"Have you told Sara that Nick hasn't come in?" Grissom asks.

"Not yet. Do you think I should? Do you think he might try something?" she looks concerned.

"I think at this stage it is safe to say that we don't know what Nick will do." Grissom watches as Catherine picks up her phone and dials Sara's number.

"Hi, I didn't wake you did I… Sorry. Look, just thought I should call you and tell you Nick didn't come in tonight. Just keep an eye out OK…… I don't think you should…… I don't know what he will do, and neither do you….. Look do you want me to come over, we don't have any calls at the moment but Gris can page me…… Are you sure. OK. Try and get some sleep. Well some more sleep. Bye."

"How is she?" he asks. Catherine can see the concern on his face.

"She sounds OK I suppose. I hope she doesn't do anything stupid."

"Such as?" Grissom can sense she has left something out of the conversation she had had with Sara.

"It sounds like she wants to forgive him. She says she is sure he wouldn't hurt her again and maybe she should go and see him. Why do women always think men will change."

"Maybe we should go and see him?"

Catherine couldn't believe here ears. Gill 'never get involved' Grissom wants to jump feet first into one of the most emotionally charged situations ever to cross his life. 'Well maybe men do change' she thinks.

"How do you think he will take it?" She is not sure she wants to see him right now. She is still furious at what he did to Sara but …… she still can't help but feel that he needs someone right now. He was obviously at a crossroads and abandoning him might just make him take the wrong fork.

"There is only one way to find out. Ready?"

She nods and stands. "Should we tell Warrick what is going on. I mean he will hear it one way of the other."

"Let's wait until we see Nick first. I will tell him we have a call and put him on emergency standby." Grissom quickly left to tell Warrick and not five minutes later they were in the car on the way to Nick's.

* * * * * **

Pulling into his driveway, everything looked…..normal. Lawn was neat. Nick's car was parked outside. His gym was in the garage so he never parked in there.

They walked up the path to the front door. Just as Grissom was about to knock Catherine stopped him.

"Are you sure about this Gil. I mean, from what Sara means Nick sounds completely unsettled. What if he pulls a gun on us?"

"Well….. we'll just pull out gun on him I suppose. Catherine…. I know you are angry at him but he needs help. If he doesn't get it from us then who will he get it from. His family are too far away to know what is going on. Hell, we didn't even know what was going on and we see him every day of the week." She nods. She knows he is right.

He raises his hand and knocks.

No response. He knocks again. No response.

"Do you think he has gone to Sara's?" Fear shows in Catherine's eyes.

"I doubt it, his car is still here. More likely he doesn't want to talk to anyone. What are you doing?"

Catherine had begun searching through her purse. " I think I still have a key of his from when he went to Dallas last. I checked his mail and watered his plants." Triumphant she pulled out a key and inserted it into the lock. "Presto." The door was open.

* * * * * * *

He heard them knocking. He ignored it. They would go away.

Then he heard the door open. "Nick, are you here." Grissom's voice. Unmistakable.

"Oh god no, no, no." He chanted to himself. He can't let them see him like this. He wrapped both arms around his legs and began to cry.

* * * * * * * *

They entered his house and Grissom called out "Nick, are you here." Nothing.

There was nothing to show in his neat house that could indicate the events that had transpired not 12 hours earlier. To the left of the entry was his lounge. Neat as a pin as usual. His large T rug on the floor, his TV off and books arranged neatly around it. Chest board on the table in start position. To the left was the kitchen. Stainless steel appliances shining. Again neat as usual.

Gil walked into the kitchen and there was all the proof he needed. About halfway up the freezer door, a sizable dint. Right about the height of Sara's head. He could feel his blood start to boil. 'It really happened.' Up until now he had been willing to give Nick the benefit of the doubt. But as he always says, evidence never lies.

"Can you hear that?" Catherine starts to walk towards Nick's bedroom where there is a low chant of "no, no, no, no," coming.

Unholstering her gun, she slowly opens his door. The sight inside nearly broke her heart.

In the far corner, seated but all curled up with arms over his head was Nick. Rocking backwards, and forwards. Most disturbing of all… he held a gun.

Grissom comes in behind her and she hears a low gasp. He is just as shocked as her to see him this way. Whatever they were expecting, it wasn't this.

"Nick, honey, it's Cath. It's OK. We are here to help you." He looks up, this eyes are sad. More than sad, lost, empty. He is gone.

"I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, " again another chant. Catherine turns and looks at Gil. She is on the verge of tears.

"Try and get the gun off him." He says. She nodds and starts to walk towards him slowly, her gun at her side but ready. Gill walks closely behind her.

"Nick, honey, why don't you give me the gun. You don't need that now do you?" Again he looks up, he looks at her then at the gun in his hand. Almost forgotten. Another reminder of his weakness. His face screws up, he shakes his head and lowers it again to his knees. This time he brings the gun up to his temple.

Gil this time, "Nick, you don't want to do this. You made a mistake, it happens. Everyone does it, even the strongest of us. Give us the gun please." Slowly, ever so slowly they are moving closer. Fear present in their hearts, scared that the next step will make him pull the trigger. A crime scene neither of them could take right now.

He looks up. "Am I weak?" he asks. Cath shakes her head, Gil does the same.

"Of course not. You are one of the strongest people I have ever met. Please Nick, give me the gun." Catherine is so close now.

He looks up at her and smiles. "Thanks Cath."

He pulls the trigger.

He isn't weak anymore.

THE END.