Disclaimer; I do not own CSI or the characters in the show which are the property of CBS Broadcasting Inc and Alliance-Atlantis Communications. No copyright infringement is intended. Nor money made.
CSICSICSICSI
"Oh my God, but I hardly touched him!" Aris said between laughs
"I know but that's CSIs for you," Nick said, he was sitting on the edge of her bed as he told Aris about Catherine's and Warrick's first reaction to the concert DVD. Arissa sighed and looked across at Katy, who was still out from the pain killers.
"You know if I had any idea who hurt us I'd tell you, right?"
"I know, don't sweat it we'll catch them," Nick said, running a hand through her hair. He lent into her slowly watching for any signs of reluctance. Their lips were a millimetre away when the door opened with a bang causing them to jump apart guiltily. Michael stormed in still holding Greg. Arissa's eyes went wide.
"Oh my God, what happened?" she exclaimed trying to get to the bed that Michael put him on. Nick caught her around the waist and stopped her, she watched as the doctor bustled over to check him.
"Papa, what's going on?" she pleaded with Michael.
"If they think I'm going to leave him to that wolf of a detective and his arrogant jumped up criminalist partner they have another think coming. Who are you?" he snapped at Nick suddenly noticing him.
"I'm Nick Stokes, sir, I work with Greg," Nick said calmly, although his accent had thickened somewhat.
"Really so another CSI? You can get out too, I'm not going to have my kids upset under the pretence of questioning" he fumed.
"Papa, no! Nick came to visit me because I asked him too, he's not her as a CSI he's here as my guest," Aris insisted, a movement in Michael's peripheral vision caught his attention.
:Nick's a good guy, Michael, I promise: Greg backed his sister up. Michael sighed
"I know when I'm beaten don't worry – one raised voice though and he's gone- got it?" he said warningly, three nods later he left. Greg grinned sheepishly.
:Hi, Nick:
"Greg, I don't sign, sorry,"
"He said hi- which is Gecko speak for 'what are you doing here and why are you sitting on my sisters bed?'" Aris loosely translated.
"He can say all that with two signs? Wow, I never knew 'hi' could mean so much…" Nick grinned at her and then at Greg. His smile faltered when he saw the damage done to his friend. He got off the bed and went over for a closer inspection.
"Jesus," he muttered gently brushed the hair away from Greg's forehead. Greg pulled away.
:It's not that bad: he signed; Nick frowned and turned to Arissa, but kept a hand on Greg's arm. Aris rolled her eyes.
"He say's 'it's not that bad'. Mind you, when he got blown up, he told us he- and I quote- 'had a little accident work'," she informed Nick – he turned back to Greg in time to catch the lab tech glare at his sister. Arissa was unfazed by the visual daggers.
"What you have to understand Nick is my brother, while putting on an arrogant twat act where ever he can, actually has a skewed sense of self-worth. In actual fact he doesn't have seem to have any self-worth and under plays anything that happens to him as if he doesn't matter. For proof of this, pay him an honest compliment and observe the colour change," as she spoke, she kept her focus on Greg who was trying to disappear into the bed. Nick looked at him.
"Is she serious?"
:No:
"He says no but means yes," Arissa translated. Nick sighed and ran a hand through Greg's hair.
"You do realise it's common opinion that you are the best Tech in the States, don't you?" he said sincerely, genuinely curious if Arissa was correct. A blush crept up over Greg's face and neck.
"Told you," came a sing-song voice from the other side. Nick smiled and filed the reaction under mostly useless except as blackmail material. Obviously he gave away what he was thinking because Greg cringed and rolled away from him. Arissa slid off her bed and hobbled over to Greg's, she perched on the end and tried to roll Greg back.
"Aww, don't be like that Gecko, come one," she cooed as she pulled him back. Greg gave and let her roll him, as he came over he met her gaze head on. Nick could have sworn that in the few seconds that the two stared at each other an entire conversation had taken place. Tears formed in Arissa's eyes.
"Oh my poor brother," she whispered, she lent down and embraced Greg. This seemed to break the dam; Greg started shaking and tears trickled from his eyes. Aris started to try and lift Greg to a sitting position, but it was clear that with her cast preventing her from standing properly that she couldn't.
