Chapter 7

Nick squinted as he finished ordering his hot dog. He and Catherine were waiting for O' Riley and the search warrant. They had O' Riley running to get the warrant based upon the fibers found on the boy and the shrink's sweater. Something was up and Nick felt it in his gut with this. He had been good about keeping it in check but…

Then there was the whole idea of having a shrink. Nick didn't see the point of talking to a complete stranger about problems. Looking at Catherine, who was waiting, and Nick got to wondering what she thought of the whole thing. "Hey Catherine."

"Yeah?"

Nick took his hot dog and put his condiments on it. He could almost hear Sage when they had hot dogs at Greg's place. She called them indigestion on a bun but she ate them anyway citing that they were good indigestion on a bun. They had good laughs over that. It reminded him to ask how her case was going since he hadn't seen her all shift really except once or twice it wasn't really a conversation.

Focusing on what he wanted to ask, he asked Catherine, "You ever been in therapy?"

"Who hasn't?" Catherine had been watching the traffic and then turned towards Nick. "Didn't save my marriage."

"And you were okay sharing your problems with a complete stranger?" Nick noticed that O' Riley had pulled up. He kept his focus on Catherine though.

"You rather I tell them to you?"

Nick gave a look at that. It was tempting to ask about the conversations he had seen between her and Sage. Then again it was probably what they classify as girl talk and that was considered a different category altogether. He still couldn't help but mutter, "And I bet you'd tell Parker."

At that moment O' Riley came up saying, "Somebody order a warrant?"

"Yeah," Nick replied as he dug into his dog while the detective ordered his dog. "I hope it's a general."

The detective looked at the pair of CSIs as they chowed down on their dogs. "Epilepsy. Eyewitness physician dials 9-1-1. Coroner's not making any noise. You're lucky to get a limited."

Nick couldn't believe this. "What do mean we're lucky? We've got fibers on a 14 year old kid and the shrink's clothing."

"Which would have got you nothing," O' Riley replied firmly. He'd done this before. "But I did a background check on the good doctor. While back, she had her license suspended. Sex with a patient. Teen's parents filed a complaint with the A.P.A." He refrained from mentioning that Sage had pointed him in the right direction with certain things regarding the A.P.A. Mostly it was on terminology and stuff and some interesting facts that he thought were a little pointless but he let her ramble. She asked him not to say anything and he was okay with that.

Nick took another bite. That was a joke. "Sex with a minor." He took the warrant and info. "Suspension's a joke. Should have lost her license minimum." Nick didn't like this one bit. That bad feeling he had been having all through the whole shift working this case… it was hitting full force at the implications that this was sending to his brain.

"Yeah well this time, maybe she will," Catherine added, noting Nick's indignation. She felt the same way about this. Even though she was a mom and would have liked to have been more vocal about it, even she knew that they didn't have enough. Thinking about it, O' Riley was right in that the fibers weren't enough and that it was his persistence in the background check that got them the warrant.

Catherine's concern though was Nick. He seemed to really be getting into the case and she was worried that he was going fast and furious and she was cruising behind. They needed to be on the same page if they were going to work and close this case.

Some time later found the CSIs and O' Riley serving the warrant at Dr. Sapien's residence. Nick was busy by the couch near where Dylan Buckley was found. Sapien looked at the warrant and was confused, "Angora fibers? What does that have to do with anything?"

Nick didn't say anything but went to work looking for more fibers by the couch on the floor. He couldn't trust himself to talk at the moment. The rate he could feel his heartbeat, he was surprised he hadn't gone into arrhythmia or something like that. He felt like he wanted to snap at the lady shrink so he kept silent and tried to control the flood of emotions that were threatening.

Dr. Sapien didn't like it and made it known, "Excuse me. I don't appreciate being treated like a suspect." She advanced towards Nick making her indignation very clear. She looked at the CSI and waited for an answer.

Nick didn't look at her but continued to work. He heard her advance and he felt a sickening feeling that was different from before. It was like another time from a long time ago. He spoke tersely to the shrink more out of a need to ease what he was feeling, "Then maybe you should wait outside."

"Do you consider me a suspect? Because that's how I'm feeling." Sapien looked as Nick continued to work, refusing to answer. "Fine. Don't answer me. It's your choice." She started to walk past the CSI trying not to be too annoyed at this disruption.

Nick felt the muscles in his shoulders tense up. He swallowed as that sickening feeling increased. Even though there was a respectable distance, it really bothered Nick and her footsteps sounded really loud in his ears. "That's the funny thing about choices. Once you make them, you have to live with them." He glanced back but didn't look at Sapien. He wasn't ready to do that just yet and shook his head.

