Title: Made For Each Other
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or its characters.
Summary: We know that Nick and Sara are made for each other, but what if it was really written in the stars?
Author's Note: This story is in response to a challenge where you put Nick and Sara's entire life story up until their first kiss. The challenge was actually from age 5 up, but since I'm also kind of basing this on a movie I saw a while ago, (for the life of me I can't remember the title, or who was in it. I do know that I saw it on TV a few years ago, possibly Fox Family, when it still was Fox Family . . . lol), it starts before that. Reviews are really appreciated. And I PROMISE that this is a CSI story. It may not seem like it is, and it may seem weird when you first read it, but please just give me the benefit of the doubt and keep on reading. That's all I ask. My friends read this and at first they were like 'I don't get it' but then they kept on reading and they understood, and they really liked it. (My friends are surprisingly my toughest critics. I guess by now they know that I want their honest opinion, and believe me I get it!) Okay, enough of my idiotic ramblings… on with the story!
~*~*~*~
Robbie Carlson turned the volume knob in his car radio, blasting the music to its highest capacity and drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He made a sharp turn and drove down a deserted street, keeping his eyes on the dimly lit road so as not to crash the car. He glanced briefly into the back, smiling when he saw his luggage strewn across the seat.
He was on his way to Vegas.
Having just graduated from NYU, Robbie was anxious to see the world, and Las Vegas, Nevada was his first stop. His parents had been heartbroken to see their only child leave them, but he had promised to keep in touch. Now he was both excited and apprehensive about what the world held for him, but knew that he would make it, because he was a hard worker, always had been, and that was the key to success.
As he made a turn onto another street, he squinted his eyes to see a group of people frantically screaming and yelling and pointing towards a lake. He quickly slowed the car to a stop and hopped out, rushing toward the crowd.
"What happened?" Robbie asked a woman in her mid thirties.
"A car. In the lake. Crashed," she panted, falling on the ground, screaming and crying.
Robbie sat down next to her and turned her so she was facing him. "A car crashed into the lake?" he asked. The woman could only give him a nod. "Is anybody in there? Any children?" The hysterical woman nodded again, and showed him two fingers.
Robbie didn't listen to her any more. He peeled his shirt off and pulled off his shoes before diving into the lake. The icy water chilled him to the bone, but he kept going. Taking a deep breath, he dived down deeper and opened his eyes, turning his head in an attempt to find the submerged vehicle. Finally he saw it: a red minivan, but he couldn't tell what make. He quickly swam towards it, but ran out of air before he could get to it.
He resurfaced, took a deep gulp of air, and dived back into the water. He got to the van and tried in vain to get the passenger door open. Finding his attempts useless, he went to the other side and was able to pry the driver's door open. A man was there, surrounded in red water from his blood. Robbie felt for a pulse but there was none. He said a quick prayer before yanking the man from his position and letting him fall to the bottom of the lake.
He entered the vehicle and saw two small bodies, a girl of about eight and a boy of six. He checked the pulses of both and thankfully found them. He pulled the girl out first, as she was the closest to him, and quickly carried her to the surface of the water. As he dove back down for the boy, the crowd of people retrieved the girl and tried to revive her while they waited for the paramedics to arrive.
Robbie tried to get the boy out, but he was in an awkward position, so he was forced to go further into the van. He finally got a good grip on the boy and was pulling him out of the van when the submerged vehicle began to slip. Robbie tried anxiously to get both himself and the boy out, but when he was halfway out of the van it began to slip even quicker and flipped, completely crushing Robbie as his oxygen ran out and he was succumbed by a peaceful blackness…
~*~*~
When Robbie awoke he was in a plush bed in a bright white room, the sun streaming in through the windows. He sat up and looked around, not recognizing where he was, when the events of his bravery came rushing back. He took a deep breath of relief and sank into the pillows. "I'm in a hospital."
"I've never heard anyone call it that before."
Robbie looked up in confusion at the source of the voice, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her molasses colored hair was falling across her shoulders in perfect curls, and her eyes were the most beautiful chocolate brown. She was dressed all in white and seemed to have a glow to her. "Excuse me?" he asked weakly, still astounded by her beauty.
"I mean, I thought I'd heard it all: 'The Great Beyond', 'God's Land', even once 'That Great Big Golf Course In the Sky', but never a 'Hospital'", she explained, moving towards his bed and sitting down, looking intently at him.
"Wh-what do you mean? Where am I?" Robbie asked, becoming more and more worried with every word she said.
"You're in heaven, of course," she stated simply, her eyes searching the depths of his soul. Robbie gasped audibly and she laughed at his reaction. "Well where did you think you'd go? Especially after that heroic thing you did that brought you here. I must say that was very brave of you. I watched the whole thing, actually," she said, giving him a soft, reassuring smile.
"Wh-who are you?" Robbie asked shakily, not wanting to believe he was really dead.
The girl smiled at him again. Actually, a faint smile had played across her lips the entire time she had been in the room, a trait that Robbie had never seen in anyone before. "I'm Caroline."
"I'm Robbie," he said extending his hand.
"I know," Caroline said simply. Robbie awkwardly put his hand down, seeing as she wasn't going to shake it. Caroline laughed at his uncomfortable expression. "I'm sorry. That must be some kind of custom on Earth. A lot of your kind do that, but I don't know what it means."
"My kind?" Robbie asked perplexedly.
"Those of you who have been on Earth and moved on," she explained, "Those of you who have been born."
