Volume II: Perpetual Ardency
By: xKatx
Summary: Four months after Nick and Sara found each other, a life-altering, career-changing opportunity presents itself at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Will this chance bring the Graveyard shift closer together, or tear them apart?
Author's Note: Just wanna let you guys know I am thinking about making Christine's wedding a part of Volume III - what do you guys think? I'm not sure yet... review and tell me!!
Disclaimer: No, I do not own CSI stuff. I do own Anisha, Maile, Dylan, All of Nick's family, Haylie and her family, and all the other characters you don't realize, k?
Rating: PG-13
Request: READ AND REVIEW!
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Sara looked at him, her eyes narrowed in a semi-suspicious manner, "What is it?"
Nick looked at her, taking a deep breath, "Before I ask you, I have to tell you something."
Sara nodded, still looking expectant.
Nick let out the breath and tried to find the best way to put all he was feeling into words.
"I remember when I was fifteen, and Rob and Cynthia were getting married. I'd never seen those two as happy as they were in those months before they were married, and the months and years following. Call me immature, but I was somewhat envious. I'd already dated before, but I hadn't found the happiness and completeness they'd found, and it felt unfair. That's part of the reason I hadn't visited until you and I went for the conference. I was afraid I'd get that same feeling, especially now that Rob, Cynthia, Tucker, Daniel, and Grace were married, plus Tyler was engaged."
Sara nodded as she waited for Nick to continue. She silently thanked herself for changing into warm pajamas - her signature black cloth pants, fitted black long sleeve shirt and black socks. It was cool in the very early morning air, but she was comfortable still.
Nick took a deep breath, "But you were with me, Sara. We were only friends and colleagues when we were first there, plus there was the whole Vanessa thing, and Cynthia being the snob she is."
Sara couldn't help but give him a smile, "That's not fair to say," she rebuked him gently, "She turned out to just be scared for you, Nicky."
"I know," he replied, "But she is a snob."
Sara shook her head with a laugh as Nick paused. She took the free moment to admire him in his black track pants and his black tee. She had to admit it - Nick didn't wear a lot of color, but black flattered him to no end.
She didn't know it, but Nick had been thinking the same thing about her.
"Anyway, when we went to Guadelupe National Park in Dallas, and I kissed you… I knew I had found that same bliss - the same happiness that all of my siblings had found except me."
Sara could feel the warmth of her love for him spread through her chest, almost making her feel giddy and excited. She, however, held it in and continued to listen to his heartfelt testimony.
"Then when you agreed to be with me - I felt like I could do anything; that not even the biggest armies in the world could bring me down from where I was. The same thing happened when you told me you loved me. I get that same feeling every time you say it - even now."
Sara put her hand on his cheek, and tilted his head up from where he'd been looking at their linked hands. Sara sat up straighter, looking to her left side at the man who held her heart, "Nicky," she said, fully preparing to tell him everything she hadn't said yet, "When I first came here, to Vegas, I'd left behind a lot of things - a job I loved with people I couldn't stand, overbearing family, and an abusive relationship," She paused, the bad memories flooding back. However, she kept on, "That's why I have a hard time voicing my feelings."
Nick's face registered the shock he felt, "That explains a lot," he said, looking out toward his yard, "How long were you with him?"
Sara felt tears come to her eyes as she drudged up horrible memories, "Six months. He was like Jekyll and Hyde - for the first four months or so he was a prince. He treated me just as I'd always wanted to be treated; Nicky, I was prepared to marry him."
Nick nodded slightly, his gaze still out toward the yard.
"But then two months before I left, he began hitting me. I could ward off most of the hits, but when he got me, he got me hard."
Nick looked over and saw the pain that the memories were bringing her. His heart ached to comfort her, but she continued.
"That's why I was so wary about becoming serious with you - who was I to know if you were a good man or a man who would hit me, like he did."
Nick nodded, fully understanding her previous hesitation.
"But," Sara said, taking a deep breath, trying to control her emotions, "When I finally stopped worrying about my past, I found you, Nick. When I look at you, I see a man who has had his fair share of trials and tribulations. He's been through a lot in his life that have made him the man he is now. But the man he is now still has room to love, and I feel immense pride and happiness that he's chosen me."
Nick gave her a smile as Sara wiped some stray tears off of her cheek. Nick squeezed her hand encouragingly as he took a breath and said, "Now I have to tell you something that only my family and Catherine know. I could only bring myself to tell people I trusted, and now, I want you to know."
Sara nodded as she listened intently, turning in her chair to face Nick, their arms and linked hands resting on the arms of the two deck chairs.
Nick let out a long breath, "When I was nine years old," he began, "Robert was sixteen, Cynthia was fifteen, Tucker was fourteen, Daniel was thirteen, Grace was eleven, Tyler was ten, and Christine and Kayla weren't born yet. At the time, Robert was on a school trip, Cynthia was at a friend's house, Tucker had soccer practice, Daniel and Tyler had an after school thing, and Grace had a recital. I was left at home with a brand new babysitter..." he took a sharp breath, but before he could finish, he looked at Sara, who's face had an expression that told him she knew.
