Shipwrecked
Police Officer
That was awesome! I liked the equilibrium exhibit, because it kind of made me dizzy thinking about it. Anyway, keep going! 
The Retreat
- Thread starter Zan1781
- Start date
CSI_Trainee
CSI Level One
ya no kidding *falls off stool* rubs butt owwy anyway good update please do more soon!
Thank you, Shipwrecked and CSI Trainee! I appreciate your comments mucho tons! And you know what's funny? Have I ever described to you how I actually write? I don't think that I have (and most authors are probably the same way), but I actually put myself into the story, and then write what I see/think/feel. It's fantastic, until a character has to have a breakdown (meaning that I do, too), or that someone experiences this dizzy stuff! I went to an equilibrium exhibit last week, and relived it writing this chapter. *cough* Dizzy does not describe it!
CSI_Trainee
CSI Level One
I don't think that I would make it out of a equilibrium exhibit without looking like i was drunk or high on drugs lol. I mean I got dizzy just trying to imagine it and fell off the stool a couple of times lol.
Well I'm glad that I explained it well enough for you to get dizzy! I think... dizziness isn't fun. But yeah. I actually got dizzy just standing outside of the thing, because the moment that you see in, your sense of balance is completely affected. And INSIDE, the incline contines on the entire length of the thing. I was in there while someone decided to walk backwards down the incline, and it was the FEAKIEST thing I've ever seen in my life! You know the movie the Matrix? Well, it looked like she was doing a Keanu Reeves move, because of the angles in the room, combined with the way that she was leaning back. And then when I finally left the exhibit... yeah. Let's just say it looked like I was slightly out of it!
CSI_Trainee
CSI Level One
lmfao you muist of looked drunk haha
Shipwrecked
Police Officer
I officially love your writing style, Zan . Taking on the character adds alot of depth to your story. It's amazing.
CSI Trainee, hehe... yeah, I think I did look drunk. I called my mom, and I told her that my brain was currently swimming, and I didn't like it. It was weird!
Shipwrecked, that *sniffle* made my *sniffle* day!
melbel, as always, thank you for reading!
And hollie, I hope you feel better!
As for the chapter, it is half written... I'm not sure that I like where it's going right now, though, so I might change it. With any luck, I'll have something up by the end of the day (that being said, though, I refuse to post something that I don't like. So... you'll see it when I like it!).
Shipwrecked, that *sniffle* made my *sniffle* day!
melbel, as always, thank you for reading!
And hollie, I hope you feel better!
As for the chapter, it is half written... I'm not sure that I like where it's going right now, though, so I might change it. With any luck, I'll have something up by the end of the day (that being said, though, I refuse to post something that I don't like. So... you'll see it when I like it!).
CSI_Trainee
CSI Level One
Okay just cause I am weird I wouold of gone in their after drinking LOL
(As always, thank you again to those of you are still reading this fic. I’m glad that everyone understood the house flashback, though! It’s kind of hard to explain, but seriously, the thing makes you dizzy! Also, thank you for your critiques and suggestions! They are always appreciated, as they help make my writing better.)
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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Title: Confessions
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Campsite
“Sara,” Nick hesitated, sitting down on one of the logs surrounding the fire pit. “Look, I don’t know what to say to you,” he mumbled, running an anxious hand through his hair. “I just—I wanted to talk to you.”
“Okay,” Sara softly replied, slowly walking toward one of the logs opposite of his, and sitting down. “So go ahead; I’m listening.” Nervously studying the ground in front of her, Sara tried her hardest to focus her attention on Nick’s voice; but she could feel her heart pounding inside of her chest, and the noise of her heart beating was deafening.
“So,” Nick kicked a pebble with his toe. “How are you doing?” Just talk to her like you normally would! Open your mouth, and talk!
Sara frowned, her gaze still riveted to the ground. So you want to talk, but you aren’t really going to say anything, are you? You’re too scared. Clearing her throat, she sighed. “I’m fine; how are you?”
