A/N: Yes Catherine is not the spy! No Tara will not inflict pain on Sara! And yes Nicky will make everything better! LotRseer3350†you like my cliffhangers†well you're gonna get a big one at the end of this chapter! On with my story! Only two more chapters!

Chapter Eleven: 22 Birch Lane

Nick found the house and parked a few feet from the driveway. He got out and saw Catherine and Warrick parked a few feet behind him and the same with Brass. They all had the same idea as him. Don't let Tara know he had company.

"Got a plan?" Catherine asked. Nick nodded.

"I'll go in by myself. I don't come out in a half hour you and Warrick come in. We don't come out in an hour Brass sends his guys in." he said.

"You want to take an officer in before you to know what rooms are clear?" Brass asked, walking up.

"I'll be fine." Nick said and walked up the pathway to the house.

"He insane?" Brass asked. Catherine hopped up onto her Tahoe's hood and shook her head.

"He knows what he's doing." She said.

"So we're supposed to sit here for a half hour and if he doesn't come out we go in and then another half hour if the three of us don't come out then Brass and his men go in?" Warrick asked. Catherine nodded.

"Let's hope guys that Nicky can do this by himself." She said, watching the house. Nick checked the front door and it was unlocked so he went in. It was dark and he couldn't see very well. Nick heard a noise from somewhere and pulled his gun out in front of him. This wasn't what he did. He was a CSI; his job was to find the evidence not play officer. But this wasn't work. This was getting Sara back from a psychopath. The first room Nick checked it was empty. By the time he searched the whole first floor he didn't find anyone so that meant they were upstairs. Slowly Nick crept up the stairs and groaned inwardly. Tara knew what she was doing. All the doors on the top floor were closed. She could be behind any of them with a gun aiming at Nick. He checked his watch. Catherine and Warrick had five minutes to get in here. Should Nick wait for them so he didn't get himself killed or should he be a man about it and just go barging through the doors? Oh whom was he kidding?

"Tara I know you're there!" Nick called.

A scream yelled out through the house that Nick recognized as Sara's.

"SARA!" he yelled, kicking the first door open. He found nothing.

"Nick!" a hushed voice said. Nick swerved around to see Catherine with her gun out in front of her.

"Catherine." He said. Catherine nodded her head over to the middle door. Nick nodded and kicked the door open. Tara was sitting in a chair and Sara was hunched over in the corner.

"I was wondering when you figured out which room we were in." Tara said, throwing her gun on the floor. "I guess you saved her just in time. I see you have Catherine with you."

"And me." Warrick said, entering the room.

"You got the whole crew Nick. Just great. Guess I'll have to take all of you out then. Nick gets to stay unharmed though." Tara said, standing up. "Sara's learned her lesson. Haven't you?"

Sara looked up and Nick saw she had a bruise under her right eye.

"As if." She growled. Tara turned around and stared at her, amused.

"Really. Another punch should do it I think." She said and Catherine grabbed her by the arm.

"I don't think so." She said.

"Would you like one?" Tara asked and threw her fist at Catherine, but Warrick caught her fist.

"Are you crazy?" he asked. Tara nodded.

"About Nick. I'll have him Warrick." She replied.

"Why do you want him so bad?" Sara asked.

"Because he's everything you can ask for in a man. Isn't he Sara? Sweet, compassionate, funny, good looking, protects the woman he loves. Honestly when Mandy told me that everyone thought you liked Gil Grissom I almost died. I've heard all about the bug man. But I think Miss Willows over here likes him more. Don't you Catherine?" Tara replied. Catherine narrowed her eyes at the younger woman.

"Tara aren't you engaged to Mandy's brother?" she asked.

"Not anymore. I told you guys. I want Nick and I'll stop at nothing to have him." She replied.

"What if I don't want you?" Nick asked.

"Then she pays the price." Tara said, grabbing her gun off the floor and aiming it at Sara. "You wouldn't want to live while she dies just because you didn't make a woman happy. Now would you Nick?"

"You don't even know me." He said.

"I know enough from Mandy. Brown haired, brown eyed, 5' 11", CSI-3, married to the woman my cousin never loved. She stole him from Alicia!" Tara exclaimed.

"Wait this is all for revenge for Alicia isn't it?" Catherine asked.

"Yeah." Tara said, lowering her gun slowly.

"Well then why would you kill Dave and if it's just for Alicia then why do you love Nick?" Catherine continued.

"I'll tell you the whole story. Four years ago Sara came to Las Vegas. I had waited so long to get even with her. Alicia is like my sister and I'd do anything for her. When Jimmy's little sister Mandy told me a new girl was at work I asked her name. 'Sara Sidle' she had said and it felt like Christmas had come early. Now was my chance. For three years I had Mandy spy on Sara. I knew about Hank and I knew about her supposed schoolgirl crush on Gil Grissom. I was sickened when Mandy told me about Gil. It was over. I didn't want a man 15 years older than me but then walking on the Strip one day I saw an interesting sight. Sara was in a parking lot and she was not alone. I couldn't really see the guy's face since Sara's head was in the way but when they pulled apart I saw Nick. I thought he was all right but I knew that everything was starting up again. I called Mandy that night and told her to find out everything about the guy Sara was with. That night when Mandy went to work Nick and Sara walked in hand in hand. Mandy called me the next morning and told me about the fabulous Nick Stokes. I knew that this was it. You and Sara looked perfect together and when you proposed that starry spring night I was so happy. When you announced you'd be going to Orlando for your honeymoon I took that as my chance to snag you. I called Dave and told him to meet me down in Orlando the day Sara and Nick arrived. Alicia and Brandon came as well and we made it look like we were married and Brandon was our child but of course the little brat is Alicia's." Tara said. "After seeing Nick again I fell in love with him. I saw how he treated Sara and I wanted that. You all know the rest up until Dave's death. I came home a day later than Nick and Sara. I told Dave I could handle it from here but still told him the plan. He didn't like the fact that I was kidnapping Sara. See†even though Sara and Dave broke up he still liked her as a friend and didn't want her hurt. He flew out here and tried to warn Nick and Sara but I killed him before he could speak to either of you."

The four CSIs stared at the woman before them. She just confessed everything, kidnapping Sara, planning this whole scheme, and murdering Dave.

"You do know we're going to place you under arrest." Catherine finally said.

"No you're not." Tara laughed and raised her gun again, still aiming it at Sara. "You call in your back up men and she gets it and we don't want poor little Nicky upset now do we?"

Nick glanced down at his watch. Another half hour had just passed. Brass would be getting up in the room any minute with the police behind him.

"Catherine." He muttered, pointing at his watch.

"Las Vegas Police! Come out with your hands up!"

Tara glared at the CSIs.

"What did I just tell you!" she yelled and shot the gun.

"NO!" Catherine, Nick, Warrick, and Sara yelled.

A/N: OH NO!!!!!!!!!! Is everyone ok? Is Sara still alive?