Disclaimer: Part 2: Nick's story. I'm saving Grissom's for last, cuz IMFHO (in my f*cking humble opinion) that's the one that's gonna kick the most booty. But, DAMN! CBS and Bruckheimer STILL OWN CSI!

I open the door to my Chevy Tahoe and step out onto the black tar of the parking lot. I collect my thoughts. Time for another night. Usually I am not this reflective, but there is something holding me back. I feel that tonight will be different than the other cases that I have worked in the past. I slam the door and am almost inside the building when I realize I have locked my keys in the car.

"Shit." I know that Grissom keeps keys to all the Tahoes for situations like this. I walk inside and into the office of my supervisor, Gil "Gruesome" Grissom. As I walk in, scents of formalin assault my nose, various insects stare me in the face. The rest of the team has already assembled around his desk, where Grissom is handing out case assignments. Grissom senses my presence and looks up.

"You're late."

"Sorry.I locked the keys in the Tahoe."

I hear a voice behind me. "See, Nicky, this is why we don't like to let you out of the basement." I turn around and see the face of Jim Brass. I ignore him. Sure, he had promoted me to CSI Three, but it wasn't my turn.my thoughts trail off as Grissom addresses us."

"Sara. You've got an armed robbery. One shot fired, according to witnesses. You know the drill. Find the bullet, match the gun, catch the guy." Sara Sidle turns around and walks by me, almost brushing up against my shoulder. At first, I almost found her attractive. But her behavior swung. Today she was pretending she didn't even know me. A couple of months ago, she was admiring my body. I don't understand women. Grissom keeps talking.

".and Catherine is stuck at home with Lindsey. That leaves you two." I turn to look into the face of Warrick Brown. I wonder what kind of case needs two CSI Threes on it. "You two. Body found, decapitated, hands and feet cut off. Brass has called in the Feds. You need to meet them there, show them around, bring them back here."

For the past two months, Warrick and I have been following a killer who has killed what is apparently his or her third victim. I ask the inevitable question: "Culpepper?"

"Not just him. Some rookie who just got relocated will be there too." We all despise Culpepper. He had Grissom removed from the 'Strip Strangler' case when his findings conflicted with the FBI's. I was glad it was not just Culpepper this time. I planned on dealing with the rookie. He seemed like he'd be better to work with. After all, who wants to deal with Culpepper when you could work with a rookie? He's got to be better than Culpepper. I nudge Warrick.

"You got your keys?"

"Yea. Let's go."

We walk into the crime scene. We immediately notice the body. It is propped against the door to the bedroom. According to the old case files, the killer should have left the knife in the bathtub, cleaned. True to word, the killer's habits force him to leave the knife. A male voice pierces the air.

"Where are the CSIs working the case?"

Warrick and I look at each other. I know it is Culpepper. "You talk. I'm not talking to him." The two of us walk out of the bathroom and face Culpepper. Warrick does indeed speak.

"I'm Warrick Brown and this is Nick Stokes, we're the CSIs working the case."

"The 'Garbageman' case you mean?"  Culpepper seems to mention the name so fleetingly. I can't help but speak.

"What?"

A short blonde woman steps in front of Culpepper. This is the rookie? Damn. So much for being able to talk to her. I've never had an easy time talking with women. As I said, I don't understand them.

"Can one of you take me to see the body?" Warrick looks at me. His eyes tell me that he shouldn't have a problem with Culpepper.

"Sure, come on." We walk down the hallway to the bathroom where the body was found. She turns to me and sticks out her hand.

"I'm Eryn Parker."

"Nick Stokes. Nice to meet you." I show her the body. "Same MO as the others."

"How many have there been?"

"This is the third one.  How many more should we expect?"

"Between three and five more.  And I should warn you about another aspect of the killer's MO: he taunts the head CSI by leaving all the victim's heads, hands, and feet on the desk.  How he bypasses security, we still don't know." 

"That's sick!" This killer is a twisted son of a bitch. I heard rumors that a CSI from Boston suffered a nervous breakdown when she got a head and hands on her desk. Now I'm beginning to think they aren't rumors. Eryn surprises me by running her hand on my shoulder. I can't help but feel self- conscious and I pull away. I clear my throat. "Actually, our supervisor is looking to meet you.  Care to come with me?"  I smile.  I might as well try to be nice to her.

"Sure.  I was actually wanting to meet him too, after how much Culpepper ragged on him.  I feel bad for him."  I think she's into me, but I don't think I'm ready to trust women. 

******************

We walk into the hallway and I walk Eryn into Grissom's room. Sara is there. She was supposed to be working an armed robbery, but I guess she's already finished. I introduce the two of them to Eryn.  "Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom."

"I'm Eryn Parker."  She starts to stare at Grissom. He stares back. Sara and I look on with amusement. I know we're both thinking that Grissom is into her, however wrong that may be. Eryn breaks the gaze quickly when she realizes that Sara and I are gawking.

Grissom finally speaks, after what seems like ages.  "You work with Agent Culpepper, don't you?"

"Unfortunately, yes."  We all smile. Eryn hates Culpepper, and she has to work under him. It makes me like her a little bit more.  "But this isn't about him.  Has the body been brought in yet?"

I walk into the locker room after my shift. I spent most of it processing the crime scene with Warrick. He is talking to me.

"Yeah, I heard Sidle was talking shit about you."

"I'm not surprised." Warrick grins. He has never liked Sara. Not that I can say I have either. I throw on my jacket and grab my keys.

