A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews.
When he and Sara had married, he had tried to get rid of her police scanner. He told her they didn't need it, that she had him now. But he had always shaken her head, no. The police scanner had to stay, she had said.
Now, banned from the lab, Nick sat in front of it, desperately listening for any sign that the police had found his daughter alive.
Sara was curled up at his side, sleeping for the first time in 2 days. He stroked her hair and stared at the police scanner.
Sara whimpered in her sleep, and Nick drew her closer, pressing his lips against her hair.
He loved this woman so much.
He felt so utterly helpless in this cause. He wanted so badly to make things right again. To make things right for Sara, too.
To make things right for Emily
What had he done that was so bad? What had he done that was so bad that would result in his only child being kidnapped? He always thought he'd been a good guy. Yet he had been stalked, buried alive…
His daughter taken from him.
Suddenly, voices began to crackle through the police scanner.
"419 57 Industrial Way West Las Vegas.."
Nick sat up. It couldn't be a coincidence could it? That there was a murder on the exact same road his daughter's cell phone had been found.
Sara had awoken, rubbing her eyes, and when she glanced at Nick's eyes, she began to whimper.
"Nick?" She questioned. He stood up, pulling her to his feet.
"You coming?" he asked her urgently. She nodded, and they both sprinted from the house, jumping into the car.
No words were spoken as they drove to the scene. They saw police cars ahead of them, their lights flashing in the dark night.
Nick grabbed Sara's hand, the other one of the wheel, squeezing it supportably. She was trembling.
They saw the crime scene before they reached it, and pulled up just before it, knowing quite well that they couldn't park closer.
Nick sprinted ahead of Sara, who was shaking so hard she couldn't stand. Right now Nick didn't care. He needed to know, so he ran ahead.
He ducked under the crime scene tape before anyone could stop him. He saw Grissom up ahead, and called out as he reached him.
"Let me in there." Grissom gently pushed him back.
"You need to go," Grissom told him forcefully. Nick just shook his head, standing his ground.
"Just tell me," he muttered angrily. "Just tell me if it's her…"
Grissom just shut his eyes, but that was all Nick needed. He felt his heart crumble, and a part of him disappeared.
"Oh God…"
Grissom immediately grabbed Nick's shoulder to keep him from collapsing, as the younger man grabbed his head in grief.
"Are you sure?" He asked. "It might be someone else."
Maybe it wasn't Emily. Maybe it was someone else. Maybe, just maybe…
But Grissom nodded. "I'm sorry…"
Nick just shook his head, not believing him. "I need to see the body."
"You know I can't do that Nick," Grissom said regretfully. "The crime scene is fresh…"
Nick shoved Grissom's hand off his shoulder. "How about, just for once, you stuff the crime scene!"
"Nick!"
Sara's voice startled him from behind, and they turned. He didn't want her to know.
He knew it would destroy her.
"Is it her?"
Her voice sounded almost business like, slightly quivering with emotion. Nerves and hope. But as soon as Nick nodded his head, she crumbled.
Nick gathered Sara up into his arms, falling together onto the ground. He was breathing hard, trying desperately to keep himself together. He wanted so badly for this to be some kind of sick joke. That Emily would run out of the warehouse into their arms.
That everything would be okay again.
He came back a few hours later. He couldn't stand fighting with Sara. She was his whole life. He loved her with every fiber of his being.
And he knew she didn't mean what she had said.
He slid his key into the lock, pushing the door open.
The house was silent.
Shutting the door behind him, he called out for Sara.
He got no response.
"Sara, sweetheart," Nick called out softly. "Where are you?"
He checked everywhere, including Emily's bedroom, but he couldn't find her. Worried, he tried to call her, but got her voice mail.
Then he saw the note on the fridge.
With fumbling fingers, he opened it.
Nicky,
I think we need some time apart. I can't stop hurting, and I know I'm hurting you more in the process. I love you Nicky, but I can't deal with this right now. I need to go away for a while. Please don't come after me. You are better off without me. I don't want to hurt you again, and I can't be the wife you want me to be anymore.
I love you.
Sara
Nick dropped the note, shaking uncontrollably. How could she do this to him? How could she just pack up and leave him?
Didn't she realize that by leaving him, she was hurting him more?
He needed her so badly.
Picking up the phone, he called her again. He got the voice mail.
"Sara," Nick said desperately. "Please come home, baby. I need you here. I love you. Don't leave…please…pick up?"
Sara listened to the message, sitting in her car at a gas station outside of Las Vegas. Tears were streaming down her face.
"I'm doing this for you, Nick," she whispered, her hand coming to rest on her stomach, stroking it through the thin material of her T-shirt.
"You're going to have a wonderful Mom," Nick said, his lips still pressed against Sara's soft belly.
"I don't want to hurt you again."
TBC...