A/N: As promised, here's chapter three! Thanks again for all the awesome reviews, they're keeping me going! As always, please R&R!

Disclaimer: Bloody hell, I don't own it already! (runs into a corner, crying) XD

11:50 AM

"Arrgh!" Sara cursed under her breath as she rushed to the oven to pull her rice pudding out, seeing puffs of black smoke billowing from it. "I suck at cooking, Nick! I always just order takeout!" She yelled over the sound of the smoke alarm that had just come on. The kitchen was dark with the smog from the oven, and Sara was practically gagging, stuck at the epicenter of it all. Hearing the alarm go off, Nick ran downstairs from their room in a panic.

"Sara! What the hell, are you alright?" He sprinted into the black kitchen, quickly steering his girlfriend to the nearest exit; the second floor deck. She was choking in the smoke, gasping for a breath. Once she was outside, he ran back into the house and turned the oven off, picking up the charred pudding with a pair of kitchen gloves and heading back to where Sara was with it, setting it on the wooden deck to vent.

"Shit, sorry Nick…" Sara looked most displeased with herself. Thankfully, the alarm had turned itself off and the smoke was settling down, dispersing through open windows and doors. Nick couldn't help but laugh, despite how serious the situation could have been.

"I didn't think it possible to screw up a recipe with only about five ingredients." Nick's eyes were watering from the smoke, tears falling down his cheeks from the laughter.

"I don't cook." Sara attempted, sheepishly.

"Why didn't you just say so?"

"Because, I should be able to." Sara admitted grudgingly, avoiding Nick's eye as she stared uncomfortably through the window. "The house is going to be all smoky. Your parents are going to think I'm an arsonist." She cocked an eyebrow, finally catching his gaze. Nick chuckled, trying to picture his parents calling his girlfriend an arsonist. He couldn't.

"Listen, don't worry about it… It was pretty funny, actually…" He crouched down next to the big clay glazed pot containing what once was edible. A great, black bubble protruded from a grey, almost cement looking slop from within the bowl. Nick picked up the wooden spoon that Sara had stuck in it and attempted to stir the mixture. The concoction made gross, almost fart-like sounds as he stirred it; and Sara found herself giggling at the look on Nick's face. His features seemed contorted between deep amusement and bewilderment.

"You really are bad at cooking…" Still crouching, Nick lifted the spoon to the air, offering her a bite.

"Burnt," said Sara.

"Hungry?"

"Not for that."

"Make me breakfast, Nicky?" Nick tried to flutter his eyebrows and pucker his lips, but failed with a bit of a stoned vampire look. Sara nearly fell out of her deck chair laughing.

12:20 PM

"Nicky, honey, I'm going to run to the store quickly to pick up some stuff for the party before Cath and Warrick arrive. Burger buns, Hotdog buns…" Sara paused for a moment to chuckle before continuing. "Maybe a fruit platter, drinks… do you want me to pick up some booze?" She shouted up the stairs to Nick in a playful tone.

"That'd be great. Pick up some beer and wine coolers, will you, baby?" Nick shouted back down the stairs as he zipped up his jeans and continued getting dressed.

"Sure, hey, what do your parents like?"

"Uh, my Dad will drink anything; my Mom doesn't mind the coolers, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Thanks, sweety."

"See you in a half hour or so? I've got my cell." Sara found Nick's cowboy hat on the coffee table and picked it up, putting it on her head and staring at herself in the hall mirror in a seductive pose. She found herself smiling at her reflection, knowing that she'd have to try it on Nick when she came home.

12:30 PM

A fully clothed and brushed up Nicholas Stokes made his way down the stairs to set up the kitchen for their housewarming party. The tiramisu he'd prepared before Sara's rice pudding incident sat safely on the granite countertop, as did the Macaroni Salad he'd thrown together. Now that all the boxes were gone, Nick could fully appreciate just how spacious the kitchen and eating area was. The house really was beautiful, everything he and Sara had hoped it to be. He leaned against the dark beige walls, admiring their new home and again questioning what in the world he had done that God, or whoever was up there had blessed him withthe most amazing woman he'd ever known… Every time he looked into Sara's dark, empathetic, passionate and kind eyes, he felt lost in everything that was her. He was the luckiest man in the world. Tonight would be the night; he'd finally ask her. Most people would think it too soon to consider it, but never before had he been so certain. He was completely in love with her, that wasn't going to change.

Nick sighed, feeling for something in his pocket, comforting in its smooth feel. Subconsciously, he looked over his shoulder to make sure she was gone. He lifted the box from his pocket and examined its contents for the umpteenth time. His hands shook at the thought, but he knew she'd love it. Slowly, he turned to run back upstairs, where he hid the small black box in the drawer of his night table, deciding to keep it safe there until later. A nervous grin couldn't help but cross his face as he headed back downstairs to pour chips into bowls and set up glasses for everyone. He pulled out a stack of plates from the newly stocked cupboards and set them on the counter to the right of the food with another endearingsmile. These were Sara's plates; he recognized them from her old apartment. Sighing in thought, Nick grabbed a handful of cutlery from a nearby drawer and set it down beside the glasses. He then made his way to his old leather couch in the living room, where he fell comfortably, tossing the football he'd picked up on the way in his hands.

Nick's thoughts wandered as he lay on the comfortable sofa with his football; for lack of anything else but Sara to think about, he found himself foolishly wondering what she'd wear to their party. He was sure she wouldn't wear the LVPD race shirt, she only wore that while she was working or cleaning. Maybe she'll wear that dark blue blouse. Nick remembered the last time his girlfriend had worn the chemise that Catherine had convinced her to buy when they'd gone shopping together. She looked striking in the off-the-shoulder top, he remembered the slightly revealing nature of the neck; her cleavage had shown attractively, just enough to tease him. He laughed, realizing how stupid he was being. He was like some horny teenager.

Trying to distract his thoughts from Sara, Nick stared at his watch. 12:45. She was due back in five minutes or so, probably wanting to get ready before everyone arrived. He sighed, deciding to sit on the deck to take in his new backyard until she returned.

12:45 PM

Sara dropped a case of beer onto the passenger seat of her Tahoe as she got in, buckling her seatbelt afterward. She was surprised it had only taken 25 minutes to pick up the drinks and a few groceries; the lines had been unusually small before the tills. Lowering Nick's cowboy hat over her eyes to block the sun with a smirk, Sara turned her keys in the ignition to start the truck, heading home.

I'm sure you can fill in the blanks of Nick's intentions... (evil grin) Please R&R, the next chapter should be posted tomorrow, I'll try my best.

-Sahariah