A New Addition
Pairing: Nick and Sara
Nick is brought back to the day his innocence was shattered by his last minute babysitter. This is his POV.
A/N: This chapter deals with sexual abuse. I have tried my best to tone down the account so I don't get an M rating for the story.
A/N 2: We know that when Nick was nine, he was molested by a last minute babysitter. In this chapter, he's experiencing a flashback to that time after hearing her first name when he and Sara were picking out names for their unborn daughter. Is he telling this to Sara? Is he having a nightmare? I'll reveal it in the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Nick, Sara or any other CSI character. I do own Nick and Sara's families and any other non-CSI character.
That Painful Flashback
Stokes Manor, Dallas, Texas, April 14, 1981
I was working on my math homework. Long division, I hated doing long division, but I had to learn it anyway. My teacher said that I would need it in the future. I wasn't sure if it would be a part of my future.
"Oh, bless her little heart," I heard my mom talk to someone over the phone. "It's just that I have that monthly Public Defenders' meeting to go to tonight. My husband is out of town for a conference. I can't leave Nicholas home alone, he is nine years old. My daughters are likely occupied with their own things. You know dates, school project groups and slumber parties. Well, I hope Tricia gets well soon. I'll talk to you real soon. Bye, Betty."
There was silence, but it wouldn't last long. I heard Sabrina singing 'Funkytown'. She has a beautiful voice, but not for pop music, opera was a better use of her vocal cords.
"Ah, Sabrina, just the girl I wanted to see," my mom said.
"What is going on, mom?" Sabrina asked.
"Tricia's mom called," mom said. "Tricia has been hospitalized with mono. She can't babysit Nicholas tonight. I was hoping you could just-"
"I can't cancel my date tonight," Sabrina said. "Jake and I bought the concert ticketsto see Rush in advance. We can't get a refund, all sales final. I am sure Nicky will understand. He is a big boy now. He'll be ten on August 18."
"What am I going to do now?" mom asked. "Wendy is going out on a date, Heather is working on a school project with her friends and Marissa is at a slumber party. Yes, I know Nicholas is a big boy, but I can't leave him home alone. What if he gets hurt badly and there nobody with him to take him to the emergency room?"
"Mom, Nicky is a very tough boy," Sabrina said. "He has dealt with skinned knees, cuts and bruises without shedding a tear. I'll make a deal with you. You let me go to the concert tonight and I will babysit Nicky next month if Tricia doesn't get well by then."
"Okay, I'll let it go this time," mom said. "However, you owe you little brother next month if Tricia is still under the weather. I am going to call neighbors for a last minute babysitter."
"Thank you, mom," Sabrina said. "You are the best."
"Hi, Mrs. Abernathy, this is Cynthia Stokes," mom said. "I am doing fine. How are you doing? The reason for my call is I have a meeting to go to tonight. My husband is out of town and the four daughters that still live at home have other things to do. I need a babysitter for Nicholas. His regular one is in the hospital. Oh, that's great! Can she get her at 6:30? I need her for only three hours. Thank you so much, you are such a lifesaver! I appreciate it and look forward to seeing your niece Veronica here."
I went downstairs after finishing with my homework. I was getting hungry and I wanted to talk to my mom.
"Nicholas, did you finish your homework?" she asked.
"Yes, long division is a pain in the butt," I said. "Science is cool and social studies are tough, but interesting. I have to create ten analogies for language arts."
"Well, your education today will prepare you for your future," mom said. "Don't you ever forget that Nicholas Anthony Stokes. I know that there are subjects that you hate, but you need to learn them. There were things I hated when I was your age, but put up with it and I am a better woman for it."
"I am hungry," I said. "What's for dinner?"
"I made your favorite," she said. "Macaroni and cheese with a splash of Tabasco sauce served with sautéed vegetables on the side. I'll give you a fruit cup and an ice cream sandwich later."
At 6:30, the doorbell rang and my mom answered it. It was a girl who was around Wendy and Sabrina's age. She must be the babysitter.
"Mrs. Stokes, I am Veronica," the girl said. "Mrs. Abernathy is my aunt.Where is that little boy of yours?"
"He's eating his dinner," mom said. "I just gave him some dessert."
I got up from my chair and left the kitchen to see my babysitter. I still had some remnants of the ice cream sandwich around my mouth. My mom would yell at me for not wiping my mouth after eating. I just wanted to see that girl.
"Nicholas, clean that stuff off your face," mom said. "Didn't you forget your manners? Now go to the bathroom and wipe that gunk off your face."
I went to the bathroom, turned on the faucet and splashed a little water in the area of my face. I dried it up and went back downstairs.
"You must be Nicholas," the girl said. "I am Veronica and I am your babysitter for tonight."
"Hi!" I said.
