After things had settled down somewhat Grissom had told everyone to wait
for him in the break room. They all sat around the large conference table,
no one speaking a word.
Nick stared at his hands on the table in front of him, numbness spread throughout his body. He was barely aware of the others around him. His mind kept replaying what it was like to see the absolute terror in Alex Connor's eyes; what had felt like to strangle the man's neck; to literally hold someone's life in his hands. A sick feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach and he closed his eyes and swallowed hard against the bile that rose in his throat.
Warrick and Catherine tried not to stare at him, continuously exchanging worried glances. They were concerned not only about what their friend was going through emotionally, but also because they knew Nick's actions would have serious consequences.
Sara sat in the chair beside Nick, but didn't dare touch him. They hadn't spoken a word, or even so much as glanced at each other since the whole incident occurred, too unsure and frightened of how the other would react.
Grissom returned, quietly closing the door behind him. He took the seat at the head of the table.
"Connor is fine," he said, meeting everyone's gaze except Nick's who continued to stare at his hands. "He's got a broken nose, some severe bruising, a sore throat and a wounded pride but he's okay."
Nick sighed, his tongue coming to his bottom lip. "I'm sorry Grissom," he said, his voice rough.
Grissom sighed, removing his glasses. "I understand why you did what you did Nick, I think all of us do," he said softly. "And God knows he deserved it. But I'm afraid it can't come without a cost."
Nick nodded, rubbing at the bruises that had appeared on his knuckles. Everyone waited tensely for their supervisor to continue.
"You are suspended for the next two weeks without pay, effective immediately," Grissom said unhappily, hating to have to be the one to penalize his CSI. "I'm sorry Nicky."
"Don't be," Nick said, shaking his head and meeting Grissom's eyes. "You're just doing your job Griss. I know what I did was unacceptable and I have to deal with the consequences. It's not your fault."
"Gil isn't there anything you can do?" Catherine asked, hopeful that Nick could get off with a lighter penalty.
Grissom sighed and shook his head. "That was the best I could do. Frankly Nick's getting off pretty easy, in fact he's lucky he even gets to keep his job at all. Fortunately because Connor isn't pressing any charges and because of the circumstances surrounding the case, he's not being forced to hand in his resignation."
Nick wiped a hand over his tired face and exhaled a slow breath, knowing how fortunate he truly was. Tentatively Sara reached over and placed her hand on his arm. He glanced at her, appreciating the consoling gesture.
Greg entered the break room, heading for the fridge to retrieve his ice cream. "Hey guys. What's with all the doom and gloom? I heard you caught your guy."
"We did," Catherine confirmed with a sigh, her head propped on her fist. "But Nick's been suspended."
"What? Why?" Greg demanded, coming to join them at the table.
"Because he went Incredible Hulk on the guy's ass," Warrick said with a smirk, looking at his friend seated across the table. "You wouldn't like him when he's angry."
The corners of Nick's mouth twitched. His smile was contagious and soon the whole group was chuckling, a welcome relief from the heaviness that had filled the room only moments before.
"Well guys, I don't know about you, but I'm going home," Catherine said, rising from the table. She walked over behind Nick, wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad all this is over for you."
"Thanks Cath. And thanks all of you. I know how hard you worked to bring this guy down," Nick said, looking at each of them in turn, his eyes lingering on Sara. "You'll never know how much that means to me."
"You're welcome Nicky," Grissom answered for everyone.
"Take care of yourself bro," Warrick said also standing. He and Nick exchanged one of their handshakes. "We're gonna miss your ugly mug around here."
Nick smiled good-naturedly. "Yeah, yeah. I'll do my best to enjoy my 'probation vacation' without you." His expression softened. "Um, thanks Warrick, for... for what you did back there. I owe you."
"Hey, no worries man," his friend replied. "You would've done the same for me. I got your back."
Nick smiled and nodded appreciatively.
Sara studied him for a moment then got up, taking Nick's hand in hers. "Come on cowboy. I'll take you home."
Nick looked up at her and raised a questioning eyebrow, surprised by her display of affection in front of everyone. She just smiled, her message unspoken but loud and clear. He stood, his eyes not leaving her warm gaze and laced his fingers through hers.
"Now that's the best proposition I've had all day," he said with a crooked grin, making her smile. He searched her face a moment then gently placed a soft kiss on her upturned mouth.
Grissom looked extremely puzzled by this, his brow furrowed and his lips forming a little 'o' of confusion. Greg froze in place, a spoonful of Chunky Monkey halfway to his gaping mouth. His wide brown eyes stared in shock at the two of them.
"I knew it!" Catherine exclaimed victoriously, earning a laugh from Warrick and a pair of sheepish grins from Nick and Sara.
"Knew what?" Grissom asked, still perplexed by the whole thing.
Greg still hadn't moved or even blinked. A feeble whimpering croak escaped his throat.
"How long?" Warrick asked them, grinning from ear to ear.
"How long what?" Grissom asked impatiently, looking at Catherine for an answer. She waved him off and shushed him dismissively, anxious to hear their answer.
"I don't think that's any of your damn business, Mr. Brown," Sara replied with a secretive grin. She looked back at Nick who winked at her causing a pink blush to touch her cheeks. "Shall we?"
"Ladies first," Nick drawled with a chivalrous sweep of his arm, letting her lead him out of the room. "See ya guys. Thanks again."
"Nick and Sara are dating?" Grissom asked, finally figuring it out. Catherine nodded and he raised an eyebrow. "Well, then I guess I won't be too surprised if Sara asks for some time off over the next two weeks."
The three of them laughed as they left the room together.
