Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far and has been so patient with my gaps in updates…
Now that all my college apps are in, this should be updated a little more regularly (I hope).
Chapter Four
Night had begun to set on the world outside the apartment as Nick slowly awoke from a deep sleep. Sitting up on the edge of the couch, he stretched his stiff muscles and gave a long sigh.
'Sara really does not have comfortable furniture… although, she has warm blankets.' He smiled to himself at the brunette's thoughtfulness of draping a blanket over the sleeping CSI at some time during the day.
Picking up his cell phone, he frowned as he saw the time and saw that there were no messages.
'No news is good news, I suppose.' He sighed inwardly as he stood and wandered to the bedroom doorway- surprised when he found Sara was not within.
Trying to ignore his growing concern, he checked the bathroom and returned to the livingroom. The brunette was nowhere in the apartment, nor was there any kind of note. Not having any other ideas, he stepped out of the apartment and glanced up and down the hallway.
"You looking for Sara?" A blonde woman asked from across the hall as she unlocked her door while balancing a grocery bag.
"You seen her?"
"She's on the roof." The blonde gave a vague nod toward the ceiling.
"The roof?" Nick echoed. "How do I get up there?"
"Stairs at the end of the hall."
"Thanks." He gave her a quick nod before hurrying off for the stairs. He tried to keep calm as he took the stairs two at a time, but his mind was more than a little panicked.
As he neared the top of the stairs, he slowed and opened the door cautiously.
Sara glanced over at him, her hair blowing gently in the autumn breeze, and then turned her gaze back to something in the west. She had exchanged her pajamas for black pants and a light blue top, over which she pulled her 'Forensics' jacket tightly around her, but the tired sadness was still obvious on her face.
Nick wandered over to where the brunette was standing, several feet from the edge of the building, and stood next to her.
"What are you looking at?" He asked gently, hoping Sara had a good reason for standing on the roof.
"The sunset. I've never thought much about them. It's just one of those things that's out of our control. We can't stop time, we can only make the most out of what we're given."
"We never have enough time."
"No, we don't."
He looked from Sara to the deep purple sky, knowing the worst-case scenario that must have been playing in her mind, but, once again, found he was at a loss for words that would bring any comfort to the brunette.
"You said to me once that when it was our time to die, it was our time. I don't really believe that this is Greg's. Do you?"
"I know that I don't want to believe that it is, but, beyond that, I don't know. It doesn't seem fair to have such a short amount of time…"
"It's not fair."
"I suppose it would be foolish to expect an eternity…" Sara said softly.
"I don't think so." Nick shook his head slowly.
"You don't?"
"I think you and Greg will be eternal. No matter what happens today, or tomorrow, or twenty years from now, he will always be in your memories and in your heart- that is eternity. Even if he's not at your side, he's with you. Never let go of that, Sara. Never let go."
Sara nodded, looking up at the night sky with tear-free eyes. Although she seemed stronger on the outside, Nick could still see the fear and pain. The certain shimmer of strength he was so used to those brown eyes had faded, leaving a distant dullness that seemed hauntingly sad. He had never seen her cry before, and yet he had given her his shoulder, not only once but twice, in the span of a single day.
'What's going to happen to her if Greg doesn't…' He couldn't bring himself to finish his thought as he followed Sara's gaze across the sky.
"Grissom hasn't called, has he?" She looked over at Nick.
"No, he hasn't."
She stared in his direction for a moment, eyes unfocused in thought. Suddenly, she met his eyes and spoke confidently. "I'm going into the lab tonight."
"What?" Caught off guard by such a statement, Nick frowned. "Are you sure?"
Sara nodded. "I can't just sit here in my apartment crying and wishing none of this had happened. I need to be doing something… I need to keep living. I can't waste the time I've been given."
"Okay." He nodded, understandingly. "But don't push yourself. If you're not ready to face everything yet, you don't have to."
"I'll be okay. I've got you looking after me, right?" She smiled sadly at him.
"Right." Nick turned his gaze to the setting sun, knowing that it had been a day that none of them would forget, no matter what the sunrise might bring.
To be continued…