Title: Life and Death
Chapter 5: Compromise
Author: Emily
Rating: PG, PG-13, I don't know. lol
Spoilers: none
Archive: ask
Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who reviewed chapter 4. I figured out the ancient, heavily guarded secret to get people to review- BRIBE THEM! lol
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Sara, wait!" Catherine called to her friend, who was heading toward the Tahoe.
"We've got a crime scene to get to, Cath. We don't have time to wait." Sara said calmly, opening the door and preparing to enter the vehicle.
"We'll make time," she said, and slammed the door shut again. "Don't think you can tell me something like that and then forget about it. Now tell me what happened. And who the hell is his daughter? I didn't even know he had a daughter."
"Neither did he, apparently," Sara said wryly.
"So what happened? How old is she? What's her name?" Catherine shot out questions rapidly.
"Her name is Lexi and she's six years old."
"Wow. Does she look like him?" Catherine asked.
"Not really. She looks more like her mother. Nick thinks she has his eyes, but I don't see it. I didn't really get a good look at her. She and Carrie left right when I came in."
"Carrie?"
"Her mother. Nick's old girlfriend from Dallas. She said that she's dying and she wants Nick to take her, which I think is a load of crap."
"Why? You don't think she's dying?"
"No, I think she is- I mean, she looks terrible. Really skinny and pale. But there's something about her that just doesn't fit. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm going to find out." Sara stated, then added, "Can we go now?"
"Yeah, but we're talking about this on the way."
"Yes, mom." Sara kidded, before hopping into the truck.
~*~*~
"Let me get this straight," Warrick said as he, Nick, and Grissom drove to the crime scene, "Carrie shows up, tells you that you have a daughter, that she's dying, and that now you have to take Lexi? And you're okay with that?"
"What do you mean 'I'm okay with that'? You sound like Sara. She wants me to have a paternity test done," Nick said, annoyed.
"Nick, that's a good idea. It would be foolish not to test that you're her biological father," Grissom added; the first thing he had to say in the conversation.
"I don't believe that you guys are taking Sara's side in this!" Nick cried, "Look. I know Carrie. I know she wouldn't lie about something like this. That's just not her."
"Nick, I know that you know her and we don't, but you still can't take any chances. Not just for your sake but for Lexi's. What happens if you find out in a few years, when Carrie is gone, that you're not her father? How will that affect her?" Grissom said, sharing Sara's concern.
Nick sighed, "I don't know. I don't know, okay? But Sara is being really selfish. She's only thinking about herself. Well what about me? This is affecting me the most, and she's not being sympathetic at all."
"Hold up," Warrick interjected, "Where do you get off saying that this is affecting you the most? This is affecting Sara just as much as you. Unless of course you're relationship isn't as serious as you've led us to believe."
Nick took the bait. "Of course our relationship is serious! I love Sara. I'd do anything for her."
"Then why won't you do this for her?" Warrick asked.
"I just don't see the point, Warrick," Nick argued.
"Nick, if you're so sure, then why not just test it anyway? At the least just to humor Sara. Prove her wrong, so to speak," Warrick kidded
Nick smiled, "That would be a change. Sara being wrong. Never thought I'd live to see the day," he laughed. "I'll think about it. But now," he said as they pulled up to their crime scene, "we've got work to do."
~*~*~
Once Sara and Catherine were finished processing the scene, where a woman had been murdered by her husband, who had already confessed, they headed back to the lab.
"I think that was the easiest case I've ever had," Sara said, pouring herself a cup of coffee, "Want some?" she asked, motioning to the pot.
"No thanks," Catherine said, "I'll never get to sleep."
"Suit yourself." Sara settled herself onto the couch and took a sip of the steaming hot liquid.
"So what are you going to do?" Catherine asked, referring to her situation with Nick and Lexi.
"What can I do? I have to try and convince him to get tested."
"Do you think he will?"
"I hope so. I just don't know why he's so fervidly against it."
Catherine thought about this for a moment before responding, "Maybe he's afraid it will be negative."
"But why? That's what I don't understand. It's not like he's known her forever. He just met her tonight for Christ's sake!"
"But think about it," Catherine explained, "If Lexi's not his, then that means that she was cheating on him. You said that they broke it off because he cheated on her, right?"
Sara nodded.
"Well, in his eyes, Carrie is this do-no-wrong-Mother-Theresa-saint thing, and now she's dying, so maybe he's afraid of shattering that image."
"I don't know. That doesn't sound like Nick," Sara said.
