AN: Thank you all for your very kind reviews on my last story. What an ego boost let me tell you. Anyway, you can all rest assured I have finished Driving Home and will continue to post the remaining chapters. This is just a little story that I felt like writing for no particular reason. Hope you enjoy and keep sending those reviews. I even like the constructive ones. ;)
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"Love you too Kylie, bye."
Nick hung up the phone and let the tears fall that he had been holding back while talking to his niece. She sounded worse than when he had spoken to her last time. Weaker. He knew she didn't have long to go now. Kylie had been diagnosed with Leukaemia a year ago and now she was losing the battle. It was times like this he was glad he was single and had no children. He knew it was selfish but he didn't think he had the strength to go through what his sister was facing.
Right now all he wanted to do was have a few beers and try to watch TV. He wiped the tears from his red rimmed eyes and went to the fridge and grabbed out a bottle when he heard a knock at his door. He stood in the kitchen for a minute contemplating not answering it. He really didn't feel like company tonight. Another knock, more urgent this time.
He went to his front door and looked through the peep hole. Sara. Now he really didn't want to answer the door. Sara and he were good friends, well HAD been good friends. It was just that lately he had found her a little..... self absorbed.
Taking a deep breath and pasting on a pretend smile he opened the door. "Sara, what are you doing here?"
She looked at him and the look on her face said it all. She was pissed off. Who was it tonight? Grissom? Catherine? Warrick? There was always someone. She breezed passed him and grabbed his beer from his hand. "Thank you, I need this," she said.
Nick sighed. He REALLY was not in the mood for this. He closed the door behind him and while Sara made herself comfortable on the couch.... HIS couch, he went and got another beer from the fridge.
"You will not believe what that.... MAN said to me today."
'OK, it's either Gris or Warrick.' He opened the beer and sat in the chair and put his feet on the coffee table. This chair was no where near as comfortable as his couch. "What did he say."
Nick listened long enough to work out that the target of Sara's rage was Grissom and then zoned out. It was the same old story. Nick had been witness to the strange dance these two had danced for the last 4 years and he was the one Sara turned too each time her world fell in on her. He was the one to wipe her tears, pick her up and dust her off, tell her she could do better, and send her on her way again. He was sick of it.
Hell, he had even slept with her a couple of times in the beginning. Both times it happened Nick had thought Sara had come to her senses and realised Grissom was not the man for her. He thought she had realised her feelings for Nick and they would skip off and live happily ever after. Huh! What a joke! All she had done was use him for sex and then throw herself back at Grissom. He no longer harboured those feelings for Sara but it had been a hard lesson to learn. They had however, developed a friendship that Nick had never experienced with a woman. Both were there for each other when they needed a shoulder to cry on. Well that had been the way until 12 months ago. For some reason when they both applied for that promotion, her attitude towards him.... changed. She had assumed from day one that she was going to get it, and she never bothered to hide that fact from him. Oh, she didn't say it in so many words but a few comments here and there told him loud and clear.
He tuned back in to the conversation to see if any of his input was required. Nope, still ranting. His thoughts turned back to his niece. In fact he had his own bone to pick with Grissom. He had approached him today about taking a few days off next week. He wanted to go to Dallas and visit Kylie. Well, to be perfectly honest he wanted to say goodbye to her.
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"Gris, you got a minute?" Nick ducked his head into Grissom's office during the night when it was slow.
"Sure Nick, come in. What can I do for you?"
Even after four years Nick still felt uncomfortable in this office. It was....intimidating, and he was pretty damn sure that was how Grissom liked it.
"I was wondering if I could have the next few days off. I know it is short notice but it is kind of important."
Grissom looked over his glasses at the younger man sitting opposite him. Nick squirmed under the gaze.
"Sorry Nick, I can't afford to have you off. Catherine has a conference and I already approved holidays for someone else earlier this shift."
Nick looked at Grissom in disbelief. He can't remember the last time he had asked for time off and now that it was so important, he couldn't get it. "Who?"
