Angel Dust

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Ch4: Ripples of a Story

"Russell." DB says answering his phone, Sara was calling.

""it's Sara; Nick's water bottle had some smudges I was able to get one print off it that wasn't his. No hits in AFIS. Other than that his bottle was not tampered he must have left it unattended and then somewhat messed with it."

"Okay, Catherine said something about a case of waters that Nick has in his truck."

"I already tested those and those were all clean too. How is he?"

"He's sleeping right now. Sara, look over every place Nick went too yesterday before he freaked out take Brody if you need help, you two are the only two CSIs that Nick didn't destroy in his wrath. Greg is on his way back to the lab right now I think. I will call you with any updates,"

"Please do," Sara says they hang up. DB walks into Nick's room he stands in the doorway and watches as Nick sleeps. Nick turns his head and starts to glisten with sweat; it reminds DB of when his son would have nightmares. DB sits in the chair that Catherine vacated when he ordered her home. DB watches the monitor as Nick's heart beat remains steady. DB turns his attention to the television but soon turns his attention back to Nick; he studies the young man's sleepy expression. A man that has been through so much and triumph so much had none of the features DB expected. He pictured him to be scared, cautious, cocky or shy, a push over or an asshole but he saw Nick as a selfless, fearless, and genuinely nice and caring. Nick took a deep breath as if sucking in the air for dear life his eyes shot open and he quickly scanned the room trying to sit up.

"Easy, Nick. Easy, you are in the hospital." DB says trying to calm Nick. Nick took another deep breath and laid back down. He rolls to his side and empties all his stomach contents in the waste bin that he was able to get to his face. He lies on his back staring at the ceiling DB looks at him, Nick's expression is blank his eyes are glazed over he almost looks like a dead body. "You alright Nick?" DB asks. Nick nods. "Do you have nightmares a lot?"

"How'd you know I was having a nightmare?" Nick says forcing himself to wake up scanning the room refusing to look at DB.

"You were tossing and turning, and the way you woke up scared me. Do you have nightmares a lot?"

"I don't know… I don't sleep a lot,"

"I could understand that," DB says adjusting himself with the sling.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you…" Nick said finally looking at DB.

"I don't blame you; we are going to find out who did this to you." DB promises Nick smiles and chuckles.

"Good luck…" Nick says putting his hand on his chest hissing in pain.

"You alright?" DB says worried.

"I'm just peachy," Nick says slightly annoyed with everything.

"Nick I know that we don't really know each other, but I can tell the team really likes you and is going to do whatever they have to, to find out who hurt you."

"Yeah…" Nick said rolling over facing away from DB. DB moved to the other side not ready to end the conversation.

"Nick, give your team a chance…"

"Don't do that. Don't make it seem like I don't have faith in them…" Nick says angry pulling himself up.

"Then why are you making it sound like you have no faith?"

"Sorry if I am a little grouchy… but I hate staying here and I hate feeling…"

"Like a victim?"

"Yeah…" Nick says calming down slightly. "How could I have been so stupid into letting someone drug me?" Nick says putting his head in his hand.

"Nick you didn't let anyone drug you, it is one of those things beyond your control."

"I could have killed you guys, no one would have been well that's okay it was beyond his control… don't pretend like this isn't my fault!" he said his accent was always more detectable when he was angry.

"Where are you from?"

"What?" Nick asked confused and annoyed.

"Where are you from?" DB said slower.

"Texas,"

"Why did you come out here?"

"What are we playing 20Q? What does this have to do with anything?"

"It's just a question, Nick."

"You get a job at the best lab in the country you jump on it."

"What about your family back in Texas?"

"What about them? DB… I'm sorry about freaking out earlier but it's been really stressful and the last thing I want to do is give you my life story. I don't see what this has to do with anything." Nick says laying down. He started to squirm uncomfortably.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, the doctor says when my blood pressure gets up I'll get chest pain. I didn't know it would be like this though."

"Did you need me to get a nurse?"

"Nah… it'll pass," he says as the pain medication machine gives him his medicine. "There is a homeless man across the street from the parking garage. I see him every day as I park or get my jeep; I gave him a water bottle."

"How did you know it was the water?" DB asks surprised and worried.

"Because I know I had one and I remember seeing the man panting on the curb across of the parking garage. So I checked on him gave him my lunch and a water bottle, he certainly needed it more than I did," Nick says as his eyes become heavy.

"All of your other water was clean and the bottles weren't tampered with the only bad bottle was the one you drank."

"Aint that a bitch…" Nick says his eyes fluttering shot and slowly opening back up.

"Nick, what were you yelling about? Who is the witch?"

"I don't remember anything… I am sorry…" he says falling asleep knowing full well what his boss was asking but feeling too ashame to ask him or even begin to talk about it.

"I know Nick," DB says, he feels his phone vibrate and searches for it in his pockets. He leaves Nick's room to allow him to sleep comfortably. He finally gets his phone out its Brass. "Hey Brass,"

"Hey, Nick was called to three 419s yesterday. One was ruled accident upon arrival but I gave Sara and Morgan Nick's belongings so they could try and retrace his steps, I haven't heard anything yet." Brass says when DB starts hearing an awful beeping noise he walks away towards the waiting room for quiet.

"Okay, well that's good. I want to find out who did this before the media starts portraying this as not what it really is,"

"Too late… someone leaked it to the press and the story has been running all hour long. One reporter brought up the idea because the water wasn't tampered with that Nick took it willingly and now all the stations are playing it with their own twists. Ecklie is working on shutting the story now, but who knows how that will turn it out."

"Man, he really does have bad luck." DB says.

"It's what makes a person, Nick's words not mine. How is he doing?" Brass asked almost scared of what DB could tell him.

"Um he's" DB says turning back and when to look at Nick's room and sees several nurses and doctors in Nick's room. "Jim I gotta call you back," he says he hears Jim start to protest on the other side but hangs up anyway. DB rushes back to Nick's room when the nurse stops him from entering.

"Sir, please stay back," the nurse said.

"What's going on? I was just in here,"

"He's going into cardiac arrest. You gotta let the doctors help him." DB watches as the doctors prepare to shock him again.

"How many times are you going to shock him?"

"We have to get his heart started somehow." DB watches as the doctor shocks, and nothing Nick's heart still fails to start. Worry and fear fill DB's heart; he thinks it's his fault because he did put Nick in some stress with his pointless question all of which now as he watches the doctors and nurses work on Nick. The doctor shocks him again and Nick's body flails but still no beat just as the doctor goes in for third his heart starts. Nick opens his eyes and sees the doctors and he closes then, when he opens them again he sees a nurse and DB.

"What happened?" Nick asks feeling too weak to move.

"You left us for a little," DB says touching Nick's shoulder. "Just rest, Nick."

"Okay…" Nick says sleeping.

DB wants to know what happened do you blame him? Will he push too much? Review!