Pain and New Hope

Pairing: It's mostly about Nick, but it will be a Snickers (S/N) story at the end.

Spoiler: Stalker

Sara and Warrick take Nick home. He later deals with his stalker Nigel Crane.

A/N: I tried my best not to write the conversations verbatim from the Stalker episode.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the CSI characters or extras

Going Home and Finding Fear

Before Warrick could say anything, the doctor returned. She asked Warrick and Sara to leave the room for a few minutes. She gave me something for the pain so I didn't have to feel it getting up from the bed, changing to some clothes Sara brought me from my locker and for the ride home. She left and came back with a wheelchair. Sara and Warrick followed her into the room. I got up slowly, took my clothes and went to the bathroom to change. Once I was out of the bathroom, I was helped by Warrick to the wheelchair. After I was wheeled out of the room, the doctor gave me some Vicodin.

"Wait, I heard about that drug," I said. "There was a football player who was addicted to that shit. I am afraid to mess with it."

"You need something stronger than the OTC medication," she said.

"I think I could deal with just taking Tylenol or Advil," I groggily insisted.

"Nick, listen to what the doctor tells you," Sara smiled. "We will make sure you don't get addicted to them."

My mind became fuzzy when she told me again to get plenty of rest and not to work for at least a week. Before that I heard something about the Vicodin and not to overdo it. She left us to tend to other patients. Sara slowly wheeled me. I asked about the glove that I found before I was thrown from the window. Sara chastised me for thinking about the case. I should be resting and concerned about my recovery from my injuries.

When we got to Sara's Tahoe, she and Warrick helped me into the front passenger side. Warrick went to return the wheelchair and immediately returned to sit in the back seat. We drove off to my place before they went back to the crime lab. I was in a daze and didn't feel like talking. The ride was in silence, but it was very eerie. Before I knew it, we were at my home. Sara and Warrick got out first to help me out of the car. We walked to my door. I fished for my keys with my good hand and opened the door.

"Do you want us to come in?" Sara asked.

"Yeah, you can," I said.

The three of us entered my place. Warrick placed my medication on the counter. Sara fixed me a simple sandwich since I was a little hungry and some water. I ate it slowly and sipped the water. I started to feel sleepy. I managed to briefly snap out it since Sara's cell phone started ringing.

"Sidle!" she said after picking it up. "Warrick and I will be on our way. Nick is about to get some rest. I gave him something to eat. I think Warrick and I will be at the crime lab in about 20 minutes. Later!"

"Who was that?" I asked after she hung up.

"That was Catherine," Sara said. "It looks like she and Grissom found Nigel Crane's video collection. Nick, do you think you will be okay by yourself?"

"Yeah, I will just take a nap," I said. "I don't think I need to be babysat. If you would like to come by and check on me after shift that would be fine."

"Get well soon," Warrick said still showing that guilty look on his face.

"Thanks," I said as they left and I fell asleep on the couch.

I woke up at about a quarter to one in the morning. My head, wrist and chest were throbbing in pain. I had to get up to take some of that medication. I slowly eased up not wanting to cause more soreness than I was already in. I went to the refrigerator, grabbed a bottle of water and placed on the counter. I carefully opened the bottle of water and then the prescription bottle. I shook out two pills and put them in my mouth. I washed it down with water. I slowly and with great pain sat back on my couch, leaned back and tried to go back to sleep again. There was a knock on the door and I opened my eyes. Who the hell would be coming here at this time? I understand if Warrick and Sara came by to see how I was doing. They would likely come in the morning once shift was over. Still who could it be now?

"Who is it?" I shouted.

"Morris Pearson," the voice from the other side of the door said.

Who the fuck his this guy and why is he here?

"I am a psychic working with Gil Grissom on the Jane Galloway case," the guy said.

I slowly and painfully got up from the couch with a groan and walked to the door. I looked at him through the peephole and let him in.

"I've had more visions," Pearson said as he came barreling into my place.

What is this guy talking about? I've never met him before. We had a rapid exchange of words. I was asking him to leave and he told me to hear him out. I was waiting for the Vicodin to kick in so I didn't have to deal with this nightmare that was unfolding before me.

"Does green tea mean anything to you?" he asked.

I wonder if he meant the drink. If so, I drink that stuff when I didn't feel like having coffee. Then again, it could be something different.

My phone rang and I answer it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Nick, Nigel Crane is at your place," a man sounding like Grissom told me. "Are you alone?"

"Your psychic is here!" I said sharply.

"Keep him there," Grissom said. "Brass and two uniforms are on their way to your place."

We hung up. I heard a noise and grabbed my gun with my good hand. Now I am really freaked out and the damn medication still hasn't kicked in. I called his name several times as I looked around my place. I passed by a green 'T' as in Texas on my floor. It was a letter, not the drink Mr. Pearson was babbling about. There was no answer after calling his name.

Maybe he finally left, I thought. I can finally get some much needed rest. All of a sudden, I heard a crashing noise coming from the ceiling. I stepped out of the way since I didn't want to get more hurt than I already was. Some of the dust from the ceiling made me cough and I felt it in my tender ribs. There was Nigel Crane and the dead psychic. Nigel grabbed my gun that I dropped when he came crashing through my attic.

"You should be careful of who you let into your home," Nigel said.

I couldn't believe what had just taken place before my own eyes. When are Brass and the uniforms coming? Why is Nigel wearing my clothes? How does he know me?

"150 channels, sports package and I threw in a few movie channels for free," Nigel said. "We were talking for hours."

Ah, he is the guy from Luna Cable that installed my system. I just don't remember having a conversation with him. He then was babbling about that he made friends with me and he accused me of blowing him off. He said something about me being self absorbed. He also told me that he dyed Jane Galloway's blond hair red because he knew I loved redheads just like Melissa, my prom date. Nigel was such a damned fool. I now have an interest in a certain cute brunette I work with whose initials are SS, but I wouldn't give Nigel the satisfaction of telling him that.

"Are you going open him up?" Nigel asked indicating the dead psychic.

"You know that is not my job," I said. "That's the coroner's gig."

He had my gun pointing at my face. The babbling continued only this time it was really creeping me out. What he said next made me vow to never eat strawberries and whipped cream together again, not even serving them to Sara.

"I hate to disappoint you Nigel," I said quietly. "This isn't the first time I've had a gun in my face. How do you want this to end?"

"How do I want this to end?" Nigel said as he pointed my gun to his chin. "I want you to remember my name."

I lunged towards him and grabbed the gun from him. Brass and the uniforms finally came. The uniforms subdued and arrested Nigel. I was in shock, breathing heavily and I started to cry.

"Nicky, it's over," Brass approached me and patted me in the shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I said between breathing, gasping and tears.

"Let's get you out of here," Brass said.

I nodded my head. I wanted just go somewhere else. My place became a crime scene.

TBC