“I’ve been better,” Nick admitted. “I feel a little bit awkward about this whole situation, but—” he trailed off. “But I feel the need to talk to you about it. To clear the air.”
Sara nodded, pursing her lips together in thought. “I understand that you feel uncomfortable,” she slowly began, finally raising her gaze to meet his, only to find him still studying the ground. “But won’t you feel better once everything is out in the open?”
“I don’t know,” Nick shrugged. “Possibly. Actually, probably,” he amended, trying to take a deep breath, in order to calm his very frayed nerves.
“So then tell me what you want to tell me, Nick, so that you can move forward. No, so that we can both move forward,” Sara suggested.
Nick rubbed the back of his neck, before resting his arms on his knees, and finally looking up at Sara. “Okay. So you want to know what’s going on with me?”
“Yes, I do,” Sara whispered, although she already knew what was going on with him.
“I have feelings for you, Sara; not had, but have.”
---------------
Casey’s Sports Bar, two years prior
“You what?” Warrick incredulously asked his friend, twisting his head in order to study his expression. “Please, Nicky, tell me that you’re joking?”
“No, bro, I’m not,” Nick replied, his eyes focused on the large-screen television set at the front of the sports bar. “I, Nick Stokes, have feelings for Sara Sidle.”
“So what are you going to do about it?” Warrick asked, still in disbelief.
“Nothing,” Nick shrugged. “What am I supposed to do? Walk right up to her and say, ‘Hey, Sara, want to go out with me?’”
“Well, yeah, man, that’s usually how it’s done,” Warrick chuckled.
Nick took a sip of his coke, grabbing a chicken wing from the basket in front of him. “She doesn’t like me like that, though,” he reminded his friend.
“And how do you know that?” Warrick blinked, grabbing a nacho from the basket, and shoving the entire thing into his mouth.
“Haven’t you noticed, Rick?” he asked, taking a bite of the hot wing, before glancing down at the table again in embarrassment.
“Noticed what?”
“She’s got a thing for Grissom; the way that she looks at him when she doesn’t think that anyone is watching her; the things that she says to him. It’s obvious... at least to a trained expert, such as myself,” he joked.
Warrick held back a laugh, squinting at Nick. “All joking aside, man,” he frowned, slightly stunned. “Are you telling me that you don’t want to go after her, because you think that she’s in love with Grissom? That’s a bullshit reason, Nick, and you know it; you’re just scared,” he tried to reason with his friend.
“That might be so,” Nick mumbled. “But I’m not going to waste my time pursuing someone who is already pursuing someone else.”
“Look, listen to me, man,” Warrick sighed, grabbing another nacho from one of the baskets littering the table. “As your friend, I’m going to give you some words of advice, okay?”
“Sure,” Nick cautiously replied, looking up at Warrick.
“If you have feelings for her, take your head out of the sand, and go talk to her. Stop hiding behind what you think she thinks, because frankly, Nicky, Sara is a pretty complex woman,” he reminded his friend. “If you don’t go and talk to her—and I mean immediately—” Warrick continued. “You may lose her to someone else, for forever.”
“Lose Sara? To someone else?” Nick asked in surprise, raising an eyebrow.
“You don’t think that she’s smart? Or funny? Or attractive?” Warrick countered.
“Yeah, but—” But she’s shy, and quiet; I know that she’s been pursuing Grissom, but I don’t see her putting herself out there all that much.
“Then you might lose her to someone else,” Warrick interrupted him.
Nick grabbed another hot wing, glancing at it, before nibbling on it. “Do you have feelings for her?” he suddenly asked Warrick, understanding starting to dawn on him.
Warrick just chuckled. “No, Nicky, I don’t. But let’s just say that you’re not the only one in the lab who has a thing for Ms. Sidle.”
Nick pondered that for a moment, before nodding. “Okay,” he slowly told Warrick. “Okay. I’ll talk to her about my feelings—but in the morning.”
“I mean it, Nick; you better talk to her, or you may never know what you’re missing out on. Because if you choose not to talk to her, and she starts dating someone else, well, that’ll be a bitch.”
