Just popping my head in to this discussion, I think I read an interview a few years ago in which George Eads talked about this specific thing. He said that Nick would not "date" a working girl again, if Nick ever did get a girlfriend that he would want her to work outside of the lab, I think an example he gave was a special education teacher, or something like that. I know in at least 2 separate occasions George Eads has said that he did not like "soap Operas" and that he was not in favor of CSI becoming one (don't I wish the writers would listen to him) and in one he went so far as to say, "if you want a soap opera, change the channel."
I know I am probably the least "shippiest" person alive, and I know I rejoiced to read George Eads comments, but if I was going to pick someone for Nick. I would like to see him with a music teacher/music therapist or a pediatric oncology nurse. Someone who really cares about other people like Nick does.
Either that or I could see Nick with a really shy woman who works at a wild life rehabilitation center. A woman who is much more comfortable working with animals than people who Nick draws out of her shell "...and they live happily ever after."... why is it the writers never ask me?
What kind of woman would you envision Nick with?