Paradise
Chapter 1
Here we go, kids. The second story of the trilogy. Just so you know, there isn't going to be that much action. The action will come in the next one. This one is more of a fluffy story. Nick and Danika going through the stages of pregnancy together. If you don't like that I'm sorry. I have every chapter typed up, I just have to go over them and make sure they all make sense. Like I said before, this story will take place during season nine and I will use some of the episodes. CSI is not mine. I don't own it. If I did that would the coolest thing ever, but alas, I don't. That's enough ranting, I hope you enjoy the first chapter which is more of a prologue, but nonetheless read and review.
Nothing was better than having two weeks off from work. Being off work meant that there were no worries, no stress, and it was the best feeling. Unless of course one would count finding out where to go to dinner was worth stressing over, but who thought something like that was? Danika and Nick surly didn't. Nick hadn't been on a vacation in years. Literally. Being away from the lab and out of the crazy city that was Las Vegas was a beautiful thing. Danika rarely took any of her vacation time either. The last vacation she had was four years ago. (That's what she thought anyway.) But being able to unwind in the sand day in and day out was soothing for the both of them. They didn't want to go back home.
Two weeks went by much faster than the couple wanted. Danika and Nick found that out the hard way. Before they knew it, there were only two days left until their flight back home. Their two weeks of rest and relaxation was all but over, but they managed to do everything that they wanted in that quick time. They went scuba diving, swam with dolphins, rode wave runners around a 27-mile island; there were just so many things to do. And of course they went to the beach. It was even better that they had their own little, private strip of coast line, so they had their own piece of paradise.
Danika would have loved to stay longer. Much longer, but sadly all good things had to come to an end. Key West was just so beautiful! The white, sandy beaches were just beckoning her to stay, but she and Nick had a life back in Vegas that they couldn't not go back to. They would just have to live it up for the last two days. There was no way of knowing when they could find the time to come back.
Danika sighed loudly, resting her head on Nick's chest. Together they watched the waves roll onto the beach from their view on the bed. She would never forget those crystal, clear waters. Why couldn't there be beaches like that in Las Vegas? The ones at the casinos didn't count.
"What are you thinking about?" Nick asked her, trailing his fingers over her hip.
These two weeks were exactly what Nick needed. He didn't need to worry about Grissom calling him for another DB down at the Tangiers. He didn't have to worry about gathering up trace on any dead bodies. He didn't have to worry about anything work related, and that's what was so amazing. Getting back to the usual routine when they returned was going to be a pain in the ass, but this was worth it, and he got to experience it all with his wife. Wife, he loved the way that sounded.
"I don't want to leave!" she answered. "But you already know that."
"I know how you feel. This was much better than the Bellagio," Nick rested one arm behind his head while the other continued to make its way across Danika's warm skin. "We are going to have to do something for our parents you know. I still can't believe they did this for us."
"I agree," she said, doodling random things along his stomach. "And yes, even though the Bellagio would have been nice, it was great that we were able to get out of the city for a while you know. I was so happy that I got to spend it with you too."
"You better be happy, wife," he joked. "What should we do today? Is there anything we haven't done yet?"
"What haven't we done yet? I feel like we have done everything that is possible in this place," she said. "We could just stay in bed all day. When was the last time we did that?"
"Tuesday, and it was great," Nick said without hesitation. "I could go for round two. What about you? When we get back to Las Vegas it will be a while before we can have another lie-in day."
"You do have a point there," Danika replied. "We also have to thank Grissom for watching Maddie. Hank must have been in heaven, having a buddy to play with."
"Uh huh."
Danika didn't know how to bring up the conversation that she knew needed to be talked about. Nick promised her that when she was in the hospital that they would talk about the idea of having children again, once she was better. Well, she was better now, and being away from everything would make it a lot easier to talk about, but she didn't want Nick to push the subject to the back burner again, and not talk about it for weeks. She had tried once to talk about it, but the conversation never got off the ground. What a surprise.
"You are way too quiet," Nick broke the battle going on within her mind. "What are you thinking about this time?"
"Honestly?"
"That would be helpful."
"Kids."
"Oh."
