Okay, okay, so I've been a lot busier than I thought I'd be. But for the next month or so, I may not be able to update as much you'd like. There's just so much going on with school this semester, and I HAVE to get good grades or I may not be able to live in the house I want next year. So, please just be patient with me. Thanks to those of you who are sticking with me on both of my unfinished stories. :)

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Nick shut his phone, and sighed. Sara had been gone for over a half hour now. And she wasn't known for taking a long time in the shower. He had finished with the fire, and was debating on whether to start the food, or to go check on her. Yes, she was a grown woman and could take care of herself, but he was still allowed to worry.

He turned away from the fire and looked up towards the bath house. He decided to go check on her, but stopped walking when he saw her emerge from the small building. He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. She worried him, that was for sure. She was always acting so tough, but he knew deep down she wasn't as strong as she seemed to think she was.

Nick watched Sara as she made her way back to their camp ground, duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She seemed different. She wasn't carrying herself like she did so well. And she was staring down at the ground instead of holding her head high, like she normally did.

When she neared the campsite, Sara glanced up at Nick and forced a smile to her face. "Hey," he greeted her.

"Hey," she replied, throwing her bag into the back of the Denali.

"How was the shower?" Nick asked.

Sara's mind flashed back to the man in the bathroom. She suddenly felt cold and alone. But before Nick had time to question it, she turned to him, and smiled again. "It was fine."

"Sara, are you-"

"Do you need help making the food?" She asked, cutting him off.

Nick gazed into her eyes. Something was wrong, he knew that much, but what also knew was that pushing her to talk about it wasn't going to do anything but push her further away. And that's the last thing he wanted. He knew she'd tell him on her own time, when she was ready. He closed his eyes, and sighed. "Yeah."

"Good, because I'm starving."

Sara breezed by him, and knelt down at the fire. Nick had already laid out the frying pan, eggs, and hash browns. She knew he was hiding the bacon and sausage somewhere. Or maybe he'd already made it and eaten it before she even got back.

She glanced up when she heard a noise in the bushes on the other side of their campsite. She could practically feel her heart stop when she saw him standing there. Sara was frozen to the spot. This time he had no mask on, but she still didn't recognize him. He had short brown hair, and hadn't shaved in a few days. She tried to stand up; tried to call Nick, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came out.

Suddenly he bolted from the spot where he'd been standing, and before Sara knew it, he was completely gone from site.

"Sara?" Nick's soft voice made her blink several times. And from the sound of concern in his voice told her it wasn't the first time he'd said her name.

She slowly stood up and turned to face him. She was right. Concern was etched all over his face, and this time she knew there was no getting out of telling him what was bothering her.

Without a word, Sara closed the distance between their bodies and wrapped her arms around Nick's waist, burying her face in his shoulder.

Nick, who was only slightly taken aback, placed one hand on the back of her neck and the other around her waist. He ran his fingers through her hair smoothly as he spoke, "Hey, are you okay?"

He felt, rather than saw, her move her head from side to side.

"What's going on, Sar? Does this have to do with the guy you saw at the rest area?"

When Sara didn't reply, Nick gently placed two fingers under her chin, and lifted her face so he could look into her tear-filled eyes. "What is it?" He asked again, quieter than before.

"I saw him again," Sara whispered.

"Where?"

"Here. Last night," she answered. She closed her eyes tightly before going on.

Nick could tell she was stalling for time. "What else?" He asked.

Sara nervously looked around the campground, and then turned back to Nick. "Can we get in the car, please?"

Nick nodded, and led her over to the Denali. Both of them got in the backseat quickly and quietly. All of the windows were still covered from the night before, so it was fairly dark in the SUV.

Sara pulled her knees up to her chest, and folded her arms on top of them. Nick sat right next to her, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"He was in the bath house with us last night. I swore I saw him."

"Sara, I was there, though. I didn't see a thing," Nick said, trying to reassure her.

Sara sighed. "I know. But I saw something." She paused. "And then this morning…"

Nick looked up at her. "This morning? While you were in the shower?"

Sara nodded.

"What happened?" Nick asked, trying to make his voice sound calm.

"Everything was fine," Sara began shakily. "I had just finished with my shower and wrapped the towel around my body. I bent down to pick up my shampoo and conditioner, and I saw him outside the shower stall door. Well, I saw his shoes."

"Please tell me he left after that," Nick begged.

Sara shook her head and buried her face in her arms.

Nick took a deep breath. "What happened?"

"He-he came into the um, uh, the stall."

"Sara, no-"

"I thought it was over," she continued. "I thought he was going to-"

"But he didn't?" Nick asked, cutting her off.

"No. My cell phone rang, and he ran away." Sara took a deep breath and let the air out slowly. "I can still feel him. I can still feel his hands on me, his finger on my cheek, his body pressed against mine. He was so strong, Nick."

Nick pulled Sara's body to him, and wrapped his arms around her. "He won't hurt you, I promise."

"He told me he'd been watching me, Nick. He knows who I am. He knows you. He knows everything. What if he hurts you?" Sara babbled.

"He won't," Nick stated matter-of-factly.

"You can't promise that."

"Oh, yes I can."

Sara remained quiet after that. She began to feel her body relaxing in Nick's arms, and it was a while before she spoke up again. "Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't tell you everything."

"What else is there?" He asked.

"I saw him when I got back from my shower, too," Sara admitted.

"When? I was with you the whole time."

"He was in the bushes that separate the campsites, over across from the fireplace."

Nick sighed. "Do you want to go back home?"

"No," Sara answered quickly.

"Sara-" there was a hint of warning in Nick's voice.

"I'm not going to let this ruin our vacation."

"Sara, we can always come back another time."

Sara looked up at him. "Do you know how hard it would be to get another week off together? Grissom would never go for that and you know it."

"I'm sure if we explained what happened this time, he'd let us have another week off later."

"Nick, we're not leaving."

Nick didn't fight back this time. He was worried. What if this guy really was stalking Sara? What did he want? How did he know her? He knew he needed to take Sara and head back home. Maybe he could convince her to go back home later, and they could leave first thing in the morning. All they'd have to do was make it through the day.

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   TBC

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