ATTENTION: RATED M!

Sara's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, the only thing she was acutely aware of was Nick. The way his body had spooned against hers sometime during the night, how their legs were intertwined ever so slightly. The protective grasp he had as he held her flush against him, the way they seemed to fit perfectly together.

The way it felt normal to sleep like this, like they'd done it every night for years, and the way she wished dearly that was true.

Sara was silent for a few moments, and it was then she noticed Nick was whimpering in his sleep. Sara turned in Nick's arms, blushing at their proximity despite the fact Nick remained asleep, and cupped his face, whispering to him.

Sara gasped when he unconsciously pulled her closer, squeezing her as his dream frightened him.

"Nick…baby it's okay…" she said quietly, only having the courage to call him a pet name when she knew he was asleep. Her fingertips brushed his face as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Wake up…" She whispered and caressed his face lovingly. His eyes opened almost obediently, and widened as he noted how he held her.

"Sara I…" he tried to explain, faltering at the feel of her body so close to his. He let go of her, inching away, but she smiled and closed the gap, her head nestling into his chest.

"It's okay Nicky." She whispered, and she could nearly hear his smile. His arms came around her once again and her hands came to rest on his chest near her face. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in deeply. They were silent for a few moments before Nick spoke, just loving the feel of being in each others arms.

"I wish they had a drug for nightmares." He sighed, wondering if he had finally switched to dreaming, because he was sure that the way he and Sara had been acting around each other these past days was way too good to be true.

"Me too." She whispered so quietly he almost didn't hear her. He gave her a small smile and kissed the top of her forehead, and it struck him how alike they truly were. Where else are you going to find a person who had just as many horrific problems as he had?

But Sara…she was an amazing woman. Strong, independent - she was a fighter. He...wasn't. Nick had a strong love for people, but that came with a strong need to be loved. He was compassionate, but he needed someone to hold him when he was weak.

Like now.

And here was Sara, the last person he would have expected, holding him when he should be helping her. After all, he was here to help her with her ankle.

"I'm sorry Sar…I haven't been a big help to you lately…" Nick whispered regrettably, but Sara just smiled, her hand slipping under his tee shirt to caress his bare back.

"Hey now, 'member what we talked about last night? We're on the help-each-other-plan, buddy." She leant back slightly to catch his eye. "Besides, you're helping me more then you know…"

He could see the honesty and depth in her words, and it made him grin. He leant forward, meeting her lips in several chaste kisses before she snuggled back into the warmth of his body.

"Mmm…" Nick groaned in regret as he realized what time it was. "Sara, I have to get up. Grissom asked me to come in today for a few hours just to finish up some paperwork for an old case, and I told him I'd do it."

Sara was silent for a moment as she held Nick close, truly not wanting him to leave her, and she whispered, "Five more minutes."

Now Nick wasn't sure if it was the way her leg had slid smoothly between his, the feel of her breasts pushed against his chest, the way her breath hit his neck slowly and warm, or if it was the fact that his hands had strayed down to the waistband of her pajama bottoms, but he suddenly found that he really didn't want to go anywhere for quite some time. All he wanted was to hold Sara and feel this haze of…love settle over him.

Without opening his eyes, Nick slowly dipped and found Sara's lips with his. Innocent kisses turned deep in a few moments, and when Sara groaned into his mouth at the feel of his hand on her butt, he rolled on top of her, propping himself up on his elbows and threading his hands through her hair. He could feel his body start to respond, and he groaned in pleasure.

The feel of his erection pressed into her inner thigh was enough to send Sara past the point of no return. She and Nick broke for air, and he let himself rest on her for a moment. The feel of all his weight on her was somehow gratifying, and Sara whimpered with pleasure in the way he had positioned himself. He took himself off of her and met her eye for a split second before capturing her mouth again, his tongue entering deep into her throat. Sara's hand moved slowly downward before coming to cup him firmly over his boxers. He gave a guttural groan, one Sara had never heard before, and thrust his hips responsively into hers.

She squeezed him firmly, and he tore his lips from hers.