“I know,” Nick sighed. “I know. And like I said, I’ll talk to her—in the morning.” Definitely. Maybe. No, probably not.
---------------
The Lake
“C’mon in, the water’s great!” Greg shouted from inside of the lake. “Seriously, guys,” he grinned, staring at Grissom and Catherine, who were both still standing on the beach. “You’ll love it!”
“We know, and we’ll be in shortly, Greg,” Catherine spoke up, watching him splash around in the water with Warrick.
“No we won’t,” Grissom muttered under his breath, so that only Catherine could hear him. “I don’t swim.”
“Whatever!” Greg replied, before turning to his colleague. “So, what do you think Nick and Sara are talking about?” he asked, ducking under the water, as Warrick tried to launch a giant splash at him. Coming up, and sputtering for breath, he raised an eyebrow. “Anything important?”
“None of our business, Greggo,” Warrick chuckled. “Although I’m sure that we’ll find out soon enough,” he shrugged.
“But do you think it’s about Grissom and Sara?” he persisted.
“I think that it’s none of our business,” Warrick repeated, glancing at Greg.
“Okay,” Greg chuckled, once again trying to splash Warrick, and immediately swimming away.
“Oh, no you didn’t!” Warrick grinned, taking off after him.
Back on the beach, Catherine sighed. “Gil, would you please relax?” She quietly asked her supervisor, sitting down on the sand. “They’re just talking, and trying to clear some things up.”
“I know what they’re doing,” Grissom replied, sitting down beside her, and turning his head to look at her. “But what if Nick says something to change her mind about me? He’s younger, he’s more athletic, he’s—”
“Not you,” Catherine interrupted his sentence. “He’s not you, Gil, and it’s you whom she’s in love with. Give Nick a chance to clear the air, though, okay? They’re good friends, and I would hate to see them destroy a friendship over whatever it is that he isn’t voicing.”
“I know,” Grissom acquiesced. “And you’re right. I trust both of them, and I’m just going to try to relax, and to let whatever happens, happen.”
Catherine shook her head, raising an eyebrow. “But seriously, you have nothing to worry about,” she once again tried to assure him.
“I know, but still,” Grissom mused. “We’re not married, or even engaged, so it isn’t like she’s actually attached to me,” he again pointed out, starting to talk in circles.
“Gil,” Catherine sighed, trying to remain calm. “Again, she loves you. Stop jumping to conclusions, okay? You need to trust her; and Nick.”
“I do,” Grissom quietly replied. “I trust both of them. I’ve just never felt like this about someone before, and I’m afraid that I’m going to lose her.”
“You really love her, don’t you?” Catherine half-stated, and half-smiled, smiling. You’ve come a long way in one year, Gil, she thought to herself. Both of you have, as a matter of fact.
“Yes, I think I do,” Grissom mused. “More than you can imagine.”
Good, and I can tell. “So are you going to go in the lake?” Catherine then asked, changing the subject. “I heard you say something about not swimming?”
“I think I’m going to go in,” Grissom replied. “But not until Sara returns. I’m sure she’ll try to drag me in, anyhow.”
Catherine chuckled. “I’m sure you’re right,” she grinned. “She can be pretty stubborn, when she wants to be.”
“Yes. Yes, she can.”
---------------
The Campsite
“I have to be honest with you, Nick,” Sara cleared her throat, looking down at the ground in nervousness. “I’m not entirely sure what to say to you.”
“I know,” he swallowed, running an anxious hand through his hair. “And I know that I don’t have a chance with you anymore, but—”
“But what?” Sara quietly prodded him.
“Well, I mean, I don’t, right?”
“You don’t, what?” Sara cautiously asked him, studying a pebble as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.
“Do I… have a… chance with you anymore…?” he asked, barely above a whisper, his eyes tentatively searching for hers.
“Nick, I—” Sara raised an eyebrow, blushing.
If she’s blushing, then maybe I do have a chance with her! Nick thought to himself. “I mean, if I—”
“Nick,” Sara quietly interrupted him. “You might have had a chance with me, so to speak, years ago, and you still might have a chance with me in the future, but,” she cleared her throat. “I’m with Grissom right now; I love him, and he loves me,” she trailed off.
