“Grissom got you an entomology book for Christmas?” Nick questioned the lanky brunette at his side.

Sara furrowed her brows. “Yeah…” She drew the word out warily, eyeing him and Hodges while they exchanged looks.

“Funny, I didn’t get anything from Grissom.” He turned to Hodges. “Did you?”

Hodges shook his head. “No.”

Sara glared at both of them playfully. It was easy, in her eyes, to see why neither of them had received presents. Her history with Grissom, and the fact that she was probably his favorite, most likely influenced his decision to buy her something.

She glanced up as Catherine Willows strolled into the room, and she could barely contain her smug grin. He probably didn’t get Catherine anything, either. Well, she’d show her…

“Hey Cath,” Nick turned to the strawberry blonde as she approached the three of them, “what did Grissom get you for Christmas?”

Catherine furrowed her brow, in much the same way Sara had only moments earlier. “Why?”

Hodges narrowed his eyes slightly, lips twitching in a feigned smile. “Just curious.”

“He got me an extensive book about blood pattern analysis.”

Sara arched an eyebrow and held in her sigh of relief. Okay, so he got her a present. A book, just like he got for her. Not a big deal. She and Catherine were equals yet again. She smiled. “Just a book?”

“Well, and a robe.”

Nick nearly spit out his water mid-laugh. “A robe? Why would Grissom get you a robe?”

Sara met the strawberry-blonde’s liquid azure eyes and watched the slow smile spreading. Then, with a shrug of both shoulders and face, Catherine sighed out, “It was to keep at his place.”

She then turned on her heel and left, completely missing the twin smirks of Nick and Hodges, and the slow-dropping jaw of one Sara Sidle.

~FINIS~

**more author's notes: extra credit for this fic is owed to the CSI transcripts site, crimelab.nl ...I couldn't remember the scene by heart :)**