A/N: I hate this computer.

Nick moaned quietly as the harsh Vegas midday sun poured through Sara's half-open living room curtains onto the couch where the two of them were seated. He squinted his eyes blearily as he focused away from the window on the clock on the wall on the other side of the room. He'd been asleep for a little over two hours.

He turned his gaze to Sara. She was also asleep, breathing deeply and evenly on the other end of the couch. Her arm was curled to support her head, and her legs lay along the length of the sofa, her feet resting lightly on Nick's lap. It was then that Nick realised his left hand was holding lightly onto Sara's right foot, stroking it slightly through its socked material. He smiled at her, continuing to caress her foot as he took in her peaceful appearance.

While the couch was comfortable enough, he felt he should return home to get at least a little sleep before their next shift. Bracing himself against the arm of the furniture, he used his other hand to hold Sara's lower legs lightly out of the way, trying not to wake her as he lifted himself up and off the sofa. Despite his attempts, Sara breathed out audibly, flickering her eyes open and towards Nick. She smiled up at him.

"Hey. You going somewhere?"

Nick smiled back down at her. "Hey. Yeah, I was just about to head home. I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's fine. You don't wanna crash here?"

"No, it's cool. You should get to bed, anyway."

"I sleep here a lot of the time, anyway. A little TV after breakfast, and I'm out like a light." She stretched slightly, swinging her feet around to rest on the coffee table before them. "You can take my bed."

Nick smiled at her offer. "Oh, no, I'm not taking your bed. You are. I'm going home to sleep."

"You sure?"

"Positive. But thanks anyway." He smiled at her generousness.

He moved over to the countertop, collecting his possessions, and then headed to the door. Sara sat up in her sleepy state to show him out. She opened the door as he put on his shoes, and then stood up and smiled at her.

"Alrightly. Thanks for breakfast, Nick." She yawned a little and wiped her eyes.

"It was my pleasure. We should do that more often."

"Yeah, I guess we should. Oh, and thanks for talking. I really do feel a whole lot better now."

Nick paused, looking at her intently before her spoke. "I'm always here for you, Sara… you know that, right?" He reached out for her shoulder before pulling her into a hug and he stroked her back gently. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here. Always. Okay?"

Sara tried her hardest not to cry as she just nodded into Nick's shoulder, not trusting herself to speak. When he finally let her go, maybe ten seconds later, she had regained composure.

"Thanks. It… it really means a lot to me." She paused. "Now get your ass home and get some sleep already!"

Nick poked her in the shoulder as he smiled. "Will do. See you in, what, seven hours?"

Sara laughed as he headed out the door. "Miss you already." Nick turned back to grin at her.

"Oh, I know you do."

They both chuckled lightly as Sara walked back into her apartment. As she watched Nick walk across the parking lot to his car, she suddenly remembered something, and reached for the phone, dialling the number she knew by heart.

As his phone rang as he opened the door to his car, Nick looked at the calling number and then smiled up at Sara's second-storey window where she stood. He answered. "Guess you really did miss me already, huh?"

She smirked down at him. "I just remembered, I have no way to get into work tomorrow. Think you could come pick me up?"

"You betcha. I'll see you later tonight."

"Okay, thanks. And call me first, so I'm not naked or whatever when you arrive, okay?"

Nick laughed. "Okay. Though you say naked like it's a bad thing."

Sara laughed back at him. "Go home, sicko. I'll see ya." She hung up.

Nick smiled to himself as he hung up his cell phone and got into his vehicle, hoping any thoughts of Sara naked wouldn't distract him on his way home.

Sara quickly washed her face and cleaned her teeth, slipping into her favourite pair of cotton pajamas as she climbed into her bed. She had to admit, it was more comfortable than the couch. She set her alarm, and didn't even open her book as she lay down and closed her eyes.

It was a short drive home for Nick, as he quickly walked inside and was in bed in a matter of minutes. He found himself unable to shake the image of Sara from his mind, as he finally sighed and closed his eyes, hoping he wouldn't find sleep to difficult.

