Title: Surnames

Summary: If you were to get married and change your last name, you would then have to answer your phone with your new name, right?

Spoilers: Nesting Dolls; Committed; Living Doll; Dead Doll; A La Cart; Go to Hell; The Case of the Cross Dressing Carp

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Seasons 5 - 7 on DVD and all the novels and... oh yeah! My autographed 'Ultimate CSI' book. If I sold them all, do you think I'd have enough to buy them? And the writers back? And Jorja back? No? Crap.

Author's Note: Alrighty! This is the second story I promised all you people who return to me, the one I wrote while grounded. Alex FINALLY edited it for me this weekend, and in between my crazy school schedule, and hers, and everything else we do, she just took a while. And then it was her birthday last Saturday (Happy - belated - Birthday, Alex! Love ya!), so I wasn't going to make her do it then... Anyway, I'm gonna stop now. I do hope you all like it. Read and enjoy it, friends!

Author's Note 2: This one's got some Ronnie bashing in it, just for good measure. :)

Surnames

"I wouldn't do it."

Sara approached the break room slowly, adjusting the scarf around her neck as she did so.

"I don't know. I might do it."

She froze in the middle of the hall at the sound of the voice, hoping she could backtrack without anyone knowing or seeing. Almost making it back down the hall to the safety of Grissom's office, her luck ran out as she heard her name being called.

"Sara!"

Shit, she thought, turning around slowly to face the owner of the voice. "Ronnie, hi," she said, forcing a smile.

"Hey," the new CSI said. She was leaning against the doorjamb of the break room. "Come here. We all want your opinion on this."

"Oh, Ronnie," Sara began, trying to come up with an excuse to get away from the annoying newbie. "I can't, Grissom just paged me to his office about –"

"I saw Grissom leave for his crime scene half an hour ago," she countered.

Dammit, Gil, Sara cursed silently. Why did you have to come in early today? She felt herself being slowly dragged towards the break room and hastily pulled her arm from Ronnie's sudden grip. "Alright, alright! I'm coming!"

Ronnie grinned. "Great." She led the way to the break room where Catherine, Nick, Warrick and Greg were all seated.

"Hey Sara," Greg greeted, pulling out a chair for her.

"Hey," she replied, sitting down and flashing him a smile. "Thanks."

"So, Sara, what's your opinion on this?" Ronnie piped up, sitting down on the other side of Greg.

"On what?" she asked.

Catherine leaned forward across the table. "If you were to ever get married," she paused, giving her a pointed look, "would you take his last name or keep your own?"

Ronnie tapped her on the shoulder. "Catherine says she wouldn't, and I said maybe," she informed her.

Sara laughed. "Well, first of all, I'd need to find a guy willing to marry me –"

She was cut off by Catherine's snort. "Sorry," she apologized at the look on Sara's face. "That was just funny."

"Why?"

"Um, because, you have found someone willing to marry you. We all know about you guys. He kind of blurted it out," Catherine answered.

"Then why hasn't he asked me?" Sara shot back, absently playing with the thin gold chain that hung around her neck, hidden from view by her scarf.

"I don't know, maybe he's just nervous," Catherine said.

Getting too personal for Sara, she quickly pointed the conversation back to the original question. "Anyway, if I found the right guy and married him, then… I don't know. Maybe," she said thoughtfully.

She was interrupted by Greg's cell ringing. "Sorry, guys," he said, scrambling to find it. "Sanders," he answered finally. After hanging up five minutes later, Greg turned to Ronnie and told her they were needed at Grissom's scene in half an hour. Sara silently thanked Gil for taking the newbie off of her back, at least for a little while. She was just sorry that Greg was now stuck with her.

Ronnie nodded. "So, Sara," she said. "Yes or no? Would you take his name?"

Sara shook her head. "I wouldn't. I have a strong attachment to Sidle. I wouldn't change it just like that." Of course, what Ronnie and everyone else didn't know was that although she did have a strong attachment to Sidle, it was one she wanted to be rid of.

Ronnie was staring at Greg's phone lying on the table. "Why do we answer our phones by saying our last name?" she asked suddenly.

Greg shrugged. "I don't know. To let the caller know who they're talking to, maybe?"

"Shouldn't they know?" she countered.

"I guess so," Greg agreed.

"So, if you were to get married, and change your last name, you'd have to answer with your new name, right?" she said, looking around the table.

"Yes," Nick answered, speaking for the first time. "Like, if Cath married me, she'd be Catherine Stokes."

Catherine smirked at him. "First of all, no I wouldn't, because I said I wouldn't change my name, and second of all, keep on dreamin', cowboy. I wouldn't marry you."

Warrick wrapped an arm around Catherine's shoulders. "Yeah, keep dreaming, Nicky," he said, smiling.

"Harsh," Nick said, leaning back in his chair. "So if Sara married me –"

"Don't even try to finish that sentence," she told him sternly, "or you'll be saying your vows from a full body cast in the hospital."

Nick held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! Sara won't be marrying me!"

"I get it guys, thanks," Ronnie said, holding back a laugh. "Greg, I think we should leave before Sara murders us all."

Greg nodded, and stood up. He leaned over and kissed the top of Sara's head. "Bye guys."

"Bye," they all chorused.

After they'd left, Catherine spoke up. Gesturing to Sara, she said, "You notice he only does that when Grissom is nowhere nearby?"

Nick and Warrick nodded. "It's because he wants to keep his job," Warrick said, winking at Sara. "The boss doesn't want anyone hitting on his girlfriend."

"Guys," Sara warned, raising an eyebrow at her friends. "Don't. Just because you know doesn't mean you have to comment on it."

"You're right, we're sorry," Warrick apologized.

"We just have one question though," Nick said, leaning forward. Sara glared at him. "Just one, I promise!"

"Okay," she agreed.

"Are you happy, Sara? With him, I mean."

She smiled. Really, truly smiled. "Yes. Incredibly happy."

"Then we're happy for you."

An awkward silence filled the room then, with each CSI looking at each other, unsure of what to say.

Sara finally broke it. "So if you were to get married –"

Nick, Warrick and Catherine all groaned. "Not again!" Catherine exclaimed.

"I'm just clarifying!" Sara said. "If you were to get married and change your last name, you would then have to answer your phone with your new name, right?"

"Yes," Catherine answered.

"Okay. I was just wondering."

"Why?" Catherine raised a suspicious eyebrow at her. "What are you hiding, Sara?"

"Nothing," she answered, thinking quickly. "I was only asking for Ronnie's sake. She'll probably corner me later or something… ask me about it."

Catherine smiled in understanding. "Ah."

Sara's phone rang then, interrupting yet another awkward silence that had fallen over the group. "It's Brass," she announced, looking at the display.

"Don't forget to answer with your last name," Nick teased her.

"I won't," she promised.

"Remember to say Sidle," Warrick said, watching as she put the phone to her ear to answer. She smiled and nodded, speaking into the receiver.

"Grissom."

-End-