The action picks up again in this chapter, I know the others have been boring, sorry. Song is Five For Fighting's "Superman."

Nick collapsed onto the couch as soon as he got inside, and sighed happily as he stretched out and got comfortable. Warrick chuckled and walked past him into the kitchen, calling back to Nick.

"You hungry?" He asked as he opened the fridge.

"Yeah." Nick replied. "I'm pretty sure I haven't eaten anything in 2 weeks, food sounds good."

To Warrick's dismay, there was nothing in the fridge or cabinets that was appealing, so he went back into the living room and sat down in the recliner. "Well, we're gonna have to order pizza or something, cuz we have no food."

Nick smiled. "When do we ever have food?" He said.

"Good point." Warrick said with a laugh. He picked up the clicker and flicked the TV on, flipping through channels until he found a football game. "Cowboys are on." He said to Nick, who had closed his eyes.

"I hate TO...I half want them to lose every game so he'll whine and get traded far, far away."

Warrick laughed. "A true fan." He said, shaking his head at Nick even though his eyes were closed. "So what do you want to eat?"

Nick shrugged and opened his eyes. "I don't care as long as it's food."

"I was thinking pizza too." Warrick said as he got up and grabbed the phone, ordering the pizza expertly. He returned back to his chair and they watched the game for a few minutes before Warrick remembered what else he had to do when they got home other than order food. "Shit..." He swore under his breath.

"What?" Nick asked.

"I forgot to call Catherine...she's gonna be pissed."

Nick smiled. "Just tell her we just got in."

Warrick nodded, but looked doubtful. "Knowing her, she'll know I'm lying and probably knows the exact second we got here. Better late then never." He took out his cell phone and pushed 2 on his speed dial, and wasn't surprised when the phone rang just once. He pushed the speaker button and set the phone on the end table.

"It's about damn time." Catherine answered.

"Hi honey." Warrick said sarcastically.

"You guys are home, right?" She said, ignoring Warrick's sarcasm.

"Yepp. Just got in." Warrick said, making Nick laugh.

"Hey Nicky!" Catherine said when she heard the familiar laugh. "How are you feeling?"

"Good." Nick asnwered.

"Good, Jenn's dying to see you."

Nick looked at Warrick, trying to pretend to be mad, but the smile tugging at his lips gave him away. "Jenn's here?"

Warrick swore under his breath again. "Forgot that too...it's been a long couple of weeks man." He said, rubbing his eyes.

Nick gave in to the smile and let out a soft laugh. "Well we just ordered pizza, so come on over."

"So you order pizza before you call us?" Catherine said in mock-annoyance.

"We're just guys." Nick and Warrick said in unison.

Catherine sighed for affect. "Okay, we'll be there soon." She said before hanging up.

Nick laughed before closing his eyes again and crossing his arms behind his head.

"So you're really feeling better?" Warrick asked.

Nick nodded, moving as little as possible. "Yeah. Everything still hurts...but I think it's just because I'm so sore and tired." He fell silent for a few minutes, and Warrick thought he had fallen asleep, but he opened his eyes, sat up slowly and looked over at him. "Why didn't I die?" Warrick wasn't sure how to answer the question, because he didn't know exactly what Nick meant. When he didn't answer, Nick took the hint and tried to explain himself. "I mean...I did die...a few times...but why didn't I die, for good? I just got better...I know I wasn't doing too good...it just doesn't make any sense."

Warrick shook his head. "I don't know buddy...but I don't care why as long as you're okay." Warrick smiled slightly and shrugged. "I guess you really can't kill heroes."

Nick smiled weakly. "You would have done the same for me."

Warrick smiled wider and stood when he heard the doorbell ring. "Doesn't matter bro." He said, walking over to the door. "You're still my hero." He said before he opened the door and laughed when he saw Catherine standing on the other side, holding their pizza.

"You owe me 15 bucks." She said, handing Warrick the pizza and kissing him on the cheek as she let herself in.

Nick hadn't even seen it coming. He had no time to react, all he could do was lay there.

Jenn practically ran into the house and threw herself at her little brother. Nick fell back against the back of the couch, wincing in pain and smiling at the same time.

"Son of a...hi Jenn." He said, slowly returning his older sister's bear hug.

Jenn reluctantly pulled away and sat next to Nick, tears threatening to fall from her dark brown eyes. "Thank God you're okay...never, ever scare me like that ever again Nick." She said.

