Pain and New Hope

Pairing: It's mostly about Nick, but it will be a Snickers story at the end.

Spoiler: Stalker with a slight reference of Bully For You

This is my take on how the episode should have ended instead of everyone leaving Nick alone in the interrogation room.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the CSI characters or extras

The Safety of Sara Sidle – Part One

My eyes were still glued to the one way window of the interrogation room when everyone started to leave to go back to the lab. I was all by myself. It wasn't until I heard the door open and close that I nearly jumped out of my skin. I heard footsteps and smelled her perfume. I turned around and the most beautiful brunette in Sin City approached me.

"Hey Nick, aren't you supposed to go home and get some rest?" Sara asked.

"My home just became a crime scene," I told her unaware of my tone.

"You need a place to crash until you are better and your place is cleared for your return," she said.

I nodded. I just wasn't sure who would take me in for a few days. I didn't want to stay at a hotel.

"I don't want to stay at Grissom's," I said. "The thought of waking up next to Miss Piggy and Lord knows what other sick and bizarre things he keeps there is creepy. Catherine is a good choice, but Lindsey jumping around isn't conducive to an injured CSI, especially one with cracked ribs. Brass is like a father to me, but I can't impose on him. Warrick has been taking too many guilt trips over my attack. If he takes me in, he might as well rack up enough frequent flier guilt trip miles to earn him a trip to the department's shrink. Greg likes to throw wild parties at his place and that would be bad for someone trying to get plenty of rest. I guess that leaves you."

"Do you want to stay with me?" Sara asked almost flabbergasted.

"Yeah, you keep a quiet place," I said. "Besides, I have always wanted to see your place."

"Don't you know flattery won't get you anywhere, Stokes," Sara said and that got a smile and a little chuckle out of me. "I see your humor is still intact. Come on, let's get you to my place so you can rest."

I followed her to her car and she helped me in. I was feeling a little better, still sore, but that was the medication. I was more awake than I was when Brass took me from my place to the station. However, I was in deep thought about what had transpired since Warrick and I went to Nigel Crane's apartment. We arrived at Sara's apartment complex. She helped me out of the car and we walked up to her apartment. When we entered it, I was amazed how calming her place is. The walls were painted a soft purple and were decorated with philosophical plaques, photos of her growing up and one very hilarious poster. I would have laughed, but my ribs were very sore.

"Nick, I am going to set up a bed for you," Sara said. "Don't try to argue with me. You are not sleeping on my couch."

"Don't you have your own to sleep in?" I asked.

"It is my spare bedroom," Sara said. "The bed is very comfortable and you need to rest on something that is soft and not hard."

"That would be fine," I said. I would have loved to sleep with her so much if it weren't for my injuries and that I am not dating her.

I noticed her high school yearbook on the coffee table and pulled it close to me. I started to look through it. Sara was in only one photo and nothing else. I couldn't believe there was only one mention of her in that book. She deserved to be in more of those pictures. She didn't make any of the senior superlatives. What was wrong with the kids in her school?

"Nick, your room is ready," Sara said. "Why are you looking in my yearbook?"

"Curiosity got the best of me," I smirked. "Sara, I can't believe you were only in one photo. You should have been in more. Your name wasn't even in the superlatives. When I was a senior, I was voted most dependable."

"I was a science nerd in high school," Sara said. "No guy paid attention to me. I wasn't into the cliques."

"I am so sorry, Sara," I said shaking my head.

"That's all in the past," she said brushing it off.

I noticed a few tears falling down her face. I thought it was something I said, but it was something else that concerned her. I invited her to sit next to me and put my good arm around her. She gently leaned on my shoulder.

"Sara, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Nick, I need to tell you something," she said. "After I tell you, I want you to get some rest."

"Sure, what is it?" I asked.

"Do you remember that videotape collection that Grissom found at Nigel's apartment?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think I may have asked about it while I was being wheeled out of the hospital," I said. "You chided me for talking about the case when I should be resting. What about those tapes?"

She took a deep breath and let it out.

"Grissom, Catherine, Warrick, Archie and I were looking at a few samples of the Nigel Crane Epic-," she said heavily.

"The Nigel Crane Epic, you call it?" I interrupted.

"Would you rather call it the Nigel Crane Film Festival?" she snapped.

"No, just continue," I told her.

"Nigel is a fucking psycho," she said. "In one of the videotapes, there was a copy of your 'Crime Stoppers' article with a red circle around your photo. It was a blur at first, but Archie was able bring that to focus. Nigel filmed himself talking about you and that he wanted to be your friend and just like you. Then we heard him ask if he could stop your heart."

I gently wiped the tears that were streaming down her face. I cringed at Sara's description of what she saw and heard. I was living through that nightmare. Nigel had the gun pointed at me.

"Sara, I am glad you told me this," I said. "I wish I was at that A/V lab when you saw it."

"I was totally disgusted when I saw it," she said. "It was almost the same feeling I had when we dealt with liquid man several months back. If I had to look at one more videotape I would have run to the ladies' room and vomited."

With my good hand, I rubbed her back. Those images and my actual nightmare would traumatize all of us for some time to come. I looked at her and knew that she wanted to say something else.

"Nigel was lucky that he was on the other side of the interrogation room," Sara said with venom in her voice. "If he was our side of the room, I would have loved to put my hands on his throat. Either snapping his neck into two or choking the living shit out of him. He doesn't deserve twenty-five to life, he deserves the death penalty."

"Sara, I never knew that you had this in you," I said. "I thought you get this outraged when the case involves a woman."

"He killed Jane Galloway!" she snapped. "Of course, I am outraged! He also killed Morris Pearson the psychic working with Grissom! Nick, that fucking bastard nearly killed you twice!"

"I am here, Sara," I said trying to calm her down. "I only suffered a few injuries, but I am going to be fine in a few weeks. It is the emotional trauma that will take longer to recover from."

"Hey, I think you should get some rest," Sara said. "You look like you are about to collapse. Brass told me that you passed out in his car on the way to the lab."

I wanted to fight the need for rest, but I was too tired to even argue with Sara. She gently helped me get off the couch. I followed her to the guest room where the bed was turned down for me. She helped me remove my jacket. I slowly sat down on the bed and let her help me take off my shoes. I pivoted my injured body so my head would be in the direction of the pillows. I slowly and gently leaned back and rested my head on the pillow. With Sara's help, I placed my legs underneath the sheet and blanket. She pulled up the sheets up to my midriff. I gingerly put my sprained wrist on my stomach.

"Nick, are you comfortable?" Sara asked. "How do you like the bed?"

"This is better than staying at a hotel," I said with a grin. "This is very comfortable. I think I could stay here forever."

"Don't push your luck, Stokes," Sara said giving me a light swat in the shoulder. "You are only staying here until you are fully recovered from your injuries and your house is cleared for your return."

"Nigel Crane did considerable damage to my house," I said. "I don't think I can return once the investigation is over. Boy, my homeowners' insurance is going to get a kick out of processing the claim."

"Nick, don't worry about that," Sara said. "Just get some rest and I will be back in a while to check on you."

I fell asleep immediately, but it was going to be a long night for both Sara and me. It was a nightmare filled slumber. I have woken up screaming after each nightmare of Nigel tossing me out of the second story window. Sara entered the room to calm me down. It had gotten to the point that she didn't want me to sleep alone. She climbed in next to me and I held her held with my good one. We fell asleep and I knew with Sara by my side, the Nigel Crane nightmares would be kept at bay.

TBC