Title: "Safer Than Las Vegas"
Genre: Angst/Humor (dark)
Rating: T
Spoilers: "Who Are You", "Boom", "Stalker", "Grave Danger"
Summary: Nick determines Las Vegas is too dangerous for him and decides to move somewhere safer.
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI, nor am I making any money from this story. If I did own CSI, a certain Texan wouldn't be frequently finding himself in danger.
A/N: Thanks to TRNOFASCRW from csiguide for starting a folder of "Quotes the CSIs Wouldn't Say". This story is based on one of my Nick quotes. Also, thanks to Rosie (also from csiguide) for being my inspiration to write this when she mentioned she was going to write a story based on one of her quotes.
Nick Stokes sat patiently while Catherine read the form. When she was finished, she looked up at him, the distress evident in her face. "Look, Nicky," she said as calmly as she could, "I know you're having a rough time right now, but do you really want to quit? How about a leave of absence instead?"
Shaking his head, Nick said, "I've had enough of Las Vegas, Cath. It's not safe for me here."
Catherine knew Nick had been emotionally affected by his kidnapping, but he wasn't making any sense at all. "What do you mean, it's not safe?"
"Well, let's see," Nick replied bitterly. "In the past five years, I've had guns pulled on me twice. I've been accused and nearly arrested for murder. I've been pushed out of a closed second story window. A man is killed in my apartment. I've been stalked. And the icing on the cake was being buried alive, becoming a buffet for fire ants, and nearly being blown up."
Nick's voice became slightly unsteady. "I'm burnt out, Catherine. I need to go where I'll feel safer. I've already found a new job as an instructor, training new CSIs."
Catherine's eyes filled with tears as she realized she wouldn't be able to talk him out of resigning. She got up and walked around her desk to hug Nick. As he got up to return the embrace, he said kindly, "I'll e-mail you as soon as I'm settled in, okay?"
Catherine nodded, unable to speak.
A few weeks later, Nick was on the plane heading for his new job, when the elderly lady sitting next to him decided to strike up a conversation. "Where are you going, hon?"
Nick smiled. "Heading for my new job, ma'am."
"That's nice," the lady replied. "Where is this new job at?"
"Somewhere safer than Las Vegas," Nick answered. "Baghdad."