Okay so I procrastinated a LOT with this chapter... I apologise.. Anyway I hope you like it, I'm not quite sure how I feel about it but hey, I'll see what you guys think.. Enjoy..

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Nick had been sitting in his house alone for hours. He had driven straight home and closed the door behind him all the while thinking about what had happened. He told Warrick he didn't care anymore but the truth was the complete opposite. He did care, but he had found over the years that it's just easier to pretend it doesn't matter. You can't get hurt if you don't care.

He was staring at his hands just as Warrick had done hours earlier. He had driven home almost in a daze, his thoughts never leaving what his friend had done. Deep down he knew Warrick only stayed silent because he was afraid of what the others, of what Grissom, would think. It still hurt though, you rely on your best friend to look out for you no matter what. It took Nick a long time to trust someone that closely, he didn't exactly have the best track record with people he thought he could trust. That was before he came to Vegas though, he found another family amongst the glittery lights and slot machines. Maybe that was why it hurt so much.

He kept trying to tell himself to just forgive Warrick. That's what best friends do, it's still hard though.

He heard a knock at his door and immediately grimaced. He knew it would only be a matter of time before one of his friends called or came over. They surely would have heard the shouting coming from Grissom's office and he was positive they saw the heated discussion between himself and Warrick. He got up from his seated position on the end of his bed and walked through his living room to see who it was. He opened his door and just stared at the person on the other side. It was Warrick and for some reason he felt suprised. He shouldn't have but somehow he thought that Warrick wouldn't care enough to come see him.

'Hey bro. Can I come in?' He talked quietly and if Nick didn't know better he would have said he looked a little scared. Nick looked at him and considered it for a few seconds. He stood aside as a way of inviting Warrick in. He walked past Nick and stood beside the counter that separated the living room and kitchen.

'Nick, man I'm really sorry. You gotta believe me. I never meant for you to get involved.' Warrick was looking at him, wanting him to say something. Nick just looked at him, waiting for the explanation that would make everything alright.

'Talk to me Nick. Look, I... I guess I just didn't want Grissom to find out, you know. He's already been disappointed in me before and I couldn't face it again. You understand right?' Nick could feel his anger from earlier returning. Why was he always the one who had to understand, for once couldn't he just be angry and upset, even hurt by someone.

'I get it. You did it cause you couldn't possibly make a mistake in Grissom's eyes. That's it, right?' Nick caught the last part and knew he sounded condescending but he couldn't care less. He saw Warrick's face change, saw the anger starting to come to the surface.

'You know what, screw you, I'm trying to apologise here.' Warrick stepped closer to Nick and let his full height show. His eyes were not the sparkling green they usually were, instead they had grown dark.

'Yeah, well you shouldn't have had to in the first place. Go cry to Grissom if you want forgiveness.' Nick squared his shoulders and his features became dark, something that usually only happened if he was questioning a suspect who had gotten on his nerves. Warrick laughed right in his face and Nick could have punched him right there and then.

'Don't even try it man. Your little routine. 'Grissom doesn't notice me, I'm never gonna be good enough' I had a problem and you happened to get caught up in it, okay? This isn't about you' Those last four words rang through Nick's head and echoed in Sara and Grissom's voices. It was like he had flashed back to the interrogation room with Nigel Crane on the other side looking back at him. He hated when they told him that. They didn't know the half of what he went through every day. If it wasn't about him it wouldn't have happened to him.

'Of course not, it never is about me Warrick. Except I'm always the one who has to pay the price. I'm sick of it, man.' He was screaming right in Warrick's face, his Texas accent growing thick. He could almost picture the old lady next door listening to his shouts and wondering what all the trouble was.

'What price? Are you the one who has Holly's death hanging over your god damn head.' Warrick's shouts were getting louder but Nick hated the fact that Warrick was pointing his finger in his face more. It was as if he was trying to intimidate him, Nick wasn't going to back down. All he could see was blind rage and nothing could stop the words coming out of his mouth.

He was shouting even louder now and he didn't care if the entire street was listening. 'No man, I'm just the one who had a nut job living in my attic watching me sleep and the one who got FUCKING BURIED ALIVE. You know what, I bet if we had traded places Grissom would have had my fucking ass kicked out of Vegas in one second flat. Why should the favourite even lose a night's sleep while he has Grissom there, you son of a bitch.'

The next thing Nick knew he was smacking his ass off the ground and his head off the counter while seeing stars. Hot fiery pain was racing through his jaw and the back of his head hurt, all he could do was look up. It was like all the life had been knocked from him and the anger that had been coursing through him was gone. Warrick was standing looking down at him, his face looked shocked as if he had just had his life's work taken away from him. The room was quiet and Warrick suddenly understood how silence could be deafening. Nick looked dazed and Warrick couldn't help but think it wasn't just from the hit. It was the fact that it had been delivered by his best friend. It felt like they stayed in those positions for hours and Warrick couldn't find any words to say. Sorry didn't seem to be enough.

