Welcome back for chapter four. I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs. All others mentioned are property of either themselves and those who created CSI. I just borrowed them to play with.

Happenstance

"So you knew the man who drove into your living room?"

"I knew of him but I didn't really want to get to know him. Lord knows he tried to fix himself up with me but I wasn't having any part of it." Nick couldn't hide his small smirk when he heard the Southern twang in Mandy's voice.

"What can you tell me about him?"

"My brother-in-law ran into him on a 'business trip' to Las Vegas and in true fashion to himself, my brother-in-law started rambling on about these smoking hot girls that are around him all the time and all he had to do was open a modeling agency. He's a pig and he found himself another pig to help him 'find new talent'."

"Find new talent?"

"They went to bars and picked up women, feeding them the idea of a successful modeling career and those stupid girls fell for it."

"That's awful."

"Worst part of it is that while these girls were waiting for their modeling career to take off, my brother-in-law and his partner would do disgusting things to them."

"Such as?" Mandy looked away from Nick, trying to keep her emotions in check but that wasn't fooling Nick. "You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I will tell you. I just have to keep my temper down, is all." Mandy took a deep breath and faced Nick again. "The two of them would make amateur porn with the girls they 'signed'." The look on Nick's face was a mixture of disbelief and disgust. "Those girls won't admit to anything so trying to arrest them, or my brother-in-law since his partner is dead, is a waste of time."

"Why won't they admit to being sexually assaulted?"

"They deeply believe that they're going to make it in the modeling world and are willing to do anything to get there. They believe my brother-in-law and they wouldn't do anything that would be considered an act against him."

"I've noticed you don't call your brother-in-law by his name. Why?"

"It would make it sound as if I cared about him and I don't. Referring to him as my brother-in-law makes him seem further away and I like it that way."

"I can understand that." Mandy ran her fingers through her hair and Nick noticed a ring on her right hand. "Mandy?"

"Yes, Nick?"

"What's that ring on your finger? If you don't mind me asking, that is." Mandy smiled at Nick and he had ignore that butterflies in his stomach.

"It's a college ring." Mandy showed Nick her hands and Nick noticed two more rings on her hands, one on her right thumb and one on her left middle finger. "The one on my thumb was a present from my mother and the one on my middle finger was a ring my brother got me for opening my first veterinary practice."

"How did he manage that from prison?"

"The warden pulled some strings for him because he has never acted up in prison. I think he's the only one that hadn't instigated a fight but I may be wrong."

"He's certainly well-behaved for a prisoner." Mandy glared at Nick and Nick's gaze hit the floor. "My apologies. That came out the wrong way."

"I understand where you're coming from but as I've said before, my brother was wrongfully thrown in prison."

"Have you ever tried to fight it?" Mandy scoffed and stood up, walking towards the window.

"Of course I have but there isn't a lawyer in Texas that will take the case. They seem to think it was a slam dunk case against him and that he's right where he should be." Nick noticed the anger and hurt in Mandy's voice so he stood up to join her at the window. He gently placed his arm on her shoulder and he was shocked when Mandy buried her head in his chest. Nick was taken back for a moment but ultimately wrapped his arms around Mandy as she began to quietly sob into his chest. Nick didn't know what to do; it wasn't often that he had a woman crying in his arms.

-FIN-

That's it for this chapter. Hope ya'll enjoyed it. Sorry for the long wait. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Reviews are appreciated. : )