Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to CSI or it's affiliates. I am merely a fan whose would like to take already established characters into a story of my own rendering.

Note: Hey thanks to everyone for the reviews! I'm really appreciating all of them. Also, sorry for the delay. I've been working some massive overtime lately. But that should be ending soon. Bear with me, we've got a few chapters to go! Enjoy.

Release

Chapter 4

"This is weird." Sara was not amused by the fact that she and Nick were actually trying to make pancakes in the lab breakroom. Nick's initial plan was to show her how to mix everything and then they'd refridgerate the mix until she got off work so she could cook them.

Once Greg walked in, the plan changed. Not wanting to be beat by the Texan, Greg wanted to show Sara how to microwave the mix. He'd never done it, but somehow he managed to convinced his two fellow CSIs that everything would be ok.

The plate filled with pancake mix was just bubbling in the microwave. Sara was not amused and quite impatient while Nick and Greg were transfixed with the bubbling mass by staring into the microwaves.

"You know, Greg, we do have work to do." Sara was ready for this fiasco to be over.

Greg's gaze on the microwave ended suddenly, causing him to hit his head on the cabinet. "Oww, ok, I'm going to get my stuff. Where are we going?"

"To talk to Sandy's coworkers. They've agreed to meet us this late to get it over with."

Greg nodded, "Well at least they want to cooprerate somewhat. Just let me check with Hodges before we leave. I submitted some evidence to him last night. He should be done with it by now."

"Don't bet on that." Nick called to him as he walked out the door. "I almost got him a hooker just to get my evidence last week."

"Hey, that'll work!" Greg turned back towards them and yelled through the glass that seperated himself from Nick and Sara. "I know a chikc who owes me a favor!"

Nick chuckled while Sara took the mess of pancake out of the microwave and threw it away. Nick noticed what she was doing when he caught a smell of the now debunked mixture, "Aw man, it stinks now."

"I guess the milk went sour while in the microwave." Sara replied. After she finished the clean up job, she sat down for a moment to reread the recipe card Nick had made her. "So a hooker?" She finally said as she looked up at Nick who was now standing over her.

Nick's dark features turn a slight red, "Yeah well, a guy gets lonely when he doesn't have a girl to satisify him." He looked at Sara who was now looking at the recipe card again. She too was blushing.

He'd gotten the effect he'd been going for.

Leaning on the desk, Nick took Sara chin in his hand, causing her to look up at him again. She tried to dart her eyes away, but he repositioned his hand on her chin to now completely cup it. She slowly gazed up at him, a shyness evident in her eyes. Nick smiled.

"Come over to my place tonight. I want to teach you how to make veggie cassrole."

"I can't. The case..."

Nick moved closer over the small table. "Forget the case. Forget work. Forget everything and be yourself for just one night. Just like you were last night."

Sara stood up, losing contact with Nick hand. She turned around and looked down the hall just in time to see Grissom walking their way. No doubt he'd want to know the status of her case. All the time she'd spent chasing Gil Grissom. Time wasted.

He would only want to know about the case. It was time to move on. Time to forget a crush and find a relationship. A real one. And a perfect canidate was standing in the same room right now, inviting her over to his place tonight.

Turning around, Sara smiled. "You're right. Tonight, it's just you, me, food, and nothing else. We both have the night off, so we won't have to rush."

"Wow. I better get a movie then. I don't think you like any of mine."

"Get Casablanca."

"Casablanca it is." Nick said and walked out the breakroom, "eight sound good?"

Sara smiled as Grissom walked into the breakroom, "Eight sounds good."

Grissom turned around to watch Nick whistle down the hall. Looking back at Sara, his face was full of confusion, "Eight?"

"You always said I needed a release. Nick's teaching me to cook."

"And tonight's going to be another lesson?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?" Sara's voice was filled with the tone of a challenge.

Grissom's face changed to that of concern and hurt. "Should it be a problem? You know how the lab feels about interoffice relationships."

"Well I know how you feel about it, but as far as I know, there is nothing in the guidelines stating that two people within the lab cannot date."

Grissom was momantarily speechless. He knew exactly what she was referring to. Last year, she had overheard his declaration of never moving on his emotions towards her. He vowed that he would move on and that they both would be better for it. Now he was having second thoughts. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm going to Nick's to find my release. Now I've got to find Greg. We have to go interview some coworkers of the victim." Sara felt she'd said all that she needed to.

Grissom decided that was all he needed for now. He moved on, "What have you got so far?"

Never had Sara been so glad to leave work in her entire life. It never seemed to surprise her just how much people could hate each other. The only thing anyone seemed to accuse Sandy Rogers of was being too nice. She always wanted to help. Tried to do work for others. Showed up early and left late. They all thought she was either hiding something or she wanted a promotion.

The only real suspect they had was Mark Dagale. Apparently, he and Sandy had dated briefly, but she dumped him because she didn't want to put out. Sara held back her anger as Mark mumbled something about wanting to wait until she got married and how stupid that was.

Sara wished he'd been arrested right then and there but they didn't have anything to hold him on. Sara drove towards her house in silence. She was beginning to wonder if they'd ever find any justice for Sandy.

