Chapter 21
Nick unlocked the door and pushed it open. He set the cat box on the floor and unhooked the flap. The restless cat that was inside, shot out like a dart and straight for the hallway and into Kate's room. Nick chuckled and shook his head. "Happy to be home I see Darwin."
Turning the coffee pot on, Nick started to clean the place up a bit. Grissom, Sara and Kate were going to be back tonight and he said he'd check the house. He opened the patio doors and let some air into the room. He then checked the messages. A few, but Grissom could get those. He looked through the odd mail on the side, but it was all junk. Sara said to throw them, so he did.
Grabbing the coffee mug, he sat on the couch and turned the TV on. He relaxed for an hour while he watched an ornithology documentary. Darwin was wondering around the house. "She's not here Darwin." He smiled as Darwin's ears pricked up at the sound of his voice. "Sorry bud, maybe later." Nick got up and filled his bowl with biscuits and got some fresh water.
Walking outside to the back garden. Nick smiled at the tree that was growing tall. It's funny how things grow so fast. He can remember when Sara and Grissom would sit under the tree with Kate when she was a baby and just looked up at the leaves and watch as the wind blew the leaves off the branches and they would float to the floor. Kate loved that game.
Although he'd been present the whole time Grissom and Sara brought Kate up, he still remembered what happened to them and even now he envy's what they have. A love that's unconditional. They don't ask for anything in return and they are there for each other. Whether they tell Kate the truth or not. It's not going to change the strong bond between them.
It might waver in the beginning and that's what he thinks Grissom's worried about. If Kate ever knew about Jake, she could be hurt more that her own father tried to kill her and her mother. Over the years, Grissom's love for Kate never changed, it grew with each day and he'd never hurt her. He'd never let Jake near her or Sara and he made sure of that.
Nick knew about the conditions to the papers drawn up against Jake. He knew that no matter what, Jake wasn't getting into this city. Even if Grissom and Sara moved, the court orders would still apply.
Sitting on the bench, Nick looked out at the desert. He could see the mountains and the light disappearing behind them. He'd always wondered why they chose this place. It was far from the lab, but it still took only to 20 minutes to get there. It was a nice drive too. Few busy roads and few houses.
Thinking back when he met Piper. She was talking to friends in the diner one night. He'd been picked out to get drinks and sandwiches for the gang. When she turned to him, she accidentally split milkshake over her jacket. That's the start of a 2 year serious relationship. They moved in together a year after they met and from then have spent ever moment with each other.
Piper worked at the diner and went to school. She's learning Spanish and Maths. Nick would meet her at the university and they would go out. It was more of a date based relationship at first. Many dates and many flowers and chocolates. Nick was so nervous, that he wanted to take things slow. He knew Piper was the one and didn't want to push her.
What they didn't tell anyone was that Nick proposed the other night and was going to invite Grissom and Sara around for a celebration with the others at the lab, but when he found out they were going away, he thought it was best for them all to have a relaxing weekend. He told them and said he'd celebrate with him when they got back.
Turning out of his thoughts, Nick looked at the front door. He was sure he heard something and as he waited, the noise came again. It was someone knocking at the door. He walked into the living room and shut the patio doors. As he walked towards the door, he turned the TV off and placed his mug on the kitchen counter.
Unlocking the door, he opened it to reveal a parcel deliveryman. Nick smiled in greeting and took the package from him. "Just sign here please." The man pointed to a line on his form.
Nick took the clipboard and pen. He signed it as he held the package under his arm. "Thank you." He said politely.
"No problem sir." The deliveryman walked away, back to his truck.
Nick closed the door and looked at the parcel. He narrowed his eyes and guessed it was something to do with work. He'd not seen a court's stamp on a package unless it was work related, so. he placed it on the desk in Grissom's office and left it.
He needed to clean the house up a bit more before Grissom and the others got home from Atlanta. He watched Darwin dart back and forth from Kate's room and his biscuits for an hour and had to laugh at the energy of the little cat.
