Three in a relationship
Sara
She never knew something like this could happen to her. That someone would love her unconditionally. That someone would love her in her truest form with all the mistakes she had managed to make in her life. But he did. Nick Stokes did and he patiently showed her again and again what loving someone meant when insecurity got the better of her once again.
Sometimes she felt Nick expected something from her she couldn't possibly give him. Loving came so easily for him and it was so hard for her. She never truly loved Grissom. She knew that now, but her actions had told everyone surrounding her something else. Everyone including Nick and the object of her past affections.
Rationally she knew the problem could be easily solved, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't cut Grissom out of her life entirely, because it gave her a way out. A way out of something too good to be true. This new relationship, no matter how wonderful, was scaring her to death and it was comforting to know she could return to her old habits, which gave her a sense of safeness, if she wanted to. She knew it was insane, but she'd rather hurt herself than let anyone else hurt her.
She hated herself for doing this to Nick, to Grissom and also to herself. She knew what she wanted and who she wanted, but she couldn't bring herself to give herself totally to Nick. She needed to protect herself against someone she didn't need protection against. She wasn't giving up though and Nick knew she was working hard to get past all her insecurities.
She felt his arms surrounding her waist. This was as far as they would go at work, but in the beginning she had to learn to deal with Nick's almost constant affectionate behavior. It had been difficult to explain to him that she wasn't ashamed of their relationship. It was all so new to her and she had so much catching up to do. She knew she would get there, she ultimately, most likely would get there, eventually.
It felt good to be loved and it felt even better to love. She thought she could live on that feeling of total bliss if only she could get past the negativity which was desperately holding on to her heart. If only she could shake that feeling, the number of persons in this relationship would be reduced.