"Hey Greg, close your mouth," Catherine quipped on their way out.
Nick stared at his hands on the table in front of him, numbness spread throughout his body. He was barely aware of the others around him. His mind kept replaying what it was like to see the absolute terror in Alex Connor's eyes; what had felt like to strangle the man's neck; to literally hold someone's life in his hands. A sick feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach and he closed his eyes and swallowed hard against the bile that rose in his throat.
Warrick and Catherine tried not to stare at him, continuously exchanging worried glances. They were concerned not only about what their friend was going through emotionally, but also because they knew Nick's actions would have serious consequences.
Sara sat in the chair beside Nick, but didn't dare touch him. They hadn't spoken a word, or even so much as glanced at each other since the whole incident occurred, too unsure and frightened of how the other would react.
Grissom returned, quietly closing the door behind him. He took the seat at the head of the table.
"Connor is fine," he said, meeting everyone's gaze except Nick's who continued to stare at his hands. "He's got a broken nose, some severe bruising, a sore throat and a wounded pride but he's okay."
Nick sighed, his tongue coming to his bottom lip. "I'm sorry Grissom," he said, his voice rough.
Grissom sighed, removing his glasses. "I understand why you did what you did Nick, I think all of us do," he said softly. "And God knows he deserved it. But I'm afraid it can't come without a cost."
Nick nodded, rubbing at the bruises that had appeared on his knuckles. Everyone waited tensely for their supervisor to continue.
"You are suspended for the next two weeks without pay, effective immediately," Grissom said unhappily, hating to have to be the one to penalize his CSI. "I'm sorry Nicky."
"Don't be," Nick said, shaking his head and meeting Grissom's eyes. "You're just doing your job Griss. I know what I did was unacceptable and I have to deal with the consequences. It's not your fault."
"Gil isn't there anything you can do?" Catherine asked, hopeful that Nick could get off with a lighter penalty.
Grissom sighed and shook his head. "That was the best I could do. Frankly Nick's getting off pretty easy, in fact he's lucky he even gets to keep his job at all. Fortunately because Connor isn't pressing any charges and because of the circumstances surrounding the case, he's not being forced to hand in his resignation."
Nick wiped a hand over his tired face and exhaled a slow breath, knowing how fortunate he truly was. Tentatively Sara reached over and placed her hand on his arm. He glanced at her, appreciating the consoling gesture.
Greg entered the break room, heading for the fridge to retrieve his ice cream. "Hey guys. What's with all the doom and gloom? I heard you caught your guy."
"We did," Catherine confirmed with a sigh, her head propped on her fist. "But Nick's been suspended."
"What? Why?" Greg demanded, coming to join them at the table.
"Because he went Incredible Hulk on the guy's ass," Warrick said with a smirk, looking at his friend seated across the table. "You wouldn't like him when he's angry."
The corners of Nick's mouth twitched. His smile was contagious and soon the whole group was chuckling, a welcome relief from the heaviness that had filled the room only moments before.
"Well guys, I don't know about you, but I'm going home," Catherine said, rising from the table. She walked over behind Nick, wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad all this is over for you."
"Thanks Cath. And thanks all of you. I know how hard you worked to bring this guy down," Nick said, looking at each of them in turn, his eyes lingering on Sara. "You'll never know how much that means to me."
"You're welcome Nicky," Grissom answered for everyone.
"Take care of yourself bro," Warrick said also standing. He and Nick exchanged one of their handshakes. "We're gonna miss your ugly mug around here."
Nick smiled good-naturedly. "Yeah, yeah. I'll do my best to enjoy my 'probation vacation' without you." His expression softened. "Um, thanks Warrick, for... for what you did back there. I owe you."
"Hey, no worries man," his friend replied. "You would've done the same for me. I got your back."
Nick smiled and nodded appreciatively.
Sara studied him for a moment then got up, taking Nick's hand in hers. "Come on cowboy. I'll take you home."
Nick looked up at her and raised a questioning eyebrow, surprised by her display of affection in front of everyone. She just smiled, her message unspoken but loud and clear. He stood, his eyes not leaving her warm gaze and laced his fingers through hers.
"Now that's the best proposition I've had all day," he said with a crooked grin, making her smile. He searched her face a moment then gently placed a soft kiss on her upturned mouth.
Grissom looked extremely puzzled by this, his brow furrowed and his lips forming a little 'o' of confusion. Greg froze in place, a spoonful of Chunky Monkey halfway to his gaping mouth. His wide brown eyes stared in shock at the two of them.
"I knew it!" Catherine exclaimed victoriously, earning a laugh from Warrick and a pair of sheepish grins from Nick and Sara.
"Knew what?" Grissom asked, still perplexed by the whole thing.
Greg still hadn't moved or even blinked. A feeble whimpering croak escaped his throat.
"How long?" Warrick asked them, grinning from ear to ear.
"How long what?" Grissom asked impatiently, looking at Catherine for an answer. She waved him off and shushed him dismissively, anxious to hear their answer.
"I don't think that's any of your damn business, Mr. Brown," Sara replied with a secretive grin. She looked back at Nick who winked at her causing a pink blush to touch her cheeks. "Shall we?"
"Ladies first," Nick drawled with a chivalrous sweep of his arm, letting her lead him out of the room. "See ya guys. Thanks again."
"Nick and Sara are dating?" Grissom asked, finally figuring it out. Catherine nodded and he raised an eyebrow. "Well, then I guess I won't be too surprised if Sara asks for some time off over the next two weeks."
The three of them laughed as they left the room together.
"Hey Greg, close your mouth," Catherine quipped on their way out.