“But I don’t understand,” Nick hesitantly stated. “What does Grissom have that I don’t have? When you were upset at last year’s retreat, it was me who comforted you around the fire, not him.”
“And I appreciated the fact that you did that,” Sara quietly told him. “You were a great friend; you still are a great friend.”
“So what does he have that I don’t have?” Nick again repeated his question.
“He had the courage to ask me out,” she quietly told him. “That’s what he has that you don’t have. And not only that,” Sara continued. “He shares a little bit of himself with me, every time that we talk; he shares his thoughts, and his ideas. He is trying his hardest not to keep secrets from me, which is something that you have apparently done for years.”
Nick blushed, staring down at the ground. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know that I should have asked you out when I first developed feelings for you, but I was too shy. And I don’t mean to make things awkward for either of us by bringing them up now,” he sighed. “But I just needed some closure, I suppose. I needed to know that there can’t be anything romantic between us right now”
“Or possibly forever,” Sara cautiously reminded him.
“Right. It’s just going to be hard, you know?” he quietly asked.
“What will be?”
“Seeing the two of you together,” Nick frowned.
“I know,” Sara sighed. “But we’re pretty careful at work, so you won’t see much there, and as far as the rest of the retreat goes? Well, we’ll watch ourselves,” she assured him.
“No, that isn’t fair to the two of you, though,” he mumbled.
I don’t know what to tell you, then! What is it that you want to hear from me? Sara wanted to scream at him.
“So, where does that leave us now?” Nick hesitantly asked, slightly surprising her.
“I guess that all depends on you, Nicky,” Sara softly replied. “Where do you want us to be?” Besides together, in a romantic relationship.
“Well,” Nick mumbled, once again running a nervous hand through his hair. “Do we still have any hope left of salvaging our friendship?”
Sara raised an eyebrow, completely surprised. “There’s nothing wrong with our friendship, Nick,” she pointed out to him. “It certainly isn’t in need of salvaging.”
“…Really?” he quizzically asked her. “I haven’t ruined everything, by talking to you about my… feelings?”
“You haven’t ruined a thing,” Sara flashed him a small smile. “I can’t see us ever not being friends.”
“Well, okay, then,” Nick let out the breath that he had been holding. “Then thank you.”
“For what?” she softly asked.
“For listening,” he replied. “And for helping me take the first step in moving beyond you.”
Sara slowly nodded, glancing across the fire at him.
“I have one more question for you,” Nick suddenly spoke up.
“Okay, go ahead,” Sara replied.
“Last night, you told me that I was one of your best friends, and like a brother to you. Is that true?” he curiously asked her.
Sara nodded, slightly smiling. “Yes, I believe so.”
“Does that mean that I get to protect you, then? Like a brother would?”
Sara chuckled. “Sure, if I ever need protecting.” And then it dawned on Sara. Nick took pride in helping her, and she knew that. He was always one of the first people to give her a hug if she needed one, and to cheer her up when she needed cheering up. Are you afraid that I’ll no longer need you? She wondered to herself. “You know, Nick,” Sara cleared her throat. “Just because I’m seeing Grissom, doesn’t mean that I no longer need you; I will always need you.”
Nick slowly smiled, satisfied with her answer. “So… then can I give you a brotherly hug?” he cautiously asked Sara, standing up, and quietly moving toward her. I mean, unless this is a bad idea? It might be. I don’t know! Do friends and brothers hug? What will Grissom say? Will Sara say no?
“Of course,” she smiled, carefully standing up, and walking around the fire pit toward him.
“Are you sure?” he anxiously asked. Maybe I shouldn’t? I still have feelings for her. I don’t want her to get the wrong idea, though, that I’m trying to hit on her. I’m not trying to hit on her. I just want the awkwardness to go away!
“Yes, I’m sure,” Sara sighed. Should I be reading into this more than I actually am?
Nick chuckled, before carefully wrapping his arms around her. “What will Grissom say?” he asked, half-serious, and half-joking.