There it was again. The horrible pause after the emotionless "oh." Why did he have to do that every time she brought up the idea of having kids? He was so good with them, why did the thought of having his own create such a reaction? Sitting up a bit, Danika stared at him. His eyes looked forward and only forward. The air between them thickened. Great, just what she wanted another awkward silence. Grabbing the robe from the chair, Danika tied it around her waist and walked onto the balcony. Why was it such a touchy subject for Nick?
Danika knew for a very long time that she wanted to have a family. A big one, but not as big as the one her mom and dad had. Four was a little too many, but she would do anything to have that family. Hell, she wanted a family with Trent for the longest time. She just loved watching over her younger siblings when she was growing up, and raising her own would be such an amazing thing, but now it seemed like she wasn't going to get the chance. She could feel the ache start to grow more and more in her chest; she wouldn't cry. She didn't want Nick to know what his actions did to her. Resting her arms against the balcony, she watched the scenery below, trying to get her mind on something else, listening to the soothing sound of the waves washing up onto the beach normally did the trick, but it wasn't this time.
Why did he always have to do that to her when she said she was thinking about kids? It was perfectly normal for her to think about that sort of thing. They were married for goodness sake. Why did he always have to hurt her whenever she told him she was thinking about that? He didn't mean to. He really didn't. Why couldn't he just tell her why he would stiffen up when it came to the idea of children? It wasn't because he didn't want them. God no! He wanted to have a family. A family with her. It was just the idea of having children where they lived that made him freak out just a little bit. Las Vegas wasn't the best place to raise a family. There were so many criminals and psychos hanging around out there, and Nick didn't want his children to have to put up with that sort of thing. Maybe, maybe if he told her that, then maybe she would understand where he was coming from. There had been so many cases where children had been involved. What if one day he would find the body of- he couldn't even stomach the idea.
"Are you going to just stand there and watch me, Tex?" He loved the new nickname she had given him.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry," he came up behind her, trapping her along the railing. "I know how much having a family means to you. It means a lot to me too, but-"
"Then what's the problem, Nick?" she turned to face him her eyes were red and puffy. "We're not getting any younger you know. We're almost forty for God's sake."
"You don't think I don't know that?" he asked, understanding her pain. "For as long as I can remember I've always wanted to be like my parents and raise a large family like them, but I know that's not going to happen."
"Really?"
"Please don't be short with me," he said. "I wouldn't want anything more than to have children with you, Danni."
"Then tell me why you always freak out whenever I mention the idea," she exclaimed. "Whatever it is; I just need to know, Nick."
"It's just, I don't think Las Vegas is the best place to have kids," he rubbed the base of his neck. "Do you know how many cases I have had were the victims were children? Too many. I don't want that to happen to us. If something were to happen to our children because of some psychotic criminal, I don't know what I would do with myself."
"Nick, why didn't you just say so?" Danika asked. "If you would have just told me that, I wouldn't have thought the things I did. Don't you think that has crossed my mind once or twice too?"
"You took this a lot differently than I thought you would," Nick couldn't help but smile.
"Then what does that mean for us, Nicky?" Danika asked him. It was silent between the two of them for a few minutes. He was battling himself. She could see it in his eyes. "Nick, are you still with me?"
"One condition," he told her.
"What do you mean?" she asked, slightly confused.
"It we want to have kids, you have to promise me that when they're old enough, you will bring them into work," he explained. "I want to see them every morning before I leave, and then we'll go out to breakfast."
"Every morning? Are you sure that's allowed?"
"I don't care," he told her. "I want to know nothing happened while I was at work. I want to see your bright smiling faces. Is it a deal?" A large grin broke out on her face. If that was the only thing that he needed her to do then of course it was a deal. "I take it that's a yes then?"
"Used your investigative skills there, CSI?" she said.
"I was just making sure. I can never tell with you."
Danika gasped, smacking Nick in the stomach. "How rude. You're so mean to me."
"Not as mean as you are to me," Nick countered. "But you married me anyway."
"Indeed I did," Danika grinned, kissing her husband. "I wouldn't take it back for anything in the world."
"So, about spending all day in bed?"
"I like that idea very much," she agreed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Make sure you put up the Do Not Disturb sign this time. I don't want a repeat of Friday. Talk about embarrassing."
"Who cares, they won't see us again," Nick picked her up into his arms. "You know what they say. Practice makes perfect. Right?"
"That they do."
I'm debating whether or not to make this one a mature rating. Will that make a difference for people? Would mature scenes make you more into the story or not read it? Let me know.