Hey guys, there's been a few issues with the website ; not sure whether all of my chapters are showing. So, I hope that you can actually see this, and I hope it sorts itself out soon.
Let me know what you think.
Or, just let me know that you can see it haha :P
x x x x
Warrick stepped out onto the front steps, blinking at the unexpectedly bright dawn sun.
It was still early and aside from a few meandering uniforms, there was nobody around. He shuffled down the stairs, stretching stiffly. Out of instinct, he scanned the parking lot for his car, before realising that he'd been brought in via Brass. His car was at home.
With a sigh he pulled out his cell phone, now returned to him, and called for a cab.
While he waited for his ride he ambled towards the road edge, watching the distant traffic lazily while he pondered his situation. Yes, he was free … legally. But what would happen now?
Would Sara still want to work with him? Would any of them?
And what would he say to Sara when he saw her? After all, he still wasn't entirely sure what had happened that night, despite the results of the forensic tests.
Warrick didn't know how long he'd been staring into space when a horn beeping behind him startled him out of his thoughts. He turned to find an impatient taxi driver glaring at him from behind a pair of dark shades.
The CSI climbed into the car and offered an apologetic smile.
"Where we heading?" The driver asked in a thick New York accent.
He was on the verge of giving the address of the nearest bar, but Sara's face flashed before his eyes. Her bruised, scared face when she'd seen him at the hospital. According to the science – the one thing he could trust – he'd done that to her.
"You look like you need a drink?" The cab driver continued, blatantly hinting for a direction. "Going out?"
With the guilt of his apparent actins burning through his mind, Warrick shook his head.
"Going home." He mumbled softly.
X x x
Catherine jumped, surprised by the loud knock at her door. Putting down her book, she cautiously peered through the window; equally surprised and relieved by her guest.
"Hey." She greeted, swinging the door open. Nick fidgeted nervously on the doorstep for a moment before sliding past her into the house, instantly feeling the warmth soak into his skin.
"I know it's early." He conceded. "I was going to wait, but … how is she?"
Catherine smiled, beckoning him further inside.
"She's fine. She's asleep right now."
He followed her into the kitchen where she proceeded to pour two cups of coffee before they settled in the lounge. Nursing his drink, Nick glanced around the room anxiously. He had been in Catherine's house many a time, but never for a reason as grave as this.
"How's Warrick?" She asked at last, revelling in the feeling of the hot liquid sliding down her throat.
"I don't know." Nick mumbled, a dark look crossing his features. "I don't care."
"Nicky." The blonde chastised softly.
"What?" He shrugged. "You know what he did to her."
"Yeah, I know." She admitted quietly. "But it doesn't change how much I care about him."
They were quiet for a few minutes, sharing the silence while they sipped their drinks. Finally, Nick spoke.
"Would it be alright if I saw her?" He asked tentatively, setting his mug down on the coffee table. "I promise I won't wake her, I just want to see her for a minute?"
Cath pursed her lips in thought for a moment, analysing the Texan's eager face and big, sad brown eyes.
X x x
Warrick tossed his keys onto the couch and dropped down beside them heavily, sinking into the cushions. The journey home seemed to have taken forever.
His apartment suddenly seemed so quiet. He'd never noticed that before.
Unnerved by the silence, he switched on the TV. It was some corny soap opera, with a hysterical woman shrieking at some poor bemused man. It was pathetic, granted, but it was noise. So it would do.
X x x
Nick crept into the room, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness as he manoeuvred his way to the bed. The light from the hall illuminated enough of the room to allow him to see Sara, sound asleep, in the centre of the bed. She was curled in an impossibly tight ball, like she was trying to protect herself.
He could sense Catherine lingering in the doorway behind him as he perched on the edge of the bed, hesitantly reaching out a hand to brush her dark locks away from her face.
"Man, I've never seen her like that." He whispered, turning to look at Catherine with tearful eyes. "At the hospital, that first night … she was so scared."
Catherine moved into the room, joining him on the bed.
"Yeah." She agreed softly. "But she is okay."
"I know." He sobbed, fighting a losing battle with his tears. Catherine reached out to stroke his arm gently in an attempt to console him, letting her other hand settle on Sara's shoulder. The brunette mumbled something in her sleep but didn't stir. The noise regained their attention; Nick smiled down at her fondly. "She's going to get through this." He decided defiantly at last.
"Yeah, of course she is." Catherine agreed with a hint of a smile. "That's why we're here." Nick nodded, then paused.
"What can I do, Cath?" She chewed her bottom lip, staring at the sleeping woman for a long time.
"Why don't you take her for a drink?" she suggested. His head whipped up to frown at her.