"She..." Sara began, letting the sentence hang as fresh tears came to her eyes.
"Yeah," Nick said, "My parents pressed charges and everything, but...it just couldn't take away the pain," he said, tears coming to his own eyes.
"Oh, Nicky," she said, reaching over the arms of the deck chairs and pulling him into a hug. She let the tears fall from her eyes as Nick did the same, both mourning and healing their old wounds. Sara ran her hand up and down Nick's back, trying to comfort him the only way she could; by assuring him he was here with her and not back twenty-four years ago.
Nick composed himself, glad that he could see Sara's face in the very early dawn, "I love you, Sara. I never thought I could love anyone again after Vanessa, but you came into my life, and you loved me like no one else has or can."
Sara gave him a reassuring smile as she wiped away a few stray tears from his handsome face and leaned in, gently pressing her lips to his in one smooth, natural motion. His arms found their way around her, pulling her as close as the deck chairs would allow. He explored her mouth just as gently as she explored his, both just wanting to re-enforce their words. When the lack of oxygen became too much, they separated, looking at each other with adoration.
"What was it you wanted to ask me?" She questioned, looking at him intently as the sky began to lighten with the coming dawn.
Nick subtly fumbled in his pants pocket as he got down on one knee, holding her hand with his free one.
"I love you more with every coming dawn," he said, motioning to the rising sun before them, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
He produced a black velvet box, and opened it to present a beautiful diamond engagement ring, with an oval shaped diamond in the center of a white gold band, with two smaller diamonds on either side of it, "Sara Elizabeth Sidle, will you marry me?"
Sara's eyes went wide, and for a moment every single muscle, thought, and movement in her body froze. Nick wanted to marry her? What should she say?
Say yes, obviously! Her mind screamed at her, you want to be married to him!
Sara gave him a smile, "But we don't agree on radio stations."
Nick laughed as he slipped the ring onto her left finger and pulled her into a tight hug.
"I love you, Nicholas James Stokes," Sara whispered into his ear as he pulled back slightly to look at her.
"I love you too, Sara Elizabeth Sidle," he replied.
"Soon to be Stokes," she reminded him.
"Oh yea, I'll have to remember that," Nick said with a grin.
Sara nodded with a somewhat sarcastic expression on her face, "Might be helpful," she replied as he laughed and kissed her gently.
Sara tried as hard as she could to wipe the silly grin off of her face, but it was a lost cause. She was engaged to Nick Stokes!
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"OH MY LORD!" Marge cried as she ran through the house after hanging up the phone.
"What? What is it?" Rob, Cynthia, Tucker, Daniel, Grace, Tyler, Christine, Kayla, all their significant others, and Ed asked as she re-entered the living room where majority of the Stokes clan was.
Marge fanned herself, trying to catch her breath, "Nicky and Sara are engaged!"
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"OH I knew it!" Catherine called through the house after hanging up the phone. She moved to the living room where Grissom was entertaining Dylan and Lindsey was watching Between the Lions.
"What is it?" Grissom asked, looking up from his son to his wife.
"Nicky and Sara are engaged!" Catherine said, a gigantic smile on her face.
Grissom couldn't help but smile as well, "I knew they would."
"Oh excuse me," Catherine said, shaking her finger at him, "If I recall correctly, you were the one who said 'I'll be surprised if they make it through the promotion still together,' and 'We can't be sure they'll end up married.' Thank you very much," Catherine said.
Lindsey looked up at her mother, "Mommy," she said, "What's going on?"
"Uncle Nicky and Aunt Sara are getting married," Catherine said, sitting down next to her daughter and hugging her.
"They're getting married?!" Lindsey asked with a big smile, "That is so cool! Are they going to have a small wedding like you and Daddy did?" Lindsey said, smiling shyly at Grissom, who gave her a grin in return.
"I don't know, sweetie," Catherine replied, "But if I know Uncle Nicky and Aunt Sara, they may ask a certain girl by the name of Lindsey Grissom to be the flower girl!"
Lindsey just smiled.
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Sara looked at the ring on her left hand for about the twentieth time that day. She'd just woken up, and it was only six-thirty five. She had plenty of time to lay there, warm in her fianc's embrace and basking in her happiness. Life couldn't be any more complete. She felt Nick stir behind her, but lay very still so as not to completely awaken him. They hadn't even talked about wedding plans yet, but Sara knew it was going to be something simple; she wasn't the type to get all dolled up and have millions upon millions of people attending. She would be happy with a small wedding with only close family and friends in attendance. But she had plently of time to think about those things. For now, she was content laying in bed with her future husband, thanking God for all the blessings he had bestowed on her.
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A/N: AWWW they're engaged! How sweet! I like the idea, so if y'all don't, you know my motto. Must I repeat it? Okay, I will just for good measure:
DEAL. OR. DON'T. READ.
Thank you for your cooperation (lol!)
Next Chapter: ahhh... I haven't decided yet, but we'll all know when I post it, won't we? Now I know that that little 'GO' button on the bottom left is just dying for you to push it, so why don't you do us all a favor and just press it and drop me a line ;) thanks I luv u all!