Robbie gave her a confused look. "You mean you've never been born?" he asked incredulously.
Caroline shook her head. "Nope. I'm still waiting to be sent. You were like me once, but you don't remember. It can take awhile to remember who you were before you were sent. Sometimes people never remember," she said, smoothing the soft white material of her dress.
"Oh." Robbie said, his head spinning with everything that was happening. He absently put a hand to his head and rubbed his temple.
"What's the matter?" Caroline asked, a sweet smile still playing on her lips.
"I just have a headache. It'll go away eventually," he explained, knowing that they probably didn't have Tylenol in heaven.
"You can make it go away, you know," Caroline said.
He stared at her blankly. "How?"
"Just close your eyes and think it away, and it'll be gone," she said, and her smile grew as Robbie did as she said and opened his eyes, amazement visible on his features. "I told you." Robbie grinned, liking Caroline more and more as each second passed. "Come with me. I'll show you around heaven." She took his hand and Robbie got out of bed. She closed her eyes and instructed Robbie to do the same, and when they opened them they were in a beautiful field of daisies.
"How'd we get here?" Robbie asked, gaining a giggle from Caroline.
"I told you: We thought ourselves here. It's all a wonderful part of heaven," she explained, lying down in a bed of daisies. She patted the ground beside her and Robbie lay down, taking her hand. She turned to look at Robbie and he felt love spreading through his body and taking over his heart, a feeling that he had never felt before.
~*~*~
Caroline and Robbie were sitting by a lake, their toes splashing in the cool water, when Robbie took her hand and she turned to him.
"I love you," he said, kissing her tenderly. She smiled at him and returned the kiss.
"I love you, too," Caroline said, squeezing his hand and giving him one of the smiles he loved so dearly.
"Can you get married in heaven?" he asked, and Caroline's face broke out into an even bigger smile.
"Of course you can."
"Then will you marry me?" Robbie asked, wanting to spend eternity with her.
"Yes." She flung her arms around him and held him close. Robbie kissed her forehead softly and whispered 'I love you' into her hair.
~*~*~
Robbie and Caroline lay in bed, their fingers laced with each other. Caroline's tresses were spread across the pillow, and Robbie was absently running his fingers over them, marveling at their silkiness, when a misty figure appeared in the room.
"Caroline, He wants to see you," a little girl with long blonde hair and bright green eyes announced, and Robbie and Caroline both sat up in bed. Robbie gave his wife a worried look, but she reassured him with a kiss and a smile.
"I'll be back soon," she said, getting out of bed and blowing him a kiss before closing her eyes and thinking herself away. Robbie made the bed and had a quick breakfast before thinking himself to the daisy fields. He sat on the ground, his knees up to his chin, racking his brain for reasons He would want to see Caroline. Soon Caroline walked softly up behind him and sat down, smiling ear to ear.
"What did He want?" Caroline simply smiled and kissed him softly.
"I'm going to be sent tomorrow," she said happily, searching Robbie's eyes to see him sharing her happiness, but her search was futile.
"What do you mean?" he asked, although he knew exactly what she meant.
"I'm going to be born on Earth tomorrow," she said, and her smile turned to a frown when she saw her husband's unhappiness. "What's wrong? Why aren't you happy for me?"
Robbie couldn't believe his ears. Be happy for her? How could he be happy that she was leaving him? "I'm going to miss you. I love you. Please, don't go. I thought we were happy," he pleaded, knowing that heaven would be hell without his sweet Caroline.
She gave him a small smile and another tender kiss. "I love you, too, but I have to go. I've been chosen to be sent, so I have to follow His wishes. But don't worry, because I'll be back, and I know that you'll be here waiting for me."
"You said that sometimes people never remember what it was like before they were sent. I don't. What if you don't, either?" he asked softly.
Her eyes searched his and she took his hand. "I love you. I'll never forget; I promise," she said softly, kissing the palm of his hand.
"Well, if you're going to go, then so am I," he insisted, "I'm not going to lose you." Without another word Robbie thought himself away and was in God's chambers.
"Hello, Robbie," He said.
"I want to be sent," Robbie said, getting right to the point.
"Excuse me? I don't quite understand."
"Tomorrow you're sending Caroline to Earth to be born; I want to be sent, too," Robbie explained.
"I'm afraid that's not possible. You may go now."
"No," he said, not backing down, "You have to send me. I love her."
"Robbie, do you understand what you're asking? Just because two people are sent doesn't mean that they are sent to the same place. You two may never find each other, and then when you return home, you won't be together anymore. Are you willing to take that risk?"
Robbie gulped, realizing that there was more to this than he had thought, but knowing that he had to go. "We'll find each other. I want to be sent."
"Okay," He said, scratching his chin, "You will both be sent tomorrow, but if you don't find each other in thirty years, you will no longer be married in the eyes of heaven, and when you return, neither of you will have recollection of the other."
Robbie nodded his head. "Okay."
~*~*~
"Mr. and Mrs. Stokes, congratulations . . .you have a son!" the doctor exclaimed, handing the screaming baby to his mother, who had tears of joy streaming down her face.
"He's so beautiful," Gloria Stokes whispered, kissing her tiny son on his forehead.
Michael Stokes bent down to see his baby boy. "Hey there, little guy. I'm your dad." Gloria smiled at her husband before quickly turning back to the baby.
"What's his name?" the nurse asked, holding a clipboard and a pen.
"Nicholas Robert Stokes."
