AN: I know it has been some time since I wrote and posted part one of this, and for that, I am very sorry. I originally wrote this whole chapter right after the horrible season finale, when my anger was at a peak. But it was late, and the ending was horrible, to say the least. I could not post it as it was. So, what, two weeks later, I finally finished it. Expect one last part, an epilogue, very shortly. It will just tie up some loose ends and such.

On another note: thank you so much for the reviews! I was honestly very surprised that so many people responded to this. I was also very, very happy. Thank you so much, and I hope that this is up to your expectations.

One final thing. This chapter contains somewhat more…racy material…than most of my previous works. Certainly, in my opinion, nothing to warrant an 'R' (or, rather, a 'M') rating. But nevertheless, I wanted to give you a slight heads up.

Enjoy!

Emily

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch. But I would really love to own this all. Then I could fix the mess they like to call the CSI season finale.

WARNING NOTE: This story contains cheating. I do not, in any way, shape, or form, condone such behavior, nor do I encourage anyone to go out and cheat on a significant other. This situation is for plot purposes only. Thank you, and enjoy the story.

Gil Grissom had never been the jealous type. He had never had a reason to be jealous. Never before had he dated a beautiful woman, a woman who could have had any other man, but had chosen him.

Not until Sara, that is. She was young, smart, and beautiful, and could have chosen any man. But she had chosen him! Him! And it wasn't just a pity fuck, their first time together (which occurred the night Brass had been admitted to the hospital). She had stayed with him, for six-no, seven, months now. She was his, and he wanted everyone to know it. Grissom gave a bright smile to the jeweler as he accepted the diamond ring he had just purchased, tucking the small treasure in his jacket pocket, where it was sure to be safe.

While Grissom was buying Sara Sidle an engagement ring and planning out how he would propose, Sara was also busy planning.

Planning how to wiggle out from under Nick's arm without waking him. They had been up late, touching and tasting one another, making each other cry out countless times. Finally, when they could no longer move, they had fallen asleep. But at some point, Nick had pulled Sara close to him, and had effectively trapped her nude body underneath his muscular arm. Sara wiggled a bit, but this only seemed to make Nick wrap his arm tighter around her.

"Sara?" Well, it seemed she didn't need to deviously plot how to best get away from her lover. She smiled at him and kissed him softly.

"Late night?"

"Minx."

She laughed as he kissed her again. She then turned to look at the clock. Sighing, she pulled herself away from Nick.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Home. Grissom will be wondering where I am."

He nodded, his smile melding into a frown. "Oh, right." They were quiet.

Their affair had been going on for around a month by this time (officially, that was). No one seemed to suspect a thing, for they had always been close friends. They had never given anyone cause to suspect that they were anything more than friends. And besides, who would ever suspect Sara Sidle of cheating on Gil Grissom, the man that she had been in love with.

Was! Was in love with! Sara reminded herself of this quickly. She WAS in love with Gil Grissom. She hadn't been, she was.

Right?

Right?

Because she didn't love Nick. Well, not love love. She did love him as a friend. And she loved sleeping with him. And kissing him. Kissing him was much more enjoyable than kissing Grissom.

No! Nonono! Bad thoughts. You love kissing Grissom, she told her traitorous mind sternly.

She sighed as she climbed into her car and headed back to the home she now shared with Gil Grissom. They were going out for a fancy dinner tonight, and she would be the happy girlfriend, deeply in love with her boyfriend (which she was!). She should be happy to be going out. She loved Gil Grissom!

So why did she want nothing more than to turn her car around and spend the day and night with Nick instead?

Nick watched as Sara drove away, blatantly disobeying the speed limit. This whole affair thing was damn complicated. They would lose track of time and she would stay over to long at his place. Or he would give her what was meant to be a quick kiss in the locker room and it would turn into a heavy make out session.

Or he would see Grissom with her, kissing her, or think of her in his bed, and he would feel like killing the older man.

Nick groaned; he was in way over his head.

Sara looked once more at the diamond that sparkled on her left ring finger.

She was engaged. Dear lord, she was engaged to Gil Grissom. This was what she had always dreamed about, being in love with someone who loved her back. She had always known Grissom was the one she would spend her life with.

So of course when he had proposed she had jumped up and had thrown her arms around him, screaming, "YES!"

Well, actually, that wasn't exactly true.

