A/N: Major note in this chapter: something will be revealed, something that will make you understand more why Morgan is so... well, "Morganish". This something is a very serious subject that I tried to write as real as possible, as the circunstances demanded. If you think it's too shocking or something, please don't read. Here's the warning.

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: or Nick Stokes. The whole episode 'Grave Danger' isn't mine either. I only own the idea and Morgan Lynn Rodriguez (She is mine).

SweetSas - Warrick is sweet (I could use him as a close friend) and Nick... well, let's just not go there or I'll stay here the whole day talking about him (mhamy!). Morgan is kind of freaky uh? You ain't seen nothing yet. -blinks- Soon enough?

Arwennicole - Thanks hun. Creepy chapter with confused Nicky on the way.. Ahaha, I'm mean! -smiles-

someone-still-loves-you - This soon enough?

Facing Grave Danger

Chapter 13

While walking back to the room, Nick thought about Warrick's words. Could it be true? Could he be falling for Morgan without even noticing it? Naaah, he tried to convince himself. He saw her as a great friend, almost like a little sister of his. He cared about her; about her safety, as if she was a part of his family… was it possible? Loving her without knowing? Nick shook his head… of course she was astonishingly beautiful and had a great personality, but they were housemates, teammates and more important of all: she was much younger than he was. It couldn't happen. As if she would ever like him… they were so different! Well the opposites attract themselves, they say. No, but not this case. This was different. The bound they shared was different, unexplainable… Maybe love? He shook his head once again and waved those silly thoughts away. No, it couldn't be! Forget it, man!, he ordered to himself.

"Mr. Stokes?" – Someone called.

"Yes? Oh, hey, good morning doctor." – He greeted.

"Good morning Sir. Look, I just come out of Miss Rodriguez' room and I think she can go home now. First, I wanted to talk to her housemate. I believe that it is you, right, Sir?"

"Yes, that's right. We've been sharing an apartment for four or five months now." – He informed.

"I thought it had been you who had said that yesterday, but I wasn't sure."

"Something happened?" – Nick asked.

"Well, I really don't know how to say this…" – The doctor started.

Nick gave him a quizzical look – "Excuse-me, sir, but I don't think I'm getting it."

"I'm sorry, I'll go right to the point… Yesterday, when Miss Rodriguez was assigned here, we followed the hospital policy as we do with all our patients and we examined her carefully, to detect all her injuries and take care of all of them properly so that she could be going home as soon as possible."

"Yes, and we didn't thought about another attitude that could be taken by you, Sir."

"Thank you. As I was saying, while I was examining her, I noticed some cuts on her arms. Analysing briefly the dept and the amount of cuts, I concluded that those weren't injuries that had resulted from the assaulter of the case that Miss Rodriguez was working in."

"Hold on a minute… what are you trying to say to me?"

The doctor took a little pause and motioned for them to go to the chairs near by. They sat down and he spoke again – "Mr. Stokes, I believe that those cuts were created by a razorblade and a scissor… intentionally."

Nick stood there thinking for a minute, before understanding what was implicit on what the doctor had just said. Then, his eyes widened in surprise and he was speechless. How? How could she have done it? No, it's wasn't possible.

"You think it was her who did it?" – He asked, in a low tone.

The doctor looked at him in eye and nodded – "Unfortunately, she wouldn't be the first or the last to do it… I think so, yes."

He was stunned: suddenly, it all made sense. Those striped wrist covers she used all the time were to hide the cuts she had. The flinch she had let out when Warrick had grabbed her arm once was due to the more recent cuts. But why? Why did she do it? Nick couldn't figure it out.

"A-and can you tell me if they were recent?" – He asked.

"Some of them were really old and others were fresh. There were scars over scars. She must have started this ritual three or four years ago, and probably she still does it. There were some that were recent, despite being already healed."

Nick shook his head, not wanting to believe in what he was hearing. The doctor put a hand on his shoulder – "Mr. Stokes, I know it's hard to understand, but Miss Rodriguez will need all your support now. She doesn't know that we know what she has been doing and when she finds out, she will feel embarrassed and ashamed. She seems to be a very distrustful person (the average people that have this habit usually) and she might get even 'worse' if this comes up, if you know what I mean. I'll have to ask you not to comment this with anybody else."

Nick nodded – "Of course. I'm just…." – He trailed off.

"Shocked?" – The doctor inquired.

