A/N: I've been working on this since the summer, so it really doesn't contain any spoilers beyond S4 finale. I didn't adjust it for Mea Culpa, Nesting Dolls, Unbearable, or any other episode. This doesn't account for Cath being a MONDO bitch and basically being a horrible person. And did anyone else catch the Grissom-asking-Sofia-on-a-date-action? I believe that's what we like to call a serious end to Grissom-Sara romance. Anyway. Um, no title yet. Basically a saga about Nick and Sara. (Hey, what else could you want?) I've started working on a sequel, but I'm only publishing that if this gets good reception. (And reviews!) I used to be Lowrider Angel but I got sick of that name, so now I've got this one! But I'm still the same person!
Oh yeah, and before I forget, this story is dedicated to Lindy, my review QUEEN who sends me the nicest reviews ever and forensicsfan who is my God and is the entire reason I'm even a Snicker.
-Emily
Chapter OneSara Sidle knocked on Nick Stokes' door. Ordinarily this would have just been another night of pizza and beer, but Sara had made a promise to herself and to Warrick to tell Nick how she felt. When there was no answer to her previous knock, Sara raised her fist to the door again.
Nick was just stepping out of the shower when he heard Sara knock. He quickly pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a gray tee he'd been told made his muscles look especially well-defined. He wanted to look his best for Sara. Tonight he wanted to tell her that he loved her and he'd loved her for a long time. Nick couldn't stand it any longer. They flirted shamelessly at work and finished each other's sentences. Nick felt more comfortable around Sara that he'd ever felt around a woman before. Nick shook his head, splattering little water droplets all over his carpet. He opened his door and let Sara in. "Hey." He grinned, brown eyes sparkling.
"I brought the beer." Sara lifted the six-pack into Nick's field of vision.
"Perfect." Nick led Sara into his living room, a cluttered space decorated with hues of blue. Nick and Sara flopped onto the couch, staring at the TV. Nick rolled his head to face Sara. "We should probably get the pizza, huh?"
Sara nodded lazily. "I'm so tired."
"Sara, we didn't even have to work last night."
"Still, I'm tired." Sara snuggled against Nick. Nick took in a deep breath. Sara always had that faint hint of lemons on her, even if she hadn't worked a decomp. "I'm not hungry either." She murmured.
Nick was worried. Sara wasn't eating enough, or getting enough sleep. "Sar, why don't you take a nap?" He suggested.
"I'm not tired." Sara's eyes were already drooping.
"Tell you what." Nick stood up. "I'll turn off the lights and you just close your eyes, kay?"
Sara knew that Nick was babying her, but she didn't care. She nodded and let Nick switch off the lamp and wrap his arms around her. Soon Sara was fast asleep.
The next morning Sara woke up with her face pressed against Nick's chest. Nick was already awake. "Hey." He said softly.
"Hey." Sara stretched. She glanced at the clock on the table near the couch. "I guess I needed that nap."
Nick chuckled. "Probably. You want some breakfast?"
"Sure." Sara stood. "I'll male pancakes." Nick and Sara padded into the kitchen. "Where's your flour?" She asked.
"Flour?" Nick wrinkled his nose.
"You use it to make pancakes…" Sara glanced at him.
"I use pancakes mix." Nick pulled a bag of mix from his cupboard. "Besides, I thought you couldn't cook!"
"Pancakes are the one thing I can cook." Sara grinned. "B and B staple."
"Well, all I've got is mix." Nick held out the bag.
Sara sighed. "Mix it is." She measured the powder and carefully stirred in the water. Sara scooped the batter into a sizzling hot pan. The pan hissed and Sara turned down the heat a little. She flipped the pancakes quickly and asked Nick to set the table.
"Sure." He stepped behind Sara and opened a cupboard above the stove. Sara could feel the warmth of Nick at her back. She sighed quietly and leaned against him just the tiniest bit. If she wasn't mistaken, Sara thought she heard Nick's breath catch. Nick moved away and started putting plates, forks, knives, napkins, and glasses out on the table. Sara dished up the pancakes, moving around Nick with the ease and grace of a married couple who knew each other like the backs of their hands, though they'd never shared so much as a kiss.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, munching on pancakes. Sara changed the channel on the TV. "No more Discovery Channel." She took control of the remote. Nick let her. He liked having Sara feel so comfortable in his home. They finished their breakfast while watching cartoons. As they put their dishes into the dishwasher, Nick chanced a few looks at Sara.
