A Friend in Need

Author: Lolly4Holly

Pairings: Nick/Greg pre-slash

WARNINGS: Violence, alcohol, M/M slash and the usual CSI stuff.

Summary: Out on his own on Christmas Day, Nick makes a string of rash decisions, just as someone he thought he had lost returns to his life. Short story for Christmas. Set just after Season Nine.

Merry Christmas everyone!

~ Holly

Prologue

The lights in the dimly lit bar shimmered through the amber liquid Nick swirled once in the shot glass then downed in a single swallow. He had never been much of a drinker before, but since the death of his best friend last year, he had acquired the taste of it.

A few glasses a night wouldn't hurt. Or so he told himself more than once.

"Can I have another?" He cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of the young bartender. She handed a beer over to a tattooed biker at the other end of the bar, before she hurried in his direction with his bottle of poison.

A few years ago, he would have tried to get her number or asked her when her shift was over, just to avoid being alone another night, but he couldn't even stomach the lies anymore. He couldn't help but wonder if he had gone home with Warrick that night last year, rather than waiting around for their waitress, Crystal to finish her shift, would Warrick still be alive?

Nick raked his fingers back through his hair, giving the bartender a nod as he grabbed the fourth or fifth shot of the night. He threw it down his throat just as quickly as the last, closing his eyes as he savoured the burn.

If only it could sear away the memories of the past, then maybe he could sleep without drinking himself into a coma every night.

"No wedding ring." A woman sat herself down beside him. "But drinking alone, that's never a good sign. Especially this time of year, no one should be alone at Christmas."

"Not really lookin' for any company. Sorry." He turned to look at her, gritting his teeth together as he saw her vibrant red hair. Of course she would have to be a red head. It was his curse, so it was bound to be his punishment on a day like today.

"Can I buy you another?" She pointed to his drink.

"No, thank you." Nick pushed the glass away from him, wishing he could just tell her what was really on his mind, but he was even the perfect gentleman in a drunken state.

He couldn't even have a quiet drink alone anymore.

"Alright then, I'll have a gin and tonic." The woman smiled at the bar tender, showing off a gold plated tooth on her right side. It didn't really fit in with the posh skimpy black dress she was wearing, but then he noted the snake tattoo creeping out from under her collar. "So, are you divorced?" She continued her line of questioning.

"No, never married." The man shook his head. "Why me?" He asked suddenly, looking round at the other guys in the bar. "There's got to be dozens of other guys in this bar who would jump at the chance for your company."

"I just thought that you looked a little lonely." She gave him a sympathetic smile, offering her hand to him. "I'm Crystal."

The familiar sound of the name sent chills down Nick's spine. He thought he had gone over his limit and hallucinated the whole thing in his drunken haze, but the stench of her floral perfume was clogging up his nostrils, proving that she really was sat right beside him.

"Nick." He finally spoke, anxiously shifting on his uncomfortable bar stool.

"C'mon, have a Christmas drink with me, Nick. I'm buying. What are you having?" Crystal invaded his personal space, grabbing the glass from in front of him to give it a sniff. "Mm, my Dad used to drown his sorrows in whiskey. That smell always reminds me of home."

"Really, where are you from?" He tried to move his seat an inch or two away from her, but it appeared the stool was nailed to the floor beneath him.

He was stuck.

"All over really. I'm an army brat." She flashed him a smile. "Daddy dearest dragged my brother and me all over the states with him. We were never in one place very long. With an accent like that, I'm gonna guess you're from Texas. I loved Texas. We stayed in Dallas the longest. I had my senior prom there. We had a couple of good Christmases there too."

"Listen, I really have to go." Nick climbed to his feet, fishing out his wallet from his pocket. He dropped a few bills on the bar, giving the bartender a nod. "Sorry… uh Crystal, but I have to get home."

"Wait a second; let me walk you to your car." Crystal popped open her clutch purse, paying for her drink she hadn't even touched. She raced after him through the length of the bar, joining him outside under the moonlit sky. "Mmm, it's a nice night." She flashed him another smile. "Do you fancy a walk or something?"

"Look, Crystal. No offence, but I'm really not interested. I'd rather be on my own. I just want a quiet Christmas." He continued walking to his truck, hearing the click of her heels behind him. He fished his keys out from his pocket, jamming them into the lock of the driver's side door as a reflection appeared beside him.

But it wasn't Crystal.

Nick quickly ducked at the sight of the fist hurtling towards him, misjudging how close his truck actually was.

He winced back in pain, taking a second jab to his ribs.

"You were supposed to dose him." His attacker barked at the woman behind him.

"That's not my fault." She protested, "He wouldn't let me buy him another drink. He's pretty wasted anyway."

While he was distracted, Nick quickly lunged for his opponent, knocking him off his feet. He scrambled for his attacker on the ground, using all his strength just to keep his arms pinned either side of him. He couldn't put up much of a fight in his drunken haze, but his strength was enough to keep him from striking him again.

Until Crystal stepped in, kicking him in the ribs with the spike of her heel.

Nick rolled away, doubled over in pain. He couldn't believe that after all these years in Las Vegas, this was his first mugging. His parents warned him when he first took the job in the city of Sin that he was putting himself in danger of something like this happening, but he had never had to worry about it before.

"What are you waiting for? Get his keys." The man ordered, kicking Nick in the gut while he was down. He could feel the sole of the heavy boot leaving an imprint with every kick.

"They're in the door, genius." Crystal pointed them out to him. "He had a wallet on him too. Get his wallet."

His assailant kicked him in the side, rolling him over to search his pockets.

Nick struggled to hold onto it for as long as he could, but after a few stamps to his hand from the heavy boot, he couldn't close his fingers anymore.

"Is that it?" His mugger snatched it from his broken hand, sighing softly as he counted out his reward. "That all you got. At last, we can retire from our life of crime." He sarcastically remarked, tossing the wallet towards, Crystal. "You're useless at picking out marks."

"Lonely drunks, you said. They make for an easy mark, that's what you said." Crystal reminded him, flinching as he roughly grabbed her hand, dragging her away. "Merry Christmas, Nick." She sneered at him.

Holding onto his ribs as they started to throb, Nick watched the two of them climbing into his baby and driving her away. He didn't have much to hold onto in this world, but his truck meant the world to him.

He couldn't keep his eyes open long enough to see which direction they were heading though.

Thanks so much for reading. Please let me know what you thought.

Happy Holidays!

~ Holly