Big News

Grissom, Nick, Sara, Warrick, Catherine, and Greg are all gathered around the table. The mood was definitely somber. Even Greg wasn't his usual goofy self. He was downright depressed. He felt awful about doubting Nick's want for a child. Warrick just stared at the folder in front of him. Catherine kept one hand on Nick's arm, rubbing it the same way she does to Lindsay when she's upset. Sara was impatient for Grissom to start their meeting. She had good evidence to share. Nick just stared blankly at the table. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were red. He felt even worse then he looked.

"Nick, how are you holding up?" asked Grissom. He was concerned that Nick was so quiet and distant.

"I'm fine...I just wish you would have let me watch Hammond's interrogation."

Grissom just gave Nick a look like he should know better then that.

Grissom looked around the table as he asked, "Okay what evidence do we have so far?"

Catherine sighed, "The apartment didn't turn up much. There was some blood drops in the bedroom, but they were old." She stopped and cringed as she caught the perturbed look on Nick's face. "I did email out a picture of Brianna to all the media outlets. Hopefully they can get it out on the air and we can find Brianna faster. Um, Nick, here's the picture if you want to hold onto it." Catherine slid a photo over to Nick.

Nick took the picture of Brianna from Catherine and stared at it. He gave Catherine a very grateful look. He couldn't believe how cute Brianna is. The fact that he had anything of hers to hold onto right now made him feel a little more hopeful.

Grissom looked at Sara, "Sara, what did you find in the car?"

"Good stuff, three blond hairs on the doorframe of the back door...not the victim's."

Greg spoke up, "And they had tags, which is where I come in. We are looking for a natural blond...I know, I know, even I didn't think such a creature existed. Not in Vegas anyway. Also, we are looking for a stoner. Very heavy marijuana user.

Grissom looks up at Greg and Sara and smiled.

"Good work you two." he praised. "Warrick, what do you have for us?"

Warrick sighed, "The blood on Hammond's shirt wasn't the victim's. It was a man's. The police let him go."

Nick head snapped up and he stared at Warrick, then Grissom. He was infuriated. This man hurt Katie and endangered his daughter. Where was the justice?

"What? They just let him go? How could they do that after what he did to her?"

Grissom tried to reason with Nick, "They had nothing to hold him on Nick, he's not our man."

Nick snapped, "No, but he beat her....he beat Katie, shouldn't that count for something?"

Grissom couldn't say anything, but he felt exactly the same way. Unfortunately he needed to be a leader right now. He would have a talk with Nick about it later.

"Nick, you need to get a hold of yourself, or you will have to go home," Grissom said firmly.

Nick was about to protest, but he thought better of it. He was steamed, but he couldn't stand the thought of going home. He just dropped his head and stared at Brianna's picture. He studied every little detail.

"Has anyone heard from Hodges on the tire tracks?" Grissom asked in an annoyed voice.

"I'll go check on them." offered Warrick quickly.

Nick was too preoccupied to notice Warrick couldn't look him in the eye. Warrick was Nick's friend, but he was having a hard time dealing with Nick not knowing his daughter. It was a touchy subject for him. His dad left him when he was little and it still affected him. Still, Warrick wanted to do everything he could to help his buddy find his baby.

Warrick got up to leave when Brass walked in the door. He looked anxious.

"Just got a call...someone found an abandoned baby in a grocery store bathroom. Fit's our girl's description."

Everyone one looked up at Brass, they were too stunned to move. They couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"Is she....I mean, is the baby okay?" Nick asked hopefully. There was a knot in his stomach. "What if she was hurt or sick?" Nick tried to push the thought from his mind.

"Yeah, they think she'll be okay. She wasn't hurt, but the paramedics were called. They are taking her to Memorial Hospital. Nicky, you should get down there. I gotta get back to the store scene." Brass paused to smile at Nick and said, "Good luck."

"Thanks Jim."

Brass turned and walked out. Nick jumped up and started towards door. He couldn't get to his car fast enough.

"Okay hold it!" Grissom commanded. "Nick, you shouldn't drive, you're too...well, you just shouldn't drive. Cath, you take him to the hospital. Gather any evidence you can while you are there."

Catherine was thrilled, this was by far the best assignment of the night. She grabbed Nick's arm and the two rushed out the door.

"God, I hope that is Brianna they found. Nick will be devastated if it isn't." Sara voiced what everyone else was thinking.

Grissom went back to giving out orders, "Okay guys, we have a second crime scene. Greg, you go see where Hodges is with the tire tracks. Tell him if he doesn't have them in ten minutes, he's fired."

Greg almost skipped out the door to find Hodges. He couldn't stand the guy and being able to threaten him made his night.

This just left Warrick and Sara.

"Okay guys, let's head to the grocery store."