She reads crime books. She listens to the police scanner. She dabbles in profiling as a hobby. She chooses men who are emotionally unavailable. She's a loose canon with a loaded gun. She's got half a dozen complaints under her belt. The only reason she's still employed and in Vegas is because the man who doesn't need her says he needs her. She's a brilliant criminalist. She's too angry, too emotional, too closed off. Not good with people. Terrible at social interaction. Afraid.
Sara opened her eyes, sure that she'd slept a full night for once. She checked the time and cursed: it couldn't be. She'd only slept three hours.
She rubbed her forehead, realized that her throat was swollen and scratchy. She hadn't had a cold in a long time. She realized, too, that it was happening again, for some reason. She felt like she was losing control.
She pulled on a pair of thick socks, dragged her blanket and pillow into the living room and turned on a lamp. She turned the teakettle on for a cup of hot chocolate and shivered.
Nick stared up at the window, just about to drive away, when he saw the light come on. He'd been off shift for a while. Grissom had complained about Sara leaving early, said even less when Nick had.
He knocked on the door and waited, heard coughing from inside.
When she opened it, clutching a tissue and a mug of something hot, he frowned.
"Sara, you look awful."
She grinned. "Thanks, Nick."
He walked inside and closed the door behind him as she sat down on the sofa and wrapped a blanket around herself.
"You were okay earlier, weren't you?"
Sara nodded, sipping the hot chocolate.
"Woke up like this."
Nick took his coat off, tossed it on the back of the chair. He sat down on the sofa beside her. She flinched when he raised a hand to her forehead and he looked at her quizzically.
You know I'd never hurt you, his eyes said, and Sara leaned forward."Sorry," she said with a chuckle.
She coughed again and Nick shook his head.
"You're burning up."
"Huh…already?"
"You say that like you were expecting it."
She shrugged. "When I get sick, I get sick."
Nick nodded.
"Did you leave early?" She turned her head to look at the wall clock. "Shouldn't you still be on shift?"
"Yeah, I left a little early. I think Grissom was glad, actually."
Sara scoffed.
"That's what pisses me off about Grissom."
Nick looked at her and she pulled her feet on the sofa and leaned toward him. When he sat back she laid down, rested her head in his lap, and he tucked the blanket around her better.
"He tells me to get a life, and when I do, he complains when I don't come running."
She sneezed. "It's annoying."
"Gazunheit."
Sara looked at him and smiled.
"You're so…"
He smiled and looked at her, waiting, curious as to what she was going to say. Sara looked at him, smiling down at her, and realized that at that moment, he looked even more like the word she either couldn't, or wouldn't, say.
Charming? Cute? Wonderful? Amazing? Beautiful? Sexy? I love you. Thoughtful?"…thoughtful."
Nick laughed. "Thoughtful?"
Sara nodded and sniggered.
"It's just so hard for you to say anything remotely emotional to anyone, isn't it?"
She stared at him, her brown eyes wide. She hoped she didn't blurt it out.
Finally she nodded and sniggered again, but Nick's expression had turned serious, almost stone-like.
"What?" she asked quickly, almost rising up. She did little to hide the fear in her eyes. Oh God, had she blurted it out?
Nick swallowed and shrugged, glanced around the room before looking back down at her.
"You're pale and sweaty and snotty," he laughed, "and I still think you're the most beautiful thing God ever made."
Sara's bottom lip dropped a little and she stared at him, speechless.
Finally she tapped him in the chest. "You're just trying to get laid," she said with a laugh, and Nick sighed and dropped his head back.
"No I'm not."
He looked at her, her face red from giggling, and had to laugh.
Sara coughed again and Nick leaned forward and rose up a moment to get comfortable. His stomach pressed against Sara's cheek as he did so, and her senses kicked into overdrive.
His long sleeve, red shirt was soft and rough at the same time and she could feel his stomach muscles through it, pressing into her cheek. She could smell fresh linen and soap, and a hint of cologne. She guessed Nick to be a Stetson man, or something ShyTexasCowboy-ish, and she grinned, picturing him in a ten-gallon hat, wearing chaps and holding a lasso atop a horse.
She let out a slight giggle and Nick looked at her. "What's so funny?"
She put her hand over her mouth and cleared her throat. "Nothing."
He raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."
"Could you hand me a cough drop, please? They're on the table," she pointed.
Nick rose up again to get the cough drop. He handed it to her and settled back down and she started laughing as she put the cough drop in her mouth.
"All right, that's it, Sidle," he threatened. "What is so funny?"
She coughed again. "Are you a Stetson man, Nicky?" she cackled, and Nick grinned. He loved it when she called him Nicky.
"I'm a zest man, sugar pants," he said, letting out a sigh, and Sara laughed so hard she had to sit up to keep from choking.
Nick put a hand on her back, debating on whether or not to pat, and laughed.
When Sara tossed her tissue at him he hit it before it caught him in the face.
"I don't want your snotty rag!" he laughed.
He leaned over the side of the sofa and picked up the tissue.
