DISCLAIMERS: I don't own ANY of the CSI characters.
~*~
"Sara?"
"Go away, Nick." Sara said, hiding her tears.
"Are you crying?" Nick asked, taking a step closer to her.
"What does it look like I've been doing?" Sara snapped, showing her tear-stained eyes.
Nick took a seat next to her on the locker room bench and put his arms around her.
"What happened?" he asked softly.
Sara took advantage of the close embrace and buried her face into her shirt.
"He said no,"
"Who said no?" Nick asked.
"Grissom." Sara said bluntly.
"No to what?"
"Are you blind Nick?" Sara said loudly.
Nick, finallly realizing what had happened, said "Oh. I'm sorry Sara,"
"You know, I thought he felt the same." Sara said.
"Do you love him?"
Sara, whose head was still buried in Nick's shirt, shook her head.
"I just, I don't know. I feel like we connect. We can talk to each other about anything. We're the same, you know? One of a kind. Maybe I was wrong,"
"Come on, I'll take you out to dinner," Nick said, standing up and tugging her hand.
"Nicky, I'm so embarrassed. I mean, I should've known it wouldn't mean anything...he's my boss. He's at least 10 years old than me! I should've know..."
"Come on Sara. You deserve a break. Let's go to Jenkins, you like that place right?"
Sara nodded her head numbly, reluctantly took Nick's hand, and followed him outside.
~*~
"Hey, don't look so sad. The point of this dinner was to cheer you up," Nick said, gently lifting her head up with his fingers.
"Thanks, Nick." Sara said, meeting his eyes.
"So, how long have you liked Grissom?" NIck asked, taking a sip of his water.
"Uhh, a while now, I guess. I don't know. He was always hard to read." Sara said.
"That's Grissom for you. You know, I'd never think of you as the type to cry over somebody,"
"I'm not. I just feel so humiliated and embarrassed," Sara said.
"Don't be. You made a move, which is something Grissom could've never done,"
"Thanks again Nick. What's been going on in your life? Hows...Lauren?"
"Over and done with." Nick said, with a smile.
"As usual. So, whose the girl this week?" Sara asked, crinkling her nose.
"Her name is Becky, and she's not my girl this week. I like her a lot."
"A lot, like marriage?" Sara prompted.
"No. A lot like I could date her for a month or two," Nick said, curling the ends of his mouth.
"You womanizers are all alike," Sara teased.
"We gotta be. We have to stick together," Nick said. Sara laughed.
"It's good to hear you laugh, it's nice." Nick commented.
"Thank you. It's nice to see you smile,"
"I always smile. I'm always smiling..." Nick said defensively.
"You smile because your'e around the female species. Why not smile because your happy?" Sara asked.
"I smile because I'm happy," Nick said.
"Ok, you know yourself better than I do." Sara said, before smiling at Nick and taking a sip of her water.
~*~
"Thanks for dinner, Nick. It really did make me feel a lot better," Sara said, outside her apartment door.
"Your welcome. It was my pleasure," Nick said, taking a step closer.
"Hey, what color are your eyes?" Nick asked suddenly.
"What? Why?" Sara asked, laughing.
"They look, greyish from this angle," Nick said, peering to study her eyes closer. Suddenly, their mouths were only inches apart. Nick could hear her heartbeat, feel her breath on his.
"Nick?" Sara whispered, locking eyes with his.
"I better get going. Good night Sara," he said, before waving off into the night.
~*~
"Morning," Catherine said, joining the rest of the group in the conference room.
"Morning," everyone answered.
"Hey Nick, Sara. Lindsey said she saw you guys having dinner last night," Catherine asked.
Grissom's eyebrows popped up.
"Yea, we had dinner," Nick said, not looking up from his notes.
"Oh really? Was it nice?" Warrick teased.
"I don't think that's any of your business," Sara said, not daring to look at Grissom.
"Ok, everyone. Catherine, Nick, you guys check out Ella Michael's place. Warrick, check out his latest phone records, credit card bills, you know. Sara, you're with me."
