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fandomgirlz01 · 4 months

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This Can’t Be The End Pt. 3

Nick Stokes X Reader

Imagine on my fandom instagram?: No

Prompt?: No

Request?: No

Requested prompt?: No

Edited: Yes

Word count: 6,175

Ko-fi

Masterlist

Warnings here

You can listen to the story be read out loud here.

Post Date: December 30th 2023

Post Time: 12:27 AM

Summary: Based off of S5 Es24 & 25 When Nick gets kidnapped, the reader is forced to fear the worst for her husband as she and the team work the case with hopes of bringing him home safe.

Third Person Pov:

The computer shows Nick and the countdown that is at 00:00:01. It then clicks off the video and 4672 CARNEY LANE — BOULDER HWY are the words that slide across the screen. Then the words BE THERE IN 20 MINUTES slide onto the screen next before OR DON’T BOTHER COMING slide across the screen too.

Grissom finds himself standing in front of a warehouse that doesn’t look like it’s been used for some time with the bag of money in his hand. He looks around for any sight of anything, but finds nothing out of the ordinary so he takes a step toward the building. He walks up to the building keeping an eye out for anything.

He walks up to the door, grabs the handle and slides the door open. It makes a loud clunking sound as he does, but he pays it no mind. Once it’s open he steps in and takes his glasses off as he looks around the inside.

He sees an SUV parked to his right, but nothing else really. He sets the bag down and reaches around himself to pull his flashlight out of his back pocket. He shines the flashlight out and continues to look around the warehouse.

“Las Vegas crime lab!” He calls out into the void in front of him.

“Through the door!” Another man’s voice shouts out and Gil bends down slowly to pick the money bag back up.

He then starts to walk, shining his light in front of him. As he walks he notices a dead dog laying on the floor with flies buzzing around. He sees other things a dog would need, a bed, food and water bowls.

He sees a box of random things and what seems to be a bed in the corner. He keeps walking and soon makes his way to the door the voice had told him to go through. He walks up a few steps before coming face to face with an older looking man who sits behind a computer watching the feed of Nick.

“Pretty quiet outside,” the man comments as Gil comes to a stop in front of him.

“Almost sounds like you came alone,” the guy continues to taunt.

“I’ve got your money,” Gil tells him and the guy stands.

“Put it down,” the guy commands as he leans on his arms against the table.

Grissom slowly lowers the bag and it makes a light thud as it hits the ground. He stands back up to full straight position before the guy comes out from behind the desk and up to the few steps to the podium he’s on.

“Slide it over,” he commands and Grissom uses his foot to kick it over closer to the guy.

It’s only when the bag stops, maybe about fifteen to twenty feet from him that the man walks down the steps and over to the bag. He uses a flashlight to look down on it and he looks back up at Gil.

“You’re telling me there’s a million dollars in here?” The guy asks and Gil gives a very decisive “yes,” to his question.

“Along with some cute little booby traps? Which is it? A tracker, a dye pack? A…” he asks, trying to figure out if they played any tricks on him.

“Normally, you’d be 100% right, but this time you’re 100% wrong. We want Nick back. No tricks,” Grissom promises him and it goes silent for a moment.

The guy takes a moment before bending down to the bag. He moves it so it’s facing him and unzips it. He digs though for a moment before grabbing a wad of the cash and holding it up to his light. He inspects it thoroughly before starting to chuckle.

“This looks real,” he comments as he holds it up.

“It is real,” Gil proclaims before pausing.

“Where is Nick?” He asks and the guy stands back up dropping the money back into the bag as he does.

“You know, I was under the impression that it was against departmental policy to negotiate with terrorists,” the guy comments, using his free hand to try and motion out his meaning.

“Are you a terrorist?” Gil asks him in a calm tone.

“Depends,” the guy replies in a nonchalant tone before shining the light at Grissom’s face.

“Are you terrified?” The guys asks in a playful tone and Grissom takes a deep breath.

“Look, I really don’t want to talk to you. Where is my guy?” Gil asks in a slightly irritated voice.

“Oh, so… he is your guy, huh?” The man asks in a fake astonished tone.

“Yes, he is. Where is he buried?” Gil asks in a demanding tone.

“Are you two close?” The man asks with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“That’s none of your business,” Gil tells him in a clipped tone.

“What does Nick Stokes mean to you? How do you feel when you see him in that coffin? Does your soul die every time you push that button? How do you feel knowing that there’s nothing you can do to get him out of that hell? Helpless…useless… impotent? How does it feel having to tell his darling of a wife he’s not coming home?” The guy asks again dodging the question with his own million to one questions and Grissom doesn’t respond.

“Good. Welcome to my world,” the man tells him before revealing that he has a bomb strapped to his waist.

“Uh, if I were you, I’d back up a little,” he tells Grissom in a condescending tone, but yet there’s also humor laced in with it.

Grissom takes one, two, no three little steps back and before he has a chance to do anything else the guy presses the button that he’s holding. The whole place gets wrecked with the magnificent boom, windows shatter and wood shards go flying every which way. Once the bomb is done dust over takes the air and starts to rain down along with blood painting the walls.

Grissom wakes and starts to huff for breath as he struggles to sit up. His ears ring and he can feel blood on his face as he looks over the desolate scene in front of him.

Reader’s Pov:

I wake up to someone shaking my shoulder lightly and with a small groan, I open my eyes. The bright light burns my eyes, making me shy away before looking back up to see Warrick standing in front of me. He gives me a small smile as I sit up, the blanket falling from my arm to my lap.

“What’s up, B?” I ask him and he smiles lightly.

“Griss just left to take the ransom money. If we’re lucky, Nicky boy should be home by tonight,” he tells me as his grin slowly grows more and more.

“You mean I’ll get him back?” I inquire softly and Warrick nods.

“Warrick, you better not be playing with me…” I warn him and he shakes his head, holding his hands up in surrender.

“I promise you mamas that I am not messing with you,” he tells me and I take a moment to let the words sink in.

“Oh, B… you were right, he’s coming home,” I whisper out as tears come to my eyes.

“It’s all just a waiting game now, mama. Once Grissom calls in, we can go get our boy,” he informs me and I can’t help but jump forward and hug him.

“Wait…” I pause before pulling back from the hug.

“How did Gil get the ransom money? I thought the department wasn’t going to pay it out. Did Nicky’s parents put it out?” I question and Warrick shakes his head.

“We’re not really supposed to talk about it… because Grissom insists on it staying anonymous, but you have Catherine to thank… she went to her father and asked for the money…” Warrick explains to me and I freeze as gratitude overflows me.

“Where is she?” I ask him after a moment of silence and he shakes his head.

“She’s in her office,” he informs me and I nod as I get up.

I quickly rush out of the break room and down the many halls I know will take me to her office. I slow down once I see the office and lightly knock on the door. She looks up and smiles when she sees it’s me.

She takes her glasses off and gives a small nod, mouthing a small ‘come in,’ before I push the glass door open. I walk in, closing the door behind me and Catherine smiles softly at me as I take a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. Her walkie-talkie chats quietly from beside her with a sound of static every time someone isn’t talking.

“What do you need, y/n?” she asks me as she folds her hands on her desk.

“Rick… he, uhh… told me what you did. I… I don’t know how to thank you,” I answer her in a choked tone and she smiles softly at me again.

“No need to thank me, y/n. Both you and Nicky are family. I hated seeing you and him in pain,” she explains softly before reaching her hand out to me.

“No. You deserve a thank you. Without you, I wouldn’t be getting my husband back. I… I wouldn’t have made it if—” I start but she squeezes my hand as she cuts me off.

“Don’t even start to wonder. That road can be a dangerous one, y/n. Just think of what you’ll do with all your time off,” she tells me and I give her a confused look.

“Time off?” I ask in confusion and she nods as she pulls her hand back.

“Nick gets time off for mental evaluation after all of this. I assume Griss will make you do the same thing,” she informs and I purse my lips as I nod.

“Honestly, we need the time off anyway. We were hoping to put in for some after these cases finished up,” I tell her and she grins, making me smile too.

“And you guys deserve it. You’ve done a lot of work with no breaks lately,” she muses and it goes quiet with the radio static being the only noise.

“Would you like to—” Catherine starts, but gets cut off with a voice coming over the radio.

“Dispatch, this is Gill Grissom of the crime scene lab. I request assistance at 4672 Carney Lane - - Boulder HWY. There’s been an explosion that needs analysis as soon as possible,” comes Grissom’s voice over the radio and I quickly suck in a breath as Catherine picks it up.

“Copy that, we’re sending units to your location right now,” Dispatch replies and Catherine looks up at me.

“You stay here. Someone will update you if we find anything at all, I promise,” she tells me as she stands up and I nod quickly.

After Catherine and the others leave, I’m left alone so I decide to take a shower and change my clothes. I walk to the locker room and open my locker.

Immediately I regret it when I see a picture of me and Nick on the inside of the door:

I smile softly at the old picture as I look at Nick and me from back when we were still in our second year of being CSI’s. With a soft smile, I find myself mentally thanking Nick’s sister Janet for taking the picture. I reach up and touch the picture as I sniffle.

I sigh and grab my change of clothes and a small toiletries bag before closing the locker. I go over to the shower and grab a towel from the cabinet before setting all my stuff on the counter. I then get into the shower and monotonously go about it.

I stay in the shower until the water runs cold and sigh as I reluctantly turn it off. I make work of getting out and quickly drying off before getting dressed. After I’m dressed, I drop my towel in the hamper and walk back to my locker.

I open it and set my toiletries bag in first before folding my clothes up. I put my clothes into the locker and catch sight of another one of the pictures I have hanging up:

I smile as the memory from college plays in my head and all I can hear is Nick’s laugh. That day was just one of our many lazy days that turned into him forgetting that he had a project to finish for his class. He ended up working on it while I sat reading my book, until I got bored and reached over for my camera that was on his bedside table.

~Flash back~

“Hey, Nicky,” I sing-song to him.

“Hmm?” he hums out, not even looking at me and I roll my eyes.

“Look over here, babe,” I tell him and he takes a moment to lean back in his chair, looking over one last detail before looking at me.

He smiles when he sees me and I grin as I take the picture. He laughs while shaking his head, making me grin even more.

“You and taking pictures of me. Did it at least turn out good?” he asks through his own grin and I pull the camera back to look at the screen.

“Hmm. Yes, it did. That one’s being printed,” I comment, only to giggle when he shakes his head before going back to his work.

~End of Flashback~

“Come home to me, Nicky,” I whisper, wiping at the tear that falls as another picture makes me giggle softly:

I remember that day so well. Nick was working on a separate case alongside Greg and I just so happened to walk by and see them both in really deep thought. Me being me, I decided to take a picture of them and send it to Nick with the text “someone looks a little grumpy :(”. He had immediately looked up to see me after reading the text and smiled at me, making me smile back softly before continuing on my way.

I sigh as I look over all the many pictures I have of us from over the years. Some Janet had taken, some taken by Nick’s brother Shane, as well as his brother Mason, sister Piper, and brother Braxton, all of whom saw me as a sibling the moment me and Nick started hanging around each other. There’s some we took together and some of us just being goofy together:

I let all the memories slowly play out in my head before shaking myself out of my thoughts.

“He’s coming home. He’ll be ok…” I keep repeating to myself in my head. I bite my lip and look over all the pictures one last time before closing my locker.

I wipe away tears that I didn’t even notice had fallen and start to walk to the break room. Once in the break room, I decide I should try to eat something, so I start looking for something that seems appetizing. I find a bowl of leftover spaghetti in the fridge with the name ‘Stokes’ on it in big bold letters. I shake my head at the note I find under it:

Sweets, I know you’ll find this. You better eat it, I know you haven’t had anything at all today. Remember I love you and EAT the damn food please.

~Nicky ^>^

“Even when he’s not here, he’s still taking care of me,” I comment out loud to myself, shaking my head as I give a soft chortle.

I take the foil off the top of the glass bowl and open the microwave. I then set the bowl in carefully and close it before setting it to three minutes.

As it warms it up, I walk back over to the fridge to get my soda from earlier this morning out before walking back over. I then grab a plastic fork from a container on the counter just as the microwave comes to a stop and beeps. I take the food out and walk over to the round table in the center of the room.

I sit down and start to stab at my food, but all of a sudden it doesn’t seem appetizing anymore. I twirl some on the fork and take one bite in hopes it’ll at least taste appetizing, but it doesn’t. I sit there trying to work up to wanting it, but it just keeps looking gross.

I sigh and push the bowl away from me before putting my hands over my eyes. I sit there for a few minutes with my hands over my eyes when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up and see Warrick standing there with a solemn look on his face.

“What happened?” I ask him and he sighs, moving to sit down next to me.

“The bastard blew himself up. Talk about cowardice to end it all,” he chortles in disbelief, shaking his head.

“Griss was lucky and didn’t get hit by the blast. He has minor hearing loss, but unfortunately no Nick,” he continues to explain and I suck in a breath.

“You process the scene yet?” I inquire and he pursues his lips.

“Yeah. Me and Greg worked on the car. GPS wasn’t a lot of help at all. All we got was general information of around where he was,” he informs me and I bite my lip in hopes of holding my emotions back.

“What— what about a body? Did the guy have anything on him?” I question and he pauses a moment as if debating whether to tell me.

“There wasn’t much of a body. He was literally in pieces… and no, we didn’t find anything on him,” he answers me and my face changes to one of anger.

“Did you guys find anything useful at all?! Or did you just quit?!” I angrily seethe out, my hormones completely out of whack and Warrick looks shocked for a moment.

“Mamas, I know you're angry. You have every right to be, but you gotta stay calm or I’m taking you home,” he informs me and I nod as my anger washes away.

“You're right. I’m sorry. I don’t know what just came over me,” I apologize as I put my head in my hands again and sniffle.

“It’s okay, mamas. You're entering the anger stage and not to mention you're probably hungry. I get it. It’s hard when all you want is him here with you,” he sympathizes with me as he pulls my chair to his and hugs me.

“Did you get anything at all, though?” I ask him and he nods.

“Yeah. Sara got a thumb, so we got a thumb print. She just went to run the print to see what we get,” he explains to me and I sigh.

“I just want him home, Rick,” I tell him and he pulls away from our hug to look me in the eyes.

“And he will be, mama. He will be, but for now you gotta take care of yourself, you hear me? He wouldn’t like knowing that you didn’t,” he says and I sigh, shaking my head.

“I hear you. I do, I just…” I trail off and he nods.

“I get it mama, I do. Have you eaten?” he questions and I motion to the bowl in front of us.

“I tried, took one bite and just wanted to throw up. So, no, I haven’t eaten,” I answer and he sighs.

“Ok. Here’s what we’re going to do. Grab the bowl and come with me,” he commands and I give him a shocked look, knowing what he’s doing.

“But B, there’s no food in the lab,” I reiterate the rules of the lab and he shrugs.

“Will you eat if you can see he’s doing ok?” he questions and I take a moment to think about it.

“I mean, maybe…” I tell him and he nods again as he gets up.

“I’m sure Griss would allow it this one time,” he explains as he pushes his chair in and I smile softly at him.

“Ok. Then let’s go,” I agree as I get up and grab the bowl.

“That’a girl. Let me just get myself a coffee, then we can go,” he tells me and I nod as he walks over and grabs himself a cup.

He quickly pours the coffee and adds a little bit of sugar before turning back to me. “Let’s go,” he says as he walks over to me and I nod.

Together we walk through the hallways and some of the labs before coming up to Archie’s computer lab. We see him sitting at the computer, just watching the feed as we walk up next to him.

“How’s he doing?” Warrick asks as he walks up to the chair next to Archie, who looks over at him.

“Hard to say… about the same, I guess,” he replies to Warrick before looking at me.

“Hi, y/n,” Archie greets me with a small sympathetic smile and I give a small one back.

“Hi, Arch. Is it ok if I eat my food in here? I just needed to see him,” I question him and he nods.

“Definitely. Just don’t make it a habit,” he jokes and I smile at him again.

“I promise I won’t,” I playfully joke back and he nods.

“Here. You can have my chair. I’m gonna go get some coffee,” he informs us as he gets up and I send him a thankful smile.

“Yeah,” Warrick agrees as he sets his coffee down on the table as I sit down next to him and Archie leaves.

Once Archie is gone, I finally turn to the monitor and sigh when I see Nick. He just lays there so still, but I can tell he’s still breathing as his chest rises and falls. Warrick reaches up and rubs at his tired eye before holding his balled up fist next to his mouth and looking over at me.

“Eat,” he tells me as he taps my leg under the bench, effortlessly pulling me out of my fixed stare on Nick.

I nod and lift the bowl up before taking a bite. I chew slowly and the food doesn’t taste as bad as before, but it’s still hard to get myself to eat. Nick then turns to the air vent that’s to his left and breathes before the video slowly closes out.

The ‘YOU CAN ONLY WATCH’ pops up again and Warrick quickly moves to click the link again. The video comes back on and Nick mouths something, but it’s hard to make out. I continue to take many slow bites of the food and soon it’s gone.

I set the bowl on the table and Warrick looks over at me, then the bowl. “Good job, mamas,” he praises me and I nod my thanks. He pulls me over and wraps an arm around my shoulder and I lean into it as we continue to just watch Nick in silence.

Again all too soon, though, the video goes off again and Warrick moves to click the link again. Nick mouths more words that are hard to make out and my eyes start to well up a bit. We continue to watch and it’s only a little later that we watch him take out some gum from his pocket. Warrick and I look at each other, intrigued before looking back at Nick as he chews the gum.

He then takes the gun out of his mouth and shoves it in his ears. Warrick and I both sit up a little as we watch in wonder of what he’s doing.

“What are you doing, Nicky?” Warrick voices the question we’re both thinking as Nick lays his head back for a moment.

He reaches down to his side and I let out a gasp as his service weapon pops up. He holds onto the barrel for a moment and then takes it off.

“What are you doing, Nicky?” Warrick voices again as we both fully get out of our chairs.

He turns the barrel to his chin like he’s going to shoot himself and all the air leaves my chest as I quickly turn around. I regret turning around that fast as everything spins and the sick feeling from earlier returns. I close my eyes as I try to regain my equilibrium while I wait for Warrick to react in any way.

“Don’t do it, Nicky!” Warrick exclaims as he continues to watch when I can’t.

“Ahhh!” Warrick shouts and I jump, a sob escaping my mouth.

“You son of a bitch!” Warrick screams out and another sob leaves my throat as I bring my hand up to cover my mouth.

The shock takes over and I slowly start to sink to the ground as all sounds become muffled. It’s only a second after my knees hit the ground that I hear Warrick again.

“Shit. Y/n. He’s ok. Look, mama. Look. He just shot the light,” Warrick informs me as he comes over to me and lifts me up so I’m standing.

“Look at the monitor, mama. Look,” he prompts me and I shake my head.

“Come on. Look. He’s still alive…” he tells me and finally I listen.

I look at the screen to see my husband still breathing and alive, just now he has a glow stick as his light. I let out another sob and turn to Warrick, throwing myself into his arms. He sighs and wraps his arms around me, rubbing my back as I continue to cry.

“I’m so sorry you had to see that. I wasn’t expecting it and I should have. I am so, so sorry mamas,” he apologizes as he leaves a kiss on the side of my forehead.