Nick started to get to his feet and Warrick reached out a hand to help but Nick backed away from him. He stumbled and Warrick reached out again but Nick pushed his hand away. Nick had one hand on his jaw and the other on the counter. Warrick suddenly felt like he shouldn't be there, he had no right to be in the same room. He couldn't leave after what he had done though.

'Nick.. I shouldn't.. I'm so sorry man.' Warrick looked at him, his eyes pleading. Nick was staring at him and Warrick hated the shock he could see in his friends eyes. Nick turned and walked over to sit down, Warrick followed him hoping that he would say something.

'It's okay.' That's all he said. Warrick heard it echo through his head. It was so far from being the truth.

'No it's not bro. I shouldn't have hit you. I just.. I don't know why I did.' All Warrick had heard from Nick was how much of a pedestal he was on in Grissom's eyes. How could he be the favourite one when he could turn his back on his best friend just to go to a casino. He knew he needed help but how could he admit that he didn't have everything under control. Then before he knew it his fist had connected with Nick's jaw in one quick crack.

Nick was sitting down and Warrick crouched down next to him. 'Man, your going to have a nice bruise there. At least you can put on the tough act and charm a few ladies, huh?' Nick didn't move a muscle while Warrick tried to get a rise out of him. 'Nick, seriously bro look at me. I mean it I'm...'

'Stop. Look it's fine, okay? Just forget about it.' Warrick noticed how Nick had purposely moved his jaw as little as he could while he spoke. It made Warrick wince to think he was the cause. He should never be the cause of his friends pain, physical or emotional.

'Why don't you care Nick, you should. If I was some guy in a bar you wouldn't let this go.' For the first time in a long time Nick looked at him straight in the eyes.

'What's the point? Let's just get over it.' Nick looked worn down, like all the worries of every victim from every case they'd ever worked on had suddenly taken residence on his shoulders. Warrick thought he knew his partner, but he couldn't understand him.

It dawned on him that Nick was afraid of something changing. So much in his life was changed forcefully without him having any say, like carrying an epipen in case he encountered the wrong kind of ant or having to move house because some nut job drilled holes in his ceilings.

'Your sick of getting screwed over I get it man. I'm sorry I should have told Grissom it was me the second he started shouting at you. There's a lot of times you've had to look over your shoulder but you shouldn't have to do it when your best friends standing there. I promise bro, I won't let you take the heat for me again, you don't deserve it.' Nick looked at him and Warrick could have sworn he saw a faint smile.

'So because of your sweet little apology does this mean I don't get to clock you as pay back ' Nick smiled at him and then winced as it pulled on his jaw. Warrick was about to add his own comeback when Nick put his hand up to his jaw.

'I'll forgive you as long as I get first pick with the nurses at Desert Palms. I think you broke my jaw.' The blood drained from Warrick's face at the thought of explaining Nick's 'accident'. He just stared at his friends red jaw as he went to his fridge.

'The look on your face man. Relax, nothing a little ice won't fix.' Nick returned with an ice pack and two beers while Warrick looked at him relieved.

'Thank god. Catherine would have killed me and only after Brass charged me with attempted murder.' Warrick sat down and remembered how he and Nick had planned to watch some college ball together.

'Well, all is forgiven. As long as you come up with a story to explain to Grissom why I have a Warrick shaped bruise on my face.' Nick's face broke into a smile behind the ice pack he was holding.

'Yeah, great. Grissom should be fun.' Warrick looked and saw Nick's smile falter. He heard the shouts that had come from Grissom's office only hours ago. 'You know, he only pushes you hard because he knows you can deal with it. It's just how he is. It doesn't mean that he wouldn't take a hit for you just the same as the rest of us.'

'Yeah. It's just hard sometimes, you know?' Nick turned to find his television remote as he put his beer down.

'I know man, I know.' Warrick smiled as he saw his friend's eyes light up when he found the remote. Gone where the dark eyes that had replaced the usual lively and bright chocolate ones. They could deal with Grissom and his gambling problems tomorrow, right now it was enough just to sit down together as best friends and watch the game. Everything would be alright now that they had each others back.

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The End..

Well, I'm thinking that's it.. I may revisit it because I did want to do a scene where Grissom and Nick talk now that Grissom knows he wrongly accused Nick.. But I was beginning to really procrastinate whenever I tried to finish this and I don't like to leave you guys hanging.. Plus I've got some ideas for new stories.. Well anyway I hope you guys enjoyed it and thanks for reading and reviewing if you did.. I love hearing what you think.. :)