UnProfessionalism 4: Milestones
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Ch12: Doubt
A few months later… Nick and Greg were sitting on the steps of the courthouse eating their lunch waiting to go to testify. Nick soon regretted his choice of sandwich when he saw Greg's. Nick had been in a funk all day, he wasn't in a bad mood but just like he was deep thought all day.
"Are you sure we can eat here?" Greg asked as people stared at the duo as Nick began to destroy his sandwich.
"Yeah. Why not?" Nick said moving his tie over his shoulder taking another bite. Morgan came and sat in between them.
"You guys know you are not supposed to eat here right?" she said taking some of Nick's chips.
"I told you." Greg pouted.
"Why can't we eat here? There are no signs that say we can't." Nick argued drinking his drink.
"You look like two homeless wall street guys." Morgan teased.
"I know we look dashing." Greg teased back taking another bite of his sandwich.
"Stop flirting with me." Nick teased Morgan turned bright red which caused both the men to laugh.
"Yeah, Nick is engaged." Greg said Nick smiled.
"Oh yeah, I forgot Nick is a family man now." Morgan teased taking some of Greg's chips.
"How's having a social life?" Greg asked.
"Full of football games, PTA meetings, cartoons, and a lot of cleaning." Nick said wiping his hands on the napkin, checking his watch.
"I said social life, not life as a parent."
"Greg, I have no social life. All of my spare time is spent doing… dad stuff." Nick chuckled as his phone went off, he saw it was Finn and put his phone back in his pocket.
"What's up, with that look?" Morgan laughed as the trio made their way into the courtroom.
"It was Finn." Nick said.
"Why didn't you answer?" Greg asked confused.
"All she wants to do is argue with me, and I don't have time for it. Austin is in school now; she has no reason to call me." Nick said his voice did seem worried.
"What if he stayed home?" Morgan asked just a little confused. Nick talked about Austin all the time, but he never talked about Finn or their relationship or how they took care of Austin.
"Finn's suppose to call me or text me and tell me, or the school calls. When Austin stays home she texts me. We tend to argue whatever we talk so we try to limit all that." Nick said unsure. "Is today Friday?"
"Yeah." Morgan whispered as they entered the courtroom.
"Why?" Greg asked as they moved in the row behind the ADA as the defense finished with a witness.
"Austin, had a half day today." Nick said not really worried but he was a little concerned. However this happened every time Finn called him, his initial thought was that Finn was calling for Austin but that wasn't always the case. Nick's phone buzzed again and it was Finn. Nick gnawed at his bottom lip and left the courtroom to answer his phone, leaving Greg and Morgan confused. However ADA didn't notice.
"The people call CSI Stokes." The ADA called but when he didn't see Nick he began to look around. The ADA's face fell in embarrassment and he gave Greg and Morgan a heated look. "Where is he?" the ADA asked them.
"Where's your witness?" the judge asked as Greg left to find Nick but Nick was coming back inside. However Nick went to ADA, Greg couldn't hear anything but harsh whispers between the men. "Is there a problem, Mr. Stokes?" the judge asked in a very authoritative voice.
"Your honor, my son got hurt. He's on his way to the hospital. I have to go." Nick said worried.
"Your honor, the defense is ready to proceed." The defense attorney said standing.
"Mr. Stokes, tomorrow morning you are here or you let the DA know. So we can proceed in a timely manner." The judge said.
"Yes sir." Nick said taking off.
Once Nick got to the hospital he went to the registration. However once he got to the desk he saw Finn in a room some ways away. Nick blew past the register person and a couple triage nurses.
"sir." A nurse said trying to catch up with Nick. Nick ran to the room the best he could. His leg been real achy and a little stiff, he had kept forgetting to schedule a doctor's appointment for it.
"Austin!" Nick said excited going into the room, seeing Austin with a splint around his wrist, and gauze wrapped around his head.
"Daddy!" Austin said excited but he was in a slight haze. Nick moved to the other side of the gurney opposite of Finn. Austin's shirt was cut off and he had some blood on pants.
"What happened?" Nick asked looking at his boy making sure there were no other injuries.
"Dylan and I, we were playing with his skateboard. I went to run and jump on it but it hit a rock and I fell." Austin said trying to touch his cut Finn held his hand at bay. Nick looked at the IVs and loosened his tie.
"Did you have a helmet on?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, but it wasn't buckled and it fell off before I hit my head." Austin said his eyes were red and droopy.
"Did they give him pain medicine?" Nick said touching Austin's shoulder.
"Yeah." Finn said looking up for a second to see Nick looking at her.
"Where were you when this happened?" Nick asked but the nurse came in.
"Hello, my name is Lauren I will be your nurse. Can you tell me what happened?" the nurse introduced. Nick's face fell as he turned away. Out of all the nurses at this hospital Austin had Lauren.
"I was riding my friend's skateboard and fell." Austin said Lauren moved to examine Austin.
"Excuse me, sir." Lauren said Nick turned and the pair awkward eye contact. She immediately recognized Nick after all these years. Nick smiled awkwardly and moved out of the way. Lauren released a deep breath, as some unwelcomed memories flooded back. "Do you have any neck pain?" Lauren asked. Austin nodded no.
I'm outside. I need to talk to you NOW! Lauren texted as she rested against his Tahoe. She watched him as he left the diner and walks towards her. Lauren felt rage and hurt like she never felt before. How could he do this to her?
