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"Jesus, you scared me……………………………………Nick, Warrick well this is a surprise"

Nick stopped breathing for a second in shock. He felt like someone had punching him in the stomach as hard as they could without seeing them coming. Unable to say anything he looked from Sara to Greg and back at Sara. God, he thought, this cant be happening. Sara and Greg, together and in love, his Sara was in love and it was not with him.

It was Warrick who spoke first "Sara, is there something we're missing here?"

"I… um….. we…… this looks bad doesn't it?" Sara rushed out in reply. Not sure how to feel at this unbelievable situation. Shit, this has got so out of hand she thought but looking at Nick's horrified expression she had to smile. God they were shocked.

"It looks bad, but I suppose it depends on where you're standing" Warrick replied trying not to glance at Nick, knowing that this must have knocked him right over. "Months you've been together we just overheard, you could have told us, we are supposed to be your friends too".

"I can explain" Sara said, trying to speak softly so Lorraine and Greg wouldn't hear, "Really I can and I will explain, just not right now, later, I promise". She was looking at Nick realising it was not a shocked expression but a horrified one although she was not sure why.

"You and Greg? Well that's just great" Nick thought only he thought it aloud and in a very sarcastic tone too. "Typical" he added more to himself than to Warrick to whom it was directed at indicating his own bad luck when it came to Sara Sidle.

"What do you mean… Typical?" Sara asked suddenly defensive. Maybe Nick thought Greg's standards were normally higher. Lorraine was beautiful, if silly and heartless. "I don't see what is so surprising about it?" God, some guys do find me attractive she thought, but then again Nick had seen Grissom and Hank both repelling her interest in them.

"Then that would also be typical of you then wouldn't it" Nick snapped.

"Nick, look would you jump down off your high horse there for a minute and I can try to explain, but just not until Greg and that bimbo over there is out of earshot"

"You don't have to, your private life is none of my business" Nick finally said stonily, although having recovering some composure. He was sure the look of pure heartbreak was showing on his face, he had to get out of here, he didn't want any explanations of how they fell in love; he didn't think he could take it. "I have to go anyway, see you guys tomorrow".

"Nick, don't be like that, please wait and ….." but he was already gone. Damn it.

"Warrick really, take me to the bar, I can explain" Sara caught Warrick's elbow with the intention of steering him to the bar when Greg noticed him.

"Hey man" Greg's head rose comically "you joining the lovely Sara and me?" Greg hoped Sara had told him of this con on Lorraine, lying came easy to Greg, but he knew Sara would have trouble behaving like she had all evening in front of the guys. Not to mention the ribbing he would get about this entire situation.

"Ah, in a minute Man" Warrick said, this time steering Sara to the bar, Nick is probably having a fit around now. Jesus and he thought he would just have to wait until Sara got over Grissom and then it was Hank and now Greg! This was going to be a nightmare, for Nick and for himself. He was the one who was going to have to listen to it for the foreseeable future. Nicks little obsession about Sara was starting to get to him anyway; this would make things ten times worse.

"This should be good Sidle" Warrick smiled, even in light of the situation the look of pure embarrassment and discomfort on Sara's pretty face was amusing. He had never witnessed her embarrassed before. She was normally so in control and definitely not used to being in situations like this.

"Oh it is, and this had better stay between us, Catherine would never let me hear the end of it, Well it started this evening……………….." Sara continued to explain the entire evening as it unfolded to a very bemused Warrick

Warrick was laughing so hard he hardly hears the last comment as he was double over and tears were beginning to form in his eyes from the depth of his laughter. God this was good. Wait till he got hold of Greg, not to kill him but to find out how he had convinced Sara Sidle, of all people to go along with it.

Sara ignored his laughter and continued "What I don't understand is Nick's reaction, it would hardly have been a big deal if it were true anyway, would it? or is the idea of me dating so shocking. I know Greg normally dates different pretty and well groomed girls but surely Nick could set that standard the two of them uphold aside considering I am supposed to be one of his friends. I may not be up to Greg's usual standards but Nick thinking like that is unforgivable"

Warrick had barely heard that last comment as he was still laughing so hard. But her last comments sobered him up. "Is that what you think, that Nicks angry because Greg's dating you and not some silly blonde. Sara, now don't be daft, where are your detective skills now honey? That is not the reason Nick reacted so badly. Your a

beautiful girl and the only difference between you and those other beauty's he normally dates is you have brains and a heart too and Nick knows that."

"Well then what did he storm off for?" Sara voice sounded exasperated. "I could have explained."

Warrick thought carefully about his next choice of words, "That my dear, was not anger, that was hurt!" Did I just say too much, probably but at this stage a little truthfulness was not going do any more damage than was already done with this confusion.

"Why would Nick be hurt?" totally puzzled, Sara's brown eyes were wide in bewilderment.

"Now Sara, I have just given you a clue, so why don't we compile the evidence shall we? One, you and Nick have been spending a lot more time together, and on nights when Nick would usually have date's right? Two. Grissom, with more intuition than anyone I know, well when it doesn't concern himself that is, has pulled you two off cases so you wont be working together, so he has noticed something and finally three, Nick is hurt thinking of you dating Greg!" Warrick stared at Sara waiting for the penny to drop and yes, he thought looking at her expression, there it goes.

"Oh" Sara said quietly, and thought simultaneously 'Oh Lord am I stupid'. Hindsight is a great thing because all the pieces started fitting together. "I get it, a little late but I get it, and I thought he was angry"

Greg picked that moment to join the conversation "Angry who Nick? probably because he told me to tell you to call him and that he really wanted you to go out with them tonight, it slipped my mind, sorry Sara. Listen, Lorraine wants to go somewhere quiet to talk, this really worked, Sara you are a legend, but do you mind if I go with her now. I mean can you dump me quick" Greg gushed hurriedly obviously wanting to bolt.

