The Elevator Games

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Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Nick and the lab rats get stuck in the elevator during a rolling blackout before the annual policeman's ball. Post Pool Shark. Tensions around high in the little elevator will they be to hold on until help gets them out.

Ch1: Opportunity

"Ready to go?" Greg asked, Nick nodded but felt like he was forgetting something. Nick padded his pockets and released a sigh and Greg immediately turned the Denali around.

"I forgot my phone on my desk." Nick said frustrated with himself. Thunder rocked the ground.

The only problem with having triple degree for weeks at a time was that the humidity would build up and then Las Vegas would get these terrible thunderstorms to compensate. Usually with the storms though they would have the rolling blackouts or just completely lose power and they hadn't experienced that yet. Knock on wood, Nick thought.

"I will be right back." Nick said running to where the stairs and elevator were inside the garage. Nick was planning on taking the stairs because they were already running behind but he saw all the lab techs in the elevators. Nick stopped the door from shutting, and then hit the button repeatedly to get the doors to close.

"Where's the fire?" Mandy asked making room for Nick in the now semi-crowded elevator. The other lab techs were talking about other 'lab rat' stuff. Archie, Henry, Hodges, Wendy, and Mandy were already in the small elevator when Nick hopped in.

"Double homicide at the Tangier's and I left my phone on my desk… Greg and I are already running late." Nick said hitting the button again swearing the elevator was the slowest in the world, he already regretted not taking the stairs. However he did feel himself on edge lately with the shooting still haunting him.

"But hitting the button eight hundred times isn't going to get us there any faster." Mandy joked smiling at Nick. Nick gave her a nervous smile back and put his hands in his pockets, fighting the sore pain he got in his shoulder.

"I swear I'd forget my head if it wasn't attach." Nick teased in that sweet southern tang that made Mandy's heart flutter. Mandy had a huge school girl crush on the Texan but would never admit it. She started to wonder if it was only a crush because seeing Nick struggle after the Jekyll shooting really but Mandy in a fritz.

A few days prior… Mandy was looking for Catherine to give her results on a case that seemed not to be the highest priority but Mandy knew better then to not test her Supervisor's evidence first. Mandy peeked her head in the locker room and saw Nick just staring blankly at his locker. Mandy slowly entered to the room and heard Nick release a deep sigh as he crawled back into his own skin. He looked over and saw Mandy looking at him. He gave her a nervous smile and looked away.

"Are those for me?" Nick chuckled wiping his face looking at her.

"No, Catherine." Mandy said, Nick nodded.

"How long have you been standing there?" Nick asked looking away, finally putting some of his gear in his locker. Mandy couldn't tell if his tone was that of someone who was frustrated or not.

"Not long… are you alright?" Mandy asked her voice full of concern. Nick closed his locker as Mandy moved closer to Nick, leaning on the locker next to his.

"Its… it's been a rough couple days." Nick choked out releasing a deep breath, finally looking at Mandy.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mandy asked in her most gentle voice.

"In all honesty…" Nick said releasing a deep sigh. "No. I want to forget it ever happened! Officer Clark's blood is on my hands! That isn't going to change!" Nick yelled, as much as he wanted to fight this. He certainly didn't want to take it out on little Mandy, but people had just been giving him stares, he could hear the whispers. It was like he was trapped in a cage being poked and stared at by his coworkers and the cage was released on Mandy. Poor Mandy was just getting the brute of it. Mandy wasn't angry but rather did get a little startled she didn't mean to but she didn't expect Nick to open up to her.

"No, it's not Nick. His blood is on Charlie DiMassa's hands. He shot him not you. There is nothing else you could have done." Mandy pleaded. Nick nodded and wiped his nose feeling a tiny bit of relief.

"I guess, you are right." Nick said not too convinced.

"I am. I know it sucks but you can't keep this in, eating away at you." Mandy said looking at Nick until he looked at her. Nick nodded taking in a deep breath.

"I know." Nick said smiling at her.

"Good, because we would fall apart without you, Stokes." Mandy said Nick laughed but the mood soon turned serious again and Nick hugged Mandy.

"Thanks, Webster." Nick said, Mandy was left speechless enjoying the feel of Nick's strong arms around her wishing that this moment would last forever knowing sadly it wouldn't. Mandy could smell his aftershave and deodorant, it was like a scent from the heavens.

Everyone noticed as the power flickered just short of their arrival to their desired floor. The elevator started to go to down and shake. Everyone in the elevator started to panic unknown what the elevator is going to do next. Nick grabbed the railing and the others followed suit as Nick hit the emergency button. Just as everyone was really start to panic the power went out and the elevator stopped and everyone jerked almost falling. They all looked around confused and scared waiting for the power to come back on. The one lonely back up light at the top of the elevator turned on.

"Is everyone alright?" Nick asked serious. Everyone nodded to scared and in pure shock. "The power should come back on any minute."

The lab rats and Nick stuck in a elevator for gosh know how long? How will they pass the time? Will feelings erupt and be exploded or will the elevator be engulfed with lab rat tensions? What did you think?

Possible Hodges/Wendy

Possible Nick/Mandy