AN: Sara and Warrick are my favorite characters. Here is a story where they get together.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI, if I did Warrick would be mine. 

TENDER HEARTS

Sara had been back about a week. Warrick was glad she was back. She looked better than he had seen in a while. He needed to talk to her. He had missed talking to her when she disappeared.

He found her in the DNA lab talking to Greg. He stood in the doorway watching before he spoke. He couldn't get over how much she had meant to him. "Hey, Sara, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"I thought we could go someplace where we can be alone."

"I was about to run out and grab a bite to eat. Wanna go with me?"

"Yeah, that'll work."

"Bye, Greg. We'll talk more later." Sara said. As Sara and Warrick walked out of the CSI lab, Warrick said he would drive. Sara was puzzled, but didn't argue.

"Where did you want to go?" Warrick asked.

"I thought I would like to try that new veggie place, Garden Gourmet."

"Okay." They arrived at the restaurant and ordered their food. Once they got their food, they went and sat down. They started eating and still Warrick had not said anything else."

"So, what's up, Warrick?" Sara said smiling.

"I want…No, I need to tell you something. I am glad you are back. I missed you. My marriage to Tina was falling apart and then you left without a word to me. Sara saw the hurt in his eyes.

"I am sorry, Warrick. I know I hurt everybody, leaving the way I did. My intention was not to hurt you. I just needed to get away. "

"There's something else. When you went away, I realized something. " Warrick took Sara's hands in his and spoke. "Sara, I know that you are in love with Grissom and I'm cool with it. But if things don't work out, I want you to remember this. Sara, I love you. I have loved you for a long time. You have been the one person I could trust with all my deepest secrets. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for you. I just don't want to lose you again."

Sara sat there, stunned. "Do you mean that?"

"With every beat of my heart."

"Well then…I need to tell you something too. Don't say anything to the team, yet. Gil and I are ending the relationship. We have talked about it. We will always be friends, but we were not looking for the same things from the relationship."

"I'm sorry, Sara."

"It's okay. I realized while I was gone that it was not meant to be. I have grown a lot because of my relationship with Gil. I couldn't have done it without him."

"Gil brought me here to help with the investigation of Holly Gribb's death. Then I had to investigate your activities. I wanted to find out about you. You intrigued me. I didn't like doing it that way. I think you are a great person and always have been. I have never thought that you would be interested in me that is why I pursued Grissom so much. "

"Would it be to much to ask if we could have dinner together?"

"I think that is a fine idea. This has been nice, but we probably should get back to the lab."

Before getting out at the lab, Warrick leaned over and kissed Sara gently on the cheek.