Emergency

"Hold on. Let me find out what room he's in." Nick said pulling his old LVPD hat down. Nick walked over to the nurses' station as Riley followed. "Good afternoon, ladies." Nick said with smile.

"Nick, oh my god. There's a rumor that you were slaving away in a FEMA death camp." The old charge nurse said smiling giving Nick a hug.

"I still have a hole in my side. I wouldn't be much of a worker." Nick teased back. "I need a favor, Darlene."

"Whatcha need?" She asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Is the guy that stabbed me still here?"

"Let me see," she said typing away on her computer. "Yup, Davis. Evaluation for a concussion. Neuro is coming by in the morning. Your girlfriend gave him one hell of a whack. Serves the SOB right."

"What room is he in?"

"Why?"

"Don't you trust me? C'mon,"

"Room 15. I think police are still with him." Darlene said shrugging her shoulders.

"You're an angel." Nick flirted as he and Riley walked away. "I don't know how much time I can give you. I'm sure your friends at the secret Phoenix think I kidnapped you."

"Do you want me to call them?"

"Do what you have to do." Nick said motioning to the opening of her father's room. Waving the officer in front away.

"I, uh..." Riley stuttered.

"This isn't a race, kid." Nick said keeping his back towards Riley's dad. "This is about you. No one else. Go at your own speed. I'll be right here." Nick said sitting down on the bench. Riley continued to stare at the doorway. Riley took a deep breath and shook her head as she slowly walked inside.

"Are you my nurse? I need more meds!" He yelled.

"You don't recognize me?!" She argued back. The man was taken back. Why would he recognize her she barely recognized him. Last time she saw him he was a bloody mess in Jack's battered hands. "Why would you recognize me?"

"Riley?" He asked and she nodded. He laughed. Riley felt something break inside her. "Well, I'll be damned. Look at you. Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you." She said as she began to regret her decision. She studied his face. His face appeared droopy and had more wrinkles and scars then he had hair. He had a large bandage on the right side of his head. As she studied his face she remembered each and everytime he raised his hand to her mother. Riley was filled with anger.

"Really?" He continued to laughed. His laughter made her feel stupid. Stupid for wanting to do this. Wanting to see him.

"I wanted to tell you... goodbye."

"Well, goodbye to you too Riley. Tell your whore mother I said hello as you pretend to live a great life."

"You don't get to talk about my mother! Our life may not be great but just knowing how awful it would've been if my strong, and beautiful, had she stayed makes everyday away from you great." Riley said leaving.

Riley blew past Nick as she angrily walked towards the elevator. Nick tried to catch up but his abdomen was growing increasingly sore with every movement.

"Thank you, Darlene." Nick said as he jogged past the nurses' station. Nick caught Riley just as the elevator doors were closing. "Wait up, kid. You're my ride." Nick teased but Riley's face remained stoic as she fought tears. "You wanna talk about it?" Nick asked quietly.

"No..." she whispered as her voice cracked.

"Okay," Nick said pushing the button.

"I don't need him! My life turned out great without him. I mean I did go to jail for a little while but that doesn't define me. He doesn't define me. My mom worked her ass of to raise me. Jack helped out for awhile but when it got to hard he left too. I don't need my dad! I don't need Jack! I don't need anyone!" Riley yelled as the tears came streaming down her face.

"Riley..." Nick said as she continued to unravel.

"Why doesn't anybody want me?" She sobbed as Nick hugged her.

Jack, Mac, and Bozer arrived at the hospital. The hospital was busy. They scanned the area they were in for any evidence or sign of Nick or Riley.

"Ay, Nick, where's the fire?" A passing police officer.

"Err... umm... I'm working on a case." Jack said not exactly understanding what Nick did but tried his best to impersonate him.

"A case? They didn't make you take sick leave?" The officer asked skeptical.

"Nah, cmon man. You know me." Jack teased as the men laughed. "Is the chump that stabbed me still here?"

"Yeah, he's upstairs. In neurology." The officer said pointing to the elevator. The men parted ways and Jack frantically pushed the elevator button.

"You know hitting the button repeatedly won't make it get here any faster?" Mac asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I know." Jack said frustrated as he put his hands on his hips.

"What's going on? Why'd Riley come here?" Bozer asked.

"To see her dad," Jack said still frustrated. "I should've killed him." Jack said not as quietly as he had hoped earning looks from both Mac and Bozer. "You know, figuratively or whatever."

"Sure." Bozer said skeptical.

"Listen, the guy was the worst. He'd get Riley's hopes up like Diane would even entertain the thought of Riley staying with him. Guy was lowlife. He was a drunk, and he was abusive... but I'm the bad guy." Jack said still angry.

As they went up in their elevator Riley and Nick came down in another. Nick followed Riley outside. It was a beautiful day and the fresh air did wonders for both of their spirits.

"You alright?" Nick asked smiling.

"Yeah, let me call the boys let them know that we're here." Riley said pulling out her cellphone. Nick smiled as he gave her a pat on the arm and walked passed her. "Where you going?"

"Get a light from the nurses." Nick said holding up a cigarette. "Can I get a light ladies?" Nick asked in a flirtatious tone and a killer smile. One of the nurses lit Nick's cigarette as Nick ducked around the corner hiding from Riley. Nick took out his own phone and began calling Catherine.

"Willows."

"Cath," Nick said taking a long drag off his cigarette.

"Nicky?!" She asked excited.

"Hey..." Nick said smiling. Nick blew up the smoke feeling the most relaxed he had felt all days. Nick watched as the in began to set.

"How are you? Is everything alright?" She panicked and Nick could only smile as he could almost see her. She'd take off her reading glasses and flip her bangs out of her face. Or maybe she used her glasses to hold back her wild bangs. Who knows? But hearing her voice always put a smile on his face. "Are you smoking... again?"

"No..." he said flicking the cigarette away.

"Oh Nicky..."

"It's just so good to hear your voice, Cath." Nick said smiling.

"How are you?" She asked. Her voice soft almost delicate as he just enjoyed the sound.

"Tired. Real tired." Nick said as he looked around.

Nick heard tires screeching and squeaking. He was unsure what the noise was but it grabbed his attention and everyone else. Nick watched as the car erratically pulled into a parking spot. A man stepped out of the car strangely calm for his erratic driving. Then three other men also got out. Nick studied the men. The first man turned and his shirt blew open and Nick could see a glint of the handgun tucked in his waistband.

"Cath, I gotta go." Nick said as he studied the men approaching.

"Nicky..." she said as he hung up the phone. Nick discreetly ducked back around the corner to where the nurses were.

"Hey ladies, my name is Nick Stokes. Director for the crime lab. I need you to go in the hospital and lock it down." Nick said showing them his ID.

"Is this joke?" The nurse asked as she stepped on her cigarette.

"Not at all." Nick said serious. The nurses frantically scurried inside. Nick then walked as fast as he could in Riley's direction as he scrolled through his contacts.

"I called the boys. Let them know that we are okay. Apparently they were upstairs. So..." Riley said putting her phone in her pocket.

"Cartel is here." Nick said looking over his shoulder.

"What?!" Riley panicked.

"Yeah, just pulled in." Nick said as Riley pulled out her phone.

"Mac, sicarios are..." Riley began but before she could finish. A series of gunshots rang one piercing her phone causing it to explode in her hand. Nick pushed Riley down behind a car as more shots rang out.

Riley covered her head as the glass showered over her head. She winced as the shards danced across her skin. Riley looked at her bloody hand and the remains of her broken phone silently counting her blessings. Until she heard groaning beside her.

"Nick?!" She cried out seeing his shirt blood soaked.

Please Review! What do you think?