"Hey babe." Nick said leaning in to give her a kiss but Lauren put her hand up.
"Save it." Lauren said authoritative. Nick put his hands on his hips and prepared for another argument. Lauren looked at him, he could tell she was upset. "Is there anything you have to tell me?"
"No?" Nick said confused. He was just about certain that she didn't know about him and Finn; he had made extra sure to cover his tracks. However when he answered her she immediately slapped him across the face… hard.
"I got a call today…" Lauren said wiping her eyes. Nick knew better then to interrupt still feeling the sting from her slap. "I knew something was up last night when you and she were talking but I thought everything was different but you are still a pig."
"What are you talking about?!" Nick asked getting frustrated.
"I got a call from your little girlfriend!" she yelled pushing him. "She told me about the baby." Nick remained quiet feeling his face get red. "Nothing to say now?!"
"Its… it's not what you think." Nick said quietly.
"Are the father of that woman's baby?" Lauren asked. Nick scratched the side of his head and looked away. "You are, aren't you?!"
"It's not that simple!" Nick argued causing Lauren's nostrils to flare.
"You're either the father or you're not!"
"I don't know! Or she doesn't know…" Nick said quietly embarrassed. Lauren had the most disgusted face.
"You're disgusting! I take you back and this is what happens!"
"You call me a hundred times a day! You think I'm cheating on you anytime I'm out of your sight! That's why I couldn't tell you!" Nick yelled but felt Lauren slap him again.
"I didn't make you do this! So don't even try to make this my fault." Lauren cried.
"We weren't together the second time I slept with her." Nick said Lauren cried.
"That doesn't matter, Nick! You haven't been honest with me! You've been lying to me to go to the appointments. How do I know that's all you're lying about?"
"The doctor has ordered an x-ray and a CAT scan." Lauren said Nick just looked down and nodded.
"Thank you." Finn said. Lauren awkwardly smiled. Nick's face was priceless and Finn couldn't help but smile even though she knew it was wrong too.
"A tech will be in here to bring him." Lauren said awkwardly leaving the room. Nick and Finn an awkward eye contact and Nick just shook his head.
"What's a CAT scan?" Austin asked as the tech started pushing him in the gurney towards the x-ray room.
"The doctor needs a picture of your head to make sure everything is fine." Finn said as Nick was still on alert. The last time he saw Lauren was when she put the lead pipe through his windshield and he didn't know if she was still upset and didn't want to be caught off guard… again.
"We will be right out of here, bud." Nick said as the tech pushed him in the x-ray room.
Nick sat down on the bench outside but Finn insisted on standing as they looked at the room as the doors shut. Nick unbuttoned his shirt a little and took off his tie. His mind flooded with new thoughts as he worried about Austin.
"What's up with you? You seem a little more out of it than usual?" Finn asked, Nick just scratched his head.
"Nothing. I'm fine." Nick said smiling at Finn it wasn't a genuine smile and Finn knew that.
"Is it Lauren?" Finn whispered, Nick out loud laughed.
"No…" Nick laughed.
"Nick!" Allie shouted Nick stood up and met her. She handed him a bag of clothes for Austin to change into. Finn couldn't hear what they were saying but noticed Nick being distant looking almost frustrated. Finn saw Allie touch her stomach and look frustrated with Nick but more so sad. Nick tried to give Allie a genuine smile but it felt cold. Finn followed Austin and the tech back to his room.
"Thanks for bringing this." Nick said looking in the bag.
"It was fine." Allie said it was awkward between the pair. "I should get going to work so I'm not late." She said leaving, Nick held her hand and gently pulled her back, and kissed her cheek.
"I love you." Nick said kissing her cheek again. Allie quickly wiped away her tear and nodded.
"I love you too, Nick." She said leaving.
Once Austin came back they started to stitch his cut. His CAT scan came back to normal his brain and skull looked fine. His wrist was a different story that was broken. Austin decided on a blue cast waterproof cast.
"Can I talk to you outside?" Finn asked, Nick just nodded. Finn's seen this haze over his eyes. "Is Allie pregnant?" Finn asked with mix emotions in her voice. She wasn't even sure if she wanted the answer.
"Yeah, baby girl… I haven't told Austin yet." Nick said quietly holding his gaze forward. Science had come a long way; they could test for pregnancy and come back with sex of the baby. "She was so happy… and I got that shitty feeling again. I don't know what's wrong with me?"
"You love her?" Finn asked.
"Yeah, more than anything." Nick said finally looking at Finn.
"Tell her how you are feeling, Nick."
"Ah, Finn…"
"Nick, you are a great father. You have nothing to worry about, but if you don't you are going lose her." Finn said. "You aren't doing yourself any favors by not being honest with her or yourself, Nick."
"She doesn't know." Nick said getting a little emotional. Finn assumed he meant his dark childhood. "I don't want to tell her." Nick said looking away wiping his nose trying not to show that he was crying.
"You don't have to, it might help her understand but you don't have to tell her. You are a great guy and to see you do this 180 probably is taking a toll worse on her then you think." Finn said padding Nick on the shoulder.
"Thanks Finn." Nick said feeling more so relieved.
"Tell Allie, I said thanks for bringing the clothes." Finn said smiling padding Nick on the arm, going back into the room with Austin.
Is there hope for a Nick and Finn friendship ever? How did you think Finn handle Nick news? How did Nick handle it? Sorry for the wait, please forgive me by reviews. What did you think of Lauren's little cameo? What did you think?