"Let me, Aris," Nick said softly going around to the other side of the bed; Aris nodded and reluctantly moved away allowing Nick to reach round Greg. He lifted the lab tech easily, Arissa move the bed to a sitting position. She climbed up next to Greg and pulled him carefully onto her lap. Greg rested his head on her shoulder and tried to slow his breathing, all the movement had awakened every injury he had even through the pain meds. Nick looked at the two tears leaked in his own eyes; he knew what had happened he heard the report from Catherine. He didn't know who the bastards were that had hurt them but he was going to find out. His gaze ticked to the door and he considered leaving.
"Stay," Aris pleaded, he met first her eyes then Greg's. Greg pointed at Nick ad then at the vacant part of the bed where he'd been a few moments ago. Nick hesitated.
"Oh surely I don't need to translate that," Arissa scolded lightly, Nick sighed knowing he was beaten and unlaced his boots. He hopped up on the bed, it was a tight squeeze and his arm was sandwiched between his side and Arissa.
She rolled her eyes.
"You can out your arm around us, we don't have cooties," she teased, Nick blushed
"I didn't want to assume…"
"Look I'm about as tactful as a poke in the head with a sharp stick – If I don't like what you're doing I'll let you know. Until then…" she picked up his arm and dumped it around her shoulders. Nick smiled and gave her a squeeze before making himself comfy. He glanced at Greg who was grinning at him.
"What?" he asked, Greg signed something at him but instead of interpreting Arissa answered for him.
"No, but I'm hopeful," she said. Greg smiled and signed something else that made Arissa grin. She kissed the top of his head.
"Go to sleep," she whispered, Greg nodded but before he closed his eyes he swung his legs over Nick's effectively pinning both of them to the bed.
Arissa smiled.
"Take it as a compliment; even drugged he won't fall asleep unless he feels 100 safe," she advised.
Nick smiled
"Why don't you get some sleep too, okay?" he suggested, Arissa smiled at him.
"Can I get a goodnight's kiss?" she asked quietly, already leaning in, Nick met her halfway and gently sealed his lips over hers in a slow gentle kiss. Neither of them noticed that Greg's eyes had opened; he smiled contently before drifting off into a restful sleep.
Several hours later Nick was woken when someone cleared their throat loudly. It took him a moment to work out why he was sharing a bed with a co-worker and the gothic queen. When he did he glanced round the room and noticed both Michael and Katy sitting by the bed. Nick winced when he saw their expression.
"Sir. Ma'am." he said trying to sound professional whilst in a puppy pile with their kids. He felt a movement on his side and turned to see that Greg had woken up and was signing, he felt relief that he wasn't going to have to face them alone.
:He's a friend, his name's Nick: and he closed his eyes again. Nick turned back to the Hampton's they both looked from Greg to him, Katy glared.
"Let me guess- CSI and don't know ASL?" she sneered, Nick decided he liked her better when she was seeing monkey's in the curtains. Michael squeezed her hand stopping her from commenting further. Greg sighed loudly, opening his eyes and glaring at Katy. She huffed at him.
"Yeah, well, I don't trust the Las Vegas crime lab and I trust the CSIs even less – with reason I might add," she was speaking to Greg but glaring at Nick.
Nick tensed.
"Look, Ma'am, I don't want to cause a problem here so I'm going to…" he went to get up but was pulled back
"Stay put," Aris finished his sentence for him yanking on the back of his shirt, she too glared at Katy.
"You are being unreasonable, Mama," she said, her voice quivering with tension.
"They blew up your brother!" Katy seethed.
"No, there was an accident and Gecko got hurt. It's a bit like my father organising us a gig where four of my friends dies and the rest of us are injured. So should I be blaming Papa for that?" she snapped.
Nick cringed he did not want to be involved in a domestic. Before Katy could respond Greg joined in, he signed something that stalled her. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
"Look, you might trust them, I don't, and I still want you to quit, Gecko we can support you," she sounded pleading but the way Greg reacted implied that this was a recurring conversation. He rolled his eyes at her and turned away.
"Gecko, please, listen to your mother…" Greg cut Michael off with short gestures. Katy instantly teared up, she took off. Michael glared at Greg.
"That was uncalled for," He chastised, Greg was shaking slightly; if Nick's hand hadn't been on his shoulder he wouldn't have noticed.
"Hey, lay off, okay?" he said to Michael, formality giving way to loyalty to his friend. He gave Greg's shoulder a squeeze, Greg looked at him and signed something.
"Greg, don't be stupid, you still need medical care," Michael snapped
"Greg asked you if he could leave with you, Nick," Arissa informed him, bristling at Michael. "And he's not stupid," she glared at her adoptive father.
