Hello everybody…thanks again for the reviews.

Tefla: Thanks for the review…you are kind of close, but not in a way that you are thinking. It's coming pretty soon and I will never tell you to shut up. Who knows you may even give me an idea that I wasn't thinking. It has happened before.

Rojaji: Thanks about the mail cut. I was just joking. I know I would never ever inflict any scaring on our poor Nicky, but the whole Catherine idea is good. -

Chrissie0707: You would have to fight me first. Lol. Thanks for the great review.

Rozzy07: You hit the nail on the head. Thanks for the review. More action to follow. Hee hee.

Dumbandhappy: No I will never ever kill poor Nicky, but hurt him oh yea!

Happy-me-111: Thanks for your review. Yea I knew you couldn't be my sister I called her and asked her. She laughed! ;-) Don't forget I believe that reviews should help you get better and make improvements in your writing style or even to get ideas from people. Thanks again for the honesty. Later.

Pike2: You are exactly right and I hope that this chapter answers all of your questions. Thanks so much for the kind words.

Jojojojo01: I'm so glad you liked Leverage, I'm really proud of that story. I hope you enjoy this one as much. Thanks for the review.

Mma63: Thanks! Nick was hurt just a tiny bit. More action to come.

Dpsycho: Thanks for the review. There's definitely more coming. Enjoy!

O.K. I have one question. An author had made a comment at the beginning of one of their stories that it was official and we aren't supposed to comment back directly to the reviewers. Does anyone know if that's true or not? I haven't been able to locate anything that says that. Please let me know. Thanks!

And now Chapter 8……………

Grissom as well as Sara, Catherine, Greg and Warrick arrived in the emergency room about an hour after Nick. They wanted to go over Nick's house for any evidence. The only thing that turned up was a single bullet in the wall.

Greg had removed a few of Nick's personal items; he knew Nick would want and need them.

They entered the emergency room and walked up to the admittance desk. Grissom took out his id to show the nurse. Grissom didn't even give the nurse a chance to speak.

"I'm Gil Grissom with the Las Vegas Crime Lab, we are looking for a gentleman who was brought in about an hour ago, and his name is Nicholas Stokes."

"Let me check for you." She typed a few things into her computer. "Yes. Mr. Stokes is here."

"Can you tell me anything about his condition?" Grissom knew that they probably wouldn't answer the question, but asked it anyway.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'm not allowed to give out that information."

"I understand. Can you point us in his direction please?"

"Yes." She stood up and leaned over the counter and pointed. "Go thru those double doors and hang a right. He will be in room 105."

"Thanks." Grissom and the gang went thru the doors and located Nick's room.

Grissom smiled in satisfaction when they got to Nick's room. There were two armed police officers guarding Nick's door. The officer's names were Reed and Gomez. The group walked up to the officers.

Again Grissom held out his badge. "I'm Gil Grissom with the Crime Lab, I need to get in to see Mr. Stokes."

"I'm sorry sir, but we were told not to let anyone in to see Mr. Stokes without prior approval from Mr. Williamson." Reed responded.

Grissom could hear Nick's voice from behind the door he was talking to someone and he wasn't too happy.

"Is Mr. Williamson in there with Nick?"

"That's none of your concern." He answered.

At that comment Warrick and Catherine moved in closer. This officer wasn't going to talk to Grissom that way. Grissom held up his arm to stop them.

"Look officer I'm not sure what your problem is, but if Mr. Williamson is in there with Nick go in there and get him. Once he knows that we are here he will allow us in the room. Or if you want I can call him from my cell phone." He grabbed his cell phone for effect. "I do have his number on speed dial. It's your decision."

Sara tried to hide her smirk. The whole team knew that Grissom would win this argument. She was happy that the officers were taking their job seriously and not letting just anyone in.

The officer looked at Grissom for a moment then knocked on the door and walked in.

Nick was sitting on the bed when the officer entered the room. Mr. Williamson the D.A. was just standing in front of him.

Mr. Edward Williamson the District Attorney was a very thin, tall man. He had salt and pepper hair. He looked as if he had the weight on his shoulders like Atlas from Greek Mythology. He glanced over to the door when Officer Reed walked in.

"Excuse me Mr. Williamson, but there's a guy outside by the name of Gil Grissom, he wants to talk to Mr. Stokes here."

"Well of course, send him in."

"There are four others from the crime lab as well."

"I'm sorry, but tell Mr. Grissom that only he can come in."

Up to that point Nick just listened to the conversation, but when Williamson said that his friends, no his family couldn't come in to see him it made him angry. He was already under police guard and now they were going to take away his only means of not going completely crazy.

Nick started to talk trying to hold in his anger, "Look Mr. Williamson I'm not really happy with this little arrangement as you can imagine," he said with a wave of his arm. "But if you want me to cooperate fully then you will let all of my friends come in."

"Mr. Stokes…Nick, please understand that I'm only concerned for your safety."

