"So this really started after Hank then?" Nick tried to clarify. They had long since finished off the pizza and were just kicking back talking.

"Maybe before that. I'm not really sure. It's just that after I found out he was using me to cheat on his girlfriend, Catherine and I went out for a beer and it sort of took the edge off things." Sara explained hugging a pillow from the couch. It seemed that the more she talked the better she felt. She hadn't really talked to anyone in a long time, and for whatever reason, Nick was easy to just spill her guts to.

"When did you start drinking alone?" Nick furrowed his brow as he studied her. He knew that the road ahead for her would not be easy or fun, but he was prepared to be there for her every step of the way and his gut told him that Catherine, Grissom, and Warrick would be too.

Sara closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. "You know, I know that Grissom is going to make me see a counselor, but this is so much easier just talking to you."

"I'm glad, but a counselor is probably going to help you a whole lot more than I can. All I can do is listen. I don't know how to fix this, Sara." His concern for her was evident.

She opened her eyes and smiled. "All I want is someone to listen who actually cares." She was silent for a few moments and then pivoted on the couch to face Nick, still holding onto the pillow. "After the explosion."

Nick looked a little confused. "Huh? Oh, the drinking."

She nodded. "I just didn't really feel like myself after that, and then I pulled a gun on that suspect."

"I could have wrung your neck for that you know." Nick chided her at the memory. At the time he'd commented that she must think that she was indestructible.

She whispered softly. "I know. I'm sorry."

Nick leaned his head back on the couch and looked over at her. "That's when you asked Grissom out, isn't it?"

She nodded and bit her lower lip. "Biggest mistake I've ever made." She was quiet for a moment and then let out a wry laugh. "Ok, besides threatening to jump off the building."

Nick lifted his head and raised an eyebrow, smirking at her. "I was going to say something, but since you brought it up."

She swatted at him and laughed. After a moment her expression softened. "Hey."

He smiled. "Yeah?"

"Thanks." She smiled sincerely.

"No problem." His expression turned a bit serious. "I really want to apologize to you though."

She furrowed her brow. "Nick, you don't need to apologize."

"Yeah, I do." He nodded his head. "I noticed little things that made me wonder if you were ok, and I didn't say anything. I was too caught up in trying to get that stupid promotion to see that you really needed a friend. I messed up. I'm sorry."

Sara reached over and put her hand on his arm. "Nick, I haven't exactly been very nice to be around lately."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "And that should have been a sign that I should have become a pain in your ass to find out what was going on."

"Thank you for not judging me." She looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Sara, it's not my place to judge anyone. You're my friend no matter what you do." He smiled back.

She closed her eyes and exhaled loudly. "I'm not looking forward to facing everyone. It's bad enough that I know Grissom is disappointed in me for getting pulled over. I don't even want to know what Warrick and Catherine are thinking."

He reached over and took her hand. "Hey, they care about you, even Grissom. He may not want to date you, but he does care about you."

She nodded slowly. "He has a funny way of showing it."

Nick chuckled softly. "Sara, since when have you known Grissom to do anything the way everyone else does?"

She pursed her lips together and smiled. "You're probably right."

"No probably about it. I know I'm right. You should have seen his face tonight. He's worried about you. I'm worried about you. And I'm sure if we asked Catherine and Warrick, they'd say that they're worried about you too." He squeezed her hand.

Sara let out a yawn. "Sorry." She glanced over at the clock on the wall and her eyebrows arched upward in surprise. "We've been talking all night." She covered another yawn with her hand as she turned back towards Nick.

"Hey, you should get some sleep." He let out a yawn himself.

"I've talked your ear off. I'm sorry." Sara looked a little sheepish.

He grinned at her. "Hey, that was the plan. You talk, I listen. Now you need to sleep, but I suppose I should help you make your bed."

"Uh, I think I can handle it." Sara looked a little amused.

"Well, I'm going to help anyway and then you're going to give me a pillow and a blanket so I can crash on your couch." He informed her with a smug expression.

She looked at him doubtfully. "You don't have to stay."

He leveled a stern gaze at her. "Sara, I'm not leaving you alone. I know you're feeling better, but I'm staying. You really don't have a choice."

She furrowed her brow and let out a deep sigh. "Has anyone ever told you that you can be a pain in the ass?"

He let out a deep chuckle. "Then I must be doing my job right." He stood up, pulling her with him. "C'mon, Sidle, you have a bed to make."

She got some clean sheets out of the hall closet and made her way into her bedroom with Nick trailing behind her. As she unfolded the fitted sheet, she glanced over at Nick. "Hey, uh, you might want to take a look in that drawer over there." She pointed towards the table next to her bed.

He looked at her curiously and walked over and opened it up. He glanced up a bit surprised and then pulled out a nine millimeter Glock and looked at her. "You want me to hold onto this for you?" His expression was serious.

She just nodded at him and unfurled the sheet over the mattress. "Just in case."

He nodded at her. "Ok." He tucked the gun in the waistband of his jeans and grabbed the other side of the sheet, quickly helping her make the bed.

When they'd finished, Sara walked over to Nick and wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks for everything, Nick."

He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. "Hey, that's what friends are for. If you need anything, wake me up. I'll just be on the couch. Ok?"

"Yeah." She agreed, stepping out of his embrace. "There are extra blankets in the closet." She turned and grabbed one of the pillows off of her bed and tossed it to him. "Don't blame me if you get a kink in your neck."

He smirked. "I think I can handle it." His smirk softened into a smile. "Get some sleep." He turned and headed out into her living room, letting out a deep breath as he went. He knew that he was going to have to call Grissom and fill him in on a few details; the rest he was going to let Sara tell him when she was ready. He grabbed a couple of blankets from the closet and sat down on the couch, pulling the gun out of the waistband of his jeans and setting it on the coffee table and then resting his face in his hands. He was absolutely emotionally exhausted.

A few minutes later, he grabbed his cell phone and punched in the familiar number. "Grissom, its Nick."