Disclaimer: to get it out of the way, Jerry rocks, and he owns everything except Anne, who is mine and I say what she can and can't do, literally. Anyway, if you have ever heard the song Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley then you might know what I'm talking about. When I hear that song I think of either two people in love, or someone not getting the chance to say I love you. It's got that eery music but the lyrics are sweet. If you don't know what I mean then forget I said a thing and read on. Kudos to Jerry and Elvis.
Fools Rush In:
Nick Stokes was in the locker room preparing for shift when his boss, Gil Grissom, walked in. "Hey Nick." He greeted, extra cheery tonight.
"Hey." He said. Nick had been thinking all day and he figured Grissom might be able to help him. "Can I ask your advice?"
"Sure." He said sitting next to Nick on the bench.
"If you knew you liked someone, or might possibly have feelings for them, do you rush in and tell them, or do you wait it out see if your feelings change?" He asked.
"You're a little to young for me." Grissom joked. "Only fools rush in Nicky. If these feelings are just coming to you, you need to see if they really are love or just a crush. And even then is this someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, or just the next few months." He said standing up. "Process your thoughts before you express them." He said before leaving.
Nick nodded. "I guess he's right." He stood up and shut his locker just as Anne Myers walked in. She had come to the lab a month ago, and she was now filling in for Sara who was on maternity leave. The minute he saw her his throat went dry and his stomach turned in knots.
"Hey Nicky." She greeted.
Even the way she said his name made him blush, but lucky for him he hid it well. "Hey." He said.
"Did you catch that game last night. Papers say Yankees won." She said with a smile. She was originally from New York, and you could tell from her slight accent.
"Yeah." He said simply, not being able to form many other words. "I'll see you around." He said leaving.
She watched him go and let out a huge sigh. She didn't know why he always acted strange around her, like he was nervous. She had tried to fit in with the Las Vegas team and she thought she had, but for some reason Nick was the only one that wouldn't open up to her.
She walked into the break room and assignments were being given out. "Warrick, you and I have a DB on the side of the road, couple miles past the Monaco. Catherine, Anne, DB of your own. Drowning in a pool." He said handing out the slips. "Nick you have a dead body as well. Robbery gone bad." He handed the slip and he and Warrick left.
Nick had to tell her. He had to know if she felt the same, and if she didn't at least he can't say he didn't try. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" He said to Anne as the three left in the room stood up.
She looked to Catherine. "I'll go pull the car around." She said.
When she left the room Nick looked back to Anne. "I'm not very good with words, so you'll have to bare with me." He said fiddling with his hands. "I believe in fate, and I think it was fate that you wound up at this lab at this point in time. I know we've only known each other for a month but.." He took a moment to collect his thoughts. "You may say it's crazy to fall in love with someone you just met but I can't help it. I think you are such a great person and there's just something about you that makes me go crazy. Every time you walk into a room my stomach turns, my throat goes dry, I can barely even form words. But I think things are meant to be." He wasn't sure if he was making any sense because he couldn't organize his thoughts. "A river is guaranteed to flow to the sea, or any body of water I guess. The point is that it's guaranteed, and I think that some things are just meant to be and I think you and I were meant to be. That's why you came here." Nick took one last try. "You're the person I would want to spend my whole life with. I want to put my life, my heart, in your hands and trust that you won't break it." He gave up and took a deep breath. "You know what don't say anything. Let me rethink what I want to say, and we can meet up in the locker room after shift and try it again?"
Anne smiled slightly and nodded. He took one last breath and walked down the hall. She knew exactly what he was trying to say. She walked down the hall shortly after him and strapped herself in the passenger seat.
"So what was that about?" Catherine smiled keeping her eyes on the road.
"I think Nick loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me." She said giving another small smile.
"So and?"
"Well he couldn't exactly get it out right so he wants to meet after shift and try it again." She said.
"And what are you going to tell him?" Catherine asked.
"That I love him too." She said blushing.
Catherine smiled as they arrived at the crime scene.
Nick reviewed his portfolio and then walked into the house. The cop was standing there looking at the body. "Crime scene cleared?" Nick asked setting his case down next to the body and slipping his gloves on.
"Yes sir." He answered.
Nick had to smile. The cop was a kid, probably just out of the academy and he could tell he was uneasy, possibly his first DB. He looked down at the body and even he was trying hard to keep down his dinner. The guy had been cut open, guts everywhere. He squatted down next to it, and heard gagging noises and turned around to see the cop struggling harder than he was. "Go." He said nodding his head to the door and the cop ran for the front lawn. From the inside of the house Nick could hear the cop throwing up but he blocked it out as he looked around the body.
Anne picked up her phone. "Myers." She stood up when she heard her bosses voice. Catherine looked over but continued to take the pictures. "Ok, we'll be right there." She turned to Catherine. "Something came up and Grissom needs everyone back at the lab." Catherine gave David the ok to take the body and the officers to make sure no one disturbs the crime scene. Then they took off.
"Did he say what it was about?" She asked.
"He just said get to his office now." She shrugged.
The two girls walked in to find Warrick and Grissom standing in front of his desk. "What's up?" Warrick asked.
"Shouldn't we wait for Nick?" Anne spoke up.
Grissom looked down at his hands. "He's not coming." He said having a hard time not breaking down. "There was an incident at his scene tonight."
Catherine fell into the chair unable to support herself, thinking the worst.
"What happened?" Warrick asked, concerned about his best friend.
"Nick told the officer to go outside so as not to disturb the scene and the killer hadn't left." He swallowed.
"Is he?" Catherine said as a tear fell down her cheek, not wanting it to be true.
"The officer called for help and tried to save him, but by the time the paramedics got there it was to late." He said crossing his arms and hiding his eyes behind one of his hands. Unable to prevent the tears from falling. They all looked to the door when they heard it being slammed shut. Anne had stormed off. Warrick knew something wasn't right. He got up and when he opened the door he could hear loud banging noises coming from the locker room. The three of them ran down the hall, Warrick in the lead, to see what was happening. Warrick walked in first to see Anne wildly banging her fist against her locker, putting a big dent in it. Fearing she would hurt herself he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her chest to keep her from banging.
"No." She screamed. "Let me go."
"You're just hurting yourself." He tried to reason. "It won't bring him back."
It was then that her own tears wanted to be shed. "No." She said bowing up and down trying to get him off of her. He could feel her weakening and held on. "No." She broke down, her body shaking I sobs. "We were suppose to be together, after shift. That was fate. He wasn't suppose to go. Not now." She said as she turned and buried herself in Warrick's chest. "I loved him." She said, saying it to anyone since she didn't get to tell him.
The funeral was a week later and the four along with Greg, Brass, David, Doc Robbins and other people from the lab, were waiting in line to pay their respects to his family and to him. Warrick held tight to Anne's hand, showing his support and the only time she let go was when she shook his parents hands and went to the coffin. He was laid out in a dark grey shirt, light grey tie, and a black jacket. She placed a hand on the edge of the casket and looked at him. She tried to breath back her tears but a few were escaping. "I knew what you wanted to say Nicky," She began. "But I didn't tell you. I wanted you too feel that way, because I felt the same. I love you Nicky, and I always will." She said bowing her head as Warrick came up.
"I'll miss you man." He said. "I'll could never say it to you before, but you were always the better CSI." He said with a small smile. The two said goodbye one last time and he took her hand and helped her back to her seat.