Author: Xxpresso
Title: Living Paradise
Summary: Nick tries to tell Sara how much he means to her, but someone gets in the way.
Dedication: To RYa who wanted a N/S story and to Joe my sort-of beta reader
Songs: Don't ask me the Reason why (Restless Heart), Nothing's Gonna (George Benson) and It's True (Backstreet Boys)
A/N: Jenny and Matt's mine. J
Nick fidgeted as he waited beside the big double glass doors of the building. Many threw him odd glances and he managed not to turn beet-red when Warrick leaned over and said, "Waiting for Sara?"
After that remark, he had crouched down and began fiddling with his shoelaces, untying and retying them for ages. The cleaner had passed a couple of times and still saw the "silly man" tying his shoelaces. Didn't he know how to tie laces?
Nick managed to dodge Grissom and Catherine. They were too busy talking and didn't notice and Nick thanked the mighty Gods above that they didn't.
Finally spending half an hour at the doors, that his fingers had become sore, he decided to go look for Sara. He hit the 'up' button on the elevator panel and when it opened, quickly ran in and pressed the 'close' button. It seemed to take ages and when it finally opened, Nick could have traded his collection of CDs to stay in the elevator for just a few more minutes. Obviously he couldn't go up and down again with nowhere to go. He'll be immediately sent to the psych ward.
His heart thudded wildly and sweat started run down his back. In the air-conditioned building, he felt like he was standing in the Sahara dessert. He quickly checked the Conference Room. No Sara. The Crime Lab. Dear Greg, no Sara. Fingerprints lab. All dark, Sara wouldn't be sitting in the dark. He started to close the door when a sob caught his attention.
Oh dear. Nick wasn't a comfy type especially with people he didn't know. But if he left her inside, it seemed cruel. Would it be Sara? Naw. Why would she be crying? Oh please. Not when he's going to pour the squishy contents of his heart to her. But wouldn't it be less noticeable if she was crying and wouldn't pay much attention to what he will be saying?
He slammed open the door. The crying stopped immediately, hiccups escaping every five seconds.
"Er…Sara?" Nick asked.
"I'm not Sara." Hiccup.
Rats.
"Ah…you okay?" Nick asked.
Sob. Hic. "No."
Nick cleared his throat. "Anything I can help?"
The door behind him plunged forward, nearly hitting his back. Nick yelped and jumped.
"Sorry, are you alright?"
The hall light harshly highlighted the sobbing woman in the corner and also the beautiful face of Sara Sidle.
"Sara!" Nick half-yelled in relief.
"Gosh, you don't need to tell everyone that I am here," Sara replied entering the lab. Her hand held a cup of water and a box of Kleenex.
She hurried to the corner, supplying the woman who started crying again when Sara entered. She gave the cup of water to her and pulled out a few pieces of tissue.
Nick shifted his weight from his left foot to his right.
Sara started whispering to the woman.
Nick started fiddling with his fingers.
Sara turned. "This is Jenny. Jenny, this is Nick."
Sob. "Hi."
"Hi!" said Nick brightly. Too brightly.
Sara stared at him, as if asking why he was here.
Nick stared at his fingers, selected his index and pointed it out.
Sara slowly untangled herself and slipped out with Nick.
"What is it?" she asked.
How could he tell her when the minute he finished saying, she would rush into the lab to comfort Jenny? Jeez. She looks so pretty when she is flustered.
"Hello?" Sara prompted waving a hand in front of Nick.
"Oh. I…uh…you going to take a long time?" Nick asked.
"Jenny's husband wants a divorce. He just told her over the phone. The are suppose to sign the papers next week," explained Sara. "She's my sort-of best friend. We went to the same college."
"Uh, I'll just…another time," said Nick.
"What's wrong?" asked Sara crossly.
"Oh. I just…uh…wanted….thereisanewthemeparkontopofahillandIthoughtwecouldhavefunthere." Nick rattled the last part of. Good. He managed to spit it out. Now for the answer.
Sara brightened. "Great!"
