Ummm...I guess it's a kinda sad story. It doesn't really make much sense, but read if you want.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Oh, and I hardly ever read any of the comments.


Her hands are on his shoulders, telling him he can't let it get to him. She shakes her head, turning back and talking to him, and I look away from the other room. It kills me to see them like this, to see her like this. It was hard enough before, and this just tops it off. I turn back, looking through the window in the door. I see something on her face, something almost unreadable for her; fear. It had never been there before.

And then something else was apparent, something that tore me apart. It was bad enough for him, for him to be afraid, but for her, I broke. A tear rolled down her cheek as she clenched her fist and closed her eyes, blinking back her misery. He reached over and squeezed her shoulder, and I knew that he, like me, was restraining his tears to pray for her.

Well, I couldn't tell you
Why she felt that way
She felt it everyday
And I couldn't help her

It was all I could do not to rush in and hug her, cry with her, tell her it would be all right. I could barely stand it from here, and I had to look down so if anyone came in they wouldn't see my tears.

They both take a deep breath, straighten themselves. She wipes her face, and his, and they laugh nervously, smiling sadly. He sits back down and gets ready to do his job, and she leaves the room to go wash her face.

Sometimes the night can be so dark and cold
No one beside you
And no one to hold
Hold on, hold on

I was waiting for her outside of the bathroom. She walked quickly out, but stopped abruptly in front of me. I gave her a weak smile, breath shuddering slightly.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Her lips twitched upward slightly, yet she glanced downward and I could tell what she was remembering that day a few weeks ago.

We pulled him out of Grissom's office, Catherine cursing Ecklie and the rest of us smiling at him, complimenting him and congratulating him on finally becoming a CSI, the moment he dreamed about ruined by an uncaring, cold figure. We were able to toast him, and after shift finally go to breakfast. She had been quiet the whole time, looking downwards. It had been unnoticed by the rest of them, only a quick glance her direction as they focused their attention on him. After a while everyone else had gone, leaving only us. He had gone, shaking his head because of the busy day that he had his dreams come true. Cups of coffee in front of us, she sat across from me and smiled feebly.

"He seems really happy."

I had nodded, paying attention to her face.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up, eyes still pointed downward as if to hide something. She could cry in front of me, scream in front of me, whatever, whenever she needed, but she didn't know.

"Today…reminded me of how it used to be. I miss it, Nick, I really do."

I had reached across the table and grabbed her hand as she let out a sniffle.

"I know it wasn't perfect before. I know when I first came here, I didn't fit in. I guess I never really did, but…it was fine. Perfectly fine. I knew you all, I could even trust you. I miss it. I miss you and Warrick, your competition, and how Cath could get Grissom to do anything. I miss Greg and you flirting over me, everyone telling me I needed a life. Nothing will ever be the same."

We cried together that day. I knew that the only thing keeping her together had fallen apart and though she had been deteriorating before, that day her world had come crashing down with the realization that how our lives used to be were gone. It was as if somebody had stuck a knife in me; Sara, our Sara, was falling apart, and we couldn't do anything about it. We sat there in the diner, barely able to choke back our sobs, tears streaming silently down our faces.

"I know that it wasn't the best. I know in the beginning Cath and Warrick stayed away from me, and you were my only real friend then. But it got better. I can remember the good times. When you knew where I was when Cath was kidnapped. When Warrick and I became friends. When Catherine was like my older sister, and you all protected me. We protected each other, Nick, and Ecklie just comes in and ruins it!"

The coffee was cold now, blotchy-faced friends finding each other when they needed it.

"I know Grissom could be insensitive, that he wasn't a people person. But he was never the victim."

I squeezed her hand tighter.

"It wasn't perfect, but I want my old life, my family back."

I couldn't believe that Sara, the one I had fallen for, who had initially been bubbly and bright, though somewhat of a loner, was crying. She didn't cry, hardly ever. Only when a case got to her; the women beaten to death. She knew that I had a hard time with the children's cases, and we knew there was something we were both keeping, but it was okay.

I took her hands, then pulled her into a hug, and soon we were both standing there, caught in an embrace, trying to hold back the tears. I noticed Greg watching, smiling sadly. A lopsided grin was apparent on her face, and I knew that she was playing sister to him. She was an only child, but she and Greg were like siblings. He walked over and she pulled him into the hug.

"Thank you."

Later as I sat in my car, leaning back, I noticed Sara come out of the building. She saw me and came around to the passenger seat and stared ahead.

"You guys were like family, and when Ecklie broke us up all the bad memories, everything bad that ever happened came back to me."

I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sara, it's okay to cry in front of someone who loves you."

She smiled slightly before letting it all go, and I knew everything would be fine someday.

Show me your shadows
Let down the guard that you hold so high
Come all unraveled
Give me the pieces you always hide

I will not judge you
I will not run
When you let me see you come undone
Uncover your secrets
Give me your trust

Oh, my love is strong enough
For your shadows


Sorta sad, huh? If you were wondering, "he" is Greg and "she" is obviously Sara. What's going on with Sara and Greg is just friendship, heh.

The songs lyric blurbs are "Nobody's Home" by Avril Lavigne, "When you Cry" by Faith Hill, and "Shadows" by Faith Hill, respectively.