Since Sara had pulled a double shift, it was around seven when she walked into her apartment. She'd forgotten that she was supposed to meet Nick in an hour. She threw her purse and keys on the floor, plopped down on her couch and quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.

Around nine, Sara woke up to a knock at her door. She looked at the clock and moaned. "Nick! Oh man, I've got to call him." She fumbled for her cell phone as she rushed to the door. She opened the door and found Nick who was standing with a bag of groceries and a movie in one hand, and in the other he was staring down at his cell phone. Smiling, he answered the phone.

"Hello?"

Sara smiled "I forgot. Long day."

Still holding the phone, Nick continued the conversation, "Rough?"

"Yeah. Still don't have a viable suspect. I was so frustrated I just fell asleep on my couch."

"I figured as much so I brought everything over here."

"Thanks. You don't know how much that means to me right now."

"I'm sure I'll be paid back somehow."

Sara looked at Nick's wry grin on his face and the two closed their cell phones and Sara stepped aside so Nick could enter her apartment. Within twenty minutes, everything was set up and Sara carefully started to prepare the vegatable cassarole, reading each direction several times before proceeding. She insisted that Nick not help her tonight. Nick agreed and began work on the strawberry pie for desert.

"So where are you going next with the case?" Nick asked while he added flour to the dough he was working on.

It took a minute for Sara to respond. She was carefully counting the carrots to make sure she didn't have too many. When she was satisfied, she slowly began to cut them into equal portions. "Not sure. Greg wants to visit her house again, so I think he's going there tomorrow. I'm probably going to try and find and relations or friends from Reno, which is where she moved from. There might be something there."

"What happens if you turn up with nothing?" Nick took a small sample of dough and ate it to make sure it tasted right. Perfect. Just like mom's. "I mean, is that going to be ok?"

Having moved on from carrots to celery, Sara frowned at the inconsistansity. "It's never ok. But I'm enjoying learning to cook. It's really making me focus on something else besides work. Grissom taught me that if I do everything I can, then I have to move on. There's always a possibility that someday, it might be solved."

"This is true." Nick turned to watch Sara's progress and was amazed at how even and perfect all the porportions were. Leave it to Sara to measure everything just right. While she finished the cassarole, Nick put the pie dough in the oven. It needed to cook first so there was planty of time to let it cool before adding the filling.

The two friends laughed and joked about old cases and good times with friends while waiting for the crust to brown. When it was ready, Nick took out the pie crust and Sara put in the cassarole. Setting the timer for one hour, they decided to start watching the movie while waiting for dinner.

Dinner was perfect, dessert was great, and the movie was the grand finale. Never had Sara felt so relaxed in her entire life. She couldn't believe how happy she was sitting on her couch with Nick at her side watching the plane take off, leaving a heartbroken Humphrey Bogart.

"I don't understand why he couldn't just say screw it and take off with her!" Sara exclaimed as she put her plate down on the coffee table.

Nick laughed, "Sara Sidle, I would have never taken you for a hopeless romantic."

"No, don't confuse romantisicism with realism. It was obvious that they were in love. Damn Laslow. They would have been so happy together if not for him."

"Now this is cute. Do you know your nose crinkles when you get frustrated?"

"Whatever. My point is that he didn't have to be noble. They should have made a sequel where he went back to the US and found her. That would be my happy ending. Right now it just bittersweet."

"I'm sure it would be." Nick yawned and looked at the clock. Three A.M. He need to get some sleep. He'd promised Catherine to help with an old case she was preparing for court tomorrow. It was time to go home. "Well, I really have to get home."

"Yeah, I have to go in early so I can talk to the Reno CSI."

"Well, then I guess I'll see you there." Nick smiled brightly as he got up off the couch. He gathered his wallet, cell phone, and keys.

Sara blushed again and lowered her head slightly, "So when is our next lesson?"

"I think we both have a night off together next week. That gives you plenty of time to come up with a dinner by yourself."

"By myself? I think you have more faith in me than you should."

"I don't think so. Besides, this is your release from work, not mine. It's time to work on it by yourself."

"OK. But if I need your help?"

"I'm a phone call away. Sometimes even closer than that." Nick moved close to Sara and was dying to kiss her but held himself back. It wasn't time yet.

Sara instead hugged Nick and they held each other tight. "Thanks, Nick."

"It's hard for you to say that."

"Yeah, it is. But I'm getting better."

Nick knew he had to leave before he let his lust get the better of him and his plan. "I'll see you later then." He started out the door, but a soft touch from Sara stopped him.

"Nick, what's your release? I don't think it's cooking."

Nick considered her words for a moment. "It used to be, but I'm in the process of finding another. One that's better for me."

"Care to share?" Sara wanted desperately to know what was in Nick's heart. She was so close to kissing him it hurt her lips.

Nick touched her cheek softly, "You'll know soon. I promise." Unable to hold back, he kissed her cheek and walked out the door. He turned back when he got to his car and saw a shocked but pleased expression on Sara's face.

Nick smiled smugly to himself as he pulled out of the parking lot and back towards his home.