"Yes, I guess so. I never thought she could do something like this but it kind of makes sense now. It's like some pieces of a puzzle are getting together in my head, you know?" – He explained. He had always thought that was some kind of strange the way that Morgan barely ever allowed her emotions to come out. Never had he seen a tear stream out of her eyes, make her smile was almost an impossible mission the most part of the days and make her laugh was extraordinary… just on really special occasions. He had questioned himself many times how could she be so damn cold, sometimes. Well, there was the answer: she managed to let her emotions to come out from some other way and directed them to exit her body using her blood as transportation… God, it was kind of creepy!

"This is a way that many people have of drowning their pain. Seeing the blood and feeling the blade against their skin brings them a sensation that relives them from the reality and their daily routine. They feel unhappy, and usually have a childhood trauma or something that makes them do it."

They stood silent for a minute – "How can I help her, sir?"

"Honestly? I don't know Sir. Try to make her feel better… talk with her about it, maybe. I don't know. I'll give you the contact of a psychologist that is a friend of mine and you better ask him. He's a great experience on this cases and he will help you, give you some tips…"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome Sir. Now, go see her, I guess she is about to wake up. Take her home." – The doctor smiled, standing up and shaking Nick's hand. – "Miss Rodriguez is lucky of having a friend like you, Sir, if you allow me to comment."

Nick smiled briefly – "I'm the lucky one, Sir. Believe me." – He said and walked away. He was about to enter her room, but the nurse asked him to wait outside, as Morgan was getting dressed to go home. Warrick had brought her some clothes and was waiting outside too.

"You still pissed with me?" – Warrick asked.

"No, Warrick. I'm not pissed with you. I just didn't like what you said…" – Nick answered, turning to him – "I thought you knew me a little better than that."

"I wasn't criticizing you man! I was just concluding something."

Nick shrugged – "Okay. As you want…"

"Come on, you're not going to get mad at me because of this, are you?"

"No. All that I want now is to take Morgan home and take a shower… And sleep a little." – He said. The talk with the doctor had turned his head into a melting pot. He needed to sleep. To forget what he had just found out, if only for some moments, before deciding what was the best to do…

Just then, the nurse called them to get inside the room.

"Good Morning, sleepy." – Warrick greeted. Morgan looked at them and gave them a brief smile. She knew she was going home and she couldn't be more anxious to leave the hospital. She had been good taken care of, that wasn't the deal, but she had just hated hospitals, ever since... She shook her head. No, she wasn't going to remember it!

"Hey guys." – She greeted back, getting up from the bed.

"Ready to go?" – Warrick asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be… I want to get out of here."

"And you're going to. Come on… let's go home."

They walked to the entrance of the hospital and while she was thanking the doctor and the nurses for all the cares they had had with her, Warrick went to get his car. Nick stayed at the entrance of the hospital and then they got in the car and Warrick drove off.

"Well, here you are… home, sweet, home. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to drive to mine. I need to sleep. This was a long shift." – Warrick said, stopping the car in front of the building.

"Sure, Warrick. Thanks for the ride. See you later." – Morgan said.

"Oh, hold on… 'Later'? Are you kidding me? You said you were going to take your days off after this and the doctor said you won't be working for a while. You're staying at home Miss and we don't want to hear any complaining, isn't that right, Nick?"

Nick smiled – "Of course. You're staying at home at least for a week."

"But…" – She was about to start protesting when they shushed her.

"You have to take some days off anyways, so no complaining!" – Warrick warned. – "Well I see you Nick later at work. I don't want to hear him speaking about you being pissed because you're trapped at home."

She shook her head – "You two are incorrigible."

"We know… so are you, my dear. See you later Nick. Bye bye rookie."

"Oh, come on… you aren't really going to make me stay home for a week, are you?" – Morgan asked when they got into the house.

Nick nodded – "Doctor's orders."

"I'm fine. I can go…"

"No, you're not. You're staying home for some days and that's the bottom line!" – He snapped cutting her off. As she stood there, looking at him, wondering where that had come from, he turned his back to her and walked to his room. He left it some seconds later, heading to the bathroom. He definitely needed a cold shower… how to explain it to her why he had snapped at her that way?

"Great, Nick… you did it nice this time!" – He muttered, letting the iced drops of water fall to his forehead and face. – "She probably is wondering what the hell is she doing living under the same roof as an idiot like you who snaps at her for apparently no reason. Dammit!"

He walked out of the bathroom, with a towel wrapped around his waist to see Morgan standing there with her arms crossed over her chest – "Can you explain me what was that?" – She asked, surprisingly without any fury or demanding tone in her voice – "Is everything okay, Nick?"

"Fine… Everything's fine." – He answered, bypassing her and walking back to his room – "I'm going to sleep a couple of hours before going to work. You should rest too." – He said, with his back to her.

"Okay then. You don't want to talk… fine!" – She muttered, losing her patience, before slamming the door of her room.