This case was really starting to bug him and he wasn't sure if he could control the flood of emotions that was threatening to overload his good senses. "Dylan Buckley was just a boy." Finally he stood up and faced Sapien. He felt disgusted with her. "He trusted you and you abused that trust."

At that moment Catherine came out carrying evidence in a bag. It looked like a blanket of sorts. She made herself known after hearing that part of the conversation. She looked at then both and tapped with her gloved hand, "Linen closet, top shelf."

It was better to ask the questions as they came to mind in course with the investigation. It kept the sick feeling in check for Nick. "Was that blanket here on the floor? Were you and Dylan under it?" It was better to come out and ask it.

The non-responsiveness of Dr. Sapien filled in the blanks for Nick. As he looked at the couch and the floor, he could see the scene play out. Dr. Sapien made her advances while Dylan was resisting. He could see her reassuring that it was going to be okay and then moving him into position. He could feel his throat convulse. "He was a 14 year old kid. What's the matter with you?"

Catherine could fill in the blanks too. "He resisted; you persisted. Then what?"

Sapien looked at the CSIs that were looking at her like a criminal. "Look, I don't know the basis of your allegations but I have never crossed the line with a patient."

"That's not what your rap sheet says," Nick countered.

"Rap sheet?" Sapien looked at Nick like he was insane for such an accusation.

"Sex with an underage patient," Catherine added for clarification.

Sapien couldn't believe that they had dug into that. "I was a resident. He was 17. We were in… Look no criminal charges were filed. It should have been expunged from my record."

Catherine shook her head at that, "It doesn't make you any less guilty."

Sapien looked at Catherine, "Lady, I'm not a saint but I'm not a killer or a child molester. Dylan Buckley was an epileptic. He had a seizure. He hit his head. That's the truth. You don't like it, you can leave."

Nick listened to it and looked up at the ceiling. He didn't believe a word of it. Something had been going on here at Sapien's house and it wasn't normal therapy. He was sure that it wasn't any kind of therapy at all. "We got what we came here for."

It was a slightly awkward moment. The damage had been done and it was the cue for the CSIs to leave. Nick collected his things and took the blanket from Catherine and walked out with a firm expression on his face. Catherine noticed it but kept quiet until they were outside of the suspect's home, "What's going on with you?"

"I'm on a case," was all Nick could say.

"We're on a case," Catherine corrected.

"Right."

Catherine looked at Nick. Something was going on about this case that was bothering him. She didn't want to pull him off because he was good at what he did. Yet this was almost personal. She would keep an eye on Nick to make sure that nothing was wrong.


"Peanut butter and jelly?"

"Just a habit and comfort food," Sage replied with a mouth full of food as she finished the last bite of her half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Comfort food?" Brass looked at Sage as he pulled up back at the lab. They had spent the day looking into Ian Wolf. He found it strange that Grissom hadn't called to find out where she was but he wasn't going to make waves at that. "Whatever happened to chocolate since the sheriff chewed you a new one?"

Sage wiped her mouth on the napkin as she finished her sandwich. Spending time at homicide, looking up Ian Wolf proved to be enlightening in terms of detective work. Brass teased her about having her nose down a scope when she read more into Wolf's bio. It was a good time well spent. "I prefer peanut butter."

"You're actually serious?"

Sage couldn't help but chuckle. "You sound just like Stokes. He didn't get it either. It's just something that makes me feel better. Chocolate I'm not big into." She crinkled up the napkin. "Thanks for letting me tag along Brass." She got out of the Taurus and shut the door.

"You can call me Jim you know."

Sage peeked through the open window on the passenger side. "I know." She smiled to let Brass know that she knew it. "Just another old habit. I always use last names… no so much the professional end but more of the efficiency end of things."

Brass looked at Sage leaning on the door. He could get that. He handed her the cup of ice tea that she got on the way there. Apparently the whole coffee thing was either a complete story or she was eccentric enough like Grissom to do a switch up when she felt like it. "Well you certainly know how to be polite."

Sage accepted her tea, "Another thing but more to do with upbringing. Thanks Jim. I better go and see what else Grissom may have me do or get busy writing out an apology."

"Alright. Hey Parker, it'll be okay."

Sage looked at the detective, "Yeah. It will. Thanks."

Sage watched as Brass went to go back to Homicide and get to work more on the Ian Wolf lead. She took a glance at her watch and noted the time. Seemed like people were going to get dinged for the overtime so in essence, Brass was right in that things would be okay. She took a sip of her tea and walked into the lab. It was not a hard thing to do and she had drunk all her tea by the time she got to the break room and tossed her cup.