Sara poked at him with her hand, the other picking up the cup of chocolate.
"It wasn't snotty," she said, taking a sip, "I just got it."
When he rose back up he grabbed Sara's hand to keep her from poking him. When he pulled she missed the cup and spilled the hot chocolate down her chin and onto her shirt.
She glared at him.
"You so meant to do that."
Nick laughed. "I didn't even see you takin' a drink. I saw your hand comin' at me." He smirked. "I did not."
She wiped her chin off and shook her head. "Oh yes you did."
Sara sat the cup down and stood up, examining the trickle down her shirt.
Nick spread his arms along the back of the sofa and relaxed.
"Guess you'll be takin' that off now?"
She groaned and made a fist at him then headed toward her bedroom.
Nick sighed and stood up, walked to the kitchen trashcan and tossed the tissue in. He crossed his arms and looked around the apartment, silently telling his feet to stay put.
He'd turned half way around when Sara called, "I'm going to take a quick shower."
Nick nodded, as if she could see him. He swallowed and managed, "Okay."
Sara pulled a pair of drawstrings pants on and pulled a tee shirt over her head.
When she went into the living room she found Nick, asleep on the sofa. She smiled and tried covering him up with the blanket, but he opened his eyes.
He pulled her down on top of him gently and then kissed her.
She smiled and nuzzled her head beneath his chin, and he wrapped his arms around her.
Sara listened to his heartbeat, feeling his chest move rhythmically as he began to doze off, and it wasn't long before she closed her eyes and slept.
"Mmm, Sara…"
Sara wasn't sure if it was his voice or his situation below the belt that woke her.
She raised her chin up and stared at him, an expression of half pain, half pleasure on his face, and she rubbed her eyes and rose up further to check the clock. Almost dawn.
She coughed and Nick opened his eyes. After remembering why Sara wasn't naked atop him, he realized that he'd been dreaming again.
He sat up quickly, almost knocking Sara off him, and she sat up, grinning in between coughs.
He cleared his throat and stood up, folded the blanket, clasped his hands together, rubbed his mouth, and then sighed.
Sara watched him, raised an eyebrow, and said, "You wanna dust, too?"
Nick smirked.
She eyed his crotch and he glanced down. He scoffed and crossed his arms.
"I'm uh…I'm flattered," she said, trying not to grin, and Nick blushed.
He shook his head. "You honestly have no idea what you do to me, do you?"
Sara shrugged and let out the grin she'd been stifling.
Nick coughed and grabbed his coat.
"I think I should go."
He pulled his coat on and leaned toward her and then back. "I'd kiss you, but I'd better not." He paused. "Not right now, I mean." He shrugged. "Y'know…"
Sara nodded.
"I'll see you later."
"Okay."
He headed out the door.
"Bye," Sara called.
Nick sneezed and Warrick looked at him.
"Man you're gettin' stuff all over my evidence!"
Nick leaned down and eyed the spots on the shirt.
"Those are mine." He pointed, "That's yours."
Warrick grimaced and Nick chuckled. "There's nothin' on there, man."
He bagged the shirt and logged it.
"So what's gotten into you lately, mustache boy?"
Nick scoffed; he was getting tired of that nickname.
"You know some ladies like a little scruff." He grinned. "Ask Catherine."
"Ask me what?" the blond said, walking into the room.
"Nicky here seems to think that ladies prefer men with facial hair."
Catherine looked at them. "Warrick? You have facial hair."
"But I don't have a chia pet growin' on my upper lip." He rubbed his face. "I have sexy stubble."
Catherine grinned.
Nick rolled his eyes and laughed. "Oh man, here we go."
"That what Tonya calls it?" Catherine asked quickly, and Warrick smiled. "Tina. Tee-na."
"Woopsie. Teeee-naaa."
"She wants me to shave."
"Why?"
"She just doesn't like it."
Catherine glanced at Nick and then looked at Warrick.
"Keep it."
Warrick grinned and licked his lips.
"Oh yeah? You like it?"
Catherine shrugged.
"Some ladies prefer men with facial hair."
Nick laughed.
"What brought all this on, anyway?"
"Well I was just asking Nick what's gotten into him lately."
Catherine looked at him. "Yeah I was wondering that myself. Greg said something about Sara being at your place the other night?" She raised an eyebrow. "What's goin' on there?" She looked at Nick. "I mean, if I can ask."
Nick put his gloves on and sighed. "We just watched TV."
"Hey where is Sara anyway? I haven't seen her since that blowup in Grissom's office."
"She's home sick."
Catherine and Warrick looked at him.
"And how do you know that, lover boy?"
Catherine grinned and Nick blushed, giving himself away, and Warrick clapped his hands and laughed.
"Wo-ho!"
"Awe, c'mon…I went to check on her after what happened with Grissom, that's all."
"You're red as a tomato, Nicky," Catherine grinned.
Nick took his gloves off and stood up.
"It's…hot in here. Or something."
He laughed and walked out and Catherine and Warrick looked at each other.