Over
AUTHOR: Spacemonkey766
RATING: PG-13 - language
CATEGORY: episode tag, hurt/comfort
DISCLAIMER: All characters in this story belong to CBS and the brilliant man that created CSI and CSI NY (yes, Miami was left out for a reason…please no hate mail). I own nobody...although I would like to borrow Nicky and Warrick and…play…with them a bit.
SPOILERS: Season 6's Daddy's Little Girl and season 5's Grave Danger
SUMMARY: Grissom says its over…Nick doesn't believe it and Warrick doesn't believe that Grissom could be that blind..takes place directly after that scene in DLG
AUTHOR NOTE: So what Grissom said made me really mad…so mad that I kinda didn't want to see him for quite a few episodes. So here's Warrick reacting the way I would…if any of it were real.
INFO: quotes from the ep are in single quotes and italics in the beginning
'I guess that means its over.'
'Yea.'
'Good.'
'Good.'
Nick stood up from the chair, looking once more at Grissom before leaving his boss's office. Grissom just watched Nick, silently berating himself for not explaining his actions to the younger man.
Nick strode down the hall of the crime lab at an angry pace. As he stormed past the DNA lab, Greg and Warrick both looked up to see a lab tech abruptly side-step the Texan to avoid being barreled into. The two men looked at each other, silently communicating their worry. Warrick sighed before pushing himself off the counter he had been leaning over. Greg watched him follow their friend. They both knew Nick would want to be alone; but as friends, that wouldn't be allowed. Greg just hoped Warrick would be able to help without too much of a fight from Nick.
Warrick jogged after Nick and saw his friend force the locker room door open with a slam, attracting the attention of passer-bys. Following him in, Warrick closed the door behind him as Nick ran a hand through his hair, pacing.
"Hey, bro, you almost train-wrecked Carolyn from trace." Warrick stood a couple of feet from his agitated friend, allowing Nick some space for now.
"What?" Nick said loudly. Seeing Warrick's calm demeanor, his anger dissipated and the volume of his voice lowered to a normal tone. "Dammit. I'll apologize to her later." He ran his hand through his hair once more before resting it on the back of his neck.
"What's going on, Nick?" Warrick asked, unable to keep the concern from his voice.
"I'm not a child!" Nick turned to face Warrick, his voice raised once again. "I'm no so emotionally unstable that I couldn't handle it!"
"What-"
"Grissom!" He thinks he knows what's best for me! That I'll fucking break!" Nick arms flailed as he yelled. "I'm not a child, god-dammit!" With the last outburst, Nick spun, fist connecting with locker hard as he punched it. "Fuck!" He immediately clutched his sore hand to his chest, pain etched on his face.
"Dammit, Nicky, sit down before you break your other fucking hand," Warrick grabbed Nicky by the shoulders and sat him down on the bench in-between the rows of lockers. Warrick heard Nick whisper 'idiot' to himself as he went to the washroom. There Warrick grabbed the first aid kit and wet a small towel from the sink, before coming to sit next to Nick.
"Let me see." Warrick carefully grabbed Nick's wrist and examined the numerous bleeding cuts and bruises already forming on his knuckles. He gently cleaned Nick's hand with the wet cloth. "Wanna tell me what this is all about?"
Nick sighed. "Remember I told you about the tape Gordon left with me while I was….ya know."
"Yea."
"Yea, well apparently it too survived the explosion. It was logged in as evidence last September."
"Mhmmm," Warrick nodded, applying cream on the cuts before he started to wrap gauze around Nick's hand from the wrist to the knuckles.
"Well it sounds like no big deal, right? Well, I listened to the enhanced version," Nick stated, hissing as Warrick pulled the bandaging tight and taped it down. "Grissom and Archie discovered a second voice on the tape. Gordon had an accomplice."
Warrick stared at him. "What!"
"Why wouldn't he tell me?" Nick once more clutched his hand to his chest, ignoring Warrick's question as the hurt replaced the anger in Nick's voice.
"You're telling me that Grissom logged in evidence that really impacts your case, and he didn't tell anybody!" Warrick was pissed. He tried to keep it showing in his voice now that Nick had calmed down.
"And get this. The voice is the 419 Cath and I are working on. She was involved in my kidnapping." Nick broke his eye contact with Warrick, hanging his head in what Warrick perceived as defeat. "Does he think that I'm incompetent? That because I'm just a trauma victim I should be left in the dark? That I cant handle it?" Warrick grabbed Nick's shoulders before he could say anymore.
"Nicky, you were a victim of a very traumatic experience, but don't ever label yourself as 'just a victim'." Nick gave Warrick a look that conveyed confusion. "After only three months since your kidnapping you came back to work and have held yourself together as if your fine." Warrick hated to call it 'kidnapping' because it was so much more than that. But Nick seemed comfortable using it and he figured it was better than saying 'after you were buried and eaten alive'.
