to wear eye-protection indoors. “Well, so far, each of our vics have been female, brown hair, brown eyes, late twenties to early thirties, hold public service jobs, and are slightly taller than average.

All of them have been found with some piece of clothing in their mouth, the ones that we’ve run into have been shoes, all were raped and then killed.

“Tox screen brought back that all of them had been given enough Rohypnol to knock out them out or at least leave them from being able to fight back. Ran DNA through CODIS but it was a no-go. What about you guys?”

Warrick spoke up, “Our vics have also been female, brown hair, brown eyes, late twenties or early thirties, public service jobs and tallish. The ones that we’ve had so far had socks. As with yours, they’d all been raped and there were traces of Rohypnol in their systems. DNA was also a no-go.”

All the while Eric, Nick and Horatio were staring at Sara who was squirming under their intense stares. “Do you have something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?” Catherine asked sarcastically.

“I was just thinking, all of the vics look so much like Sara, I think she could be targeted next. And drugged. And raped. And then killed. Yeah. Die.” Nick said bluntly.

Sara’s face paled and her eyes flickered with fear, but only for a moment before her bravado was put back into place.

“Geez, Nick!” Catherine said, “Could you have been a little less blunt about the fact Sara could be drugged, raped and killed? You could have sugarcoated it a little bit! Try something like Sara could be targeted. She could become our next vic, and the next time we see her, she could be on Doc Robbins slab.”

Sara stared at Catherine in disbelief, ‘If that was sugarcoating it..’ “What do you think, Griss?”

The heads turned towards said entomologist, “I think that Nick could be right. For all we know, Sara might be targeted. We have two choices, safe house, or round the clock protection. Or both.”

The attention was swiveled back to Sara.

“No, there is a third choice,” Sara began, “you could leave it alone and let me deal with it. I mean, I’m not a child, I’ve got kick-ass karate skills and am good with my gun. I can take care of myself.” She closed her argument by crossing her arms in a very child-like manner and sending a death glare towards Grissom.

“No. Absolutely not.” Nick said firmly, “This guy’s a psychopath and there is no way I will stand aside and let him kill you. I just won’t do it.”

Sara opened her mouth to argue with him, but Ryan beat her to the punch, “Sara, he’s right. We can’t take any chances with your life. I don’t think any of us could live with ourselves if something happened to you.” The group nodded in agreement, “So that’s why I think that we should all take shifts on keeping watch on you. I’ll take the late shift… Dinner and all that jazz. A movie perhaps?” He said suggestively.

Eric let out a laugh, “Dude, even I wouldn’t do that. Oh, who am I kidding! Of course I would!”

Sara found all of this less than funny, “Geez… Gang up on me, why don’tcha? Fine. I’ll go along with it.” Ryan and Nick shared a smile, “If you’ll explain one thing, why would I need my own personal body guard when I’m never going to be alone?”

“That’s the point!”

“No, what I’m saying is, I will never be alone for these reasons. One, I spend the vast majority of my time in the lab, don’t tell Ecklie, but I’ve taken to sleeping in the morgue when I don’t feel like going back to my place,” Noticing a few raised eyebrows, Sara explained further, “It’s quieter than at my apartment complex!

“Two, every scene I go to, I go with either: a cop, another CSI, or both! Three, interrogations take place with cops, so I wouldn’t be alone with a suspect. Four, Miami is going to be staying with me! There’s four of them, plus me, and we’re all armed! We can take on anyone! And lastly.”

She was cut off by Grissom, “Sara, we get it; you can take care of yourself.”

“Thank you.”

“However, we don’t know what this guy is completely capable of. SO, you WILL have someone accompanying you wherever you go. No questions asked. So, its work and have a bodyguard, or you’re on administrative leave for the duration of the investigation and you’ll have a protective detail as well. You’re choices- being paid, or not being paid. Take your pick.”

Sara hung her head in defeat, “Fine. Do it in shifts, whatever. And Ryan- yes, I’ll go to dinner with you.”

Ryan smiled widely until Nick looked at Sara and then the aforementioned CSI. He leaned over to him and whispered, “Remember out conversation. Hurt her and I hurt you. Don’t forget.”

Ryan tried to keep the nervous look off of his face and keep the smile on, but it turned out as more of a painful grimace. Sara didn’t take to that well. “So, wait. You’re not happy about going out with me? What, am I not good enough for you? Did you ask ONLY because you were going to be my bodyguard?”

Nick could barely suppress his giggles when Eric shuffled over to him and asked, “Is Sara pregnant too?”

“No, thank god.”

“Ryan,” Catherine whispered, “You have about five seconds before you incur the wrath of Sara Sidle so I suggest you get talking, Wolfe-Boy.”

“Sara, would you please go out to dinner with me?”

Sara smiled, “Of course.”