In reality, she had stared dumbly at him for what must have been five, ten minutes (well, maybe not quite that long, but it sure felt like it, with everyone in the restaurant staring at them, waiting for her reply). She didn't really remember saying yes, or anything that happened after. It was all sort of hazy. She vaguely remembered nodding her head slowly, and the ring being slipped on her finger. She remembered people clapping, and strangers congratulating them. And at some point she must have kissed Grissom, or done something sexual with him, for now she was in bed, nude, next to him.

She should have been elated.

But all she could think about was how the hell do I tell Nick?

As it turned out, she hadn't needed to tell him at all. Grissom had apparently told Catherine what he was planning on doing. So of course, at some point after she accepted, he had called Catherine telling her that she had said yes. Catherine had, of course, spread the word and when Sara arrived at the lab the next day, everyone was congratulating her.

They were all sincerely happy for her.

All but Nick.

Of course he had smiled, and hugged her, and told her how happy he was for her. But his eyes had not agreed with those expressions. She had seen him slip away, to go outside away from the jolly atmosphere. She followed him, for they needed to talk.

She found him outside, on the roof.

"This is over. It has to be," was all he said.

"I know. Now that I am engaged…"

"I know."

"Good."

"Good." They stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment before Sara moved away, towards the door.

"I have to go back…"

"Go ahead. Your fiancé is waiting."

Sara could have sworn she heard a trace of jealous anger in his voice.

Nick had never realized how large and empty his bed felt until after he broke off his affair with Sara. She was so small, yet she made his bed seem so much smaller.

He missed that.

He missed a lot of things about her, actually. Her kiss, her touch, her laughter. Those things that he alone had heard. But that was all in the past. She was all Grissom's now. They would marry, and she would bare his children, and they would live happily ever after. And he would forever live in jealousy, watching them from afar, admiring Sara and wishing to god that he was the one that she came home to every night.

He was not looking forward to this.

Days turned into weeks, and before he knew it, a month had passed. Some geniuses at the lab had gotten the brilliant idea of throwing Grissom and Sara an engagement party at some fancy hotel (the name of which Nick didn't know, and quite frankly, could have cared less about). He had, of course, agreed to go, for he had to play the part of supportive colleague.

Of course, the moment he set his eyes upon her, he knew that he should have just staid at home. Screw proper conduct! If his initial reaction to seeing Sara Sidle, dressed up in a strapless vibrant red ball gown was any indication, he was not going to be doing anything remotely 'proper' during the course of the evening. He gulped as his eyes followed her. Desperately, he tore his stare away from her, trying to find something, anything, to stare at. He tried to find another woman; someone prettier, or even sluttier would do at this point. Anyone that could keep his mind (and body) occupied.

This strategy, as it turned out, did not work.

His eyes kept going back to Sara. He grabbed a drink, hoping that the alcohol could throw him into blissful obliviation. But the alcohol could not help keep him from noticing how enticing she looked, with her dark hair pulled up, the bare expanse of skin exposed by the strapless dress visible to all.

They locked eyes as she twirled with Grissom, and Nick knew he could not stay in the same room with her and longer. He turned and quickly strolled out, heading towards the nearest restroom. But as he walked through the lavish halls, he heard the clip of heels behind him. He turned, to see Sara running after him.

Sara let out a sigh of relief as Nick stopped and she caught up to him.

"Hey," she said.

"Hello. Nice party," Nick said stiffly. "You look lovely."

She blushed. "You look quite handsome as well Nick."

"Listen, I really have to…"

Sara put a hand on his arm. "What is the matter with you?" she demanded. She looked up at him, her eyes determined. "You have been cold and harsh and down right rude to me ever since Gil and I got engaged."

"Well, what the hell do you want me to do? Say I am happy for you? I said that!" His voice had risen into an angry whisper.

"What do I want? I want you to mean it, damnit!"

"I Can't! Okay? I can't mean it! I can't tell you I am happy for you because I am not! It kills me to see you with him! To see him holding you, touching you! I want to take his place! God help me, I want to be the one holding you," he exploded. He finished, panting from his angry rant. Sara stared at him, her face unreadable. Nick wondered briefly if she was going to slap him, for being so rash. Hell, it wasn't until he actually said the words out loud that he realized that that was exactly what had been so wrong with him the past few weeks. He was about to speak again, apologize for his outburst, but suddenly, her expression softened.

And then she kissed him.

