A/N: I know the story said complete when I posted it originally, and I thought it was going to be just a one-shot. However, I had an idea for a continuation and therefore you get this second chapter. And I might as well tell you now that I have an epilogue (of sorts, lol) planned. I hope you enjoy part 2 of Late!

Disclaimer: Without Sara on CSI, I have no desire to claim ownership of CSI.

“Has anyone seen Grissom or Sara?” Catherine asked as she joined Warrick, Nick, and Greg. The boys had been talking about the latest sporting game, which more or less revolved around an in-depth discussion of the cheerleaders’ halftime show.

“Hey, Catherine. You’re looking good tonight.” Nick smiled at his friend before he continued, “I don’t think they’ve arrived yet.”

“They’re late,” Warrick said.

“Again,” Greg added. “Not like that’s unusual or anything…”

They all shared an amused look before breaking out in huge grins.

“What excuse do you think they’ll use this time?” Nick wondered out loud.

“Probably the classic ‘we got lost’ excuse,” Warrick responded.

As she thought back to their last big social function, Catherine asked, “Didn’t they use that one last time?”

“Hmm. Yeah, I think you’re right, Cath. And then the time before that it was traffic problems. Honestly, you would think that the two of them could get a bit more creative in their lies…”

Nick started chuckling. “Well, they have used some interesting excuses in the past. Remember that one time …”

For the next few minutes, they reminisced over some of Grissom and Sara’s more imaginative explanations.

“Oh, what about their excuse they used when they were late to Lindsey’s birthday party last year? You know the one about their kitchen catching on fire, and firefighters having to come…?” Greg doubled over in laughter. “That was beyond hilarious! I mean seriously… did they really think we would believe that one?” He looked up finally, tears streaming down his face. “Oh, God… that was priceless.”

The others agreed as well.

“So, the real question is do you think they really believe that they’re fooling us?” Nick questioned a moment later. “I mean we are trained Crime Scene Investigators, after all…”

“Trained investigators who didn’t realize that their two coworkers had been living together and dating for two years,” Brass interjected as he came up behind and joined them in their discussion.

“Yeah, yeah. You can stop rubbing it in our faces that you knew all along about Grissom and Sara,” Nick said. “Isn’t it getting a bit old, especially since now they’re married?”

Brass thought about it for a moment before he shook his head. “No.”

Catherine edged closer toward Brass and gave him a smile. “You never did tell us how you knew about those two anyway… aren’t you dying to let us know how you found out?” she asked. Personally, she was still a bit miffed that she hadn’t known.

He just smirked. He wasn’t falling for Catherine’s charms. “I’m not telling you the secret to my superior detective skills,” Brass said before he walked away to greet someone else.

A few moments later when a waitress passed by with glasses filled with champagne, Catherine grabbed another glass while placing her empty one back on the tray. Next, when the boys spotted another waitress carrying a tray full of hors d’oeuvres and canapés, they stopped her to refill their plates.

“Sara and Grissom are missing out on one fancy party,” Catherine declared after taking a couple sips of her champagne and stealing a hors d’oeuvre from Warrick’s plate.

“Well, I’m sure those two have created their own little party,” Greg joked.

“I don’t even want to think about that…” Nick groaned. “Seriously, who would have thought?”

“Hey, I always thought that Sara would be a sex kitten…”

Catherine smacked Greg on the arm for his comment, causing him to back away from her before he continued. “And to think she was almost mine, too,” Greg thought aloud wistfully. “My very own sex kitten…”

Nick and Warrick along with Catherine collectively burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Sara questioned as she and Grissom came up behind them a few seconds later.

Greg quickly spoke up. “Oh, we were just talking about, uh, kittens…yeah, we were talking about cute, cuddly kittens!”

“Um, okay?” Sara said, not quite understanding but willing to chalk it up to Greg being his usual crazy self.

“Anyway, how come you two are late?” Greg asked, wanting desperately to change the subject.

Sara blushed slightly while Grissom answered, “We got lost…”

A/N2: Reviews are always welcomed.