“I…it’s ok, B. You… you couldn’t have known,” I tell him though my hiccups as he holds my head to his shoulder and sighs.

Warrick’s Pov:

After Nick shot out the light, I held a sobbing y/n in my arms for a few minutes. She cried until she made herself tired and fell asleep on my arm. I carefully carried her back to the break room and set her on the couch.

I make sure her head is on the pillow and then cover her with the blanket she’s been using. She lets out a puff of air and I smile sadly at the girl who’s like my baby sister. I make sure she stays asleep and I’m glad when she does, knowing she desperately needs it.

I sigh as I run my hands over my face. I decide to leave, knowing if she wakes and needs me she’ll come find me. I walk to the locker room and open my locker, but stop before I get anything out of it.

I rub my forehead as my emotions start to hit. It’s then that I remember that only just this morning I had been laughing and talking with Nick in this very spot. I slam my locker closed and sit back on the bench he’d sat on before taking a deep breath.

The tears started to flow and I let them for a while, just taking time for myself. After a few minutes, Catherine walks in and looks at me.

“Griss wants you, me, and Greg back at the scene. He wants us to look for anything else we can find,” she informs me and I rub my face.

“Ok. Let me just get my gear and jumpsuit. I’ll meet you guys there?” I ask and she nods before turning around and leaving.

I take a moment of silence just to try to process everything before sighing and pushing myself up off the bench. I quickly grab all my gear and head out to my car to drive back to the scene.

When I arrive, Catherine walks over to my car and I turn it off before getting out. I walk to the back to get my kit out and she walks with me.

“Greg and I decided that we should split up. Divide and conquer,” she explains and I nod as I pull my kit out and close the trunk.

“Ok. Who’s doing what?” I ask her and she points at Greg as we walk in.

“Greg’s on sifting, I’m taking the car, so that leaves you with mapping,” she answers me and I nod as I set my kit down.

“Well, let’s get to it, then,” I comment and she nods before going over to the car.

I pull out my clipboard and start to map the place as Catherine takes photographs of the car. Greg sifts through all the stuff that we put into the sifting bucket and we all quietly work on our individual projects for a bit.

After a little while of mapping, it seems hopeless and I roll my eyes as I rip the pieces of paper off of my pad. I throw it down to the floor and try to start over.

“Hey. I found a trigger wire,” Greg announces as he holds it up.

“Maybe once we reassemble all the components, we’ll be able to tell where the bomb came from. Maybe…” Greg starts to explain in hope, but I roll my eyes.

“Yeah, maybe, maybe, maybe. Maybe if we count up all the damn ‘maybes’, maybe Nick will be alive!” I cut him off, shouting in anger as I kick a container in front of my foot.

“You know what I’m saying?!” I shout as the container lands next to Greg, spilling onto the ground.

“Was that necessary?!” Greg shouts back as he stands up.

“Never mind my clothes. Look at the evidence!” Greg shouts as he motions to his clothes before throwing his clipboard aside as he looks over the evidence.

“Damn it!” I shout as I throw my clipboard down and turn away from him.

I walk off to the side, my anger seething as I try to push it down. I stop just in front of the door as Catherine calls out to me.

“Hey. Warrick. Hey,” she says, walking up to me as I turn around to look at her.

“Hey. How you holding up?” she asks as she rubs my arm ever so slightly.

“I’m not,” I tell her as I take my glove off and cross my arms, only to uncross them.

“I know,” she comments as she reaches up and moves her mask a bit.

“I just can’t help but think that could have been me in that box. You know?” I voice my thoughts to her and suck in a breath of air.

“We flipped a coin for that trash run,” I add on and tears brim my eyes.

“Hey. Nick is not inside a box because of the flip of a coin,” Catherine cuts in before I can continue.

“If that was me, I would’ve… mmm…” I cut her off, my voice rising as I point to my head like I'd shoot myself before rubbing my finger at my forehead.

“Hey. You know what? I know you. I don’t believe that,” she says with her voice rising as she points at my chest and I back away a bit.

“Okay?!” she asks and I look at the ground.

“No. You’re wrong. I wouldn’t have lasted this far,” I tell her and she shakes her head, scoffing lightly in disbelief.

“You’ve taken care of y/n better than anyone else. I DON’T believe that,” she reiterates herself and I shake my head.

“I had to hold y/n as she cried herself to sleep today. That’s something I never wanted to ever have to do…” I tell her and she sighs as I pause for a moment.

“Catherine, if something happens to Nick… If we don’t bring him back in one piece… she’ll be done for. I don’t think y/n can handle it. I promised her I’d get him home,” I inform her and her eyes widen.

“You prom-” she starts, but stops when Greg calls out for us.

“Hey, guys, come here,” Greg shouts and Catherine turns around.

“I found something,” he adds on as we both start walking over to him.

“Look at this,” he tells us once we’re next to him.

He lifts a bottle of liquid and pours it on the dirt. He pours it in a line with it turning the sand a little darker and sets the bottle back down to the side.

“There’s something underneath there,” he comments as he looks up at us.

Catherine is the first to bend down and help him. They start pushing the sand away with their hands and I use my foot. Once we see something else poke through, I bend down with them and together we all use our hands to push the dirt away.

“Oh, it’s got an edge. Right here,” I tell them as I reach for it.

“All right,” I say as we each move around, still moving sand.

“Another one over here,” Greg calls out as we continue to all feel around in the sand.

“Greg, get some crowbars,” Catherine shouts out and Greg immediately jumps up.

He runs off only to come back a few seconds later. He tosses me a crowbar and hands one to Catherine.

“You think Nick could be under here?” Greg questions as we each grab onto our crowbars and start trying to pry it open.

“I don’t know, man. It would have to be at least six feet long,” I answer him as we continue to pry at it.

Finally it starts to open and together we all push the board away to find more dirt. I sink my crowbar into the dirt and start to dig out as much dirt as I can.

“Yeah, but if he buried him lengthwise— and who’s to say he didn’t— he could be,” Catherine explains the way that she thinks he could possibly be below us.

She puts her mask back on before she and Greg help me dig. I quickly race over and grab our shovels. I hand them both one and together we all dig with the shovels as fast as we can.

About halfway through, Catherine and Greg take a break as others come in to take over for them. I keep going in hopes of finding him so I can get him home to his wife. We all keep digging and digging until finally I hit something.

“I hit something,” I announce as I hit it a couple more times with the shovel to make sure.

I throw my shovel to the side and bend down to it. I quickly make work of moving the last little bit of sand aside. I finally get down to it and we can see what’s underneath it all now.

“It’s plexiglass,” Catherine observes as I keep moving sand away.

“Nick!” I yell out in hopes of getting a response.

“Nick?” Catherine yells out after me as we keep going with our hands.

“Nick, hold on there, buddy!” I shout as I keep going.

“Nick?!” Catherine shouts as we finally can see into the box. Only instead of finding Nick, we find a Dalmatian inside the box.

“What?” Catherine says in confusion as we look down at it.

“It’s a dog,” she shouts out and sighs as she starts to rub her forehead. “It’s a dog,” she reiterates herself as she starts to cry.

I huff in anger as I shake my head before standing up and walking off. I shout out as I kick another container in frustration.

“Who’s gonna tell y/n?” Greg asks and I sigh, letting my head hang.

“I will,” I say and Catherine shakes her head.

“No. I’ll tell Griss and he’ll tell her. I still need you to look over this once we get it out of the ground,” Catherine explains and I sigh, looking at her.

“But it’s not out of the ground yet. Please let me go tell her. She’ll need me. I’ll look it over when you guys get it to the lab, but I’m the only one keeping her going. This will deviate her, I need to be there,” I beg Catherine, who sighs before nodding in agreement.

“Yeah. Ok. Go. I’ll let you know when it’s at the lab,” she agrees and I nod, jumping up and getting my stuff.

“Thanks, Catherine!” I yell out to her and she nods, waving me off.

I quickly head to my car and put my kit in before getting in myself. I sit back in my seat with a sigh as I mentally prepare to go tell y/n. With one last deep breath, I start my car up and head back to the lab.

To Be Continued…

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ilariyalavorowrites · 15 days

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Stalking Me, Stalking You (CSI Nick Stokes) Part two

Imagine: You never saw it coming, you never knew he was there until the moment he struck. For months, this individual had stalking you from the shadows, trying to find a way into your life. Never quite able to but in his mind, time was running out and soon enough you would be completely out of reach. This was the moment to act, to ‘rescue’ you and steal you away.

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending, kidnapping, hurt but eventual comfort. Suffering, lots of suffering, slow-moving plot, stalking, obsessive behaviour.

Pairings: Nick Stokes x Reader and Reader x OC (one-sided)

Word count: 3,338 words

Universe: CSI

Reader gender: Female

Part two of ten

Tagged: @just-call-me-the-old-hag @horsedragonllama @space-helen @kneelforloki

Previous / Next

Tuesday, 8 AM

It was hard to even comprehend what, the how but most importantly the why as you lay upon the lumpy, uncomfortably firm bare mattress. There was not much within the room that could easily make out through the darkness covering every inch from wall to wall. A small window was your light source, far too high up and tiny to even be considered a viable escape route.

A bare-bones cell, where you were completely dependent upon your captor for all your necessary needs except one. How long had it been since you had been placed within these four walls? It was hard to say with any degree of accuracy but you could hazard a guess after watching the sliver of light move across the room. At least twenty-four had come and gone which gave you ever a little hope.

As you thought over the few details you remember when he had last opened the only possible exit, an empty pendant that hung in the middle of the ceiling and one single chair and table on the other side of the room and that blinking red light staring down, watching. A camera poised just out of reach, following your every motion from within the safety of a room far beyond that locked door.

You could only focus on what was important, surviving through until an opportunity presented itself. One, where you'd find a way out and into the welcoming embrace of freedom. Until such a time arose, you would bide your time knowing that your mother’s arrival would herald the alarm being raised, you had not known a moment in time when she hadn’t been resourceful when left to her own devices.

She wouldn’t have remained at the airport for longer than what she deemed a necessary length of time to wait before flagging down a taxi. You hated to envision the sight of her arriving at the house, only to discover that you were not there. Only to try and reach out again, nervously calling again and again but never able to reach you and elevate that rapidly growing concern.

Fear was your constant companion, never knowing what was going to happen the next time that the door opened. With one hand, you pushed yourself up until you were sitting on the edge of the makeshift bed. As soon as you sat up, the waves of nausea returned but you could ignore it for now.

Your eyes turn upwards, staring straight at the camera. As your analytic mind ran through possible scenarios but for now, it was best to comply with your kidnapper. Play along, act like the part that he wanted you to play as you observe every word spoken, the slightest action and reaction to find that gold window to escape.

It would take time but then again, right now that was all you had. It had taken more than a moment, to mull over where you had seen him before, trying to place the man who had imprisoned you against your will. Then it hit you like a ton of bricks. Your eyes widened, in suspense at the realisation of who he was and the extent of the resources he had available to play with.

Money to make his problems vanish at the drop of a hat, with one well-placed phone call to the right person. You would have to play your cards carefully and hold them close to your chest as one wrong move could send you spiralling down a path that might not come back from.

Taking baby steps as you blindly walked over broken eggshells. The click of the lock turning alerted you to the fact that you were no longer alone. He was coming through.

“Darling, did you sleep well? “He affectionately crooned, pushing the heavy door inward, and entering the box-sized room. There was a sense of anticipation for you to reply in his tone as he stiffly stood mere feet away, with a food-laden tray in one hand, carefully balanced but his eyes were glued to your frame. Lingering a fracture of a second longer upon your abdomen before darting away.

You could have screamed at the top of your lungs, demanding pointless answers to the mountain of questions you plucked of out the air, as to what had led him down this dark path, but what good would that do? You had seen the various outcomes, seen bodies dumped and victims torn asunder for questioning their killer’s motivations.

“My back aches but I did get a little sleep” You forced the words out, much like you would dry swallow tablets if you had no water. Your answer seemed to be good enough, as he quickly turned on his heel to place the tray down on the table.

You followed his few short steps, hesitating to move from your seated position. The table itself was bolted down to the floor, as was the chair. To keep you from wielding either as a weapon against him. He had thought through each likely eventuality, combing out stray paths that could allow you to find your way out.

This was going to be harder than you had initially considered but the security camera should have the first indication that he was smarter than most of the criminals you tangoed with daily.

“Your breakfast will get cold, come eat” There was underlying sharpness to his words as he spoke still in that disturbingly affectionate tone.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------Monday, 9:15 AM

As Officers Jack Rodriguez and Francis Sawyer rolled up to the scene, their eyes glanced from left to right taking in all the necessary details that would need to be relayed to dispatch first and then to whichever CSI would be assigned to gather evidence.

It was a standard one-up, one-down house that looked much like the ones on either side. Nothing special from the outside. The perfect starter family home for any citizen who looking to live in this part of town.

Rodriguez pushed open the driver’s side door on the cruiser, as Sawyer silenced the siren that had flashing the blues as they raced across town straight from the police station. It was their first call of the day and they both wanted to get the ball rolling. His eyes then searched for the woman who had placed the call in the first place, one Mrs Evelyn….

Her surname had been a familiar one but then again, there were likely to be countless individuals with that particular surname. He pushed against the notion as his eyes landed upon an older lady frantically pacing in front of the homestead with Its front door wide out to the elements.

His keenly trained eyes noted the suitcase lying on the grass verge, remembering that the dispatcher had mentioned that this lady was the mother of the property’s inhabitant and was visiting from out of town.

“Sawyer, I’ll speak to the lady who phoned this in, whilst you secured the scene” Rodriguez stated to his partner who nodded and moved in the direction of the front door. They had always worked well together, becoming in sync over the last decade of their partnership.

Jack with a gentle smile approached Evelyn carefully, trying his best not to startle her already frayed nerves. “Morning Ma’am, I’m Officer Rodriguez” He quickly introduced himself to try and begin an open line of communication between the two of them.

With his gun in one hand, poised in front of him Officer Francis Sawyer slowly approached the property. His eyes swept from left to right, to make sure that nothing would catch him off-guard as he moved through the threshold and into the entrance hall.

“Las Vegas Police Department” He loudly announced as he took the first step past the doorway. There was nothing but silence as he continued onwards, taking in every little detail from the empty coat hooks on the left side to the different pairs of shoes lined up on the right.

Nothing out of the ordinary thus far as he ventured further into the domain until he stopped at the threshold of the living room. This room told a completely different story. The sofa and chairs were knifed and torn into tatters, the coffee table shattered into a thousand different pieces and every drawer and cupboard gone through.

Papers and possessions were thrown about the place, littering every inch of the floor. It was a complete and utter disaster as if a mini hurricane had come through here. As he inched deeper into the room, the crack of photo frames underfoot drew his gaze downwards. Seeing the image of one that he had crossed paths with in the past, at the shift change when she was on her way out. He blanched, as a sudden realisation hit him hard like a ton of bricks.

This was the home of one of their own. The name rang around his head once more, embedding the notion of this violation of privacy as if it was his own home that this stranger had entered and recklessly destroyed.

“LVPD, if anyone is there come out now” He tried once more but still was met with a wall of silence. He carefully wandered through the remainder of the rooms, sticking to the walls as he cleared each one. Francis went from one end of the house to the other until he stood in the kitchen at the back of the residence. Taking note of the broken glass that covered the ground underneath one of the windows. Once he finished his walk-through, he exited back out the front door to rejoin his partner to stand guard until the forensic unit took control of the scene.

Evelyn continued to listen and answer to the best of her ability the Officer’s endless barrage of questions. “Once I saw the state of the living room, I left the way I entered as I didn’t want to find myself face-to-face with the intruder” She had recalled the advice that her daughter had given her on one of their weekly catchups when she had told her about their cousin’s plight when she found her home broken into.

“I have been trying to reach my daughter since I landed, but my calls remain unanswered and this makes me think something has happened to her” Evelyn said, words drenched in heavy layers of fear and worry for her child. “How did you get in Ma’am?” Jack questioned, as he continued down this path as the picture of what had led to the phone was coming together.

“My daughter came me a key the last night I was here, last October but the door had been left ajar which is not like my daughter at all. She would always check and make sure the door was locked before leaving” Evelyn answered honestly as this had been her child’s way even before moving to Vegas. Forever worried about her safety within and outside her residence.

As Sawyer returned, Jack could not ignore the troubled look on his partner’s face. He had found something within those four walls as he watched him relay to dispatch an update. The familiar radio codes alerted him that there was more to this scene than what they had been informed en route. “Ma’am, is there any reason that your daughter would deliberately go missing” It was a question that needed asking, even if it left a bitter taste in his mouth as the words passed through his lips.

“No, she was looking forward to this visit. We had plans, including dinner reservations with her partner” Evelyn blurted out, annoyed at the notion that her daughter would just up and disappear like this.

“Do you happen to know the name of her partner? Had your daughter mentioned any concerns about them?” He pressed, knowing that any romantic entanglements would always be the first point of call in any investigation.

“His name is Nick but I don’t know his last name. They meet through work but she has never expressed any concerns. She always seemed happy when talking about him” Evelyn replied as she failed to recall any conversation where her daughter had spoken negatively about Nick. Jack nodded, noting down this in his notepad as the CSI’s rolled up.

“Thank you, Ma’am, I have your contact details and my partner will drop you off at one of the hotels as this is now an active crime scene” Jack started to explain before adding “I will let my superiors know to update you when we have more information” He tried his best to calm her but knew that she would likely be beside herself until that phone call came through.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------Monday, 11:30 PM

Captain Jim Brass entered the room without meeting the gaze of any of his colleagues. Conrad Ecklie followed close behind, much like a shadow would.

“Thank you all for waiting, at 8:45 this morning, officers were alerted to a burglary at the home of one of our own. From the testimony of the detective next of kin who had discovered the scene, dayshift CSIs have gone over the home with a fine tooth comb but it seems that this was just a distraction” Jim stated, taking a breath before continuing.

“The detective has not been sighted since 10:45 am yesterday, the availability of evidence has led u to believe that this is now a 427, that she has been kidnapped” As Jim spoke her name, he watched the expression on each of the faces change.

“We are pooling all resources together but as there will be a conflict of interest. The graveyard shift will be hands-off, using eyes only when reviewing the evidence. As Dayshift will be taking the lead. This time, Conrad spoke with authority that went above and beyond the department as Undersheriff of the entire LVPD.

Nick was beyond speechless, his face pale as the shock continued to rush through him. He could not find the words to express the true extent of his abject horror. His partner was missing and the order from up on high had all but reduced his capacity to assist in bringing her home, back to him.

In a sense, he was an observer looking through a pane of glass, whilst others had the control and power behind his rescue. It was maddening, his blood boiled at the frustration and anger rising within. With his fist clenched, hanging by his side, to stood and listened knowing that verbally lashing out would get him nowhere fast.

Nick knew that he would need to come clean to Russell and Catherine to the extent of his relationship with the now-victimized detective. However, that meeting would come sooner rather than later, as Nick’s body language had not escaped DB Russell’s observant gaze. It was dissimilar to how the other had responded. The quiet fury reminded the older man not of a colleague or friend but of a deeper, more passionate connection.