They clung together, as though they would die were they to let go. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they stumbled towards the nearest room, an empty ballroom, at it turned out. Sara worked quickly on Nick's button down shirt, as he worked the zipper of her dress. They frantically worked, eager to feel the naked skin of one another. Sara lifted her neck, allowing him access to the creamy exposed skin that he had been fantasizing about all night, and he eagerly took advantage of the invitation.

Oh god, she had missed this. She had missed him. His chest was now exposed, and soon his slacks followed, falling in a forgotten heap. Her legs wrapped tightly around him, they exchanged frantic kisses.

God, she had forgotten how good he felt. How good this all felt. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she had a vague idea that what they were doing was wrong, that she was at her engagement party, for goodness sakes. But all thoughts of right and wrong were forgotten as they came together in a clash of sweaty limbs.

Of course, reality hit as they floated back to earth. Sara's eyes widened as the reality of what they had just done hit her. She had just had sex: hot, sweaty, passionate sex. During her engagement party. To another man.

She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. She settled for a groan as she pushed herself up off the ground where the two had fallen.

"Nick…this was a…"

"A mistake. I know." His tone was accusing, and she looked at him curiously.

"Yes, I mean…"

"You're engaged, you love Grissom. Yeah, I know. But here's the problem." He had gotten up, and was now gathering up his clothing. He looked at her, meeting her eyes. "You don't love him." Her mouth dropped, as she just stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You don't love Grissom."

"How…how dare you tell me who I love! How dare you have the audacity to say that to me!" she growled. Her kept his gaze on her, unaffected by her anger.

"If you loved him, we would not be here."

"It was a mistake…" Nick shook his head.

"Once is a mistake. Maybe twice. But we have done this so many times, that this can't be counted as such. Sara, we had an affair. You knew exactly what you were doing. You chose to do it. There was no mistake, no accident."

Sara looked away, knowing what he said was true. Maybe she didn't, love Grissom. But it was to late to turn back now. She could never leave him at this point, not this far along. "So what do you want me to do? Hmm? Leave him? Then what?" When he didn't answer, she turned her back. "That's what I thought," she said, as she started for the exit.

"I'm leaving the lab." His words stopped her, and she turned around to stare at him.

"What?"

"I'm leaving Vegas. I can't do this any more Sara. I can't continue this. I'm tired of all of this. I just can't deal with any more sneaking around, only having you for stolen moments in time. I don't want to share." Nick no longer cared how foolish he sounded. He continued, "I hate that Grissom has you. I hate that I hate that. I hate being a willing participant in an affair. So there you have it. I'm moving to a lab up in Montana. They have another position open." Sara's eyes widened.

"You mean…"

"Take it or leave it, Sar. I'm leaving next week. And I would…" He took a breath. "I would love for you to be there with me. So there you have it. Either come with me, away from Vegas, or stay here, with Grissom. It's your choice."

Sara suddenly felt faint. She should have known that Nick would not just take this. In fact, thinking back, she was somewhat surprised that he had not given her this ultimatum sooner. How was she to decide? She tried to sort out the pros and cons of each in her mind, but realized that this was one decision that she would have to let her heart, not mind, decide.

And that thought, that idea of letting her heart think for her, rather than rationally think it over, terrified the hell out of her. She felt herself back away, shaking her head.

"I…I…I can't decide this right now," she whispered. And then she fled the room. She ran as fast as her heels would let her, through the hall, back to the ballroom that her party-her engagement party was being held. Yet as her hand reached for the lavish door handles, she paused.

Could she go back in there? Back to the dancing, the happy atmosphere, the false smiles? Could she really go back to pretending to be in love with Grissom? Marrying Grissom?

No. And she turned around, racing back down the hall, hoping to god that Nick had not yet left. Much to her relief, she spotted him walking to his truck out in the parking lot.

"Nick!" she called out loudly. He turned his head at the sound of her voice and paused, allowing her to catch up with him. "Nick!" she gasped, out of breath from her mad dash to catch him.

"Sara."

She smiled up at him. "I'm coming," was all she said. A broad smile spread across his face as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, throwing herself into the kiss, as he picked her up, swinging her around as they both smiled. They kissed again, and she poured her heart into it, the kiss passionate and full of love. Finally, they broke apart, with Sara beaming up at him, her eyes sparkling with newfound light and hope.

"When do we leave?"

A/N: Whew! I do hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and that it was up to your expectations. I am not sure of it, but I really hope it was okay for all of you. And once again, there will be a final epilogue, to tie up some loose ends, and that should be up shortly. Please, leave a comment and tell me what you thought of this part!

Emily