Disclaimer: I don't own them, I didn't create them, and I don't profit from them, but I wouldn't mind having coffee with George Eads.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Catherine looked at Grissom quizzically as she walked into his office to find out why he hadn't handed assignments out yet. The expression on his face gave her concern. "Gil, what is it?"
His brow was knit deep with concern and he looked almost disoriented. "It's Nick." He held out a sheet of paper that he'd pulled from an envelope that lay on his desk.
Concern flickered across her face as Catherine took the paper and began to read. Two sentences into the document, she stopped and looked up. Shock was written all over her face. "What the hell?"
Trying to offer some sort of explanation, he gestured toward the paper Catherine held. "That was on my desk when I came in."
"Did he say anything to you to give you any idea this was coming?" Catherine couldn't believe that what she'd read was true.
Grissom shook his head; bewildered. "You're the people person. Did you notice anything?"
Catherine shook her head sadly. "No, I didn't."
Grissom steeled himself and stood up, letting out a deep sigh. "I guess I'd better tell the rest of the team and hand out assignments."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"You have got to be kidding." Warrick looked at Grissom in utter disbelief. He could not believe what he was hearing. He was sure that he would have picked up on something that would have prepared him for an announcement like this.
Grissom shook his head. "I wish I was, Warrick, but you can read it for yourself."
Warrick snatched the sheet of paper out of Grissom's hand and read it in disbelief.
Sara remained silent. Her expression was a mixture of hardness and sadness. The last few months for her had been very difficult. She'd leaned on Nick quite a bit and somehow she felt that this was at least partially her fault.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shift seemed to be extra long for all of them that night. They'd worked without Nick before, but the fact that he wasn't coming back hurt. All of them wanted some sort of explanation for his sudden departure, and yet it didn't seem that they were going to get it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Warrick walked into the locker room he found Sara sitting on the bench in front of her locker staring a letter that she'd apparently found in her locker. Tears were streaming down her face.
"Girl, are you ok?" Warrick's voice was thick with concern.
She glanced up, not bothering to wipe away her tears, and handed Warrick the letter. "I have to go." She grabbed her jacket and quickly brushed passed him and through the door without saying another word.
Only when Warrick started to read the letter did things start to become clear.
Dear Sara,
I am so sorry that I don't have the
courage to say this to you in person. I
think that if I did I wouldn't be able to leave, and right now that is
something that I have to do. You have
been one of my closest friends and I care about you more than you know. Never doubt that. But I have come to the realization recently
that friendship with you just isn't enough for me any more and I don't think I
can handle being around you feeling the way that I do.
I'm in love with you,
Sara. I think I have been for a long
time. I used to think that it was enough
to just be near you, but as I've watched you for the last three and a half
years and heard you talk about Grissom and how you wish he'd treat you, I just
can't handle it any more. I want you to
be with me, but I've come to the conclusion that it will never happen any more
than I think that you and Grissom will ever happen. I'm truly sorry if that sounds unkind, but I
think it's the truth.
The last few months we've
gotten closer than we've ever been before and it's become a bit of an exquisite
torture to be around you when I want to be with you so badly. I'm sorry if I've hurt you by not saying this
to you in person, blame it on my pride, but I don't want to cry in front of
you.
I love you, Sara, but as long
as you don't share those feelings, I just can't handle being around you any
more. I'm taking a chance here, and I
know that it's a remote one at best. But
if I'm completely mistaken and you actually do feel the same way about me I'm
leaving my house to drive to Dallas
around noon.
All my love,
Nick
Warrick's jaw just hung open as he read the letter. He wasn't sure what Sara thought about what she'd read, but he decided that he needed to at least say goodbye to his friend Nick.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A knock sounded at Nick's door. He let out a deep breath. He half expected that someone from the team would stop by to try and get him to change his mind about leaving, but he was determined. He could not handle working alongside Sara any longer. His feelings for her were way too strong and he'd found himself unable to concentrate on work. In short, those feelings were interfering with his ability to do his job so he'd contacted the crime lab in Dallas where he'd worked before he came to Vegas about a job.
As he opened the door his heart sank. "Hey, man."
Warrick looked at him in disbelief. "So you're leaving because you're in love with Sara?"
Nick closed his eyes for a moment and steeled his resolve before looking Warrick in the eye. "She's in love with Grissom."
"So you're just going to give up before you even find out how she feels about you." Warrick scoffed.
Sadness etched Nick's expression. "I can't do this any more, man."
"So you couldn't even tell the rest of us that you were leaving, even if you had to give us a lame ass story." Warrick was hurt.
"I'm sorry, man. But if I gave you a lame ass story, you'd know it wasn't true and you'd try and talk me out of it, just like you're trying to talk me out of this." Nick knew that he'd hurt his friends by not even saying goodbye.
"That's because what you're doing is stupid." Warrick wasn't going to pull any punches. "You didn't even give her the courtesy of telling her how you felt in person."
"I just wanted her to know why I left. I didn't expect the letter to change her mind about how she feels." Nick offered in explanation.
"So nothing I say is going to change your mind?" Warrick clarified.
"Sorry, I've made up my mind." Nick's expression was stoic.
Warrick let out a deep sigh. "Ok, then. Don't be a stranger." He extended his hand to say goodbye.
Nick grasped his hand and pulled him into a manly hug. "You've been a good friend, Rick."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick had his truck loaded and he was ready to go. He glanced at his watch. It was ten minutes to twelve. He let out a deep sigh. He had hoped that she'd come, but deep down he really didn't think she would. Sadness gripped his heart and he felt tears stinging his eyes. He decided to take one more walk through the house. He'd fly back in a week or so and pack the rest up, but for now, he had what he deemed necessary. A few minutes later he stepped outside and locked the door behind him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sara's voice had a catch in it.
It was evident to Nick as he turned to face her that she'd been crying. He felt tears slip down his own cheeks. "You're in love with Grissom." He felt like his heart was breaking as he spoke.
"You seem so sure about that." Sara sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye.
"I have to go, Sara." He didn't know what to say and he didn't want to prolong the inevitable.
"Fine." She wiped her eyes again. "I hope you've got room in your truck then because I'm coming with you."
Shock registered on Nick's face. "What?" It was then that he realized that there was a suitcase next to her on the walkway.
"If you're leaving, you're taking me with you." She reiterated, tears still slipping down her face.
Nick wasn't sure what to say as he wiped at his own eyes.
Sara sniffled again stepping towards him. "Do I have to spell it out for you, Nick?"
Nick's chin quivered as he tried to keep from crying as what she was implying began to sink in. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"You can't tell me that you're in love with me and then run away." She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, tears streaming down her face again as she felt his arms wrap around her. Her voice was thick with emotion. "Not when I'm in love with you too."
~*~ The End ~*~