"Really?" asked Nick, surprised. Maybe it wasn't that bad. They could go have fun, eat popcorn, have a picnic. Then we'll stay a night at the hotel and when she's about to fall asleep, I'll tell her that I love her. Excellent!
"I'll tell Jenny!"
Sara's words cut like a razor through his thoughts. He snagged her elbow before she could open the door.
"What has it got to do with Jenny?" he asked slowly.
Sara beamed. "You are so sweet! Now Jenny will forget about everything, we'll have a fun time!" She threw open the door and the sobs filled the hallway for a second before silencing as the door swung shut.
This can't be happening! Nick's mind screamed. This was not in the Plan!
*****
One hour later, a gloomy Nick drove the car while the girls joked and laughed at the back seat. They had taken a day off from Grissom and Jenny had suggested that they need not take any luggage; she wanted to spend her husband's money as revenge. A stupid kind of revenge from Nick's Point of View. But what could he say as Sara immediately agreed.
Jenny was starting to get on his nerves, but he knew he wasn't being fair with the poor girl. He was just sulking. But her jokes were horrid. Sara must be an angel in disguise to laugh every time. He had managed to croak out a few really false laughs but after discovering that no one was listening to him anyway, gratefully rested his aching stomach. Who said laughing was the best medicine? Well, they didn't expect the doctor to be Jenny, certainly. Or the phrase will be, Laughing is the best Poison.
After sulking for three hours, they arrived at the top of the hill. It was cold and all of them wrapped their jackets tightly around themselves. Nick locked the car and they trudged up to the hotel nearby, planning to check in before it was all full. Unfortunately, it was almost full and only a room was empty.
Nick unlocked the door and the still giggling girls piled in after him. There was a queen-sized bed. The girls got the bed, Nick got the floor.
"Let's go and try that roller coaster!" said Jenny.
"I want to try that shooting ranch," announced Sara.
"Roller coaster first!" said Jenny.
They dashed outside, leaving Nick alone. Perfect. Now he was their tour guide.
He locked the door and went after them.
*****
Screams pierced Nick's eardrums and just as he felt sick, the train turned upside down, managing to pull more screeches from Miss Jenny. Please, when is this ending?
"Isn't this exciting….eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
Nick rolled his eyes.
Sara giggled and looked at Nick. "Aren't you enjoying?"
She didn't wait for an answer and Nick didn't bother to give one. He almost blamed her for sticking Jenny along with their supposed to be romantic-day.
The train dipped again.
*****
"Let's go again!" said Jenny excitedly.
"I'm dizzy already," said Sara wobbling a bit.
"Come on! I'll pay!" said Jenny already pulling Sara away.
"You coming?" called Sara.
They disappeared into the crowd.
"No," said Nick to himself. "I'll be at that stall, shooting teddy bears!"
BAM BAM BAM
The man wasn't feeling that happy. Nick had managed to shoot down every target and successfully owning almost all the teddy bears in that stall. Nick wasn't feeling happy either so he certainly didn't have time to care about the feelings of that stall owner. He turned. The roller still hadn't stopped yet.
Grrr.
Nick set down the gun and grabbed the largest bear from the man. The owner seemed a bit relieved that Nick wasn't claiming all and he managed to smile before Nick departed.
Nick found an empty table with four chairs and set Teddy opposite him. A waiter came up, and Nick ordered two cokes. The waiter stared incredulously at the bear and then returned with two cokes.
Nick slid one over to Teddy.
"This is for you," he told the bear. He lifted the cup. "To our boring day."
He finished his and since Teddy wasn't drinking, he finished it for Teddy too.
"Nick!" Sara and Jenny sat in the two empty chairs.
"It was so fun, you should have come with us," said Jenny.
Sara ordered two ice lemon teas that turned to teddy.
"How cute!" she exclaimed.
"You can have him," said Nick.
"Thank you!" Sara smiled and then turned to Jenny.
"Wow! He's large! Thank you!" Jenny hugged Teddy.
"You don't mind, right?" asked Sara.
Nick smiled a crooked smile. "Of course not."
