Nick sat Amie in the back seat and draped a spare blanket around her, while Grissom called in reinforcements. They waited in silence, for the police Grissom watched Nick tend to Amie and smiled at his young friend, Nick was fast becoming like a father to the small girl and he was going to hate to see her taken from him, when they found her brother.
"What?" Nick asked looking up and seeing the grin on his friends face.
"Nothing." Grissom answered still smiling nick shook his head and returned his attention to Amie.
About an hour later the police finally showed up with two ambulances in tow, Nick piled into on with Amie and sat with her while the police followed Grissom back into the woods to fetch Don.
"Hey, you how are we doing?" Warrick asked smiling down at a drowsy Amie. She smiled back and rubbed her eyes, the had given her a mild sedative to calm her down and she was falling asleep.
"Teddy Nick, please?" She asked Nick nodded and hopping out of the ambulance went to fetch the teddy bear where she had left it in the truck, he handed it to her and she curled up with it and fell asleep. Nick watched her sleep, running his finger through her messy hair, a small smile lighting his face.
"Sir we have to go now are you going with her?" an EMT asked him, Nick nodded and turning to glance at Warrick who nodded, he climbed in next to the sleeping child and they were off.
Don Fredrick's was tried and sentenced two serve ten years in in prison, five in and five out on probation. Nick Watched over Amie while she stayed in the hospital and then took her home again. Time passed, days turned to week and weeks to months with no sign of Amie's brother, until one raining afternoon Amie had just gotten in form a day with Lindsey and Catherine and she and Nick where settling in for dinner when the phone rang, Nick got up to answer it and frowned.
"Hey 'Rick what's up man?" He asked
"Oh I see, when I she getting in?" Nick asked and listened again.
"Alright thanks man I'll make sure she's all ready to go tomorrow afternoon then. And he hung up came back to the table.
"That was Warrick they found your brother, he coming into town tomorrow afternoon to pick you up." Nick told her, he watched as her face scrunched and her eyes filled with tears she leapt into his arms, and cried.
"I don't what to go away, I want to stay with you." HE wrapped his arms around her small frame and held her close, he own eyes filling with tears he could barely contain his own emotions.
"I know sweetie, but you need go with him. I will always be right here if you need me okay?" he soothed she simply nodded. Dinner went largely untouched by both of them and then they went to bed. Amie lay in her bed wide awake her mind racing, she didn't want to go, but Nick said she should, the man coming for her was her brother. Sighing she fell asleep, dreading tomorrow. She was not the only one laying awake that night Nick couldn't sleep he hadn't realized oh much it would hurt when she left but now his heart was breaking thinking of not having her around anymore, he lay like that for hours until he too fell into a fitful sleep.
The day down cloudy, the clouds think with the promise of rain, Nick packed Amie's bag in the back and helped her into the back seat then climbing behind the wheel buckled and they were off for the air port. The drive seemed to take forever, or maybe that was because he was dreading this meeting, his stomach was in knot and his eyes filled tears he continuously swallowed back tears, his throat was sore from the lump that lay permanently lodged there. Finally he parked close to the doors and they got out, and walked inside to meet Bobby.
"Hi are you Nick Stokes?" A voice asked Nick turned to see and young man no older then himself with light blond hair and deep blue eyes.
'oh yeah their related alright' he thought.
"Yep that's me you must be bobby?" Nick questioned holding out his hand they shook and then Bobby eyes feel on Amie who up to this point was behind Nick.
"Amie?" Bobby asked his voice thick with emotion, She came out and looked him up and down.
"You're my brother, where were you all this time, why didn't come get before?" She asked holding her teddy close.
"I didn't know about you, mom never told me and dad refused to talk to me, all these years I never knew I had a sister." He explained she looked up at Nick.
"It okay I will always be here if you need me, this is my cell number you can use it when ever you want to." HE handed her a card she tucked into a pocket, and hugged him, he wrapped his arms around her for the final time and now he let the tear fall, he didn't care what any thought, he was going to miss her. Bobby toke her things and they started, Nick picked up her teddy bear and called out to her she came running back but just shook her head when he tried to hand it to her.
"You keep him, you can hug him when you think about me." She explained Nick nodded to emotional to talk. He watched them until they disappeared into the crowd waiting for the flight out, and then watched the plane until it was gone into the sky.
After leaving the airport Nick decided to go to the lab, it was only a few hour's till the start of shift and he really didn't feel like going home right now any way. He sat in the locker room his locker door hung open he held the small bear in his hands smiling.
"Hey Nicky, how are you doing man?" Warrick asked upon seeing his friend in the locker room as he dressed for shift.
"I'm doing okay Warrick really, she gave him to me, said to hug it when thought of her." Nick said holding out the small bear, Warrick grinned and took it in his hands held it for a moment before giving it back. Nick sat it in his locker and then closing the door both headed to the break room for the assignments, they got stuck together again and both headed out for their destination.
"So you going to be okay" Warrick asked, Nick took a minute to consider and them smile turning the key in the ignition, to hear Splendors I think God can explain come on over the radio.
There's a lot of things I don't understand
And there's a lot of things
I don't want to know
But you the only face I recognize
It's so dang sweet of you
to look in my eyes
It's alright, I'm ok
I think God can explain
I believe I'm the same
I get carried away
"Yeah." he answered finally and he pulled out of the lot and headed down the strip.
It's alright I'm okay
I think God can explain
I'm relieved, I'm relaxed
I'll get over it yet
That's it, it over, have a nice drive safely, don't forget to try the cheese cracker on you way out. In the immortal words of porky pig
"THAT'S ALL FOLKS!"