Nick looked at Greg and sighed.
"Greg, Mr Hampton is right…." Nick started but Greg cut him off. When he had finished Michael cast one look at him then turned to Aris.
"Do you agree with him?" he demanded
"Papa, please don't be this way. I love you, but don't make me choose," she begged Michael, he studied her face.
"Are you taking the girls? They're outside," he whispered shakily
"We're not going far and not forever, this is not the end of the world," she tried to explain.
"What's going on?" Katy asked, reappearing.
"The twins want to leave; they are going back to the apartment. Yes, they are taking the girls," Michael summarised, which helped Nick because he now understood what was going on.
"Mama, please I'm not moving out but you are tearing Gecko in two directions, and right now we need CSI on our side," she tried explaining to Katy when Michael didn't seem to buy it.
"And what about medical treatment?"
"Desert Palms is fine and we can both be discharged. Please don't make this a war; Gecko is leaving and I am going with him. I don't want us to be alone again," Aris finished with a whisper, she had the best puppy dog eyes Nick had ever seen, he then looked at Greg and amended that to the second best. Katy looked like her heart was breaking, Michael was the same. The Hampton's shared a look then Michael nodded.
"I'll have a car made ready, please don't leave before we return, we want to say goodbye," he said standing, the twins nodded and they left. As soon as they were out of sight the puppy dog looks disappeared. Nick waited until he was sure they were out of ear shot;
"How many times have you pulled that?" he asked. Greg had the grace to look sheepish; Arissa grinned.
"Can't remember, but it works every time," she said smirking. The door crept open again.
"Mama!" two girls shrieked and ran in.
"Luna, Solaris, careful, Gecko is hurt," Aris warned before they could pounce on the bed. The girls immediately started walking and settled down carefully on the foot of the bed.
"Gecko is hurt and yet you too have a cast," one of the girls observed. Nick was stunned.
"Identical twins," he muttered, remembering reading somewhere that some families had a genetic propensity towards twins.
"Wow, this one's observant" one of the girls said rolled her eyes.
"Luna!" Aris admonished, sounding shocked. Greg was trying to smother a laugh. Nick smiled at her.
"Sorry, I'm just surprised that's all,"
"It's cool we're used to it. Who are you?" the other one asked bluntly.
"Solaris!" by this time Greg was biting into a knuckle in an effort not to burst out laughing.
"Nick, I am so sorry, I'd like to say that they are not always like this but I would be lying," Aris said embarrassed, Nick laughed.
"Don't worry. I'm Nick Stokes, I work with Greg"
"Cool. Who's Greg?"
"He means Gecko sweetie,"
"Oh, why didn't he say so?"
"Long story,"
"We like stories,"
"We don't have time. Look you need to go find Grandma and Papa, they're going to take you home so you can pack, we're going to stay with Gecko for a bit so bring what you want, some clothes and your school work!" the girls offered Arissa a grin before dashing off the way they came. Nick watched them go thoughtfully.
"How old are they?"
"The girls? They're ten," Aris replied warily.
"Huh…" Nick said taking that in.
"They're yours aren't they?" he asked hoping his voice was light, bur Arissa still froze.
"Yeah, yeah they're mine," she answered. Nick thought on that before speaking;
"He really is a bastard," he said with feeling, as soon as he spoke he felt the room ease like a rope had been cut, Aris laughed with relief.
"Yeah he really is. The girls though are mine – nothing to do with him, I'm fairly sure he doesn't even know about them and that's the way it's going to stay, they are a silver lining in a very dark cloud," she sighed fidgeting until she could turn.
"Here hold this," she said laughingly pushing Greg onto him. Greg didn't seem too perturbed; he just shifted across so he could lean his head on Nick's shoulder. Nick looked slightly surprised when Greg grabbed his arm and draped it round him like a blanket; he promptly closed his eyes and fell asleep. Arissa had gotten herself up and grabbed her crutches. She laughed at Nick's face.
"Perhaps I should have told you- Gecko loves cuddles – goes through phases were he can't sleep alone. Despite what my parents think, my brother does not trust easily, but he does trust well. It says a lot about you that he is so comfortable with you," she looked at Greg; love and respect evident.
"He's been through so much, in a way more than me. It just doesn't seem fair," she said sounding pained.
She handed Nick a notepad and a pen.
"In case he wakes up" she explained before leaving to go back and pack.