Author's Note: Never before have I received such a mixed bag of reviews! Apparently, some of you really hate this story. It's not that I don't like receiving bad reviews (I mean, I'd really rather not, but I'll take a bad review over none at all), it's that I don't understand why you guys would stick around for a story you hate. Well, to be blunt, all I have to say to that is: Thanks for your input, and that little "X" in the top right-hand corner of your screen is the door. Have a nice day.

Okay. Moving on. Anyway, thanks to everybody who left reviews! I must say, after said mixed bag, I have definitely decided that I like good reviews over bad ones (but who wouldn't?). Several of you correctly guessed the movie that Sara got. Good job to those who guessed right, and for everybody else, that's to be revealed this chapter. (Wow, I make it sound like it's a major cliffie or something. Haha.) A special thanks to nickysbabygirl for giving me a kick in the pants to keep writing, and to bauerfreak for pulling me out of my Writer's Block rut that I've been stuck in for a while. And now for my replies to my anonymous reviewers:

To heartagram: I understand where you're coming from, and I will deal with that later. I really don't know how I'm going to make this story work for everybody. Apparently I can't do anything right to some people (I don't mean just you, I mean pretty much everybody who left bad reviews – that doesn't include you). Oh well. I probably should've thought this out a little better before I wrote it. Hmmm. Anyhoo, thanks a ton for reviewing!

To Allie: Thank you so much for reviewing! I am doing my best to turn GSR into Snickers. I'm not going to lie though, it's hard. I can't please everybody, and those whom I can't please are really speaking up…

To jd: Yeah, your movie guess was right! Good job! Nick could kiss me and get away with it anytime, haha. Thanks for reviewing!

To Jayme Beth: Hey girl! I totally agree with your "suggestion". Thanks for a nice review!

To svcmc: Alrighty, then. I'm not making you read the story. But, for the record, Grissom is not entirely out of the picture yet. I still have a few more appearances for him up my sleeve. One part of your review did bother me, though. Please don't attack me personally. Yes, I am a bit of a 'disappointed Snicker', but I actually had this idea before the finale. AND, as I stated previously, I am willing to see where the writers take this. I'd ask you in the future to post your comments about the story online but keep your comments about me to yourself. By the way, it's not proper to use all capitals.

To CSI-wanna-be23: I actually haven't seen How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days, but I've heard it's pretty good. 13 Going On 30 rocks too. So does Snickers! Yay! Thanks for reviewing!

Whew. Okay. Now that that's over with, on with the story!

Nick unlocked his front door and the pair entered his house. "Home sweet home," he said. "You've never been here before, have you?" She shook her head. He gestured towards the long hallway and pointed towards various rooms. "Bathroom, guest room, laundry room, bedroom," he said. Crap! he thought. Why did I tell her about the bedroom? Now she probably just thinks I'm horny. Trying to keep his cool, he pointed to their left. "Kitchen." And to his right. "Living room. That's the grand tour." Then, he gestured towards the couch. "Have a seat."

She obeyed. "Which one are we watching first?" Sara said, holding up the two DVDs.

"I'm sure you want to watch that pink nightmare first," Nick sighed. "Hand it over," he said as though it was the last thing he wanted to be doing, although he really didn't mind all that much.

She handed him the DVD and he popped (Author's Note: drum roll, please!) Legally Blonde into the player. Sara was not a girly-girl in the least, but some things were timeless, and Legally Blonde was one of them. It was one of those movies that Sara loved watching and squealing at, though she rarely squealed at anything. When she watched this movie, she loved acting like a teenage bimbo. It was just plain fun.

Nick started the movie, and the sounds of the song Perfect Day filled the room. Nick sat down on the small couch, very close beside Sara. After all, the only couch he had was a loveseat, and, well, it was built for two. They started watching the movie, and Nick thought it was the funniest thing when Elle taught Paulette the "bend and snap". Sara's personal favourite part was when Elle was waiting outside the courtroom, and the Enrique, the pool boy, cut in front of her in line for the water fountain. "Don't tap your little last-season Prada shoes at me, missy," she quoted along with the movie. She looked over at Nick as he rolled his eyes. They continued to watch the movie until it was over, and Nick let out a sigh.

"What?" Sara asked.

"I'm so glad that's over," he said, even though it wasn't really true. He didn't mind watching chick flicks all that much, so long as he liked the chick he was watching the flick with. And, well, he liked Sara.

"Admit it, Nick, you liked it."

A smile snuck across his face and that was enough of an answer for Sara. Satisfied, she leaned back into the couch and Nick stood up to change the movie. "Out with the pink, in with the aliens," he said as he replaced the DVD. Coming back to the couch, he stopped before he sat down. "Do you want something to eat? I have some popcorn, and I might have a bag of chips lying around somewhere," he offered.

Sara shrugged. "Sure," she said.

