Again, thanks to everyone who reviewed! This chapter is especially dedicated to my Snickers who finally get to see Invisible Evidence! LoL! :-)
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"Let's watch a movie" Sara suggested, plopping down on the couch. She and Nick had decided to take a night off together and relax as much as possible. Yet neither of them could think of something to do.
"Which one?" Nick asked, sitting next to her, placing a bowl of popcorn and two beers on the table in front of the couch.
"You pick."
"No, you can."
Sara sighed. "Fine. Umm… How about Kate and Leopold?"
"Are you serious?" Nick cocked an eye brow.
She sighed again. "Umm… The Matrix?"
Nick shook his head. "This is ridiculous."
Before Sara could suggest another movie, the phone rang. "I'll get it" she said, reaching for the cordless phone that was lying on the table next to the popcorn. "Hello?"
"Hey Sara. It's Catherine."
Sara glanced over at Nick. "Hey Cath, what's up?"
"Is Nick there?"
The smile that had been playing at Sara's lips, faded, and a look of concern took over. "Yeah. He's right here. Hang on." She handed Nick the phone. "Catherine wants to talk to you. She sounds serious."
Nick took the phone. "Hey Cath, are you okay?"
"Yeah, Nick, I'm fine. I need you to come down to CSI."
"Why?"
Catherine paused for a minute. "We have a case. Suicide. Twenty-three year old female. One GSW to the temple."
"Cath, I'm off tonight. Sara and I requested this night weeks ago. I don't understand why you need my help if you already know it was a suicide."
Sara perked up at the mention of a suicide and gave Nick a questioning look.
"Look, Nick. Just come down, please? I'll make sure you both get another night off together. I'm sorry for interrupting, but we really need you down here." She paused. "And you may need to bring Sara with you."
"Okay, Catherine. But you owe me. And I will bring Sara with me."
"Good. See you in a few"
"Yeah, see ya." Nick hung up the phone and threw it back on the table. "Well, so much for a night to ourselves."
"What's going on?" Sara asked.
"I don't know. But I need to go down to CSI, and she told me I'd want to bring you with me. Do you mind?"
"No. No, of course not" she answered quickly.
Nick smiled, and leaned in to brush his lips against hers. "Thank you."
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"Did you call him?" Warrick asked Catherine as he walked into the break room to get some coffee.
Catherine sighed. "Yeah. This is the last thing he needs right now."
"Well, I don't know Cath. Which is better; knowing or not knowing?" Warrick sat down at the table next to his friend and reached for her hand. "He'll get through this."
"I know. I'm just really worried."
"So am I. But Nick is strong. And if he needs help he has us. And he has Sara. She'd never let anything happen to him, and we both know that." He gave her hand a tiny squeeze before standing and heading out to find Grissom.
"Thanks War."
"Anytime, Cath. Anytime."
Catherine leaned back in her chair and tried to think of how to inform Nick of the news. She didn't even want to imagine what he was going through right now.
Before she had time to gather her thoughts, Nick and Sara walked hand in hand into the break room. "Cath?" Nick asked.
"Hey guys." She responded.
"Can you just tell us why we're here?" Nick asked impatiently.
"Okay. Why don't you guys take a seat? Do either of you want anything? Coffee?" Catherine stood up and walked over to the coffee pot, hoping to buy herself a little bit of time.
"Cath, just tell me what's going on." Nick said impatiently.
Catherine took a deep breath. "All right, Nick. The girl who killed herself lived a few doors down from Monica. Her name is Bianca Miller. Does that name sound familiar to you?"
Nick closed his eyes tightly. "She was Monica's Maid of Honor."
"Oh my God" Sara gasped.
"Nicky, I'm sorry." Catherine apologized as she took her seat back at the table, handing them each a cup of coffee.
"I didn't really know her well at all. I only met her after I proposed to Monica."
The three remained silent for a short while until Sara spoke up. "What does this have to do with Nick, Catherine? Is there something that you're not telling us?"
Catherine reached inside an evidence envelope, and pulled out another plastic evidence bag that had a piece of paper with writing on one side of it. "We found this in her pocket." She slid it across the table to Nick. "It was addressed to you, Nick."
Nick carefully picked up the plastic bag, and began reading the letter aloud.
Nick Stokes
c/o Las Vegas Crime Lab
Dear Nick,
I have a great confession to make to you right now. I don't know how to start. I guess I should say that from the beginning I never had anything against you. But then you left my best friend at the altar so you could go chase that stuck up bitch partner of yours. Monica told me all about her. But that's not the point right now. I got over it. Monica was fine with not marrying you. After all, neither of you felt any love for the other, so why'd it matter?
Monica and I got in a fight about you. I insisted that she do something to get you back, or at least to just make your life a living Hell. She didn't want to. So I had to take matters into my own hands.
I killed her, Nicky. I killed her and her baby. I bet you're wondering how anyone could possibly do that and still live with themselves. Well, that's why I'm not here to see the look on your face right now. For a week after I did it, I couldn't stop crying. I regretted it. Monica was my best friend, but we just didn't see eye to eye on many things. You, being one of those many things.
I didn't mean for it to come to this. If she would have just decided to keep the baby and not let you have it, then this would have never happened.
You will find the knife I used to kill her in the top drawer of the dresser in my bedroom. Not that you need it, but it's there if you do. I take full credit for my crimes, and I have been punished. Dammed to Hell,
Bianca Miller
Neither Nick nor Sara said anything for almost ten minutes after he finished reading the letter.
It was Catherine who spoke up first. "The case is closed, Nick. Both of them. There's nothing more we can do about it."
"I know" he whispered.
"I'll leave you two alone for a bit. I need to take the letter back to evidence, though. If you need me, just give me a call. Warrick, Grissom, and Greg are all here, too. If you need-"
"Thanks, Cath" Nick said cutting her off.
Catherine nodded, gathered the letter, and left the break room quietly.
Sara squeezed Nick's hand. "Nick?"
"There's nothing to say, Sara. We know what happened to Brianna. But there's nothing we can do about it. This letter isn't going to bring my baby back." Nick rambled.
"I know."
"Can we just go home? I want to go home, Sara." His voice was pleading, and Sara knew that going home would be the best thing for him right now.
"Yeah. Let's go." Sara stood up, and led Nick out of the building.
"Thank you, Sara."
Sara simply squeezed his hand, letting him know that she was always there for him, no matter what.
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TBC
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Well, the end is drawing near. Yes, I will have the wedding in this story. If not, then there will be a sequel.
Hit that button, and let me know what you think!
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