"Hey Sara." He finally said.
"Yeah?" She turned and flashed a smile at Nick.
"I have a confession to make." He couldn't believe this. He, Nick Stokes, ladies man, was getting shy.
"Me too." She put down the dish she was loading into the dishwasher. "You go first."
"No, you go first."
"No you."
"No – alright, this is silly. I'll go first." Nick moved next to Sara. "I've wanted to tell you this since the lab blew up." He licked his lips. "I love you. I've loved you since the day I met you, and I've known since the day the lab blew up and Grissom called you honey. I thought I'd lost you forever. So whether or not you say it back is irrelevant. I had to tell you."
"Nick." Sara's voice broke. She started to cry.
"Sara, don't cry." Nick brushed her tears away.
"Nick." She sobbed. "I love you too." Before she'd even finished her sentence, Nick's lips closed over hers. The kiss was desperate and needy, filled with four and a half years of unexpressed passion and love.
Nick's alarm clock went off, breaking the moment. He turned off the clock and glanced at Sara mournfully. "I have to go run some errands and do some other stuff. But I'll see you tonight at work, kay?"
Sara nodded. "I'll see you tonight." She pulled him to her and gave him a soft, lingering kiss. "Later." She grabbed her jacket and exited Nick's house.
-
Work that night was excruciating. Neither Nick nor Sara could concentrate. Sara was changing into her extra set of clothes after her shower. She reached into her locker and pulled out a hairbrush. Sara had brushed the same section of her hair at least fifty times before she noticed Warrick standing behind her, smirking.
"Girl, I think you've brushed half the hair off your head." He grinned. "You've got it bad. Have you told him yet?"
Sara nodded, a wide gap-toothed smile lighting up her entire face. "I told him last night."
Warrick put an arm around her. "What did he say?"
"He loves me too." A dreamy expression crossed her face.
"Well I knew that." Warrick ruffled Sara's hair. "Now get out of here."
Sara slammed her locker shut. "I'll see you later Warrick."
-
Sara turned off her Denali and stared at Nick's house. He wasn't home yet. She checked her makeup again then rested her head against the headrest.
"Hey." Nick rested his chin on the windowsill of Sara's car.
Sara grinned lazily. "Hey." She opened her eyes and stared into Nick's. "I missed you."
Nick leaned closer to Sara, his lips nearly touching hers. "I missed you too." He closed the distance between the two of them. Sara felt Nick run his tongue over her lips, requesting entry. Sara granted him access, tilting her head back. Slowly Nick pulled away. "You wanna come in?"
"That sounds good." Sara bit her lip to keep from grinning.
Sara followed Nick into his house. "So, how was your day?"
"It was good." Nick smiled coyly. "It's better now that you're here."
"That's good to know." Sara slowly advanced. "How is it now?"
"Better." Nick leaned against the counter.
Sara moved so that she was pressed flush against Nick. "How 'bout now?"
"Really good."
-
I originally wrote this part before realizing that it sounded exactly like a sex scene. (Yes, I'm a moron, thank you for asking.) Once I reread it and my mind started working again, I decided to leave it in. What the hell. :shrug: And sorry for the interruption.
That evening Sara was hanging out in the DNA lab with Greg, waiting for her results, when she got a page. Broom closet outside the DNA lab. Her pager said. Sara quickly excused herself, telling Greg to page her when her results were ready. Sara ducked out of the DNA lab and into the broom closet. "Nick." She whispered. "Not at work."
"We won't get caught." Nick planted light kisses on Sara's neck.
"Yeah, how do you know?" Sara wasn't protesting any more and Nick knew it.
"We'll lock the door." Nick pushed in the lock and backed Sara up against the wall.
-
"Hey Greg, do you have my results?" Sara strolled back into the lab.
"Nope." Greg shot his rolling chair across the room to the printer. "Now I do. Match to vic." He grinned. "The blood on Rick Mason is definitely a match to Susanna Whitmore."
"Thanks Greg. I'll get Nick to go over to Jaqui and see if our print matches too." She grinned.