~*~*~
Margie Sidle screamed in pain as she made the final push, bringing her daughter into the world. "Congratulations! You have a beautiful baby girl," the doctor said, wrapping the baby in a pink blanket and handing her to Margie, who was grinning from ear to ear.
"You hear that, Dave? We've got a daughter!" she exclaimed happily, giving her husband a kiss.
David fingered his daughter's tiny hand, marveling at the softness and small size of it. "Hey, angel. I'm your daddy."
A young nurse with a clipboard quietly walked up to the family. "Have you decided on a name yet?" she asked.
"Sara Caroline Sidle."
~*~*~
Gloria brought a large cake with the words 'Happy 1st Birthday, Nicky!' written in blue cake writing to the patio of their house. As she set the cake down next to her son, the rest of the family began to sing.
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Nicky! Happy Birthday to you!" Nick blew out the two candles and giggled as his family applauded. Gloria carefully cut the cake and handed a piece to each of the guests, giving her son the first slice. He grabbed it in his hand and tried to get the whole thing in his mouth at once, resulting in only a bite or two actually making it in and a face covered in chocolate.
"Geez, Nick," Gloria said, although she couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her lips.
"Come on, Nicky," Mary Beth, Nick's fourteen year old sister, said, picking him out of his high chair, "Let's get you cleaned up, birthday boy." Nick grinned, revealing chocolate covered teeth. Mary Beth laughed as she carried him into the house. The rest of the family stayed behind, finishing their cake. Fifteen minutes later Mary Beth came running out of the house, yelling and grinning.
"He's walking! He's finally walking!" she screamed, and the rest of the Stokes family rushed into the house to watch a now clean Nick pull himself up and stand, holding onto the coffee table. He carefully let go and began taking small, careful steps toward his family.
Gloria bent down and scooped her son into her arms. "I'm so proud of you, baby." Nick grinned, not understanding his mother's words but knowing that they had to be good, because her smile was so huge.
~*~*~
Sara sat in her playpen, chewing on her father's keys. She enjoyed the metallic taste of them, but more importantly she enjoyed the fact that she wasn't supposed to have them. When chewing on the keys got boring, she dropped them and crawled over to the rest of her toys. She picked up a small bear and started trying in vain to rip its ear off. She looked up at the sound of her father's voice.
"Margie, have you seen my keys? The Stevenson's need an extra copy of their room key," David called to his wife, searching frantically for the silver key ring.
"See if Sara has them," she suggested, sticking her head out the kitchen door to the Bed and Breakfast.
"Why the hell would Sara have them?" he asked, walking towards the playpen.
"She likes to chew on them," Margie stated, turning back to the sink to finish peeling potatoes for dinner.
David leaned over the side of the playpen and sighed when he saw his keys lying on the floor. He angrily grabbed them and held them in front of Sara, shaking them. "These are not yours, Sara. NOT YOURS!"
Not understanding what her father was saying, Sara reached out for the keys, but David yanked them away. "Do you understand me? They are NOT yours!" He stalked away from the playpen and headed for the door.
"Dave?" Margie called out.
"What?" he asked shortly, his fuse already blown.
"Pick up a cake for Sara on the way home. It's her birthday," Margie said, having forgotten to make a cake for her daughter's first birthday.
"What the hell does she need a cake for?" he yelled into the kitchen, "It's not like she knows it's her birthday."
"I guess you're right," Margie agreed. Without another word David left the house, slamming the door on the way out. Sara pushed herself up and held onto the railing of the playpen. Very carefully and with small steps, she let go and walked across the playpen, smiling in triumph as she hit the floor with a thump.
~*~*~
A five-year-old Nick Stokes stood in front of the large mirror in his room, carefully combing his dark brown hair. His shirt was crisply ironed, and he stood proudly admiring himself. He grabbed the book bag his grandmother had gotten him and walked down the stairs, where his family was waiting. His father was sitting at the table with Nick's brother and sisters, drinking his daily morning coffee, but rose when Nick came down the stairs.
"Hey, champ. Ready for your first day of school?" Michael asked, taking a final gulp of coffee.
"Yeah," Nick said as he walked up to the counter and grabbed his superman lunchbox, "I can't wait."
"My baby!" Gloria called, running up to Nick and pulling him into a hug.
"Momeeee!" Nick cried in protest as his mother continued hugging him with no apparent desire to let go.
"Sorry, Nicky," she said with a sad smile, "I just can't believe you're going to kindergarten already. It feels like just yesterday the doctors handed you to me, and I knew--"
"That you had to name me Nicholas Robert, and I was the most beautiful baby you had ever seen…I know, mommy. You tell me that all the time," he said with a frustrated sigh. Gloria smiled and gave him yet another hug before returning to her work making lunches for her remaining six children. Nick plopped down on the hard kitchen chair and picked up his orange juice, downing it in huge gulps as the yellow school bus pulled up.
"C'mon, Nick, we're going to be late!" Nick's youngest sister, Lesley, called, grabbing her book bag and rushing out the door.
Nick grabbed his book bag and lunchbox and headed out the door behind Lesley, struggling to keep up with his older sister. As the two boarded the bus, Gloria snaked her arms around Michael's waist, leaning into him.
"Can you believe it? The last of our babies off to kindergarten. It seems like just yesterday the doctors handed him to me . . ."
~*~*~
Five-year-old Sara Sidle brushed her silky brown hair and carefully slid a headband onto her head. She smoothed her dress and made sure the buckles on her shoes were fastened before smiling in contentment at her reflection. It was her first day of kindergarten, and nothing was going to spoil it.
