A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Well...almost anyway. Thanks to all those who reviewed. The story is almost at its end. Probably 2 or 3 more chapters. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, and have a wonderful new year.

Unbeta'd because i just didnt.

Nick's mind was kind of fuzzy when he woke up hours later. There was a dull throbbing pain in his shoulder, which he put down to being shot. It didn't hurt a lot, which he was thankful for. However, he didn't expect to see Sara curled up at his side, fast asleep, her head on his chest.

He had completely forgotten that she had come back. It would explain the unexplainable happiness that he found himself with now. Sara had come back.

With his right arm, he gently began to caress Sara's side, letting his fingers dance across her waist and down her hip. He was still hurt that she had left him, but the complete thrill of having her back almost erased the pain that she had given him when she had left.

His finger's suddenly stilled at her waist, and he remembered with a jolt that Sara was pregnant. He swallowed the impending joy, not wanted to wake Sara, and instead turned his palm the other way, and gently cupped her belly.

They were going to have another baby.

It would never replace Emily. No child would ever replace his first daughter. His first child. But it still would be loved. And for that to happen to the full, both he and Sara would have to work past what had happened.

And for that to happen, they could no longer blame themselves for what had happened to Emily.

Graeme Conner's had chose their daughter, and no matter how much they had protected Emily, he would have gotten her in the end. They had to stop blaming themselves. It would only hurt more.

But, finally, Nick had closure. Emily's killer had been caught. He had shot him. But Nick wondered. Had he killed him? Nick didn't want to have killed him. He wanted him to spend the rest of his life in prison. Death would be the easiest way out.

Nick would never forget Emily, or what had happened, but they did need to work past this, especially for the new baby's sake. They needed to be a strong family.

Nick pulled Sara closer to him, holding her tightly against him, almost afraid that if he let go she'd disappear. She whimpered softly in her sleep, and buried her face in his chest, just as Nick's door open. Grissom's head peered through.

Nick removed his hand from Sara's stomach, and gestured for Grissom to come inside, but pressed his finger to his lips, to signify that Sara was sleeping, and to be quiet. Grissom looked surprised to see her there, but nodded to Nick, and gently closed the door, before sitting down besides Nick.

"How are you?" Grissom whispered, as to not wake Sara. Nick gave him a small smile.

"I'm, uh, okay, actually," Nick said back softly. Sara didn't stir, so he continued. "I don't feel much, probably cos of the meds, but besides that… I… think I'm going to be… okay."

He paused for a moment, and then looked at Sara. "I got her back," he then said to Grissom. He nodded.

"You're lucky to have her."

Nick didn't say anything, and after a few moments of silence, he finally asked the question he longed to know.

"What… happened to Graeme Connors?"

Grissom's ocean blue eyes flashed at the name. "He's upstairs," he said bitterly. "He survived. But he's under 24-hour police surveillance. As soon as he wakes up, regardless of his condition, we're booking him."

Nick nodded, and looked at his injured shoulder. "So… what happened to me? Is it serious?"

Grissom shook his head. "You're lucky. The doctor's removed it, and it should heal up nicely. No permanent injury."

He fell silent again, and Sara finally stirred, a small yawn escaping her mouth as her eyes fluttered open. Nick's hand came up to her face, and gently caressed her cheek as she woke up. She smiled at him.

"Nicky…" she purred sleepily. Nick grinned.

"Hey there sleepyhead," he whispered. She smiled at him.

"How long was I asleep?" she questioned. Nick shrugged.

"A few hours, give or take."

She nodded, and gave another yawn. "Gosh, I'm so tired."

Suddenly, Nick became concerned, remembering she was now sleeping for two. "Have you been getting enough sleep?" he asked her worriedly. "When was that last time you ate?"

This man who seemed to care more about her than himself once again blew Sara away. She sat up and shrugged. "Probably not as much as I should be getting, and I don't know."

She caught sight of Grissom, and gave him a small smile. "Hey."

He smiled at her, but Nick grabbed her arm. "You need to eat Sara."

She nodded, knowing he was right, but also knowing she didn't want to leave him just yet. But then a knock sounded at Nick's door and Melanie Banks stuck her head through. She looked tired, but happy.

"Nick Stokes?" she asked, and Nick nodded. "Could, I, see you for a … please?"

Grissom stood up, and grabbed Sara's elbow, helping her off the bed. "Come on, Sara," he said. "Let's go to the cafeteria and get you something to eat."

Sara looked back at Nick, and he gave her a small smile. "That's a good idea," he told Grissom. She leant down, brushed her lips across Nick's, and Grissom then escorted her from the room, his hand at the small of her back. Nick knew she'd be safe with Grissom.

Melanie Banks stepped into the room, and to Nick's surprised, Monica was behind her, her hand clamped tightly around her mother's. Nick smiled at the little girl, and she smiled back at him. She looked much healthier now that she had had medical attention.

She ran over to Nick's bed, and climbed up onto it, before throwing herself at Nick, giving him a big hug. Nick's uninjured arm came up to hug her back, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. Melanie stood near the bed, her hand clamped over her mouth as she battled with her own sobs.

"Mr. Stokes… I… cant thank you enough," she choked out, her hand coming up to brush her tears away. "Thank you… so much."

Nick shook his head. "Call me Nick," he smiled softly at her. She came closer to the bed, and sat down in the chair that Grissom had previously occupied, and placed a hand on her daughter's back, before taking a deep breath, calming herself down.

"I'm just glad that she is okay," Nick told her.

Melanie nodded. "She will be."

Monica lifted her head and gave Nick a sweet smile. "Thank you," she whispered to him. Nick felt a tear break loose, and he hastily brushed it away.

"That's okay, sweetheart," he told her. Monica climbed off the bed, and into her mother's lap, and Melanie held her daughter tightly to her, rocking her gently.

"I really can't thank you enough," Melanie said again, her voice breaking again with emotion. "I just… don't know what would have happened if you hadn't found her."

"That wasn't an option," Nick said darkly, and Melanie shot him a small smile, before she quickly dropped it, and looked him straight in the eye.

"I'm so sorry about your daughter."

At the mention of Emily, Nick found all his resolve crumbling, but he pulled himself together, and gave her a small nod.

"I wasn't going to let it happen to another girl," Nick told her, and even though he tried to hold it back, a few tears came. Melanie lowered Monica to the ground, and gave Nick a tight embrace, holding him to her, as she sobbed too.

"I'm just happy that Monica is okay," Nick whispered to her, and Melanie smiled at him through her tears.

"I'm really sorry what happened to your daughter," she said again softly, and she pulled away, hauling Monica into her arms.

"But thank you so much for looking out for mine."

TBC...

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