Holidays at the Stokes Place

Pairing: Nick and Sara (Of course! I would have it any other way)

Spoilers: Pilot, Cool Change, Crate and Burial, Who Are You and Stalker. There may be a hint of Crash and Burn.

It's the Day after Christmas in Dallas. Nick and Sara are with their nieces Eliana and Louise Stokes at a local Starbucks drinking coffee and eating pastries. Sara and Nick tell the girls how they met and the somewhat bumpy road in their relationship.

A/N: The title of this chapter is a play on 'When Harry Met Sally'.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Sara, Nick or any other mentioned character on CSI. If I did own Sara and Nick, they would have been hooked up and hitched already! (Writers of the show: take notice!) However, I do own Nick's family.

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How Nick Met Sara

Sara and Nick took their nieces Eliana and Louise Stokes out for lunch. Meanwhile Tom and Trey were with Thomas watching some college football and eating chips and salsa in the living room. Cynthia went grocery shopping with Audrey. Nick wanted to take his wife and nieces to the mall, but he realized that going this was going to be murder. That was the day that people swarmed by the dozens to return tacky and unwanted gifts or exchanged them for something better. Instead, the four of them went to Nick's favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch. About an hour or so later, they were sitting at a local Starbucks drinking coffee and eating some goodies.

"Uncle Nick, how did you and Aunt Sara meet?" Louise asked. "I know you have told us many times before. However, my sister and I want to hear it again."

"It all started when my friend, 'second brother' and colleague Warrick Brown and I both solved our 99th cases," Nick said. "We each had one case left to our 100th and that meant getting promoted to CSI Level Three. It also meant an 8,000 dollar raise and an extra week of vacation. We made a bet on who made 100 and get the promotion."

"What does that have to do with Sara?" Eliana asked.

"He is getting to it," Sara said. "Eliana, for someone who heard this story many times, you act like it is the first time you've ever heard it."

"I play it so well," Eliana chuckled. "Nick, continue with the story."

"That night, we got a new CSI named Holly Gribbs," Nick said. "You don't know her. Warrick was supposed to shadow her as she processed a crime scene. Instead, he left her alone so he could go to a casino to gamble. Meanwhile, I solved my 100th case and became a CSI Level Three. There was a little celebration that was cut short when Jim Brass told us that Holly had been shot. She was in surgery and not expected to survive."

"Is this where Aunt Sara comes to the picture?" Louise asked.

"He is getting there," Sara said.

"My boss Gil Grissom wanted to keep the Holly Gribbs shooting out of the paws of IA," Nick continued. "He first wanted me to continue Holly's investigation because I never had any contact with her. Catherine Willows took that away from me since she tried to talk Holly out of quitting. Then Grissom wanted to investigate Warrick, but with an outsider. He made the phone call that would change my life and everyone else's, of course. He called Sara Sidle and recruited her out the San Francisco Police Department to work for the Las Vegas Crime Lab."

"Oh, I am starting to like what I hearing," Eliana said.

"Grissom and I were investigating the death of a man that either jumped to his death or he was pushed from a hotel window," Nick said. "I was on the roof top throwing dummies and there was an audience on the ground. That was when I saw this beautiful brunette talking to Grissom. I was completely mesmerized by her."

Sara was blushing when Nick referred to her as a beautiful brunette and that he was mesmerized by her.

(Flashback: October 2000, Las Vegas Crime Lab break room)

Sara Sidle was sitting in the break room minding her own business and drinking a cup of coffee. She jumped at the sight of a handsome man in his late 20s. She nearly spilled her coffee.

"I am sorry, miss," the young man with a sexy Texas drawl said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay," she said. "I was just taking a break from my investigation."

"I am Nick Stokes," he said extending his hand. "I am a CSI with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. And what is your name?"

"My name is Sara Sidle," she extended her hand to meet his in a handshake. "I was from the San Francisco Crime Lab. Gil Grissom called me to investigate a Warrick Brown."

"Yeah, Grissom said something about bringing you from San Francisco," Nick said. "Weren't you the one talking Grissom outside the hotel?"

"Yes, that was me," Sara said. "How did you know?"

"I was on the rooftop throwing those dummies down," Nick said. "I saw you and I think you are beautiful."

"Well, thank you," Sara said. "It was nice meeting you Nick, but I have an investigation to continue. I am sure you have more dummies to throw off of rooftops."

"Maybe I could take you out to dinner sometime," Nick said as Sara quickly walked out of the break room to get away from him.

(End of flashback, return to Dallas 2004)

"Catherine's investigation into Holly's shooting became a homicide investigation," Nick said. "Holly died on the operating table. Sara intensified hers on Warrick. Holly's killer was arrested. Grissom received Sara's report that included a recommendation of Warrick's termination. Grissom decided go against Sara and kept Warrick."

"Is Warrick mad at Aunt Sara?" Eliana asked.

"Despite a rocky start," Sara said. "Warrick and I are now great friends. In fact, he wants to be the godfather of our first child."

The two younger Stokes girls were giggling.

"Which brings us to our first case together," Sara decided to tell this story. "We were investigating the alleged kidnapping of a young woman. Nick and I were accusing each other of standing on each other's crime scenes. He got to do something with audio and I wanted it. I was very jealous. He told me that he outranked me. I countered by asking him who did Grissom handpick to be a part of his team. Nick told me to keep telling myself that."

"I take it wasn't really love at first sight," Louise said taking a bite of her biscotti.

"I am not sure what was going on in Nick's head at the time," she said. "All I do know was that I didn't get along with him at first despite his introduction."

"Tell the girls about Lindsey Willows, Catherine's daughter," Nick said almost blushing.