“Nick,” Sara warned in exasperation. “You’re my friend, and Grissom knows that. Relax. Friends hug,” she concluded, resting her head against his shoulder.
“Okay,” Nick again chuckled, before pulling away from her. “So should we head back to the lake, before they send out the hounds after us?”
Sara smiled. “If you’re sure that you’re okay?”
“I’m sure. I’m disappointed that I never took Warrick’s advice from years ago to talk to you, but I’m glad that we’re still friends; very glad, actually,” Nick flashed her a small smile. “And I’m ready to move on, now. Grissom is like a father to me, and you are one of my best friends; I want both of you to be happy… seriously. And I’m just sorry that I put you in this position in the first place.”
“Thank you,” Sara smiled. “And don’t be sorry. Because now that everything is out in the open, we can begin to move forward,” she told him. “It’ll probably take some time for all of the awkwardness to completely go away, but at least it will, now that we’ve spoken.”
“Right,” Nick agreed. “Absolutely,” he started to walk down the path toward the lake.
I just can’t believe that for the past several years, Warrick has known about Nick’s little crush on me. Why did he never say anything? Not that it really matters; I’m very happy with Grissom, she smiled, walking side by side with Nick down toward the lake.
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TO BE CONTINUED
---------------
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of CSI or its characters. That honor goes to the good folks over at CBS.
Title: Confessions
---------------
Campsite
“Sara,” Nick hesitated, sitting down on one of the logs surrounding the fire pit. “Look, I don’t know what to say to you,” he mumbled, running an anxious hand through his hair. “I just—I wanted to talk to you.”
“Okay,” Sara softly replied, slowly walking toward one of the logs opposite of his, and sitting down. “So go ahead; I’m listening.” Nervously studying the ground in front of her, Sara tried her hardest to focus her attention on Nick’s voice; but she could feel her heart pounding inside of her chest, and the noise of her heart beating was deafening.
“So,” Nick kicked a pebble with his toe. “How are you doing?” Just talk to her like you normally would! Open your mouth, and talk!
Sara frowned, her gaze still riveted to the ground. So you want to talk, but you aren’t really going to say anything, are you? You’re too scared. Clearing her throat, she sighed. “I’m fine; how are you?”
“I’ve been better,” Nick admitted. “I feel a little bit awkward about this whole situation, but—” he trailed off. “But I feel the need to talk to you about it. To clear the air.”
Sara nodded, pursing her lips together in thought. “I understand that you feel uncomfortable,” she slowly began, finally raising her gaze to meet his, only to find him still studying the ground. “But won’t you feel better once everything is out in the open?”
“I don’t know,” Nick shrugged. “Possibly. Actually, probably,” he amended, trying to take a deep breath, in order to calm his very frayed nerves.
“So then tell me what you want to tell me, Nick, so that you can move forward. No, so that we can both move forward,” Sara suggested.
Nick rubbed the back of his neck, before resting his arms on his knees, and finally looking up at Sara. “Okay. So you want to know what’s going on with me?”
“Yes, I do,” Sara whispered, although she already knew what was going on with him.
“I have feelings for you, Sara; not had, but have.”
---------------
Casey’s Sports Bar, two years prior
“You what?” Warrick incredulously asked his friend, twisting his head in order to study his expression. “Please, Nicky, tell me that you’re joking?”
“No, bro, I’m not,” Nick replied, his eyes focused on the large-screen television set at the front of the sports bar. “I, Nick Stokes, have feelings for Sara Sidle.”
“So what are you going to do about it?” Warrick asked, still in disbelief.
“Nothing,” Nick shrugged. “What am I supposed to do? Walk right up to her and say, ‘Hey, Sara, want to go out with me?’”
“Well, yeah, man, that’s usually how it’s done,” Warrick chuckled.
Nick took a sip of his coke, grabbing a chicken wing from the basket in front of him. “She doesn’t like me like that, though,” he reminded his friend.
“And how do you know that?” Warrick blinked, grabbing a nacho from the basket, and shoving the entire thing into his mouth.