"I'm just putting it out there; I didn't say that was the reason. But when you find out why he's acting that way, tell me. I want to know."
"You've got a deal," Sara said, and lifted her coffee mug for effect. It was then that Nick walked in with Grissom and Warrick.
Nick looked at Sara tentatively before speaking. "Uh, Sara, I think we need to talk."
"Yeah, I think we do," she said softly, "Grissom, shift's almost over, do you think me and Nick could leave?"
"Yeah, that's fine. Go home. Talk."
"Thanks, Griss." Sara gave Nick a small smile and followed him out of the break room and into the hallway.
"Sara, I'm sorry about all this. You shouldn't have to be dragged into this. It's between Carrie and me."
"No, Nick. That's what I'm saying. It's not just between you and Carrie. If it's affecting your life, it's affecting mine. Because you're a part of my life. I'm sorry if you think I'm being unreasonable, but I really think you should have a paternity test. I don't understand why you're against it." By now they were in the parking lot, and Nick opened the passenger door to the Tahoe for Sara before crossing to the other side of the vehicle and getting in himself.
"I know. I don't know why either. It's just that the thought of it makes me turn away. I think we should just both get to know Lexi some more before we make any decisions, including getting tested."
"Okay. We'll put everything on hold for a while until we get to know both Lexi and Carrie some more," she compromised.
"Okay." He kissed her forehead and cupped her face with his hands. "I love you. You know that, don't you? And this isn't going to change anything. I promise."
"No, Nick, things will change. But we'll make sure they change for the better. And I love you, too." She kissed him softly before pulling away. "Come on. Let's go home."
A/N~ **Next chapter- more Lexi and Carrie, interaction between Carrie and Sara, and the team will meet Lexi**
Please review! George, Gary, and Eric have been shipped first class to those wonderful people who chose to review. I played with George a little before shipping him, so if he shows up covered in chocolate sauce and whipped cream, don't sue the postal workers, please. They've been very cooperative. g I must ask that you send them to the next reviewer once you're done playing, so we can all have an equal turn. What's fair is fair. Also, I have to return them soon because apparently CBS wants them back. Which would make sense, because what else would we write about? :-D If you review, I'll be sure to put your name on the mailing list.
~Emily
Chapter 5: Compromise
Author: Emily
Rating: PG, PG-13, I don't know. lol
Spoilers: none
Archive: ask
Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who reviewed chapter 4. I figured out the ancient, heavily guarded secret to get people to review- BRIBE THEM! lol
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Sara, wait!" Catherine called to her friend, who was heading toward the Tahoe.
"We've got a crime scene to get to, Cath. We don't have time to wait." Sara said calmly, opening the door and preparing to enter the vehicle.
"We'll make time," she said, and slammed the door shut again. "Don't think you can tell me something like that and then forget about it. Now tell me what happened. And who the hell is his daughter? I didn't even know he had a daughter."
"Neither did he, apparently," Sara said wryly.
"So what happened? How old is she? What's her name?" Catherine shot out questions rapidly.
"Her name is Lexi and she's six years old."
"Wow. Does she look like him?" Catherine asked.
"Not really. She looks more like her mother. Nick thinks she has his eyes, but I don't see it. I didn't really get a good look at her. She and Carrie left right when I came in."
"Carrie?"
"Her mother. Nick's old girlfriend from Dallas. She said that she's dying and she wants Nick to take her, which I think is a load of crap."
"Why? You don't think she's dying?"
"No, I think she is- I mean, she looks terrible. Really skinny and pale. But there's something about her that just doesn't fit. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm going to find out." Sara stated, then added, "Can we go now?"
"Yeah, but we're talking about this on the way."
"Yes, mom." Sara kidded, before hopping into the truck.
~*~*~
"Let me get this straight," Warrick said as he, Nick, and Grissom drove to the crime scene, "Carrie shows up, tells you that you have a daughter, that she's dying, and that now you have to take Lexi? And you're okay with that?"
"What do you mean 'I'm okay with that'? You sound like Sara. She wants me to have a paternity test done," Nick said, annoyed.
"Nick, that's a good idea. It would be foolish not to test that you're her biological father," Grissom added; the first thing he had to say in the conversation.
"I don't believe that you guys are taking Sara's side in this!" Nick cried, "Look. I know Carrie. I know she wouldn't lie about something like this. That's just not her."
