Little Finn, Jackson and Greta are my original characters, but I don't own CSI.

This is sort of inspired by my story Daddy What Happened. I already wrote a story about the 15th anniversary of Grave Danger called Fifteen Years Later (please read and review that story as well), and I wondered what Nick might say to his son about what happened. Hope you enjoy...And pretty please review!

Finn peered into his father's room and smiled when he saw Nick sleeping. The little boy quietly tiptoed in and climbed up on the bed. The little boy studied his father before leaning into his face. "Daddy? You wake?"

Nick groaned as he stretched his arm out like he was just waking up. Finn yelped and laughed as Nick pulled him into a hug. Nick laughed too as he playfully kissed Finn's cheek and tickled his ribs.

"Daddy, you wake!" Finn said as he laughed.

"Yeah," Nick said as he cuddled his son. "I heard you sneak in here!" He smiled as Finn laughed.

When Nick stopped tickling him, Finn looked at his father's strong arms. "Daddy, you hab big arms!"

Nick laughed softly. "I do, huh? Better to give you big hugs!"

He expected Finn to laugh, but the little boy was studying a small spot on his father's arms. "What's dat, daddy?"

Nick looked at the small scar and rested his chin on Finn's head. "That is an owie I got years ago."

"An owie?"

With a soft sigh, Nick thought about the night he got the scars and how he thought he'd never get to live and have his own family. "Yeah."

Finn studied his father's face. "You okay, daddy?"

Nick smiled sadly at his son. "I am. A long time ago...something happened."

"What happen, daddy?"

With a heavy sigh, Nick said, "A long time ago, I was...I was working at a scene. And..."

Finn looked up at his father. "Daddy, you sad?"

Nick smiled sadly. "Well...someone took me from the scene."

"Took you?"

"Yeah. They...when I woke up, I was in a dark place, all by myself."

"It dark?"

"Yeah," Nick said as he pulled Finn closer. "And I was really scared."

Finn gazed up at his father. "Daddy, you scared?"

"I was."

"But you not s'posed to be scared of anything."

Nick couldn't help but softly smile at his son. "Well...grown ups can be scared, just like kids. And I was scared. I didn't know if I'd ever get out of there. I didn't know if I'd see your mawmaw and pawpaw or any of your aunts and uncles again."

Finn gazed at his father with wide eyes. "But how you get owie?"

"Well," Nick began. "When I was in that dark place..." Nick wondered how he should tell Finn about what happened. "It turned out I was in a hole in the ground. And...do you remember when you were playing in the yard and I told you to watch out for the fire ants we saw?"

"Yeah."

"Well...some fire ants got in. And some of them bit me."

"No," Finn said with a soft whimper. "Is dat how you got da owie?"

"Yeah." Nick watched as Finn examined the scar.

"It hurt?" Finn asked.

"Yeah," Nick said as he held Finn close. "It hurt. But you know what?" Finn shook his head. "Just when I thought..." Nick shook his head slightly as he remembered how close he came to killing himself. As his lip wobbled and tears threatened to fall, Nick kissed Finn's head. "I didn't know if I'd get out of there. But you know what happened?"

"What?" Finn asked.

"I saw your Uncle Warrick. And he and your Uncle Gil and everyone got me out."

Finn looked at his father with wide eyes. "Dey save you?"

"They did. And you know what else?" Finn shook his head. Nick smiled. "I was so happy, I cried a little."

"You cry?"

"I did. Do you remember I told you it's okay to cry sometimes when you're so happy?"

"Yeah," Finn said quietly.

Nick smiled softly. "Well, I was so happy, I cried. And they took me to the hospital to be sure I was okay. And you know how I put that cream on you when you get a mosquito bite?" Finn nodded. "Well, they put some stuff like that on my owies. And I had to stay in the hospital to make sure I was really okay."

"And you weally okay." Finn said with a little smile.

Nick smiled softly at his son's concern. "I am really okay. But I still have this." He pointed to the small scar.

Finn leaned forward and kissed the scar. "I kiss an' make it better, daddy!"

"Yeah," Nick said with a smile. "But you know what?"

"What?" Finn asked as he shook his head.

"I think I still have that so I can remember that I have come a long way. And that maybe I'm stronger than I think."

Finn smiled at his father. "Daddy, you stwong! You stwonger dan me!"

Nick smiled at his son's innocence. "I am?"

"Yeah! You stwong! You gib da biggest an' bestest hugs!"

"I do?" Nick asked as he lifted Finn into a big hug. Finn giggled loudly.

"Yes!" Finn said between giggles.

Nick set Finn down. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"The best part about remembering how far I've come since then, is I have you. And you are the most important, best thing in my life."

Finn's smile warmed Nick's heart more than any words ever could. "Am I even more impotant dan ice cweam?"

"Way more," Nick said with a smile as he leaned down to kiss Finn's nose.

"I love you, daddy," Finn said as he wrapped his arms around Nick for a hug.

"I love you, Finney," Nick said. He closed his eyes and just held Finn close.

Finn pulled away and smiled at his father. "Daddy, eben dough you more impotant, can we still have ice cream?"

Nick smiled at his son's innocence. "Absolutely."

"An' daddy?"

"Yes?"

"You da stwongest!" Finn said with a smile.

Nick smiled, feeling more love than he'd ever felt. "Thank you, Finney." He leaned down and kissed Finn's forehead. "Now how about some ice cream?"

"Yes!"

Finn giggled as Nick lifted him into his arms. Nick knew how far he'd come since the night he got the scar, and he knew he'd always be strong as long as he had Finn.

The End