"Sara requested a week off. Needs some time to 'find herself' is what she said. I'm sorry Nick."
Nick slumped back. He looked back at his supervisor, "Gil, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. I really need this time off."
Grissom's eyebrow shot up at the fact that Nick had used his first name. Very unusual. However the look on his face made him soften his stance a bit. "Tell you what, why don't you ask Sara if she can 'find herself' at a later time. If so, I'll sign off on a few days for you." Nick nodded and stood. He knew Grissom would not approach Sara. They were still iffy since she asked him out that time. Grissom didn't think Nick knew about that but he did. Sara had ended up at his place that night too. No sex but plenty of beers and tears.
Nick went in search of Sara. He found her at her locker. "Hey Sar, can I speak to you for a minute?"
"Sure, what is it." She was cranky but that was her usual state of mind these days.
"Grissom told me you were having some time off and I was hoping that you might be willing to put that off for a while. I really have to go home for something and Grissom won't give me the time off with you and Catherine away."
"No way, forget it. I haven't had any time off in months. Besides, you're the one who is always telling me to get a life. Can't help you."
"Sara...." He was going to tell her the reason but she didn't give him a chance.
"Forget it Nick. Look, I'm really sorry that you are going to miss your Alpha Male Delta Frat Boy reunion or whatever, but I need this time off. Besides, I've made plans and they can't be broken. Maybe next year."
Nick was crestfallen. That was when he came home and spoke to his sister on the phone.
"You really need to get out here Nick. She is so weak. Just tell your boss why you need the time off. I am sure he will give it to you."
"I shouldn't have to tell him why. He knows I wouldn't ask for it if it wasn't important."
"Nick, just swallow that damn pride of yours for once will you. She is dying and wants to see her favourite uncle. Please?"
"OK, I'll try again tomorrow. Is she awake?"
"Yeah I'll put you on."
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"I mean, I'm right aren't I. He has no idea."
Nick nodded and sipped his beer. He had no idea himself as to what they were talking about but a nod seemed to satisfy her.
"I am just going to sit a home for the next few nights and if he even tries to call me in I am going to let him have it."
Nick sat there for a few minutes trying to think about what in that last part of her conversation was pissing him off. Oh yeah.... That was it. 'Going to sit at home for the next few nights.' She had told him that she had plans that couldn't be broken. She had lied to him. She picked the WRONG time to do that.
He could here her blabbing on and on and on and he was getting angrier and angrier. 'Shut up Sara.' He thought. 'Just shut up, shut up, shut up.'
"Shut UP!" he shouted at her.
She stopped dead in mid sentence and stared at him. In a dangerously low voice she said, "What did you just say to me?" Her eyes flashed with anger.
Normally that look would make Nick back down and run away like a dog with his tale between his legs but not tonight. Tonight he had had enough. "I said shut up."
The look on her face was priceless. She was speechless. Her mouth opening and closing like a beached fish.
"I am SO sick of your endless bitching and whining. I have had to put up with this for nearly a year and I am sick to death of it. You have become so self absorbed you have NO idea what is happening with anyone else around you. When was the last time you asked someone at work 'Hey, how's it going?' and actually listened to what they had to say. And what is with your attitude over that promotion? You think you deserve it more than I did? Well you didn't. It wasn't some sort of vindictive attack from Grissom. He recommended me because I DESERVED it. Why don't you sit back and ask yourself why you DIDN'T get it and work on that. And while we are talking about Grissom when are you going to realise this man does NOT WANT YOU. God, for four years you have been chasing a ghost. Christ, you can't even call him by his first NAME."
He stopped and took a breath. Man that felt good! He looked over at Sara and saw the tears brimming in her eyes. Ok, feeling less good about it now.
"God Sara, I'm sorry but.... You just picked a REALLY bad night for this." Nick walked towards her.
She stood. "Fuck you Nick Stokes. I come here because I needed a friend to talk to and this is how you treat me. Thanks a lot." She picks her coat up off the end of the couch and storms to the door.