“Haven’t you noticed, Rick?” he asked, taking a bite of the hot wing, before glancing down at the table again in embarrassment.
“Noticed what?”
“She’s got a thing for Grissom; the way that she looks at him when she doesn’t think that anyone is watching her; the things that she says to him. It’s obvious... at least to a trained expert, such as myself,” he joked.
Warrick held back a laugh, squinting at Nick. “All joking aside, man,” he frowned, slightly stunned. “Are you telling me that you don’t want to go after her, because you think that she’s in love with Grissom? That’s a bullshit reason, Nick, and you know it; you’re just scared,” he tried to reason with his friend.
“That might be so,” Nick mumbled. “But I’m not going to waste my time pursuing someone who is already pursuing someone else.”
“Look, listen to me, man,” Warrick sighed, grabbing another nacho from one of the baskets littering the table. “As your friend, I’m going to give you some words of advice, okay?”
“Sure,” Nick cautiously replied, looking up at Warrick.
“If you have feelings for her, take your head out of the sand, and go talk to her. Stop hiding behind what you think she thinks, because frankly, Nicky, Sara is a pretty complex woman,” he reminded his friend. “If you don’t go and talk to her—and I mean immediately—” Warrick continued. “You may lose her to someone else, for forever.”
“Lose Sara? To someone else?” Nick asked in surprise, raising an eyebrow.
“You don’t think that she’s smart? Or funny? Or attractive?” Warrick countered.
“Yeah, but—” But she’s shy, and quiet; I know that she’s been pursuing Grissom, but I don’t see her putting herself out there all that much.
“Then you might lose her to someone else,” Warrick interrupted him.
Nick grabbed another hot wing, glancing at it, before nibbling on it. “Do you have feelings for her?” he suddenly asked Warrick, understanding starting to dawn on him.
Warrick just chuckled. “No, Nicky, I don’t. But let’s just say that you’re not the only one in the lab who has a thing for Ms. Sidle.”
Nick pondered that for a moment, before nodding. “Okay,” he slowly told Warrick. “Okay. I’ll talk to her about my feelings—but in the morning.”
“I mean it, Nick; you better talk to her, or you may never know what you’re missing out on. Because if you choose not to talk to her, and she starts dating someone else, well, that’ll be a bitch.”
“I know,” Nick sighed. “I know. And like I said, I’ll talk to her—in the morning.” Definitely. Maybe. No, probably not.
---------------
The Lake
“C’mon in, the water’s great!” Greg shouted from inside of the lake. “Seriously, guys,” he grinned, staring at Grissom and Catherine, who were both still standing on the beach. “You’ll love it!”
“We know, and we’ll be in shortly, Greg,” Catherine spoke up, watching him splash around in the water with Warrick.
“No we won’t,” Grissom muttered under his breath, so that only Catherine could hear him. “I don’t swim.”
“Whatever!” Greg replied, before turning to his colleague. “So, what do you think Nick and Sara are talking about?” he asked, ducking under the water, as Warrick tried to launch a giant splash at him. Coming up, and sputtering for breath, he raised an eyebrow. “Anything important?”
“None of our business, Greggo,” Warrick chuckled. “Although I’m sure that we’ll find out soon enough,” he shrugged.
“But do you think it’s about Grissom and Sara?” he persisted.
“I think that it’s none of our business,” Warrick repeated, glancing at Greg.
“Okay,” Greg chuckled, once again trying to splash Warrick, and immediately swimming away.
“Oh, no you didn’t!” Warrick grinned, taking off after him.
Back on the beach, Catherine sighed. “Gil, would you please relax?” She quietly asked her supervisor, sitting down on the sand. “They’re just talking, and trying to clear some things up.”
“I know what they’re doing,” Grissom replied, sitting down beside her, and turning his head to look at her. “But what if Nick says something to change her mind about me? He’s younger, he’s more athletic, he’s—”
“Not you,” Catherine interrupted his sentence. “He’s not you, Gil, and it’s you whom she’s in love with. Give Nick a chance to clear the air, though, okay? They’re good friends, and I would hate to see them destroy a friendship over whatever it is that he isn’t voicing.”