His keen and well-trained eyes had moved through the room, watching how each of them had reacted. Frustration and annoyance hung in the air, they all wished to help to get to the bottom of this. They had worked alongside the Detective in question, some for many years, others not quite as long. He had only worked with the Dectivictive on a handful of cases but still, she was an easy-going well trained and personable individual.

Nick was a man bounded by limitations but ready to fight back when the opportunity arose, to go to the end of the earth, searching under every rock along the way. His eyes told a story, one that would be similarly reflected in his own if his family had been the ones to be taken.

He needed to speak to Nick Stokes the seasoned Criminalist before Nick Stokes the man and loving partner took hold and crossed a line that he could not come easily back from.

There was no personal connection for him, Russell would view the evidence objectively without bias but his colleagues would likely struggle. They would most definitely try but Stokes was an unknown element. A match that could easily spark into a blaze, he would need assistance in quelling this fire before it started. Catherine Willows would be an ideal second, to tag along into this meeting.

With this knowledge, the cogs in his mind begin to turn. “Catherine, A word if you wouldn’t mind” Russell’s focus shifted back to the blonde woman standing across from him. He gestured with his left for her to follow him. She quickly nodded, before the pair of them exited the room,

His eyes flicked back to the layout as the two of them entered his office, walking as the lone Texan stepped into the hallway. His entire posture was tense, driven by powerful emotions that could send him spiralling down a dangerous road.

“What do you want to talk about DB?” Catherine enquired, from the other side of his desk, patiently waiting for him to answer. “Close the door please, As this pertains to Nick Stokes,” He said calmly, taking a seat behind the desk in his recently acquired office, decorated with his little personal touches.

Catherine quickly closed the door but turned sharply back when Nick’s name was raised. “Nick? Relating to what exactly?” She questioned, taking a step closer to the man who was effectively her boss and superior.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------Sunday, 7:30 PM

His eyes remained fixed upon the long strait of the road ahead as he passed a sign on the side of the road. The twenty-five foot high tall incandescently lit up sign that marked the Vegas limits as his eyes briefly lifted to take in the words upon the back of it.

DRIVE CAREFULLY, COME BACK SOON

A smirk spread across his lips, as he turned his attention back to the road. A thought crossed his mind. He had no intention of ever returning to this city again, especially now that he had what he craved the most. All tucked away in the trunk of the car, she would still be knocked, thanks to the cocktail of drugs that he had administered not long before leaving the shack where his prize had been concealed.

This was just the beginning of their life together, as long as she played her role to perfection like he knew she would. The winding road would indeed be arduous, for it would be a long while before they reached home. Yes, it would be their home to spend the rest of their days together.

She was different, unlike the others who tried and failed to live up to his high standards. She was the ideal candidate. She would succeed, where the others had been dismally disappointing. Those who let him down did not deserve to breathe the very same air as he did but they were not worth another wasted moment of his time, even to reflect upon.

“Here’s to the next chapter of our lives Darling” He smugly announced confidently, knowing that there was no one else around to hear his words. Not even his darling, who was lost to the drug-induced slumber. For there were no loose ends to tie up, they had all be swiftly taken care of, one way or another.

No direct evidence linking back to him, all the angles had been carefully considered before taking action. Oh, how wished that he could watch them scramble around like lost little lambs trying to find their way in the dark. Alas, that could not be, it was the risk that was too high for him to take without compromising his escape. It had needed to be a clean getaway, without that the probability of discovery rose to a level that could lead the cops right to his door.

He would not lose her, not after all the time that he had invested in his venture to simply obtain her, to rescue her and make her his.

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lucidlivi · 1 year

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Unholy

Warning: mentions of violence, sexual innuendo, mentions of sex, and mentions of std

"well it looks like our priest here wasn't as godly as he appeared." Nick said looking at the body in front of us.

Nick and I were working a case on the strip. A priest was found in his office, his pants pulled down to his ankles and missing a significant part of his lower region. He was stabbed repeatedly and left to bleed out.

"that's a lot of rage, someone wanted this guy to suffer and I think I know why." I said.

I picked up the condom still in its wrapper showing it to Nick. I opened one of the drawers of his desk, the action making empty condom wrappers fall out. A smirk spread to Nick's lips.

"so you're telling me our priest was going to get it on before he was butchered?" Nick asked shaking his head in disbelief.

"a priest who was a sex addict." Nick said finding more hidden boxes of condoms.

"this priest gets more action then you do Nick." I joked.

You'd think with the way Nick looks he'd be a total man whore but that was the farthest thing from the truth. He was reserved and sweet. Which was only one of the reasons I was insanely attracted to him. Nick and I were partners, we got each other like no one else did. It was getting harder day by day not to let my feelings for him slip out. Nick was about to respond when Greg walked in to help us process the scene.

"wow that's a sight." Greg said grimacing at the bloody corpse.

"our priest here had a little problem." Nick said throwing a box of condoms at Greg, causing me to laugh, even though Greg caught them.

"I could use these more than you." Greg said tossing the box on the ground by his feet.

I cackled as Greg made the same joke I had only seconds earlier.

"you know i'm not as holy as i've led you all to believe." Nick said shrugging his shoulders.

I couldn't help the intense blush that spread to my cheeks as the intrusive thoughts entered my brain. I quickly coughed to try to cover up my uneasiness.

"sure whatever you say buddy." Greg laughed grabbing his camera to start photographing the scene.

"here's the difference between me and you Greggo, you'll screw anything within two feet of you, I reserve that for the special ones." Nick said, and for a second I thought he'd glanced my way.

"I can't help woman find me attractive and throw themselves at me." Greg shrugged.

"you attractive? please I could have way more woman if I wanted." Nick argued back. He wasn't wrong but of course I wouldn't tell him that.

I rolled my eyes, they fought like an old married couple.

"will you two shut up now and help me." I said looking at them.

Greg looked at Nick and smirked.

"alright settle it then." Greg said staring at me.

I looked at him confused. He was definitely backing me in a corner here and I didn't like it one bit.

"hypothetically of course, who would you want to sleep with, me or Nick?" Greg asked eyeing me.

"bold of you to assume, i'd sleep with either one of you." I said raising my eyebrows at him.

"that's why it's hypothetical, duh." Greg said.

"Greg leave the poor girl alone." Nick said glaring at Greg. I gave him a silent thanks.

we were all quiet as we finished processing the scene. I'd found a notebook containing the names of all the woman our unholy priest slept with in the last couple of months. I looked at the last log entry. It was from last night. I was finished collecting my evidence and was about to walk out. Suddenly I got a bold rush of confidence.

"Nick." I said glancing at the both of them.

I could see the wide grin Nick now donned.

"what?" Greg asked seeming to forget about his previous question.

"I'd sleep with Nick." I said closing my kit and leaving the scene.

I didn't know if they noticed but I intentionally didn't say hypothetically, because truth was if the opportunity arose I just might.

"hell yeah suck it Greggo!" I heard Nick scream in his thick texan accent.

It was later in the day and Nick and I were visiting the multiple ladies who had the honor to make it on the priest's list, 16 in total. It was all the same story, they came to him for advice and he'd talk his way into their pants. He made them feel special, like they were the only girl in the world and after he got what he was looking for, he'd drop them. No wonder someone wanted him dead. The last woman we'd interviewed was extra spiteful when she spoke about him.

"you think she could be our killer?" Nick asked as he hovered over me looking at the file on our suspect.

"would you blame her? he was totally sexualizing her!" I said quickly turning around in my chair.

I couldn't help the nerves that shot down my body as the heat from his radiated not far from mine. Our faces were just mere centimeters apart. I'd never been nervous about Nick being close to me before but now I had to swallow the lump that was forming in my throat. Maybe it was because I'd never thought of him in such an unholy way before. Nick furrowed his brows as if he was deep in thought. He didn't seem to notice the proximity of our bodies, but it was all I could think about. Nick finally snapped out of whatever daze he was in and looked down at my red face. He cleared his throat looking down at my small but plump pink lips. He was about to say something when Greg's annoying voice made us jump.

"that's right ladies and gentlemen aids." Greg said throwing another file in front of me.

"our priest had HIV?" I questioned opening the autopsy file from Doc Robbins.

"yeah, and get this, those condoms we found, well he wasn't the one wearing them, 16 woman visited a local clinic over the last couple of months, each one testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus, and I think if you compare my list to the one you found in his office you'll find that they're the same list." Greg said.

I was looking over the report from the clinic and sure enough every single woman we'd talked to today had been on that list. Not one of them mentioned having HIV or Aids.

"take a look at this, our priest suffered from 16 total stab wounds, a coincidence, I don't think so." Nick said pointing out the COD.

"16 angry woman, 16 stab wounds, 16 killers." I said picking up my phone to call Brass.

Captain Brass and his team started bringing in our woman. He'd brought 15 in telling us he was unable to locate the last woman we'd spoken to, she'd somehow evaded them. They were out currently looking for her. None of the women were talking.

"okay clearly our last suspect is the mastermind behind all of this." I said slamming the door of the interrogation room after another failed attempt at a confession.

"we'll find her." Nick said squeezing my shoulder.

"I think I already did, her credit card was just used to check in to the La Playa, a little run down motel just off the strip" Hodges said handing us a map.

"let's take a trip then." Nick said throwing me my vest.

Nick and I arrived at La Playa quickly, the air was eerie. Nick marched in to the front office with me hot on his trail. The person behind the check in desk was an older man, clearly intoxicated.

"well hello there, looking for a couples room for a little off duty lovemaking." the man said winking at the two of us.

I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks as it wasn't the first time in the last few hours that I'd had that exact impure thought about my partner.

"not exactly, a Allison Wyatt just checked in here, we need to know what room you rented to her." Nick spoke with authority.

I couldn't help but notice the creepy lustful stare the man was giving me. Nick must've noticed it too, he grabbed my wrist pulling me slightly behind him, my body now out of view of the drunken man.

"Allison Wyatt where is she?" Nick asked again slamming his fist on the desk.

His one hand still held me behind his back, and normally I would've protested the protection as I prided myself on being an independent woman but somehow when Nick did it, it felt right.

"room 116." He said giving us a map of the motel layout. It was a small square block of rooms with a pool directly in the center.

Ironic, 116. Nick quickly pushed me closer to the door, making me go first, and staying directly behind me so the creep couldn't get the good look he was anticipating. I blushed as Nick's hand brushed the small of my back. We reached room 216, and could hear rustling inside. Nick placed his hand on his firearm.

"stay behind me." He ordered looking down at my small stature.

I swallowed the lump in my throat nodding my head slowly. It was completely inappropriate but I couldn't help the heat that rushed through my body at his demanding tone.

"Allison Wyatt this is the LVPD we're coming in." Nick said kicking the door in effortlessly.

As soon as we were inside we saw her sitting in the chair in the corner of the room.

"Nick." I gasped quietly directing him to look down.

there were at least four gas cans discarded in the bathroom and we were standing right in the gas soaked carpet.

"Allison you don't want to do this." Nick said lowering his gun as we noticed the matches in her hand. If she lit one, this place would go up in flames in seconds.

"why don't I, there's nothing left for me." She said opening and closing the box almost as if she were taunting us.

"because he got what he deserved." I said disobeying Nick and going to stand in front of him.

Nick went to move his arm to pull me back but Allison gave him a warning look not too.

"you bet your ass he got what he deserved, that bastard ruined me, he ruined all of us. do you really think a man is going to want to touch me now? I went to him because I'd finally got the courage to leave my abusive ex husband, ha out of the arms of one abuser into the arms of another. He used me. After he finished he went to the bathroom to clean up, I rifled through his drawers and found that I was just another notch in his bedpost. I also found a note from his doctor. It had a positive test result for HIV, that bastard didn't even use a condom. I decided that I would be the last woman he'd ever hurt. I let his secret slip to the 15 others, and boy were they angry. I seduced him, and then I cut it off so he couldn't use it to hurt anyone anymore." She said as a few tears fell from her eyes.

"that's when you took turns stabbing him." Nick said trying to take a step forward but once again receiving a warning look.

"he ended us, so we ended him." She said tossing a knife on the ground at my feet. It was covered in blood.

"I understand why you did it. He was a sick man. He abused his power and hurt a lot of people. But he can't hurt anymore and we can help you so you don't have to hurt anymore either." I said taking a step towards her.

She scoffed giving me a look.

"there's no help for me, I'm already burning."

In a quick second she struck a match. Before I could process what was going on, I was being tackled out of the room. Flames engulfed her body, the heat causing blisters on my skin. Nick rolled off of me, his shirt catching flames. Nick quickly discarded his shirt, jumping in the pool. I did the same, the cool water calming my burning skin. I was having a hard time treading water because my skin was sore.

"come here." Nick said grabbing my hand and dragging me to his body.

He held me as I wrapped my legs around his waist. I blushed as I ran my hand down his bare torso.

"thanks for saving me." I said smiling at him.

"hypothetically if I kissed you right now what would you do?" Nick asked brining his forehead to rest against mine.

I bit my lip darting my eyes from his down to his lips. I quickly closed the space between us, latching my lips on to his. I was now feeling a heat throughout my body for a very different reason. Nick moved a hand, gripping my head to bring me closer if that was even possible. Our lips moved in sync, a passion and hunger I'd never felt before. I wanted more of him, all of him. Nick pulled away slowly, his lips swollen, probably matching mine. He looked at me with lustful eyes.

"I think we're going to need that room now." I purred in his ear.

let's just say the crime wasn't the only unholy thing that happened that night.

#nick stokes #csi #csi las vegas #greg sanders #sara sidle #gil grissom #nick stokes x reader #nick stokes imagine #warrick #csi cbs #george eads #george eads x reader #jack dalton #hodges #crime #reblog #like or reblog

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kneelforloki · 22 days

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guyssss i am currently obsessed with nick stokes from csi. im pretty sure ive read every possible story i can find so pleaseee if any of you have some recommendations i would be eternally grateful!!!

#nick stokes fanfic #nick stokes x reader #nick stokes #csi #help me guyys please #honestly i’m desperate it’s become an obsession

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literaryfandomangel · 12 days

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CSI Season 2 Episode 19 --Stalker

CSI Season 2 Episode 19

--Stalker

When we went into work, Nick and I stopped by Gil’s office. We had a discussion last night at his place about doing the right thing – telling the department that we were in a relationship. In my previous place of employment, they would have reprimanded me for seducing a coworker. Then I would have been demoted. Nick reassured me that this wasn’t the case here – that numerous coworker’s had relationships within the department.

Nick had rubbed my back as I tried to calm my breathing. I was worked up just by asking him what if they split us up. Moved us to a different shift, because then we wouldn’t be able to see each other. Nick shook his head, his crooked smile enveloping his face.

“That won’t happen, darlin’,” Nick reassured me, his Texas drawl soothing my frayed nerves at the aspect of telling Grissom that I was involved with one of his best CSI’s. I knew that Nick valued the opinion of Grissom as well, so that was also nerve-wracking.

“But how do you know?” I stressed, looking at him as I bit my lip. Nick laughed, not unkindly, but used his thumb to release my lip from the abuse of my teeth.

“Do you know how many of the lab has been together?” When I shook my head, Nick elaborated on the number of relationships he knew of, as well as how they were treated once it came out.

When we knocked on Gil’s door, he was bent over looking at something through a magnifying glass. He looked intrigued to see us at his door, both requesting an audience at the same time. Gil motioned to the chairs at his desk, wordlessly, and waited to see what we were going to say.

“We’ve been dating,” I blurted out, unable to keep it a secret any longer. Nick gave an awkward chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Is that all?” Grissom asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought someone was confessing to a crime. Needing help with hiding a dead body or something.”

“I didn’t want to be in any type of department violation,” I told Gil who nodded, as Nick was chuckling.

“See, I told you!” Nick pointed out.

“I see no issue with two of my CSI’s dating,” Gil remarked, already losing interest in this conversation and looking down at the bug he was studying. “I will make a note of it for your documents with the Crime Lab.”

“That’s it?” I asked, a little shocked at the handling of a relationship. Nick had validated this point and to see it occurring was honestly a little shocking.

“Yup,” Gil nodded, opening our files and putting something in the documents. “The only issue would be if you two were supervisor and subordinate. Then you wouldn’t be able to do the other’s evaluations.”

“Wow,” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Who knew?”

“I tried to tell you!” Nick smiled at me, as he shook his head, good-naturedly. “You’ve been panicking since our fourth date.”

“Well,” I tried to explain, but finally gave up. Gil gave us both a rare smile.

“Get ready, we have a 419 – it’s going to require all of us to handle the evidence,” Gil said. We both nodded and went to the locker room to get ready.

Once we were finished putting our holsters on, getting the guns loaded, and grabbing our credentials, we both exited the locker room and went to the breakroom where the others were waiting for the assignment of the night. I looked at our coworkers before taking a deep breath.

“Before Ecklie or someone says something – Nick and I are dating,” I told them. They all grinned, Warrick slapping Nick on the back, congratulating him. I rolled my eyes as Gil came into the room.

“We’ve got a 419,” Grissom said. We all got out of our seats and grabbed our gear, along with jackets. Nick had to wear a leather jacket as his clothing wasn’t at the drycleaners the other day. I had laughed at them handing someone else his clothing and told him that was the reason I do my own laundry. I doubled with Nick while Catherine and Gil were in the lead, getting to the scene first. Warrick and Sara were still back at the lab.

“It’s going to be a long night,” I told my boyfriend who nodded his head as we drove to the crime scene. He had grabbed my hand with his, entwined on the console as we listened to music on the way to scene. Once we were on the scene, Catherine and Gil went up to get the preliminary photos. Nick wanted to talk with the detectives on scene.

I grabbed my kit from the trunk and went up to the apartment building. I walked in as Grissom was coming out of the bathroom. I was looking around the apartment and my eyebrows were furrowed.

“So, has anyone seen this dog?” Gil asked, looking around the apartment and listening for any sound of the dog.

“Dog bed, dog bowl, dog food ... no dog,” Catherine remarked as they noticed the dog paraphernalia all over the house.

“Someone killed the dog?” I gasped, staring at the senior members of the team with horror. They both shrugged, not confirming or denying it. “People I get, but a dog?”

“Neighbor lady called 911 because she heard the dog yelping,” Gil stated. I sucked in a breath.

“Are we sure it’s not hiding somewhere? Or that the cops didn’t let the poor animal out when they kicked in the door?” I asked, looking around the apartment. “Here, boy!” I whistled, trying to find the dog.

“Triple locks on all the doors. Every shade drawn. State-of-the-art alarm system,” Catherine looked at the alarm panel on her wall. “As far as we know her place was perfectly hermetically sealed until the cops batter-rammed their way in.”

“Prisoner in her own home?” Gil asked, standing there looking at the aforementioned safety features.

“Maybe she was agoraphobic?” I suggested, standing in her living room.

“So, how did he get in?” Catherine raised an eyebrow as she looked at the locks.

“A better question -- how'd he get out?” Gil questioned.

“Maybe he’s with the dog?” I sneered, looking under the furniture, trying to see if the dog was hiding underneath the couch. The dog bed was small – indicating that this wasn’t a golden retriever. “The dog bed looks sort of small. This dog couldn’t be more than 25-30 pounds. And there is no fur all over the home. I think it’s a hypoallergenic breed. Or this woman keeps vacuuming a hundred times a day.”

Gil walked into the living room behind me. He was still searching for a way that the assailant could have gotten in or out of the home. Gil pushed the gauzy curtains out of the way to reveal that the windows were covered in silver.

