I don't own anything blah, blah, blah. You know how it goes.
The song is Lady In Red by Chris DeBurgh.
*
Nick hated waking up; these were the moments when he thought about her.
That would be a lie, he thought about her all of the time but the moments when he woke up, these were the moments he could almost feel she was there, next to him and when he turn around she'll be there.
But she wasn't.
And he hated that too.
He hated many things since she was gone. The hatred took over him sometimes and it caused him tears. He just cried letting the pain and the hate go but at the same time he was making room for more.
He also missed her a lot. Too much. He couldn't handle it so he drowned himself with work, he worked as much as he could, sometimes he even fell asleep in the lab. That night Grissom got really mad at him. He told him he must take some time off but Nick said he won't, he said he couldn't, being home or outside without doing anything was something Nick couldn't handle with. But Grissom said he must learn to cope, he has to deal with loosing her. But Nick didn't listen; he just broke down and started crying like a little kid, that was the first and only time it happened to him in the lab. Grissom just looked at him and he realized that Nick is not the Nick he knew before, there was nothing left from the "Old Nick", now there was a man who had nothing left except the pain and ways to run from it, ways that weren't too good.
After that Night Grissom didn't say anything to Nick about working so much, he just made sure he didn't work alone. No one had problems about working with him, they all knew he felt bad but no one tried to talk to him, they knew it won't help him, he was way too locked in his pain that talking wouldn't help. But it didn't really effect his job, he worked well, very well.
He only came back to his house to sleep, he moved to a little apartment. He took all her things and put them everywhere, her clothes her books were spread everywhere, it made Nick feel she was close. He had pictures of her but they were locked somewhere, he couldn't look at them. He didn't like the house, and that's how he called it, "my house", he had no home without her.
She was dead for almost a year, actually, there was one week left for that and Nick felt like he was loosing her again. He could remember that night, they got a call about a murder, it was a robbery that went wrong. When they got there Brass took Nick aside and told him about her, she was injured, he went to the hospital with her and he stayed with her all of the time.
She looked bad, she was shot once. After the surgery she went into a coma, Nick stayed with her everyday, he left the hospital only one time to get a shower and take new clothes.
He talked to her a lot, he told her how much he loved her, how much he needed her and every time before he left her room there was one thing he said "I love you, my lady in red"
It was like the song that had been playing when he asked her to marry him.
I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance
They're looking for a little romance, given half a chance
I have never seen that dress you're wearing
Or the highlights in your head that catch your eyes I have been blind
The lady in red is dancing with me cheek to cheek
There's nobody here, it's just you and me, It's where I wanna be
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I'll never forget, the way you look tonight
It was a party of the police department; Nick didn't remember what was the occasion. She told him she'll meet him there cause she had to do something. When he saw her he felt like there was magic, like they were the only ones in the room. That moment, as she took him to the dance floor he realized how much he loved her. And then he just said the words; he said them like they were as ordinary as good morning. But that wasn't what he said, he said "will you marry me?"
I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright you were amazing
I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side
And when you turned to me and smiled, It took my breath away
I have never had such a feeling
Such a feeling of complete and utter love, as I do tonight
The lady in red is dancing with me cheek to cheek
There's nobody here, it's just you and me, It's where I wanna be
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I'll never forget, the way you look tonight
Nick was more surprised than she was specially when she said "yes".
They danced most of the evening, talking, looking at each other. She looked amazing in her dress and Nick felt like he could look at her forever. After they got to his house he told her that he didn't plan asking her to marry him like that, with no ring. She said she didn't need a ring, all she needed was he.
I never will forget, the way you look tonight
The lady in red
The lady in red
The lady in red
All he needed was she. And she wasn't there anymore.
Nick hoped that getting her killer would make it better for him, just a little bit maybe. But what they found out was that the owner of the store tried to shoot one of the robbers but he moved and the bullet hurt her. When Grissom told him about what they found out Nick couldn't believe it, he kept saying how unfair it was.
***
Nick was heading to his house after his last shift was over. He would sleep a little and go back to work like he did everyday. When he went into the small apartment he saw it, the red dress. It was lying on the couch, it looked so lifeless like anything else in the house, including Nick.
He looked at the dress for a long time, remembering her wearing it, he'd never forget. He felt the tears falling of his eyes but he didn't care. He touched the dress, hoping to feel her, but he didn't.
"I love you" he whispered and went to the bedroom. The only thing that was on his mind was her face when the doctor said she was dead. She looked so peace full, so relaxed and calm that Nick hated her for a moment, how could she leave him so calmly like it was nothing. He didn't move her to prove the doctor he was wrong, he didn't shout, he just kissed her lips and whispered, for the last time "I love you, my lady in red" and he left the room.
He couldn't forget her and he wouldn't. Never.
*
The End
*