Disclaimer: I own nothing of CSI

Confession

Nick and Jackie Stokes were getting ready to go out to dinner. It was going to be a special night because Jackie's mom had offered to watch their daughter Jasmine for them, so it was going to be just the two of them. Jackie was just about to spray herself with perfume when her cell phone rang.

"Hello" she said.

"Hi Jackie, listen I am really sorry but I don't think I should babysit tonight, I think I have the flu and I would hate to get Jasmine sick." Her mother said apologetically.

"That's ok mom, do you need anything?" Jackie asked.

"No, I'm fine, and again I'm sorry." Her mother said.

"Don't worry about it, I hope you feel better." Jackie said.

"I will, thank you." Her mother said

And with that the call ended.

"Nick, that was my mom, she has the flu and can't babysit tonight." Jackie said.

"Oh that's to bad, I guess we'll just have to take Jasmine with us." Nick said.

"I could call my friend Megan and ask her if she could babysit." Jackie said.

"Who's Megan?" Nick asked.

"A friend of mine from high school, she just recently moved to Vegas." Jackie answered.

"How well do you know her?" Nick asked.

"Well we've been friends for quite a while, were not best friends or anything but she's a good friend. Why do you ask?"

"Because if you don't know her very well there is no way in hell I am letting her babysit Jasmine." Nick said in a stern voice.

Jackie was stunned "Nick, if I didn't trust her 110% I wouldn't even consider letting her watch Jasmine, you know that, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"You're right Jackie, I'm sorry." He said.

"Apology accepted, but honestly you hurt my feelings, I mean you made it sound like I would leave Jasmine with anyone just so I could go out and party or something."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that, it's just that…." Nick's voice trailed off but Jackie could see something was troubling him.

"What is it Nicky?" She asked gently.

He took a deep breath and grabbed her hands. He led her over to the couch and they both sat down. "I'm going to tell you something that nobody knows except for Catherine, and the only reason I told her was because she threatened to take me off of a case once."

"What is it?" Jackie asked again.

Nick took another deep breath, "I was nine" He swallowed hard and Jackie nodded, encouraging him to continue. With his voice trembling he said "One night my parents went out and they left me with a last minute babysitter. He paused before adding "she molested me Jackie." Tears started to fall from his eyes.

Jackie was horrified. " Oh my god Nick, I'm so sorry, I had no idea." Jackie said, wrapping her arms around him. She was so stunned her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I couldn't tell anyone because I thought it was my fault somehow. I thought I would get in trouble. I remember sitting in my room that night feeling very alone and scared. I just sat in the dark curled up in a ball, shaking and silently sobbing. For a very long time after that I would rarely let my mom out of my sight, and anytime my parents mentioned going out and leaving me with a babysitter I would become hysterical. I would cry and scream until my mom agreed to stay home with me." He stopped and glanced at his wife, tears were streaming down her pretty face. "Please don't tell anyone Jackie, especially not my mom, she will blame herself and it wasn't her fault, she was and still is the most kind, caring, and loving mother anyone could ask for. If she ever found out about this it would destroy her, I can't do that to her. So please, I'm begging you, don't say anything."

"Honey shhhh, I won't say a word, I swear." She said and she meant it.

"Thank you" he whispered.

Nick took a couple of minutes to compose himself and then looked his wife in the eye and said "Now do you understand why I am so particular with who babysits Jasmine?"

"Yes I completely understand, and I am so very sorry this happened to you, I can't even imagine what you went through, and it must have been so hard keeping it to yourself all these years."

"It was something I tried so hard to forget, but of course you never forget something like that" He said honestly.

"I'm so sorry Nicky." Jackie said, not knowing what else to say.

"Honey would it be alright if we just stayed home tonight, I don't really feel like going out anymore." Nick asked.

Jackie smiled at him "Of course" She said.

"Thank you, I'll make it up to you." He promised before getting up off the couch.

He started up the stairs.

"Where you going?" She asked him.

"I'm going to go check on Jasmine." He said.

When Jackie peeked into Jasmine's nursery about 15 minutes later Nick was sitting in the rocking chair with Jasmine in his arms. Jasmine was fast asleep and Nick was just staring at his little girl and a warm smile was on his face. Jackie smiled as she quietly walked down the hallway to her bedroom. Nick joined her about 10 minutes later.

"She's sound asleep." He said with a smile. "

That's good." She said as she went over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm tired, what about you?" he asked her.

"Me too." She said.

He gave her a long and passionate kiss before both of them got ready for bed. Moments after crawling into bed they fell asleep, wrapped in each others arms.