Appreciation by SLynn

Summary: An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of 'Precious Things' This is the fifth in a series. Greg/Sara and Nick/OC

Spoilers: Up to 'Nesting Dolls'

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.

Thanks and stuff at the bottom!

Had you come some other day
Then it might not have been like this
But you see now I'm too much in love

'If I Needed Someone' by the Beatles

Chapter 21: Needed

The news of Nick and Amy's status as expectant parents spread seemingly of its own accord throughout the lab. Amy found that she was being continuously interrupted by well wishers, some she barely knew, most wanting to know when they were getting married. Amy smiled, thanked them and avoided the topic as best she could. For Nick it was much the same.

Also that night came word that Brass had arrested Stephanie Winger's soon to be ex-husband Jason Webber and his new girlfriend Tammy Johansson. He and Warrick had confronted them that morning separately and while he'd been calm and collected, she had completely freaked out. After that they matched the prints and the case was considered closed.

With the case closed, Greg had expected Grissom to take him off the arson case in favor of Nick, but that hadn't happened. Instead he put all three of them on it and the double homicide in an effort to speed things up. So far, they'd had little luck with either.

The night passed quickly without much more being accomplished and Greg found himself back in the locker room getting ready to leave. He was purposefully taking his time, hoping to catch Sara, but knew he couldn't just hang out in front of his locker all morning.

Finally he had to go. Heading down the hall he couldn't help smiling as he saw Sara round the corner in front of him.

"I was looking for you," she said, matching his smile with one of her own.

"Really?"

"Yes," she answered. "I wanted to see if you might want to grab dinner later."

"Sure," he said with a nod, "that sounds great. Do you want me to come by…"

"No," she cut him off. "I'll pick you up. How's five? Maybe we'll go down to the strip and watch the tourists lose their money."

"You know what I like," Greg said, causing her to clear her throat and look down.

"I'll see you then," she said after a pause.

"Okay," he agreed, touching her shoulder briefly before continuing down the hall.

Greg turned around once more and was happy to see she'd done the same. Waving goodbye, he rounded the last corner before the lobby, still walking backwards and feeling elated.

On the way back to the house Greg stopped at a drive-thru for breakfast. Once home he found that he'd just missed his mom on the phone. She'd left a longer than normal message, a subtle hint that he hadn't been calling enough. Deciding to get it over with or next she'd be calling his cell at work, he picked up the phone and dialed her in San Francisco.

He ended up on the phone with her for just over an hour. Greg was careful to avoid any talk of Sara. It wasn't that his mother wouldn't have been thrilled to hear they were attempting to work things out; it was that she'd likely be so excited that she'd push him to call her now. Maggie Sanders might even call Sara herself if she thought it would help, and Greg did not want that.

After he'd finally hung up with her, he tried to settle down and get some sleep but the phone rang again. This time it was Dr. Jennings. She wanted to know why he'd missed his appointment yesterday and he had to truthfully tell her he'd forgotten. He'd go into the details of why later, at their next session. She seemed okay with that. Dr. Jennings was keeping a closer than usual eye on him since he'd split with Sara and started the sleeping pills. Greg didn't mind, he knew it was part of her job.

Greg changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt before taking his meds and lay out on the couch. It wasn't long before he was sound asleep.

It felt like only minutes later that he was awoken by the sound of knocking at the door. Standing and stretching and without checking the time he moved to answer it.

"Did you just get up?" Sara asked once he'd opened the door, too shocked to say anything else.

Greg rubbed his face and then finally checked the clock in the kitchen; shocked himself to see it was after five.

"I'm sorry," he said, moving back to let her in, "I didn't realize."

Sara nodded and gave him a weak smile. He looked exhausted.

Greg moved quickly now to pick up his pillow and blanket from the couch, tucking them under an arm to clear her a spot to sit down.

"Give me twenty minutes," he said, already backing up towards the master bedroom. "Twenty minutes, I swear, and I'll be ready. I'm so sorry."

"Greg, it's fine. Take your time, it's not like we have reservations."

He gave her a smile and then hurried away.

Sara relaxed as best she could, wondering briefly why Greg was sleeping on the couch. She skimmed the bookshelf before picking up his copy of 'The Forensics Journal' off of the end table and flipping through that while she waited.

Before Greg was back there was another knock at the door. Sara hesitated only a moment to make sure Greg wasn't on his way out; after all he really should be the one to answer it but after a second knock she felt she didn't have any choice.

Sara opened the door and immediately frowned.

"Well," Erika said, equally as surprised as Sara was, "I didn't expect to see you here."

Sara took in her attire, saw that she was obviously ready for a night out and then remembered the re-opening of the gallery was scheduled for tonight.

"Can I help you?" Sara finally asked.

"I was hoping to talk to Greg."

"He's not really available right now."

"Oh," Erika returned and it was the first time Sara had ever seen her even slightly discomposed. "I can wait."

Sara, not really at liberty to tell her she couldn't, reluctantly stepped back and let her in.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Sara asked, moving toward the kitchen.

"No," Ericka answered, "thank you."

Sara opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water she'd bought yesterday, leaning against the counter and trying to think of a situation worse than this.

"You certainly know your way around here," Erika remarked after a long pause.

"I should," was all Sara allowed in return.