Nick couldn't help the smile from spreading across his face. "Okay, I'll try not to get held hostage again."

Jenn punched him on the shoulder. "That's not funny. You scared the hell out of me!"

Nick flinched. "Owe...be nice. I'm alive, but everything still hurts like a bitch." He rubbed his shoulder a few times before turning to Catherine, standing as she came in front of him and threw her arms around his neck, giving in to the tears that had been building up over the last 2 weeks Nick was in the hospital.

"I'm so sorry Nicky...thank you so much for-"

Nick shook his head and wrapped his arms around Catherine's waist, laughing softly. "Don't be sorry for anything, it wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was, you didn't have to do wh-"

Nick cut her off again. "I know, I wanted to. There's no reason to be sorry or thank me." He slowly pulled away and put his hands on Catherine's shoulders, looking into her eyes. "I'm fine, you're fine, and Warrick's fine. Everything's fine. Nothing else matters. Okay?"

Catherine nodded and smiled slightly, wiping away her tears. "Okay. Thank you anyway." She said, silencing him by kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"Alright. Now can we eat? I'm starving." He said, turning to Warrick, who was still holding the pizza.

"Waiting on you, man." Warrick said. He walked in to the kitchen, followed by Nick, Catherine and Jenn. The girls sat down at the small kitchen table as Nick and Warrick grabbed some plates from the dishwasher and sodas from the cooler on the deck. They joined Jenn and Catherine at the table, handing out the plates and drinks. They all grabbed a piece of pizza and began eating. They talked about everything other than what had happened. After about an hour or so of this, Catherine had to go back to work and Jenn needed to go pick up Lindsey and make dinner for her.

As Catherine was leaving, she turned back to Warrick. "Grissoms says you're on paid leave as long as he is." She said, nodding towards Nick.

"I guess...if that's what Grissom wants..." Warrick said sarcastically.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Make sure he gets rest and doesn't do anything stupid."

"I'm right here." Nick said, waving his arms.

Catherine turned towards the other man. "Fine. Don't do anything stupid and get better." She smiled and quickly kissed Warrick before leaving with Jenn.

Nick fell back onto the couch and sighed. He ran his hand through his hair and clenched his fists when he started shaking slightly.

Warrick sat down next to him. "You alright?" He asked, putting his hand on Nick's shoulder and squeezing gently.

Nick nodded and smiled weakly. "Yeah, just really tired." Warrick nodded in response. Nick took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the couch. "Have you ever wanted to be somebody else?" He asked quietly, his eyes still closed.

Warrick smiled despite the fact that Nick couldn't see him. "Yeah." He said, then paused for a second before adding, "You."

I can't stand to fly

I'm not that naive

I'm just out to find

The better part of me

"He's home." Dan said simply into his cell phone.

Jimmy nodded and smiled slightly. "All right…give him some time to think he's safe before we do anything. You talk to Frankie yet?"

"Yeah, he's all set and waiting on you."

"Good." Jimmy closed his cell phone, leaned back in his oversized chair, and took a long drag of his cigar. His smile grew as he thought about what was in store for his new found hate. Nick Stokes.

I'm more than a bird

I'm more than a plane

I'm more than some pretty face beside a train

And it's not easy to be me

Nick was starting to enjoy just laying around and watching random things on TV with Warrick. They had even invented a new game. Seeing as how nothing good was on daytime TV, they put on Spanish Soap Operas and made up their own story lines. It was a lot more fun than it sounds.

Nick let another yawn escape as he slowly stood and stretched. He was still unbelievably sore, but the painkillers were working somewhat. He was having a very difficult time sleeping, as always. He looked at the clock and sighed. 11:23 p.m. It had only been a few hours since he had pretended to go to bed. He knew Warrick was fast asleep in his room and refused to go and wake him up just because he couldn't sleep again. He felt he had done that far too many times. Deep down he knew Warrick didn't care at all, but Nick did. He hated feeling so helpless and needy.

Nick slowly walked into the dark kitchen and grabbed the large bottle of painkillers. "Take 1 pill 3 times a day…or as needed." He shrugged. "I am so taking advantage of the 'as needed' part." He tipped the bottle and let 3 pills fall onto his palm. He grabbed a glass off of the counter and filled it halfway with water, taking all 3 pills at once. He'd gotten used to doing that by now. He poured the rest of the water out and turned to go back into the living room when something cold and hard pressed against the back of his neck.