"If you call breaking won at work fine then…"
"You're trippin' man. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Hell, I'd be worried if you didn't get angry or cry. And I've got your back so if get pissed and you need to throw a punch…come to me first and we'll figure something out; rather than you busting up your hand."
"Thanks, bro," Nick smiled.
"Anytime. Now go to Doc Robbins and let him check out the damage," Warrick ordered, standing up from the bench, and heading towards the locker room exit.
"Warrick," Nick's quiet voice stopped Warrick from opening the door.
"Yea, man?"
"Grissom said it was over. It'll never be over though."
Warrick sighed at the pain his best friend was going through. He walked back to where Nick still sat and knelt down in front of him, placing one hand on Nick's arm and the other gently against the side of his face. The gesture forced Nick to look at him in the eyes.
"No, it wont. I wish it could be. This affected all of our lives. But we'll grow from it. It wont go away. But you're not alone. It will never be over, but it will get better. I promise you." Warrick pulled Nick into a brotherly hug, placing a light kiss upon Nick's head. If they were where they were a few years ago, embarrassment would prevent Warrick from doing such a simple act. But now it was as natural as if nick had received it from his own brother. The two had always been close, going from buddies to best friends, to brothers over the past nine years.
Finally the two separated from the embrace and stood up. Nick clapped Warrick on the back with his uninjured hand in silent thanks as they walked out of the locker room. Greg watched from the DNA lab and smiled at Nick's calmer demeanor and Warrick's encouraging thumbs up directed at him.
"Now let Doc check out your hand to see if its serious. I'll be there in a few." Nick didn't protest to Warrick, which told Warrick how much his wrist hurt. He watched Nick head toward autopsy for a moment before heading to Grissom's office. He didn't even bother to knock. Warrick pushed open the door and stormed in, pointing at Grissom.
"You have no right!"
Grissom just looked up from the paper work he had been engaged it. He placed won his pen and folded his hands over the desktop.
"Can I help you, Warrick?"
"Don't play games with me Grissom. What gives you the right to keep that tape from us? From Nick?"
"I have my reason. He's been through enough. I didn't want to burden him with that knowledge…or any of you for that matter," Grissom remained calm, despite Warrick's anger. Warrick stared incredulously at his boss.
"But to tell him its over!"
"Walter Gordon is dead. His accomplice is dead. It is over."
"The threat is over. But what happened…what he's going through, what all of us are going through…that's not over Grissom!"
"I know that, Warrick."
"Do you?" Warrick walked over to Grissom's desk, placing both hand on the surface as he leaned on it. "You know? You know that he had to get his bathroom redone because he had one of those glass shower stalls and it reminded him too much of that Plexiglas hell? You know that he had to get a new alarm clock because his old one cast a green glow like those damned glow sticks? That he holds back panic attacks when he's in an elevator, any enclosed space, or underground type thins like bunkers or basements?"
"Warrick…"
"And you must also know that he shakes when he's in your entomology lab. That any bug freaks him out. That little things like the tags on the inside of his shirt tickling his neck or something brushing his arm scare the shit out of him; reminds of those ants crawling on him." Grissom just stated at Warrick as the other man delivered his verbal rampage. He didn't know what to say.
"I stayed with him for a while. Still do every so often. I've held him after his nightmares. I've seen the fear during them. The panic when he first wakes up. But look at him. He's the strongest he's ever been despite it all.
"Watch him, Grissom, and see the difference. He's not the same. None of us are. I'll never take him for granted again. And neither should you. It's not over." And with that, Warrick turned and went to leave.
"Warrick." Grissom stood from his chair. Warrick stopped in the doorway, turning to face the older man. "I'm trying to protect him."
"He doesn't need protection. He needs support. He's trying to find himself, where he stands in life. The mustache, the long hair, the emotions…he's trying to find who he is. We just need to let him know that we know who Nick Stokes is and support him as he tries to relearn and grow from this. Don't protect him. Help him." Warrick left after that, leaving Grissom alone.
Warrick made his way to the autopsy room. Opening the door he saw Nick seated on a stool and Robbins redressing Nick's wrist.
"Alright Doc," Warrick started, "what's the damage?"
"Minimal. Buts, bruised knuckles, swollen wrist. No breaks, no fractures. Just take it easy on that arm." Robbins handed Nick a sling that Nick accepted with his good hand. "Don't hesitate to use this. It'll be swollen about a week or so. I'll check it again in a few days."
"Thanks, Doc." Nick hopped off the stool and headed out to the hall. Warrick patted Robbins on the back and then followed his friend.
"Nicky. Tomorrow's our day off. What d'ya say after shift tonight we grab some beers and head to your place and watch our double feature?"
"Bad Boys?" Nick smiled, knowingly. The two Bad Boys movies were their favorites to watch together.
"For life, bro." Warrick held out his hand and he and Nick pounded their fists. With that Nick and Warrick went and grabbed their younger CSI friend from the DNA lab and went to go sneak in some video games in the break room.