Erika didn't like that answer. She'd obviously been hoping for some explanation involving co-workers or friendship to explain that away, but Sara wasn't about to give her that satisfaction. Sara felt a twinge of guilt at having made the other woman so uncomfortable, but it was a small one. After all, Erika had been doing the same to her, worse even, from almost the moment she'd laid eyes on her.

"So are you two going out tonight?" Erika asked after an even longer pause.

"Yes, we are."

"He didn't tell me he had plans."

"But he didn't make any with you either," Sara returned, "did he?"

"Greg's a last minute type of person," Erika said, returning to the living room and sitting on the couch.

"I'm pretty sure I know what type of person Greg is," Sara said, following her out but still standing. "And I'm pretty sure I know what type of person you are."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really," Sara answered as evenly as she could, considering how angry she'd become.

"Well, do tell," Erika said with a laugh. "I'm really interested to know what an investigator thinks of me. Or would you rather I tell you about yourself? About where this little fling of yours is headed? Do you want to hear it now or be surprised when you find yourself cast off?"

Sara practically fumed. She didn't like that this woman presumed to know so much about her, or Greg, or their relationship as she did. She didn't like her attitude, her air, or her overall sense of entitlement. Sara had had enough.

"No," Sara said shaking her head, "you know what, just get out."

"What?" Erika asked in disbelief, standing and staring at her.

"You heard me," Sara repeated louder, "get out."

"You can't…"

"I can't?" Sara cut off sharply. "Oh, I can't? I don't know what you think you know about Greg and me, but this is my house too. My name, next to his, on the deed."

"You live here?" Erika asked, clearly not believing it.

"I do," Sara lied. It was the easiest lie she'd ever told. "And I don't want you here anymore. Get out."

Erika stopped, her face going from shocked to nearly pleased in a half a moment.

"Well?" Erika asked.

Sara, confused for a moment, suddenly realized Erika wasn't talking to her. Turning around Sara saw Greg standing there, shoes in hand, looking so bewildered she would have laughed if she hadn't been so terrified of how he was going to react. Of what he might say to this. She knew he didn't care about Erika any more, but how was he going to take Sara still laying claim to him and what was really his house? She had no right to, not anymore, no matter how far they'd come in the last week.

Greg recovered quickly enough, moved further down the hall and to Sara's shock straight past her and to Erika. The smug smile on Erika's face was nearly unbearable, that is until it vanished. Greg moved not only past Sara, but past Erika as well and straight to the door to pull it open.

"Greg?" Erika questioned, turning to him still stunned.

"You heard her," he said looking her straight in the eyes, "this is Sara's house too and she doesn't want you here. Neither do I."

Erika didn't stammer or argue. With one last glare at Sara, she turned and was gone, Greg shutting the door behind her.

Sara looked at Greg and tried to gauge if he'd really meant that or not. Maybe it was just something he'd said to get rid of Erika.

"Greg," Sara started to say but was quickly cut off.

He'd dropped his shoes at the door and made it over to her in five quick steps, pulling her into his arms and kissing her like she'd only remembered him doing.

"What was that for?" Sara asked, still reeling from the experience after they'd broken apart.

"I don't know," Greg said honestly with a laugh. "I just, I heard you say that this… that you…I don't know."

Sara laughed too and smiled, arms still wrapped around his waist. Greg moved his hands through her hair and onto her back, pulling her even closer as he did so. They momentarily locked eyes and that's all it took. They both leaned in at the same time, lips meeting eagerly in the middle, once more engaged in a tight embrace.

Sara wasn't aware that they'd begun to move down the hall, she was just completely lost in his touch. It wasn't until they were actually in the bedroom, his shirt lost along the way, and hers nearly removed that she pulled back.

"Greg," she questioned, "I didn't think…"

But her stopping hadn't stopped him. Not much. Instead of kissing her lips, he'd just moved and begun to trail them down her neck instead. Gasping as he sucked the spot high on her neck, just below her ear before pulling away and whispering into her ear to ask her 'what'.

"I thought we were taking this slow," she answered, her breaths coming heavier now as she pressed her forehead to his.

"We were," he said before kissing her again.

"Were?" she asked, her voice a near giggle.

He laughed with her, pulling her back to him, kissing her harder this time.

"I love you, Sara," he said when he finally broke off. "I love you and I don't want to keep pretending I don't feel this."

Sara looked into his eyes, darker then they should be and much more serious than she remembered.

"I love you too."

The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile briefly before he captured her lips again. There was nothing more for either of them to say.

A/N: Okay, so it's taken me awhile to update. I know this. Most of you with LJ accounts know why. grin Everyone else, I'm showing my true evil nature and will leave you to wonder. However, I thank you for sticking it out and for waiting patiently for this chapter. Hopefully it will not be too long before the next is out but given the current situation, I may only be updating once or twice a week. Thanks once more for everyone who reads, and doubly for those who review!

Tripp3235, RivenSky and Grrlnorth – Thanks for all your help and for pushing this story forward! I owe you three a lot, hopefully I won't disappoint!

And I'm sorry I'm not saying more other then thanks, but thanks to:

Emmithar, Nicole, Fan4fanfic, Pukah, Duckie24, CMELO, Kelly, CatherineLouise, Reno Sands, jewelbaby, punk-death-dealer, avalon88, ThreeDollarBill, awheat2, Josie22, Fwe, white rose01, veryevil, sugah sugah, Puddleduck, Gizzi1213, s, laura, kegal and karen!