Thanks for all the reviews. This one is a little short, but don´t fear, it should be interesting enough.

Deceptive Intentions

by Nicol Leoraine

Chapter 10

Warrick was still fuming over Grissom´s words when he reached the bathroom. Once there, though, he stopped, his hand laid on the doorknob. Even there, he could hear the sounds of retching and he didn´t need much imagination to know that Nick was sick. As much as he wanted to go in and help him, he realised the best thing to do was to wait. Rather, he stood there, guarding the door until he could hear the sound of running water. He walked in and saw Nick leaning over the sink, splashing water over his face and spitting, trying to get rid of the sour taste in his mouth. His right hand was groping for a towel, and he jumped, startled, when the towel was put into his hand.

"Gosh, give a man a warning," Nick said, accepting the towel and drying his face. He blinked out the water from his eyes and for once was relieved to find it was Warrick standing there, and not someone else.

"Sorry. Getting a stomach flu?"

"Nah, just didn´t take well to the pizza. I'm okay." Nick saw the dubious look on Warrick´s face and sighed. "Stop worrying, 'Rick."

"You don´t have to work on that case, Nicky." Warrick spoke out of the blue, his words startling Nick more than his earlier appearance.

"What?" he asked, voice tight as he tried to swallow, unsuccesfully.

"Mason. You don´t need to work on him," Warrick repeated, managing toraiseNick´s anger once again.

"But I do, Warrick. And I want to," Nick emphasized, trying to stay cool, though he was failing miserably. Warrick watched him and saw the clenched jaw. The fact that Nick was still clenching the towel was also a pretty good indication of the CSI´s mood and Warrick let out a sigh, his hands raised as if in surrender.

"Hey, I didn´t mean anything by that, Nick. Just thought-"

"I can think for myself, thank you very much," Nick bit back, still eyeing the other man threateningly. "Look Warrick, I don´t need anyone to tell me what to do and what not. I am a grown up, if you didn´t notice. Maybe I'm not the brightest CSI onthis team, but if I thought Iwasendangering the case, I would step back myself. Now, if you don´t have anything else to say, I need to go to the lab."

Nick was about to push around Warrick, but the taller man took a step to the side, effectively blocking his way.

"Warrick," the name came out as a growl, but Warrick didn´t flinch.

"What, Nicky?"

"Get out of my way." Nick hissed.

"Not until we straighten this out."

"I think I made myself clear enough."

"Yeah, and it´s my time now, so shut up and listen. Maybe Grissom thinks it´s a great idea to let you work this case, and hell, maybe he´s right. But I won´t stand by and watch you waste away because of some mistake you think you made. Gonzales had a gun and whatever he said in that interrogation room that made you tick, it doesn´t mean shit to me. You put up a fight, you end up with abullet. Anyone coming with a gun is ready to use it. Whatever is running through your thick head, I advice you stop it, before it gets you into trouble." Warrick paused, trying to discern if the words hit close to home. Nick was staring at him, his eyes wide and glittering. Warrick couldn´t tell if it was anger in them or something else. He reached up and grasped Nick´s head, to make sure that he would listen to him.

"If I hover, it doesn´t mean I think you´re weak or incapable. It just means that you´re my friend and I am worried. Besides, everyone needs help from time to time. You better learn to accept it."

"You finished?" Nick asked, his voice hushed.

"Yeah, I am," Warrick sighed, slightly disappointed that his speech didn´t have the effect he wanted.

"Good. So we should get the hell out of here, before someone stumbles in and sees us like this. I would be mighty pissed to hear the secretary gosipping about our wedding day." Nick smirked as Warrick blinked, taking in his words. The smirk changed into a smile when Warrick laughed and slapped him on his face, nodding.

"You´re right, bro'. I wouldn´t like it either." Warrick took the totally crumpled towel from Nick and threw it to the sink, then headed for the door. His hand was on the doorknob, but he turned around to look at Nick.

"We are okay, Nick?" he asked, wanting to make sure his words weren´t taken in the wrong way.

"Yeah. We're okay." Nick said softly after a second and Warrick could see the truth in his eyes.

