Author: Emily
Rating: PG
Summary: While in New York with Hank on Valentine's Day, Sara decides to follow her heart.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She�d never done anything like this before. She had never been spontaneous. She had never done anything without having everything planned down to the last minute detail. She had never completely ignored what her brain told her. She had never left matters to her heart. She had also never been in love.
Standing on his doorstep in the pouring rain, Sara Sidle contemplated going home for the eighth time in four minutes. She walked down two steps, then ran back up to the door. Three steps, then back up again. Grasping onto the now completely soaked box of chocolates in her hand, she rang the doorbell before she made a mistake that she would forever regret. It was another minute before he answered.
"Hi, Nick."
~*~*~
Sara poured herself a cup of coffee and sank into the break room couch. Leaning her head against the cool leather, she closed her eyes and tried to relax. She sighed when Catherine entered the room and sat down next to her. Her solitude was destroyed. She had known it wouldn�t last long, after all, shift was about to start, but it had been good while it lasted.
"So, Sara," Catherine began, "What are your plans for Valentine�s Day? Grissom said you took the whole weekend off. You and Hank doing something special?" she asked.
Leave it to Catherine to bring up what she had been trying all day to forget.
"Not that it�s any of your business, but yeah. He�s taking me to New York for the weekend."
"Nice, very nice. I wish I was going to New York for the weekend. But no," she said, looking up at Grissom, who had just entered the room, "Gil�s taking me to the spider expo. Romantic," she said sarcastically.
"Sounds like fun."
"It will be. They have all the different species of spiders on display, and in honor of Valentine�s Day they�re doing a special presentation on their mating rituals," Grissom explained animatedly. Catherine slid over so Grissom could sit down, and rested her head on his chest. Pangs of jealousy spread through Sara. The two were so obviously in love.
She wished she had someone to love her like that. She did have Hank, but that wasn�t the same. She was completely dreading the weekend ahead. It was hard enough for the two to find things to talk about on regular dates. They mostly talked about work. But they couldn�t spend the entire weekend talking about work. Because, honestly, how much can you say about your latest corpse?
"Hey guys. Happy Valentine�s Day." She was jostled out of her reverie by the sound of Nick�s voice. Her heart skipped a beat when Nick handed her a box of chocolates.
"Sweets, for the two sweetest ladies in Vegas," he said, handing an identical box to Catherine. Sara mentally kicked herself for getting so excited about a lousy box of chocolates. It didn�t mean anything; Nick was just a nice guy, plus they weren�t just for her. Catherine got some, too. And even if he didn�t get Catherine any, it still didn�t matter. She was with Hank. It was Hank she cared about getting chocolate�s from, not Nick. �Nick is a friend, that�s it,� she told herself. But then why did she melt whenever he flashed her that Texas grin of his?
"Thank you, Nick." Catherine rose to give Nick a peck on the cheek.
"Uh, yeah. Thanks, Nick. You didn�t have to," Sara stammered.
"What, no kiss?" he teased, pointing to his other cheek.
Sara felt her face go red. �He doesn�t mean it. He just said that because Catherine gave him a kiss. He doesn�t really want a kiss. Or does he?� Her face flushed and even deeper shade of pink at that last thought. �Stop it,� she told herself, and rose to give him a peck on the cheek.
Warrick walked in and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Hey Sara," he began, "Is there something you and Nick want to tell us? Should Hank be jealous?" he teased.
If Sara thought her face could not be redder, she was proven wrong. Nick wrapped his arm around Sara�s shoulder and said to Warrick, "Hey man, tell Hank that I�m taking his girlfriend here," he teased back.
"I�m not his girlfriend," she said, shaking off Nick�s arm.
"Really? Then why are you going to New York with him?" Catherine asked smugly.
"New York? Really?" Nick�s face fell, and Sara felt her heart wrench.
"Well...I guess...Yeah... but you don�t have to go broadcasting it to the entire lab." She just wanted to leave, to go home.
"No offense, Sara, but I think the whole lab already knows," Warrick said.
"Could we just get to work, please? Grissom?" Sara pleaded.
Grissom took the hint. "Okay, assignments."
~*~*~