“I know,” Grissom acquiesced. “And you’re right. I trust both of them, and I’m just going to try to relax, and to let whatever happens, happen.”
Catherine shook her head, raising an eyebrow. “But seriously, you have nothing to worry about,” she once again tried to assure him.
“I know, but still,” Grissom mused. “We’re not married, or even engaged, so it isn’t like she’s actually attached to me,” he again pointed out, starting to talk in circles.
“Gil,” Catherine sighed, trying to remain calm. “Again, she loves you. Stop jumping to conclusions, okay? You need to trust her; and Nick.”
“I do,” Grissom quietly replied. “I trust both of them. I’ve just never felt like this about someone before, and I’m afraid that I’m going to lose her.”
“You really love her, don’t you?” Catherine half-stated, and half-smiled, smiling. You’ve come a long way in one year, Gil, she thought to herself. Both of you have, as a matter of fact.
“Yes, I think I do,” Grissom mused. “More than you can imagine.”
Good, and I can tell. “So are you going to go in the lake?” Catherine then asked, changing the subject. “I heard you say something about not swimming?”
“I think I’m going to go in,” Grissom replied. “But not until Sara returns. I’m sure she’ll try to drag me in, anyhow.”
Catherine chuckled. “I’m sure you’re right,” she grinned. “She can be pretty stubborn, when she wants to be.”
“Yes. Yes, she can.”
---------------
The Campsite
“I have to be honest with you, Nick,” Sara cleared her throat, looking down at the ground in nervousness. “I’m not entirely sure what to say to you.”
“I know,” he swallowed, running an anxious hand through his hair. “And I know that I don’t have a chance with you anymore, but—”
“But what?” Sara quietly prodded him.
“Well, I mean, I don’t, right?”
“You don’t, what?” Sara cautiously asked him, studying a pebble as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.
“Do I… have a… chance with you anymore…?” he asked, barely above a whisper, his eyes tentatively searching for hers.
“Nick, I—” Sara raised an eyebrow, blushing.
If she’s blushing, then maybe I do have a chance with her! Nick thought to himself. “I mean, if I—”
“Nick,” Sara quietly interrupted him. “You might have had a chance with me, so to speak, years ago, and you still might have a chance with me in the future, but,” she cleared her throat. “I’m with Grissom right now; I love him, and he loves me,” she trailed off.
“But I don’t understand,” Nick hesitantly stated. “What does Grissom have that I don’t have? When you were upset at last year’s retreat, it was me who comforted you around the fire, not him.”
“And I appreciated the fact that you did that,” Sara quietly told him. “You were a great friend; you still are a great friend.”
“So what does he have that I don’t have?” Nick again repeated his question.
“He had the courage to ask me out,” she quietly told him. “That’s what he has that you don’t have. And not only that,” Sara continued. “He shares a little bit of himself with me, every time that we talk; he shares his thoughts, and his ideas. He is trying his hardest not to keep secrets from me, which is something that you have apparently done for years.”
Nick blushed, staring down at the ground. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know that I should have asked you out when I first developed feelings for you, but I was too shy. And I don’t mean to make things awkward for either of us by bringing them up now,” he sighed. “But I just needed some closure, I suppose. I needed to know that there can’t be anything romantic between us right now”
“Or possibly forever,” Sara cautiously reminded him.
“Right. It’s just going to be hard, you know?” he quietly asked.
“What will be?”
“Seeing the two of you together,” Nick frowned.
“I know,” Sara sighed. “But we’re pretty careful at work, so you won’t see much there, and as far as the rest of the retreat goes? Well, we’ll watch ourselves,” she assured him.
“No, that isn’t fair to the two of you, though,” he mumbled.
I don’t know what to tell you, then! What is it that you want to hear from me? Sara wanted to scream at him.
“So, where does that leave us now?” Nick hesitantly asked, slightly surprising her.
