A/N: So I just realized I had this posted over at WWMDB and never put it here! Forgive me! I hope you enjoy! This was written after Dead Doll and is pre season 9. Please enjoy!
Also the lyrics are from Hold onto the Nights by Richard Marx.
Just when I believed
I couldn't ever want for more
This ever changing world
Pushes me through another door
Nick could feel his heart beat faster as he spotted the figure in the desert, the figure that could very well be Sara.
"Pull off the rode Sofia, over there…" his sentence trailed off, knowing he was right, he could feel it. He only hoped she was still alive.
Nick watched Grissom get into the helicopter with Sara, she was in good hands now, he knew that because Grissom was with her.
"Do you think she'll be ok?" Sofia asked.
"I know she will." Nick said as he watched the copter fly away. "I know she will."
He was the second person to see her, Grissom was at the desk filling out the right paper work and he was surprised to find her awake.
"I hear you're the one to thank."
"It wasn't your day to die." He said echoing her own words.
"No I guess it wasn't." she answered with a soft smile. "Where are the others?"
"On their way, Greg can't wait to see you."
"Of course, he's ok then?"
"You're the one in the hospital and you're worried about Greg? You sure got your priorities straight Sara."
"I know it hit him hard…"
"Besides your secret romance with Griss is there anything else you're not telling me? Are you having an affair with Greg now?"
"Really Nick." She laughed. "I couldn't do that to Grissom ever, Greg and I we have this bond ever since the beating we've been closer."
"He knew didn't he?"
"Yeah he did." She touched Nick's hand. "There are some things he told me too and I promised him I wouldn't tell and I'm not. I'm just telling you not to waste anymore time Nick, it's time to stop being afraid."
"Sara what are you talking about?" But before Sara could answer Greg appeared at the door.
"Sara…"
"Hi Greg." Nick moved aside to watch the two of them and Sara was right they did have a special bond. She was whispering something in his ear and Nick felt like an intruder on something private. He decided to leave, pondering about what Sara had meant.
Greg pulled back from Sara and she wiped away a tear from his cheek.
"I was so scared, I thought…"
"I know." She whispered. "But I'm ok now."
"You are." He smiled.
"Greg?"
"Yeah?"
"I think you should tell him."
"What? No Sara I can't."
"You of all people should know not to take things for granted, he might surprise you."
"I don't think so."
"Greg." She said as she placed her hand on his cheek. "I want you to be happy too like me." She looked up to see Grissom smiling at her. "Don't waste anymore time."
"It's not that easy Sara, Nick he's not like that."
"Grasp the moment Greg; don't let it slip away who knows when you might not get the chance." Greg looked at her and couldn't deny that she was right, but could he do it?
Nick couldn't get what Sara said out of his head, what did she mean? What was he afraid of? How exactly was he wasting time? True they had both been through life and death situations and maybe Sara was talking about herself and Grissom but what did that mean for him? His thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone.
"You're thinking about it aren't you?"
"Sara? Shouldn't you be resting?"
"I can talk on the phone Nicky."
"I don't understand what you are trying to tell me."
"Do you remember when we were on the way to the hospital when Greg was attacked? What we talked about?" Nick paled of course he remembered.
~Flashback~
Sara was glad Warrick had decided to ride with Catherine and Grissom, she had some things she needed to talk about with Nick and she was sure if the others had been in the car he would have clammed up. Right now he was gripping the steering wheel so tight his hands had turned white.
"Are you ok Nick?"
"I'm fine."
"He's going to be ok you know."
"I know." He sighed loosening his grip a little. "It's just…." He trailed off turning his head away from her. "There are things…things I've thought about when I was down there, things about my life, things about Greg…"
"What about Greg?"
"How important he is to me how…" he broke off his voice cracking. "And now…I came so close to losing him and he doesn't even know."
"Nick you need to tell him."
"I can't." he shook his head violently. "I can't pile that on him now not after all this."
"But you just said…"
"I know what I just said Sara, but he's got enough to deal with and he doesn't need my love confession on top of that."
"Nick you can't keep doing this to yourself."
"Let's just put it to rest Sara please…"
"Nick…"
"Please Sara." He begged. "Please."
"Ok." She whispered. "If that's what you want."
"Thank you."
~End~
"Nick?"
"Of course I remember, I think about it all the time."
"Then why haven't you done anything?"
"I just…it's not that simple Sara."
"Yes it is Nick, don't waste anymore time, it's time to think about yourself and your happiness. What makes you happy?"
"Greg, Greg makes me happy." And he was surprised there was no hesitation because Greg did make him happy even if there was only friendship between them.
"Then listen to me Nick, hear my words tell him before its too late."
"I'm scared Sara."
"I know." She whispered. "But its scarier being alone when you know there's someone out there waiting for you."
"You're right Sara, no more wasted time."
"Good luck Nick."
"Thank you Sara, thank you so much." He hung up the phone having garnered a new determination, Sara was right life was short and he was done wasting it.
Greg was all but puttering around his apartment trying to get his mind off of everything that had happened. He knew Sara was ok, Grissom was taking good care of her, but it still plagued him that Sara was almost lost. And believe it or not Sara had become quite important in his life. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he almost didn't hear the bell ring. He scratched his head as wondered over to answer the door.
"Nick? What are you doing here?"
"Forgive me if I'm way off base."
"What?"
"Just let me get this out and then you can say whatever or punch me."
"I'd never want to punch you Nicky."
"You might after this." And without warning Nick claimed Greg's lips as his own. Nick figured he did something right when Greg responded pushing Nick into the closest wall. Nothing had ever felt more right to him than kissing Greg. It felt like the missing piece of him was finally found and put back in its place. They pulled back slightly and Greg smiled as Nick touched his cheek softly.
"Defiantly not going to punch you." Greg mumbled a satisfied smile on his lips.
"Why now?"
"I had a little encouragement." Nick said with a small smile.
"God bless Sara Sidle." Greg said as he leaned into Nick's embrace.
"I'm sorry it took so long."
"Me too."
"No more wasting time."
"Yes indeed."
~Two weeks later~
"I have a present for you." Was the first thing Sara said as she entered Greg's apartment.
"Hello to you too Sara."
"Here open it." She shoved a small package into his hands. "You'll like it I swear."
"Ok if you say so." Greg said as he opened the box. His breath caught in his throat as he looked up at Sara. "How? When?"
"At the go kart track when you two thought you were being sneaky by your car before you went inside. You just weren't sneaky enough for me." In his hands was a 5x7 photo of himself and Nick standing next to Nick's Denali their foreheads resting against each other. Sara had caught them just as they pulled away from as kiss.
"I don't know what to say Sara."
"Just tell me you love me."
"I love you Sara." Greg said as he hugged her tightly. "Thank you."
"Like I said Greggo, you and Nick deserve to be happy too."
Later that night Nick found the picture sitting on Greg's mantle and he smiled.
"From Sara." Greg said as he came up behind Nick wrapping his arms around his waist.
"Do I get one?"
"Yep it's on the table."
"Mmm, gotta thank her."
"Sara knows best."
"That Sara does." Nick said as he turned to kiss Greg softly. "That she does."
Hold onto the nights
Hold onto the memories
I wish that I could give you
Something more
That I could be yours