~*~
Grissom and Sara walked into silence on the way to the Tahoe.
"Are you and Nick dating?" Grissom asked quietly, as he started the engine.
"Like I told Warrick, I really think that's our business," Sara said stiffly, staring out the window.
"Well, if you are, I'm happy for you Sara. I truly am,"
"Thank you, I think," Sara said a bit confused.
"You never seem happy, Sara. If Nick makes you happy, then, don't...let go of him," Grissom said, as he pulled the truck to a stopping point.
~*~
"Hey," Nick said, joining Sara in the locker room.
"Hey yourself,"
"Listen, we need to uhh....talk," Nick lowered his voice. Sara nodded in agreement.
"Dinner?"
"Sure, but let's go to Texan Grill."
"My favorite place. How'd you know?" Nick said, his eyes sparkling.
"I hear things..." Sara says winking.
~*~
"Ok, so. I don't know about you," Nick said leaning over so Sara could really hear him, "but I've been getting questions about...us, all day,"
"That makes two,"
"Oh, ok. Good, I mean. So, are we....or aren't we?"
"I don't know. Are we sleeping together?"
"No," Nick said immediately.
"Then, I guess we aren't dating," Sara concluded.
"Oh, ok." Nick said dumbfounded. And disappointed.
"Right."
"But, not all couples sleep together," Nick pointed out.
"Most do," Sara said, taking a sip of her water.
"But some, don't,"
"Do you want a relationship or not?" Sara asked sharply. Since they were so close to each other, it didn't take much for Nick to lean just a bit further across the table and kiss Sara's lips. Sara didn't pull back, and enjoyed it for a minute or so.
"Excuse me," the waiter approached the table. "Are you ready?"
Both Nick and Sara pulled back, red marks of embarrassment on their faces.
"Umm, could you give us a bit more time?" Sara asked.
"Of course," he said, before leaving the two at peace.
"So...where were we?" Nick asked.
~*~
Sara giggled at Nick's joke.
Nick stepped behind Sara and wrapped his arms around her. 'Is this a bit fast?' Sara found herself wondering. But that thought lasted a second when Sara sunk into his warm arms and snuggled against him.
"Hey, are you ticklish?" Nick suddenly asked.
"What? No..." but Sara couldn't finish her sentence because Nick had started to tickle her and soon she was gasping for breath.
"Nick...Nicky!" she said, finally have enough energy and strength to turn to him and make him stop.
"Sorry, you just seemed like you were having fun," he said smiling.
"I was, but when I can't breathe, that's when it's just a bit too much," Sara said smiling back.
Nick's eyes wandered and smile. "How about a walk?" he suggested, offering her his hand.
"Sure," she said, her hand taking his.
The two walked in silence and enjoyed the fresh breeze and each other's company.
"This is nice," Sara commented, as she and Nick passed by a couple of stores.
"It's romantic," Nick said.
"It is. Except for all these other people walking in the streets with us," Sara laughed.
"I can be very romantic," Nick said into her ear, putting his arms around her waist.
"I can tell," Sara teased.
~*~
SARA'S POV:
Hmm, last night had been so romantic. Nick certainly has a way with women. Which reminds me of Kristy, Lauren, Jessica, and all the other women he's dated.
It's funny he would fall for me. Fall for me. It doesn't sound right. Nick Stokes, the womanizer, handsome man from the state of Texas. Falling for me, the average looking, work-a-holic, geek of science. The equation doesn't fit.
I certainly don't want to turn into one of his rejects. And I'm certainly not one of those glamorous models or pretty faces...and he's ended his relationships with them.
Your stupid, Sara. So totally stupid. To even think that you could have a future with Nick. Well, if there's anything your mother taught you, it's to break the man's heart before he breaks yours.
~*~
NICKS POV:
Its funny. I would've never imagined myself and Sara, dating. But then again, I've wanted it ever since I met her. She's so beautiful, and compassionate, and brillant. Not to mention smart. Not like Gretchen, who was as stupid as a glass of water.
Not to mention she is beautiful. Not only on the outside, but in her own special way.
I really think I could fall in love with her. If I haven't already...
