Hours later, Sara returned to Nick's room, hobbling on crutches and finding him still asleep. The nurses had insisted that both of them try and get some rest soon after they'd finished talking, and they just sat and held each other quietly before Sara allowed herself to be led out of the room in a wheelchair. Nick had waved softly as she turned one last time to catch his eye, and she smiled as she thought of it now.

She leant her crutches against the wall and hopped on her good foot the rest of the way to his bedside. He had left his bed upright as he slept, and Sara watched his face contort slowly into a solid frown. She took hold of his hand, and held it as he continued to dream.

As she laced their fingers, Sara knew what she had feared to be true, was.

She was deeply in love with Nick.

Love. It was something she had thought long and hard about when she had been sent back to her room to "rest". Love with Nick. That in itself caused problems ordinary love didn't even understand. She and Nick were so…different, and yet so alike…plus, between the two of them, they had managed to rack up some serious problems – some in their pasts, some in the present, some out of their control, some in. Abuse, neglect, horrible past relationships, and traumatic events coursed through both of their lives, and Sara wasn't sure if a brand new relationship, especially between the two of them, would be strong enough to deal with all of that.

But now, as she sat here with Nick, she smiled. She looked at him, sitting there in a horrible state, neither of them willing to accept what effect this event was having on them, and she smiled.

Something was telling her that, somehow, someway, they had already conquered these demons…together.

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Nick awoke to the distinct feeling of a woman next to him. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled; Sara was dozing lightly, her head upon his shoulder, and his head lent against hers.

He gently wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her closer, watching her face spread into a slow smile before opening her eyes.

"Hey you." She whispered, letting his hands settle in her lap and placing her hands on his.

"Hey…" He whispered back, the sound of his voice muffled as his lips spread through her hair.

Sara involuntarily snuggled closer to Nick and closed her eyes again.

"This," thought Nick, "is something I could definitely get used to."

"I'm sorry…" Sara said quietly, yet unable to suppress the smile from seeping into her voice, "I came in here to check on you and when I found you asleep, I guess I got a little jealous, so I decided to fall asleep too."

"'s okay" Nick muttered, trying to wash the haze and sleep from his voice without much luck. They settled like that for a good few minutes before Nick spoke again.

"Sar…you know how you are gonna need someone help the next few days, with your ankle and all? I'd love to be that someone." He said quietly, and Sara noted with pleasure how he didn't say it as if he owed her something for everything that had happened, and was trying to pay her back.

"I'd like that." She said simply, and Nick nodded before kissing her head.

"Mmmkay."

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Within the hour Nick and Sara were released, and Nick drove Sara home. They sat in comfortable silence, and Nick could hear Sara hum softly to the music from where she sat behind him in the back seat, her foot propped up.

"Is it cool if we swing by my house so I can grab some clothes?" Nick asked, and Sara nodded. It was a moment before she realized Nick couldn't see her nod from where she sat, and she laughed in embarrassment.

"Oh, yeah, that's fine Nick, sorry."

Nick smiled; he loved that he could concentrate on the smooth sound of her voice and not just the beautiful form of her body when she spoke and he couldn't see her.

So, half an hour later, they finally arrived at Sara's house. Nick slung his bag over his shoulder and helped Sara hobble over to the door of her apartment. She lent against the siding of the house and handed him the keys, looking away and blushing as their hands brushed.

"Well, are you gonna stand out there all day, gimpy?" Nick teased, and Sara blushed redder then ever as she made her way slowly inside on the crutches. When she reached the couch, Nick at her side the whole way, she lent the crutches against the wall, turned on her heel, and flopped down upon it. Nick smiled at her before putting her prescription pain killers down on the end table and sitting beside her.

"So," he asked good-naturedly, "whatcha in the mood for Sidle?"

Sara looked him thoughtfully, and said, "I kind of feel like playing cards."

"Got any?" Nick asked, and she thought for a moment.

"Check the junk drawer." She said, and Nick's jaw dropped as he stared at her in amazement.

"What?"

"Do you remember the last time I checked the 'junk drawer'? All we needed were some matches…it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack…during a monsoon!" He exclaimed as he got up from the couch. Sara smacked his thigh as he passed her, and he turned his head to wiggle his eyebrows at her.