Sara walked down the stairs, gliding her hand down the banister with one hand and holding her book bag in the other. She walked into the kitchen with a smile, hoping to see her parents sitting at the table, waiting for her. To her dismay there was no one. She sighed and opened the fridge, taking the brown bag lunch of a bologna sandwich her mother had made her the night before and slipping it into her book bag. She carefully poured herself a glass of orange juice, spilling only a few drops on the table. After gulping down her juice she grabbed a dishcloth and wiped down the table where she had spilled.
Looking at the clock, she realized that the bus would be there in a few minutes.
She walked out onto the back porch, looking for her mother, and smiled in relief when she saw Margie there, taking the laundry in from the clothesline.
"Mommy!" Sara called, walking across the lush grass to her mother's form.
"Hey, Sara. Can you give me a hand? I forgot to take these sheets in last night, and now they all have to be washed again because it rained," Margie complained, pulling two clothespins and freeing another sheet from the tangled mess. She handed it to Sara, who threw it into the waiting basket.
"Only for a minute, mommy. The bus will be here soon, and I don't want to be late for the first day of school," Sara explained as her mother handed her another sheet.
"That's right! Today's your first day of kindergarten, isn't it, sweetie?" Sara nodded with a grin. "Did you get your lunch out of the fridge?"
"Yeah," Sara said, "It's right here in my book bag."
"That's good," Margie said, handing her another sheet as the yellow bus pulled in front of the house.
"Mommy, I have to go now. The bus is here," Sara said, quickly depositing the sheet in the basket and grabbing her book bag from the grass. "Bye!" she yelled, running across the lawn, "I love you!"
"I love you, too, sweetie!" Margie called, returning to the sheets on the line as her daughter entered the bus and headed off to school.
~*~*~
Gloria clicked the button on the camera, taking the eleventh picture of her son that night. Nick groaned and forced another smile as his mother got ready to take another one.
"Are we done yet?" Nick asked through clenched teeth, still trying to keep his smile in place.
"Honey, I think that's enough," Michael said, placing his arm on his wife's shoulders.
"It's my baby's eighth grade graduation, and I can take pictures if I want to," Gloria insisted, snapping a candid shot of Nick tugging on his annoying black gown.
"Mom! Enough!" Nick commanded forcefully, before putting a silly grin on his face and kissing his mother's cheek. "You'll need film for the ceremony."
"Don't worry, Nicky, I've got plenty of film right here in my purse," she said, patting the aforementioned bag slung on her shoulder.
Nick groaned and fixed his cap, which was refusing to stay in place. Nick's brother Jeff walked up to him and whispered in his ear.
"Just think, little bro. This is only jr. high graduation. Wait till you get to be my age, and you're graduating high school." Nick grimaced at the thought. He remembered how much film they had gone through the year before when Jeff graduated, and the year before that when his sister Christine had.
"Honey, we really should be going. Nick's going to be late," Michael said, taking the camera away from his wife.
"Just one more shot," Gloria pleaded.
"Mom!" Gloria laughed at her son's horrified expression.
"I'm only teasing, Nicky." Nick breathed a sigh of relief and followed his parents out the door. His mother paused and turned around. "But I'll be taking much more at the ceremony."
~*~*~
Sara sat in her designated chair on the stage, her eyes darting across the room, searching for her parents. She smiled when she saw them seated in the back row, and her mother waved when she caught Sara's eye. Sara nodded in acknowledgement.
The buzz in the room died down as Dr. Huey, the jr. high school principal, rose and took his place behind the podium. His speech was long and boring and Sara chuckled when she saw her mother tapping David's shoulder to keep him awake and alert. Finally the graduates were called to get their diplomas and Sara stood in line, anxiously waiting her turn.
"Sara Sidle."
She grinned when her name was called, and proudly walked across the stage, turning to pose for a picture as she was handed her diploma. The rest of the ceremony was a blur, and Sara was happy when it was over. She met her parents in the cafeteria where refreshments were set up, and as soon as her mother saw her she pulled her into a huge hug.
"I can't believe my baby's going to high school now. It seems like just yesterday you were off to kindergarten," Margie said, suffocating her daughter in her embrace.
"Uh, mom," Sara choked, "Air. Please."
"Oh, sorry," Margie said, quickly releasing her.
"I'm proud of you, angel," David said, kissing his daughter's forehead. He had never been big on showing emotion, and Sara was surprised by his public show of affection, small as it was.
"Thanks, daddy. Could we go home soon? I can't wait to get out of this gown," Sara said, pulling on the hem.
"You sure, Sara? I heard a lot of people talking about going to that party at Kate…Kate…"
"Kate LaBlanc?" Sara finished. Margie nodded.
"Yes, that's it. Isn't everyone going to that party at her house?" Margie asked.
"Everyone who was invited, I guess," Sara said tiredly, "Can we just go home?" Margie eyed her daughter suspiciously but acquiesced to her pleas.
"Okay, let's go." Sara took one last look at her classmates, each of them getting ready to go to the party, and felt a wave of self-pity that she wasn't going, but quickly brushed it off and followed her parents out the school.
~*~*~
Nick stuffed a handful of popcorn in his mouth and casually placed his arm around his date. Jacqueline turned her head to look at him curiously, a soft smile playing on her lips. Nick smiled sheepishly in return, feeling his ears turning pink in embarrassment. Jacqueline sensed his discomfort and took Nick's hand, lacing her fingers with his. She turned back to the screen, and Nick took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
It wasn't his first date, but it was his first date with Jacqueline, and Nick was nervous. He had been in love with her for so long, well, at least he thought it was love, and had finally gotten up the courage to ask her out.