At that moment, she saw Nick walk by carrying a blanket wrapped in an evidence bag. She was used to the serious expressions he wore when he was on a case. This one though seemed a bit different. She was in two minds of following him. One was that she could be accused of being nosy and in truth that would exactly be what it was or two that she left it alone and things would work out. However, just the way he was carrying himself was different and she was… concerned. Most others didn't seem to notice since they were going about their own work.

I'll probably regret this, Sage thought to herself as she checked in with Grissom and found that there was nothing much to do that needed to be processed. Plus Brass was going to go pick up Ian Wolf for questioning. She wanted to opt out on that interview, citing a need to take a break.

It wasn't a lie per se. She was going to go home for a few hours and get a few nods and winks. Besides there was the usual household chores she had to take care of at home. Plus it would buy some time to check up on Nick. He hadn't even left a message relating to his attempts at pestering her about the night they set aside for bowling.

The real trick was to make it seem like any other time she would walk in. That was pretty much how it worked both ways. Of course the trick was that she wasn't assigned to his case so there was no reason to come by except to talk. More likely she would be shot down for her troubles but… Nick was her partner, a friend, like Warrick and Sara. Besides he always asked her if something was wrong… and that sounded flimsy even to her own ears.

It was an inward debate as she walked through the hall carrying her beat up bag. It was known that she walked by the labs just to do a peek in and say hello. So she did that and gave a couple of comments before spotting Nick setting up the illuminated table with the blanket. It was now or never and the last thing as the internal debate waged was to go for it.

She walked by and gave a gentle knock to announce her presence, "Hey, trying to max out your overtime?"

"I'm on a case," Nick replied as he took out the wooden skewers to make a grid out of the angora blanket. He had a pile of swabs nearby ready to be used. He wasn't quite in the mood to talk to her and hoped that she would go away.

"Okay." Sage eyed the pile of swabs and took a wild guess at what he was going to do. From what Catherine told her when she first approached her, she suspected molestation herself. Of course since she didn't have the facts of the case, she couldn't make a judgment. "Looks like it will keep you busy."

"Yeah so… I'd like to get to it."

Sage noticed Nick's rigid posture. Maybe she should just go away. He wasn't rude and he wasn't being an ass like when they first met. She should leave it alone. She shifted to leave by hefting her bag higher on her shoulder and stopped, "Do you want a hand?"

Nick paused. He really didn't want to talk and work which is what usually happened when they worked on evidence even though there were times that they worked in silence and it was actually companionable; they could work quietly and still enjoy each other's company. Yet he was aware that he had missed her company in terms of their banter and he still hadn't checked in with Greg about their sources.

The silence was enough for Sage. She understood that something about this case was bothering him. She would leave it alone. "Okay. Well I better go."

Nick made a slight face and turned towards the door but she was gone. He went to the door and found she hadn't gone far. As it turned out, Greg waylaid her and was talking to her about something and she looked like she was trying to get out.

Apparently it was a joke about something between them and they parted. Nick was about to call out to Sage when she turned and gave a wave good bye along with that grin of hers that indicated she had something up her sleeve or something. He could see that she was taking his response for what it was but it still didn't make him feel better about his behavior towards her and he couldn't run and chase after her since there was evidence lying out. He turned to go back in and work on it.

Sage in the meantime drove home. She didn't take it personally and wasn't going to pry. So she drove home to her condo with a rather aggressive air and revved the engine slightly before killing it. It was really mundane just picking up mail and flipping the switch on the timer for the water on her planters. She went around the back of the car when she saw and old friend and smiled, "Hey Padre. Como estas?"

"Good as usual senorita Parker. I brought the wrench you needed. Do you need help?"

"No I got it," Sage replied, "But thank you." She took the wrench and was going to walk away when something else was handed to her. It was an envelope with elaborate designs on the edges. It looked out of place in the mechanic's work worn hand. Sage raised her brow at it.

"My daughter. Her quinceañera is this weekend. We would like you to come," Padre replied.

Sage looked at it and opened it. She studied the date and it was by sheer luck that it was her night off. She smiled at the man and said, "Thank you. I'll be there."

"No thank you. Sirena really looks up to you."

Sage smiled at that since she thought that it was her mechanic's way of showing his appreciation. She and his daughter Sirena got along pretty well. Even though they had only met once a year before her moving out, there were still the letters and pictures. She nodded and reassured the man that she would come.