"I want you to turn around very, very slowly with your hands in the air."

The voice wad deep and sinister. Nick frowned in confusion. His tired mind couldn't grasp what was happening, so he complied with what whoever was behind him told him to do. He painfully raised his sore arms and turned slowly to his left, his heart dropping when he saw the taller man standing in front of him with a gun pointed straight between his eyes.

"Good boy." The guy was a few inches taller than Nick and had bright blond hair and bright blue eyes. He was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt under a large leather jacket.

"No mask?" Nick asked, his voice steadier than his heartbeat.

"No need." The man took a step forward, shoving the gun into Nick's mouth. Why do bad guys think this is so cool? The barrel pressed against the back of his throat, almost making him gag. "Do you know who I am?"

There was no possible way for Nick to speak, so he just shook his head slowly. His hands were still raised. He winced as he was forced against the counter behind him, the hard wood digging into his back. The man took a handful of Nick's faded blue t-shirt in his hand, pushing his fist into Nick's chest. Nick clenched his fists to try and make the pain go away.

"I'm Dan…I work for Big Jimmy." Nick blinked. And that's supposed to mean something to me? "Ray, Sam and Jake worked for Big Jimmy. Ray's his kid brother, and you killed him."

Oh. Nick thought. Fuck.

Dan ripped off Nick's sleeve and reached behind him, turning the faucet on. Is he gonna do my dishes?

After a few minutes of an intense staring contest, Nick felt hot water on his back. He tried to look behind him, but was restricted by the gun in his mouth.

Dan smiled wickedly. "Goodbye, Nick." He punched Nick in the face with his right hand, sending Nick slightly off balance and to the right. He grabbed the back of his neck and forced his head under the hot water that had built up in the sink. He felt the barrel of the gun press against the back of his head, pinning his face between the gun and the bottom of the sink. He closed his eyes and mouth, wondering how long it would take him to drown. He tried to push against the counter or punch Dan away, but it was no use. He was too weak. There wasn't anything he could do.

His lungs were burning and he thought his heart was going to burst through his ribs. He started to slump against the counter as the life started draining from his body. Only a few more seconds, then it's all over.

Just as he was about to pass out, he heard 2 gun shots that were muffled by the water that filled his ears. So someone finally did pull the trigger, he thought. Wait…wouldn't I have only heard one, if any at all?

The weight that was pressing him into the counter was now gone, as was the pressure of the gun to his head. He slowly started to sink to the ground, his head hitting the counter as he fell back onto the floor.

He gasped for air as droplets of water fell from his hair and face, collecting in a pool around his head. His chest was heaving, and he squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could. He felt the warm blood flowing down the side of his face from the cut just above his eyebrow from when he hit the counter, running down his neck and mixing with the water on the floor.

"Nicky…Nicky, wake up man." Warrick kneeled in the water next to Nick and shook his shoulders gently.

Nick slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times until the water stopped blurring his vision. He looked up at Warrick and smiled weakly.

"You alright man?" Warrick asked, his voice filled with concern.

Nick nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine." He said softly. "Did you-"

"Yeah." Warrick cut him off.

"Thanks." Nick said weakly.

Warrick didn't have a chance to respond. The door suddenly slammed open and a larger man came in, pointing a gun at them.

Warrick reached for his, but it was on the counter, out of reach.

"Don't try anything stupid. I'm gonna have to ask you to come with me."

Warrick looked at Nick, who stared up guiltily. Warrick helped Nick to his feet before slowly walking towards the door.

"Jimmy's not gonna be happy with you two." The man was wearing the same thing as Dan, who now lay dead on the kitchen floor. They allowed the man, Frankie, to force them into a waiting car outside of their house. They got into the back, sitting across from yet another larger man.

"Ah, we finally meet." The man said. "I'm Big Jimmy."

I wish that I could cry

Fall upon my knees

Find a way to lie

About a home I'll never see

It may sound absurd

But don't be naive

Even heroes have the right to bleed

I may be disturbed

But wont you conceive

Even heroes have the right to dream

And it's not easy to be me

Hope you liked it. Next chapter's about halfway done, should be up soon. Reviews always welcome.