Nick unlocked the door and pushed it open. He set the cat box on the floor and unhooked the flap. The restless cat that was inside, shot out like a dart and straight for the hallway and into Kate's room. Nick chuckled and shook his head. "Happy to be home I see Darwin."
Turning the coffee pot on, Nick started to clean the place up a bit. Grissom, Sara and Kate were going to be back tonight and he said he'd check the house. He opened the patio doors and let some air into the room. He then checked the messages. A few, but Grissom could get those. He looked through the odd mail on the side, but it was all junk. Sara said to throw them, so he did.
Grabbing the coffee mug, he sat on the couch and turned the TV on. He relaxed for an hour while he watched an ornithology documentary. Darwin was wondering around the house. "She's not here Darwin." He smiled as Darwin's ears pricked up at the sound of his voice. "Sorry bud, maybe later." Nick got up and filled his bowl with biscuits and got some fresh water.
Walking outside to the back garden. Nick smiled at the tree that was growing tall. It's funny how things grow so fast. He can remember when Sara and Grissom would sit under the tree with Kate when she was a baby and just looked up at the leaves and watch as the wind blew the leaves off the branches and they would float to the floor. Kate loved that game.
Although he'd been present the whole time Grissom and Sara brought Kate up, he still remembered what happened to them and even now he envy's what they have. A love that's unconditional. They don't ask for anything in return and they are there for each other. Whether they tell Kate the truth or not. It's not going to change the strong bond between them.
It might waver in the beginning and that's what he thinks Grissom's worried about. If Kate ever knew about Jake, she could be hurt more that her own father tried to kill her and her mother. Over the years, Grissom's love for Kate never changed, it grew with each day and he'd never hurt her. He'd never let Jake near her or Sara and he made sure of that.
Nick knew about the conditions to the papers drawn up against Jake. He knew that no matter what, Jake wasn't getting into this city. Even if Grissom and Sara moved, the court orders would still apply.
Sitting on the bench, Nick looked out at the desert. He could see the mountains and the light disappearing behind them. He'd always wondered why they chose this place. It was far from the lab, but it still took only to 20 minutes to get there. It was a nice drive too. Few busy roads and few houses.
Thinking back when he met Piper. She was talking to friends in the diner one night. He'd been picked out to get drinks and sandwiches for the gang. When she turned to him, she accidentally split milkshake over her jacket. That's the start of a 2 year serious relationship. They moved in together a year after they met and from then have spent ever moment with each other.
Piper worked at the diner and went to school. She's learning Spanish and Maths. Nick would meet her at the university and they would go out. It was more of a date based relationship at first. Many dates and many flowers and chocolates. Nick was so nervous, that he wanted to take things slow. He knew Piper was the one and didn't want to push her.
What they didn't tell anyone was that Nick proposed the other night and was going to invite Grissom and Sara around for a celebration with the others at the lab, but when he found out they were going away, he thought it was best for them all to have a relaxing weekend. He told them and said he'd celebrate with him when they got back.
Turning out of his thoughts, Nick looked at the front door. He was sure he heard something and as he waited, the noise came again. It was someone knocking at the door. He walked into the living room and shut the patio doors. As he walked towards the door, he turned the TV off and placed his mug on the kitchen counter.
Unlocking the door, he opened it to reveal a parcel deliveryman. Nick smiled in greeting and took the package from him. "Just sign here please." The man pointed to a line on his form.
Nick took the clipboard and pen. He signed it as he held the package under his arm. "Thank you." He said politely.
"No problem sir." The deliveryman walked away, back to his truck.
Nick closed the door and looked at the parcel. He narrowed his eyes and guessed it was something to do with work. He'd not seen a court's stamp on a package unless it was work related, so. he placed it on the desk in Grissom's office and left it.
He needed to clean the house up a bit more before Grissom and the others got home from Atlanta. He watched Darwin dart back and forth from Kate's room and his biscuits for an hour and had to laugh at the energy of the little cat.