He woke slowly the next morning instead of the usual jolt. Contrary to being disoriented like he usually was, wondering where he was even when he was in his own home, he knew exactly where he was. He was in Sophia Curtis' bed. The room was dimly lit, dark curtains filtering the bright sunlight. He was glad for it. He drew a long deep breath and her scent filled his lungs. Smiling he turned over to her.

She wasn't there.

Immediately panic shot through him, he was no longer groggy and listless, he was wide awake.

"Sophia!" he called out loudly. He waited a moment, no answer.

Swiftly he stood, not bothering to clothe himself, and headed out of the room, down the hall and to the kitchen. Then almost as quickly as it had come his worry left him. There was a note. He let out a sigh of relief. What was he thinking anyway? It was her house; it wasn't like she was going to be plucked out of bed, especially while he was here. He laughed at himself, after last night he was still paranoid. He supposed it would take more time for some things than others.

Nicky, I went out to get us some breakfast, I'll be back soon. Love, Sophia.

He smirked, she'd called him Nicky. He laid the paper down and looked around. He hadn't the chance to really survey the place last night, being otherwise preoccupied. He opened the fridge and decided he would have a glass of orange juice. The cold washed over his nude body, he shivered. After his drink he'd get dressed he thought, she should be back by the time he was finished.

Wearing only his jeans he surveyed the marks on his broad muscular back. His smile grew with each mark he discovered. These marks he could be proud of. He then pulled on his shirt and buttoned it. After tucking it in and smoothing his hair with some water, he decided he was as good as he would get. He didn't really know why he was dressing anyway; he figured it wouldn't take long for his clothes to be back on the floor after she returned home.

It was then that he heard his phone; it was a text from work. Frowning he fumbled around the room trying to find where it had landed last night. Finally he located it and flipped it open.

Code 444, emergency, officer in need of assistance. 1456 East Owens Ave.

"Fuck," he cursed. Of all times, why now? Code 444, that was pretty heavy. It must be pretty serious if he was getting the message. He figured Sophia would get the call as well. As much as he hated it, he would have to leave before she got back, if she wasn't already on her way there. He plucked a piece of paper from the same pad she wrote her note on and jotted down a message.

Sophie, gone to the 444, meet you there or meet here later, I'll call you if I don't see you, Love, Nicky.

He placed his note beside hers, and reluctantly left the house and headed to the scene.

--

"NICK!" Catherine shouted. She ran up to his Chevy before he had time to properly get out.

"What? What's wrong?" Besides the obvious, an officer was in danger; there really wasn't the need for her to be panicked like she was. They were taught to stay calm in these situations, and besides, the CSI's were only there to survey the place after all the action had gone down.

"Nick, I just wanted to say I'm sorry first off, for what I said the other night, you didn't need all that grief." He honestly couldn't have cared less anymore; it was all part of a past he was starting to forget, with Sophia's help.

"What brought that up at a time like this?" he stared at Catherine, his dark brown eyes trying to make sense of it.

"I just wanted you to know that, I didn't want anything I did weighing on your mind, because," she paused. He nodded to coach her on, "because it's about Sophia."

Nick's face dropped, and his heart along with it.

"Nick, Sophia is being held hostage, I just, I thought it would be a lot to handle, and I know you two aren't that close but, I didn't know how you would take it."

Weren't that close? Nick laughed to himself, if you only knew Cath.

"Wha…" he stopped and swallowed, trying to catch his breath, "what happened, what's the situation?" He tried to keep it cool, but his jaw had started to flex, his eyes narrowing, anger taking place of shock.

"She was on her way back from getting breakfast as far as we can tell, there was food in her car," she motioned to Sophia's Denali, "she stopped here to get gas, but she walked in on a robbery in progress and the guy saw the badge on her belt and panicked is what we figure, he's demanding things, he figures we'll be more compliant with her on the other end of his gun."

Nick wasn't upset; he wasn't hurt, he was furious. His brow furrowed and he began to grind his teeth. Catherine took a step back. He could see the rest of the team, they were all at the front of the police tape, even Grissom was there. He had begun to hear his heart beating in his ears, he was clenching his fists, his arms flexing, his chest was tight.

"Not again," he said, "not again, I won't let it happen."

Catherine looked at him puzzled, "What? What won't happen again? Nicky, Nicky what are you doing?" she was calling after him but he had already started to walk to the others. He pushed past Warrick and Greg, stopping just behind the tape.

"Hey man, what gives?" Warrick asked.

Nick didn't answer; it was about that time when the masked man pushed the door open to the gas station, shoving Sophia out first. She stumbled then regained her footing, holding her hands up in the air beside her head, and then the gunman emerged behind her, holding what looked like a Desert Eagle to the back of her head. The instant he saw her his whole body relaxed. It was humbling seeing the person he cared for most in this world, so close, but so far away.