“I guess that all depends on you, Nicky,” Sara softly replied. “Where do you want us to be?” Besides together, in a romantic relationship.
“Well,” Nick mumbled, once again running a nervous hand through his hair. “Do we still have any hope left of salvaging our friendship?”
Sara raised an eyebrow, completely surprised. “There’s nothing wrong with our friendship, Nick,” she pointed out to him. “It certainly isn’t in need of salvaging.”
“…Really?” he quizzically asked her. “I haven’t ruined everything, by talking to you about my… feelings?”
“You haven’t ruined a thing,” Sara flashed him a small smile. “I can’t see us ever not being friends.”
“Well, okay, then,” Nick let out the breath that he had been holding. “Then thank you.”
“For what?” she softly asked.
“For listening,” he replied. “And for helping me take the first step in moving beyond you.”
Sara slowly nodded, glancing across the fire at him.
“I have one more question for you,” Nick suddenly spoke up.
“Okay, go ahead,” Sara replied.
“Last night, you told me that I was one of your best friends, and like a brother to you. Is that true?” he curiously asked her.
Sara nodded, slightly smiling. “Yes, I believe so.”
“Does that mean that I get to protect you, then? Like a brother would?”
Sara chuckled. “Sure, if I ever need protecting.” And then it dawned on Sara. Nick took pride in helping her, and she knew that. He was always one of the first people to give her a hug if she needed one, and to cheer her up when she needed cheering up. Are you afraid that I’ll no longer need you? She wondered to herself. “You know, Nick,” Sara cleared her throat. “Just because I’m seeing Grissom, doesn’t mean that I no longer need you; I will always need you.”
Nick slowly smiled, satisfied with her answer. “So… then can I give you a brotherly hug?” he cautiously asked Sara, standing up, and quietly moving toward her. I mean, unless this is a bad idea? It might be. I don’t know! Do friends and brothers hug? What will Grissom say? Will Sara say no?
“Of course,” she smiled, carefully standing up, and walking around the fire pit toward him.
“Are you sure?” he anxiously asked. Maybe I shouldn’t? I still have feelings for her. I don’t want her to get the wrong idea, though, that I’m trying to hit on her. I’m not trying to hit on her. I just want the awkwardness to go away!
“Yes, I’m sure,” Sara sighed. Should I be reading into this more than I actually am?
Nick chuckled, before carefully wrapping his arms around her. “What will Grissom say?” he asked, half-serious, and half-joking.
“Nick,” Sara warned in exasperation. “You’re my friend, and Grissom knows that. Relax. Friends hug,” she concluded, resting her head against his shoulder.
“Okay,” Nick again chuckled, before pulling away from her. “So should we head back to the lake, before they send out the hounds after us?”
Sara smiled. “If you’re sure that you’re okay?”
“I’m sure. I’m disappointed that I never took Warrick’s advice from years ago to talk to you, but I’m glad that we’re still friends; very glad, actually,” Nick flashed her a small smile. “And I’m ready to move on, now. Grissom is like a father to me, and you are one of my best friends; I want both of you to be happy… seriously. And I’m just sorry that I put you in this position in the first place.”
“Thank you,” Sara smiled. “And don’t be sorry. Because now that everything is out in the open, we can begin to move forward,” she told him. “It’ll probably take some time for all of the awkwardness to completely go away, but at least it will, now that we’ve spoken.”
“Right,” Nick agreed. “Absolutely,” he started to walk down the path toward the lake.
I just can’t believe that for the past several years, Warrick has known about Nick’s little crush on me. Why did he never say anything? Not that it really matters; I’m very happy with Grissom, she smiled, walking side by side with Nick down toward the lake.
---------------
TO BE CONTINUED
Shipwrecked
Police Officer
Awww...
Brotherly hugs are always the best anyway...
I loved how you played out the awkward moments in their heads, and I'm happy Sara isn't going to leave Grissom. Yay for GSR!
Update soon!
Brotherly hugs are always the best anyway...
I loved how you played out the awkward moments in their heads, and I'm happy Sara isn't going to leave Grissom. Yay for GSR!
Update soon!