Part 4 Nick got off the plane in Dallas and picked up both his luggage and his rental car. He was exhausted. The flight was short but he hasn't been sleeping. As he got into the car and headed home he was thinking about what he was going to do. If he wanted stuff to be done he would need some help. Transferring to a different department or shift was out of the question. No way was Grissom going to allow that. He couldn't just up and quit because he loved his job too much. It would seem childish to request not to work with Sara. Too many questions would arise, and feelings might be hurt. " Ugh why are women so damn difficult?" Nick finally said out loud. The rest of the drive past by in a blur, it felt like he had never left. As he pulled into the drive he noticed that the kitchen light was on. " Nicky you are here all safe and sound. I hate it when my children fly at night. Why can't you fly during the day?" " Yes ma'am I am home all safe and sound. As for flying during the day we have found that it is sometimes cheaper to take the very early or very late flights. Besides if I took a later flight I wouldn't get the chance to watch the sunrise with you." " You are such a charmer you know that." " Your just saying that because you are my mother and you know me too well." " So you want to tell me the real reason for this visit?" His mother asked while they headed inside. " It was awful. I love her mom, with all my heart and soul but..." " But what Nick? If you love her then you have to tell her. Maybe she feels the same." " Mom I'm afraid that if I tell her and she doesn't feel the same I won't be able to work with her. Also I really don't want to take that chance and have her freak out and do something rash. If she doesn't feel the same as I do then what will I do? I won't be able to stand working side by side with her knowing that she feels different, I won't be able to stand her dating other guys." Nick told her. " Let's get you settled and then you can tell me about her while you eat breakfast." "Where's dad this morning?" Nick asked as they were headed up the stairs. " He is out in the barn. One of the cows is on labor and having a hard time. You know how your father is; he can't seem to stand watching animals in pain. Also he can't sit still for nothing. So while he is keeping an eye for the baby he is probably doing something else." At that moment the phone rang. " I need to get that. Go on ahead to your room and get unpacked and be in the kitchen for breakfast in twenty minutes." She told him as she headed for the phone. Nick continued to his room to find it just as he left it. He laid the luggage on the bed and started to put things away. He remembered growing up in this room. Sneaking playboys and penthouse in, he never did have a girl up here because he didn't want to disrespect his parents that way. They also made him nervous when they were alone because of the incident with the last minute babysitter. After h e was finished he went into the bathroom and washed his hands. His mother never gave you a morsel of food unless you washed your hands before sitting down to the meal. " Did you wash your hands young man?" His mother asked as he entered the kitchen. She knew her children so well that she didn't even miss a beat and turn around to see him enter. " Yes ma'am I did indeed wash my hands. Do you want to check?" Nick asked. " No, you little wisenheimer." " Now sit and tell me all about this girl that you love." " She is beautiful, she has brown hair and eyes, just a few inches shorter that I am. She loves what she does and sometimes gets emotionally attached to the victims. But only the ones that involve children." He went on to tell her how they met and some of the details of the last case they worked on together.