Morning After Ch12

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Morning After Ch12: V is for Violence

3 months later… Wendy sat at her lab station she worked swing shift now, one of them had to switch and Wendy changed. But tonight, she was working grave. She was five months pregnant and didn't truly like it. She felt huge even though her belly was just becoming noticeable, her back hurt and her feet were swollen... Oh and not to mention her personal favorite the mood swings were in hyper drive. She went from happy to sad to mad to jumpy back to happy then to horny and then all over again. She was waiting for Nick's case DNA results on a double homicide; working close to him however lightened her mood. Not to mention her first Lamaze class was tomorrow and her prenatal yoga was tomorrow and Nick promised to go... Kind of.

"hey darling'" Nick said resting his head her shoulder, he wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her neck. She turned and faced him and loosely wraps her arms around his neck her one hand playing with his hair.

"hey you, you're bad" she said right before he kisses her.

"why? No one is here" he said breaking the kiss for a brief moment, he returned the kiss. She pulled him closer smiling in his mouth; he lifted her onto the table continuing to kiss. "what about... Keeping it... Professional?" she said in between kisses. He kissed her neck, kissing and sucking her sweet skin she moans quietly in his ear.

"umm" Nick and Wendy heard, followed by someone clearing there throat, they turned and it was Catherine with Ray. Nick smiled nervously at them as Wendy hid her face in Nick's neck, blushing. "umm, Wendy do you have my results?" Wendy pointed like a little kid in trouble to the printer. "thanks... Nicky come to my office"

"I'll be right there, Cath" he said as Catherine left with Ray. Wendy looked at Nick still blushing.

"so much for no one being here"

"yea... Sorry about that, I should go see what lecture, I'm going to get" he said helping her off the table.

"I'll see you in a few" she said, he went to leave but she pulled him in for a quick kiss.

After 'boss' Catherine had gave him lecture, the real Catherine came out.

"can I ask you something, cath?" he said quietly.

"about what?" she asked sitting behind her desk, he leaned back and motioned a pregnant belly.

"you are the only one I can talk to about this, you are my best friend a you are the only one I trust to ask questions about Wendy and... My child" Nick said, taking in the effect of finally saying it.

"how'd that feel?" she said, he took a deep breath and smiled. "what question?"

"can you still... You know?" Nick asked slightly embarrassed the internet gave mix answers, and Catherine smiled at his embarrassment. "we haven't in a while; I just don't want to hurt her or the little guy that's all..."

"yes you can... Oh Nicky" she said chuckling at Nick's embarrassment. "let her ride you, you just can't put pressure on her belly, all you need to do is..."

"thanks but I think I got it" he said, however he didn't laugh he looked out the window looking at Wendy. He looked away and ten at the floor and took a deep sigh.

"what is it, Nicky? I don't think you just came for some love making questions" she said, he chuckled a little.

"I called my sister Laura and told her all about the shooting and about Wendy"

"what did she say?"

"she wants me to call my parents" he said

"you haven't yet? I mean why you haven't?" she said surprised she always saw

Nick as a homebody, a good ol' Texas boy. But as she continued to think the last time Nick was home in Texas was after he was buried alive.

"I haven't talk to my father in years!" he shot back quickly. After Nick had returned from Texas, he was more on edge then before he left. He also changed his next of kin from his parents to his sister Laura and would not tell anyone why.

"what happen the last time you were down there?"

"what if I am a bad father and my child will hate me or what if I hate it?"

"do you hate your father?"

"no, he hates me"

"I highly doubt that... What happened the last time you were down there?"

"I was unpacking my suitcase. My ma was at the grocery store with Laura and my father and my brother Shaun were home. They came into the room I got startled for some reason I punched my father and tackled my brother, Shaun. I took off for the woods... I don't even remember doing it, Laura and my father found me. My father slapped in the face called me a crazy nut job... He yelled at me for being... An awful son and for always upsetting my ma" he said tearing up but then he quickly calmed down. "I stayed with my sister that was the last time I was down there. And I don't want my child to ever feel the way I feel, I just don't know what to do?"

"I can't tell you what to do, Nicky however I do suggest you tell your mother. Allow them the option to be in your child whether they deserve it or not but you hold the power in whether they stay apart of your child's life... Well at least until its old enough that is" she said they both chuckled.

"Thanks Cath" he said, his phone buzzed with a location of the main suspect in the double homicide he was working. "I got to go I'll talk to you later" he gave her a quick hug and left.

Wendy sat in the break room waiting for Mandy; Mandy had picked up a catalog filled with baby shower stuff. Wendy looked at her own magazine while waiting, she heard the door open and she looked up expecting Mandy but it was Hodges. She felt cold all over and readjusted in her seat trying to avoid her gaze as she could feel his stare.

"How have you been?"

"...alright you?"

"I've been better" he continued to stare at her "I've missed you" he whispers she tries to leave but he blocks the door. He corners her he slaps away the magazine and steps on it. "How long were you seeing Stokes before you gave it, huh? I heard all sorts of stories but you guys were awfully flirty during that strange underwear case. So how long was it, whore?" he said he gently places his hand on her belly bump. She freezes with fear for a brief second; she pushes past him and runs to the bathroom, hysterical. Mandy runs after her beaten her to the bathroom as Hodges hazily follows. Wendy passes the elevator a second or two before Nick gets off.

Nick had forgotten his camera it was charging off his computer. He follows Wendy to the bathroom not caring about his case and not seeing Hodges. As soon as Hodges saw Nick he turned and returns to his lab.

"Wendy?" Nick said lightly pushing the door open. Mandy stops him keeping the door closed or at least not opened enough so he could see Wendy. "What's going on? What's wrong with Wendy?"