~*~
~*~
"Sara?"
"Go away, Nick." Sara said, hiding her tears.
"Are you crying?" Nick asked, taking a step closer to her.
"What does it look like I've been doing?" Sara snapped, showing her tear-stained eyes.
Nick took a seat next to her on the locker room bench and put his arms around her.
"What happened?" he asked softly.
Sara took advantage of the close embrace and buried her face into her shirt.
"He said no,"
"Who said no?" Nick asked.
"Grissom." Sara said bluntly.
"No to what?"
"Are you blind Nick?" Sara said loudly.
Nick, finallly realizing what had happened, said "Oh. I'm sorry Sara,"
"You know, I thought he felt the same." Sara said.
"Do you love him?"
Sara, whose head was still buried in Nick's shirt, shook her head.
"I just, I don't know. I feel like we connect. We can talk to each other about anything. We're the same, you know? One of a kind. Maybe I was wrong,"
"Come on, I'll take you out to dinner," Nick said, standing up and tugging her hand.
"Nicky, I'm so embarrassed. I mean, I should've known it wouldn't mean anything...he's my boss. He's at least 10 years old than me! I should've know..."
"Come on Sara. You deserve a break. Let's go to Jenkins, you like that place right?"
Sara nodded her head numbly, reluctantly took Nick's hand, and followed him outside.
~*~
"Hey, don't look so sad. The point of this dinner was to cheer you up," Nick said, gently lifting her head up with his fingers.
"Thanks, Nick." Sara said, meeting his eyes.
"So, how long have you liked Grissom?" NIck asked, taking a sip of his water.
"Uhh, a while now, I guess. I don't know. He was always hard to read." Sara said.
"That's Grissom for you. You know, I'd never think of you as the type to cry over somebody,"
"I'm not. I just feel so humiliated and embarrassed," Sara said.
"Don't be. You made a move, which is something Grissom could've never done,"
"Thanks again Nick. What's been going on in your life? Hows...Lauren?"
"Over and done with." Nick said, with a smile.
"As usual. So, whose the girl this week?" Sara asked, crinkling her nose.
"Her name is Becky, and she's not my girl this week. I like her a lot."
"A lot, like marriage?" Sara prompted.
"No. A lot like I could date her for a month or two," Nick said, curling the ends of his mouth.
"You womanizers are all alike," Sara teased.
"We gotta be. We have to stick together," Nick said. Sara laughed.
"It's good to hear you laugh, it's nice." Nick commented.
"Thank you. It's nice to see you smile,"
"I always smile. I'm always smiling..." Nick said defensively.
"You smile because your'e around the female species. Why not smile because your happy?" Sara asked.
"I smile because I'm happy," Nick said.
"Ok, you know yourself better than I do." Sara said, before smiling at Nick and taking a sip of her water.
~*~
"Thanks for dinner, Nick. It really did make me feel a lot better," Sara said, outside her apartment door.
"Your welcome. It was my pleasure," Nick said, taking a step closer.
"Hey, what color are your eyes?" Nick asked suddenly.
"What? Why?" Sara asked, laughing.
"They look, greyish from this angle," Nick said, peering to study her eyes closer. Suddenly, their mouths were only inches apart. Nick could hear her heartbeat, feel her breath on his.
"Nick?" Sara whispered, locking eyes with his.
"I better get going. Good night Sara," he said, before waving off into the night.
~*~
"Morning," Catherine said, joining the rest of the group in the conference room.
"Morning," everyone answered.
"Hey Nick, Sara. Lindsey said she saw you guys having dinner last night," Catherine asked.
Grissom's eyebrows popped up.
"Yea, we had dinner," Nick said, not looking up from his notes.
"Oh really? Was it nice?" Warrick teased.
"I don't think that's any of your business," Sara said, not daring to look at Grissom.
"Ok, everyone. Catherine, Nick, you guys check out Ella Michael's place. Warrick, check out his latest phone records, credit card bills, you know. Sara, you're with me."
~*~
Grissom and Sara walked into silence on the way to the Tahoe.