"YOU needed a friend to talk to. Christ Sara, I've needed a friend for months now and you..... Aggghhh. I think you should go now before I say something I will really regret!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
The door slammed and he was alone. He sat on his couch and let the tears flow.
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"Love you too Kylie, bye."
Nick hung up the phone and let the tears fall that he had been holding back while talking to his niece. She sounded worse than when he had spoken to her last time. Weaker. He knew she didn't have long to go now. Kylie had been diagnosed with Leukaemia a year ago and now she was losing the battle. It was times like this he was glad he was single and had no children. He knew it was selfish but he didn't think he had the strength to go through what his sister was facing.
Right now all he wanted to do was have a few beers and try to watch TV. He wiped the tears from his red rimmed eyes and went to the fridge and grabbed out a bottle when he heard a knock at his door. He stood in the kitchen for a minute contemplating not answering it. He really didn't feel like company tonight. Another knock, more urgent this time.
He went to his front door and looked through the peep hole. Sara. Now he really didn't want to answer the door. Sara and he were good friends, well HAD been good friends. It was just that lately he had found her a little..... self absorbed.
Taking a deep breath and pasting on a pretend smile he opened the door. "Sara, what are you doing here?"
She looked at him and the look on her face said it all. She was pissed off. Who was it tonight? Grissom? Catherine? Warrick? There was always someone. She breezed passed him and grabbed his beer from his hand. "Thank you, I need this," she said.
Nick sighed. He REALLY was not in the mood for this. He closed the door behind him and while Sara made herself comfortable on the couch.... HIS couch, he went and got another beer from the fridge.
"You will not believe what that.... MAN said to me today."
'OK, it's either Gris or Warrick.' He opened the beer and sat in the chair and put his feet on the coffee table. This chair was no where near as comfortable as his couch. "What did he say."
Nick listened long enough to work out that the target of Sara's rage was Grissom and then zoned out. It was the same old story. Nick had been witness to the strange dance these two had danced for the last 4 years and he was the one Sara turned too each time her world fell in on her. He was the one to wipe her tears, pick her up and dust her off, tell her she could do better, and send her on her way again. He was sick of it.
Hell, he had even slept with her a couple of times in the beginning. Both times it happened Nick had thought Sara had come to her senses and realised Grissom was not the man for her. He thought she had realised her feelings for Nick and they would skip off and live happily ever after. Huh! What a joke! All she had done was use him for sex and then throw herself back at Grissom. He no longer harboured those feelings for Sara but it had been a hard lesson to learn. They had however, developed a friendship that Nick had never experienced with a woman. Both were there for each other when they needed a shoulder to cry on. Well that had been the way until 12 months ago. For some reason when they both applied for that promotion, her attitude towards him.... changed. She had assumed from day one that she was going to get it, and she never bothered to hide that fact from him. Oh, she didn't say it in so many words but a few comments here and there told him loud and clear.
He tuned back in to the conversation to see if any of his input was required. Nope, still ranting. His thoughts turned back to his niece. In fact he had his own bone to pick with Grissom. He had approached him today about taking a few days off next week. He wanted to go to Dallas and visit Kylie. Well, to be perfectly honest he wanted to say goodbye to her.
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"Gris, you got a minute?" Nick ducked his head into Grissom's office during the night when it was slow.
"Sure Nick, come in. What can I do for you?"
Even after four years Nick still felt uncomfortable in this office. It was....intimidating, and he was pretty damn sure that was how Grissom liked it.
"I was wondering if I could have the next few days off. I know it is short notice but it is kind of important."
Grissom looked over his glasses at the younger man sitting opposite him. Nick squirmed under the gaze.
"Sorry Nick, I can't afford to have you off. Catherine has a conference and I already approved holidays for someone else earlier this shift."
Nick looked at Grissom in disbelief. He can't remember the last time he had asked for time off and now that it was so important, he couldn't get it. "Who?"
"Sara requested a week off. Needs some time to 'find herself' is what she said. I'm sorry Nick."
Nick slumped back. He looked back at his supervisor, "Gil, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. I really need this time off."