Mandy bit her lip trying to chose her words carefully.

"Hodges? Was it him?" Nick said his anger uncontrollable, Mandy didn't answer but she did with her silence. Nick had tunnel vision for Hodges, he was like a shark who smelt blood.

Hodges was discussing his results with Catherine and Ray, he saw Nick coming and turned his body trying to hide.

"You son of a bitch!" Nick yelled walking into Hodges lab, grabbing him by the collar of his lab coat. Everyone was shocked especially Hodges he didn't expect Nick to do that he had extremely underestimated him. Catherine and Ray were stunned to say the least. "What did you do to her, you worm?" Nick said choking Hodges by his collar. Ray pulled Nick away a little as Catherine pushes Hodges away.

"Whoa! Nicky relax! What's going on?" Catherine said.

"Wendy is in the bathroom in tears because of this creep!" Nick said reaching for Hodges.

"I didn't do anything! I was pointing out the obvious, you're psychotic!"

"I'm psychotic? You get a kick out of upsetting a woman! It makes you feel like a big ol' man, making a lady cry!" Nick said, shoving Hodges to the ground. "You little bitch!"

"Hey! Hey!" Brass said pulling Nick out of the lab. "Relax Nicky!"

"Relax! I leave the lab for five minutes and this coward upsets Wendy! You wouldn't dare do it if I was here you bitch!" Nick was enraged to think that someone would ever I intentionally upset someone especially a man to a woman.

"Who you calling a bitch?" Hodges said walking towards Nick but Catherine cut him off.

"I'm right here! But nah you would rather upset Wendy... If you hurt one hair on her head I'll beat you face in!" Nick said noticing Mandy waving for him to come to the bathroom.

Nick walked past Hodges going towards the bathroom, Hodges tackles him inside the elevator. The elevator was empty and the door shuts right as they enter.

Catherine banged on the elevator door Brass and Ray rushes down the stairs.

Nick pushes Hodges off, Hodges hits the elevator door. Hodges throws a punch Nick ducks and elbows him in the ribs, Hodges grabs Nick but Nick knees him in the same spot. Nick swings but misses, a Hodges kicks Nick. Nick falls, Hodges kicks him over and over, and Nick punches Hodges in the thigh. Hodges falls and Nick struggles to stand and Hodges stands and swings again. Nick blocks the punch and elbows Hodges in the nose and pushes him back. Hodges punches Nick connecting with his jaw. Nick stumbles into the corner, Hodges goes to strike again but

Nick kicks him out of the elevator.

Hodges falls out of the elevator, and hits Greg and Ecklie. Ecklie looks furious, as Brass and Ray finally make it down the stairs.

"What is going on here?" Ecklie roared "my office now!"

"What is going on here?" Ecklie roared as Nick and Hodges sat in his office with Catherine a listened like children in trouble. "Fighting in the lab! I'm so appalled I'm speechless... You are both suspended!"

"For how long?" Nick shot back, louder then he wanted too. He was still much pumped from the fight.

"Until I figure out what happened!"

"This is bullshit!" Nick said standing up and yells back he had been working overtime to save money for the baby. "I didn't even start the fight, come on now!" he said his accent was always more detectable when he was angry.

"Two weeks, Stokes! Keep talking and it will be three!" Ecklie said, Nick bit his lip and looked away.

"Hodges suspended until further notice! Get out of my office!" Ecklie said,

Hodges left and Nick went to follow. "I didn't mean you Stokes"

"What?" Nick said, he tried to bite his lip bit seeing the smirk on Hodges face made his skin boil. "This is horseshit! He started to the fight and I need the money you know I have a kid on the way... And especially with the case load the lab is at. This is unbelievably!"

"You listen to me! I need to know what happened..."

"As anyone!" Nick said interrupting.

"Listen! I don't know if I can keep both you and Wendy here in the lab together"

"We don't even work the same shift! Just because so psychopath picked a fight with me doesn't show anything"

"Nick and Wendy have both acted professional even with everyone knowing about

Their relationship. Ecklie I was there when the fight... Started" Catherine said choosing her words carefully. "The fight was over when Hodges tackled Nick in the elevator" Wendy watches from outside and listens as Nick's anger starts to get the best of him.

"He's been provoking me for months to fight him, ever since Wendy and I started dating... He's been stalling on my lab results an today, he upset Wendy"

"We are adults here at this lab, Stokes! I can't have this high school drama where the public depends on us"

"You don't have to be so noble, maybe if you weren't always on TV and here doing your job. You would know have the shit that goes on here! You self promoting..."

"What did you just say to me?" Ecklie said, when Nick became anger he was the worst he would say the craziest stuff and wasn't his usual super nice guy.

"You heard me!" Nick says as Catherine starts pushing him out of the office.

"What the microphone hurt your ears?"

"You are on a thin line, Stokes!" Ecklie said his face redder then a tomato.

Wendy grabbed Nick's arm and calms him with just a touch. He goes to yell but instead looks at Wendy then back at Ecklie.

"Look..." Nick said quieter, "I filed a complaint a few weeks back, about the anonymous threats I was getting in my locker. And Hodges hostile behavior

Towards me and I specifically listed how I was afraid about something like this happening" he said Ecklie's face changed back to normal. "I'm sorry about before I was way out of line I just assumed you got my complaint... Sorry" Nick said.

"I'll look into it, ok?"

"Thanks" Nick said leaving.

"Catherine what is going on?"

"I'm not sure, there has always been some tension between the two of them, but it was never violent"

"Should I be worried?"

"I don't know?"

"Are you?"

"A little"


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