I would just like to say a special thanks to whoever nominated this story for Best Dramatic Fic. That totally made my day! :)

And of course thanks to everyone for the continued support! You guys rock!

~~$~@~$~~

"Sara," Nick repeated. "Please. You can't leave me"

Sara opened her eyes and gazed into his. She could see the unshed tears in his eyes, and it broke her heart. She swallowed the lump in her throat and opened her mouth to say something, but the only sound that came out was that of a choked sob.

Nick quickly wrapped his arms around her quivering body. He felt her arms go around his waist as he ran his fingers through her hair, then let his hand rest on the back of her neck.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered into his chest.

Nick didn't say anything. He just held her. He would hold her as long as she needed without even being asked to do so. This woman was his life now. This woman and the unborn child she was carrying inside of her.

A few minutes later, Sara had stopped crying and pulled away from Nick slightly. "Sorry" she whispered for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Don't." Nick said simply, placing a finger on her lips. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and let his hand linger to cup her cheek. "Want something to eat?" He asked her.

"Sure"

"Good. Come on, I'll make you some pancakes." Nick dropped his hand to the small of her back and led her out into the kitchen.

"Nick, there isn't any food here." Sara said.

"Oh yeah. I forgot. Well, I'll take you over to the house then. Is that okay?"

"Yeah"

Nick smiled and reached for her hand. Together they walked out of Sara's apartment and down to Nick's Tahoe.

Once inside the SUV, Sara spoke up. "I just wanted him to be happy for me. For us"

"I know" Nick replied.

"He was one of the few people I looked up to. He was my role model. And the way he looked at me…. I felt like I had disappointed him. Like I had failed." Sara spoke softly as she gazed out the window at the passing buildings.

"Sara, you haven't failed." Nick replied. "If anyone has failed, it's me."

"Nick-"

"No Sara. Let's not talk about this. Not now." Nick said as he pulled into his driveway. "Can you just promise me one thing?" He said as he turned the ignition off.

"I can try"

"Promise me you'll reconsider leaving. Promise me you'll stay. I need you there. Don't worry about Grissom. Greg needs you. So do Cath and Warrick. Please, Sara? Promise me."

"Nick-"

"Please?" Nick could feel the tears welling up in his eyes again as he spoke.

"I promise" Sara whispered.

"Thank you"

"Now can we eat? I'm starving," Sara exclaimed as she unbuckled her seat belt and hopped out of the Tahoe.

"Yes ma'am" Nick said following suit.

~~$~@~$~~

"Gil, we need to talk" Catherine said as she walked into his office and sat in one of the chairs across from his desk.

Grissom leaned back in his chair and took off his glasses. He massaged the bridge of his nose as he spoke, "this is about Sara and Nick isn't it?"

"What do you think?" Catherine asked sarcastically.

Grissom looked Catherine in the eye. He knew right away she wasn't kidding. "Cath, I really don't have time for this right now."

"Make time"

He was shocked at how stern her voice sounded. But then he remembered who this woman was. He remembered everything she had been through in her life. And he remembered that she was the strongest woman he knew, and when she was passionate about something, there was nothing anyone, not even he, and could do to stop her from getting what she wanted.

"Gil, Sara is a good friend of yours. I know that. We all know that. She was your student. You are her mentor. Even now, she looks up to you. When she called me from the hospital-"

"The hospital?" Grissom asked, concerned.

"Maybe two months ago she was in the hospital. I think it was just because of severed cramping. She and Nick got in a fight after she told him that he was the father. It was pretty ugly from what they told me. They didn't get physical, but she got extremely stressed and whatnot. Nick drove her to the ER. I picked her up in the morning to take her home. That's when she told me she was pregnant. As for Nick being the father, well, I figured that one out on my own." She paused to catch her breath. "But that's not the point here."

"But she's okay now, right?" Grissom asked.

"Yes, Gil, aside from how you treated her, she is fine."

"Oh"

"Neither of them wanted to tell the team. But mostly, neither of them wanted to tell you. All of those guys look up to you, but Sara does the most. They were so scared and worried about how you'd react. I told Nick it'd all be fine. But then you go and prove them right. I just don't understand why you're not happy for them." Catherine said.

Grissom was silent for a few moments while he digested what all Catherine was telling him. Most of it he already knew, really, he just didn't believe this was happening. And now Sara was leaving. He took a deep breath, and then let the air out slowly as if trying to slow time, if only for a few seconds. "She's leaving" he said blankly.

Catherine arched an eyebrow, and looked at him, puzzled.

"Sara" Grissom said, as if reading her mind.

Still, Catherine didn't say anything.

"She gave me her two weeks notice"

"Gil-"

"It's my fault"

"I know that" Catherine replied quickly.

"Cath…" Grissom rubbed the bridge of his nose again with his fingers. "I can't let her leave."

"Then you have to apologize"

"For what? How'd they keep this quiet for so long? I never even knew they were seeing each other, let alone pregnant! I mean how long has this been going on? She should have told me from the beginning!"

"Gil, you are not her father! She doesn't have to tell you every time she kisses a boy. For Christ's sake, the woman is thirty-two years old! She's not a child. She can do whatever she wants with her life, and you can't stop her. You're the one acting like a child. Grow up and be happy for her. Be happy for them! They are part of this family. Your family! "Catherine stood up and headed for the door.

"Cath-" Grissom called after her.

She turned around and shook her head, disappointedly. "If you don't do something, she will leave. We will lose one of the best CSI's and one of our family. And ten bucks says Nick follows whatever she wants. I mean the guy is head over heels in love with her… whether he knows it or not."

"She deserves better" Grissom said quietly.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me"

"Nicky is a good man and you know that. Just because he doesn't have the best track record doesn't mean he wouldn't move heaven and earth just to make Sara happy. I think you know him well enough by now, to know that."

Grissom leaned back in his chair again, and closed his eyes.

"You know what you have to do. I think you should do it… and soon, too." Catherine said as she left Grissom's office, and headed to the locker room to gather her belongings and head home to her daughter.

Warrick was in the locker room when Catherine got there. "Hey" he greeted her.

"Hi"

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. It's everyone else I'm worried about." Catherine explained as she gathered her jacket and bag.

"Wanna talk about it?" Warrick offered.

"Breakfast?"

"Sure"

"I'll drive" Catherine said with a smirk as the pair headed out of the locker room and out to the parking lot.

~~$~@~$~~

TBC

Well, here's some more! That's dedicated to whoever nominated this story! Thanks a bunch! :)

More to come!

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