Grissom's eyebrow shot up at the fact that Nick had used his first name. Very unusual. However the look on his face made him soften his stance a bit. "Tell you what, why don't you ask Sara if she can 'find herself' at a later time. If so, I'll sign off on a few days for you." Nick nodded and stood. He knew Grissom would not approach Sara. They were still iffy since she asked him out that time. Grissom didn't think Nick knew about that but he did. Sara had ended up at his place that night too. No sex but plenty of beers and tears.
Nick went in search of Sara. He found her at her locker. "Hey Sar, can I speak to you for a minute?"
"Sure, what is it." She was cranky but that was her usual state of mind these days.
"Grissom told me you were having some time off and I was hoping that you might be willing to put that off for a while. I really have to go home for something and Grissom won't give me the time off with you and Catherine away."
"No way, forget it. I haven't had any time off in months. Besides, you're the one who is always telling me to get a life. Can't help you."
"Sara...." He was going to tell her the reason but she didn't give him a chance.
"Forget it Nick. Look, I'm really sorry that you are going to miss your Alpha Male Delta Frat Boy reunion or whatever, but I need this time off. Besides, I've made plans and they can't be broken. Maybe next year."
Nick was crestfallen. That was when he came home and spoke to his sister on the phone.
"You really need to get out here Nick. She is so weak. Just tell your boss why you need the time off. I am sure he will give it to you."
"I shouldn't have to tell him why. He knows I wouldn't ask for it if it wasn't important."
"Nick, just swallow that damn pride of yours for once will you. She is dying and wants to see her favourite uncle. Please?"
"OK, I'll try again tomorrow. Is she awake?"
"Yeah I'll put you on."
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"I mean, I'm right aren't I. He has no idea."
Nick nodded and sipped his beer. He had no idea himself as to what they were talking about but a nod seemed to satisfy her.
"I am just going to sit a home for the next few nights and if he even tries to call me in I am going to let him have it."
Nick sat there for a few minutes trying to think about what in that last part of her conversation was pissing him off. Oh yeah.... That was it. 'Going to sit at home for the next few nights.' She had told him that she had plans that couldn't be broken. She had lied to him. She picked the WRONG time to do that.
He could here her blabbing on and on and on and he was getting angrier and angrier. 'Shut up Sara.' He thought. 'Just shut up, shut up, shut up.'
"Shut UP!" he shouted at her.
She stopped dead in mid sentence and stared at him. In a dangerously low voice she said, "What did you just say to me?" Her eyes flashed with anger.
Normally that look would make Nick back down and run away like a dog with his tale between his legs but not tonight. Tonight he had had enough. "I said shut up."
The look on her face was priceless. She was speechless. Her mouth opening and closing like a beached fish.
"I am SO sick of your endless bitching and whining. I have had to put up with this for nearly a year and I am sick to death of it. You have become so self absorbed you have NO idea what is happening with anyone else around you. When was the last time you asked someone at work 'Hey, how's it going?' and actually listened to what they had to say. And what is with your attitude over that promotion? You think you deserve it more than I did? Well you didn't. It wasn't some sort of vindictive attack from Grissom. He recommended me because I DESERVED it. Why don't you sit back and ask yourself why you DIDN'T get it and work on that. And while we are talking about Grissom when are you going to realise this man does NOT WANT YOU. God, for four years you have been chasing a ghost. Christ, you can't even call him by his first NAME."
He stopped and took a breath. Man that felt good! He looked over at Sara and saw the tears brimming in her eyes. Ok, feeling less good about it now.
"God Sara, I'm sorry but.... You just picked a REALLY bad night for this." Nick walked towards her.
She stood. "Fuck you Nick Stokes. I come here because I needed a friend to talk to and this is how you treat me. Thanks a lot." She picks her coat up off the end of the couch and storms to the door.
"YOU needed a friend to talk to. Christ Sara, I've needed a friend for months now and you..... Aggghhh. I think you should go now before I say something I will really regret!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
The door slammed and he was alone. He sat on his couch and let the tears flow.