Jeff had told him earlier that afternoon about the arm trick, and Nick knew it must work; Jeff had always had all the girls when he was in high school. Taking a deep breath, Nick tried it again. He lifted his arm and slung it across the seat back, brushing Jacqueline's shoulder. She turned to face him again, and Nick took advantage of the opportunity to run his thumb across her cheekbone. Jacqueline brought her face closer to Nick's, and Nick to Jacqueline's. Slowly he closed the distance and brushed his lips against hers.
His first kiss.
Pulling away and turning back to the movie, Nick made a mental note to tell Jeff about it when he got home.
~*~*~
Sara tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear and pointed out a problem on the textbook page. Josh Bynes took a sheet of paper from the desk and began scribbling the problem on the page. He had come up to her the day before and begged her to tutor him because he was having trouble in algebra. She had agreed without a moment's hesitation.
Secretly she had been harboring a crush on Josh the entire year, but hadn't made a move, much to her best friend Jodie's dismay. Josh seemed out of her league, and even though they talked and flirted in homeroom, she didn't want to ruin anything. Not that they had anything. Really, Sara was just afraid of the rejection. She had been rejected too many times before, by her parents, her friends, and she didn't want to add to that list. So she would be miserable for her high school career, admiring Josh from afar and giving all the other girls who drooled over him a chance.
Suddenly Josh put the pencil down and turned to Sara. "Are you done?" she asked, reaching over for the page.
"Yeah," Josh said. Sara began checking over the page and smiled up at him.
"It's perfect! You're really improving," she praised.
"Thanks." He paused, his brow furrowed in thought. "Listen, uh, Jimmy Peterson's having this party tomorrow night, and, uh, I was wondering…"
Sara laughed at his discomfort. "Are you asking me out?"
"Yeah, I guess I am," he said, grinning, "So whaddaya say?"
"Yeah!" she screamed, then, embarrassed, she said, "I mean, I guess so."
"Great," Josh said, "See you tomorrow." He quickly brushed his lips against hers and left the room. Sara stared at the door, her fingertips on her lips.
Her first kiss.
Her first kiss, and it was from Josh Bynes.
Josh Bynes.
She had to call Jodie.
~*~*~
A small girl dressed in a soft white dress carefully walked up the marble steps to God's chambers. She rapped on the door and a young boy opened it with a smile.
"He's been expecting you," the boy said, and the girl followed him down a long hallway. When they got to the end the boy left, and moments later an old man with a long, gray beard walked through the door.
"Hello, Rebecca," He said to the girl.
"Hello, sir. You wanted to see me?" she asked.
"Have you been checking up on Robbie and Caroline? I haven't heard anything about them in a while. They haven't found each other yet, I presume?" He asked, sitting down on a large marble chair and indicating for Rebecca to join him on the chair opposite him.
"No, sir. I checked on them yesterday, and their paths haven't crossed yet," Rebecca said with a sad smile.
"That's a shame," he commented, "They really do belong together, but it was their choice to take their chances on Earth. If only they had waited . . ." He mused to himself.
"But sir," Rebecca interjected, "Doesn't love conquer all?"
"It usually does, child. It usually does."
~*~*~
Nick sat on his couch, surrounded by his friends, music blasting from the stereo. Gloria entered the living room with a tray of drinks, cringing at her son's choice of music.
"Nicky, do you have to have that music so loud?" she practically shouted.
"Sorry, mom," Nick said, turning down the volume, "And thanks for the drinks."
"Yeah, thanks, Mrs. Stokes," Nick's best friend, Pete, said, "And thanks for letting us have the party here."
"It's no problem, Peter. After all, it's not every day my baby graduates high school. It seems like just yesterday the doctor's handed you to me—"
"Uh, mom?" Nick said, bringing her over to the side of the room, "Could you not tell the baby story in front of the guys, please? I know it's just because you love me, but it's kind of embarrassing," Nick whispered.
Gloria nodded in understanding. "Okay, Nicky. Don't worry, I'm leaving."
"Thanks, mom." Nick gave his mother a kiss on the cheek as she left the room.
"You're such a suck up, Nick," one of his friends said.
"Not a suck up. I just know how to handle women," Nick said with a grin, taking a gulp of his drink. "What it comes down to is that I love women. Whether they're four or my eighty-four year-old grandma. You treat 'em with respect and they're putty in your hands."
"Those A&M girls better watch out. They won't know what hit 'em," Pete laughed, taking a gulp of his drink.
Nick grinned. "I'm counting on it."
~*~*~
Sara rolled over so her feet were dangling over the side of her full sized bed. Sitting cross-legged on the floor was her best friend Jodie, stuffing her face with popcorn.
"We're finally free, Jode," Sara said, reaching down for a handful of popcorn.
"Yep. Bye-Bye, Tamales Bay: Hello, World!" Jodie giggled as she grabbed more popcorn from the bowl.
Sara flopped over on her back, looking at her ceiling, which was covered in glow-in-the-dark stars. "We have our whole future ahead of us, Jode. We can do anything we want," she said softly.
"Maybe you can," Jodie huffed as she swallowed her popcorn, "You're a genius. Me, I'll probably be stuck back here, living with my parents as soon as I get out of college."
"Don't talk like that," Sara scolded, "You're just as smart as I am; you just don't know it yet. Besides, you got into college, too."
