Title: It's So Complicated.
Summary: I got the idea for this story while I was listening to "It's So Complicated" by Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Sara can't decide on what to do about her feelings for Nick, and some of the other CSIs try to help.. (May possibly turn into a multi-chapter fic…?)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything affiliated with CSI, the song "It's So Complicated", or Carolyn Dawn Johnson. The lyrics to this song can be found on CowboyLyrics, at So Complicated"
"It's So Complicated"
"Alright, alright, sorry I'm late, guys," CSI Graveyard Shift supervisor Gil Grissom said as he came darting into the break room, where his team sat gathered around a conference table.
"Who's got a calendar? Write this down – Gil Grissom, late for the first time in, what, four years?" Greg said, igniting a buzz of laughter from the rest of the CSIs at the table.
"Enough, Greg," Grissom said impatiently, setting down a stack of file folders he was carrying. "Now.. assignments. Greg, you have a break-in and homicide out in Henderson. Brass'll go with you," he said, gesturing to the homicide captain who had just entered.
"'Bout ready, rookie?" Brass asked him.
"Yeah. Later, guys," Greg said as he stood, took the case file from Grissom, and left.
"Nick, Sara, you've got a double homicide in a suite on the top floor of the Bilagio," Grissom instructed.
"C'mon, I'll drive," Nick said, tapping Sara's shoulder. He stood, took the case file from Grissom, and nodded farewell to the rest of the CSIs. Sara followed suit and followed Nick out.
After Grissom gave Catherine and Warrick their case and quickly departed to get to his own scene, Catherine asked Warrick, "Did you see the look on Sara's face when Grissom told her and Nick they were on the same case?"
"What are you talking about?" Warrick asked, shrugging it off. But he had noticed. How could you not?
Meanwhile, at the Bilagio, Sara Sidle's mind was racing. All she could do was think about him. They'd been at the scene for about an hour and so far she'd collected no evidence, and taken only a few photos.
"Sara? You alright?" Nick asked her as he bagged a brown hair and added it to the pile of numerous evidence bags next to him.
"Huh? Oh… yeah, I'm fine," she replied quietly, her cheeks becoming tinged with the slightest tint of pink.
"Why don't you swab this blood over here while I run the rest of these bags out to the car. We can drop the evidence off at the lab, and by that time shift should be just about over. We won't have enough work to do to pull a double."
"Okay."
So after they dropped the evidence off at the various lab stations, Nick and Sara each headed home to get some rest.
'Why!' Sara demanded of herself mentally as she drove home. 'Why do I act like that around him? Why can't I just say "Nick, I like you"? No.. no… "Nick, I'm in love with you." Why can't I just tell him?' These thoughts were all that coursed through Sara Sidle's mind the rest of that day. She fell asleep on her couch in the early afternoon and dreamt about the wedding at which she became Mrs. Nick Stokes. It was her dream ceremony, with the perfect dress, perfect ceremony, perfect… everything. And then, just as the two had said "I do" and were about to share their first kiss… she woke up. She sighed as she opened up her eyes. Then, there was a knock at the door.
Sara stood, straightened her wrinkled clothes, and walked toward the door. Opening it, she saw Warrick standing there.
"Hey, Sar, what's up?"
"Not much… want to come in?"
"Sure, thanks," he said.
"You wanna tell me what I owe this visit to?"
"Well, I noticed you didn't look very good earlier in shift… what's up?" Warrick asked her.
"It's… it's nothing," she said. "I… I was just tired."
"Sara, come on," he said, a friendly smile on his face. "I had a ton of female friends in high school… who is he?"
"He?" she questioned, with a nervous laugh. "What do you mean, 'Who is he?'" After Warrick gave her an amused smile, she sat down. "It's just so confusing. I mean, I know how I feel about Nick… I just don't know if I can tell him, you know?"
"Well, I know I'm not tellin' him for you, Sara," Warrick said, with another one of those friendly smiles.
"Good! I was gonna say, you better not tell him!"
Warrick laughed, and said, "Well, I gotta jet. Check ya later," he said as her stood and headed out the door.
"Bye, Warrick!" she called after him.
Sara sat for an hour or two thinking about nothing but Nick and what she was going to do. As she flipped up the screen of her laptop she decided she'd talk to Nick at the start of next shift. When she'd connected to the Internet, an instant message popped up on the screen.
WillowDancer3: I was waiting for you to come on.
SanFranSidle10: Hey, Cath, what's up?
WillowDancer3: You didn't look good today… what's up?
SanFranSidle10: I'm just so confused about… someone.
WillowDancer3: What do you mean?
SanFranSidle10: There's someone at the lab… I think – no, I know – that I like more than a friend. I was kind of confused on what to do, but I've thought it over. I think I know what I'm gonna do.
WillowDancer3: Let me guess… Nick?
SanFranSidle10: How… how did you know?
WillowDancer3: You're not the only one he's had that effect on at the lab (if you know what I mean). And.. I just got done talking to him. He feels the same way about you. And Warrick told me that Nick told him the same thing.
SanFranSidle10: Seriously? Wow… not I really really really don't know if I can tell him!
WillowDancer3: Sara, he likes you. You like him. Just tell him!
SanFranSidle10: Yeah, maybe you're right. Thanks, Catherine.
WillowDancer3: Not a problem.
And with that, Sara logged off.
About a week later, Sara walked into CSI to find a few people gathered around a bulletin board. Upon walking over, she discovered that a sign had been posted. It read:
CSI Christmas Party
This Friday – 7:00 pm
Tangiers Hotel Banquet Room
After a minute or two, the small crowd had dissipated, but Sara remained where she was. Then – it hit her. She'd try and get to slow dance with Nick, then explain how she feels. With a content smile on her face, she walked to her office and began to work.
About an hour late, Warrick walked in. "Sara, I need to talk to you…"
"Umm… sure. Why not?"
Warrick closed the door behind him. "There's something you need to know… something about Nick."
"Oh, no need to worry, I've figured out when I'm gonna tell him – at the Christmas party," Sara said.
"Yeah… about that… Sara, he's got a date."
"W-w-what?"
"Nick's got a date for this Friday's Christmas party," Warrick said.
" Are – are – are you serious?"
"Yeah. He met her a few days ago. I'm sorry, Sar," he said, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.
"It – it – it's fine, no big deal…"
That Friday night, Sara walked into the banquet room at the Tangiers hotel. She was wearing a knee-length black dress, black heels, a silver cross on a thin chain, and a pair of diamond stud earrings. After hanging her coat in the entrance hall, Sara walked into where the party and dance floor were. She got herself a glass of punch and headed off to find some of the other graveyard shift CSIs. She was making her way through the crowd when there was a hand on her shoulder. She turned to find Nick there.
"Hey. Wanna dance?"
"I thought you had a… a date?" Sara said.
"Well, I do. But I wanted to dance with my really good friend."
"Alright… why not?" she said, the smallest hint of a smile grazing her face as he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor.
About midway through the song, Sara lifted her head to look at him. "Nick, can I tell you something?"
"Sure. What is it, Sar?"
"We've been friends for a long time, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, lately I've come to realize something. I realized that I like – no, I love you. Every time you come around I feel a… a connection. I know it could never work between us, but I just had to tell you how I feel," she said. Then she turned and hurried off through the people crowded on the dance floor.
"Oh… my…" Nick muttered as he watched her depart. Then when his consciousness got back up to full speed, he hurried after her. "Sara! Wait!" he called.
The end…. Or is it?
Please read and review! Thanks!