So, there will not be any new chapter for my other story this week. Sorry. Also, this one is turning out way fucking longer than I thought, BUT there will be only one more chapter continued with this short series… hopefully. I only own Reine and Allen... well, half of Allen at least. Maybe all?

Continuation of chps 1-3

Unwritten- Natasha Bedingfield

Nick stared at the white page. He didn't know how to start the letter. His plane for Vegas left in three days and he still hadn't told his family about Greg. About himself. When he attempt to bring it up, he would choke on his words and change the subject.

Two whole weeks he thought bitterly. And I still don't have the guts to tell my family.

'So is Greg not worth it then?'

Shut up.

'Is he not worth it? Your family will accept if you are with Greg. Might shock you father, but he's not as closed minded like you think.'

Shut. Up.

'You haven't answered. Is he fucking worth it?'

YES alright?! Now will you leave me the fuck alone?

'NO! Not until you put this paper away and tell you family the truth you big coward.'

I can't! It's the only way I can tell them.

'No, it's the only way you feel safe to tell them. That way you don't have to look in their eyes when they find out their son in a faggot.'

Must you say it like that? Nick sighed in defeat. His voice was right. He didn't wanna see the disgust, the shame… the anger.

What am i going to do?

'What indeed?'

Will you ….

"A penny for your thoughts Nicky?"

A glass of water was set on the paper in front of him and his head shot up.

"Reine? When did you get here? I thought you were still shopping with mom."

Reine laughed and sat down across from him. "You must be having more than a simply home-sickness if your observation skills are turned off right now. I've been trying to get you attention for a couple minutes."

Nick looked around, sure enough, there were bags of food half put away. All ready for tonight, his birthday. His first one without Greg in three years. Nick slumped against the table in defeat, staring at the perspiration running down the outside of the glass. This sucked so much.

Reine paused with her drink touching her lips. Nick didn't slump, ever. She set down her glass and stared at him. Something was wrong.

"So," she started off slowly, "I'm seeing someone."

"That's nice" he mumbled.

Reine raised her eyebrow. "Yea it is. We've been together for the past couple months before I found out he was gay."

"Mmhmm."

"And a serial killer."

"Really?"

"Who rapes men."

"Uhhuh."

"He's called the Butt-Stabber."

"Yea."

"'Cause he stabs people in the butts."

"That's cool."

"Yea it is. What to know what he does?"

"I guess."

"He works in a lab in Vegas. With you actually. Maybe you know him."

"Sounds goods."

"His name is Nick Stokes."

Nick looked up. "What about me?"

He started at the look on his sister's face. She looked so much like their mother right now. The raised eyebrow, the stare that pierced his soul. Nick straightened up, pushing as far back without his chair telling his sister what he was doing.

"Nicholas William Stokes! You haven't been listening to a single word I've said have you? What is going on with you?"

Nick lowered his eyes to the table. Might as well get this over with.

"I'm seeing someone" he mumbled still looking at the table.

Reine's face soften. "That's great news Nicky! Is she treating you okay? Why do you act like it's the end of the world?"

Nick looked up at her words. Reine was surprised at the anger, pain and pure sorrow that shown through his eyes.

"See," he started angrily, pushing his chair back and starting to pace. "This is why I can't say anything. Everyone assumes things! Because I haven't talked about anyone doesn't mean I didn't find someone. I do talk about someone but nobody listens. For three years, I have hidden them away because I knew how you would act when I told you. Mom would start crying. Dad and Allen would be all 'Yea! Did you bag a looker?' You and the rest of the girls would huddle together and start the planning for the wedding. AND mom would join in still crying."

Nick paused in his speech and ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't notice the door behind him open and close. Bill Stokes quietly stood in the shadows, a frown on his face as he watched his youngest act like a caged animal.

Nick turned to his sister, her mouth open and her eyes wide, he continued a little softer, a little sadder.

"And then you guys would look and see that I wasn't finished. One of you would as what was wrong and I would have to tell you. That they were a looker. They were sexy and funny and their smile lit up the whole room. I would tell you that they were brilliant, like, super brilliant. For some reason, they put up with me and my stubbornness and they love me. And I fucked it all up."

Nick sighed and flopped back in his chair. Placing his head in his hands, he successfully covered his eyes as he felt a sharp pain starting. As he sat down, Reine noticed their father in the shadows. Her eyes opened further. Quickly, Bill placed a finger to his lips and she nodded her head. She didn't like this, not one bit.

"Nicky," she said softly, getting a look from her father. "What do you think would happen next?"

Nick took a shaky breath, "I would be asked who was this person. And I would say one name that would cause some confusion. I would have to set the record straight by saying it wasn't a girls name."

"Nicky…"

Nick lowered his hands to the table and stared at them. Suddenly finding them fascinating, and gave a shaky laugh.

"There would be a couple minutes of silence you know? And then mom would start crying again. This time for other reasons. Dad will use his courtroom voice and tell me to get out, it's not right, I'm a freak, I'm not allowed to darken his doorstep again. Everyone else would agree."