“Aluminum foil,” Gil said, shining a light on the silver material covering the windows.

“Keeps the sunlight out,” Catherine murmured also looking at the foil lined windows.

“God knows one needs to in Vegas,” I groused, still checking under the furniture, flashing my light around. “The dog couldn’t have just disappeared!”

“Keeps the eyeballs out, too,” Grissom stated as Catherine announced she was going to process the bedroom. She left the room while I was still poking under the furniture and trying to entice a dog. The door opened and Nick came in. He raised an eyebrow at my wandering around the living room, randomly whistling.

“Did you finally lose your marbles?” Nick drawled. I huffed at my boyfriend.

“I wish!” I called out. “The victims dog totally vanished. No one can seem to account for the dog that prompted the 911 call!”

“You’ll find him, darlin’,” Nick soothed, knowing my soft spot for animals, walking down the hallway. He stopped after a moment, looking at the scene in the bathroom. Gil watched him for a few moments, before turning to point out a random spot to me. After a few moments, Gil left me on my own in the living room.

“Sorry, Nick,” I heard Gil say in the bathroom. “You've been staring at this girl for ten minutes. Do you know her?”

“No,” his voice was faint.

“Why don't you go do the bedroom? I'll get the coroner in here and finish up in the bathroom,” Gil took pity on Nick.

“Sure,” I heard footsteps go down the hall to the bedroom. I left the living room and wandered down the hall to the kitchen. Very few hiding places, but I still checked.

Catherine and Gil came up behind me in the kitchen. There was nothing. This was absurd. A canine doesn’t just disappear into thin air. It had to be here somewhere.

“Find anything?” Catherine asked, unsure why I was pouring all my energy into the missing dog. I turned to look at her, a murderous look on my face.

“Nothing at all,” I sighed. “Absolutely nothing. Why not leave the dog?”

“Why don’t you go back to the lab with Nick when he’s done processing the bedroom,” Catherine suggested. I blinked but nodded.

“Someone will find the dog, right?” I implored, pleading with my bosses. They both nodded, even though they had already guessed that the dog was probably deceased along with the victim. I went back to poking around, but eventually gave up as Nick was finished processing the bedroom.

“You alright?” I asked him as we put the evidence and kits into the back of the Yukon. Nick had been really quiet after he walked into that crime scene.

“Yeah,” Nick said, though his voice didn’t sound sincere.

“If you need to talk, I’m all ears,” I winked at him, pulling my red hair from the tight bun. I massaged my scalp as I got into the passenger seat, a headache forming in my temples.

“You alright?” Nick asked, a little concerned at the pained look on my face. I nodded, reaching into my pouch to pull out some Excedrin.

“Headache,” I muttered.

“Something about that scene,” Nick muttered, and I left him to muse about the scene. For some reason, the body rattled him. He didn’t know the victim, but there was something familiar about it.

By the time that we made it back to the crime lab, my headache had subsided to a lesser roar. It made it so that I could think. Nick grabbed the evidence from the back of the Yukon and then we entered the building. He stopped by the A/V lab to pick up a file and then we walked to find our coworkers – Warrick and Sara so they could help us in our quest to figuring out what had happened to the poor lady.

On our way to the breakroom, where Archie had advised the missing CSI’s were located, Nick noticed the latest issue of the newsletter posted on the bulletin board. We had an internal newsletter called “Crime Stopper”. This month, Nick was featured on the front cover, complete with inaccurate facts. I stifled a laugh as Nick ripped it off the clipboard, irritated at the issue.

“Don’t,” he warned, crumpling up the paper in his hand. I shook my head, holding up my hands in innocence. I had totally read through that paper – which even included Nick’s Alma Mater and the name of the fraternity he belonged. It was cute, but the others were using it as a way to tease their friend.

As we approached the breakroom, Nick and I could hear the laughter and giggling coming from the two CSI’s in the breakroom. They were sitting at the table, reading over the newsletter, laughing. It was totally absurd. Nick smiled, shaking his head at their antics.

“Who wrote this?” Warrick asked. Sara couldn’t contain her laughter.

“You're kidding me, right?” Nick asked, throwing the balled-up newsletter from the bulletin board into the trashcan.

“Nick Stokes, Crime Stopper,” Warrick read from the paper, deepening his voice. I snickered and Nick laughed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “You went Hollywood on me, man.”

“And I quote, "in his off time, he enjoys creating and inventing toys." That's fascinating,” Sara said. “What kind of toys do you make, Nick?”

“I don’t know who got that information, but I can confirm that Nick doesn’t invent or create any type of toys,” I interjected.

“I thought I got my hands on all those departmental newsletters,” Nick reached down and picked up the newsletter. “Where'd you get those?”

“Greg,” Sara and Warrick said in unison.

“Yeah, that figures,” Nick’s jaw twitched in his annoyance. “All right, listen, Grissom wants us to divide and conquer. Blond hair for you, Warrick.”

“I do love a blond,” Warrick stated, holding up the bag of evidence containing the blonde hair inside.

“Sara, you're on phone records,” Nick put a folder full of phone records on the table in front of Sara who pulled a face.

“Yay,” Sara said, her tone dry as she looked down at the records she would have to comb through. Nick turned and left the room, crinkling the newsletter on his way out.

“Hey, I wasn't done reading that!” Warrick protested.

“Yes, you are!” Nick tossed the balled-up newsletter into the trash can as he left the room. I followed after him, waiting a moment, since he hadn’t given me an assignment.

“What about me?” I asked, trotting after him, questioning on how I could be of assistance to this case.

“You, my darlin’,” Nick winked at me, knowing how much his Texas drawl and pet names made me swoon, “are on a mission to see cause of death. Can you check with Doc Robbins to see if he has a COD?”

“Sure,” I smirked, walking around him. “I’ll find you when I get the results!” He nodded, continuing on his way after I pressed a kiss to his cheek.

I hated the coroner’s office. Doc Robbins and David were really nice, but it was extremely cold down there. I grabbed my fleece jacket and went into the autopsy room. Grissom and Catherine were with Robbins.

“Nick sent me down to see if we had a COD?” I asked, shivering inside the fleece jacket. Robbins usually took pity on me, sparing me a lecture, once he had caught my lips turning blue from hypothermia before.

“COD is asphyxiation,” Robbins said. “Petechial hemorrhaging, cyanosis. Oh, and she’s a natural blonde.”

“So someone died her hair?” I asked, reaching up to my own head of red hair. Robbins nodded, pointing at my natural-colored red hair.

“She wasn’t sexually assaulted either,” Catherine stated. I sighed.

“So torture, just to torture someone. Did you guys find the dog?” I asked and both Grissom and Catherine shook their heads.

“Dog?” Robbins asked, but I wasn’t up for chitchatting about the dog.

“UGH!” I groaned, leaving the morgue. I went upstairs, still shivering in my fleece jacket to find Nick fumigating the plastic bag.

“Find out anything?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at my obvious state of frustration.

“Yeah,” I sighed. “No one has found the dog yet!”

“Sunshine, I meant - ” Nick was interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the lab door. We both looked up to see Greg.

“Heard you were looking for me?” Greg didn’t look like he wanted to be here. It looked like he wanted to be elsewhere but wanted to get it over with. I figured that Warrick told him that Nick was ticked.

“Greg. Come here. I want to talk to you for a sec,” Nick stated, looking down at the plastic bag. He put his clipboard and the pen down at the side, as he waved Greg into the room. Greg hesitated at the door.

“Come on,” Nick cajoled, waving him over. Greg finally relented, walking over to Nick’s side where he was standing looking down at a glass tank.

“What's up?” Greg asked. Nick reached over with his left hand, slapping him on the back, then gripping at the base of his neck.

“Stop invading my privacy, man, I don't like it,” Nick stated, not mad, but trying to get his point across. “I'm just trying to do my job around here. I don't need the extra attention.”

“Okay. But, I mean, you are the one who's doing the "Forensic Spotlight" in the,” Greg choked up as Nick tightened his grip. I hid my amusement as Greg winced in pain at his comment. “Department newsletter.”

“I didn't do anything, man,” Nick insisted, not letting up on his grip. “Someone from the community wrote a letter of commendation. Public affairs ran it. Cool?”

“Cool,” Greg grimaced, nodding his head. Nick finally let go of Greg’s shoulder, patting him on the back in understanding. Greg raised his eyebrows as Nick walked around the other side of the tank with his clipboard.

“So, uh,” Greg sighed, moving his shoulder subtly in a bit of pain from the neck pinching, “what are you fuming?”

“Plastic bag from the crime scene. I'm trying to get lucky -- see if I can get some prints off it,” Nick told the analyst. He opened the top of the tank and fanned the fumes. Greg was staring at the front of the plastic bag.

“Did she die of suffocation?” Greg asked. I gasped.

“How did you know?” I asked. Nick stared up at Greg, really amazed that was the only answer he was giving. Greg still stared at the plastic bag in the tank. After a moment, Greg looked up at Nick, since he didn’t get a response. Nick finally determined that Greg saw something. He walked around to the side of the tank where Greg was looking. I got off my chair and joined the two men, just to see the outline of Jane Galloway’s face on the plastic bag.

After several deadend leads that the CSI and Brass pursued throughout the day, Grissom finally called it quits with the rest of us. We departed for our homes. Nick pressed a kiss to my lips as he made sure that I was secure in my vehicle. I promised to call him once I got some sleep and then I left the Crime Lab.

I walked in my apartment, dropping the keys in the bowl by the door. I dropped my kit onto the closet floor, before walking into my living room. There were several messages on my answering machine.

“Hey Aria, just wondering how ya were doing? Give me a call sometime – Bobby,” I saved that message, having missed my surrogate uncle. He lived in South Dakota and owned a junkyard. As a kid I used to love tinkering in his yard, whenever my mom would take me to visit. Then when she married my stepfather, he forbid us from seeing Bobby.

The next message was a telemarketer. I deleted that message, before going into the kitchen. I searched high and low for something to eat – finding a few frozen meals. I preheated the oven. As I waited, I turned on the television. I watched a documentary about Egypt until my oven beeped. Then I put my food into the oven, and walked to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Once I had finished the shower, I slipped on a pair of silk pajamas and wandered to check on my food. I figured it had to be done, pulling the meal from the oven. I ate most of it, discarding the rest into the trash can. I sent a quick message to Nick, wishing him a good night, before I threw myself onto my bed, and fell asleep.

The next morning, I woke up at a reasonably late time. Once I had managed to drag myself from the comfort of my bed, I went to the bathroom – got a quick shower, before applying my makeup. Once I was finished, I went back into my room and dressed for another day of work. I always loved the height that wearing heels provided, but it wasn’t feasible when we spent sometimes upwards of 24 hours on our feet.

I was wearing a pair of light green dress pants, a darker green long-sleeved top, and I pulled on my brown combat boots. I also decided to wear my brown leather jacket to pull the outfit together. (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/647322146460814169/) I grabbed my phone, seeing that Nick had messaged me, advising he was on his way to pick me up.

I sprayed myself with my perfume, before turning off the lights. I didn’t bother with breakfast, as we had a routine. There was a little bakery on the way to the lab, where we picked up breakfast and our coffee.

“Hey!” I pulled open the door before he could knock. Nick whistled as he saw me in my work attire, my cheeks coloring at his teasing. “Nick!”

“Sorry, baby,” Nick leaned down for a kiss, before I pulled the door shut, locking the deadbolt. “I’ve never seen you in a leather jacket.”

“I’m full of surprises,” I threw back at him and he chuckled, opening up the door of the Yukon. I slid into the passenger seat. Once Nick was on the way to our bakery, I noticed something seemed off. “You okay?”

“What?” Nick seemed startled that I spoke for a second. “Yeah, just something odd.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, careful not to pry too much. He shrugged as we arrived at the bakery.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Nick denied, opening up my door and then we went inside. I accepted his inability to talk about it for the moment.

“If you want to talk, you know where to find me,” I told Nick who nodded. Once we each had our food and drinks, it was time to return to the crime lab. I was in and out of the locker room quickly, while Nick hung around to talk to Warrick. I figured, he was unloading the situation with his best friend. I was happy Nick had someone to confide in, if he didn’t want to talk to me.

I found Catherine and Sara in the breakroom. They were looking over the files and the information that Sara managed to find about Jane Galloway.

“What about Jane’s work history?” Catherine asked, filling up a cup of coffee. She sat down and I joined the two as they discussed the information.

“Secretary at a brokerage firm. About three weeks from the day of her death she took a leave of absence,” Sara advised – my eyebrows furrowed.

“Is that the only one?”

“Yes,” Sara confirmed.

“Medical records?” Catherine asked and Sara looked down at the paperwork in front of her.

“She saw Dr. Slater. Had a prescription for valium and librium.”

“That’s some heavy prescriptions,” I stated. “Anxiety?”

(SARA shows the report to CATHERINE who takes it and looks at it.)

“Severe anxiety due to personal reasons,” Sara handed the report to Catherine who took it to look over the information as well. “One day back from leave, Jane quits her job. No notice. Hotel receipts show she checked into the Monaco for two nights.”

“The hotel?” I questioned, taking the receipts from Sara. Then I handed them to Catherine.

“A week before that she goes on a frightened woman shopping spree,” Sara told us, showing us the receipts to multiple hardware stores. Something was off about this whole situation.

“Hardware shop receipts for locks. Locksmiths. Alarm installations. Phone screeners. The voice on her answering machine—electronic,” Sara read off the information that she could gather about Jane’s whereabouts in the weeks leading up to her death. “She changed her telephone number. She cancels all but one of her credit cards.”

“No paper trail?” I questioned. “No personal way to distinguish herself either.”

“It's as if she's trying to make herself disappear,” Catherine stated, shaking her head as we looked over the evidence.

“Make no mistake. Jane Galloway was being stalked,” Sara stated, voice confident in this answer. All of us could agree – this was textbook stalking behavior. “Emotional terrorism at its finest.”

“And her boyfriend had an alibi?” Catherine asked, disbelieving. It was rare that stalking came from an outside source – like kidnapping.

“Here's the, uh, worst part. Uh, I ran a phone check on all her incoming calls. Guess where they were coming from,” I exchanged looks with Catherine before we took the phone records that Sara was handing over.

DATE / TIME / PLACE & NUMBER CALLED 4/16 / 2:44 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0146 4/16 / 2:56 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0198 4/16 / 5:15 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0287 4/16 / 5:18 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:18 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:18 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:19 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:19 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:19 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:20 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:20 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:20 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:21 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:21 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:21 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/16 / 5:22 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0188 4/17 / 10:48 am / Summerlin, NV 555-0173 4/17 / 04:16 am / Summerlin, NV 555-0189 4/17 / 3:43 pm / Las Vegas, NV 555-0132 4/17 / 12:04 pm / Henderson, NV 555-0173

“Wait – isn’t that her own phone number?” I asked.

“Inside her house.” The realization dawned on Catherine who knew that she had to get this information to Grissom and Brass right away. We overlooked something at the crime scene.

“Good work – Sara keep digging. Aria, you help her.” Catherine gathered the phone records and left the room with her coffee. Sara and I got to work, combing through more information about Jane Galloway. I was in charge of making sure that the prescriptions wouldn’t cause some type of psychosis or hallucinations. Though with the evidence that we had gathered – I was confident that wasn’t the case.

We were working on the situation, when suddenly Sara got a phone call from Catherine. Catherine advised us to get a list of utility companies that Jane had and send all the addresses. We would all be out gathering information.

Catherine ended up with the carpet installation. Warrick and Nick were in charge of the Luna Cable company. Sara was going to talk with the appliance delivery. Grissom was talking to the gas company, and I was to talk with the alarm company.

Unfortunately, the alarm installer didn’t know anything. He couldn’t even remember Jane’s name, just that he remembered putting in the state of the art alarm system for her. He said she was strange, but most single women in Nevada were worried about their safety, so he chalked up her nervousness to that.

I had just thanked him for his assistance and was walking away when I heard my phone ring. I grabbed it out of my pocket, expecting it to be asking if I had found anything. Only for Warrick to tell me that Nick was being transported to Desert Palms Hospital. I dropped the file onto the passenger seat and flipped on the sirens, before peeling out of the parking spot.

My heart was pounding as I raced to the Desert Palms Hospital after Warrick had called to tell me that Nick had been injured. I couldn’t focus on anything other than the loud thumping in my chest as well as my hands shaking on the wheel. I don’t think that I was alright to actually drive to the hospital, but I needed to be there.

Once I had parked the SUV, haphazardly, and not entirely in a space, I rushed into the Emergency Room doors. One of the nurses took pity on me, asking me why I was there.

“My boyfriend – Nick Stokes – was just brought in? He’s part of the police,” I explained, my heart thumping.

“I think your friends are over there,” she pointed out Warrick and Brass who were pacing a length of hallway. I thanked her, ears whooshing with my heartbeat as I tripped over my feet in my haste to get to them.

“Whoa,” Warrick steadied me before I could barrel right into him. “He’s alright,” Warrick soothed.

“Are you sure?” I asked, heart still pounding loudly behind my breastbone. It almost hurt, it was beating so fast and felt like it was hitting against the bone.

“He woke up before the paramedics got there,” Warrick gave me a light smile. Just then the rest of the team rushed into the hospital, reaching our side.

“What happened?” Grissom demanded.

“He was pushed out of a window,” Warrick explained. “I didn’t see anyone leave or enter the apartment.”

“Are you sure he’s alright?” I questioned. Catherine turned her attention to me.

“Honey, you need to sit down,” she urged, forcing me into a seat. “You are as pale as a ghost. Put your head between your knees.”

Catherine forced my head down between my knees, as I attempted to steady my breathing. It took me a while to calm down, the rest of the team offering support and comfort without discussing anything else. Brass had to leave as they were searching for this Nigel that threw Nick out of a window.

Finally, the doctor exited the room that they had Nick sleeping. Sara and Catherine both stood as she came out to give us an update. I didn’t trust my legs to support my weight, depending on the information that we would receive.

“Concussion, two cracked ribs, sprained wrist, five stitches to the forehead,” she explained his injuries to us. “It could have been a lot worse.”

“But he's going to be all right?” Warrick asked the question that was stuck in the back of my throat. When the doctor nodded, I cried.

“He needs rest,” she stated, looking back at the unconscious Texan lying in a hospital bed. “But I don't see why he can't go home relatively soon.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Grissom thanked the doctor who left since she didn’t have anything further to state. Warrick was upset, while Sara sat next to me, rubbing my back.

“Damn it,” Warrick hissed, sounding upset and frustrated. “Grissom, this guy was right there. I could have had him.”

“You helped out Nick. That was the right thing to do,” Grissom reassured Warrick who didn’t look convinced.

“Doesn't feel like the right thing,” Warrick grumbled.

“If you hadn’t helped out Nick, I would have shot you Warrick,” I warned the man, who looked chagrined to have even stated that. I wiped the tears from my eyes. It had been too long since I had to sit beside someone that I loved, that I cared for, and had so much uncertainty about their injuries. The last person was my brother.

“You know, Nick was alone,” Catherine mentioned, making the blood in my veins run cold. “The Stalker could have killed him and didn't.”

“Yeah, I wonder why. Let's go back over there,” Grissom stated. Catherine stood up, walking down the hallway. Warrick started to follow the two CSI’s.

