Author's Note: I tried to get this up last night but, it took a while to edit and I got an idea so I had to write it out. The end of this chapter is going to be one of the worst cliff hangers but, I think ya'll (Yes, ya'll; I'm Texan like Nick) can handle it though. Again I want to thank everyone has reviewed and everyone who has/is reading this. Also be sure to check out my other stories "Diversions" and "On the Flipside". I'm also going to be starting on a new one soon. I'm terrible about skipping around but, I got another idea and it sounds like it'd make an interesting story.

Sidle Chick- It's my job to keep people guessing because; it makes them want to know what's next. Trust me it won't be the last time that you'll be guessing. I sense that you'll be guessing on a chapter in the very near future. Anyways, thanks for your reviews.

It turned out that a department head decided to take over Ecklie's position, leaving him as Supervisor. Which demoted Grissom, Sara didn't like this but, it meant they could be open about having a relationship.

"Ecklie?"

"Yes, Sara"

"I needed to talk to you about Grissom."

"Are you going to finally admit that you two are seeing each other outside of work because, I got demoted and he's no longer your supervisor?"

"No, I'm here to tell you that he's coming back tonight."

"Well as you know, he's no longer supervisor of Graveyard shift. Though there is an opening on swing shift but, I think Catherine's going after that one"

Sara then walked off to go talk to Hodges.

"Hodges did you get anything off of that letter?"

"Well hello Sidle. I guess I don't have a first name anymore around here and I never get a hi, or a hey or any type of friendly greeting"

"Stop complaining and just tell me what you found"

"Prints traced back to the boy, and your missing person's case is now murder."

"So the money didn't get turned in?"

"Well, it did but, since the family was poor they assumed that the police got involved and killed him. He was dumped in that same alley way and, the money was still there."

"So, he never even touched the money?"

"I doubt it."

"Well do you have anything else you can tell me?"

"I'd go see Robbins first. He just finished up the autopsy"

Sara then walked down to see the little boy.

"Good to see you Sara" Dr. Robbins said.

"Good to see you too. Anything you can tell me about the victim?"

"Plenty"

"Good, first off, have you IDed him?"

"Yea, his name is Conner Tranton"

"Cause of death?"

"Asphyxiation due to strangulation. Weird thing is there's not only bruising but, ligature marks."

"So, both hands and ligature, this boy must have been hard to restrain"

"Or restrained several times"

"True, did you find epithelial cells under the Vic's nails?"

"Not much, my thoughts are he was weak."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well look at some of these bruises. They are very deep and about fist sized"

"Has the tox. report come back yet?"

"Not yet, it'll be in soon though"

"Thanks"

"No problem Sara"

After she'd finished up her notes on what Robbins told her she went to the break room to see if Nick was there.

"Hey Nicky"

"Hi, Sara did you find anything out?"

"Well I just talked to Robbins. Tox report isn't in yet but the COD was asphyxiation due to strangulation but, the weird thing is there's not only ligature marks but some light colored bruising indication a two hands on his neck. There are also some very severe bruises on him."

"Did he get any epithelial cells from under the nails?"

"Not much, he thinks it might be because he wasn't strong enough to fully fight back."

"Poor kid"

"I know I hate seeing things like this. Who would want to do something so horrible to a kid?" Sara said, getting a little choked up.

"I don't know but I want to find him."

As Nick and Sara walked out something caught his attention. Catherine and Warrick were fighting? Wait a second. This isn't right, they never fought. Catherine then dashed out of the break room crying and running for the locker room.

"Hey, Sara go and ask Catherine if she's ok"

"What Happened?" Sara asked Nick

"I saw her and Warrick yelling at each other in the break room".

He didn't have to say anymore she was already headed off in that very direction. She walked down to the locker room and slowly sat beside Catherine.

"Cat."

She didn't reply but, Sara saw the look of fear in her sparkling blue eyes. The blue seemed to be twinkling around the white's of her eyes. It was everything she could do to keep from full out falling apart.

"I'm here because I care. If I wasn't here then you'd know I didn't care."

Catherine looked up again just barely making eye contact with Sara.

"T-thank y-you" She barely managed to eek out.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Later"

"I'll take you out for some coffee, on me. Okay?" Catherine nodded in agreement but, before she left she knew she had to ask about one thing.

"Is this because of something Warrick said or did?" Catherine, again, nodded.

Sara quickly made her way out of the locker room.

"So, how'd it go with Catherine?" Nick asked.