"I understand that, but I would trust any one of those people with my life. In fact I already have twice. They are my family so please let them in." Nick finished with resolve.

Mr. Williamson heard what Nick had said; he had to think about it. He paced back and form with Nick and Officer Reed looking on. He stopped and looked at Reed.

"Alright put all of them on the approval list then have them come in."

Nick closed his eyes in relief. He knew that he needed his friends to help him through this. "Thanks Mr. Williamson."

"Yea sure, I just hope I don't learn to regret that decision."

"You won't. You know you don't have to like this, but at least I won't feel like I'm being held prisoner…again."

"Well Nick you are in my hands until you testify on Wednesday. So I would get real comfortable with the situation. Trust me I was hoping that it wouldn't come down to this, but it has and we have to make the best of it."

"Yea whatever."

Officer Reed exited the room and looked at Officer Gomez. Grissom and the gang looked at Reed in anticipation.

"Get all of their names and put them on the authorized visitor list."

Relief flooded their eyes. They were worried that they'd be kept from Nick. In this time he needed their support. It wasn't enough that he still had to go through the testimony and relive what had happened to him. He needed his family around him and that's what they were there for.

"Mr. Williamson says that you can go in." Reed said.

Grissom started through the door then stopped and looked at Officer Reed.

"Thanks!"

"For what Mr. Grissom."

"For challenging us…for doing your job." With that said Grissom walked through the door followed by the rest of the CSI's.

As Grissom predicted Nick wasn't too happy with the arrangements. Though he seemed to relax hen they entered the room.

Mr. Williamson walked to up Grissom and extended his hand, while acknowledging the other CSI's that had entered the room as well.

"Gil."

"Ed."

"I'm sorry about the officer, you just can't be too sure."

"I understand." Gil walked up to Nick.

"How are you feeling Nick? Has the doctor been in to see you yet?"

Nick looked at Grissom, "Let's see…how am I feeling?" he said his frustration and vent up emotion in his eyes.

Grissom took a step back waiting for the tirade of emotion to start. When he initially walked in he could tell Nick was emotionally spent and he was like a barrel of TNT ready to go off.

This man that sat in front of him had been through in one year, what one person would never in endure in a lifetime. If Nicky wanted to vent he had earned the right.

The CSI's stood there waiting for Nick's answer.

Nick took in a deep calming breath, looked down at the floor then up at his friends. Then did something that he always did, bottled up his emotions.

"I'm fine Grissom. I have a killer headache going on, but other than that I'm good to go." He plastered on one of his fake smiles.

Warrick knew Nick was lying through his teeth. They could all see it, couldn't Nick? Nick felt that if he had his friends around he would be just fine, but he never confided in them about his feelings. Everything that he had been through…Mrs. Hendler, Nigel Crane, being buried alive, kidnapped twice and now two attempts on his life. Nick always played it down. Sure there were professionals he could talk to, but they're his family and he should be talking to us.

Warrick finally spoke up anger flared in his voice, "Bullshit!"

Warrick's response surprised everyone especially Nick.

"What?" Nick responded.

"I said bullshit Nick, you are not O.K. and when are you going to stop pretending!"

The other CSI's in the room remained silent, they knew this had been coming for a long time.

Nick stood up, "What are you talking about Warrick?"

Warrick walked up to Nick and put his hand on his shoulder. "Nick you are not O.K. you may feel that you have a check on your emotions, but you don't. Why don't you ever talk to us? We are your family. I'm your brother man. Hasn't anything in the past that we've done for you shown that? What's it going to take to get you to open up to us?"

Nick looked up at Warrick and brushed his hand off of his shoulder. He walked over to the window and just stared out. He was aware that everyone in the room had been watching him. He was more shocked than angry, he knew deep down that Warrick was right, but he didn't appreciate being ambushed like this. Nick looked over to Mr. Williamson.

"Would you please excuse us, we have some things to talk about."

Mr. Williamson walked over to his briefcase, picked it up and headed towards the door.

"Nick I will be waiting outside the room. When the doctor returns with your discharge papers you will be escorted over to the hotel, where you will remain until your testimony."

Nick nodded in understanding. "Fine. Though I would like to get a few things from my house."

"Nick that won't be necessary. I hope you don't mind, but we grabbed some things that we thought you might need." Greg held up the bag he had been carrying and handed it to Nick.

"Thanks Greggo." Nick took the bag from Greg.

Greg had finally released the silent breath he had been holding. He was afraid that Nick would be angry.

"Well if there isn't anything else. I will be back when the doctor returns." Williamson walked out the door.

The silence in the room was deafening. Nick knew he was center of attention, but gee wasn't he always. He put the bag down on the bed and turned towards his friends.

"So you guys want me to open up? Fine, but know this, I don't want any of your pity and I don't want any of you to think any less of me."

There you go Chapter 8. I hope you enjoyed it. Please send me lots of reviews and let me know. Thanks!