“I'm going with you.” Grissom shook his head, putting a restraining hand on Warrick’s shoulder as he turned to leave.

“No, no. You need to calm down a little,” Grissom ordered. “Talk to Nick when he wakes up.”

Sara and I remained in the hallway beside Warrick who didn’t look pleased at the orders from Grissom. I was relieved that they didn’t want me to go with them – but I think Catherine knew it would take me kicking and screaming. Just then, my phone started to ring.

“I’ve got to take this,” I stated, looking down at the unfamiliar number on my screen. I sighed, walking down the hallway away from prying eyes and ears.

“Hello?” I answered the phone to be met with the familiar rough voice of my brother.

“Aria,” he sounded relieved to have my attention.

“Why are you calling me?” I asked him. He sighed, letting out a burst of air.

“Dad’s missing,” my brother stated. I rolled my eyes. Apparently, that was the reason that my brother wanted to call me, have a reunion. All over our father.

“Uh huh,” I wandered back down the hallway when Sara appeared at the end of the deserted and secluded space, waving me on. “Dad’s missing?”

“Yes!” My brother insisted as I entered the hospital room where Nick was awake – groggy and confused but awake.

“It’s Dad,” I rolled my eyes. “You know what he’s like. He’s found himself some Jim, Jack, and Jose along with some blondes. Dad will stumble home like he’s always done at some point. No need to send out any sirens.”

“Aria, I know you and Dad didn’t get along - ”

“Didn’t get along?” I echoed, a bitter laughter forcing its way out of my lungs. “You mean the same man that told me if I wanted to go to college, I better not grace his doorstep any longer? That same father?”

“Alright, so he said some things,” my brother attempted once more.

“No, he’s said a lot of things. Namely how I was dead to him for choosing a different career. I’m sorry, but I can’t argue about this right now. My boyfriend was injured, and I need to take care of him. I’m not helping you track down Dad, when he’s not even missing,” I said firmly into the phone, taking my coworkers off guard. They weren’t used to this side of me. I was usually the nice one – bending over backwards to help out anyone with their situation.

“Aria,” my brother pleaded.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “But find someone else, Dean.” I hung up on my brother, turning to the other members of my team and my boyfriend. “Sorry about that. How are you feeling, Nicky?”

“Sore,” Nick groaned. “What’s wrong with your dad?”

“Nothing,” I waved him off. “He’s off on a bender.”

“Are you sure you don’t need to go?” Nick groaned, but I shook my head, a smile on my lips.

“How could I leave you all alone?” I countered, not wanting to go into my family dynamic. The reason why I was left with my stepfather for years, barely seeing my father after my mother found out the truth of the matter.

“Thanks,” Nick smiled, as the guys started to talk between each other for a while. Sara gave me a concerned look, but I shook it off, content to sit in the uncomfortable hospital chair and watch Nick grow more aware of his surroundings.

The doctor came in while Nick was awake – she explained all of his injuries. I think Nick was a little overwhelmed by the information coming his way. He just nodded his head in response, which is when I knew that he wasn’t comprehending most of what the doctor had just thrown Nick’s way.

“When can I go home?” Nick asked.

“I can release you now that you are awake,” the doctor promised. “Will someone be staying with him?”

“I will,” I raised my hand. “Nick’s my boyfriend. Warrick and Sara will have to return to the lab.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “I’ll explain what needs to happen. Follow me?”

I followed the doctor into the hallway where she explained his injuries in full, along with the instructions to follow once he was home. I accepted all the paperwork for his injuries along with the responsibility of taking care of Nick. Once she was done, she left to get the discharge papers. I went back into the room, smiling at the scene of the CSI’s talking and laughing together. Finally, the doctor came back with a wheelchair.

“Now, these painkillers are the real deal, okay?” The doctor stated, handing over a prescription of opioid painkillers. “Don't overdo it. Plenty of rest. No work for at least a week.”

I nodded, understanding the situation. I took the medication, tucking it under my armpit. I would be monitoring Nick – ensuring that he ate with the meds, and that he only took them when absolutely necessary. We didn’t need Nick spending time in rehab over an opioid prescription. Nick was sitting in the wheelchair. He had wanted to walk out, but with his ribs, he could barely walk around to get dressed.

“Will do, thank you, doctor,” Sara stated, while I was still a little emotional. The Doctor finally turned and left. I grabbed the wheelchair handles as we started down the hallway towards the parking lot.

“The gloves, you find them?” Nick asked, disregarding what the doctor had just said about his work restrictions. I shot a glare at Warrick who actually humored him.

“Catherine thinks he might have got away with them,” Warrick avoided looking at me and my murderous glare. “But, uh, Grissom did find some wacky video collection.”

“Of what?” Nick demanded, interest the case well known. I sighed, but thankfully, Sara stepped in, knowing that I was going to snap at him.

“Now, did you not just hear the doctor?” Sara told Nick and I nodded my head, though he couldn’t see me as I was pushing his wheelchair. “You're supposed to rest. We're on it, okay?”

“Yeah, relax, Ironside,” Warrick joked, finally, stopping the information dump that he was providing to the workaholic in the wheelchair.

We had gotten home, Sara helped me get Nick into the car. When she was done, I gave her a smile as I handed Nick the prescription that the hospital had filled. Nick took it, letting me shut the passenger side door. I knew that it killed him that I was doting on him – since Nick was the perfect gentleman. He insisted on always shutting my door, everything that a gentleman would do.

“You sure you don’t want me to come with you guys?” Sara asked, genuinely concerned with Nick’s inability to move. I shook my head.

“We’ll be fine. Grissom needs all the help he can get on this case,” Sara nodded, understanding that Grissom and Catherine needed help. Plus Sara was a known workaholic. “Especially now that he’s down two people.”

“Alright,” Sara smiled. “But call me if you need anything.”

“Sounds good,” I gave her a hug. “Thanks for being there.”

“No problem,” Sara waved and walked off to her own car. I got into my car and looked over at Nick who looked terrible. He seemed to be in a lot of pain and was trying to hold off on how terrible he felt.

“When I get you home, I’ll make something to eat. You shouldn’t take pain killers on an empty stomach,” Nick nodded, groaning as the car jostled his ribs. I sighed, pulling out of the parking space and then out of the hospital. Thankfully, the ride from the hospital to Nick’s house was relatively short, especially since it was really late.

Nick was leaning against me as I helped him up the walkway to his house. Then he handed me the keys, which I dropped onto the counter along with his prescription. Nick motioned for the bottle which I handed over, going into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water.

“You’re the best,” Nick sighed, taking two pills and setting it down on the counter. I lifted it up and read the instructions.

DESERT PALMS HOSPITAL (NAME) STOKES, NICK (FILL DATE) 4/17/02 PHONE NO. 555-0190 TAKE ON TO TWO TABLETS ... EVERY FOUR HOURS. VICODIN (EXPIRES) 04/17/03 (REFILL) 0 (BY) 11/17/02

Nick shuffled along to the sofa holding his ribs with his arm, where he settled down with a groan. I clucked my tongue in sympathy. I knew how painful broken ribs could be. Especially with the rest of his injuries; though he was no stranger to injuries. A former football player, but it had been several years since his playing days.

“Do you want something like a sandwich or do you think you want a meal?” I called out to Nick. He just groaned. “Nicky.”

“Can we wait for dinner?” Nick asked, more or less pleaded. “Just until the pills kick in and I can actually focus?” I nodded my head, exiting the kitchen.

“Sure. I’m going to wash my face and change my clothes, okay?” Nick nodded as I walked down the hall of his house. I had some clothes in one of his drawers, but I was definitely going to steal one of his shirts. Some nights, it was too exhausting to drive us both home – therefore, Nick would just let me crash at his place. He was too much of a gentleman not to trust; plus the two of us were usually exhausted from working doubles.

I giggled, grabbing one of his extra-soft LVPD shirts. He had discarded it a couple of days ago; which meant that it still smelled like him. I also grabbed a pair of my bike shorts. I went into the bathroom, peeling off my work shirt. I grabbed a washcloth and then washed my face and down my arms. As I was trying to get some of the day dirt off of my body, I heard knocking at the front door.

“I’ve got it!” Nick said. I quickly toweled off, opening the door. I didn’t bother with the LVPD shirt, as I was wearing a sports bra. It covered more than most bikini’s. I walked into the living room where a man I recognized from this case was standing in the middle of the room.

“I saw this house. I saw this house; I saw the number I saw the street name. Something is wrong here. Something terrible is going to happen here,” Morris Pearson stated. The hair on my arms stood up as I stood in the living room.

“Sir,” Nick tried to get his attention, but the psychic was just standing there, looking around. He had been right about everything else in this case – including the breakthrough of the stalker watching Jane from her attic.

“I can feel it,” he murmured, the hair on my arms rising at his words.

“Sir. Sir ... You're going to have to leave,” Nick was standing at the door.

“Please, please, listen to me!”

“Get out of here!” Nick yelled, having enough.

“Nicky! Listen to the man!” I finally interjected, believing that this man knew something. He knew too much about details that were never released to the public. This man knew about the dog.

“Listen to me!” Pearson turned to look at Nick. They stopped screaming at each other.

“I saw the address. I saw this address!” Pearson implored. Nick took a step away from the door.

“You saw my address?” Nick asked, sounding unsettled. Morris Pearson continued to walk further into the living room. I wrapped my arms around my bare stomach, wanting to run back to the bathroom for the shirt.

“Yeah, but that's not it, that's not it. I saw, I saw ... I saw crashing,” he was desperate, trying to state what he had seen in a manner that would make sense. Morris was trying to interpret what he was seeing. “I saw ... falling and crashing-- I saw somebody seeing through the back of his head. I don't know, I don't know ...”

Morris continued to mumble as he walked around. But suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to look at Nick.

“Green tea! Green tea! Does that mean anything to you? Green tea?” Nick and I both shared a look. It didn’t mean anything to either of us. Neither of us were very big tea drinkers, though I enjoyed a cup every now and again.

“I don't know,” Nick shook his head. Not only did he have to deal with this, but he had to deal with a concussion. His phone rang.

“Just ...” Nick stopped whatever he was about to say and answered his phone. I moved around Pearson to Nick’s side. “Hello?”

“Who?” Nick asked, looking over at me.

“Yeah, well, I'm not alone,” Nick responded.

“Your psychic's here,” Nick told who I assumed was Grissom on the other end. Then Nick hung up the phone. He looked over at me, grabbing our weapons out of the hidden compartment by the front door. Our service weapons were back at the station, but these were our personal handguns.

“Mr. Pearson,” Nick cocked his Glock 19, handing me my steel Colt M1911A1. I took the gun in hand, feeling the familiar weight, before cocking it as well. Pearson was out of our sight. Nick motioned to the hallway. “Mr. Pearson. Mr. Pearson ...”

Nick and I walked down the hallway. Nick took the lead, even though he was injured. At this point, I assumed the Vicodin was kicking in, as most of his pain seemed to take second burner. He checked the first door, nothing. Then he looked at the backdoor, but it was still locked and chained. I waited; gun drawn as Nick looked outside.

“Mr. Pearson, you back here?” Nick called, checking the other rooms. We heard the floor creak before a thud was heard.

I pointed up at the ceiling and Nick nodded. We pointed the guns at the ceiling and walked towards the living room. My heart sank as I realized it wasn’t green tea as in the drink, but rather the floor. A green T in the center of his rug. I touched Nick’s sleeve and pointed. He let out a breath at the sight, now realizing that whatever Pearson had seen was about to occur right here.

We both stood still in the living room, listening. The sounds were still coming from the ceiling. We both had our guns trained on the ceiling and all of a sudden, the ceiling caved in. A body hit the floor in front of us as debris sprayed everywhere. Nick dropped his gun while I had plaster dust in my eyes. I heard another thump but couldn’t see well due to the tears welling in my eyes. I still had my Colt in hand.

“Oh, man. You got to ... you got to watch who you let in here,” a male said. I blindly pointed my gun at the location of where the voice was heard. “Guy was snooping around all over the place. You know, smart move. Spare gun.” The male sighed, as I just blinked the dust out of my eyes, getting a clear look at the intruder.

“Put your gun down or I shoot Nick in the face,” I sighed, and set the gun down on the floor. My eyes were finally clearing up. “Ah. Keep it right by the phone, right? Right next to your address book and, and take out menus.”

Nigel Crane, the suspect in our Jane murder, gathered up my gun and then went to the front door. He secured the front door, drawing the chain and locking the door.

“Cops are on their way,” Nick said as I stood in the living room beside him. I took in a deep breath, knowing that I would have to fight this man. I squared my shoulders, planted my feet. He went to the window and pulled the blinds down.

“You wearing my clothes?” Nick sounded sickened. I did as well – knowing that I stole Nick’s clothes for comfort. What was this guy doing? Apparently, he was assuming the identify of his victims. And that explained where all of Nick’s clothing had gone.

“Oh, yeah. I'm ...” Nigel Crane seemed proud of his deviance. “You know, I-I-I picked these up at the dry cleaners and I ... I hope you don't mind. It's just that ... I'm sorry I, I just get a little confused about what's yours and what's mine.”

“You know what? I'm a little confused here myself,” Nick and I were both confused as to who this guy was and why he was trying to assume Nick’s identity. “Uh, why don't you refresh my memory. When did we meet?”

“Sports package,” Nigel Crane sounded incredulous as he snorted. “Hundred fifty channels. I-I-I even threw in a few movie channels. Free. We-we-we talked, like, forever. I mean, it's like I knew you my entire life.”

“You installed my cable.” Nick stated, brain working on overtime. I kept myself partially hidden behind Nick’s muscular body. I didn’t like the way this man was watching me, in my partial state of undress.

“Yeah. The ... the minute I met you I knew we connected. Because you told me what you did and I knew exactly what you were talking about, because ... that's what I do. I do it, too. You know, I observe people. I-I-I notice everything about them. I watch them. All the time.”

“Like you watched Jane Galloway?”

“Jane was cool. But, um, it would have never worked out between us, you know. Never. I mean, she had a boyfriend, and she was kind of stuck up. And you know what, she would have totally, totally gotten between us. So, you know, consider that a gift,” Nigel stated. “Though you have a girlfriend.” I swallowed deeply. This man was seriously unhinged and this might end badly for us.

“A gift?” Nick spat.

“Yeah. Prom night. Your date. Melissa.” Nigel smiled, looking proud of himself. “Bent over the toilet puking her guts out. Is that ringing any bells, huh?”

“Yeah,” Nick sounded freaked out.

“You know, I mean, Jane's hair was the wrong color but, you know obviously, I fixed that. Because I know how much you love redheads,” he pointed out. I felt my face flush as he motioned for me to come out. “Like this lovely specimen. You know, you ... you mentioned her name in your sleep.”

“You watch me sleep?” I felt sickened. I had slept over a couple of times at Nick’s house, used his shower since he installed the cable. He looked down at the dead psychic on Nick’s floor.

“You, um ... you want to open him up?” Nigel sounded eager, crouching down over the body. “Hmm?”

“No, no, it's, uh ... it's not our job,” Nick shook his head as he crouched down to be on eye level with Nigel. “You should know that. It's the coroner's gig.”

“Are you humoring me, Nick?” Nigel asked, sounding outraged.

“No,” Nick shook his head, voice soft.

“You know ... we made friends that day and every time since you just blew me off,” Nigel was definitely unhinged. I wondered how much longer it would take for Brass and the uniforms to come here. “Do you know that? You just completely blanked me. You are so self-absorbed.”

“Nick is not self-absorbed!” I interjected. Nigel sneered at me.

“I was right in front of your face,” he laughed. He stood up, getting more upset. “Manners, Nick! Manners!”

“ey, now, Nigel, now we got a D.B. here, huh?” Nick was trying to placate the man, buy us both some time. “You're going to help me with the crime scene, right?”z\

“No, no, I'm going to ... I'm going to ...” Nigel pointed Nick’s gun at my face. “Give you a brand-new one. I'm going to do better than that. I'm going to give you the best you ever had. Stand up, Nick, Aria. Stand up.”

Nick and I both rose to our feet. Nigel grabbed a hold of me, pulling me into his side. I shuddered at the feeling of his unoccupied hand trailing over my flesh. I really wished I had put on that T-shirt right now, as Nigel’s hand pet my abdomen.

“Nick, you know what a nine-millimeter slug does to a skull at close range? You know?” Nigel Crane held the gun in front of Nick’s face. My eyes filled with tears.

“Yeah,” Nick swallowed hard.

“Blow it right apart, right? Brains like strawberry swirled whipped cream, everywhere. And you,” Nigel pointed the loaded weapon back at Nick. “You'd have to scoop that stuff up, right? Yeah, little pieces of skull and bone and brains. All in individual baggies with the victim's name on the label.”

“ You know I don't want to disappoint you, Nigel, but this isn't the first time I've had a gun in my face,” Nick took a determined step towards Nigel.

“How do you want this to end, Nigel?” Nick asked.

“How do I want this to end?” Nigel echoed Nick’s question. “I want you to be able to remember my name.” He jammed the gun into the side of my head. Nick lunged for the gun, the two of them struggling for the gun. Shots were fired into the ceiling.

Just then, the door burst open, battering ram through the front door. The door crashed open and Brass along with several officers rushed into the house. Their guns were drawn.

“Get down! Get down!” It was a chaotic scene. Nigel kicked me hard in the face, while struggling with Nick. I let out a grunt, feeling my cheek split open, hot blood spilling down my face. Nick managed to get possession of the gun, holding it up to the ceiling. He took a step back, pulling me back with him. We watched as they handcuffed Nigel Crane.

“Hey,” Brass said to the both of us, he put a hand on the side of Nick’s neck. The two of us were emotional at the fact that some strange man was able to violate the house. We were breathing heavy, both of us shaking with anxiety. “It's, it's done. All right?”

“Yeah,” Nick said, looking for all the world like this wasn’t done, struggling not to cry. Nick pulled me into his arms, running his hand down my back as he looked at Brass who called for some paramedics to attend to my cheek.

We were taken to the police station, where Nigel Crane sat at the interrogation room table. He was just muttering the same line over and over again ‘I am one, and who am I?’. It was honestly pretty eerie to stand in the observation room, seeing him mutter to himself.

Nick had his arm around me, reassuring himself that Nigel Crane hadn’t actually shot me as he had threatened. Catherine, Grissom, Warrick, and Sara were with us, watching this bizarre man have a complete meltdown.

“Why me?” Nick murmured. “Why us?”

“I don't think it was about you, Nick. Or Jane Galloway, for that matter. I think it was more about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. His premise is that social beings strive to belong. In Nigel's mind, Jane Galloway was someone he could control which was okay for a while but you ... you were someone he could actually become. See, Maslow's Fifth Tier of the Hierarchy is Self-Actualization.

“The problem for Nigel is that you would have to die in order for that to happen. Or else he would,” Grissom stated, making the hair on my arms stand on end. “He would have shot Aria and then himself.”

“Twenty-five years to life, Nick. It's over,” Sara stated, I turned to look at her as she sat on top of another table.

“It's not over for me or Aria,” Nick murmured. “It's over for Jane Galloway.”

“Well, we should get back to the lab,” Catherine stood, putting a hand on Nick’s shoulder and one on my back in comfort.

