PART SIXTEEN: Leaving.

"Do you have everything?" said Catherine as her daughter left the room with her bag behind her.

"Yes."

"Are you sure? Just make sure you don't forget anything."

"Mom, calm down! I've got everything! If I leave something behind Lou can just send it to me... in the mail. You have heard of it, right?"

"Ok! Ok, Miss!"

"Actually, I forgot something... I forgot to ask if we could pass by the lab first."

"Hey! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on a plane?" he said as he saw her walking in his directions.

"I couldn't go without saying goodbye to you, Nicki. And I wanted to thank you. And apologize."

"I was just doing my job. But you have nothing to be sorry for." said Nick.

She stared at him. He was so handsome. She had always find him handsome. She was mere a kid when she met him but something on him told her she could trust that man. And so she did. He became her confident. Her go to go person. And she missed him. "I really wanted to give you a call, Nicki, but I didn't want our relationship to infer with the case. I didn't want the defense attorney to come after you because of me."

"Hey, like I've said, you have nothing to be sorry for." he said as he put his hands on her shoulders. He adored her. Since the first time he had met he could tell that girl was special. There was something about her that drown him to her. He thought that as she grow older she would stop care about him. But the opposite happened. As she got older she got closer to him. And he, he got closer to her. She went from girl to woman and he had witnessed it. He had witness she going from a rebellion teen to a beautiful woman. She had turned such a beautiful woman. The kind that makes every guy stop and stare. She made him stop and stare.

"I'm gonna get an apartment so no more excuses for not visiting me in LA. You've heard me!" she said as she slight punched him in the chest.

"Ok! Ok! Ok! I'll go see you!"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"And I owe you a breakfast! Rain check?"

"Rain check.. in LA!" Grace laughed.

"I gotta go... mom and Lou are waiting for me in the car."

"I'll see you soon." he said as he hugged her. He kept his arms around her as he kissed her forehead. "Take care."

"You too."

She waved him goodbye before starting walking down the hall. Life is too short, that what she had said to her mother the previous night. So why couldn't she follow her own words? Why couldn't she just do it? She stopped dead in her tracks. This was now or never. She'd either do it or regret that she had never done it. So, she turned around and started walking towards him. Before he was able to say anything she kissed him. She kissed fearing that he was going to push her away. Fearing that he'd come up with some excuse on why this wasn't right. But to her surprise, he acted almost as in instinct, he put his arms around her waist and he pulled her closer to him while he deepened the kiss. They broke apart to find the entire lab starring at them, including Sara, who had a "I knew" smile on her face. Grace kissed Nick again before whispering goodbye.

"So what's this case you're gonna work on?" asked Lou.

"Honestly, I don't know. It's not my case. I'm just doing a favor. They were suppose to send me the files this morning. But where's Grace? We're gonna be late." she looked out the window trying to avoid the question that she knew it was coming. But he didn't talk. He didn't say word but she could feel his eyes on her.

"Have you thought about I told you last night?" the words she was afraid to hear were finally said. She looked back at him. But when she was about to say something Grace entered the car with a grin on her face.

"Are you alright?" asked Catherine.

"Yes! I just, I just don't wanna miss my flight! Can we go?" Grace didn't need to say a word for Catherine to know that something had happened. But she was going to push her daughter. Although, she had a slight idea of what could have happened and with whom.

He parked in front of the Las Vegas Police Department and looked at her. She looked so beautiful. The sun made her red hair even more red. She was going through her purse trying to find the phone that wouldn't t stop ringing. He put a mesh of hair behind her ear.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah.." she said as she picked up her phone. "It was from Quantico." she said before opening the door.

He had just closed the car and was about to walk towards the building when he heard her call his name.

She walked up to him and before kissing his cheek she said "I'll see you tonight."