"You want me to dump you now?" Sara looked at Greg, and had to laugh, "Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to dump you right now"

"Then Sara, you have been a wonderful girlfriend tonight. Thank you" and placing both hands on either side of her face, planted her with a sloppy big kiss.

"Get off" Wiping her mouth Sara retorted "There will never be a recurrence of this Greg, Never!"

"That's what Lorraine said last time" Laughing he pretty much ran to the door where the heartless bimbo was waiting.

"He will never learn, will he?" Warrick asked lightly wishing he could bolt for the door himself, suddenly worried about what he had just done.

Turning her attention back to Warrick "You can't just drop this on me and not tell me details, I want to know everything, when, how long, how much, everything" Jabbing her pointing finger into his chest. Excitement was building in the pit of Sara's stomach and she wasn't quite sure why, but she was sure she wasn't upset by this news and after it initially sank in, not too surprised. Just pissed off at herself that she had missed it. Make that very pissed off.

"Not a chance Sidle do you hear, I've gone and got myself in a whole heap of trouble as it is!" putting on his impression of a southern drawl while shaking his finger, "What you do with this information is up to you, and incidentally what are you going to do?" His curiosity on how she was taking this taking overcame his desire to extricate himself from this particular situation even if he had caused it. She did not appear to be horrified or even all that surprised. This, he thought was a good thing.

"If your not going to share with me then I sure as hell am not going to share with you" Sara crossed her arms in front of her and looked up to the ceiling.

"Oh come off it, I have already shared with you" Noticing she was still not budging he decided to answer two of her questions. The 'how long' one and the 'how much' one. "Ok, since after he found out you had a thing for Grissom and before he found out you were with Hank and oh, its more than a lot, in fact quite a bit more. And that's it that's all I am answering. Nicks already going to kill me, have you seen the size of his muscles lately!" Warrick pretended to shuddered at the thought.

"That long, Jesus poor Nicky. And I thought I was good at my job"

"You just called him Nicky I would say for the first time, I would say that was a good sign, and for the record you are exceptional at your job, Nicks just damn good at his only this time at hiding the evidence, wouldn't you say.

"I have to talk to him, I have to explain tonight and tell him…. tell him…, oh god what do I tell him" That I care that he is hurt, that I think he is wonderful, that I need time, that, that …….. oh god, this spilling of the emotional gut thing was never Sara's strong point.

"What now, tonight, you cant, I will let him know what went down tonight, let him tell you himself when he is ready, I have a feeling his shock at seeing you potentially dating might hurry him up" Warrick suddenly worried he just fucked up, seriously fucked up by fessing up to Sara.

"No, I am going to see him tonight. And you are driving me War, please. I can't let him think that I am with Greg, please"

"Why is it so important all of a sudden, you didn't know a few minutes ago!"

"It just is, please Warrick, I just need to see him, now get your ass outside and take me too him."

"Its just as well I only had a few light beers and am still under the limit then, the outcome of this had better be good Sara it had better be very good" again thinking that this was going to backfire and come back to kick him in the ass.

Damn her and damn him, Nick thought as sat on his couch having just arrived home. A large whiskey sat in a tumbler in his hand. He didn't even like whiskey but it seemed the thing to do didn't it, when heartbreak hit. After all this time not pushing things with Sara, listening to his sister telling him that if its meant to be then 'things will progress naturally', well that's the last time I will listen to Laura, making a mental note not to talk to her at all this week in case she asked how things were going with Sara.

First he waited out the Grissom thing and then the Hank thing, he wasn't sure he could face waiting out a Greg thing, oh the thought of her with Greg made him sick, he liked Greg, but he suddenly wasn't sure that even thought he loved Sara, that he could be with someone who had been with Greg, it was just not right. The two of them had always said dating the same women after the other one had was gross considering where the lady might have been to, on both of them!.

Thoroughly feeling wretched and pitifully sad, he went about refilling the tumbler that he had just emptied. Continuing his train of thoughts. Why had Sara to be the only girl he could not have and be the only girl he wanted at the same time? He had always found getting girls easy, not that he was being full of himself, but come on, Greg above him. That's never happened before.

The door bell rang at the same time as his phone did. Shit couldn't everyone leave him alone? Reaching for his phone first he checked the name coming up on his caller id and was not surprised to see who it was. Answering the phone he walked towards the door to answer it.

Driving Sara over to Nicks, Warrick was increasingly worried that this would just not go the way he had thought. Not that he planned this evening. But he had to warn Nick. Girls would warn each other that someone was on the way in this situation, men needed the same warnings too. Nick needed to be prepared for this if even by few seconds.

When Sara had jumped out of the car at Nick's house he reached for his phone quickly. Please Nick answer the phone before opening the door.

What am I doing Sara thought as she walked down the short path to Nick's door.

What am would she say, she wasn't even sure how she felt. Maybe that was a good thing, she knew when she thought too much about things she fucked them up.

Nick was wonderful but was he I love him wonderful? She asked herself. Only one way to find out and ringing the door bell she waited for Nick to answer.

Nick answered his phone while unlocking the door "Warrick, what is up?" but as he opened his door he had a feeling he knew the answer. Staring at Sara on the otherside of the door he could barley hear Warrick saying "She knows Nick, she knows" in shock he accidentally hung up on Warrick and stayed staring at his Sara. No he thought make that Greg's Sara, who now knew he loved her. This was not going to be easy he thought as she walked passed him into the house.

Ok sorry for the abrupt ending but I have work to do and I am getting frustrated with how I want this to go. Please review and tell me what you think. I know this chapter is a bit hurried but inspiration has been slow at hitting today.