“Yeah,” Grissom agreed, standing up. Warrick and Sara also stood, moving towards the door. They all left the room, leaving Nick and I standing in the middle, watching the madman that tried to kill me and might have killed Nick in his own home. As it was – Nick’s house was now stained with the death of Mr. Pearson.

#csi vegas #csi cbs #sara sidle #warrick brown #nick stokes #nick stokes x reader #original character #gil grissom #catherine willows #jim brass #stalker #fanfiction

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ilkkawhat · 11 months

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[Nick Stokes/Reader | 1,723 words | also on ao3 here | I have some of the best inspiring dreams ever, and a couple days ago I had one about a whumped Nick, though there's actually only a few things I took out of it to write this.]

You’ve been in this store before, although you really haven’t been.

“Attention shoppers.”

And you’ve never been in any store past closing, let alone, with all the lights off.

“Attention shoppers.”

You feel like there’s too much space between the aisles, and though the parking lot was scarce you can’t help but feel like someone will emerge from the shadows.

Or come up behind you, as goosebumps tickle your neck.

“Attention shoppers.”

You know better though, having been called here as back-up to investigate a live crime scene, that the owners of those lone cars will never drive them again.

There’s one shopper left in the store however, and you and Grissom are heading straight towards the fast paced rickety cart wheels swimming through the darkness.

“Attention…shooooooppppppppers.”

The automated intercom call warbles out, having been looped likely not on purpose but rather a side effect of the supposed employee that was butchered and fell on top of the controls, according to the account given over the dispatch call.

You also know that Nick Stokes was in this store when it happened. He was assigned to this case first, when it was just a petty burglary before it became a massacre.

Desperately, you want to call out to him. You already tried texting him, and got no response. From a tactical standpoint, the element of surprise is more apropos in this situation but your heart doesn’t give a damn. You just want to see Nick.

And you do see him, when your flashlight passes over the aisle of canned goods.

He’s there, on the floor. Face down. His face striped with blood. Cans are littered around him and one is broken near his head.

“Nick!” you gasp, and run over. His body rises and falls ever so slightly, and he softly wheezes as you kneel next to him, wiping strands of hair out of the way of fluttering eyes and your shaking fingers are becoming sticky with the blood pouring out of the pulsing wound on his forehead.

“Help….her…” he whispers to you in a strangled voice. His eyes roll behind their lids, falling victim to a void of consciousness.

Grissom, who was standing nearby during this time, transfers a bit of the radiation of his concern with a hand to your shoulder, in agreement to Nick’s request.

“We need to move,” Grissom tells you. “I think he’s close.”

“Uh-huh,” you nod shakily, and become Grissom’s heel, after quickly taking your gun out because Grissom doesn’t have his; just a flashlight and a white knuckled fist.

The chase continues down another long, dark aisle but the sound of squeaky wheels carrying weak-wired mesh grows louder. Your heart pounds harder, and faster.

You turn back to look at Nick, and in those few seconds you somehow lose sight of Grissom.

Swearing under your breath, you pick up the pace and quickly shake your head between the rows, finding nothing but fallen items and shadows of fellow officers, but you nearly run into the sliding door that leads out into the garden section of the store.

“So…what are you making?” Grissom’s voice, a disguised disgust with equal intrigue, per his norm of course but you wince as you worry he’s getting too close to the killer—

“Soup,” a strange voice answers simply. “You see my ingredients in the cart here…”

Speak of the devil, the killer is still shopping and throwing items into his cart…

That’s carrying a hopefully unconscious and not dead woman, her arms and legs hanging outside of the cart with various vegetables and meats and packets of flavoring and for some odd reason, large sacks of soil on top. She has a similar wound to Nick’s on her head, though you have no time to wonder what a Nick-flavored soup would have tasted like, as the conversation that you stopped paying attention to goes south, and both the killer and Grissom are suddenly gone—

You whip your head and hear splashes of water, your flashlight locates the source of the struggle below, in a large display of filled ponds and pools for backyard enjoyment, Grissom wrestles the killer and your instinct should tell you to either jump in and help, or draw your weapon and fire but—

BANG-BANG!

Grissom stops and you see the shock on his face in the handheld spotlight that traces the trajectory of the bullets that pinned the killer into the water, and also punctured the walls of the pool that drains away.

Catherine stands breathless, a wordless exchange with Grissom and a side glance to you, freeing you from obligation as they begin to talk out loud—

“I’m going to check on Nicky,” you tell them, and run back towards the love of your life.

The main aisle seems longer than ever, the lights are flickering on and the eerie silence is replaced with chatter, radio chirps, and distant sirens that give you and odd sense of relief—you’re near the end of the story, the day is saved and more importantly—Nick is safe, for the second time in a far too short of time and this time it’s not dirt you’re sliding on to comfort him, but harsh, unforgiving lamination that you know you’ll feel in your knees later.

“Nicky, I’m back, she’s safe…” you half-lie because shit, you forgot to check on that victim and instead chose this one, but you do hear calls for an ambulance to take her.

You tap his cheeks, clammy and pale and still sticky. He’s not responding, and your heart stops beating. You look around the aisle, a halted shopping cart happens to have a case of water that you cut into, and pour onto Nick as if it’ll bring him to life—fortunately, it works; he sputters and rolls over onto his side, propping himself up and you sigh in relief.

“What happened?” a new voice asks, feminine and Sofia’s behind you, ready to relay anything you tell her to the rest of the team.

“We found the perp, and the victim. Cath got him after he tussled with Grissom. Nick here, well…I don’t…” you start bumbling your words, Nick scrunches his face and wipes blood out of his eyes.

“I tried to stop him,” he says in a strained voice, one arm cradles his stomach. “Asshole rammed me with that damn cart and a stupid can fell on my head…”

Nervously, you mutter, “Guess you really got cantripped, huh?” in attempt to lighten the mood. You’re not sure if Nick actually heard it.

“Heard you were the one who caught him in the act, that true?” Sofia asks. Nick nods and your heart pangs. As if the both of you don’t see enough dead horrors as it is, it’s harder to witness live ones.

“Found him cause he was the only guy who didn’t run out of the store when I triggered the alarm.”

“Alarm? There’s nothing ringing…”

“Yeah, cause I used that intercom to tell everyone to evacuate,” Nick clears his throat and adds a bit of deep authority to his voice, “‘Attention shoppers, please get the hell out of the store if you want to stay alive.’”

You can’t help but laugh, “You did not!”

“Course I did. How else would you get the shoppers out?” Nick almost smiles himself, before he reigns himself in. “That’s when the bullet hit the poor John that fell onto the panel, and I took off towards it.”

You stare daggers into Nick’s avoiding gaze, both admiring his bravery but admonishing his stupidity for running towards danger. But he’ll get that earful later. Or sooner, as Sofia puts away her notepad.

“Thanks, Nick. I’m gonna check in with Gil and Catherine. Make sure you get checked out, okay?” Sofia raises her eyebrows and points at Nick’s forehead.

“I’m fine,” Nick waves off.

“You’re not!” you harshly whisper as Sofia walks away. “The hell were you thinking, running towards the gunfire?”

“It’s our job, baby,” Nick tells you.

“Nuh-uh, their job,” you point to the uniformed officers. “We’re supposed to come after.”

“But, they can’t always—”

“Neither can you!” you interrupt. You stand up and Nick takes the opportunity to pull your arm and lift himself up with you.

“Alright, alright, I get it…”

“I don’t think you do, but before we lay this to rest…what if a bullet hits you?”

“Then I’ll just walk it off, like I’m walking this cantripped bullshit off.”

“You’re not invincible.”

“I know that,” Nick tone become sour and frustrated and you feel his muscles tense up. “And you know that I’m damn well aware of that, too.”

You sigh, but notice that he isn’t shrugging you off just yet. You can see a shimmer in his eyes and feel a wave of guilt wash over you.

He’s hurt more than he’s willing to admit.

I wasn’t strong enough, you remember the broken words amidst tears that fell onto your chest, soaking into your clothes.

You know it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more than a small head wound for him to get to that point again, but feel the need to comfort and lighten the mood nonetheless.

"You know…it’s a good thing you shaved that stache," you say, once again stroking loose strands of hair out of his reddened, dampened eyes. "Make you look like you're a redhead, at least in facial hair."

"Well, I am attracted to redheads..." Nick smiles coyly and you playfully swat his chest, before he reels you in for a tight hug.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” he whispers.

“It’s okay. I know you don’t give up that easily,” you tell him with a soft kiss to the side of his face.

“And neither do you,” he reminds you with a kiss of his own.

You both stand there for a solid minute of silence, and you lean further in, but the slight movement of your body seems to scare him, and he somehow grips you tighter.

“Don’t let go,” he asks of you. “Don’t let go, please…”

“I made that promise to you a long time ago, Nick. I love you.”

“I love you too,” he tells you, and he takes you out of the almost nightmarish, liminal dreamscape into the best fantasy you could ever dream of.

#nick stokes #nick stokes x reader #reader fic #sorry i like to see you suffer nick #mk.op #mk.fic #i don't often do reader fic but i figured this dream specifically would work for it #though again only like 2% of this came from the dream #i'm also still working on that ghost!nick/greg fic but it's nice to do something short and sweet i guess

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ashes-writing · 2 years

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May I request a nsfw headcanon with Nick Stokes from csi vegas perhaps blowing off steam after a rough case? Ty!

Of course! I warn, I miiight be a little rusty with Nick because I literally haven't written for him in a loooooong time, though. But I'll happily try this for you! I hope you like it!

tag list babes || req rules / fandoms+characters; reqs open || got a req or ? || masterlist

WARNINGS ;

minors nope. not for you, move along. Hickies, oral (m giving, f recieving) and it happens in a workplace area.

TAG LIST ;

@beardedbarba

@uncrownedmox

@justmeandanoverdrive

@louderfortheback - these are the only names on my CSI taglist. If you'd like to be on it, please click link above and add yourself.

-- it starts with three words, no, not I love you but fuck it out. You're leaned against the door of the locker room when you say it. This shift has been one from hell and you're only half joking, but... Deep down, you mean it. You want it. And it seemed like a good idea at the time, you've been flirting back and forth for weeks by now.. It takes him by surprise and at first, he kinda blinks? Like.. did you just say that? But then, oh.. Then you wander up closer to him. Real close. And you're awkwardly melted against him, soft little laugh leaving your lips as you're bold enough to repeat yourself. "Fuck it out on me, Stokes. C'mon."

--- He's been into you for a while. A while. IIRC, he thought at one point he was 'cursed' in the romance department, so to speak. I can't remember why, but alas... Your little proposal opens the floodgates and the way you're dragging your fingers up and down the front of that brown denim jacket of his are starting to make him hard. He only gets harder when his mind fills with images, of him actually doing what you're asking of him. He blushes a little, hell. "You sure you want me to do that, darlin?" his drawl is twice as thick. Honeyed. Has you wet in an instant but that dangerous little look in those eyes, ugh.. He's got you pushed against the door and his hands pinning yours above your head after stopping to lock the door at your back. As his lips lock against your neck when he's brushed hair out of the way, he pins your hands again. "Do you know what you're tellin me t' do? Do ya?"

-- You figure out what you've just done real quick. After he's got your legs around his waist and he's reached down and tugged open your blouse, buttons spraying across hard tile with soft plinks. There's not a place on your neck, chest and throat that he doesn't leave a mark behind on. You're rubbing against him, fucked out and dripping, if the man were to stop, to feel the literal flood coating your thighs, ugh.. Oh god.

--- but then he does. Your back meets a table and he's standing between your legs, pushing them apart with rough and thick hands as he fixes a hungry look on you and the way you're rocking and squirming. He gives you that grin as he leans down, licking his lips and growling, "Fuck." quietly as soon as he sees the wet spot on your panties. Your finger s tug against dark hair as he bites his way up the insides of your thighs, groaning, grunting, growling. Your panties settle on the floor after being pulled down in haste and he stops, gazing up at you. "What if lickin you clean is better at calmin me down, darlin? That okay?"

-- You nod, whimpering when you feel his tongue circle your clit before allowing his lips to latch on. When you try to move your hips to meet his mouth as his tongue buries inside you, though, you quickly realize that Nick is the one in control here. He's got a grip on your thighs as he spreads them open as wide as he can get them and that grip will not budge. It's all you can do to tug at his hair and arch your back, squirm. And if you think he'll let you get off when you want? Nah. He's going to edge and edge until you're frantically trying to shove his head away. Spells out his first name between your thighs with his tongue too. Tells you that you two will finish this completely when the shift is over and you absolutely cannot wait.

#nick stokes #nick stokes fanfiction #nick stokes imagine #nick stokes x reader #nick stokes headcanons #nick stokes x reader imagine #csi las vegas fanfiction #csi las vegas #csi vegas fanfiction #csi vegas imagine #// minors do not even think it

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rewrittenreality · 2 years

Text

Safe and Sound

Pairing: Nick Stokes x Reader

Word count:445

Warnings: Mentions of kidnapping, nightmares, and panic attacks

Summary: Your boyfriend Nick is there for you to keep you safe and sound.

Nick still remembers that day like it was yesterday, he remembers the tears streaming down your bruised face. Pulling you close, whispering “I’ll never let you go.” They beat you within an inch of your life, their shadows almost killing your light that usually shined so bright. He remembers you saying “Don’t leave me here alone, Nicky.” But all that’s dead and gone and passed tonight, the team had caught who had done this to you.

That night at the hospital you asked Nick to lay with you in your hospital bed. You didn’t want to be alone. Nick held you close as you cried into his chest. “You’ll be alright, Darlin’. No one can hurt you anymore.” He had said, leaving soft kisses to your head. You knew that you were safe with Nick. You had always felt safe with him, even before the two of you had gotten together. Come morning light you knew he would still be right there holding you.

When you were finally able to go home, Nick took as much time off from work as he could to be with you in your shared home. He knew how traumatic something like this could be. He knew from his own experience of being kidnapped, and you were right there for him as he healed. When your nightmares started, he sat up in bed, rubbing your back, telling you everything was okay. When you started having panic attacks, he held you and whispered sweet, calming things into your ear.

Nick knew how to calm the war going on inside your head. No one had ever been able to do that with you before. His every word was like music to your ears, even when there was no music to be heard. His gentle kisses like a remedy to every illness and wound you could ever possibly have. You had been there for each other in your darkest times. And you knew that you would always continue to be there for each other.

Every time you could feel yourself slipping, you could hear Nick telling you “Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now.” His voice barely heard as he held you close, calming you down. “Come morning light, you and I’ll be safe and sound.” And he was right. When you were with him you felt safe. You felt so loved.

After all you had gone through you didn’t know if it would be possible to be you again. But with Nick, everything felt possible. Everything felt okay again. You knew that you would always be safe and sound in his arms.

#nick stokes #nick stokes x reader #csi vegas

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faithiegirl01 · 5 months

Text

😭😭

Guys I’m not saying anything about it…

But the fic we have for Greg Sanders from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is Annnnnnngsty with a capital A😂 I added so much angst to it. I’m sorry in advance to all of you who read it, but like don’t worry it ends on a happier note not bad, because I for some reason can’t bring myself to ever end something in a sad ending.

If y’all know me my story’s always end on a happy note and that’s just because I love the characters so freaking much that I just can’t bring myself to not add a happy ending.

With that being said I can’t wait for you guys to read so many of our upcoming works. Ie: Our Nick stokes Fic has more coming, our Dick Grayson Fic has more coming, our Captain America has more coming, and so forth… 👀

I’ve been putting my all into them and I hope that you guys just absolutely love them. All I’m saying is be ready for some heavy angst 😂 and some fluff added in. I’m not a complete monster, I may love my angst, but I also really love when a good angsty fic has some good fluff too so just be ready.

#csi x reader #csi cbs #csi crime scene investigation #greg sanders #greg sanders x reader #greg sanders imagine #greg sanders imagines #nick stokes x reader #nick stokes #captain america fic #dick grayson fic

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space-helen · 10 months

Text

Eternity

Words: 1192

Pairing: Nick Stokes x Reader

A/N: I wrote this months ago... possibly at the end of last year? Early this year? idk I have a couple I still need to post.

Request: nick stokes and reader where the killer has taken the reader and is calling the lab and they can hear them hurting the reader or something? like one of the gig harbor killer episodes - Anon

______________________

The phone lay on the table in front of the CSI’s as they all waited in anticipation.

You’d gone missing from the last crime scene you were at. Morgan, D.B and you had gone together to process the scene but it took mere seconds for you to disappear. One moment D.B had been asking you a question and the next you were gone, only a mobile phone and a note in your place.

The note gave D.B a set of instructions. One of which was to leave the scene immediately, the second was when to answer the phone.

The scene had been linked to a series of cases popping up over Vegas, a clear serial killer on a spree. The team had still been running evidence from previous scenes but leaving the last scene untouched was potentially detrimental to the case.

The team had been frantic trying to gather any evidence to find you, any surveillance footage from the area was being meticulously watched and the phone had been processed in hopes of finding anything to help them find you.

The buzz of the phone had everyone jumping in their seats slightly. Nick was the one to reach for the phone and held it in his hand for a second before accepting the call and placing the phone back down in the centre of the table.

After the call connected fully they were met by screams and whimpers. Everyone’s heart dropped at the sounds. They were coming from you.

Nick shifted in his chair, he was absolutely torn up inside hearing you in pain. He stood up and began to move for the door, unable to listen any longer as tears formed in his eyes, the team knew about your relationship with him so he knew they’d understand.

Just as Nick reached the door your pleas stopped, all they could hear was your breathing and footsteps.

“CSI’s, I thought you would have said something by now.” the man laughed and it sent chills up their spines. “You’re probably wondering why I still have the line open as well, letting you track the call.”

Nick made his way back to his seat but instead of sitting he stood behind it with his arms crossed.

“Well that’s because I want you to find her. I’m sending a message. If you get here quick enough you can have me too. But I doubt that.” there was a pause. “For now I’ll just finish what I started.”

As soon as he spoke his last word they could hear you pleading once more before more screams and sounds of his fist coming into contact with you and the falling of furniture and loud thuds.

D.B was quick to reach across the table and mute the lab's end of the line. “You know what to do.”

With that everyone was quick to their feet and straight to action.

Nick's foot was to the floor as he drove, navigating the roads instinctively as he'd done a million times before but this time something greater was on the line. Pulling up to the destination he'd barely stopped the car before he was flinging himself out of it.

Everyone slightly grouped together before entering the building. A full force of officers with them, going from room to room they cleared the majority of the building swiftly before eventually finding you.

Nick saw red, the tall man was standing over you with a knife, he didn't even hesitate to rush forward and pin the man to a nearby wall, grabbing his wrist to force him to let go of the weapon. In normal circumstances, Nick would have gone for his gun but the adrenaline had taken over and he was furious. Giving the man one last harsh shove against the wall the officers were soon pulling Nick away and cuffing the suspect.

Taking a breath Nick slightly composed himself before quickly turning on his heels and diverting his attention to you. He instantly spotted the EMT’s surrounding you, rushing forward he tried to push past them.

“Is she ok?” he was panicking “Is she alive?” his voice broke slightly.

Greg grabbed his bicep and tried to pull him away slightly. “Let them work”

He continued to struggle against the man and repeated questions about your condition but no one would respond. He watched as they moved you to a gurney, head lulling and eyes closed.