"Are you and Nick dating?" Grissom asked quietly, as he started the engine.
"Like I told Warrick, I really think that's our business," Sara said stiffly, staring out the window.
"Well, if you are, I'm happy for you Sara. I truly am,"
"Thank you, I think," Sara said a bit confused.
"You never seem happy, Sara. If Nick makes you happy, then, don't...let go of him," Grissom said, as he pulled the truck to a stopping point.
~*~
"Hey," Nick said, joining Sara in the locker room.
"Hey yourself,"
"Listen, we need to uhh....talk," Nick lowered his voice. Sara nodded in agreement.
"Dinner?"
"Sure, but let's go to Texan Grill."
"My favorite place. How'd you know?" Nick said, his eyes sparkling.
"I hear things..." Sara says winking.
~*~
"Ok, so. I don't know about you," Nick said leaning over so Sara could really hear him, "but I've been getting questions about...us, all day,"
"That makes two,"
"Oh, ok. Good, I mean. So, are we....or aren't we?"
"I don't know. Are we sleeping together?"
"No," Nick said immediately.
"Then, I guess we aren't dating," Sara concluded.
"Oh, ok." Nick said dumbfounded. And disappointed.
"Right."
"But, not all couples sleep together," Nick pointed out.
"Most do," Sara said, taking a sip of her water.
"But some, don't,"
"Do you want a relationship or not?" Sara asked sharply. Since they were so close to each other, it didn't take much for Nick to lean just a bit further across the table and kiss Sara's lips. Sara didn't pull back, and enjoyed it for a minute or so.
"Excuse me," the waiter approached the table. "Are you ready?"
Both Nick and Sara pulled back, red marks of embarrassment on their faces.
"Umm, could you give us a bit more time?" Sara asked.
"Of course," he said, before leaving the two at peace.
"So...where were we?" Nick asked.
~*~
Sara giggled at Nick's joke.
Nick stepped behind Sara and wrapped his arms around her. 'Is this a bit fast?' Sara found herself wondering. But that thought lasted a second when Sara sunk into his warm arms and snuggled against him.
"Hey, are you ticklish?" Nick suddenly asked.
"What? No..." but Sara couldn't finish her sentence because Nick had started to tickle her and soon she was gasping for breath.
"Nick...Nicky!" she said, finally have enough energy and strength to turn to him and make him stop.
"Sorry, you just seemed like you were having fun," he said smiling.
"I was, but when I can't breathe, that's when it's just a bit too much," Sara said smiling back.
Nick's eyes wandered and smile. "How about a walk?" he suggested, offering her his hand.
"Sure," she said, her hand taking his.
The two walked in silence and enjoyed the fresh breeze and each other's company.
"This is nice," Sara commented, as she and Nick passed by a couple of stores.
"It's romantic," Nick said.
"It is. Except for all these other people walking in the streets with us," Sara laughed.
"I can be very romantic," Nick said into her ear, putting his arms around her waist.
"I can tell," Sara teased.
~*~
SARA'S POV:
Hmm, last night had been so romantic. Nick certainly has a way with women. Which reminds me of Kristy, Lauren, Jessica, and all the other women he's dated.
It's funny he would fall for me. Fall for me. It doesn't sound right. Nick Stokes, the womanizer, handsome man from the state of Texas. Falling for me, the average looking, work-a-holic, geek of science. The equation doesn't fit.
I certainly don't want to turn into one of his rejects. And I'm certainly not one of those glamorous models or pretty faces...and he's ended his relationships with them.
Your stupid, Sara. So totally stupid. To even think that you could have a future with Nick. Well, if there's anything your mother taught you, it's to break the man's heart before he breaks yours.
~*~
NICKS POV:
Its funny. I would've never imagined myself and Sara, dating. But then again, I've wanted it ever since I met her. She's so beautiful, and compassionate, and brillant. Not to mention smart. Not like Gretchen, who was as stupid as a glass of water.
Not to mention she is beautiful. Not only on the outside, but in her own special way.
I really think I could fall in love with her. If I haven't already...
~*~