"Seriously?" He asked, not sure whether this was an attempt at sarcasm or a genuine suggestion.
"Yeah." Cath nodded, swallowing. "If she hides herself away then she'll never get her confidence back. Why don't you offer to take her out somewhere? Somewhere quiet."
Nick seemed to consider this for a moment. "I could ask Greg too. He really wants to see her." Cath smiled, glad to have given him a sense of purpose.
"Yeah. I'm sure she wants to see him too."
X x x
Having migrated into the bedroom, Warrick landed ungracefully on his back on the unmade bed. His gaze fell instinctively on the little bottle of pills on the table. With a groan, he threw an arm over his face.
In the darkness, all he could see were the DNA results flashing before his eyes. The confusing jumble of numbers, his personal code, running through his mind.
X x x
"Hey, I'm glad I caught you." Nick jogged down the hall, catching Greg by the back of the sleeve. The trainee blinked at him, startled.
"What's up?" He asked suspiciously.
"I went to see Catherine last night; she suggested I take Sara out somewhere. Just for a drink, you know?" The Texan started, following Greg into the locker room.
"You went to Cath's?" He cut his colleague off. "Did you see Sara?"
Nick shrugged. "Briefly. She was asleep." He shook his head, getting back on track. "Anyway, Catherine thinks that it would be good if we get Sara out of the house for a little while."
"But, how was she?" Greg continued animatedly, feeling slightly put-out that Nick had been the first one to visit his best friend. Nick shook his head, holding his hands up in a failed effort to calm the man.
"She's fine Greg, like I said she was asleep." He insisted. "Now, I wanted to ask you if you wanted in?"
"In what?" Greg blinked at him. Nick rolled his eyes, placing his hands on his hips.
"Do you want to take Sara out somewhere today?"
"Oh." Greg realised, catching up. "Oh, yeah, of course!"
"Alright." Nick chuckled, pulling out his cell. "I'll call her."
X x x
"Hey." Cath smiled, sauntering into Sara's room. The brunette blinked up at her, stirring from her nap. "Sorry, I didn't know you were asleep." Catherine apologised, settling beside her on the bed. Sara shook her head.
"It's okay." She promised with a sleepy smile. "What's up?"
"Nothing." Cath shrugged, toying with the edge of the blanket. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up." Sara sat upright, running a hand through her hair.
"I'm alright." She nodded thoughtfully. "You know, one day at a time."
"Yeah." Cath agreed softly. "Well, maybe you could go out somewhere. Go see some friends? It might help to get out of the house."
"No, I'm okay." Sara mumbled. "I don't think I can put up with the sympathetic looks right now."
Cath sighed, taking her hand. This was going to be harder than she'd hoped. "Honey, you can't hide yourself away forever. It's not going away."
"I know." Sara shrugged. "I just don't know if I'm ready."
"Well, it's your choice." Catherine said, placing a kiss on her temple. "But the longer you leave it the harder it'll be." She stood up to leave, turning to add a final comment. "Your phones ringing." Sara opened her mouth to negate this but before she could speak, her phone began to vibrate on the bedside table. Catherine just smiled at her, slipping out to allow her some privacy. Sara stared after the woman for a moment in bafflement before answering her call.
"Hello." She said cautiously.
"Hey, Sara. It's Nick." He said, as if she wouldn't recognise his accent.
"Hey." She greeted with a soft smile, relaxing when she figured how Catherine had suddenly turned psychic.
"Hey, erm, how are you?" It seemed like a stupid question but she'd been expecting it.
"I'm okay. Catherine's taking good care of me." She could practically sense the strawberry-blonde's ear burning at the mention of her name. She would probably be stood outside the door waiting to hear whether Sara would ask Nick out somewhere.
"Good." Nick chuckled. In the background Sara could hear Greg's voice and Nick telling him to 'shut up, I'm asking her'.
"Asking me what?" She smiled. A nervous laugh bubbled down the phone.
"Erm, well Greggo and I were wondering whether you would like to go out … somewhere." He started gently. Sara's eyes flew to the door where Catherine had departed. Never mind Sara asking Nick, the blonde had already taken care of that! "I mean, you don't have to … it's up to you, but if you want to then… we're here." She could practically hear Nick's heart pounding through his shirt, he was that nervous. She wondered if he could hear hers.
A part of her wanted to see the boys. Another part wanted to hide away for all eternity.
With Catherine's words replaying in her mind, she took a deep breath.
"I'd like that." She said slowly. She heard Nick and Greg exhale in unison.
"Great, that's great!" He managed to chirp before Greg's voice appeared.
"Hey, I've missed you." He said instantly. She could picture his dark brown eyes and cheeky grin, an image which brought a bright smile to her own face.
"I've missed you too."