The pair returned to the Tahoe and continued driving toward Tucson. Sara let out a deep sigh as she watched the desert scenery go by.

Nick glanced over at her as he drove, "Hey, Sara, if I overstepped my bounds earlier, I really am sorry."

Sara looked at him, "Nick, stop it. I said it was ok. I meant it."

Nick glanced at her, "Ok, I just wanted to make sure."

Sara rested her head against the window and held her arms around herself. Her thoughts drifted to what Nick had said earlier. He was right, but she didn't want to admit it. She wanted to be loved, but it scared the hell out of her that she would have to open herself up to someone for that to happen and risk rejection. Damn Hank. Damn Grissom. Sara glanced at her watch. Five hours to go until they arrived in Tucson, then another eight hours to drive back. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. She couldn't sit in the Tahoe with Nick for another thirteen hours and not talk. She let out another deep sigh and turned toward Nick, "Hey, Nick?"

He glance at her, looking a bit tired, "Yeah?"

"We don't have to drop it?" She replied.

Nick gave her a quizzical expression, "Drop what?"

Sara chuckled, "Sorry, I suppose I should have prefaced that. We don't have to drop what we were talking about earlier."

Nick shrugged his shoulders, "Ok." He turned his attention back to driving.

Sara let out a sigh, "Nick, we're going to be driving for quite a while, can we just talk. The silence is driving me crazy."

Nick shook his head and let out a chuckle, "Ok, your topic, Sidle."

"You're right, you know." Sara stated, purposely not looking at Nick.

"About what?" Nick replied.

"It is important. Love I mean." Sara replied still looking out at the desert.

A smile played at the corners of Nick's mouth, "Do you want me to just sit here and listen or are you going to get mad at me if we continue this conversation?"

Sara's eyebrows shot up, "I wasn't mad at you!"

"Really." Nick raised an eyebrow as he glanced over at her.

Sara tried to suppress a smile, "Ok, I was mad, but only because you were right."

Nick chuckled, "Sara, you don't want people telling you the truth because they might be right. You don't want to open yourself up because you might get hurt. Life involves pain whether you like it or not. If you wall yourself off from everyone and everything, that's not living."

"Yeah, that's Grissom." Sara muttered shaking her head.

Nick looked at Sara with at thoughtful expression, "Yeah, it is him. And it could just as easily be one of us."

Sara looked at Nick with a curious expression, "Nick, can I ask you something personal?"

Nick let out a sigh, "Yeah, shoot."

"Why aren't you dating anyone? You're a great guy, I would think you'd have women lining up around the block." Sara queried.

A smile crept over Nick's face, "Sara, I'm just not looking for what I used to. I'm not interested in those kind of women. Maybe it has something to do with having been a suspect in a murder investigation, it does wonders for your social life."

Sara looked over at him with a puzzled expression, "But, you didn't do it. The evidence clearly showed that Jack killed her."

Nick looked over at her with a sad smile, "I know that and you know that, but other people don't necessarily look at the evidence the way we do. Can you blame a girl for not wanting to go out with someone whose last date ended up murdered and happened to be in a less than reputable line of work?"

A look of compassion swept over Sara's face, "Oh, Nick. I'm so sorry. Those women are idiots. They don't know what they're missing."

Nick chuckled, "It's ok, Sara. Anyone who won't look past the surface isn't worth my time anyway." He turned his attention back to the road.

Sara turned in the seat to face Nick, "Hey, can I ask you another question?"

"Shoot." Nick replied.

She cocked her head slightly, "Why do you care about my love life?"

Nick glanced at her, a slight grin on his face, "You promise you won't get mad at me? This is where the conversation took a turn for the worse earlier."

Sara tried to suppress a grin and crossed her arms in front of herself, "Ok. I promise."

Nick raised a teasing eyebrow at her, "Ok, but remember, you promised."

Sara chuckled, "Alright."

He glanced over at her, "Sara, I care because you're my friend. That's what friends do. You're selling yourself far too short to not take a risk. Just because two relationally inept men happen to not notice how great you are does not mean that there isn't someone out there that will treat you the way you deserve to be treated."

"How can you be so sure?" Sara replied looking away from Nick.

A bemused grin crossed Nick's face, "Do I need to spell it out for you, Sara?"