"Now here are the numbers for emergencies, neighbors and if you want to order a pizza," mom said to Veronica and then to me. "I want you in bed at 9:00, young man. I don't want to wake you up in the morning and you're cranky from a lack of sleep. I will see you later. Be a good boy!"
Mom kissed me in my cheek and left for her meeting. I was stuck with this strange girl. She seemed nice, but I missed Tricia.
"Would you like to play go fish?" I asked. "It's a card game."
"Aren't you a little too young to be playing cards?" Veronica asked.
"I play that game with my friends," I said. "They are my age."
"No, I don't want to play that game," Veronica said. "I am going to watch some TV. Care to join me?"
I just nodded my head. We sat down on the couch and watched something on television. I felt a hand snake around my waist until it was planted on my lap. It didn't feel right. Tricia would have never done this to me. I just moved further down on the couch.
"I am so sorry, Nicholas," Veronica said. "I didn't mean to spook you like that."
"It's okay," I lied, it wasn't okay.
Things got a little calmer, but it wouldn't last long. This was going to be one scary night.
"Nicholas, I have a special treat for you," Veronica said after long pause.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Close your eyes," she said.
I felt something go inside my mouth. With my eyes closed, I couldn't tell what it was. I opened them and saw it was her tongue that was in my mouth. This was really going from bad to worse. I pulled myself away from her.
"What kind of a treat is that?" I asked with disgust in my voice.
"You are almost a man," she said. "You should learn how to kiss a girl like one."
"Girls have cooties," I said. "They are also very yucky!"
"Girls eventually become women," she said. "They will want you so badly. Consider me your instructor."
"I don't want it!" I screamed. "I am going to my room. I'm very tired now."
"It's only 8:00 now," she said. "Don't you want stay up another hour?"
"No, I want to go sleep now," I said.
I immediately ran upstairs. The first place I went to was my bathroom to brush my teeth. When that was done, I went to my bedroom, closed the door, turned on my lamp and changed into my pajamas. I crawled into bed, turned off the lamp and tried to sleep.
It was a few moments later, the door of my room opened. Veronica came into my room. I wasn't sure what she would do next, but I was trembling in fear. I tried to tuck the sheets around my body for protection, but it was futile. She stripped off her clothes. I sank lower into my bed a pulled the covers over my head trying not to look at her naked form. I felt like a trapped animal.
"Come on, boy, get out of those covers," Veronica said in sickly whine. "You don't want me to tell you mommy that you have been a bad boy."
"No, put back your clothes on and get out of my room!" I shouted from the covers.
Veronica violently yanked the covers from my bed. I curled up like a sleeping kitten. She rolled me on my back and straightened out my arms and legs. I resisted, but she proved to be a force to be reckoned with. There was no way out of this one.
"Are you afraid of me?" Veronica asked.
That was a stupid question! She practically put her tongue in me, but not before snaking her arm around my waist and touching my lap. Of course, I was afraid of her. I felt the bile come up my esophagus and to my mouth. I quickly swallowed it back. There was absolutely no way I would give her the satisfaction of vomiting it out.
"Let me get into bed with you," Veronica said.
"Get out of my room!" I exploded.
Instead of leaving, she pulled of my pajamas and my underwear. I felt my heart beating very rapidly and my stomach lurching. This was very wrong. She was now on top of me and getting some pleasure out of my misery. I was crying in pain, both physically and emotionally. She was now touching me in the most inappropriate areas.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I yelled still trying unsuccessfully to fight her off.
Fifteen minutes later, she was finally off me. She replaced her clothes and left my room. She told me that it was our little secret and not to tell anyone or else. I breathe a sigh of relief when she closed that. I went to my bathroom to take a quick bath and I put back on my underwear and pajamas. I fixed my bed sheets and went to bed. I couldn't fall asleep at all. I just sat on my bed in the dark waiting for my mom to come home.
I heard the door the open at exactly 9:30. It could have been Wendy, Sabrina or Heather arriving from their dates or group project. I knew it couldn't have been Marissa because she was at a slumber party.
"Hello, Veronica," my mom said.
"Hi, Mrs. Stokes," Veronica said.
"Was Nicholas a good boy?" mom asked.
"Yes, he was," Veronica said.
I was a good boy, I thought. She was ahorrible babysitter.
"Thank you," mom said. "Here is 15 dollars. I do hope you could babysit again."
"Actually, I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico," Veronica said. "I am leaving tomorrow to go home. I was here visiting my aunt and uncle."
Why doesn't she go back to New Mexicoand never return to Dallas again, I thought.
A few moments later, mom comes in and approaches me. She doesn't reprimand me for not sleeping. Instead, she hugs me and I hold on to her for dear life. She kissed me in the cheek.
"Nicholas, get some rest," she said and she left my room. "Good night, I'll see you in the morning."
I was lying on my side and not facing the door. I quietly sobbed at what transpired when Veronica was at my house. I fell asleep hoping the real life nightmare I experienced didn't invade my dreams.
TBC