"Yeah, Sar, I got into Tamales Bay Community, not Harvard," Jodie pointed out, her hand reaching again for the popcorn bowl. "They have to let you into community college."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You'll do great," Sara said, wrapping her friend in a hug.
"Thanks, Sara. And don't forget about me when you become a big time criminologist or whatever the hell it is you want to do," Jodie teased.
"Criminalist," Sara corrected, "A Crime Scene Investigator. And I could never forget you. You're my best friend."
"I know," Jodie said, putting a hand on her friend's, "I know."
~*~*~
Nick slung his book bag across his shoulder and made his way to his next class. He glanced at his watch and quickened his step, realizing he would be late if he kept dawdling.
"Hey, Nick!" a bubbly redhead called, jogging over to Nick.
"Hey, Lynn," Nick replied, cringing inside. Now he would definitely be late to class.
"You haven't called. What's up?" she asked, falling into step beside him.
"Sorry, I've just been really tied up with studying. You know how it is," he lied.
"Oh, I know. I'm totally dreading midterms," Lynn said.
"Listen, Lynn. I've really got to get to class. I'm gonna be late," Nick explained.
"Okay. Well, call me later, 'kay, Nick?" She begged, her bottom lip protruding in a pout.
"Sure." Nick ran ahead of her and rushed into the building, quickly navigating the halls to find his classroom. He slipped into his seat just as the bell rang.
~*~*~
Sara chewed the tip of her pencil as she flipped through the pages of her psychology textbook. Mid-terms were this week, and she knew she'd be pulling an all-nighter if she was going to pass her psyche exam. Her head snapped up at the shrill sound of the telephone ringing.
"Hello?" she said, glancing at the clock and seeing that it was two in the morning. Who would be calling her at two a.m?
"Sara?" Sara recognized the sniffling voice as Marion Clark, Jodie's mother.
"Mrs. Clark? What are you doing up so late?" Sara asked, a pit forming in her stomach.
"I have horrible news, honey," Marion choked.
Sara felt her legs buckle under her and she collapsed onto the bed. Not Jodie. Not her Jodie. "What happened?" she asked softly.
"They raped her. Those damn boys that have been harassing her all year raped my baby," Marion sobbed.
Sara dropped the phone. Jodie had told her that the guys had been bugging her, but Sara had no idea that it had been this serious. She felt the tears stinging her eyes as she picked up the phone from the floor. "Is. . .Is she okay?"
"Sara, honey, she's dead."
That was all it took. Sara hung up the phone without saying anything. The sobs racked her body and she shriveled up into a tiny ball, rocking back and forth on the bed. Jodie, her Jodie. Her Jodie was gone.
She knew the suffering her best friend must have gone through before she died. She knew that rape was the most horrible crime, and on top of that they ended her life before she even had a chance to live it. When she became a CSI she would see girls like Jodie all the time. It would become almost routine.
No, she would never let it become routine, she vowed as her tears ran down her face. She would never let it become routine, for Jodie's sake.
~*~*~
Nick strode into the halls of the Dallas CSI with an air of confidence. It was his first day, and he couldn't be more excited. First he needed to find his supervisor, and then his career as a Crime Scene Investigator would officially begin.
Stopping at the front desk, he leaned in towards the blonde receptionist. "Bill McDonald's office?"
"Straight down that hallway, then make a left," she said, indicating the direction with her pencil, "First door on your right."
"Thanks." Nick briskly made his way down the hall and knocked on the door.
"Come in," a voice said from the inside.
Nick entered the room and walked towards the balding, middle-aged man. "Nick Stokes," he said, putting forth his hand, "I'm your new CSI."
"I know who you are, Stokes," Bill said, shaking his hand, "Your family's pretty well-known around here."
Nick grinned. "Thanks, sir."
"But don't think that means your going to be getting special privileges," Bill snapped, his mood immediately turning sour.
"I would never—" Nick started, only to be silenced by Bill.
"Yeah, yeah, just make sure you don't forget it. Now get outta my office." Without another word Bill turned to the paperwork strewn across his desk. Nick awkwardly left the office.
"Hey, we're not all that bad," a male voice said. Nick looked up to see a young man of about thirty. "Dan Parker."
Nick shook his hand. "Nick Stokes."
"This your first day?" Dan asked. Nick nodded. "I thought so. Bill's not really such a bad guy once you get used to him."
"Let's hope not," Nick said with a laugh.
"C'mon. I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."
~*~*~
Sara hopped out of the truck and made her way across the lawn to the crime scene. Her first crime scene. She couldn't wait to get started. Her partner, Maria Sanchez, was ahead of her, and Sara jogged to catch up with her.
"What do you want me to do?" Sara asked when they reached the backyard, where an elderly woman was lying dead on the patio.
"Take some pictures," Maria said, handing Sara a large camera.
"Sure." Sara bent down and snapped shots of the body at every conceivable angle. As she took a picture of the woman's hand she noticed something unusual clutched in her fingers.
"Hey Maria?" The older woman popped her head up. "You might want to take a look at this." She walked over to Sara and crouched down to see what she was talking about.
"It looks like a piece of material. Cotton, I think. Could be a piece of our perp's clothing," Sara explained, snapping a close up of the material.
"I think you may be right," Maria said with a smile, "Congratulations, Sara. You just found your first piece of evidence."
Sara grinned as she looked back down at the body. God, she was going to love her job.
~*~*~
Nick pulled into the Las Vegas Crime Lab parking lot and took a deep breath, bracing himself for his first day at his new job. Needing a change from Texas, he had transferred to Vegas.
