Author: Joyce

Title: New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Still not mine, who would have thought...

Note: Thank you all for reading this story and commenting on it. I hope you enjoy this chapter and as always, please review! It makes me smile and that's always a good thing, right: )

Be scared

With a sigh Warrick Brown opened the door of his home. He was doing everything he could to walk into his house and not get out there. The casino's were screaming at him, he could almost hear the sounds of the machines, feel the thrill of placing a bet. He had a bad shift tonight and all he wanted to do was reach out to what he knew, the safety of gambling. He didn't though, he entered his home and cooked himself breakfast. Thinking of pancakes with a smile, his last breakfast with Sara had been interesting. He remembered the look on her face when he had flirted with her, she had looked flushed and shy. She had never looked more beautiful.

Warrick had avoided her the rest of the week, afraid by what she could make him feel. She was making him feel like he could be a better person and he wasn't ready for that because he knew it wasn't true. He was still fighting his demons, every minute of the day. He crashed down on the couch and ate his eggs in silence with no TV or radio on to disturb him. He was startled when the phone rang and reached for it with a frown, not that anxious to talk to anybody.

"Warrick Brown," he said shortly and he heard a familiar sigh on the other side of the line.

"I'm standing in front of your door right now," he heard her say and he couldn't help but smile, even though his mind was screaming for her to get away from him and his home. He wasn't good enough for her. "Should I knock on the door?" was her question and Warrick closed his eyes in defeat. "Knock," he answered.

Seconds later he opened the door and Sara was standing there, shuffling with her feet and looking very much like she didn't know what she was doing. He could relate to that, he had no clue what he was doing either.

"Hey," he greeted her, resisting the urge to grab her and kiss her and he stepped inside and let her in.

She looked around and he watched her while she took in his home. "It's different from what I would expect," she told him honestly and he shrugged. "I like it like this," he defended himself, knowing that nobody expected him to have a picture of his grandmother on the mantle and a piano in the living room.

"Can you play?" Sara asked him and Warrick just nodded, thinking of times when he had played for his grandmother, just because she loved to hear him play. His grandmother was his biggest fan and the only one he would play for. "I can," he finally answered, not saying anything else on the subject and he hoped that she would get it.

She nodded and turned around and once again Warrick felt that she understood him, she knew exactly what to ask and when not to push. It was almost like she had been in his life forever, even though it had only been a couple of weeks and that thought scared him.

"She's beautiful," Sara said and he focused his attention back to her, a proud grin on his face when he noticed the picture she had in her hand. "They both are," he replied, referring to his mother, who was standing next to his grandmother in the picture she was holding.

"Do you still miss her, even after all this time?" he heard her ask him and he hesitated for a moment. "I don't really remember my mum," he confessed, " Just some little things, like her hugs or the way she would smell."

"I'm sorry, Warrick," she mumbled and he looked away from those eyes, afraid that he would see something in them that he wasn't ready for.

"So, why are you here?" he asked her, plastering a fake smile on his face and hoping that they could fall into their routine of easy banter because then...Then he could pretend that Sara was just another woman he was flirting with and not the woman that had not left his mind for a single minute in the last couple of weeks.

"I heard about your case," was Sara's answer and he nodded in understanding. "Are you ok?" she wanted to know while taking a step closer to him and he wanted to back away but found that he couldn't.

"It was rough," he said with a wave of his hand. "That poor kid, having to find out that he killed his best friend and all because of..." He trailed off. "I wish we could have nailed that idiotic drugs dealer for murder," he spatted out, "But he got out with no charges and walked away while laughing in our face."

"You'll get him sometime," she assured him and she took another step closer. "I hope so," Warrick mumbled, not really focusing on the conversation anymore but lost in the fact that she was standing way to close.

"Right," he almost screamed, his feet finally moving. "So, were you hoping that I was fit today, Sidle?" he teased her while walking into the safety of his kitchen to get her something to drink.

"Pfff," he heard her reply. "I don't really trust guys that boost about their performance. Usually they do that to make up for certain...insecurities they have."

He laughed in the kitchen and then poked his head out from around the corner, narrowing his eyes at her. "Are you implying that I can't perform?" he wanted to know while he felt the smile on his face and he found it cute when she blushed.

"That could be the case," she answered bravely and he could almost see her telling herself to remain calm.

Warrick shook his head, amazed by the fact that she managed to make him laugh after such a rough shift and continued his teasing.

"You are just hoping that I come in there, scoop you up, carry you to my bedroom and prove that you're wrong," he told her dryly and he watched in fascination, seeing her blush even more.

"Sure, Brown," was all she said and he got back in the kitchen, grinning and trying to tell his mind to stop producing the pictures they were showing him now. Making love to Sara would probably be great but it was too much and too soon and she deserved better. She would always deserve better.

"You know what, Sara," he said when he returned, "Just drink your coffee and try not to seduce me while you do that."

He had to refrain himself from laughing when he saw the way she looked at him, full of anger and something else, something that he felt too.

"I think I can manage that," she reassured him and he took a seat next to her on the couch. "How was your case?" Warrick asked and she just shrugged.

"Not that fascinating," she responded while taking a sip from her coffee. "I found out that it's better not to be dead in Las Vegas."

He raised his eyebrows, having heard about her case and smirked a little.

"It's better not to be dead, period," he told her and she nodded. "I'll drink to that," she agreed and for a while they sat in comfortable silence.

"Thanks, Sara," he said while breaking the moment and he could see the confusion on her features. "Why are you thanking me?" she wanted to know.

"You..." he stopped, not sure if he should tell her this and then he decided that he could, that he trusted her. "I was struggling to not go to the casino," he confessed and again he felt her hand on his body, this time on his leg and he tried very hard to stay focused.

"You can't beat an addiction in a couple of weeks, Rick," she whispered and he nodded. "That takes time. The important thing is, you're here and not in the casino's."

"Who needs the casino when I have you on my couch?" Warrick joked and he felt relieved when he saw her laugh and he laughed with her, needing to release some of the tension that was building up inside of him.

"We should get some sleep," she realized and he just nodded. Standing up, Sara walked to his door and he followed her, not sure what to do now. He did not really want her to go but he didn't want her to stay either, it was to dangerous. She surprised him by stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest and he wanted to struggle but he stayed where he was, in her arms. Eventually Warrick wrapped his arms around her in response, sure that she could hear the loud beating of his heart. When she released him he had trouble looking at her.

"This thing between us," Sara said, "It scares me too."

He could only look at her and she nodded. "I've never been more afraid in my life," was the last thing she told him before she was gone and he stood there.

"What are you doing to me, Sara?" he whispered to himself, staring at the spot where she had been only moments before and still feeling her in his arms...

Tbc...