"NICK!" she shouted when she saw him. Her face lit up. Nick smiled. He would find some way to get her out of this, even if it cost him his useless life.

"Shut the fuck up bitch!" the gunman cursed at Sophia, putting the barrel of the gun to her head and shoving.

Nick's anger rose again. That son of a bitch is going to regret the day he was born, Nick thought to himself.

"Sophia," he felt helpless, "Sophia it's gonna be alright." It was all he could manage to say. It would be, but he hadn't quite figured out how.

"No the fuck it won't asshole now shut the fuck up before I blow this bitch's fucking head off!" He shoved her again with the gun and this time it must have hurt because she let out a small cry.

"Hey man," Nick called to the gunman who was about 10 yards away now, "there's no need to get violent, we're all adults here, we're makin' sure you're gonna get what you want, how 'bout we calm down and talk about this." It was the most generic negotiation speech in the world, but with the emotions running through him at that moment, it was all he could do not to rush the guy and pound his face into the pavement.

"I'm sure you are, because I know you wouldn't fucking lie to me, I know you wouldn't want to be cleanin' this bitch's brains off the fucking ground." The guy wouldn't let up.

It was all his fault, that was all Nick could tell himself. If he had stayed away from her instead of being selfish, she wouldn't have even been out here today, she'd be at home safe in her bed, safe from him.

He had to think of something fast.

"Hey man, did you know that I'm the head of the department?" Nick lied through his pearly white teeth. All eyes were on him now, the whole team, about fifty spectators, and even a news van or two, the situation had been escalating.

"Why the fuck should I care?" the gunman said.

"Well, because she's a rookie, that's why, don't you think you'd get more compliance if you had a guy like me in front of that gun and not some no good newbie?"

The gunman paused for a moment.

"What the hell are you doing Nick?" Grissom hissed in his ear.

"I'm doing something right for once." Nick hissed back.

"Why the fuck do you care about her then, if she's so useless?" The gunman was taking slow steps forward.

"Well, imagine how it looks on me if one of my rookies gets shot, makes me look bad ya know, and, that way you know you'll be getting your demands met."

The gunman eased forward a few steps more.

"How do I know that for sure?" he asked.

"Do you think I'd put myself out there to get shot if I knew they weren't gonna deliver?" Nick was using his newly acquired skill of bullshitting with all his might and it seemed to be working.

"I think I like that plan," the gunman said, "how we gonna do this?" he asked.

Nick looked at the rest of the team; he nodded as if reassuring them it was going to be fine. Then facing forward, he took a long look at Sophia. She was crying now, tears silently rolled down her face. She shook her head slightly as if saying, no, please Nick don't, I'll be alright.

"I'm gonna walk to you, and at the same time, you let her go and she'll walk back here." Nick motioned to the police tape. The sun was beating down on them; he was sweating bullets, hoping and praying to God that this jerk off would just listen.

"Look, I'm putting my gun down man; I ain't even trying to have any trouble." Nick un-holstered his gun and laid it in the dirt.

The gunman paused, and after what seemed like an eternity, he agreed.

"On my count of three?" Nick asked.

The gunman nodded. Nick began to slowly count, and on three he stepped forward under the tape.

"Walk bitch," the gunman ordered Sophia.

They began to walk toward each other, both with their hands in the air. Tears flowing freely down Sophia's beautiful face, her long blonde hair blowing in the wind. Nick's jaw was set; he kept his eyes on hers until they passed one another. He breathed her in as they passed. He closed his eyes, and for a moment the world faded away. Then the opened them, his eyes narrowing on the gunman. He heard Sophia cry out as the team embraced her behind him, but he dared not look back.

"Nick!" she shouted. He ignored her, focusing on the man's gun that was trained on his chest, waiting for that perfect moment when he could wrench it out of his hands. "Nick, I," she paused, "I love you!"

He didn't have the time to register her words. Before he knew what was happening a window shattered in the store behind the gunman causing him to turn in reflex. Nick seized the opportunity to lunge for the gun. The gunman turned just in time to see Nick's hands grasping his. He instinctively pulled the trigger but the shot went high. They struggled with one other for a moment before it became apparent that Nick was much stronger, but just when he thought he had the gun and was in control, Nick stumbled backwards, pulling the gunman down with him.

A shot rang out, this time it didn't miss. The crowd gasped, he heard screaming, people running everywhere. Above it all he could hear Sophia shrieking his name, his head felt hot, and his chest tight.

He took a few short breaths and then the world around him went black.