A/N: Hey, sorry for my delay. Initially I was just writing this story as a back plot to the two episodes, and I wasn't going to have Nick and Sara get together because… well, they don't in the episodes. However, since those of you kind enough to respond and urge me to continue seem to want it, I'm currently rewriting the ending. Thus I will be a bit longer than anticipated to finish it. Thank you so much for your reviews and patience. I hope you like the story so far. I'm almost done… just a few more chapters.

"…so I dunno if she knows and was trying to test me or if that was actually why she called him…" I trailed off feeling mighty pathetic under the analytic gazes of Cath and Rick. We were driving back from a call, which had turned out to be nothing, with at least half of shift left. I was the driver, with Catherine up front and Rick studying me from the backseat.

"I'm going with the former," Catherine looked at me with mild pity. "Nicky, why didn't you say anything?" I shook my head miserably.

"I tried… I just… couldn't." I let out a frustrated sigh. "So you think she knows?"

Catherine glanced over her shoulder at Rick and spoke with a smirk, "I'm fairly certain." Oh, good grief. He had better not have said anything to Sara.

"Why is that, Rick?" I shot a glare off the rear-view mirror and towards my friend in the backseat. He cleared his throat and his eyes became shifty.

"Someone may have accidentally alluded to the fact that you've had your eye on Sara for a while…" he spoke cautiously.

"You didn't, man. Did you?" I stared at him stupidly through the mirror.

"Nick! The road!" Catherine reminded just as I began to swerve towards another lane. I quickly straightened the vehicle. "Maybe I should drive…" she muttered.

"Well? Did you?" I repeated louder, completely ignoring Catherine's comment.

"If I said yes… how mad would you be?" I groaned. "Hypothetically speaking, of course," Rick quickly added to his question.

"Just… tell me what you said," I replied resignedly.

"First, I would just like to point out that I am your best friend, we have a witness present, and that anything I may or may not have done was done out of love," he reminded, earning a deep laugh from Catherine.

"Thanks, bro." My tone was decidedly sardonic.

"Okay, well it started off looking pretty good for you. While we were working that case last week--"

I cut him off, "She's known for a week! Why didn't you warn me!" My brows furrowed and I clenched my jaw, shooting daggers in his direction. My hands were gripping the wheel so tightly that my knuckles had turned white.

"I thought you'd get mad at me!" he defended, raising his arms in surrender. I watched him study my body language for a minute before deciding to be a smart-ass. "Clearly I was mistaken." A growl escaped my throat and he moved on quickly. "So, last week: she asked if you were dating anyone that she didn't know about. I replied that you hadn't seen anyone in a looooong while," I grunted lowly. "I know, I wasn't thinking. But I meant it as reassurance that if anyone… special… should come into… your life in the… near future, that it wouldn't be a rebound fling." Rick chose his words carefully. We arrived at a red light and I momentarily rested my head on the steering wheel in between my hands.

"Keep going," I sighed into the hidden airbag.

"Right. So then, she asks me why you haven't been seeing anyone… and I subtly suggested that you had found someone that you were really interested in and were just waiting for the opportune moment to ask her out." Beside me Catherine burst out laughing; I looked at her quizzically. She turned in her seat to face Rick.

"Subtle my ass! You told her that Nick had fallen for someone at work and that he was too chicken to ask her out in case it got awkward!" She momentarily paused and pointed out the windshield. "Nicky, green." I turned my attention back to the road.

"I didn't tell her it was her though!" Rick defended indignantly.

"What else did he say, Cath?" I decided she was more reliable for the rest.

"Just that you would probably need a good push to get you to do something…" she said with a wink. Then she repeated her question from earlier. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Think it's too late?"

"Had you listened to me last year…" I heard Rick mutter behind me.

"Hey, quiet in the peanut gallery!" I barked at him.

"I'm pretty sure you're not too late," Cath grabbed my attention. "As long as you do something now," she emphasized loudly, "Before anything develops with this new guy. You just have to hope that she has a lousy date." She spoke the last part with a wink, and I'm pretty sure she was kidding. Still, my stomach flopped over at the thought that Hank might be serious competition.

"If you know where she's going we could crash it," Rick piped up again, excitement evident in his voice. "We haven't taken our breaks yet…"

I perked up slightly, "Yea. You know I bet we could even get Greg to come alo--"

"No!" Cath interrupted before I could even finish. "You are not going to intrude on her date!" She scolded firmly.

"Why not?" Rick's whine sounded like a two-year old being told not to have candy before his supper. A glance in the rear view mirror showed a look on his face to match his tone. I laughed softly as I pulled into the lab's lot.

"Because if you ruin her date and he takes it with grace, then not only will he gain the points that you've lost but he'll win an automatic second date as well," she snapped quickly. I stopped laughing. She turned towards me and pointed an accusing finger to elaborate on her point, "And if you're afraid her now… just wait until after you've ruined one of her dates." I felt a sheepish smile creep across my face as I turned off the engine.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Rick quoted faithfully as we climbed out of the vehicle.

"Thanks Grissom," I replied mockingly with a slap on Rick's back.

"Well, he wasn't here… someone had to say it," he replied with a cheesy grin and then headed towards the building chuckling to himself. Catherine and I sauntered towards the building at a slower pace.

"I never knew it could hurt this much to lose someone I never had in the first place," I replied kicking at a stone on the walkway.

"Aww, Nicky." She cooed as if I had just said I had a tummy ache.

"You know what bothers me most?" I continued. Cath unnecessarily shook her head in answer. "They're going to the diner. The diner!" I elaborated when I saw her blank expression. "They're meeting at the diner that we always go to after shift. Isn't that against the rules or something!"

Catherine openly laughed at me. "What rules? I didn't know that there was a Jealousy Handbook out there somewhere…" I looked at her sideways, openly showing my annoyance.

"I'm not jealous," I protested loudly as her laughter increased. "I'm not-- I just-- It bothers me tha--" I couldn't think while she was laughing at me. As we entered the building I paused and waited for her giggles to die down before continuing. "Cath, what if they sit in OUR booth?" I asked quietly so no one will overhear the fearful tone I'm using. "What if he takes my spot?" My voice during the last part was so quiet I wasn't even sure she heard me. I wasn't thinking about the physical spot anymore. Catherine reached out and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, her arm and elbow resting down my back.

Squeezing my shoulder as she spoke Cath replied, "Sara knows that that's where you belong. I'm sure she won't let him take it."

"I wasn't talking about the booth," I admitted in the same low tone.

"Neither was I," she whispered back. A smile stole across my face. I was going to reply but as I opened my mouth another voice cut me off.

"Catherine," Grissom came striding around the corner towards us. "Come with me; Brass wants us at the station. Some guy was pulled over for speeding and he had a briefcase of cash and bloody hands…"

"Alright," she replied with a long exhale. She gave my shoulder one last squeeze before she dropped her hand and turned to leave with Grissom.

"Hey Griss," he turned to face me, "Where's Sara?" I tried to keep from sounding too interested.

"She's on her break… She left a couple of minutes before you guys returned," he supplied. "But she's done her case anyway. So you and Warrick have some free time because there aren't any other cases. I suggest you guys take your lunch now while it's slow around here." He turned and waddled down the hallway towards the exit.

Catherine smiled sympathetically and then turned and followed Grissom. I felt my body deflate. It was going to take every ounce of my strength not to run down to that diner… I rubbed my right hand down the side of my face and slunk through the halls in the direction of the DNA lab; maybe Greg's antics would take my mind off Sara for a bit.