Opening the door and stepping out of the truck, Nick made his way across the parking lot to the lab. He went into the building and walked down the hallway until he came to a door with the name 'Gil Grissom' spelled out in brass lettering. He rapped on the door and entered the room when acknowledged.
He saw a man in his mid-forties with graying hair and glasses perched on his nose. "Gil Grissom," the man said, putting forth his arm.
Nick shook his outstretched hand. "Nick Stokes. I really want to thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Grissom. It means a lot to me."
"We're glad to have you, Nick. And its just Grissom," he said, "I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."
Nick followed Grissom down the hall to the break room, where he spotted a pretty blonde woman and a dark-skinned man with green eyes.
"Cath, Warrick. This is Nick Stokes. He's our new CSI," Grissom introduced, "Nick, this is Catherine Willows and Warrick Brown."
"It's nice to meet you, Nick," Catherine said with a smile.
"Likewise," Nick replied.
"Hey, man. Welcome to the team," Warrick said, "I'm new myself. Just started last week."
Nick nodded and grinned. "Nice to know I'm not the only one."
"Okay, guys," Grissom said, "Assignments."
~*~*~
Sara pulled her truck into the parking lot and cut the engine. Stepping out, she made her way to the doors of the lab. Grissom had called her in San Francisco and asked her to come to Vegas and investigate one of his CSI's, and she had jumped at the chance. Everyone knew that the Las Vegas Crime Lab was number two in the country, and if Grissom wanted her to investigate Warrick Brown, chances were he would end up wanting her to stay. Her friends in San Francisco had been sorry to see her go, but knew that it was a great opportunity.
As she entered the building she grew nervous to meet her co-workers. She had already seen Grissom, and he had told her to find Catherine Willows. Now she was in search of the blonde.
Finding the room that Catherine was in wasn't difficult, but before she entered the room she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She wouldn't let them know how nervous she was.
"Catherine Willows?" she asked, putting her game face on.
"Who's asking?" When Sara heard the other woman's icy tone she knew her job was not going to be easy.
~*~*~
Nick poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down on one of the hard chairs next to Warrick. His friend was flipping through Sports Illustrated and Catherine sat on the couch with a doughnut and the latest Cosmo.
"Is that new girl that Grissom brought in staying in Vegas?" Nick asked, breaking the comfortable silence the trio had settled into.
"Yes she is." Nick looked up to the owner of the voice and was shocked to see the most beautiful girl he had ever seen standing in the doorway with a smirk on her lips. Her short molasses brown hair hung in curls and her chocolate brown eyes teasingly challenged him to say something.
When he looked at her Nick felt something he never had before. He suddenly felt as if nothing else mattered in the universe but him and this girl. Somehow he felt that he knew everything about her, that he could look into her dark brown pools and see her soul.
"I'm Sara Sidle."
"Nick Stokes," he said, "Have we . . . met before?"
Sara looked at him curiously. "I . . . don't think so," she said slowly, almost as if she did think so, but didn't want to say it.
"Then it's very nice to meet you, Sara," he said softly
"You, too, Nick."
~*~*~
Sara walked down the halls of CSI and headed toward the break room. She knew the day before had been a disaster, and she was looking forward to starting fresh again today.
As she came to the doorway she heard an unfamiliar voice asking about her.
"Is that new girl that Grissom brought in staying in Vegas?" He asked, and Sara couldn't help but interject.
"Yes she is," she said, and was startled when she saw whom the voice belonged to. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. His brown hair was cut short, and it seemed as if she could get lost in his deep brown eyes.
She felt a strange and unfamiliar sensation spread through her. It was almost as if she knew him, as if she understood his hopes and dreams, his fears and insecurities. She wanted so badly to get to know him, yet she felt as if she already knew him completely.
"I'm Sara Sidle," she said finally.
"Nick Stokes." She was surprised when he asked if they had met, and from his furrowed brow and confused expression she felt as if he really meant it sincerely, not as some cheesy pick-up line.
"I . . . don't think so," she said, although she did think so. But it was impossible; she had never in her lifetime met someone by the name of Nick Stokes.
"Then it's very nice to meet you, Sara," he said softly.
"You, too, Nick."
~*~*~
Rebecca sat on the side of a large cliff, surrounded by red and pink tulips as tall as her head. She waved her hands and parted the clouds beneath her, and a huge smile grew across her lips at the sight below her.
She quickly stood and closed her eyes, and moments later she was in God's chambers, in the same hallway she spoke to him in the last time. She rapped on the door and he quickly came out and sat in his marble chair and indicated the chair next to him, but she shook her head.
"I won't be long, sir. I just wanted to tell you that I was checking up on Robbie and Caroline, and their paths finally crossed! They met in Las Vegas, at their job. They're going to be working together," she said excitedly, her green eyes twinkling.
"That's wonderful news!" He exclaimed, "And do they recognize each other yet?"
Rebecca shook her head. "No sir, not yet. But they are in love with each other; they just don't know it yet."
"That's wonderful news, Rebecca. Wonderful news."
~*~*~
"Sara, Nick. You two take the double homicide at the Belagio. Cath and Warrick are with me on that drive-by."
As Grissom finished handing out assignments the CSI's headed toward the parking lot to the waiting Tahoes.
"I'm driving," Sara said with a smile as she hopped into the drivers' seat. Nick laughed and got into the passenger's side of the car.
"Okay, but if you're driving, I get to pick the radio," Nick insisted as he reached for the knob.