"That´s good," was all he said, then he opened the door and walked out. Nick stood there for a moment, then followed him.

xxxx

"Okay, I am faxing you the fingerprints," Nick spoke intothe phone and put the paper into the fax. He waited for the person on the other side to get the fax then put down the receiver, wearily leaning into the chair. He was currently alone in the lab, which he was thankful for. After his mishap in the bathroom, he and Warrick returnedhere, each of them looking through different pieces of evidence, trying to find the same suspect. It was already lunch when Grissom found them there and without much words sent them home. Nick had enough brain not to protest and in truth - he felt kinda tired. Maybe a few hours of sleep would help with the headache and the uneasy feeling in his stomach.

Getting home, he headed straight for bed, hoping for sleep. It came, but along with it came the nightmares and Nick re-lived once again the scene in the parking lot, nowadded with the details of Gonzales´ dead eyes accusingly looking up at him from the trash. Nick woke with a start, popped several pills ofaspirininto his mouth and took off to work. He was a little early, but it only suited him. He needed time and peace to get through with the phone calls he planned.

Now two hours later, his eyes burned from the lack of real sleep and from staring into the scope. Nick rubbed them and hid a yawn. At least his headache was gone and on his way there, he bought himself a bagel. Thankfuly, it stayed down.

"I thought I sent you home."

Nick looked up, startled. Grissom was watching him from across the room, hands crossed on his chest.

"Uh, I was home, Gris. I got here just a while ago," Nick lied and knew he was busted the moment Grissom´s eyebrows rose.

"Really?"

Nick only shrugged. He didn´t felt the need to apologize to Grissom - not for being in work earlier, anyway.

"I needed to make some calls with people that don´t work in the night. Thought it would be better to do it now than tomorrow in the morning."

Grissom eyed him warily, but seemed satisfied with the answer.

"Find out anything new?"

"Maybe," Nick said, hesitant to reveal his idea in case it was wrong. But Grissom looked curious enough, with his head cocked to one side.

"Care to share?"

"I thought it would be good to talk with someone who knew Paul Mason. First, I called his wife. She wasn´t very communicative, but I learned a few interesting things. It looks like Mason had some trouble in work. She didn´t know the details - or she don´t wanted to tell me, but Igot as much as I could. Mason was an insurance investigator, he specialised in fire. Well, about a month ago, something happened to him. His wife didn´t know what, but she was sure it has to do with one of the cases he investigated. So I called into his work and after a little persuasion learned that there´s an investigation going on - but inside the insurance agency. Looks like there was a fraud and Mason became a suspect when he put up his resignation."

"What kind of fraud?" Grissom asked, frowning. They should´ve had those informations much sooner. As if reading his mind, Nick said:

"They just started the investigation two days after Mason left work, and it was an internal affair. No one wanted to broadcast it. As for the fraud," Nick sighed, rubbing at his temple, feeling the tension returning, "looks like Mason and some other peoplefalsified the protocols in several cases, thus making their company pay even when it was a sabotage."

"And you learned all this from a phone call?" Grissom wondered.

"Yeah well, hope you won´t kick me when you see the phone bill. It took more then one call, and I still don´t have all the details. But I managed to get the name of the agent who´s currently working on the case. Evidently, he didn´t evenknow Mason was dead. I sent him a short report and he promised he´ll fill us in the details, but he needed to consult it with his chief.. Until then, I sent him the unidentified prints we collected at the doors in Mason´s hotel room.Like you know they match the ones taken from the container, where Gonzales was killed. He will get the fingerprints of persons that worked with Mason and which they´re now investigating and he´ll send me back the results."

"Good work, Nick," Grissom acknowledged him and in reply got a half-grin.

"Thanks," Nick mumbled and stood, when the phone started ringing. Even before he took the call, the fax beeped and started printing out the paper. Grissom turned, leaving Nick in the lab, but he stopped short at Nick´s excited voice.

"You´ve got a match!"

Grissom turned and saw Nick nodding.

"Thanks, I would appreciate that. Yes, we´ll inform you. Okay." He finished the call and grabbed the paper, his eyes flashing through the contest. When he looked up at Grissom, he had a slightly satisfied look on his face.

"We´ve got a name, Gris."

xxxxxxxxxx

A/N: Well, if I count it right, we have what - uhm, probably four more chapters to go. Keep up the reviews and enjoy the snow - if you´ve got it:-)

Check out for next update in Monday.