Tu Es Belle
This is pure fluff
Spoilers: Anything up to After the Show is fair game. After the Show will be mentioned in detail since the story idea stems from that episode.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I don't profit from them.
Author's Notes: A huge thanks to Jacqueline for helping me with the French and giving me the 'plot bunnies' for the story. Thanks Sweetie.
I usually don't dedicate things, but I have to this time. This story is dedicated to my friend, Julie. I hope this story puts a smile on your face. J
*~*~*
Sara was having a horrible day.
More like a horrible week.
It had started out fine. She and Nick had been assigned the missing persons case of Julie Waters. Then, Howard Delhomme came into the picture. Suddenly, the entire night staff and dozens of volunteer police officers were combing the desert looking for her body. The next thing she knew the case was being pulled from her and Nick and given to Catherine. She remembered everything about the day. Her self confidence shooting to an all time low.
I'll talk…only for the one in the next room—the pretty one.
The words stung then when Howard Delhomme said them, they stung now. She was in complete shock when he insisted on talking to Catherine and not to her, because she wasn't 'the pretty one'.
The day got only ten times worse.
She and Nick were pulled from the case, then coming to find out that Catherine was using Greg to help her out. Sara remembers very clearly the comment she made to Nick;
I'd take you and me over Catherine and Greg any day.
Sara tried to shake the thoughts from her head, but today had brought them all back. First, she had to pull a double. Then, she and Warrick were assigned an attempted murder in an alley way, so they had to dig through the trash looking for the gun and any evidence. So now she reeked. When they returned to the lab she was told, by more than one person that she looked like death warmed over. Talk about a confidence booster. She had managed to find ten minutes to take a quick shower and change clothing, which made her feel somewhat better about her appearance. Finally, when the suspect in their case was brought in, he too refused to speak to Sara and spit on her. Not being able to handle it, she got up and left.
So now here she was sitting in the locker room. Contemplating her life this past week.
She had never had a self confidence issue until this week. Until Howard Delhomme came into the picture.
Sara leaned down and allowed her face to come to rest on her knees. Her mind traveling back to the conversation she had had earlier this week with Catherine.
Did your father ever tell you you were pretty?
I guess.
He ever tell you you were smart?
Yeah.
So, it probably never occurred to you that you wouldn't be successful. If all you ever hear is that your gorgeous, you can let everything else fall away, and it can leave you in a very dangerous place.
Sara knew then that Catherine was speaking of herself at the end. Catherine was beautiful and had been told it many times, by many different people. She never had that luxury. She wanted someone to call her beautiful. She wanted to know that she was beautiful.
Sara sighed, quickly stood and opened her locker. She grabbed her bag and her dirty clothes, then shut her locker. As she headed out, she said a quick bye to Greg, who was staying to finish processing some evidence. She had been given the night off, so she was relishing the chance of getting some much desired sleep.
She walked out to her Denali. When she opened the driver door, she found a surprise waiting for her.
Lying on the seat was an envelope with her name on it. Next to it was a single sunflower. She picked up the flower and smiled. Sunflowers were her favorite. She laid the flower on the dashboard and reached for the envelope. She quickly tore it open and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She instantly recognized the handwriting and another smile came to her face.
Tu es belle. Je t'aime. Figure it out Sidle
A quizzical expression formed her face. She wasn't very good at French. She made her way into the Denali; the whole drive home spent trying to figure out what the note meant.
Once she arrived at her apartment, she made her way to her computer and logged onto the net. She did a quick search and found a free translation online. Tears came to her eyes when she realized what the note stated. A smile came to her lips and stayed there as she logged off the net and turned her computer off. She made her way to her bedroom, changed into a white t-shirt and some boxers. She then padded into her study and began searching her messy desk for some stationary that her mother had bought for her some years back.
After a few moments she found the stationary. She grabbed a pen and wrote a few phrases. She then folded the paper and put it into a matching envelope. Turning off the light to the study, she headed back to her bedroom, laying the note on her nightstand. She turned off the lights and fell quickly asleep, the smile still evident on her lips.
*~*~*
That evening, knowing that he was working, Sara went in to work, for the sole purpose of leaving her note.
She made her way discretely to the locker room. Knowing his combination, she opened his locker and laid the envelope on the top shelf. She shut the locker and spun the dial. With a gleam in her eyes and a smile on her face she left the locker room and the building.
*~*~*
The next morning the man in question opened his locker to find a note inside. He looked around the room, to find no one else in there. He opened the envelope and pulled at the cream colored stationary. He opened it up and a huge smile came to his face as he read;
Merci beaucoup monsieur. Je t'aime toi aussi. Figure it out Stokes.
Nick smiled and grabbed his jacket and keys from his locker. He quickly headed out to his Denali, one destination in mind.
*~*~*
Sara had awoken up at around 6:30am. She made herself some coffee and watched the sun rise. She was still sitting outside, enjoying the peacefulness of the morning when she heard knocking at the front door. She quickly got up and headed inside, glancing at the clock along the way that read 7:18. She went to the door and looked out the peephole. A smile formed on her face as she unlocked the door.
"Hey Nicky."
"Hey Sara."
Before either of them could say anything else, Nick stepped forward and pulled Sara's body to his, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. Sara was surprised but quickly recovered and returned the kiss with equal passion. When breathing became a factor, the two pulled away from each other.
"I love you Nicky." Sara whispered
Nick smiled and pulled her into a hug, kissing her head. "I love you too Sara."
Sara looked up and smiled at him, "You know we have done this backward, right?"
"How so?"
"Well technically we should have gone on a couple of dates before declaring our love for one another."
"Well how bout this, we consider the past three years one big date." Nick replied
Sara giggled, "Nicky, would like to have dinner with me?" she asked looking into his deep chocolate brown eyes.
Nick leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss, "I would love too."
Sara leaned back into his body, "Thank you for the note and the flower. I really needed that."
"I know." Nick replied "and for the record, tu es belle. Je t'aime."
Sara smiled, "Je t'aime toi aussi Nick, Je t'aime toi aussi."
Fin
*~*~*
I hope you all enjoyed and I hope I left you guessing who the man was.
As for the translations here they are. Sara's note stated: You are beautiful. I love you. Nick's note stated: Thank you sir. I love you too.