"Whatever," Sara said with a shrug, "But no country." She glanced over at Nick as he fiddled with the radio and smiled. Her feelings for Nick had done nothing but escalate from her first day, but she kept her distance to keep from being burned again.
Nick finally found a station that he was somewhat satisfied with and leaned back against the leather upholstery of the vehicle. He looked over at Sara, who was keeping her attention on the road and smiled. He was still as head-over-heels in love with her as he had been on her first day. Why he didn't make a move he didn't know. Maybe it was because she was too good for him. Nick didn't know. All he knew was that it was driving him crazy.
A familiar song came on the radio and Nick moved to change the station, as it reminded him too much of an old case, but he stopped when he heard Sara softly singing along.
"Where it began
I can't begin to knowin
But then I know its growin strong
It was in the spring
And spring became the summer
Who'd have believed you'd come along?"
Sara looked over at him and grinned, which he returned.
"Hands, touchin hands
Reachin out
Touchin me
Touchin you
Sweet Caroline
BUM BUM BUM!!
Good times never seemed so good
I feel inclined
BUM BUM BUM!!
To believe they never would"
"Never would have pegged you as a Diamond fan," Nick commented.
"For your information this is my favorite song," Sara said with a smirk, "My mom used to sing it when I was little. She actually named me after it."
Nick looked confused. "She named you Sara because of Sweet Caroline?"
Sara sighed. "My middle name is Caroline, Einstein." Nick nodded.
"But now I
Look at the night
And it don't seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two
And when I hurt
Hurtin' runs off my shoulders
How can I hurt when I'm with you?"
Sara smiled as she sang, occasionally glancing over at Nick. She could tell he was enjoying her performance, and her smile grew at the thought. Maybe there was a future for them, after all.
"Warm, touchin' warm
Reachin' out
Touchin' me
Touchin' you
Sweet Caroline
BUM BUM BUM!!
Good times never seemed so good
I feel inclined
BUM BUM BUM!!
To believe they never would"
Nick watched Sara as she sang, marveling at the way her eyes lit up and the smile that stretched across her face as she sang each 'Bum Bum Bum'. He felt a wave of contentment flooding through him as he realized she was letting him see the real Sara Sidle. Maybe there was a future for them, after all.
~*~*~
Sara stood in the locker room, tossing her shirt into the open locker and reaching in for a new one. She had been soaked to the bone at their crime scene, and now all she wanted was a hot shower and a cup of tea, but she knew that would have to wait.
She turned her head at the sound of footsteps outside the locker room door, and smiled when she saw it was Nick. Her smile grew when she saw his wet shirt clinging to his body.
"Oh, sorry. Didn't know anyone was in here," Nick apologized, "I just wanted to get out of these clothes."
"Don't worry about it. I was just finishing up, anyway," Sara said, turning back to her locker to grab a towel to dry her hair with. She looked under her extra pair of clothes but couldn't find one. Sighing in frustration, she quickly turned around.
"Nick do you—" She cut herself off as she slammed her body into Nick's, who was standing right behind her. "Have a towel?" she finished in a whisper, her senses distorted by their close proximity.
Nick put his hand around her waist to steady her, and chose not to remove it, but instead placed his other hand on her hip. "I was just going to ask you," he whispered, their lips inches apart. Nick loved the feel of Sara in his arms, and he softly tightened his hold on her waist.
Sara felt his cool breath on her lips and let out an involuntary shiver, not because of her still wet body, but because of the man holding it. She loved the feeling of his arms around her body, and her heart rate accelerated when he tightened his grip. She could see the desire in his eyes and she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck.
Nick felt his heart jump when Sara wrapped her arms around him, and he took it as a sign that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He slowly brought his lips to hers and broke the distance between them.
What happened next was unexplainable.
Sara felt Nick's lips on hers and it was as if something snapped inside her. She was no longer Sara Caroline Sidle, but someone else in her body. It was indescribable, but she felt as if she was finally with the person she had been searching her entire life for.
Nick felt Sara respond to him and immediately something happened. He was no longer Nicholas Robert Stokes, but someone who had been lost and finally made his way home to Sara, only it wasn't Sara he was coming home to. It was someone else.
Suddenly all the pieces fit together.
Sara pulled away first. "You found me," she whispered surreally, looking up at the man she had been waiting thirty years for.
"I told you I would," he whispered back, "I love you."
"I love you," she replied, meaning it with all her soul.
"Will you marry me?" he asked softly, running his fingers through her hair that he loved so much.
"In the eyes of heaven we already are," she said with a smile, the smile he had been waiting thirty years to see again.
"Then why don't we get married in the eyes of the law?" he replied with a soft smile.
"I'd love to, Robbie."
~*~*~
Rebecca peered down at Robbie and Caroline from her spot on the edge of the cliff and spun around happily.
"They found each other, they finally found each other!" she chanted gaily, her long blonde hair flying in the wind. She collapsed onto the bed of tulips and took in deep breaths, grinning wildly.
"I knew they were made for each other."
~*~*~
A/N~ Well, what do we think? I know that some things were left out, like Nick's experience with the babysitter, but it got to be too long. It's 26 freaking pages, for crying out loud!! The most I've ever written was 8. lol Anyway, I'm kind of proud of this story, and I spent God only knows how many hours working on it, but I think it was worth it. Please review, because feedback is really appreciated. (And I know that Nick and Sara aren't the same exact age, but for the purpose of this story I had to change it.)
~Emily