"Come on, Sara. Just tell me what's going on and I won't ask you about it anymore!" Nick Stokes implored for the fifth time that day. They were driving back to the lab after processing a crime scene out in the rural town of Henderson. Nick was driving and Sara Sidle was reclining in the passenger seat. They always enjoyed working together, but Nick noticed that something wasn't right with her.

His friend and co-worker was definatly out of sorts today, and he took it upon himself to find out why. He cared about Sara and they both knew that he was the only one who would be able to get past her surly demeanor and learn what was troubling her so much.

"Nick, I honestly cannot tell you what's wrong." She told him sternly. "I can't tell anyone."

"Why not?" he retorted, his Texan accent becoming thicker as he became more frustrated.

"Leave it alone!" Sara shouted intolerantly.

"No, Sara. I want to help you." Nick replied. He was obviously concerned about her.

Sara sighed.

"Ok, fine but you can't tell ANYONE, especially not Grissom." Sara knew that her supervisor would definatly not approve.

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"Ok, you know the case we finished last week?"

"Yeah, what about it?" his dark brown eyes questioned her as she spoke.

"Well, I never told anyone, but the victim, Shelley Richardson, happened to be my roommate from college back in San Francisco. I didn't say anything because I knew that Grissom would take me off the case and I wanted to give her something that no one else could."

"What's that?"

"Justice." Sara replied emphatically. She was trying her best not to cry, but it was becoming harder as thoughts of Shelley flooded her memory. All the good times they'd had back in college seemed fresh in her mind. Shelley had been like the sister she never had and it was hard to let her go.

"You could've just told me that, Sara." Nick put a hand on her shoulder, hoping to offer the least bit of comfort to his friend.

Sara nodded and they arrived back at the crime lab.

She and Nick decided to act as if nothing happened and Nick parked his SUV and quickly got out. Nick wanted to be so much more to Sara, but he knew it was a process. She wasn't one to jump into relationships and he knew that. He was willing to wait however long it took for her to let him into her heart. He had been in love with her for as long as he could remember and nothing she could do would change his feelings for her.

But Sara wanted to thank him for being there.

"Hey Nick?" she called after him.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." A smile tugged at the corners of Sara's mouth and Nick returned her sentiment with a friendly grin. She was so thankful to have him around.

Whenever they were together, she felt secure, he seemed to soothe her soul and all the walls she had put up to everyone else crashed down.

Nick Stokes gave her the one thing she never wanted to admit she needed: love.