"She admitted to it being about Warrick and also agreed to let me take her out to get coffee so we can talk there."

They had no clue as to where they were supposed to go. The letter only had an address on it, which was where the boy supposedly lived.

"221 Baker Street; Right?" Nick asked to be sure, as they decided on going to the address.

Sara nodded. Turned out the boy did live there but, before he disappeared he went outside to play a bit of football and he was gone. It pretty much turned out to be a dead end. All they did was talk to some "old lady" who wasn't all that helpful. The mom was hiding something for sure; she wouldn't let them go into her son's room.

"Maybe she set this up to get some extra money" Nick said as he got in the car.

"She could be in on this but I don't really think so".

"Hey, Sara you want to stop and get some breakfast? This place has a mean sausage and egg plate."

"No sausage for me; remember? Eggs, sure do sound good and, I could use something warm."

They drove for about ten minutes and pulled up to an old time, 50's looking, diner. It was really nice inside and out.

"Wow, this place is nice, Nicky"

"I wouldn't take you some where that wasn't".

"Table for two?" A waitress there asked.

"Yes please" Sara replied.

"This okay for you two?" The waitress asked pointing to a nice little booth right next to the window.

"This is great." Nick said.

For about five minutes he and Sara inspected the menu as if it were a crime scene before they finally decided on something.

"You two ready to order?" their waitress asked.

"Yea." Nick said nodding.

"We want to split the egg, sausage, biscuit, and pancake platter" Sara said.

"What can I get you two to drink?" the waitress asked while still writing down their order.

"I'll have orange juice and she'll have the same". Nick said looking at Sara to make she was okay with orange juice.

"It'll be right out." The waitress said while picking up the menus.

"How's Grissom doing?" Nick asked to break up the silence.

"He's doing well, he'll be back tomorrow."

"He's not going to be happy when he gets here though; considering he was demoted because of the department head coming in like that."

"I'm surprised Ecklie didn't take swing shift."

"Why"

"Well it would have made it to where Grissom and I could not let on to the fact we are in a relationship and Ecklie would rather have that than Grissom's job."

"He probably didn't think of it or he would have done it."

"Here's your order." The waitress said handing the two their orange juice and food.

"Thank you." They both said.

"You welcome" the waitress said before she walked off to go wait on the elder couple who just came in.

"Whoa, look outside Nicky, its pouring down."

"At least we're going back to the lab and not to an outdoor crime scene."

"True."

They sat there for about 30 minutes just talking, eating, and overall enjoying themselves.

"Well it doesn't look like its going to let up any time soon so let's just head back to the lab to see if Hodges has anything for us." Nick said.

"He'll probably have something for you." Sara said with a smirk.

"Like what?" Nick asked pretty much knowing it was going to be another one of her jokes.

"A few pick up lines." Sara said unable to stop her self from bursting out in laughter.

"Very funny" Nick said knowing she probably wasn't too far from the truth.

As soon as he paid they run after her car and started down the road. Halfway back she had to take a detour back around the deadest parts of Las Vegas. She noticed a few shards of glass and a nail of the road and swerved around quickly to avoid putting a hole in her tire. She rolled through thick mud and soon realized they were stuck.

"Uh, I think we have a problem." Sara said in a scared tone.

"What would that be?"

"Well we are, uh, stuck"

"Well the best thing to do would be to call for help. Warrick knows his way around here pretty well."

"You're right I probably should."

"Hello, Warrick?"

"Sara?"

"Yea, me and Nick need your help."

"With what?"

"Well I had to take a detour since it's pouring down rain and I swerved to avoid a few shards of glass and a nail and I rolled through some mud and got stuck."

"Well on your GPS just send a map to me of where you are and I'll be there in awhile. I've got a bunch of stuff Ecklie's been hounding me on."

"Thanks." Sara said hanging up.

"Well, he said he'll be here in a while because Ecklie's hounding him."

"Ok" Nick turned up the stereo to help pass some time.

"What CD is this?"

"Oh, uh, it's just a mix" Sara said.

It was about five in the morning it'd only been an hour since Sara called Warrick. It was also dark, especially since Sara had turned off her bright lights. Nick crawled out and got in the back seat to lean back and Sara followed, feeling a little lonely.

"You know it's really a beautiful night now that it's stopped raining." Nick said in his sweet, caring Texan accent.

"Yea, it really is" Sara said.

She closed her eyes for a moment as he leaned in.