A.N. - Okay, first, I would like to apologize for the LONG wait for updates. I went through a tough time for awhile with depression and family problems. I had trouble just going to school let alone writing anything worth reading (Well, I did write some decent poetry while I was down, but it was REALLY dark and had nothing to do with the fic). I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar which, I gotta tell you, is tons of fun. I tried several meds which didn't help. Now, I'm taking more of a cognitive approach. You know, sorta, "I think therefore I am". Whenever I feel myself going down, I surround myself with positive things and think positive thought. Whenever I feel hyperactivity coming on, I channel it into something positive (My house has NEVER been this clean before). Most of the time, I feel pretty good.

I'm not going to make any promises about updates because I know that it's entirely possible that I will break them. I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow, so I'm not going to tell you that I'm going to write then. I am, however, going to try. Thanks for sticking by me. I hope you like what I have here.

Now on with the story...

Telling Dad and Moving On: Part 9

By LissaMarie

January 13-August 24, 2003

"Did you see the news today?' Warrick asked Nick as he sat down in the chair next to him in the break room.

Nick looked at the other man curiously and shook his head.

"A little girl went missing. The media is immediately connecting it to this case. I guess it's harder for people to believe that there are more people out there that would do such a thing."

"I guess it's just easier for people to imagine only one evil at a time," Nick agreed. Getting back to work on the case really put a damper on the good mood he had been in since dinner. After they had eaten and spent an hour or so talking in the living room, Grissom had left to allow Nick and Kait some time to rest before what promised to be another long night at the office. It had taken some convincing, but Nick had been able to talk Kait into forgetting about the dishes and to just go to bed. Falling asleep with her in his arms always made him feel great, but the added freedom of not having to hide their feelings any longer lifted a weight from his shoulders that he hadn't even been aware of. It was incredible.

"Yeah," Warrick mumbled without his usual sarcasm. "Where's Kait?"

"She's down in the morgue. They're backed up, and Doc Robbins can't afford to have her out in the field," Nick told him. He continued before Warrick had a chance to say more. "Catherine and Sara went with Gris out to the missing girl's house, and we're supposed to be identifying our victims."

"Aren't you on the top of everything," Warrick commented.

"I try to be."

Warrick watched curiously as Nick pushed himself out of his chair and walked out of the room. His closest friend seemed oddly…content. Not that Nick wasn't usually in a good mood, but something about him betrayed a peace that Warrick had never seen in him before. With the case they were working on, it seemed an odd time for it to come about.

Deciding it was really none of his business, Warrick shook the thoughts from his mind and followed Nick.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Kait was finally able to leave the autopsy bay to grab something to eat. It was a busy night for the criminals in Vegas. She barely had time to think in between examinations. Closing her office door, she hoped people would get the point and leave her alone. She plopped down in her desk chair and grabbed her apple in one hand and a file in the other. She hated being pulled off the child murders case, but she knew Doc Robbins really did need her help.

Even though she was no longer assigned to the case, she still intended to help out as much as she could. She wanted to make sure everyone understood that though the perps in this case could also be considered victims, they were dangerous. Someone may have taught them what they know, but it still is what they do.

Kait remembered working with Down's Syndrome patients during her time in school. One 16-year-old boy lived with his parents and two older brothers. His brothers had taught him several disgusting and impolite which he considered to be normal behavior. She could recall thinking it was funny, at first. Of course, then it got gross and annoying. She still found it hard to believe that someone could be teaching these men to molest children in much the same way, but with her experience and education, she could see no other way for these men to learn the behavior. It was far from typical.

In Las Vegas, there were two facilities which dealt exclusively with Down's Syndrome patients. Kait had spoken with the directors of both over the phone, and they agreed with her hypothesis about how the perps learned the behavior. Of course, they couldn't give her specific information about their patients with the doctor-patient confidentiality laws, but they told her that if anything came to mind that could help them solve the case, they would give her a call.

Kait knew that that was the best she could expect with the evidence they had so far. DNA was only good evidence when you had something to compare it to.

The young doctor was about to go back to her work when the office door burst open and Nick popped in.

"We might have a break."

TO BE CONTINUED...

A.N. - More apologies...I'm sorry this part was so short. I was hoping to write more, but it just didn't work that way. I'm also sorry if it doesn't seem to flow well. If you look at the dates at the top, there was a good bit of time between start and finish. Anyway, I'm sorry for anything else I should apologize for. I think I have all the apologies covered now.

I'll try to update soon.