Ten minutes, 6 curse words, and 3 yelps of distress later, Nick returned triumphantly with the cards.

"Who knew you even had a Swiss army knife?" he asked as he sat down on the couch and turned to face her. She grinned and shrugged.

"What's the name of the game?" she asked as he began to shuffle, and he listed games he knew.

"Texas Hold 'Em, Rummy, Hearts, Spades…Strip Poker…" he said casually, and she grinned and swung at him.

"Okay, okay, how about Go Fish?" he asked.

"That's better."

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"YES!" Sara exclaimed as she beat Nick for the third time in what had come to be dubbed "The Go Fish Tournament". Nick got up off the couch and walked around the coffee table, discouraged. "I'm three for three Nick. It's over."

Nick sighed and pretended to look crestfallen.

"Bow to the master, young grasshopper." Sara teased, and Nick grinned.

"Don't push it Sidle." He said with a sly grin.

"Nick, I wiped the floor with you three times, I can gloat if I want to. Actually, wiped is an understatement. More like cleaned, dried and waxed the floor. Pitiful Stokes, just pitiful." She said, beaming in his direction.

He shook his head at her in mock anger. "I'm serious Sara, you better stop now."

"I AM THE SUPREME MASTER OF GO FI-" Sara managed to yell before Nick tackled her, pinning her to the couch. Sara shrieked and giggled as Nick tickled her.

"Nick…stop….please…ha ha ha ha ha….." Sara struggled to form a complete sentence between laughs. But Nick grinned and continued, not allowing his mind to focus on the feel of her writhing beneath him…or how soft her skin was…or how small she seemed, as if he might devour her with no effort.

"Nick…ha ha…AHHHHH!" she cried out and Nick froze immediately. Sara reached for her ankle, and Nick nearly jumped off of her, standing by the couch as she lay on it, testing her ankle.

"Sara, I…are you okay?" he asked, the concern obvious in his eyes. He watched as she moved her ankle slowly and set it back down gingerly, looking up at him painfully.

Suddenly her face twisted into a wicked grin. "Gotcha!" she exclaimed, and Nick's jaw dropped. "Oldest trick in the book Nicky, and you fell hook, line and sinker."

"Sara…what the hell…you can't scare me like that darlin'! Holy crap…you just put my heart rate and 1001!" he said, realizing she had been kidding, and she began to laugh.

"Sorry…but you wouldn't get off! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do Nick." She said, "I really am sorry."

Nick smiled and sat down, their hips touching as she looked up at him.

"Well, I'm sorry too, I did kinda start it." He said and she smiled.

"No big deal." She said, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"I think it's somebody's nap time…" Nick crooned in a baby voice, and Sara rolled her eyes with a grin.

"Shut up Nick…" she said, not having a truly good response.

"Hey, I was talking about me!" he exclaimed, evoking a resounding laugh from Sara. Nick got up and began to walk out of the room.

"I'll grab some blankets." He stated, looking back at Sara before he turned the corner and disappeared down the hallway.

Sara fluffed a pillow beneath her head and lay on the couch listening to Nick hum softly to himself as he searched her hall closet for blankets. When he finally reappeared, he unfolded the blanket, put it over Sara, and propped her ankle up on a nearby pillow. She smiled shyly at him every time she caught him looking at her, and he would look away, silently continuing his business, grinning.

When he finally finished he sat down at her side and smiled softly as he brushed stray pieces of hair out of her face.

"You're too good to me…" Sara whispered as her eyes closed slowly, Nick still tracing her face.

"And you're too good to me." Nick said, allowing Sara to understand the true meaning of his words. His finger ran along the length of her cheekbone, and he watched her breathing even out and deepen. He smiled at her sleeping form, scooting up and kissing her cheek lightly.

"G'night darlin." Nick whispered before standing up and leaving the room, flicking the lights off on his way out.

"Goodnight…"

A/N –

I KNOW I KNOW soooo super late! Lol I'm so bad about that. Oh well, for those of ya who stuck with it thanks!

The Notorious Cat

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