"I'm outta here. Later."

I am walking down the hallway when I hear a shout near Grissom's office.

"You have no choice in the matter!" I know Culpepper's voice. I run down to the office and come up behind him.

"You ever touch her again and I swear to God I will kill you." I grab his arm and wrench it off of Eryn's wrist.

Culpepper becomes professional again.  He pretends that nothing has happened.  "Agent Parker, you are to turn in your case files and gun.  I am officially placing you on administrative leave until the conclusion of this investigation."

"I'm sorry if I intruded." I almost feel bad for her. I thought he was assaulting her; he was placing her on leave instead.

            "You just saved me from jail, because I swear that I was about to pull out my gun and shoot him.  You have nothing to apologize about."  She turns to Culpepper and hands him her gun.  "I will always hate you." She walks off towards her car. My plans forgotten, I instead go into Grissom's office.

"Nick."

"Grissom. I just saw Culpepper and he took Eryn off of the case. Just thought I'd let you know before he told you. He was yelling at her a lot and stuff."

"Thanks. I'll go talk to her." He looks at me closely. I have not yet shaved today, and I know the circles under my eyes are pronounced. "Get some sleep, Nick." I turn and walk out to my Tahoe. I do not look at Eryn as I walk by her Blazer.

Eryn calls me this night, and I draw myself into conversation with her.

"Hey, it really sucks."

"Yeah, it really does suck, doesn't it?"

"Like you can't believe. So, what's up?"

"I want you to have my case files."

"What?"

"Yeah. You need them to catch this killer."

"Don't you know who he is?"

"They had him, but he escaped.the garbage bags are the scary thing"

"I'm gonna be having nightmares about them. So do you want me to keep you updated?"

"The reports are gonna be sent to your office anyways, so look them over."

"Actually some already got there. The tox screen was completely clear."

"Oh, my god! That's something totally new! Thanks for telling me! Bye!" She hangs up the phone before I can utter another word. The phone immediately rings again. I figure it is Eryn again. It is my sister Tamara.

'You planning on telling me that you have a new girlfriend?"

"I don't."

"Who's this Eryn chick I'm rooming up for the night?"

"An agent. A friend of mine. I'm not sleeping with her."

"Bullshit. Whatever."

I hang up on her. I really don't want to hear her voice right now. I decide to seek comfort in a hot shower and my bed. I fall asleep almost immediately. I have a dream. The Garbageman is behind me. He places a bag of parts on my desk. Inside the bag are two heads: Catherine's and Grissom's. I wake up in a cold sweat to the sound of the phone ringing. I snatch it up without hesitation.

"Stokes."

"Nick. It's Eryn. Help. Tamara. Garbageman. Here...." The connection dies. I get out of bed, throw on clothes, and grab my keys. Tamara's apartment.

*************

I arrive at Tamara's apartment. I bang on the door. "Tam! Let me in!" I put on a pair of gloves and open the unlocked door. They're not there. I run out to my Tahoe again and drive to the crime lab. I run into Grissom's office, breathless.

"Grissom! He's got her."

"What?"

"The Garbageman! He's a copycat and now he's got Eryn and my sister."

"Slow down, Nick. Calm down. Where are they?"

"I don't know. I got a call from Eryn and she was at Tamara's apartment. They're not there anymore. I don't know. I don't know." I repeat the phrase over and over as if saying it will magically tell me their location. I feel so helpless. I need to get to them.

"You know her cell phone number." I write Eryn's number on a piece of paper. They might be able to trace the call, but it may still be too late. I still cling to that shred of hope.

Grissom speaks to me after a twenty-minute phone call. "I have the cell phone's position triangulated to an area around here, with five different hotels. We need to check all of them."

"What? Are you going to ask if there's a registration under the name 'Garbageman' or something?" I resort to sarcasm because I am afraid to lose Tamara. And, strangely enough, I would hate to lose Eryn. I realize that I've been an ass, trying to tell myself that she was a bitch and that she would use me. I hope I can tell her I'm sorry.

Grissom interrupts my thoughts. "Preston Marshall. The original killer's name. Justin Marshall. His twin brother, the reason Preston was acquitted in the first place."

"Fine." We walk out of his office to the parking lot. It is such a gorgeous day, and at this moment, two women are being tortured to death. I see a tear slide down Grissom's cheek, and I wonder if he is thinking the same thing.

"Nick." I turn to him. "Catherine's coming too. Would you mind driving?" I take the keys from Grissom's outstretched hand.

Success comes at the third hotel we reach. I ask to see a guest list, and the name Darren McGrath pops out at me. I quickly call Catherine and Grissom out of the car, and the three of us proceed to the room. The first smell that accosts my nose is that of blood. I know immediately that this is where they are. I frantically call out.

"TAMARA!

"ERYN!"

I see them. Tamara is propped against the bed, a bullet in her skull. I break down. How could he do this to her? I turn to leave. I see Eryn. Her face, arms, and feet are covered in blood. Darren-the killer-scratched her and bled her to death. Grissom and Catherine walk in. I silently look over at the bodies. They look for a moment, then turn back to each other. As insensitive as many people think I am, I know I must leave. This is a private moment for them. I look out the window overlooking the lobby and see a Tahoe and cop cars rolling in. The rest of the team has arrived. I look back into the room. Tears stain my cheeks, as I utter my final words before leaving to go back to help process the crime scene I am so emotionally attached to.

"I'm sorry, Eryn."