Title: Lost

Author: Joyce

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. You all know the drill.

Note: This is my first attempt at CSI fic. It centers around Warrick, because...well, Dourdan is a terrific actor and so hot there should be a law against that man.Anyhow, moving on with the story.

Lost

Working as a CSI had never been easy for him. He wasn't the smart geek like Grissom was. He didn't have the dedication both Catherine and Nick seemed to have and he sure as hell did not have the absolute passion for the job that Sara had. In truth, he once had taken the job because he had wanted to make his grandmother happy. But he hated certain aspects of the job. He hated that he always got to see the worst of people. He hated it even more that nowadays he couldn't imagine people doing good. He had lost his faith, couldn't see any beauty in this world anymore. Even the casino's didn't pull him in like they once had. Sure, he could still feel that nagging feeling telling him to play almost every day but he could shake those feelings much easier now. Because he knew that giving into the sensation would not make him happier.

In short: he had been lost until she found him.

And the funny thing is, she found him on an ordinary day. He was sitting in the breakroom, thinking over his case. Thinking of evidence he might have missed, new angles he could explore. She had walked in and looked into his eyes, smiling at him. He smiled back, he always did. She had turned to leave again, after grabbing something out of her locker but stopped. Trailing back to him.

"Warrick, what's wrong with you lately?"

Her question had suprised him because he didn't think that anybody knew about his problems. He didn't think that anybody knew that he had absolutely no clue what to do with his life.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

She shook her head, knowing that he was lying.

"You're not fine. You haven't been for a while now. Please, talk to me."

He sighed, seeing something in her eyes that made him want to confide in her.

"Why is it that you still love this job?"

She blinked, not having expected that question.

"I don't really love it, it can be brutal sometimes. But it's just...I feel like we're doing something good out there. You know that feeling."

She saw the expression on his face and realised that he didn't know that feeling anymore.

"Are you thinking of leaving your job?"

He had considered it lately, a lot. But he knew that he couldn't walk away. He still felt the guilt over Holly's dead, still felt like he had something to prove to Grissom. Like he had something to prove to himself.

"No, no, I just want...I don't know, I guess I just want to feel again."

She didn't understood that.

"What are you talking about? You want to feel again?"

He tried to explain.

"This job, it takes over your life. It takes your days and turns your nights into dark hours filled with dead. And I used to be able to handle that. To go home after a shift and relax. To see outside this world we live in at night. But lately...It's getting harder and harder to see anything besides darkness."

She took his hand in a friendly gesture that touched him.

"We've all been there. I know I have. It will get better, I promise. You just need... well I was told I needed a life. Go get yourself a life, Warrick."

He smiled, the first real smile he had given her in a long time.

"Do you happen to know of a place where I can buy a life?"

She grinned.

"No, but I do know this place where they make great breakfast. At least, people have told me that I make some mean scrambled eggs. Come over after shift ends, we can talk some more. Watch a little tv, relax. Sound good?"

He pulled her into a hug.

"That sounds like the best offer I've had in a long time. Thanks."

Gently letting go of him she stood up.

"Good, I'll see you in a couple of hours then."

She had walked out of the break room, leaving him alone with his case again. Somehow the rest of his shift had seemed shorter.

A couple of hours later he had been standing in front of her house. Ringing the doorbell. When she opened the door he noticed that she had changed her clothes. She was wearing sweatpants and a comfortable tanktop. Her hair was up in a ponytail.

"Hey Warrick, come in."

He grinned, waving a paper bag in front of her.

"I brought coffee."

Rolling her eyes, she laughed.

"Did you steel some of Greg's coffee again?"

He shrugged.

"Hey, the guy can be annoying, but he makes a damn good cup of coffee. I figured it would go well with those mean scrambled eggs you make."

"You really know how to treat a woman well, bringing stolen goods."

She turned around and walked into the kitchen, telling him that he could wait on the couch. She returned ten minutes later. Carrying two plates of breakfast food. They ate in silence, watching some cartoons on tv. She was the first one to speak again.

"I've read somewhere that SpongeBob is gay. Do you think he has some gay qualities?"

He smiled at the stupidity of her question.

"I think that SpongeBob deserves to have a private life. I like the guy. Gay or not."

She nodded.

"Good enough for me."

Turning to look at her he noticed a faint smile on her lips. One he had to return and before he knew it he was kissing her. And she was kissing him back. When he finally pulled back she had a huge smile on her face and he felt no need to analyse the kiss. It had felt right. Leaning over to hug her he whispered in her ear.

"Thanks Sara, for being here for me."

That day had changed him, she had found him. Pulled him out of his dark world, because when he looked at her he could finally see beauty in the world again.