Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or anything that relates to CSI. I barely even know what I'm talking about. Please don't sue me, I'm just a poor writer…have mercy.

This is the one and only chapter…little short one. I honestly don't know if it makes sense or not.. The idea sounded good about 2am this morning. HAHA. Hopefully, I can update my other stories later. My laptop crashed and ALL my stuff went to hell in a hand basket (in a manner of speaking). So, I have to rewrite everything I've already done. Anyways, enough yakking…on to the boring stuff. HAHA

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This isn't working.

She was all she could remember him saying as she watched him pack his bags. Hot tears rolled down her tired face as she tried to plead with him. He was leaving her. She didn't recall what she had done. She knew she had mentioned the smell of another females perfume on his jacket one evening, not hers. She hardly ever wore perfume. He became angry with her, argued, then he left for two days. Everyone knew, the rumors flew at work and then he left permanently. Now, seven months later, Sara sat at her kitchen table and starred at the divorce papers. Her eyes were puffy and swollen. The day she found someone to love she was ecstatic and in love with the idea that someone would love her. Not anymore.

They had been married for almost a year and half. Sara wiped away the tears that were falling again as she looked at their wedding photos. She promised herself she wouldn't cry. Was he crying? No. He had already found someone new. In fact, he had found her nine months into their marriage. Patricia. She was a dancer at the Blue Flamingo. They had met her previously on a case. Sara figured that was where they had hooked up.

Sara glanced at her cell phone that was buzzing across the table. She sighed when she saw Grissom's name on the id. She rolled her eyes as she picked it up, "Yeah…"

She never answered a phone call like, not when she was on call. She always answered ready and willing for anything that a case brought to her. Not anymore.

"I need you to come in Sara."

"Fine. I'll be there in few minutes," she closed the phone with a hard smack. She knew she had been short with everyone lately, but she was going through a divorce. The 'd' word. She didn't want to turn into her mother when she was younger and now it looks as if she had. Sara got up and grabbed her bag. She reached for the keys on the hook and pulled them down slowly. She turned around and looked at the empty living room. At this time, she would always say, 'Love you honey, I'll be back later.' She opened the door slowly and backed out nodding at the empty room. Not anymore.

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A FEW WEEKS LATER………

Sara sat quietly looking over evidence in the microscope. Grissom told her that she needed to leave her personal problems at home. Right. He didn't know what personal was. She nodded at him and walked off. She was surprised she hadn't said something rash that would have gotten her fired. "Sara?"

She looked up at the tall, dark Texan starring at her. She gave a fake smile, "Hey Nicky."

His face never flinched, "You don't have to pretend."

Her fake smile faded and she leaned back in her chair. Nick pulled up a chair next to her, "Did you sign the papers?"

Sara looked down feeling the tears starting to flood her eyes as she shook her head. Nick reached for her hand and she pulled away slightly. Nick's heart fell slightly, "Sara…."

"Just leave me alone……just for a little while, okay?" Sara didn't look at him, in fact, she looked in the opposite direction. Nick nodded, "Okay."

He stood up and walked away. He shook his head as he headed to the break room. Warrick was sitting at the table reading his newspaper. He glanced up, "Nick."

"Hey," he said flatly. Warrick looked him square in the face as he sat down in front of him. Warrick shook his head as he looked back down, "Let it go man."

"No." Warrick looked back up at him with eyes wide in shock, "You wanna say that to my face now."

Nick leaned back, "I'm not letting it go Warrick."

"You know, I do recall you saying the exact same thing when they got married."

Nick starred at the table blankly, "He's ruined her life Ric."

Warrick nodded his head slowly, "Well…it's her decision Nick.

Nick began to get up and paused, "How did you get over yours?"

Warrick sighed as he closed his newspaper, "Work, my friends, and…Catherine."

Nick gave a small smile as Warrick got up, "How is Cath?"

"Well, between morning sickness and Lindsey…she's good. I'll catch ya later man."

Nick gave a nod. He sat in the chair for a second or so before getting up. He breathed heavily as he made his way to the lab again. He was going to apologize for being…well he wasn't sure what he was being. He wanted to apologize though. His head shot up when he heard Sara yelling her words. Nick walked toward the arguing couple in a daze. A protective daze. "Hey!"

Sara looked at Nick with sad eyes that had been crying as her soon to be ex turned to Nick.

"It's you."

"What have I told you about coming in here Brighton?"

"I'm an Officer of the Law Stokes, I can come and go as I please."

"Luke...," Sara said weakly. He shot her a look, "Did I address you Sara?"

At that time, Nick found his fist in connection with Brighton's jaw and he found himself on the floor. Everyone from the surrounding rooms spilled out into the hall to watch the soon to be fight. Brighton got back up, "You'll regret that Stokes."

"Come on…you and me…let's see you fight someone your own size."

Brighton threw a punch that missed and Nick's connected with Brighton's gut. Brighton lunged at him, taking both of them down. Nick heard Sara screaming for them to stop, but he was going to get just a piece of him before he sent him limping away. Grissom came up running with Warrick and Brass shortly after him. Brass and Warrick grabbed Nick after he threw another punch into his jaw. Nick tried pulling away. He didn't want to stop.

"Nicky! Stop or I'll cuff you and send your ass to jail for a few days."

Nick slowly began to stop. Somehow, Brass and Warrick had wrestled him to his stomach and had his hands behind his back. It was at that moment he knew he was bleeding. He saw small pools of blood forming on the cold floor. Grissom helped Brighton up, he was five times worse than Nick.

"I wanna press charges Captain."

Brass looked at him with fury, "You're lucky I don't press them.

Brighton nodded slowly as he back away, "You and me later Stokes."

"Anytime candyass," Nick called out from the floor. They were still holding him down. Sara watched Brighton walk away. She looked down at Nick who was watching her. Sara looked away, "Let him up guys."

Brass looked up at her, "Sara…if you…"

"No…I'm going to end it."

Nick picked himself up slowly. He was feeling the effects of the tackle and the cheap shots that Brighton had thrown. Sara reached for his hand and he let her take it, "I'll clean you up."

Grissom watched the two walk down the hall hand in hand. He wasn't going to punish Nick unless someone mentioned it. Warrick nodded at Brass, "Told you he was gonna be hard to pull off."

"Well don't tell him that," Brass said as they walked back the way they came.

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Nick sat on the counter in the private bathroom. There was one next to the morgue for the coroners to use. Sara opened the first aide kit. She, as of yet, had not said anything. Nick either. Sara reached up and began wiping off the cut above his eyebrow. He watched her and she connected eyes with him, "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to," Nick said as he pulled her hand down, "You…I…I can't believe you put up with that for so long."

"He wasn't always like that. He…he kind of reminded me of you." At that point she looked away. He looked down at his hand that was holding hers. He rubbed it gently and she whispered something.

He looked up, "What?"

Sara looked him in the eyes, "It should have been you."

Nick felt his eyes water and he looked down, "I wanted to be the one…I was late."

Sara shook her head, "Not anymore."

Nick shook his head in agreement. He knew what she meant, "I promise. I won't be."

Sara began to lean into him and he kissed her forehead before he wrapped his arms around here. He wasn't about to let her go. Not anymore.

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Thanks ya'll. Love it, hate it, burn it, review it. Merry Christmas everybody! -- Andrea