Title : Past, Present, Future.

Author : Ali

Rating : T

Genre : Drama

Paring : Nick and Sara, Catherine and Warrwick.

Her face was blooded and tear stained. As she cried, the salty tear burned the wounds that covered her cheeks. She was surprised she was still standing, because her fragile knees were so week they felt as if they would buckle and any moment. Her left hand was clasped around a small bag she carried. As the small child stepped toward the building that seemed massive to her, she wrapped her frail fingers around the handle and walked in.

It was a normal long night shift at the crime lab. CSI Sara Sidle was sat looking through and checking the file of the case that has just been solved - triple homicide, and the worst part was that it was three small children! She sighed heavily, leaning back in her chair and running her fingers through her wavy, brown curls. She took another sip of her lukewarm coffee, and scowled at the bitter taste of it. She crossed her arms on the table and rested her head in them, contemplating sleep. Her eyes got heavy, and darkness took over soon enough.

Painful screams pierced her ears as she walked down the stairs terrified. She thought this would be the same as it always was, but this time she sensed it was more serious. She creaked down the stair. reaching the bottom after a few more steps, and she headed to the living room to find the source of the screams. The young girl stood in front of the closed that was in front of her - the only thing separating her from the screams. Her shaking hands reached for the door handle, turned it and gradually pushed the door open. For a split second, she thought her heart stopped when she saw her mother standing over her father, with a glimmering object in her hand - a knife, and she was still oblivious to the fact she was standing there.

"No!" but this time it was her time to scream as she saw the metal blade join with her father's chest again, and she could almost feel the thud it made in his heart, "Dad, Dad……"

"….Sara, Sara!" and her eyes snapped open, a cold sweat lacing her hair line. Her body was shaking and she bolted upright in her chair. She looked up and saw Nick standing above her, his face expressing concern. She stared up at him, and realised she just bee dreaming - again, "Hey, you all right?" he asked, placing his hand on her shoulder and perching on the table next to her.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a bad dream I guess," she said, giving her best attempt to sound remotely reassuring, but she looked back up and Nick and saw he's wasn't convinced.

"You've been having them a lot recently, waking up in the middle of the night, and shouting in your sleep, do you think you should tell me what's up?"

"Its just bad dreams, everyone has them, please don't make this into more than it is," she said, her tone slightly sharp, as she stood up and walked over to the wall, facing it so she was turned away from him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he stood up to stand behind her, and she could hear the pang of sorrow in his tone. She turned around to face him, whilst he just searched her eyes to try and work out what she was feeling.

"No I'm sorry. All you are doing is looking out for me and I throw it back at you," she said, breaking the gaze to his eyes. He reached his hand up and ran the back of his fingers over her cheek, before cupping her face in his hands, so she had to look at him. She weakly smiled at him, before wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in his chest, and he just wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "I don't deserve you, I'm such a bitch!"

"No, I'm the one who doesn't deserve you, and you are not a bitch,"

"Stop being so nice!"

He just laughed lightly, "Have I told you I love you recently?"

"Hmm, no only this morning I think!"

"Yeah, well I do, so get used to it,"

"I can, easily," and she pulled back, so her back was leaning against the cold wall. They just stood there in a comfortable silence for a few moments, before they were interrupted by Warwick,

"Hey, I'm sorry to break this up but Sara, Grissom wants you, he's in reception,"

"What does want?"

"Something about some little kid found in reception. I don't know the full story!"

"Well why does he want me? I'm not good with kids, get Catherine,"

"Yeah we'll she's out, so he wants you,"

Sara rolled her eyes, and stepped away from Nick, "I'll see you later," she said to him, before walking out the door with Warwick to reception.

"Hey Sara," Grissom said as she arrived.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Well, you see that little girl in the corner?" he asked, motioning to a small girl sitting down on a chair in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest, "Well she gets scared when we go near, and we need you to try,"

"Why me? Let me guess, because I'm a woman?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes but I'm not being sexist, she seems to freak out when any man goes near,"

"But I-" she mumbled nervously.

"Please Sara, you'll be fine," Grissom told her, before they all walked away, leaving Sara unsure what to do. She walked over and took a seat opposite the girl,

"Hi, I'm Sara," and the trembling child looked up, fear in her eyes, "Can you tell me your name?"

She girl paused, obviously too scared to speak.

"Its ok, you can tell me, please?" Sara asked, almost pleadingly, whilst the little girl just stared at her,

"Katy,"

"That wasn't so hard was it?" Sara said smiling, and slightly surprised. Katy just shook her head, "How old are you?"

"Five," and she held out five of her tiny fingers.

"Wow, you're such a big girl! Look, do you want to come with me? I promise everything will be ok,"

Katy nodded, whilst Sara held out her hand and she took it in hers, and they started to walked towards the break room. On the way, Sara felt Katy's hand tighten around hers, and she stopped, fear evident on her face. Sara turned to face her, and crouched down until she was eye level with her, "I promise you'll be safe here!" Sara tried to sound reassuring. Katy stretched her arms out in front of her, signalling she wanted to be picked up. Sara smiled, and pulled the little girl onto her hip, where she clasped her arms around her neck, whilst burying her head in her top. Sara just walked with Katy in her arms to the break room, and sitting on one of the chairs when they got there. She could feel the little girls tears soaking through her t-shirt - not that she minded,

"Hey, its ok, you're safe now!" she whispered, trying to sound reassuring, "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" but all she felt was the girls tiny head shake against her, "Its ok, it can wait!"

They both sat there for about half an hour, until Sara heard her breathing patters chance, signalling she was sleeping. She smiled weakly, desperately wanting to know what was wrong with her. She sat with her asleep for about another half an hour. Then, she looked up and saw Nick walk in, and she signalled for him to keep his voice down.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, signalling to the small girl asleep in Sara's arms.

"I haven't been able to find out yet, all I know is her name is Katy and she's five. She's too scared to tell me anything else," she told him, as he took a seat opposite her.

"Are you ok?"

"Me? Yeah I'm fine, just worried about her,"

"Do you have any idea how cute you look with a kid?" he joked, and she gave him her best 'If-looks-could-kill-Sara look!'

"Yeah well, I'm surprised she even took to me, I mean, I'm not the best with kids!"

"Maybe you are, you just didn't realise. I remember you said that you weren't good with that little girl who's dad had abused her. Yet you were the only one she was comfortable with!"

"I guess," but she stopped talking when she felt Katy move in her arms and her eyes fluttered open. She looked around the room, and weakly smiled at Sara, but she screamed slightly when she saw Nick, and covered her face with her hands. He was taken back, and Sara just rocked Katy in her arms, trying to calm her, "Hey hey its ok, Nick won't hurt you, relax, everything is still ok!"

Katy looked up at Nick with fearful eyes, "Are you Nick Stokes?" she mumbled out.

"Yeah, why?" he asked curiously.

Katy picked her little back up from the floor, and pulled out a white envelope, passing it to him, "I was told to give you this!" and Nick took it off her, taking the letter out and reading it. He closed his eyes, sighing deeply, and then looked up at Sara, biting his lip.

"What is it?" she asked, but Nick just looked down, placing his head in his hands.

Please R+R! Love Ali :D xxx