A little over six hours later, both Nick and Sara's alarm clocks sounded almost simultaneously, as the two clambered out of bed and proceeded to get ready for work. Nick got ready slightly faster than Sara did, giving him plenty of time to get to her place and still make it to work before shift started.

He knocked on the door, and was slightly shocked as Sara opened it and poked her head around, her bare shoulder and arm exposed. She wore an expression of surprise, masked by slight amusement.

"Why hello. Did I not tell you to call first?"

Nick bit his lip, his eyes wide. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. I totally forgot. I don't like using my cell while I'm driving."

"Yeah, right. Hoping to bust me naked, huh?" She smirked at him.

"No, actually, I did genuinely forget."

Sara smirked again. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not technically naked." She stepped away from the door, revealing the purple towel wrapped around herself. "I was drying my hair."

"Ahh." There was a pause. "You do like purple, huh?"

Sara laughed. "Yeah, I guess. I've just gotta get dressed- I'll be out in a couple of minutes. Have a seat. There's coffee in the kitchen." She disappeared back down the hallway.

Nick opened the kitchen cupboard, knowing exactly where Sara kept her cups; arranged by size in the cabinet nearest the sink. That's where they'd always been, since he'd known her, and he didn't think Sara the type of person to change. He reached for a mug and poured himself a cup of the strong, black coffee Sara had a particular liking for. He took in the surroundings as he sipped. A voice sounded from the back of the house.

"Okay, I'm ready. Let me just do my shoes, and we can get outta here."

"Sure. Take you time. We still have a half hour."

Sara quickly tied her shoes, grabbed her bag and jacket off the bench, and then nodded at Nick. "'Kay, let's go."

They both moved swiftly down the apartment block stairs and across the parking lot. Their regular conversation ensued as they climbed in to Nick's rig and he pulled out of the parking space.

It was about five minutes into the ride when Nick asked Sara her take on their current case. "So, with no viable suspects, who's your money on?"

"No idea. Cops talked to her friends… no boyfriend, apparently."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean no ex. And besides, I mean, she worked at the Tangiers; you know how many people who work there end up dead." He smiled over at her.

"Oh, yeah. Future note to self: do not become a blackjack dealer."

The discussed various points about the case as they got closer to the lab, finally pulling up in Nick's company-issue parking space right by the front entrance, Nick making a big deal of looking at his watch in mock surprise. "And, why, look! We're a whole nineteen minutes early. You should be able to draft, what, sixty pages of your shift report before staff meeting?"

Sara didn't say a word as she got out of the car, rolling her eyes at him. "And you should be able to down at least four cups of the department's delicious generic coffee. I'm extremely jealous."

They continued their playful banter as they walked together towards the glass door of the lab entrance, subconsciously drifting together as they talked. They walked inside and signed in with the receptionist. Nick, having written his name first, glanced down the hall as Sara filled her form in, his jaw clenching as he saw a group of three EMTs sauntering down the hall towards them, laughing and joking.

The paramedic on the left was the first to look up, seeing Nick and Sara standing just a few feet from him and his co-workers. He nudged Hank, who was standing beside him, gesturing with his chin.

Hank figured there needn't be any particularly hard feeling between himself and Sara now; they were over. Although Sara had been upset, it had been three weeks, and he was sure she'd be close tofine by now. He looked his colleagues on either side of him in the eye, assuring them to just keep walking.

Sara signed her name next to her clock-in time, and turned to smile at Nick, who was looking unusually tense. She was about to ask him what was wrong when a familiar face caught her eye a couple of feet away. She instantly felt uncomfortable, but decided that she had to face him sometime. She turned to face him squarely as she strongly spoke his name, making Nick and herself proud at how in-control she sounded, considering she was shaking inside. Nick placed his hand lightly on her lower back, stroking it with his thumb.

"Hank."

Another, slightly elaborated A/N: Man, my computer has been such a bitch these past few days. I was this close to smashing it with my hairdryer. I had this written, like, days ago, but nooooo, the internet decided it would be insanely fun to be on-again-off-again for four days straight. Damn thing. Fingers crossed, it seems okay now.

And big thanks to all my lovely reviewers. :)