Title: Independence Day
Author: DarkDreamer56
Archive: If you want it, ask please!
Rating: T
Pairing: N/S
Disclaimer: If I owned them, then I wouldn't be spending my Fourth of July dealing with the masses flocking to purchase fireworks, paper products, and swimming pools. I'd actually get to see the fireworks. Not that I'm bitter.
Spoilers: mild for Grave Danger

A/N: Just a little idea I had for a holiday fic. Enjoy, and have a safe and happy Fourth!

Nick usually didn't mind holidays. Growing up in a large family, the holidays were always chaotic, but fun. He remembered Christmas mornings, with wrapping paper strewn about the living room, and Fourth of July's filled with family barbeques and water gun fights.

This Fourth of July though, Nick wasn't quite looking to acknowledge. He had a new found gratefulness for independence, but he didn't feel much like celebrating. So instead, he sat on his couch, beer in hand, half paying attention to the ball game on his big screen. He wasn't ready to enter the realm of normality; to attend a picnic, laughing and eating watermelon, playing softball, all the while pretending he hadn't been buried alive underneath a mound of fire ants. And while he wasn't ready to let go of it himself, he didn't want to be surrounded by people walking on pins and needles around him all day.

A knock at the door caused him to sigh and set down his beer. He had hoped that the holiday would pass with minimal interference from those around him; no such luck. Opening the door, he found Sara standing on his doorstep, wearing a timid smile and holding a grocery bag.

"Catherine said she called…that you weren't going to her barbeque," Sara explained, walking through the hallway and setting the bag on the kitchen counter.

"So you were sent to persuade me otherwise?"

"Actually, I figured if you didn't have to go, then that let me off the hook." She gave him a lopsided grin, and Nick chuckled despite himself. "Warrick and Catherine, Grissom and Sofia…"

"Grissom and Sofia?" Nick asked, surprised by the revelation. "Sara, I'm sorry…it's his loss." Nick had always figured that if Grissom ever got his act together, that it would be for Sara.

She shrugged and rummaged around in her bag. "It doesn't really bother me…I got over him a long time ago, it just sucked that after all that time, he finally did decide to date someone at work, you know?"

"Yeah," Nick agreed, once again surprised. He had never expected Sara to take Grissom being in a relationship with someone else with so much grace; but then again he supposed that most of what Sara did surprised him.

Sara finally found what she was looking for, and pulled a few containers out of the bag. "It wasn't really healthy, for me. I guess I thought that it was safer to pursue something that was never gonna happen, than to really try and find something that would, does that make sense?"

Nick nodded, dazed by the entire interaction. He wasn't used to Sara standing in his kitchen, going through his cupboards and pulling out plates, talking so matter-of-factly about her shortcomings in relationships.

"Well, anyways, I didn't really want to be one of the only single people at Catherine's. Greg was bringing his new girlfriend…"

Nick couldn't help but grin. "Have you had the pleasure?" The look on Sara's face answered his question. "Okay, I guess that means you have. Hey, she's not that bad, you just have to get past the voice…and the baby talk. But if she makes Greggo happy…"

Besides I think that Sofia is trying to set me up." Sara wrinkled her nose at the thought, and opened the containers, revealing one veggie burger with all the fixings, and something that looked suspiciously like a real cheeseburger fixed just the way that Nick liked.

"So who is Sofia trying to set you up…is that what I think it is?"

Sara smiled sheepishly at him, holding out the container. "I figured you, of all people, needed red meat on the Fourth of July. But don't expect this to become a habit; it will be a very long time before any of that stuff ends up in my kitchen again."

"Thanks Sar…this is great." Nick accepted the container and put the contents onto a plate.

"Don't thank me until you taste it," she warned with a smile pulling the corners of her mouth upward. She deposited her veggie burger onto the other plate, and turned around to grab a beer out of his fridge. As she leaned over, Nick realized that it was a nice change to see her in a pair of shorts and a tank top. Soon they were both heading back into the living room, sitting down in front of the game.

"You never told me who Sofia is trying to set you up with," Nick mumbled through a mouthful of burger.

Sara kicked off her flip flops, curling her legs underneath her as she took a long swig of her beer before she answered, "Vartaan," trying, and failing to keep a straight face.

"No," was all Nick managed to get out, and a little more harshly then he probably should have.

Sara quirked an eyebrow. "No?"

"He has a worse reputation around the lab then I do. A reputation that was only partially earned on my part," he grumbled, demolishing most of the burger in the next bite.

"Well, maybe his isn't entirely earned then either," Sara mused.

"Oh no…I've gone out with him after work a couple times. You are much too good for him Sar."

"Well, since I knew you weren't going to be there to protect me," she teased lightly, "I figured I'd come bug you instead."