“Nick!” Greg's voice was harsh and stern, snapping the man out of his worried haze.

He finally resisted and watched silently as they took you away. “Is she ok?” he faced Greg finally, his eyes pleading.

The man was sympathetic, knowing the man had blocked out everything that the EMT’s had been saying “She’s lost a lot of blood. They said something about emergency surgery.”

Nick nodded. “That son of a bitch needs to go down for good.” Greg could see the anger inside of him.

D.B soon was with the men, an awkward silence hung for a second before he broke it. “Go be with her, Nick.”

The man’s shiny eyes looked into the older mans. “Are you sure?”

He nodded “We’re all thinking about Y/N but you’ll be better off with her. We’ll process the scene.”

Nick nodded and thanked the man under his breath, Greg gave the man a quick shoulder squeeze before Nick left to wait for you.

It took what felt like forever for you to finally come out of surgery and after that it took an eternity for you to finally wake up, but Nick stayed with you the entire time.

The man who’d abducted you was arrested and would go down for good, there would be no chance of him seeing the outside of a prison cell in his lifetime

Getting you home was a huge step, after a week of observation the hospital deemed you well enough to go home as long as you had someone with you, Nick was more than happy to be that person.

“Movie or TV show?” the man sat on the bed next to you, picking up the remote as he did.

You adjusted yourself and smiled “How about neither? Cuddles and sleep?”

A huge grin spread out on his face as he placed the remote back down “How could I say no to that?”

He got under the covers with you and the two of you were soon snuggling into each other. You yawned as you relaxed into him.

“Tired huh?” he teased.

“Says the man who had a nap this afternoon.”

“I was resting my eyes,” he teased. He pulled you in close to his side and placed a kiss on your hair.

You sighed in content “I don’t know what I’d do without you Nick.”

“I’m never going anywhere. You’re stuck with me for eternity.”

“Cheesy.”

“Romantic.” he laughed “It’s what I do best.”

You moved your hand to lay on his torso, your thumb tracing patterns on his shirt as he adjusted the covers properly around you and relaxed into the bed. It didn’t take long for the two of you to fall asleep.

Tag List: (open) Nick Stokes @perasperaadastrawriting

#csi x reader #csi vegas x reader #nick stokes x reader #csi stokes x reader

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fandomgirlz01 · 9 months

Text

This Can’t Be The End Pt. 2

Nick Stokes X Reader

Imagine on my fandom instagram?: No

Prompt?: No

Request?: No

Requested prompt?: No

Edited: Yes

Word count: 5,890

Ko-fi

Masterlist

Warnings here

You can listen to the story be read out loud here. {Coming Soon}

Post Date: July 23rd 2023

Post Time: 12:31 AM

Summary: When Nick gets kidnapped, the reader is forced to fear the worst for her husband as she and the team work the case with hopes of bringing him home safe.

Based off of: Season 5 episodes 24 and 25

Reader’s Pov:

When I finally decide to get up from the couch, I wrap the blanket around my shoulders before walking out of the break room. I walk down a few halls in search of someone I can talk to and I soon find Warrick talking with Hodges.

I walk up behind him with my blanket still wrapped around me and Warrick looks down before putting an arm around me. I lean into him and Hodges smiles at me softly before continuing to talk to Warrick.

“I’m using your track and wheelbase measurements, plus or minus five percent to account for rain-shadowing and/or drying effects,” Hodges explains as the program does its work.

“All right, print it out,” Warrick tells him and he nods before typing on the computer.

“Hey. How are you doin’?” Warrick asks me and I shrug.

“I mean, I slept. It was only half an hour, but I slept. I just want Nicky back…” I tell him with a frown and he nods in understanding.

“I know, mamas, I know. We’ll get him back. I promise you that,” Warrick tells me as he rubs my shoulder.

“Here’s the list,” Hodges speaks up as he holds it up and Warrick takes one arm off of me to reach for it.

“Thanks, man,” Warrick replies as he takes the stack of the printed list.

“Yeah. Sure. Whatever will help find Nick. What’s your next step from here?” Hodges asks as he crosses his arms.

“Imma head over and see Rachel. She said she’d show me the traffic cameras in the area,” Warrick tells him and he nods.

“Well, good luck. Don’t worry, y/n, we’ll bring Nick home to you,” Hodges promises me and I smile weakly at him.

“You comin’ with me?” Warrick asks as he pulls back to look at me.

“Yeah. I suppose so,” I agree with him and he nods.

“Alright, then. Let’s go. Bye, man,” Warrick replies as he stands up and Hodges gives him a nod before going back to his work.

He turns me around and together we start walking towards Rachel’s office. Soon we walk in to see Rachel typing something up on her computer. She turns when she sees movement and gives us a small smile.

“Hi, guys. I have the footage loading up right now,” she tells us as she stands and rolls another chair over.

“Here you are, y/n,” she says as she points down to the chair.

“Warrick, you can take that chair over there,” she tells him as she points to one at another desk and sits back in her seat.

“Thanks,” he says sarcastically before walking over to grab the chair.

He walks back over, pulling it along with him before settling down to my left. He starts to look at her screens and analyze them as it seems the program is up.

“I need you to bring up the traffic cameras in a three block radius between Flamingo and Koval in the last 24 hours,” he explains to Rachel as he stands up and leans over the table.

“We only buffer the video for the past few hours,” she quickly informs and he looks at her.

“I can take you back as far as 10:37pm,” she continues and he rocks back before taking his seat again bringing his hand up to his chin.

“That’s good enough. Our guy was taken around 11:00,” he tells her as all the cameras pop up simultaneously.

Together we all look for a few minutes and nothing really seems to jump out at us. My leg starts to bounce as I start to feel more anxious and Warrick gently puts his arm around me. Rachel then pulls up two specific cameras and we watch them.

“Scan forward. We’re looking for a big truck,” he tells Rachel as he lets go of me to point at the screen. She types something on her keyboard, doing just as he says.

“How about that one? Looks like a Suburban.” She brings the video on the left to a pause.

Warrick takes a moment to look at what she points out before looking down at his list that Hodges had given to him. He flips through the pages for a few minutes before looking back up at the screen.

“It’s on the list,” he confirms as she pushes play again.

“Whoa, he’s really movin’,” he comments as we continue to watch.

“Wait a moment… that one, the big Ford,” his voice escalates just a tad, making me jump lightly, but hope flows through me.

“Follow it,” he decides and Rachel nods.

“The expedition truck left the area around 11:15,” Warrick starts to explain as he looks over his paperwork.

I look up around the table of people who have become my family. Sara takes a drink of her coffee and I resist the urge to cry when I think about how Nick would lean over to me to make some sarcastic comment about what she was drinking.

“Definitely in a hurry. Took a right off Koval onto Tropicana, crossed Las Vegas boulevard onto the 15 south and then it drove off the grid,” Warrick continues to explain as I snap out of my thoughts.

He puts his paper down and leans back before scooping my hand into his and giving it a squeeze. If Nick wasn’t the best at knowing my emotions, I’d say Warrick is a good close second. Both can almost always sense when I’m upset and need a good cuddle.

“At least we have a general direction,” Grissom comments from where he sits.

“Great, so Nick could be anywhere from Green Valley to Seven Hills to Arizona,” Sara comments in a very sarcastic, dead-end tone and I let out a small puff of air.

“Sara, not really the time for sarcasm, yeah?” Catherine lightly scolds her as Warrick gives my hand another squeeze.

“No. It’s ok. She’s right. He could be literally anywhere at this point…” I speak up and everyone nods along understandingly.

“That is assuming he was even in that truck,” Greg adds on as he leans back in his chair.

“Well, according to Hodges, the white fibers on Nick’s vest were cotton with traces of ether…” Catherine explains after taking in a breath.

When she says that, I instantly close my eyes and images of Nick putting up a fight with the person plays though my mind. I feel another squeeze to my hand and it pulls me back to the real world as I open my eyes.

I look at Warrick and he gives me a tight smile, silently clearly asking me if I’m ok. I hesitate but nod, telling him I’m fine and he turns back to the table.

“Ether? That’s old school…” Sara comments after a moment of silence.

“Yeah, stuff is volatile. Flammable. Outside of meth cooks, no one uses it anymore,” Warrick adds on his two scents and the room slowly gets warmer.

“People use what they know,” Grissom adds as he starts to fidget a bit in his chair.

“All right, so, where are we on possible suspects?” Catherine asks as she takes her glasses off and looks at Greg.

“So far, none of Nick’s active or recent cases stand out. And his old stalker’s still behind bars,” Greg explains his findings and I start to shake my leg.

“Are you 100% sure Nigel is still behind bars, Greg?” I ask, sitting up as I slowly seem to grow more agitated.

“100%, y/n, I saw him on live video footage myself,” Greg replies and I sigh as I slump back into my chair.

“Maybe it’s a random act,” Sara comments and I immediately sit back up.

“Well, that’s possible because whoever staged the crime scene couldn’t have known that Nick was going to respond,” Catherine agrees and I shake my head in disbelief, even though I know what they’re saying is perfectly logical.

“Yeah, it’s just bad luck he did,” Warrick agrees from next to me, making my leg bounce more.

“Sara, what about the coffee cup?” Grissom asks as he sets his paperwork back on the table.

“No DNA or prints on the cup or in the bag,” Sara replies in a matter-of-fact tone. Just then, we hear some sort of commotion going on out in the lobby.

“Don’t touch the edge of it!!” We all hear Hodges scream.

“You got to sign…” another unknown voice yells out.

“Security! Security!” Hodges yells out again and Grissom’s the first to get up to his feet.

We all quickly follow behind him and he runs out to the lobby. Once in the lobby, we can see Hodges and a security guard fighting an individual who holds a package of some sort.

“Get your freakin’ hands off me, man!” The individual yells out as he fights the security guard.

Hodges clearly gets a hold of the package and moves over to the desk to inspect it. Grissom stops in the doorway, watching in confusion.

“Hey! I told you, you gotta sign for that!” The guy that’s still fighting security yells out.

“What are you doing, Hodges?” Grissom expertly asks what we’re all wondering as we watch from behind him.

“Guy comes in here with a package with no return address,” Hodges tries to explain as he tries to catch his breath.

“You’re violating my rights! I want a lawyer!” The delivery guy yells out as he continues to fight with security.

“Shut up!” Catherine admonishes him as she points at him and he does just that, looking shocked.

“Way the guy was pawing that envelope, I figured I better get it away from him before he wipes off all of the trace,” Hodges starts to explain himself again and Grissom looks at him, confused.

“What trace?” Grissom asks, confusion clear in his tone.

“Oh! It’s about Nick…” Hodges calms down right away as he breaks the news.

We all step forward when Grissom does only to see what it says on the envelope;

Crime lab

3057 Westfall AVE.

Las Vegas, NV 89109

RE: STOKES

Silence falls as I let out a small gasp when I see my own last name on the envelope. Warrick grabs me and pulls me into his side as Grissom puts gloves on. He then picks the package up very carefully and takes a second to look over the details before turning to Catherine. She opens her mouth like she wants to say something, but nothing comes out and she shakes her head.

“Let me do this,” Grissom says before pushing past us and walking off.

Nick’s Pov:

When I come to, I try to sit up but only end up hitting my head against a hard surface. I groan as I lift my hand to my head and it takes me a moment to realize where I am. When I do, I quickly jump and there’s a thud as my hand hits the top.

I look around me, trying to figure out what’s going on and find a glow stick. I grab it so I can get a better look around and soon start to breathe heavily before I feel around me some more, only to find my service weapon.

I grab it and bring it up to where I can see it. I pull the clip out and see it’s still full, making me sigh. I put the clip back in and cock the gun before setting it back down. I then pick the glow stick back up and look around some more before knocking at the glass.

I reach down to my side again and feel something else. Once again I pull it up so I can see what it is and it’s a tape recorder. I click the play button and at first it’s just static, but soon a voice is leaving me a message.

“Hi, CSI guy. You wondering why you’re here? Because you followed the evidence. Because that’s what CSIs do. So breathe quick, breathe slow, put your gun in your mouth and pull the trigger. Any way you like, you’re going to die here. Okay,” the voice explains and then the tape shuts off. I slowly start to try and break my way out, but when I can’t I scream only to start sobbing.

Y/n’s Pov:

We all watch through the window to the lab as he walks in and starts to feel around it. When he’s sure it’s not dangerous, he fully sets it down and grabs an x-acto knife. He carefully slices into the top before putting the knife down and picking up a flashlight.

He turns the flashlight on before holding the package open from the sides and peering into it. Confusion crosses his face before he empties the package onto the table and something falls out from it. We then watch as he looks for any sign of prints with the blue light.

Soon he’s waving us all in, but I freeze, not knowing if I want to go or not. Catherine stops when she realizes I’ve frozen before looking at me.

“You ok, y/n/n?” Catherine asks me, but I only shake my head.

“I don’t know…” I tell her as I stay frozen.

“Hey. Go ahead. I’ll get her to come, just… uhh, give us a sec,” Warrick tells Catherine and from the corner of my eye, I can see her nod before she walks off.

“Hey. I’m sure he’s fine. I promise you he’ll come home,” he tells me as he stands in front of me and holds both my shoulders.

“You can’t make a promise like that, Rick. You don’t know what’ll happen,” I argue back and he sighs before pulling me into another hug.

“I know I can’t. I’m sorry, but I will promise to do everything in my power to bring him home to you,” he informs me and I sigh before nodding against him.

“Come on. Let’s go get our boy back,” he says as he pulls back from the hug before pulling me along with him into the room where everyone stands.

They all watch as I walk in and I give a small smile to them before they all circle around me. Grissom holds up the tape he pulled out earlier and slides it carefully into a tape player. He presses play and we all listen to a few minutes of white noise before 60’s rock music starts to play.

♪ You can try to please me

But it won’t be easy

Stone walls surround me

I’m surprised that you even found me

And you don’t stand an outside chance

Don’t stand an outside chance

You don’t stand an outside chance

But you can try ♪

Outside chance by The Turtles is the song that plays and we all just listen for a good few minutes. We all intently wait for anything else that could help us find my husband, but the song continues to play on. I sigh in anger and Warrick puts his hand down to rub my back soothingly.

“Son of a bitch… he’s screwing with us,” Catherine curses out loud in anger, shaking her head.

♪ Whatever you do girl

You know you can’t get through girl

Can’t bring me down ♪

The music continues to play and I can’t help, but feel like it’s mainly me the song is taunting. I let out a sigh and Warrick again rubs my lower back to try and comfort me. Grissom then picks up the flash drive that was with the tape and turns to walk over to the desk behind him.

We all walk over with him and we watch him plug it in as the music continues to play in the background. After he plugs it into the computer, he opens the drive and words start to slide in from the left.

‘ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN 12 HOURS,’ is the first line, making me gasp quietly and again Warrick quickly pulls me into him, but I turn my head to watch the rest of the lines slide by.

‘OR THE CSI DIES.’ I gasp again and tears start to fill my eyes as it continues on.

‘DROP-OFF INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW.’ It continues to have words in all caps slide across the screen.

‘AND NOW FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE…’ it reads and Warrick tries to get me to turn my head away, but I can’t bring myself to.

“YOU CAN ONLY WATCH,” it ends off with the watch seemingly looking like a link.

Grissom moves the mouse and clicks on the link, making us all watch with bated breath as it brings up the video. I let out a gasp when we see Nick pop up on the screen, he’s buried in a clear coffin box and clearly freaking out. The timer at the bottom of the screen clearly counts down, making me have to force myself to try and swallow, but the lump that seems to grow bigger and bigger stops me:

I push Warrick off me lightly and walk right up next to Grissom. I touch the computer screen with my thumb as tears make their way down my face. I feel Warrick put a hand on my shoulder and I close my eyes, not wanting to see his face contorting in fear any longer. I just stand there with my eyes closed for a moment as everyone else watches on in sadness. I take a deep breath hoping it’ll ground me, but it doesn’t work.

“Warrick, get her out of here. She doesn’t need to see anymore right now,” Catherine’s voice speaks up and I feel Warrick grab me lightly by the arm.

He drags me out into the hall and steadily holds me by the shoulders. He says something, but I don’t catch it in my panic mode and he gives me a small shake to break me out of it.

“Why don’t you go back to the break room. I’ll come check on you in a bit,” he tells me and I shake my head as I immediately sober up.

“No. I’ll be fine. Let me back in there,” I demand as I cross my arms across my chest.

“Sweets, are you-” he starts as he stands big and tall in my way, but I stop him as I hold up a hand, shaking my head.

“Let me back in there, Warrick… now…” I tell him as I cross my arms and put a scowl on my face.

“I don’t think-” Warrick starts, but I cut him off.

“Ok. So I had a moment of weakness, Rick. So what, that’s my husband on that live feed. It may be the last time I can fully see him. Please… I’m good now, I swear. If I get overwhelmed again, I promise I’ll go shower or something. Just… let me go back,” I beg him before casting my eyes down to the floor as they start to fill with tears again, but I will them away.

“Please… B…” I whisper out, still refusing to look up at him and he sighs, making me look up at him.

“Ok, but if it gets the slightest bit bad, you’re out of the room, got it?” he asks me and I nod with a small smile.

“Thank you, B…” I tell him as I walk over to him and reach up to give his cheek a kiss.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I know Nick would literally be sitting over there day or night if roles were reversed. Just don’t make me regret it,” he lightly jokes as he steps to the side to let me though and I shake my head.

“Wouldn’t think of it. Nick would have my butt for making you regret it anyway, ” I tell him as I pat his chest as I pass him and he chuckles lightly.

I walk back into the room just as they click on the watch link again and my smile instantly falls. I walk over next to Catherine and Warrick stops behind me, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. Grissom now sits at a desk behind us all, writing something down.

“I don’t think he knows we can see him,” Catherine comments as we all continue to watch.

“How can we be sure it’s a live feed?” Sara asks as we all don’t take our eyes off the computer.

“We’ve got to assume that it is,” Warrick replies grimly and I feel him rub my shoulder ever so slightly.

“The space in that box looks like two by two by six, which would be 24 cubic feet. That would hold approximately 600 liters of air,” Grissom speaks up, getting all of our attention and making us turn to him to see him doing the math.

“If you figure half a liter per breath… slow breathing…” Grissom continues, but pauses to look at his watch.

“Maybe twelve breaths per minute. Panic breathing would be, what, twice that much,” Grissom analyzes more as he looks up at us, then back down to his paper.

“Well, if the math is right, he’s got about an hour and 15 minutes of air left in that box,” Grissom finishes off and we all turn back to the screen.

“But if they’re going to keep him alive for twelve hours, it must mean that he’s got an additional air supply,” Catherine adds on and we watch for a few more minutes until the video clicks back to the beginning page.

“We lost the feed,” Johnson, our tech guy who stands next to Sara, tells us and we all look confused for a moment.

Warrick pushes me slightly out of the way and grabs onto the mouse. He uses it to click on the WATCH again and the video pops up.

“Looks like a live feed to me,” Warrick comments. “I say we keep the light on,” he continues as we all watch on.

