Title: Can't Take It
Summary: Snickers. Follow Grissom, Nick, and Sara through a case; one that could ultimately draw two of our favorite CSIs together.
Disclaimer: At this point, if you think in any way that I own anything but Janet, Kyle, and the plot, then I just don't know what to say.
A/N: I'll put all of my thoughts at the end of this chapter this time. I want to get right to the story.
Again, this is rated a little higher…one word, this time, I think.
Just one thing before I forget: Grissom really did tell Sara that if she gets angry, the perp wins. I forget which episode, but it's the one where the two ladies conspire to kill their husbands… something like that. Anyways, on with the fic.
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Sara slammed her hands on the table, before standing up so quickly her metal chair scraped across the floor. "I'm going to…" she sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "You guys don't need me, right?"
Without waiting for an answer, she blew out of the room, storming by a very bewildered looking Grissom. Nick shot Brass an apologetic glance; the detective just shooed the CSI out of the room with a wave of his and hand a very knowing look.
Nick caught up to his supervisor in the hallway.
"Nick?" Grissom asked calmly. "What was that?"
"What?"
"Sara just came bowling through here."
Nick sighed inwardly; how Grissom could remain so cal, almost detached, made him want to scream sometimes. When Nick realized he was waiting for an answer, he replied, "Our perp's an ass, that's what. Excuse me."
And with that, he left a confused looking Grissom in the hallway as he took after Sara.
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He found her in the break room, slumped on the couch, idly nursing a cup of coffee. He knocked on the doorframe.
"Mind if I come in?" he asked, before settling down next to her, throwing an arm across the back of the sofa. "You wanna…"
"Talk about it? No." Sara said flatly, not looking at him.
"Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to share some of that coffee, but your idea's better" Nick joked, watching her.
She rolled her eyes; a small grin flitted across her lips before she spoke, "Someone once told me not to get angry. If we, If I, get angry, it means he wins." Her voice quavered, and in a rare moment of vulnerability, one that melted Nick's hear, she choked out, "I don't want him to win, Nicky."
"Oh Sara" Nick consoled her, pulling her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "The guy's a jerk. And he's going to jail, Sara. That means he loses."
Sara just inhaled deeply, tucking her head into Nick's shoulder. "I know" she admitted, her words muffled by Nick's shirt. "But…I just wasn't expecting him to…"
Nick shushed her, using one hand to take her coffee mug from her shaky grasp and setting it on the table. "It's over now. It's done."
Sara just sighed deeply before settling back into the couch, her head still resting comfortably on Nick's shoulder. "I, uh, don't remember whether or not I told you this already, but…thanks. For, I mean, not just for back there but for this too. It's…nice."
Nick just smiled at her, feeling her relax as he draped an arm around her shoulder. "You're welcome" he told her. "I'm just glad you're alright. I mean… I don't know what I would've done." He hesitated before adding, "You're really important to me, Sar."
"You, too, Nicky" Sara murmured, closing her eyes and resting, content with sitting next to Nick , his fingers lightly brushing up and down her arm. She opened her eyes to find Nick watching her. But something was different in the way he looked at her. And then it clicked.
"Nick?" she whispered, before their lips brushed each others in a soft, chaste kiss.
Sara pulled away first, raising a finger to her lips. "Nick. I am so sorry -" she started.
Nick tried to interrupt her. "Sara"
"- I mean, I shouldn't make you feel like you need to do this to cheer me up -"
"Sara…"
"-because you're a really good friend to me and I don't want to feel like you're being forced into anything regardless of how I -"
"SARA!"
"- feel." Sara finished feebly, before Nick dipped his head, capturing her lips with his own.
Nick smiled against her lips, feeling her respond to his kiss as he snaked his arms around her waist once more, pulling her a close to him as she could physically be.
"Hey Nick? You seen Sara anywhere? Grissom heard about what happened and said the DA'll wanna know if she's pressing…" Warrick rambled as he walked into the break room, apparently not expecting to walk into a private moment between two of his co-workers. "…charges. Whoa. I'll, uh, just give you guys a minute" he said, fighting the smug smile that threatened to appear on his face.
Nick and Sara had pulled apart by now, Nick shooting Warrick a lazy grin as Sara spoke, "I'm planning on getting the forms on my way out." She looked like she was about to say more, but didn't. Warrick just watched the two of them before shuffling the files in his hand idly.
He cleared his throat. "Alright, I'll let him know on my way to the lab. Gotta see a man about some DNA" he grinned, indicating the files. "Hey Sara?" he asked, becoming serious. "You sure you're ok?"
"Yeah Warrick. I'm….fine. Thanks, though" Sara nodded.
"Cool" Warrick said, before walking out of the break room, closing the door behind him with a not-so-subtle wink.
Nick let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "That was awkward" he stated, glancing towards Sara.
She merely smiled, and resumed the flirty banter they'd shared for as long as either of them could remember, teasing, "Yeah…but you'll get better with some practice" before their lips met for a third time that day. This time, Nick was the one to pull away.
"Cute, Sara" he grinned, pulling her on to his lap, "But that wasn't what I meant."
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The End
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A/N: Ok, so I guess I'll just wrap up with one final plea for reviews before going into my little spheal (is that even a word?)I just wanted to than everyone who reviewed; reading them always bought a smile to my face, and made me want to write and update more. I'd like to thank anyone and everyone who read it (even if they didn't review) because…well, it makes me feel good :D Hope you guys liked it!