As they ate in silence for the next few minutes, Nick was surprised at how easily Sara had been able to change his mood, just by sweeping into his house. He was glad that she had stopped by; it had been a long time since he had just felt the easiness of sitting next to someone, eating in a comfortable silence. He supposed it made sense that it was Sara; of all of his friends, she had been the one best able to go about things as normal with him, without appearing that she was just doing it for the sake of not disrupting the delicate balance of emotions those first few days.

The same easy, playful banter that had always existed between them made it easier for Nick to pass the hours of sleeplessness. Sure, she had cried, and watched over him like a hawk, sitting with him when the nightmares woke him up screaming, but she had never tried to hide anything from him. If he asked her a question, she answered it honestly, letting him decide what he was ready to know and what he wasn't; he wished that Warrick and Catherine, and even his own mother, had taken a page from her book. She treated him as she always had, though she became a lot more protective. Still, it wasn't the same kind of protectiveness that made him want to scream when it was Warrick, Catherine, Grissom, or his parents. He suspected that she realized what was going on, and while everyone else was busy trying to protect Nick from himself, she was trying to protect him from the others. She had an uncanny ability to sense when everything was becoming too overwhelming for him, and at those times she would suddenly announce that they were going for a walk, or that maybe it was time for everyone to get going.

Looking over, he saw that Sara had finished her veggie burger, and had drained most of her beer.

"Want another?" he asked, gesturing to her near empty bottle.

"It depends."

"On?"

She cracked a smile. "You mind if I stick around for awhile?"

Nick grabbed her plate and bottle. "I suppose not, you did cook me red meat."

Sara giggled and rolled her eyes. "Way to make a girl feel welcome."

Nick made his way to the kitchen, depositing the dishes into the sink, and grabbing two more beers. On the way out, he saw Sara's bag still sitting on the counter. Picking it up to put in the trash, he realized there was still something inside. When he peered into the bag, his face lit up.

"Sara Sidle, did you make an apple pie?"

Sara called back from the couch. "I was gonna take it over to Catherine's, but I figured they wouldn't miss it. And it's just one of those frozen one's, nothing fancy…"

Nick was already on his way back to the couch, precariously balancing two beers, the pie, and two forks. Sara raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"Nothing but the best for company, huh?"

Nick glanced at the television. "Well seeing as the company decided to commandeer my remote control…"

"Hey," Sara defended, "the Rangers were down, like ten runs. I was merely trying to save your ego. And I knew that some station would be playing this movie. It's a classic."

Nick gave her a sideways look as he settled onto the couch. "I'm sorry, but Independence Day is not a classic."

"Then why is it on American Movie Classics, huh, Mr. Movie Critic?"

Nick chuckled. "You've got me there Sar. Fine, you win."

She flashed him a grin and grabbed a fork. "Was there ever any doubt?"

They polished off most of the pie, and another beer apiece while they became absorbed in the movie. In fact, it wasn't until right after the big presidential speech that Nick heard the noise coming from outside. He tensed automatically, glancing out the window. His mouth began to feel very dry, his heart began to race, and he nervously began to tap his fingers on his thigh, concentrating on the rhythm. Anything to try and slow down the pounding in his chest.

It took several minutes for Sara to notice something, but when she did, she placed a hand on his hand to still his fingers. "Nick, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he choked out, but Sara would have none of it. The look she shot him clearly implied she didn't believe him. "Some kids down the street…they're shooting off bottle rockets or something. Have been all weekend."

Sara's eyes widened, and she nodded in understanding. Nick hadn't realized how much a simple event like fireworks would set off his memory, until the kids down the street had started to celebrate a little early, setting off firecrackers in the middle of the street. Now, every time he heard the noise, it put him on edge, and he couldn't help but remember the exploding plexiglass.

Sara grasped the hand resting on his thigh, entwining their fingers, before curling up against him and laying her head on his shoulder. She didn't say anything else, but Nick could see her watching him out of the corner of her eye, a concerned look etched on her face. She sporadically squeezed his hand as she rubbed gentle circles over his thigh with her thumb. Nick exhaled loudly, trying to focus on the feel of her warm body pressed up against his side, the scent of her shampoo wafting in and out of his nose, the feel of her delicate fingers firmly entwined with his. Anything but the noise going on both outside his house and inside his head. And to his surprise, it worked. Slowly, he was able to turn most of his attention back to the movie, and the woman curled up next to him.

It wasn't perfect, but it was a start.

FIN.

A/N part deux: I had to include the movie, my sister and I have this slightly obsessive attachment to it. Don't quite know why, but we find it amusing to recite pretty much the entire movie (while watching it and driving our parents completely nuts). And I'm sure you're all very interested in this. Okay, to make this A/N worthwhile: I promise I am thisclose to posting the next chapter for UC. There we go, relevant. Thanks for reading!