Nick walked over to his kitchen and rummaged through a cabinet. "Here it is," he said, triumphantly holding up a package of popcorn. "Regular butter okay with you?"

"Yeah, that's fine," she said. He unwrapped the cellophane and popped the popcorn into the microwave. Sara heard the digital beep and the familiar whir of the machine that she had come to know all-too-well through her many single dining at home days. "Can I start it?" she asked, the remote poised for action.

"Yeah, sure," he said, and Sara pushed the play button. A few minutes after the movie began to play, the popcorn finished, and Nick dumped it into a bowl and brought it over. As the chase scene commenced, Nick found himself being absorbed into one of his favourite movies. He laughed at the funny parts as he popped a few kernels into his mouth.

They were both so absorbed in the action that both were startled when Nick's hand accidentally rested on Sara's in the bowl. Both pulled back and tried to make nothing of it. Sara couldn't help but think how pleasant it was to have his hand on hers, even for that brief moment. Stop it, Sara. He's off-limits. He's just helping out, that's all. You're just watching a movie, she reminded herself. Yet, against her own free will, she found her hand drifting back down, to between them on the couch, and as though they each had giant magnets attached to their hands, Nick lightly brushed Sara's hand with his. Both were timid at first, but they were also both trying to hide it. Finally, after working up the nerve, Nick moved his hand from beside hers onto the top. Sara felt the same electric shock pass through her whole body as the sensation of his hand with hers moved from a tentative touch to a conscious action on both their parts. Her fingers hooked around his and they fit perfectly together, even though the pair was trying to pretend it wasn't happening. Nick's thumb caressed the top of her hand subconsciously as Sara glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, only to find that he was doing the same. The movie slipped into the background as they became each other's sole focus.

Nick blurted out after a few moments of unbearable silence, "I love you, Sara. I always have. I don't think I can go any longer without telling you that." And with that, he got up off the couch and walked towards his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Sara sat there, stunned. Had he just said what she thought he said? And did he really run away afterwards? She tried to absorb what had just happened, but found herself unable to. She was distracted by the ringing of her cell phone and almost smashed it into the coffee table when she looked at the caller ID. Great, she thought. A call from Grissom. That's just what I need. She opened the phone and sighed, "Sidle."

Meanwhile, Nick sat on his bed with his head in his hands. Did I really just do that? he agonized for what felt like an eternity. Then he realized that he'd just left the poor girl hanging. Working up the nerve, he finally left his room and timidly came out into the living room.

Sara was nowhere to be found.

She sat in her car (they'd gone back to the lab and picked up Sara's car after they'd gone to the video store) and stared at the staring wheel. Her mind was both blank and buzzing. She wasn't really sure what had just happened with Nick, and the call from Grissom was the last straw. She needed to be alone right now, but she didn't want to leave Nick. Something was keeping her there that she couldn't explain. Was it because she really loved him too? She tried to push the thought from her mind, but found that the only thought readily available to take its place was what she and Grissom had talked about on the phone.

He'd apologized for what he'd said, and told her that he had freaked out. He knew that she must be right if she said he was the father, and now he was ready to take on his responsibilities. Well…his financial responsibilities, Sara repeated to herself. He still wanted nothing to do with the baby, but at least he was smart enough to figure out that he wasn't getting off scot-free with this one. Oh well, Sara thought. Even Nick wants to be more a father to this baby than Grissom does. In one day, he's shown me more love than Grissom has in six years.

Sara put her key in the ignition and started the car. Nick, hearing the noise, realized she was leaving and that he'd better get his butt out there and explain himself or he could lose her forever.

He tore out of the house and caught her just as she was backing out of the driveway. "Sara!" he called. Not quite sure what to think, she stopped the car and rolled down her window. He ran into the car and stood with one hand on his hip and the other on top of the car, near her window. "Look, I'm sorry. I really don't know what happened there."

"Me neither," Sara said, still wanting him to say more. She raised an eyebrow expectantly, and Nick tried to formulate the words in his head.

"I really have loved you for a long time. I think it just took me a long time to figure out that I did, and by the time I figured it out, you were sort of 'off limits' because of Grissom."

"I've never been Grissom's," Sara said. "Even now, I'm not Grissom's."

"I can see that now," Nick said, "but I couldn't before. I just want you to know that even if you never feel the same way about me that I do you, I will always be here for you and I will always be your friend."

"You said that this morning at breakfast," Sara said. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes and prayed that he couldn't see them.

"I know."

Sara felt a tear spill down her cheek and in shame tried to cover it up, wiping it away with her hand. "Damn hormones," she said.

"I don't think it's just hormones," Nick said. "It's okay to have feelings, you know." And with that, he turned and walked back into his house.

Sara closed her eyes and slumped back into her seat. She had a lot to think about.

Author's Note: Please let me know what you think. I'm sorry it took so long to update. It's finals season for me and I have been really busy studying and the like. Only one more week of school, and thenI'm free to write all summer! Please review!