Her condo provided welcome as she put her keys in the dish she kept by the door. She read the invitation and almost flinched since her Spanish was bad and she was fluent in French! Still she could make out the date and time and even if it wasn't her night off, she could go to the ceremony. She dropped her stuff on the counter and left it there and grabbed a glass of water. The invitation was on the counter and it virtually looked like she made a mess; a contradiction to her tidiness in the lab.

She went over to her study and turned on the laptop that she had recently purchase and began to check emails. She deliberately ignored one file folder that indicated over a thousand unopened emails and was marked BIOHAZARD. It was more of a joke on her end but also indicated how she felt. She found one from her father and it was like the others, short and straight to the point. She gave her response secretly proud that the stubborn old Marine learned how to use a computer and email.

She spent close to one hour writing on her laptop. The clacking of her fingers tapping the keys were soothing even though she had been around machines all day and making noise. At least this was more along the lines of sheer winding down and it was relaxing. Besides the content made her smile especially when she looked at her notes and flipped through them. She hummed as she finished the end and saved and by that time she was ready to crash and her favorite place was the couch even though her room wasn't too far away.

A quick shower later, Sage was on her couch and ready to sleep. It was then her phone rang. She grimaced at the thought that her workaholic boss was calling her. Looking at the number, she recognized the lab and answered, "Parker."

It was Grissom and he virtually said that he wanted her back at the lab. Apparently he wanted her to help out with Ian Wolf and actually see the interview. Sage looked up at the ceiling and resisted the urge to moan. "Alright. I'll be there."

She found herself back at the lab at what seemed a short time later and carrying a tall coffee, black. She walked through the halls with her coffee and stifled the yawn that threatened. She was following orders on this even though she could see no further need for her to be on the case. She gave an absent minded wave to someone who greeted her and made her way to the locker room to put her bag in her locker and went on a hunt.

"Hey Parker."

Sage turned automatically when she heard Nick's Texan drawl. She made a joke with a tired smile, "I guess catching a nap is not in the cards today huh?"

Nick looked at her. She wasn't miffed or anything. "I guess not. Listen um… I just want to apologize if I offended you earlier."

Sage raised her brow at that. "Offended me?"

"Well yeah."

"You did nothing of the sort. I asked, you said no so that was that," Sage replied. She frowned at that. "Why do you think that?"

Nick looked at Sage and wondered if she finally cracked or what. He frowned, "Um… I just essentially gave you the cold shoulder." He almost asked it in the form of a question. He felt like he was back in school and he had been caught passing notes and asked for the answer to prove that he had been paying attention.

"You weren't an ass if that was what you were getting at." Sage looked at Nick and wondered where he got the idea that he needed to apologize. Still she felt some explanation as needed so she might as well provide it. "I just noticed you seemed a bit down and thought… well it was presumptuous of me anyway." She shrugged her shoulders. She really didn't see a problem since she made a mistake and was not going to dwell on it. She turned to leave.

Nick reached out and stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder, "Wait. What do you mean by that?"

"What it is," Sage replied. At the look Nick was giving her, she could see that he wasn't getting what she had long accepted as truth especially when Cassie made it very clear on several occasions, she knew she had to explain. She gave a slight sigh, "It's a very old habit. Growing up a military brat and moving… didn't leave a whole lot of room for making friends. It was a lot like friends today but next week you're gone and… nothing."

"Is that what you think about us?"

"Possibly," Sage admitted truthfully. "Called you partner the first day and Greg… I was treating him like I would a little brother if I had one. Plenty of acquaintances Stokes and sometimes I ended up kidding myself into thinking it a friendship. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You had the big leave me alone sign on the door so I was fine with that. It was nothing."

"Felt like it wasn't nothing." Nick paused a moment, not wanted this to result in a fight. God knew that he had hell when they didn't like each other. "So you say things and if you get the brush off, you don't feel anything?"

"I would feel it coming from Greg," Sage replied, "From the others..." She shrugged her shoulders. "A wait and see and work in progress. You know me and Warrick are tight and with Sara… we run races all the time. You and me… partners and I consider it friendship in its own way. You kind of get what I'm getting at?"

Nick could understand the military brat thing but he got the feeling that there was more to it than simply accepting the fact that making friends was something best reserved for nonmilitary brats. It was something to think about later. "So you're not mad or anything?"

"You're my partner Stokes. I got your back when you need it," Sage replied with a smile. "It's cool. Now I better go before I have to figure out taking a bus to homicide."

"What is it with you and buses?" Nick couldn't help but ask. At least he felt better but still a bit puzzled about her quirks.


A/N: Looks like Nick came to some conclusions about Doc Sapien and ends up telling Catherine about it but not Sage. Will he? Keep watching for more Buzz Kill...