Reine watch a tear fall onto Nick's hand and make it's way down and onto the still blank paper. She didn't know what to say. Did Nick really think that was going to happen? That they would let him walk out like that? She saw her father open his mouth to say something, she quickly shook her head and jerked it to the door. His mouth set in a thin line, he nodded and quietly exited.

"Nicholas William Stokes…" she started to hiss.

"I know, I know. I'll be out tomorrow. Just please, let me have one last night?"

She was shocked, he sound so defeated. He looked up, it hurt to look into his eyes. All his pain, acceptance, defeat shown through. He didn't look like the strong person she knew so well. If anything, he looked like a broken toy that was ran over a couple dozen times.

Something must had shown on her face, because he slowly stood up and simply said "I'm sorry I lost you."

Nick walked to the door, and placed his hand on it. Ready to put on a smile and go help his mom with preparing the food, one last time. Then he heard it.

"Sit. Your ass. Down Nicholas."

Turning, Reine was staring at the paper under the glass of ignored water.

"Reine…"

*THUMP*

"I SAID SIT YOUR FUCKING ASS DOWN NICHOLAS!"

Nick started and hurried to comply. She was pissed, you don't attempt to further piss off a women. Especially a Stokes women. He sat and watched his sister wearily. Her hands were on the table and her chair was laying on the floor. Her hair covered her face as she hung her head. He heard footsteps running up to the door and banging open a couple seconds later.

"What's going on? I heard someone shouting."

Nick turned towards the door. An older women with short brown hair stood in the doorway. A white ruffled apron donned her petite body. Laugh lines standing proudly on her face as she looked worryingly between her two children.

"Nothing Mama. Nicky and I are just having a heart to heart talk."

Nick whipped his head around to his sister. Her whole demeanor had changed, a complete one-eighty! He mentally shook his head. Women.

"We're completely fine Mama, Nicky and I will be out there soon to help. We're just gonna clear the air. Aren't we Nicky?"

Nick fought the shivery that ran down his spine at the malice in his sister's voice.

"Yes Mama. We'll be there soon."

Nick didn't need to turn his head to see that Jillian was frowning as she nodded and went back out the door. As soon as the door closed, he watched Reine's face transform from it's pleasant smile to a hard stare.

He waited as she continued to stare at the wall behind his head. He opened his mouth to say something and her gaze landed on him.

"How dare you. How dare you assume that that's how we are going to act. It might be a shock yes, but damn it Nick, we won't turn our fucking backs on you! We love you, you're part of the family. Don't dare think for a second we're gonna call you anything worse than an 'idiot'. Because right now you are being a big, boneheaded idiot. And for three years? Three years you have been with a person that makes you happy? Wait… three years ago. You guys got together after that incident?"

Nick shook his head. "A month before. But we had been friends for a couple years before that. That's the only reason our relationship held."

"But… the only ones that were there was your friends from the department and us."

"He never stayed long. He always made sure you guys were never around to see us together. I hated it."

Nick faced the table again, staring down at his clasped hands. Reine stared at him. Trying to figure out who it was. She had meet all the CSI's on the graveyard shift once her and Allen got to the lab in Vegas. They were the only ones who could leave and be there for support. She remembered Warrick, he was so handsome and polite, who had sat and talked with her the most while they waited at Nick's bedside. Grissom would also sit with them, talking with her father. When Catherine or Sara was around, they would usually be in a conversation with her mother or her.

But, there was only one member that she hardly ever saw. Greg Sanders. He was never around when her parent's were. Whenever they left the room, he was there. The couple times she walked in with him there, he was sitting as far away from Nick, glaring at the chair that sat as close to his bed as it could get. She had made him stay a couple times, and he was a pleasant man to talk to.

Then she realized.

"It's Greg Sanders isn't it?"

Nick's head shot up. "N..n..no."

Reine raised her eyebrow. Leveling the Stokes glare at Nick, she watched him blush a little and then nod his head darting his eyes back down to the table. She sighed.

"Nicky, you shouldn't have to worry about us." She held up her hand and continued. "The only one who will take it hard is mom. She was expecting you to be shouting from the rooftops you're in love and everyone must know now. Stop worrying about what you might have seen in the past that caused you to think those thoughts. This is your life, your story and it needs to be told based on what you do. Embrace it Nicky, embrace your sunshine. So tonight, for your birthday present, I am gonna break the uncomfortable ice and tell everyone my dirty little secret. And then you are gonna follow after and tell everyone about your love okay?"

Nick stared at her. "You secret? What could possibly be your dirty little secret?"

"I'm in love with a man who has a best friend what has way too many inhibitions and can't accept his boyfriend's sunshine."

"Why does that description sound familiar?"

Reine laughed. She stood up and motioned for Nick to follow her. "Come on lover boy, we got a party to crash."

Nick smiled and let his sister pull him along. He could never understand how his sister could be so smart. With her in his corner, he would tell everyone tonight. Then, he would go home and embrace his Sunshine like there was no tomorrow.

*
Again, next chapter will be a wrap up for this story. It went far longer than I thought. I originally wanted to do just a series of one shots, but this took on a mind of it's own. Maybe do a couple Halloween ones, multiple Christmas ones, a sweet New Years one and some everyday ones. lol Four down and only 97 to go. Thanks guys! ;)