"Sounds good." Greg tossed a look of knowledge at Sara. "Oh, by the way, the DNA broom closet isn't soundproof."
Sara's jaw dropped and she beat a hasty retreat.
-
"Hey Jaqui." Nick sauntered into the print lab. "Sara sent me to see if the print we found on the vic's necklace was a match to Mason's print."
Jaqui grinned. "Wha-pch!" She flicked her wrist, pantomiming a whip.
Nick smiled wryly. "Very funny Jaqui. The print?"
"So whipped." Jaqui shook her head. "However, we do have a match." She showed him the computer screen. "Print to suspect." Jaqui printed out a comparison sheet and handed it to Nick.
"Thanks Jaqui." Nick went to go find Sara.
"Hey Nick." Catherine Willows popped her head out of Grissom's office.
"Hey Cath. Where's Gris?" Nick furrowed his brow.
"Bugs." Catherine wrinkled her nose. "Hey, I have a favor to ask you. Can you watch Lindsay and a friend tonight?"
"Sure." Nick grinned. "I'll see if I can get Sara to help out."
"I would pay to see that. Lindsay will probably want to go swimming. We just got a new pool."
"Yeah, sure. What time do you need me there?"
"Seven-ish?" Catherine asked.
"Sure thing." Nick turned and waved.
-
Sara felt a pair of arms slide around her waist. "Hey Nicky."
"Hey yourself." Nick planted a light kiss on Sara's shoulder. "Cath asked me to babysit Lindsay tonight."
"Oh?" Sara continued piling clothes into her gym bag. "And what did you say?"
"I told her sure and I'd even try to get you to help out. Her exact words were 'I would pay to see that.'"
"Thank you. I feel so loved."
"You are."
Sara had finally finished putting away her clothes, so she turned to face Nick. "What are you going to give me if I agree to this?"
"The pleasure of my company?" Nick tried. "A kiss?"
Sara wrinkled her nose. "Baby, you have a really big ego if you think that I'd agree to babysit for just one kiss."
"How about several kisses?"
"Ego's still too big."
"Okay, what if I make you dinner, and do your paperwork for two days?"
"And you're there. If you cook me dinner and do my paperwork, I'll help you babysit for Lindsay."
"Deal. Meet you at Cath's house at seven."
-
Sara and Nick were waiting outside of Catherine's house, holding hands. As soon as they heard footsteps nearing the door, they untangled their hands. "Hey." Catherine said brightly. "Come on in. Lindsay and Jessica are in the backyard. You guys have my cell number if you need to reach me. See ya later." Cath waved and stepped out to her car.
"Shall we?" Nick offered Sara his arm.
She giggled. "You are such a goof. Come on." They went into the backyard to find Lindsay swimming with another girl.
"Hi Uncle Nicky!" Lindsay shrieked, hoisting herself out of the pool. "Hi Sara!" Lindsay took a long look at them "Why are you both here?" Then she remembered her manners. "Sorry. This is Jessica. She's my best friend." Lindsay pointed the other girl in the pool."
"Hi." Jessica waved timidly.
"Hey." Nick and Sara returned the wave.
"Are you guys going out?" Jessica asked plainly.
"Mommy says you should." Lindsay added helpfully.
"You make a good looking couple." Jessica threw in.
"Jess is right." Lindsay glanced between the two of them "Well?"
Sara tried to sidestep the impending question. "Well what?"
"Well, are you two going out?" Lindsay adopted an annoyed expression and put her hands on her hips.
Nick answered that question. "Yep. We go out all the time. We get pizza, we look at dead bodies…"
Lindsay gave a long-suffering sigh. "No, are you two dating?"
"Lindsay Willows, didn't your mother ever teach you not to pry?" Sara laughed, though she knew that Lindsay and Jessica would drag it from them eventually.
"I'm not prying." Lindsay retorted. "I'm asking."
"Hey, how about some Marco Polo?" Nick switched subjects.
The girls glanced at each other. "Alright." Lindsay jumped back into the pool. Nick pulled off his shirt and Sara subtly admired his physique while pulling off her own clothes to reveal a black and silver tankini beneath. Sara cautiously slid in while Nick took another approach.
"Cannonball!" He yelled, jumping off the edge of the pool.
"Aiyeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" The girls screamed.
Nick popped up, grinning. "Gotcha."