"Sara…" he said in a dangerous tone, but she just grinned. He began to pepper kisses over her neck and shoulder as she continued, rolling her hips into him as she broke to slide her hand underneath his boxers. He closed his eyes as she held him, skin to skin now, and she could see the look of pure ecstasy on his face. Her thumb danced around his tip, and his eyes shot open with a harsh swallow. Her long fingers caressed the underside of his bulge, and he met her lips again furiously.

With a final tight squeeze, he exploded into the cotton weave of his boxers, and Sara caressed him one last time before removing her hand slowly. He remained propped over her for a moment, just looking deep into her eyes before he rolled over and slumped down on the mattress next to Sara, closing his eyes, sated and satisfied, and she rolled over and nestled her face into his neck again.

"Damn woman, do you know what you just did to me?" he asked, and she giggled, almost embarrassed.

"Sweet Jesus…." He continued as Sara kissed his neck tenderly, "You know somethin' Sar?"

She met his eye.

"What baby?" she answered, letting herself call him baby before she thought about it too much.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met."

"Nick…" Sara said, her heart filling for a moment before a single thought deflated it instantaneously – Was Nick just saying this now, after what had just happened, because he wanted more?

"I…" Sara struggled again, refusing to look anywhere but Nick's chest.

Nick watched her bite her lip, a million thoughts running through her mind, and wondered what could be wrong.

She only bit her lip when something was confusing her.

"What's wrong darlin'?" He touched her face gently, making her meet his eye.

"I…nothing." She finished all too quickly for Nick's liking, and he knew she had not told the truth.

"Sara…" he drawled out her name, waiting for her to continue.

"Nick…please, don't take this the wrong way but why-" she stopped short, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, "why would you just say that now?"

Nick let her words sink in, and he understood. He understood why she was frightened, why she was scared of him and his intentions. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

"I can't afford another heart break Nick…I just can't." her voice was barely a whisper, and he began to notice her literally pull away from him.

"Oh Sara…oh honey no…" he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. He kissed the side of her head firmly, rubbing her back in big slow circles.

But she didn't sob. She just watched him as he did these things, fat tears coursing silently down her cheeks onto the pillow. His heart was breaking, he could feel it, and tears suddenly threatened to spill from his own eyes.

"Sara…I would never take advantage of you like that. I know what's happened to you, and I know I've been where you are now. But please…don't doubt me because, well…I…" Nick debated over whether or not to tell Sara what he was truly feeling. Was she ready to hear the three most important words he had to say to her?

But she put a finger over his lips and shushed him, staring into his eyes before speaking words that filled his heart with joy.

"I know Nicky." She said as she gave him a watery smile, and he hugged her fiercely, overcome with a strong need to be near her. He let out a sob of relief, holding her body tightly up against his, loving the way she kissed the tender spot behind his ear. After a few moments, Nick loosened his hold on her, slipping his hand under the bottom of her tee shirt to find her warm, bare skin.

"You better go…to work I mean." She said regretfully, and he knew she didn't want him to go. He nodded half heartedly, and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand when she lent back, their eyes meeting. Sara's cheeks infused with red, and Nick kissed her tenderly.

"I meant what I said Sar." He said after they had spent a few moments just looking at each other, their hands brushing and meeting and squeezing at times. "I really, really care about you, and I need you to know I would never purposely hurt you."

Sara smiled gratefully at him, the words 'I love you' threatening to tumble from her lips, but she forced them back down, letting him know her feelings through means of a kiss. He responded fervently, but Sara's gentle hand on his chest settled him.

"Work…" she muttered, and he nodded, brushing stray pieces of hair out of her face.

"Alright…" he said, disappointed, "although I'd rather lay here with you all day."

Sara giggled again, and Nick was caught by surprise. He never knew Sara could be so…girly. It was quite endearing, the way she giggled and blushed.

Nick got up and came around the bed to Sara, and she extended her arms toward him like a child.

"Ohhh…does baby Sara want uppie?" Nick cooed, and Sara laughed as Nick bent down and kissed her before lifting her effortlessly into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight, knowing that even though she was afraid, he would never let her go.

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A/N –

Hope you liked it!

Anybody have comments on last Thursday's ep? That whole "I guess some people just aren't meant to be together" by Sara to Grissom pretty much made my day.

Yay to the down fall of Geeklove, Double yay to the rise of Snickers!

TNC