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: Ok everyone, this is it! The final chapter. I hope everyone has enjoyed the ride. I know I did. I truely appreciate all the reviews and I look forward to writing more in the future.

Also, I'm not completly satisified with the ending so if anyone had any suggestions, please let me know and I'll fix it. I want this story to end in a way that'll make everyone happy. :)

Releases

Chapter 7

Once again, Sara walked into her empty apartment. No husband, no kids, not even a cat to greet her. Normally this would bother her as she did want those things. She was in her mid thirties now and longed for the family life she was denied. There were days when she just wanted to cry into her kids as she hugged them tight, grateful they weren't one of the dead children whose bodies she'd just processed. Most days she wished for her family.

Today was not one of those days.

What had started out as a possible step towards her family with a camping trip with Nick had ended with they and the rest of the Las Vegas Crime Lab processing one of the wost crime scenes in Vegas history. Thirty dead. Ten men, thirteen women, seven children. Sara thought she'd wish for her family once more when she walked in the door, but no. Not even thoughts of Nick made her feel better.

Sara dropped everything on the counter of her kitchen, then moved to the living room, plopping herself down on her couch. Sitting with her legs together, feet apartment, Sara felt the same vulnerability she'd fought so hard to repress as a child. She'd made herself hardened to the world. If she loved no one, she wouldn't be hurt.

But she had loved. Or at least lusted. She lusted after Grissom. She was much like him in so many ways. Their need for answers. Their need for stability in an ever changing world. In her mind, Sara saw a world of intellect and sex mixed perfectly.

But it didn't happen. Grissom was so consumed with his own career that he forgot to see what was important. Even now, he still couldn't see her. She moved on. To Hank.

There was never more of a waste of time in a relationship than Sara's relationship with Hank Pettigrew, the cheating Paramedic. Sara smiled faintly as she thought about telling his fiancée about the affair. Maybe one day.

But Hank had broken her heart. She went back to reliable Grissom to fawn over. That too quickly ended when she heard him speak of how he was too much of a coward to ever act on his feeling for fear of losing his job.

Nick wasn't like either of them. He wasn't afraid to show his feelings. He was a man of respect who wore his heart out on his sleeve. He never was afraid to speak his mind. He was old fashioned. And he seemed to be paying attention to Sara.

Tall, skinny Sara Sidle. Sara whom no one even took a second glance at in high school. She was the science geek, a nerd. But Nick saw through that. He saw someone he liked and trusted and possibly wanted more than a friendship with.

Sara's musings were interrupted by a fast, insistent knock at the door. Unsure of how to interpret the knock, Sara reached for her gun off the counter as she moved to the door. Leaning with her back against the movable wood, Sara removed the safety and held the gun towards the ceiling, "Who is it?" She said in a non confrontational way.

"It's Nick. Sara, let me in. We need to talk." Nick's voice sounded desperate and urgent. Sara quickly replaced the safety on the gun, put it on the ground and swung the door open.

Neither was certain what happened next. It was a flurry of arms and lips intertwining as Nick rushed into the room and taking Sara into his arms. The kiss was passionate and needing. Without leaving Sara's lips, Nick shut the door with his hand behind his back and continued his need to explore her lips a little longer.

After what seemed like years, the two parted. There were no awkward feelings, no red faces. Only soft smiles exchanged. Silently, Sara led Nick towards the couch and the two sat down. Nick took Sara hands and his smile was lost on a concerned look that now invaded his face. "I'm sorry. That wasn't how I'd planned it."

"I think it was just fine." Sara said simply.

"No, it wasn't right. I wanted it to be perfect. Candles, music, the works. I've been planning and working so hard..."

Sara interrupt him, "By teaching me to cook? Camping? As much as I enjoyed it, you didn't have to go through all the trouble. Why not just dinner."

"You wanted help. I wanted to help you."

"You did. You showed me so much. It's amazing how I never saw the world outside of the crime lab for so many years."

"You haven't found you release."

"I did. I found that wishing and wanting something at the end of the day does nothing to achieve your goals. I came home tonight and wished for a family to greet me. It was the family I never had. Then I realized something right before you walked in."

"Barged in."

"Yeah you did scare me."

"Explains the gun."

"You never know."

"OK, so continuing, what was it you realized?"

Sara smiled brightly, "That I already have the family I always wanted. At the lab. You, Warrick, Greg, Catherine, the detectives." Sara paused. "Even Grissom. All family who loves me and watches out for my welfare. I can laugh and banter with anyone one and it makes the job bearable."

"Where do I fit into all this." Nick was uncomfortable. This wasn't where he'd hoped the conversation would lead."

Sara saw the look and smile, squeezing his hands. "You're the one that led me away from the lab. Showing me things outside the lab that I could try. But it was learning with you that was the release. You're my release."

Nick smiled brightly, "Hey now, that was going to be my line."

"I thought you had plenty of releases."

"I do. But no one to share them with. Alone, you can become just as obsessed with a hobby as you would your job. With someone else, it's freedom."

"Wow." Sara said, "I never thought I'd actually be happy outside of work before."

A gleam of lust glazed over Nick's eyes accompanied with a wicked smile, "Why don't I show you how happy you can be."

Nick leaned Sara down on the couch with himself on top. But before their lips even touch, pagers erupted from the floor where they'd dropped their things.

"You've got to be kidding." Nick said disappointed.

Sara leaned over and grabbed her pager. "Looks like our killers struck again."

"Bank. Damn these guys."

"It's ok. We'll catch them." Sara pulled herself upward and placed her hands on Nick shoulders from behind, pulling him towards herself."

Nick placed a hand on top of hers, "I know. Then we'll come home and cook some dinner."

"No, you'll cook, I'll set the table."

"Don't you want to learn still?"

"Sara' smiled brightly, "Maybe I'll learn a dessert first."

"You are an evil woman Sara Sidle."

"Nope. Just a happy one."

Nick helped her up off the couch. They gathered their things and started out the door, hand in hand. "Your car or mine."

"Hmm, you cook, I'll drive."

"Then desert."

"Then desert."

Nick smiled, "Now that's a good release."