All three girls tackled him at once. "Just for that, you're it." Sara told him.
"You've got ten seconds to run." Nick growled menacingly. He closed his eyes and started counting.
Sara, Lindsay, and Jessica swam away. Sara saw Lindsay whisper something to Jessica, but didn't think anything of it.
"Marco!" Nick called.
"Polo!" Came the familiar cry. Nick concentrated on finding Sara's voice. He listened carefully and then called again.
"Marco!"
"Polo!" This time Nick heard Sara's voice. He moved towards her.
"Marco!" Nick shouted.
"Polo!" Nick turned around and slid an arm around Sara's waist.
"Gotcha." Nick's eyes snapped open. "I got you Sara."
"Yes you do." Sara whispered.
"Sara's it!" Lindsay shrieked, breaking the moment.
"Alright, ten seconds." Sara closed her eyes.
They played for another half hour before it started to get too dark. Lindsay and Jessica declared that their favorite TV show was on and they scurried into the den.
"Hey, now that we're alone…" Nick wiggled his eyebrows.
"What?" Sara teased.
"Now we can kiss." Nick lowered his lips to Sara's, letting the passionate kiss overtake them. Sara was seated on the counter when Nick started to push her shirt up.
"Nicky, no." She opened her eyes and found Jessica staring wide-eyed at the pair. "Jessica…" Sara started.
"Hey Lindsay!" Jessica yelled. "Nick and Sara sitting on your counter, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Nick groaned.
-
"Lindsay, you can't tell your mom." Nick stared solemnly at the eleven-year-old.
"Why not?" Lindsay's tone was quizzical. "Mommy won't be mad."
"Yes, but your mother will meddle. Only Uncle Warrick knows."
Lindsay's face brightened. "Will Uncle Warrick tell Mommy when he's my daddy?"
Sara's jaw dropped. "What did you say?"
Lindsay's face turned pink. "I wasn't supposed to say anything. She glanced fearfully at Nick and Sara. "You won't say anything, will you?"
"I won't if you won't." Sara thought quickly. "Deal?"
"Deal." Lindsay nodded vigorously.
-
"So, Cath and Warrick…" Sara rested her head on Nick's stomach. "Funny. I always thought she and Grissom had a thing."
"I know." Nick stroked Sara's hair. "Cath and Warrick, I'm glad. Warrick will be good for Lindsay."
"Warrick is going to be Lindsay's stepdad." Sara shifted her head on Nick's stomach.
"In a way, we're all kind of Lindsay's step family."
"Yeah. We are." Sara ran her hand over Nick's smooth stomach. "Do you want a family some day?" She cocked her head.
"Yeah." Nick intertwined his fingers with Sara's. "I've always wanted the whole coming home to a wife and kids thing."
"I never really wanted that domestic-y life before." Sara sighed.
"Before?"
"Well, it's hard to explain."
"Try."
"Before I was married to my work. It was my life. I was never totally comfortable outside of work. Now I have a life outside of work." She trailed a finger down Nick's chest. "Now I have a boyfriend, a reason to go out for drinks and something to come home to."
"Huh." Nick folded his hands over Sara's stomach. There was a silence. "So you see us having a family?"
Sara paused. "I can't say, really. I can see us, but I can't see me as being a mother."
"I think you would make a great mother."
"I guess." Sara was dubious. "Do you see us as a family? With kids and all that?"
"I don't see you as a stay-at-home mother who bakes cookies and drives the kids everywhere, but I can see us as a family with kids."
"But we but see us going somewhere?" Sara asked.
"Yeah." Nick confirmed. "I see us as a family." Another silence. "Sara?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you marry me?"
Sara sat bolt upright. "Now?"
"Sure. We both see us going somewhere, we love each other, and we know each other's quirks." Nick blushed. "I was going to ask you to move in tonight anyway."
"You really want to marry me?" Sara shook her head, as if the idea was just too foreign."
"Yes. I love you so much. You and I have something special."
Sara grinned. "I think so too. Let's do it." She wrapped her arm around Nick's waist. "Let's get married."
A/N: So, I hoped you liked the first bit. Review, review, review! I have it all written, so I need to know if you want me to upload more. It's not too late to make some changes though, so if you have any suggestions or criticisms, you've got to let me know!
-Em