"Yeah, Lindsey's birthday was coming up and for some reason the little girl didn't want a party," Sara continued. "Catherine was losing her patience and kind of took it out on me. Grissom and Nick getting her daughter the same chemistry set didn't really help matters. I told Nick to keep his and he might learn just something. He told me to stop flirting with him. I think deep down inside he was flirting with me."

"Oh, you could just cut the tension with a butter knife," Eliana said.

"Then Grissom and I were investigating a case of a female skeleton found inside the foundation of a house," Nick said. "We arrested the man we thought killed the woman. Grissom left me alone in the house to process the crime scene. I saw a picture of the murder weapon and asked the man's wife about it. The next thing I know, the psycho bitch comes in and points a gun at me. She confessed to the killing. Meanwhile, I was telling her to put her gun down and that I was a good listener. Grissom came back and pointed the gun at psycho bitch and had her arrested. I was crying and pretty shaken up."

"Oh, poor Uncle Nicky nearly got killed by psycho bitch!" Louise said giving Nick's hand a gentle squeeze.

"I didn't want to go home that night," Nick said. "By this time, Sara and I were just very good friends. I knew Warrick was investigating a different case and it was still ongoing. I drove to Sara's apartment. She sensed that there was something wrong and let me into her place. She made me a hot cup of chamomile tea and offered me a shoulder to cry on. Eventually, I fell asleep on her couch and she put a blanket over me not wanting to wake me up and kick me out her place."

"Aw, that is so sweet," Eliana said.

"You haven't heard the worst story," Nick said cringing at the thought about telling his nieces about his stalker Nigel Crane again. "The entire team was investigating the murder of a young woman trapped in her own apartment by fear. At this time, I received an email from my prom date, but back in my mind I know she couldn't have sent me something so disturbing. I had a nagging feeling someone broke into my internet account. I change the password immediately. Warrick and I went to Nigel Crane's apartment to search and collect evidence. Warrick had to answer his cell phone and left me alone. Suddenly, Nigel must have appeared because I was thrown from the second floor window and I was unconscious."

"That is a fucking psycho!" Louis interrupted.

"I woke up in the emergency room," Nick said. "I learned that I had a concussion, two cracked ribs, a sprained wrist and a gash in my forehead that needed five stitches. I was lucky. When I was released, the doctor gave my some medication, ordered me to get plenty of rest and no work for at least a week. Sara and Warrick helped wheel me to Sara's car and she took me home, my home, not hers. I was about to go to sleep when the psychic that was helping Grissom with the investigation came to warn me that Nigel was somewhere in my home. I asked him to leave. That was when all hell broke loose. Nigel killed the psychic. He pointed my gun at me and then at himself. Despite the pain in my wrist, I stopped him. Jim Brass and several officers busted through my door and arrested Nigel. Brass took me to the crime lab where I saw Nigel, but he couldn't see me. Later, Sara took me to her place and nursed me back to health. That was when I started really falling in love with her. Unfortunately, she had a boyfriend named Hank."

"I was dating this guy called Hank, who is a paramedic," Sara said heavily. "Catherine, Warrick and I were investigating the death of an elderly woman and several others after she crashed her car into a busy restaurant. Hank was there and he suffered a broken wrist. I later learned that Hank already had a girlfriend and he was cheating on her with me."

There was a brief silence. Eliana and Louise were nearly crying. Nick was practically livid over how some jerk could have done that to his sweet and beautiful Sara.

"I was devastated and it was my turn to seek comfort," Sara said. "I drove on auto pilot to Nick's place and I was in tears when he opened his door. He quickly whisked me inside, closed the door and embraced me. I was sobbing and telling him what a fool I was to be in love with such an asshole. Nick told me that he would have never treated me the way Hank did. I looked at him and asked him if he was in love with me. He silently nodded his head and continued to hold me for a few moments. He released me and gave me dish of cookie dough ice cream. We talked for a few moments. Then I drifted off to sleep on his couch. When I awoke, I confessed that I was in love with him. The rest is history."

"I would have loved to take Hank to the desert and given him a very lengthy and strongly worded lecture on how to properly treat women," Nick said coldly. "Maybe introduce his face to my fist a few times. I wish I would have done something else, but I would have been arrested and my ass would get tossed in jail. My mom and sisters have taught my brother and me very well. They'd tar and feather our hides if we ever treated a woman the way that bastard treated Sara."

There was another brief few moments of silence while Nick took several sips of his grande hazelnut cappuccino.

"Tell us about how you proposed to Aunt Sara," Eliana said breaking the silence.

"We were dating for a while," Nick said. "I knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life and grow old with. I bought a beautiful and simple ring. I left work early so I could go shopping for groceries and candles. When Sara arrived at my place, she was kind of in a foul mood. I forget what happened, it did involve a case she was working with Warrick. I gave her a shoulder massage with lavender oil. I let her rest while I finished preparing the dinner I had made – mushroom ravioli with vodka sauce and green salad with balsamic vinaigrette. When we were about to have tiramisu, I took out a small box, open it and asked her to marry me. She said yes with happy tears and I put the ring on her finger."

"What a sweet story!" Eliana said, then looking at Sara who had a tear fall down her face. "Aw, Aunt Sara, don't cry in Starbucks!"

"Eliana, I tend to get misty-eyed when Nick talks about how he asked me to marry him," Sara said. "In my opinion, it is the most beautiful event of my life and of course our wedding was just as beautiful."

"My sister and I are happy that you are a part of the family," Louise said. "The same could be said for our brother, but he and dad are with Grandpa Stokes at 'Stokes Manor' watching college football."

Nick took the last pastry despite the look that Sara gave him. Their nieces helped them clear off the table of cups, napkins and stirrers. Sara returned the plates to the barista. They left to go back to 'Stokes Manor' to watch whatever was left of the game.

TBC