"Let's go throw hoops!" said Jenny.
They disappeared again.
The drinks came and Nick sighed. He started to slide one over to Teddy, then abruptly changed his mind.
"None for you," he told Teddy.
He finished both the drinks, then glared at Teddy. Jenny's teddy.
The chair beside him scraped as a man pulled it out and sat beside Nick.
"My name's Matt."
"Nick."
"Uh, I'm Jenny's husband," he announced. "I got it from your holiday notice that you were going here, so I…uh…"
"You want to speak to Jenny?" asked Nick.
"I want to tell her it was all a mistake. I didn't mean what I said. It was just on the spur of the moment," said Matt. "I'm really sorry I said all the hurting words."
Nick waved his hand carelessly. "They are trying out the roller coaster." With my girlfriend before she interrupted my plan.
"Are you close to Jenny?" asked Matt suddenly.
Nick snorted. God, no. "No. Why?"
"I need someone to talk to," said Matt. "All my problems."
"You don't even know me," said Nick.
"I don't care. I need someone to talk too," said Matt.
"Go on," said Nick, already sounding bored.
"Do you know she's a complete idiot?" started Matt.
Nick almost tumbled out of his chair in an effort to sit up straight. Now, this was what he was looking for.
"She's always going crazy over little things. Is a can of beer every night too much?" asked Matt. "Please, as if I love to have her aromatherapy oils stink up our bedroom?"
"Certainly not," replied Nick.
"Do you know she keeps my ties in plastic bags?" asked Matt.
"To keep away what? Cockroaches?" asked Nick.
By the time Matt covered all the complaints, Jenny was already a role model of the perfect brat.
"And I need you to help me get Jenny back," finished Matt.
And paint the gates of hell with paradise – Tennyson
Nick perked up. Good, now maybe he could carry out the last part of his Plan.
"Do you have a hotel room?" asked Nick.
"Of course," answered Matt.
"Which hotel?" asked Nick.
"There's only one hotel," informed Matt.
"But you arrived later than us and we took the last room," sputtered Nick. "Ha! You got the stables?"
"No," said Matt slowly. "A customer checked out?"
"Oh."
Nick leaned over to Matt.
"Why don't you…"
*****
"What brand do you use?" asked Sara to Jenny. She held up two brands of toothpaste.
"The most expensive one," answered Jenny. "Bill it to the credit card."
Nick could almost see Matt wince. Poor guy. He must have wished he had discontinued the card.
Sara shrugged and dropped it into the mart's basket.
Nick had his own basket and he selected a razor and went to the next row. Matt was bent over the wine section.
"Choose the cheapest one," advised Nick.
"That was just what I was thinking," said Matt. "Do you know how much she'll spent to take revenge? Over 5000 bucks," he answered for Nick.
Nick raised his eyebrows. "And this is…"
"The sixth time," said Matt.
"Nicky!" Jenny called.
Nick rolled his eyes heavenward. Sara giggled.
"Good Luck," whispered Nick.
He went back to the girls.
"Do you need…" Jenny and Sara both waggled a boxer and a brief.
Nick half-smiled then snatched the boxer from Sara.
*****
Nick led the way out of the mart and waited.
"What are we waiting for?" asked Sara.
Where the hell was Matt?
"Come on, I need a bath," whined Jenny.
Not so fast, you pipsqueak.
"Nick? Is everything alright?" asked Sara.
No! Where was Matt!
"Sara, let's go," said Jenny again.
"Matt!" Nick half screamed.
Matt stepped out of the taxi. Behind him, that Jenny finally fell silent.
"Jenny," began Matt.
Without a word, Jenny pushed past Matt and entered the taxi. Matt barely managed to get into the cab before it roared down the road.
"You knew," said Sara accusingly. "And you didn't tell me."
"How could I tell you?" defended Nick. "You were always with Jenny."
Sara pecked Nick on the cheek. "I'm sorry. I know you meant it to be for us. But I just couldn't leave Jenny alone."
"It's okay," said Nick.
Sara smiled. "Let's go back."
*****
"Sara," said Nick.