"Nick, I know that you know her and we don't, but you still can't take any chances. Not just for your sake but for Lexi's. What happens if you find out in a few years, when Carrie is gone, that you're not her father? How will that affect her?" Grissom said, sharing Sara's concern.
Nick sighed, "I don't know. I don't know, okay? But Sara is being really selfish. She's only thinking about herself. Well what about me? This is affecting me the most, and she's not being sympathetic at all."
"Hold up," Warrick interjected, "Where do you get off saying that this is affecting you the most? This is affecting Sara just as much as you. Unless of course you're relationship isn't as serious as you've led us to believe."
Nick took the bait. "Of course our relationship is serious! I love Sara. I'd do anything for her."
"Then why won't you do this for her?" Warrick asked.
"I just don't see the point, Warrick," Nick argued.
"Nick, if you're so sure, then why not just test it anyway? At the least just to humor Sara. Prove her wrong, so to speak," Warrick kidded
Nick smiled, "That would be a change. Sara being wrong. Never thought I'd live to see the day," he laughed. "I'll think about it. But now," he said as they pulled up to their crime scene, "we've got work to do."
~*~*~
Once Sara and Catherine were finished processing the scene, where a woman had been murdered by her husband, who had already confessed, they headed back to the lab.
"I think that was the easiest case I've ever had," Sara said, pouring herself a cup of coffee, "Want some?" she asked, motioning to the pot.
"No thanks," Catherine said, "I'll never get to sleep."
"Suit yourself." Sara settled herself onto the couch and took a sip of the steaming hot liquid.
"So what are you going to do?" Catherine asked, referring to her situation with Nick and Lexi.
"What can I do? I have to try and convince him to get tested."
"Do you think he will?"
"I hope so. I just don't know why he's so fervidly against it."
Catherine thought about this for a moment before responding, "Maybe he's afraid it will be negative."
"But why? That's what I don't understand. It's not like he's known her forever. He just met her tonight for Christ's sake!"
"But think about it," Catherine explained, "If Lexi's not his, then that means that she was cheating on him. You said that they broke it off because he cheated on her, right?"
Sara nodded.
"Well, in his eyes, Carrie is this do-no-wrong-Mother-Theresa-saint thing, and now she's dying, so maybe he's afraid of shattering that image."
"I don't know. That doesn't sound like Nick," Sara said.
"I'm just putting it out there; I didn't say that was the reason. But when you find out why he's acting that way, tell me. I want to know."
"You've got a deal," Sara said, and lifted her coffee mug for effect. It was then that Nick walked in with Grissom and Warrick.
Nick looked at Sara tentatively before speaking. "Uh, Sara, I think we need to talk."
"Yeah, I think we do," she said softly, "Grissom, shift's almost over, do you think me and Nick could leave?"
"Yeah, that's fine. Go home. Talk."
"Thanks, Griss." Sara gave Nick a small smile and followed him out of the break room and into the hallway.
"Sara, I'm sorry about all this. You shouldn't have to be dragged into this. It's between Carrie and me."
"No, Nick. That's what I'm saying. It's not just between you and Carrie. If it's affecting your life, it's affecting mine. Because you're a part of my life. I'm sorry if you think I'm being unreasonable, but I really think you should have a paternity test. I don't understand why you're against it." By now they were in the parking lot, and Nick opened the passenger door to the Tahoe for Sara before crossing to the other side of the vehicle and getting in himself.
"I know. I don't know why either. It's just that the thought of it makes me turn away. I think we should just both get to know Lexi some more before we make any decisions, including getting tested."
"Okay. We'll put everything on hold for a while until we get to know both Lexi and Carrie some more," she compromised.
"Okay." He kissed her forehead and cupped her face with his hands. "I love you. You know that, don't you? And this isn't going to change anything. I promise."
"No, Nick, things will change. But we'll make sure they change for the better. And I love you, too." She kissed him softly before pulling away. "Come on. Let's go home."
A/N~ **Next chapter- more Lexi and Carrie, interaction between Carrie and Sara, and the team will meet Lexi**
Please review! George, Gary, and Eric have been shipped first class to those wonderful people who chose to review. I played with George a little before shipping him, so if he shows up covered in chocolate sauce and whipped cream, don't sue the postal workers, please. They've been very cooperative. g I must ask that you send them to the next reviewer once you're done playing, so we can all have an equal turn. What's fair is fair. Also, I have to return them soon because apparently CBS wants them back. Which would make sense, because what else would we write about? :-D If you review, I'll be sure to put your name on the mailing list.
~Emily