One by one, the others leave to try and learn more. Now it’s just me and Warrick sitting here, constantly clicking the link to watch it. Every once in a while, I find myself playing with my ring as well as the necklace that sits on my neck:

I switch off playing with my ring, spinning it around my finger over and over before letting it sit idle for a few minutes. Then I play with my necklace, moving it back and forth on my neck. I sigh and look down at my ring and I feel a hand land on my hand.

“Stop that. I know you’re worried, that’s what you do when stressed, worried or trying to hide something. Seeing as the situation is a little difficult, I’d say it’s definitely the first two, but the more you do it, the more you freak out,” Warrick tells me and I shake my head, letting a puff of air out.

“You’re right, I need to calm down…”I agree wearily and he nods.

“There ya go. He’ll be home and cuddled up in your bed with you before you know it,” Warrick practically wills it in his tone and I sigh.

“Maybe I should go-” I start, but pause when my phone goes off.

I pull it out of my pocket and the face lights up, showing me there’s a text. Opening it, I find a text from Catherine: His parents are here. Still wanna come in with me and Griss?

I frown lightly, but text back: Yeah, it’ll be helpful for his mom if I’m there. Which room are we doing it in? I’ll be there in a minute.

It’s only a minute later when she replies: We will be in the smaller meeting room.

When done reading the last text over, I let out a sigh and look at Warrick. He raises an eyebrow at me and I shake my head.

“It’s Catherine. She’s informing me that his mom and dad are here,” I explained and he nods before rubbing at his cheek.

“Go. Come find me if you need me after, ok? I’ll drop everything if you need me too,” he promises and I give him a small, sad smile. He gets up as I do and pulls me into a hug. I sigh and sink into his warmth for a moment before pulling away.

“Here I go. I’ll possibly see you after,” I tell him and he gives me a thumbs up.

“You got this, sunshine,” he encourages me and I give him a half smile as well as a small nod.

He turns back to the screen and I catch him grimacing before I turn around. I take one last sigh before starting to walk towards the small meeting room. When I get there, I can see Catherine and his parents just sitting down.

“Y/n. Hi, dear. How are you doing? You don’t look well,” his mother comments in a concerned tone as she gets up from her seat and comes over to hug me.

“Umm, honestly Jillian, I’m far from feeling fine. But maybe you should sit back down before me and Catherine tell you what’s happened,” I tell her as she pulls back from the hug and frowns at me.

“Of course, dear. If you think that’s best,” she agrees with me and together we walk over to the table.

She walks around and sits next to her husband and I sit across from her. I look at his dad and give him a soft smile.

“Y/n,” he greets with a firm head nod.

“Judge,” I greet back the same way.

“Where’s Griss?” I ask Catherine as I look around, not finding him.

“He had something to look into. He’ll be here in a few minutes,” Catherine explains and I nod, taking a gulp.

“Do you wanna break it to them or me?” she asks me and I nod.

“I guess I can,” I sigh before turning to look at his mom and dad.

“Mom…” I prompt as I pull my hand out and shakily hold it out to her.

“Judge,” I prompt after she grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze while I look at her husband, who nods firmly to me again.

“Nick’s been… kidnapped. They want one million dollars in twelve hours…” I explain and his mom immediately gets tears in her eyes.

“Ok. We can make that money. We have starter money right here,” his dad informs us as he holds up a yellow envelope.

“Do we at least know he’s safe? Y/n. Is my baby ok?” she asks me as she again squeezes on my hand.

“From what we’ve seen. I think he’ll be ok. If we can get to him,” I tell her and the room goes quiet for a moment.

“Bill…” his mom whispers as she lets go of my hand to hold onto his arm.

It stays quiet for a moment more before we see Grissom walking up to the door. He seems to just get off his phone before coming in as Catherine clears her throat.

“Judge Stokes, Mrs. Stokes. Gill Grissom,” Catherine introduces them as she motions to Nick’s mom and dad, then to Gill.

“Your honor. Mrs. Stokes. I’m… uh… sorry that we’re meeting under these circumstances,” Gill gives his condolences and I pull in a rough patch of air.

“Y/n. Honey. Come here,” his mother tells me as she holds her arms open.

I move my chair over to her and she pulls me into her arms. I hold back my sobs as much as I possibly can as she strokes my hair.

“Have you been able to make contact with the animals who took my son?” his dad asks Gill in a very straightforward tone.

“No, we haven’t yet, but… they should be contacting us in roughly four hours,” Catherine explains as Gill takes a seat next to her now.

“We were able to rustle up $20,000 cash. Our bank's prepared to wire another $100,000. Now we can sell the cars. We can hock the ranch... We can make the number, but it’s gonna take at least another day. We’ll do whatever we can to bring our boy home to his wife,” his dad explains his plan in a very detailed manner as a judge would.

“Judge Stokes-” Gill starts to try explaining.

“Can we give them the money we have now, try to buy more time?” His mom asks as she pushes the envelope towards Gill.

“Mom. Please listen to what Gill has to say,” I beg her and she nods as she stops pushing the money towards him.

“I don’t think that will help,” Gill tells her honestly and she sits back in her seat.

I take her hand that’s still around my shoulder and pull it to my front so I can hold it. She looks at me, confused for a moment, but I bite my lip as I nod my head back at Gill.

“There’s got to be something we can do,” his dad replies in disbelief that there’s nothing that he can do to help. He’s always been the one to rush in and save Nick from anything, whether it be his own mistake or not, making me roll my eyes.

“You’ve already done it by coming here, by showing your support for both Nick and y/n…” Catherine tries to explain and his mom squeezes my hand.

“We’re not here to show support. We’re here to get Nick home to us and his wife. Where he belongs,” his mom cuts in with an angry tone and I squeeze her hand softly as her voice falters at the end.

“We’re not sure who has your son… or why…” Griss tells them and his dad gives him a confused look.

“Well… what the hell do you know?” Judge asks in a borderline angry tone and I close my eyes for a moment.

“Judge, please…” I almost whimper out and he sighs before looking at Grissom.

“Very little…” Grissom answers his question and his mom squeezes my hand again.

“Let’s just cut to the gist. What proof do you have that my boy’s still alive?” he asks and I let out a sharp gasp along with his mom.

Catherine and Gill give each other serious looks as Nick's mom still holds onto me. I shake my head when I look at Gill, but it’s almost like he ignores it.

“Gill, don’t. They can’t see it. Jillian, tell them no. You don’t wanna see it,” I burst out, shaking my head as I frantically get up out of my seat.

“Y/n. You're ok. Calm down, it’s going to be ok,” Jillian is quick to stand up, coming over to me and pulling me into a hug.

“Y/n, honey, I think even if we don’t want to see it, we have to,” she tells me as she strokes my hair and I sniffle.

“Ok… I’m sorry. It’s just very hard to see…” I reply to her and she hums, nodding.

“No. Don’t be sorry, dear. You’re just trying to keep us from hurting more. We understand, but we have to see it,” she tells me and I sigh before pulling away from the hug.

“Ok. Griss, let’s show them,” I whisper out with a reserved nod. Grissom nods softly before standing along with Catherine as I walk back over.

“Judge. Mrs. Stokes, if you’ll follow me,” Grissom says as he looks at his dad and the Judge nods as I wrap my arms around myself.

We all walk back to the room that Warrick and I had sat in earlier. Grissom leads us over to the computer and he looks at Catherine for a moment.

“This might be a little hard to watch, like y/n said before, but it’s the only proof of life we have for you,” he explains to them and Jillian nods as she gets a little closer to her husband.

“We’re ready…” Bill tells him and Grissom nods solemnly before pressing the watch button. It goes completely quiet in the room.

Nick's face pops up on the screen again and I let out a shuddering breath. We watch for a few minutes as Nick keeps his arm over his eyes and away from the bright light. The countdown that beeps at the bottom of the screen stares at me, taunting me and it takes everything I have not to break down right away.

His mom freezes for a moment, tears filling her eyes before letting out a devastating grunt. She walks off just outside of the lab, but I can’t tear my eyes away quite yet. His dad watches on with me for a moment more.

“Oh, Pancho… what the hell you got yourself into?” Judge asks and that’s when I break.

I walk over with him to Jillian and he pulls her off the wall she’s leaning on and hugs her from behind. I stand there and can’t help, but wish Nick was here to do the same thing with me. She turns and looks at me for a moment before holding her arms open for me.

My lip wobbles slightly before I rush into the hug and she just holds me as her husband holds her. We stay that way for a while before I pull back and wipe at my cheeks.

“I’ll, ahh… see you guys later. I’ve gotta go find Warrick. You guys go home and we’ll update you as soon as we can,” I tell them and Jillian reaches back out for me.

“We’re not going home. Bill has a hotel for us to stay in. Y/n, you should come back with us,” she tells me and I shake my head.

“No. I’m ok. Really. I’ll text you when there’s something that comes up. Please just go try and sleep,” I tell her and she sighs.

“Ok, but please promise you’ll take care of yourself, dear,” she tells me and I nod as I purse my lips.

“I’ll do my best. I’ll text you, ok?” I promise one last time and when she nods in confirmation, I start to walk away.

I walk down a few halls and stop to lean against a wall when I feel like I’m going to puke. Once the feeling passes, I stand back up and continue on to find Warrick in the break room. I sigh and quickly rush over to him.

When he hears me enter, he puts his chips down and looks up at me before getting up to come over to me, pulling me into a much needed hug.

“Rick… he’s just so terrified… I’m terrified I won’t see him again…” I whimper out and he sighs.

“You’ll see him again, mamas. You will. Just gotta have hope. I don’t want you watching that video again unless I’m there, ok?” he asks and I sleepily nod against him.

He leads me over to the break room couch and together we sit down. He pulls me into a hug and just holds me as my whole resolve breaks. The last thing I remember before falling asleep from exhaustion and crying was him laying me down with a blanket over me.

To Be Continued…

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ilariyalavorowrites · 1 month

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Stalking me, Stalking you(CSI Nick Stokes)

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending, kidnapping, hurt but eventual comfort. Suffering, lots of suffering, slow-moving plot, stalking, obsessive behaviour.

Pairings: Nick Stokes x Reader and Reader x OC (one-sided)

Word count: 2,240 words

Universe: CSI

Reader gender: Female

Part one of ten

Tagged: @just-call-me-the-old-hag @horsedragonllama

Sunday, 10:45 am

With your acquired piping hot morning cup of decaffeinated coffee, confined to the conveniently supplied to-go cup, you were ready to head out, to head back home and get the final chores finished before your mother arrived. Tomorrow could not come soon enough, it had been way too long since your mother last visited a few years back but this would be different.

Dinner reservations had all but been confirmed. You were awaiting the relevant information as soon as your partner had it in his possession as he had insisted on handling this little task himself. This would be the first time your mother and he would be in the same room. It was rather nerve-racking as you hoped that nothing would go wrong and they'd get on like a house on fire.

Lost in your thoughts, as you wandered through the crowded little coffee shop, one that you had regularly visited twice a week over the past four years. You only saw the stranger coming once it was too late to prevent the collision. His shoulder knocked into yours hard enough to send you spinning and before you could react, your coffee flew out of your hand, spilling its dark content all over the tiled floor.

“Damn,” You said, mildly annoyed but knowing the popularity of your favourite coffee shop. There was always a chance that something like this could easily happen. It's just your turn. You would look back and laugh about this later with your mother.

“It’s my fault, sorry about that. Let me buy you another one” An unfamiliar smooth baritone voice spoke, catching her attention. You raised her gaze to meet theirs, ready to politely decline as after all, it was just one cup of coffee nothing to cry over. With a friendly, nonchalant smile upon your lips, you open your mouth to reply…

Monday, 9 am

Evelyn had never been truly comfortable flying but when her daughter had called around two and half months back with an open invitation and her airfare fully paid, she jumped at the chance. After sending one more message to both her daughter and husband, Evelyn boarded the plane.

Driving down had been an option, Evelyn had never been the most confident driver, especially over long distances. On those long lonely straits of road, she would always worry needlessly about every little thing, even if her husband had been along for the ride. Flying had been the only option since her husband was still not back from his fishing trip. An hour and a half was nothing, it would be over before she knew it.

Just before she turned off her phone, Evelyn checked one final time to see if either of them had replied. Her dear Bob had but her daughter had not. This hadn’t been the first message that she hadn’t responded to.

Evelyn had spoken to her the previous morning to confirm what time she would arrive at the airport so that she would be prompt to pick her up but after that, it was utter radio silence. This was hardly unusual due to the nature of her daughter’s job but this felt different. For her daughter was truly a creature of habit, always calling back if she had missed more than one call that day from either parent and replying to text messages by the next morning.

She had done neither of these as Evelyn had tried calling last night and once more before leaving this very morning. She even used the keypad to text carefully a goodnight message and the one before boarding. She preferred to call over using the messaging function on this newer model of phone that had been purchased as a Christmas present. Her family wanted her to try and keep up with the times and have a way of contacting them whenever she left the house.

It had been sweet though but it wouldn’t have been her first choice of present. She knew that her daughter worried about her, but then Evelyn deeply worried about her child’s safety especially since they had not lived in the same state for the last five years.

All she could do was wait until her plane landed safely at Las Vegas Airport and the sight of that ever-infectious smile beaming from just beyond the barrier in the Arrival Hall. The pleasant image would be enough to get through the flight as she laid back in her seat, closing her eyes and relaxed as much as she possibly could.

An hour and a half flew past and Evelyn found herself standing in the right place with a suitcase in one hand and her purse dainty held in the other as her eyes scanned the crowd. She had checked the signage on the walks to ensure that she had gone in the right direction, as it was most definitely possible that the airport had more than one arrival hall in this terminal but this hadn’t been the case.

She had been walking up and down for the last twenty minutes, her eyes passing over each of the many faces staring back at her from the barrier. None of them were the ones that she had been expecting. This was strange as her plane had not been delayed and her trip through security had not taken long. Maybe her daughter had been held up in a traffic jam, yes that had to be it.

Evelyn made her way through the crowd, all whilst looking for a seat to rest and continuing to wait as she was certain that her child wouldn’t be much longer.

Minutes ticked past, soon becoming tens of minutes and before long an hour had passed. Evelyn was concerned as her eyes had remained fixed upon the exit doors, watching as they opened and closed as people flooded in and out but her daughter had never stepped foot across that threshold.

With one hand, she fished out that dreaded mobile phone and swiftly dialled her daughter’s number. It rang for a few moments before being diverted to voicemail. Without hesitation, she spoke knowing that she had few options in a city where knew no one beyond her child.

‘Sweetheart. It’s your mother. I’ve been at the airport for a little while. I know you are on the way and have likely been caught up in some dreadful traffic on the way here so I’ll get a taxi as I do have your address and you head home. I’ll meet you there

She placed the phone back in the depths of her purse before heading outside to find a taxi as seeds of worry and doubt blossomed into life.

Monday, 11:10 pm

Detective Captain Jim Brass had seen it all. There was not much that shook him to the core anymore, after all the years spent with all that he had seen with the ever-loyal team of hardworking CSIs that made up the graveyard shift.

His officers were just as hardy as he was, well maybe a few were still green and somewhat naive but in time, they would be as hard as diamonds on the outside at least. Seated in his office, he was ready to burn the midnight oil when a quick succession of knocks alerted him to the presence of someone at his door.

The words were on the tip of his tongue, to summon them to cross the threshold and enter but this individual did not wait as the door was swiftly pushed open. He frowned, annoyed at this sudden intrusion but as his gaze fell upon the familiar face of Officer Rodriguez of Day Shift, a thousand questions rose erupted within his mind.

Why was he still here? His shift ended hours ago but yet he remained within the department. His pale and drawn face was far from the usual for this stern man who lived for the badge.

“Sir, I’m sorry for just entering but I felt that you needed to hear this” His voice lacked its normal steady tone, it was similar to that of the many terrified fathers that he had encountered over the years. “I’m listening, Rodriguez” He patiently spoke briefly, to allow the man to find the rest of his words.

“My partner and I were called to the scene of a 406, from the information that we had received from dispatch just seemed like a run-of-the-mill job. However, when Sawyer and I rolled up at the address, it was far from ordinary”

Jim watched on silently as the story began to unravel. “A distraught older woman was waiting outside the property for us, and quickly it was established that this was the mother of the individual that owned this unit” It was plain to see the professional nature waning as the officer continued to relay his report.

“The owner was discovered to be one of our own” As he heard the name, the cogs began to turn, as he tried to make sense of what had led to this but yet, he lacked the whole picture as if only a few matching pieces had found and place down upon the table, the jigsaw was slowly coming together.

However, this still perplexed Jim, why was a simple burglary being hand-delivered to his door, unless there was more to this than a case of a stranger breaking into the home of a member of law enforcement and taking anything that wasn't nailed down.

A small case that dayshift would need no assistance from either swing or graveyard but this didn’t feel as if they were reaching out for a fresh set of eyes to look over the evidence. He would bite and see where he ended up.

The memory of the morning still fresh lingered at the forefront of Rodriguez’s mind. It was hard to push aside as he relived each step, trying to see if he missed any detail. No matter how miniscule it initially seems could open doors down the line.

“She’s been paid leave for thirty-six hours as her mother was due to arrive this morning. Using a few vacation days left over from last year” He relayed the information readily to the younger man. A basic set of facts that most of the department was already aware of. She had been rather openly vocal about the pending arrival of her beloved mother.

Each shift had been part of the active countdown that drove many mad but much like any other family, they took in on the chin and revelled at the sight of her excitement. Both men remembered the smile that never faded, it didn’t matter which end of her shift they encountered her, there it would be.

The years of service had not yet tarnished and hardened her heart, but it would come eventually. That one case that they could not get past, sleepless nights and a drive to find a way to justice that went above the call of duty. Jim had his, he knew that Rodriguez had his own.

The sight of Conrad Ecklie and the click of his office door closing behind the said man spoke volumes, this was not going to be good news in the slightest. “Sir, The Detective in question never turned up at the airport to pick up her mother and has not been seen since the morning before that”

Monday 11:20 PM

Nick held his phone as he walked through the station’s front doors, his focus transfixed firmly upon the tiny screen of the device. Still no message back but then again he wasn’t expecting her to answer straight away especially now that her mother was in town. He had the breakfast date to look forward to once he finished this graveyard shift.

Tomorrow was going to be his day with his girl, meeting up with her at their regular breakfast joint and then sitting down to dinner with her mother later in the evening. Nick would message her the details later on during his first break of the night.

Nothing could easily railroad this wonderful feeling, for the first time, in a long time things were going swimmingly with his love life. He never knew that these were famous last words, ones that would haunt him in the days to come.

As his eyes rose from his screen, he could not help but notice the scene in Brass’s office. Ecklie was a familiar sight, flitting in and out whenever the need arose but an unfamiliar Officer who should have clocked out hours ago, now that was unusual.

Catherine lingered in the hallway near the locker room, leaning into the wall behind her with her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes trained upon the glass-walled office. “Evening” He greeted his dear old friend as he stiddled up beside her. “Do you know what’s going on?” He enquired curious to know if she had any insight into the strange situation.

“No, but I don’t doubt we’ll be in the dark for long. All I do know is that it’s do with one of the day shift’s newest cases” She replied, her curiosity had been piqued the moment that she entered ten minutes earlier.

In tandem, their phones beeped and the same text message was displayed on each of their devices. What a way to start a shift, Nick knew that he would have to tell about this in the morning.

FAMILY MEETING

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