A/N: Thanks for the reviews!
Sara's heart stopped. Her blood turned to ice. She wanted to move, to scream, to do something but she couldn't. All she could do was stare at the half smiling face of her attacker. He didn't recognize her. Steven Wilcox just smiled again and repeated the cost, hoping to hurry Sara up, "C'est trois euros." Sara heard what he said and it brought chills to her body. It was the same voice that screamed, "Get out of my house you filthy cop!"
Sara dropped the scone and ran out of the café back towards the park. As soon as she was behind a bush, she threw up three times. She was hyperventilating and sweating now. Sara took deep breathes to return her pulse to a normal rate. Even though she was sweating, she shivered. Sara wiped her mouth and looked around for the way back to the inn. She began to sprint back to the inn, back to Nick, back to safety.
The people casually strolling through the park became a blur as she ran with tears now streaming down her face. The cool air of the night felt good. Sara found the hotel and burst in, climbing the stairs two at a time. The man at the front desk called out to her but she ignored him.
Sara struggled with the key for a moment before crashing into the room and collapsing on the ground. Nick came out of the bathroom to see what the commotion was. He found Sara lying on the ground, shaking and crying. He rushed over and picked her up in his arms. Sara grabbed on to him like it was the end of the world. She didn't say anything when Nick asked what was wrong. Sara buried her head into his shirt. Nick rocked her and hummed softly into her ear.
When Sara had calmed down a bit, Nick set her down on the bed. "Sara, honey, what's the matter? Did someone hurt you?" Sara eyes were red and puffy from crying.
"I…I saw him, Steven Wilcox," choked Sara. Nick eyes widened in shock. "He was at the…the café." Nick wiped away Sara's tears and pulled her into an embrace. Nick was comforting Sara but inside his was filled with rage. 'How could he be here? How did he get out of the country? Poor, Sara. She was so scared,' thought Nick.
By this time, Sara had stopped crying. She was lying down underneath the covers of the bed. Nick was pacing around the room trying to think of how Steven Wilcox had gotten there. "Nick, you're pacing." He looked up at Sara.
"Sorry, can I get you anything?" She shook her head. "Do you think you'll be okay by yourself for a little while?" Sara nodded. Nick handed her book to Sara and gave her a long kiss before shutting the door.
Before leaving, Nick asked the man at the desk to check on Sara. It took him a while because he had to look through the phrase book but the man understood by the end and smiled politely as Nick left. He hurried outside. Nick looked up and down the street. He could see couples casually dining outside the restaurant down the street and other folks strolling down the street. At the end of the street, Nick took a left and waited for the bus. Two stops later, Nick got off the bus in front of the police station.
When he first entered the station, Nick was asked to sign in. then he spent ten minutes waiting to talk to someone. As he sat on the bench, Nick collected his thoughts and looked around. Police men and women were bustling around the station while some answered phones or filed paperwork. Finally, a middle aged man with slicked back black hair told Nick to follow him into a small office.
"What can I do for you?" said the man in perfect English. Nick was surprised but glad that he wouldn't have to use the phrase book.
"Well, I'm Nick Stokes. I am a crime scene investigator in the U.S. I'm on vacation with my girlfriend, Sara, who is also a CSI. A few months ago, she was attacked by a man named Steven Wilcox, while investigating him. Today, she went out for a walk and came back crying and shaking. She said that she saw her attacker working in store not far from here. Mr. Wilcox is a wanted man in the U.S. on several charges, so I wanted him to be arrested." The cop took all the information in and paused a moment before replying.
"Mr. Stokes, this is highly unusual."
"Yes, I know but this man is very dangerous; he killed three people and attempted murder for one. You must understand."
"Where was it you said he worked?"
"At the small café on the east side of the Vert Parc." The officer nodded.
"I believe that the café is going to close in about thirty minutes so I better hurry."
"I'm coming." The officer shook his head.
"Civilians aren't allowed-" Nick cut him off.
"I'm a CSI and I am qualified to carry a gun." The officer seemed to give in but warned Nick to be careful as they got into the car and sped away from the station. It began to rain on the short drive to the café. The cop told Nick his name was François and he was born in France but grew up in New York.
The patrol car pulled up to the café. Not many people were in the store but Nick saw Steven Wilcox behind the counter. A chill went through Nick's body but he shook it off. "Steven Wilcox?" asked François. The man looked puzzled but then took off out the store. Both men chased after him into the dark. Nick was faster than François. He chased to criminal through the streets around the park.
Then Wilcox ran into a dead end alley. Just like the movies, he tried to climb the fence but Nick was too fast. He grabbed the criminal and threw him on the wet ground. "I didn't…I didn't do anything. I swear!" With his gun pointed at the man, Nick shook his head.
"Wrong answer; you're speaking English. You're a wanted man in the U.S. You killed three and stabbed a good friend of mine, or don't you remember that?" By that time François had caught up with Nick.
"Nick, put your gun down!" Nick didn't move. "Mr. Stokes!" Nick lowered his gun and took his foot off of Steven Wilcox's chest. François grabbed Wilcox and put handcuffs on his wrists. He led Wilcox back to the patrol car. Nick followed but stopped when they got in the car. "Mr. Stokes, are you coming?" Nick shook his head. He opened the door of the car and began to speak to Steven Wilcox.
"By the way, the woman you stabbed really was a cop." He slammed the door shut and watched it pull away.
Nick took a deep breath and began to walk back to the inn. He didn't mind that it was pouring outside or that all of his clothes were soaked. His watch read ten o'clock. He thought of Sara, all alone. Nick ran through the park back to the inn. The sky was momentarily lit up by lightning and then a loud clap of thunder followed. Nick ran faster; he needed to see Sara.
Sara was sitting outside on the porch. The man at the desk, Monsieur Le Blanc had come to check on her and told her that she would get sick if she did not get out of the rain. She didn't care. Sara was drenched but she wanted to see Nick and know that he was safe. Then she saw him, running up the street soaking wet. Sara left her spot and ran downstairs to meet him. Out on the street, they ran into each other's arms and fell into a passionate kiss. When they broke apart Sara was crying but said," Is he gone?" Nick nodded and they kissed again. Nick took a step back, looking at Sara.
"Will you marry me?"
A/N: Please review!