Thanks everyone for all the wonderful and threatening reviews! They made me smile. I guess I should be expecting a cookie, George Eads, Gary Dourdan, and Eric Szmanda for Christmas? What else did you all promise me?? Ha!

This chapter is dedicated to my good friend, Melanie, who I have converted to a big CSI fan, and who has also started reading fanfic. You've been such a great friend to me these past (nearly) five months! Thanks for everything!

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When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,
When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on
Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes

Nick sat in the waiting area for what seemed like days. In reality not even an hour had passed between the time he walked out of Catherine's room and the present moment. All he wanted to do was hold Sara in his arms and make all of her pain go away. He'd switch places with her in a second if he could. This whole situation had made him realize how much he loved Sara, and how he'd move Heaven and Hell for her.

But was too late for them?

Was he too late?

Oh, God, did he pray he wasn't.

Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along
When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go, (hold on)
When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on

Another hour passed, and Nick was joined by an exhausted looking Warrick.

"How's Cath?" Nick asked his friend.

"She's finally sleeping" Warrick answered. "After you left, she broke down in tears. She feels so guilty."

"It's not her fault" Nick offered.

"I know that. You know that. But getting Catherine to accept that will be a problem, especially if-"

"Don't say it, Rick. Sara's going to pull through. Sara and our baby are going to pull through and then we can all put this horrible nightmare behind us."

"Nick-"

"She has to pull through. I'll die without her."

Warrick didn't comment. Instead he just sat in silence with his friend. His heart was breaking for Nick. There was nothing any of them could do for Sara, except for hope, and wait.

'Cause everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone

Sara smiled down at her daughter as she led her through the tall grass. The little girl's hair was pulled back in a loose French braid, tied with a silvery white ribbon. Both of them were wearing pale blue dresses that fell all the way down to their bare feet.

Sara felt like she was walking on air, and could barely feel the tiny hand that was grasping her larger one.

The little brunette turned around and smiled at her mother. Sara could see Nick in her face; from his piercing brown eyes, to his gorgeous smile. She knew the little girl was his in every way. "Are you ready, mommy?" Her voice was as sweet as candy.

"Where are we going, sweetie?"

The little girl laughed as she glanced up to the sky.

"What's so funny?" Sara asked.

"Daddy misses you, mommy" she grinned.

"Does he?"

The smile faded from the child's face. "Make him stop crying"

"Why is Nick crying?"

"Go back to daddy" she instructed pointing to a narrow dirt path that led into a forest full of all different kinds of trees. Sara had never seen a sight so lovely.

"Aren't you coming with me, sweetie?" Sara asked the little girl.

She smiled a true Stokes smile. "I love you, mommy"

"I love you, too" Sara responded before turning and walking slowly down the path, towards the trees. "I'm coming Nick" she whispered.

If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on

"Sara!" Nick exclaimed, bolting up into a standing position.

"Nick?" Warrick's voice was full of concern.

Nick looked back down at his friend, who was still sitting in one of the hard plastic chairs of the hospital.

"Are you okay?" Warrick asked, standing up slowly.

Nick rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Yeah. I just had a dream. Sara. She was walking away from me. Maybe she was running. I don't know. I couldn't tell. She was fading away. But-"

"But what, Nick?"

He looked up at his friend, with a confused expression on his face. "She was smiling."

Warrick put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Do you wanna go grab a bite to eat?"

Nick shook his head. "No, I'm not hungry. I just want to wait here."

"Well, if I go get you something to eat, like an apple, or something, and bring it back to you, would you eat it? You need to be healthy so you can take care of Sara and that baby when they get out of surgery, you know?" Warrick suggested.

Nick couldn't help but smile. "Fine"

"Good. I'll be right back"

After Warrick was out of sight, Nick sat back down, and began rubbing his temples with his fingers again. "Please let her come back to me" he muttered under his breath.

Well, everybody hurts sometimes,
Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Everybody hurts. You are not alone

"Mr. Stokes?"

Nick's head snapped up at the sound of Doctor Matthews voice. "Yes?" he answered.

"Miss Sidle is out of surgery" he said simply.

Nick stood up slowly, trying to keep his breathing under control. "How is she? How is the baby?"

"Nick?" Warrick had seen the doctor approach Nick from the end of the hallway, and couldn't have hurried over to him fast enough.

"Sara's out of surgery" Nick informed him, and then turned back to Doctor Matthews.

"Yes."

"And?" Warrick asked.

"Well, she has a nice bruise on her abdomen. One rib was broken when she was hit, but it will heal. She lost a lot of blood during the surgery, and gave us a big scare, but she pulled through."

Nick felt the weight lifted off of his shoulders. "And the baby?"

"Is fine, as well" Doctor Matthews answered. "Miss Sidle protected that child with her life. The fetus is only four months old, and as you know, is still very small. And even though its mother was shot and unconscious, there wasn't enough damage done to her to hurt the baby."

Nick felt a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Where is Sara? Can I see her?"

"We put her up in the ICU next door to Miss Willows. She's still asleep from the anesthesia, but should be waking within the next hour or so."

"And she's going to be fine?" Nick asked again, not sure if he believed what he was hearing.

"Yes, sir. We're going to keep her here for a few days just for a precaution, but she'll be good as new in about a week. She'll also have to where a splint on her left arm, because of the surgery, but only for a few weeks, just until her shoulder heals completely" Doctor Matthews explained.

"Can we see her?" Warrick asked, trying to control his voice.

"Yes, but I'll remind you that she is still asleep, and will be for another hour or so. She really needs her rest. It's imperative that she stays calm, rested, and relaxed" the doctor warned.

Neither Nick nor Warrick could help the laugh that escaped their lips. "You don't know Sara" they laughed at the same time.

"I don't care who she is, you've got to keep her relaxed, and rested, and healthy. Make sure she's eating enough for herself and the baby" Doctor Matthews instructed.

"We understand" Nick responded, knowing well enough how hard his task would be.

"I'll check on her a little later tonight. And I also suggest both of you get some rest as well"

"We will now. Thank you, Doctor Matthews"

"My pleasure" The doctor shook both of their hands again before heading back down the hall to make his rounds.

"I'm gonna check on Catherine and tell her the news. And you can go see Sara" Warrick suggested as they headed back up to the sixth floor where both women were resting.

"Yeah, okay" Nick responded, absent-mindedly.

They stopped walking when they got to Catherine's room, and Nick turned to Warrick. "Hey man, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me tonight"

"What are friends for?" Warrick responded whole-heartedly.

"Thanks a lot"

"Okay stop thanking me, and go see your woman" Warrick demanded, giving Nick a pat on the back.

"Tell Cath I say 'Hi'"

"I will. Now go"

Nick smiled as Warrick walked into the room where Catherine was sleeping peacefully, and watched as he sat down in the chair next to her and immediately took her hand in his.

He slowly turned and headed to the room next door.

Sara was also asleep, but he wasn't sure if she was resting peacefully or not. The expression on her face was blank, her face pale. She was hooked up to a heart monitor and another monitor for the baby. She also had an IV that was feeding her morphine, and fluids to give her nourishment.

Nick quietly pulled a seat up next to her bed and sat down, never taking his eyes off of her frail-looking body.

He reached out and took her cold hand in his. "Thank you for bringing her back to me" he mumbled before relaxing back into the chair and closing his eyes.

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      TBC

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They both lived! Hooray! Did you people really think I'd kill them off? Nope, not me! The song I used was "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M.

Well, please let me know what you think!