"What?" she asked in the dark.
"I…uh…do you…"
"What?" she asked again. She turned over and switched on the lamp.
Being in the same bed with her was starting to give Nick naughty thoughts.
"I'm so not good at this," said Nick.
Sara yawned.
"Okay, I confess," Nick said. "I wanted you to come with me so we'll have a fun but tired day. Then just as you were going to sleep, I'll reach over and tell you that I love you. Then maybe you'll reach over and kiss me and…"
Sara's mouth closed over his, silencing his confession.
If I had to live my life without you near me
The days will all be empty
The nights would seem so long
With you I see forever oh so clearly
I might have been in love beforeBut it never felt this strong
"Wow," said Nick after Sara finally released him. "That was so not in my plan."
Sara smiled. "It was. In mine."
Our dreams and yon and we both know
They'll take us where we want to go
Hold me now, touch me now I don't want to love without you
"Really?" asked Nick. "You really feel the same way like I do?"
"Which part do you not understand?" replied Sara as she leaned in for another kiss.
Nothing's gonna change my love for you
You want to know by now how much I love you
The world who changed my whole life through but
Nothing's gonna change my love for you
"Sara. I love you."
"I love you too."
"I love you more."
"Wonder how's Jenny doing."
"Sara!"
You don't have to change a thingI love you just the way you are
___________________________________________________________________________________________
"Jenny, please," Matt pleaded. "It was on the spur of the moment. I never meant to say those things to you."
"For over 7 years I have lived with you and this is the sixth argument we ever had. I'm really tired. True. I felt a heart-wrenching sadness when you said those words, but when I started to think deeply, I realized you didn't have the effect you had from the first time. Matt, I love you. But it's different. It isn't the butterflies in the stomach love anymore. Matt, I'm sorry. Maybe it's time to separate and really think about our love and what it means to both of us."
"Jenny!"
Alone, on your own
no way to see the end but here's where the road begins
In time I know you'll find
whatever you're searching for all of y
Matt stood in the middle of the room, still holding the champagne bottle he had never gotten to pop. He glanced down at the bottle, read the label but never got far enough as his tears brimmed over his eyelids. He popped the bottle.
Don't you know I believe in youI'll be there when your dreams come true
And wherever you go
You'll always know my love is by your side
_______________________________________________________________________________
The phone rang and Nick turned over and grumbled a hello.
"Nick. It's Matt."
"How is it?" Beside him, Sara stirred.
"I'm going down the hill."
"What--"
"Sara!" Jenny threw open the door and flung herself on the bed.
"Oh-kay. It didn't work." Nick said.
"Tell me about it," said Matt.
____________________________________________________________________________________
"And I told him I'll…"
Nick stuck his fingers into his ears as he turned on the tap with his foot. When was Jenny over with her sob story?
He held his head in the water as long as he could stand and he pulled on his clothes and marched out. "Okay, ladies. Let's get a Popsicle."
He herded them out to the tables and ordered each of them a popsicle.
Five minutes later, they threw the wrappers down on the table.
"I guess he's not coming again," said Jenny.
"But you said…"
"I was just saying! I didn't mean us to separate!"
Girls.
The crowds screamed in delight and parted to show Matt in a cowboy outfit, strumming a guitar.
"What ever happened.
I know that I was wrong.
Oh yes.
Can you believe me, maybe your faith is gone.
Oh yes it is
but I love you,
and I will always will,
so I wonder if you want me still.
Can you forgive me
and open your heart once again."
Nick leaned over to Sara. "Whatever it is, I must admit that boy has punk."
Jenny squealed and threw herself at Matt.
"Damn right," said Sara.
"I guess we won't need to take Jenny Fickle after all," said Nick.
Sara kissed Nick on the cheek. "No."
____________________________________________________________________________________
"How's you Trip?" asked Warrick.
"With who?" Nick replied.
"Both?"
"With Jenny and Sara, living Hell. With Sara..." Nick grinned.
"If you live to a hundred years, I want to live to a hundred minus one day. So I'll never have to live without you."