This will probably be the last "Fun and Sweet" chapter for a while. I had to make up for some of the angst from the earlier chapters. Like I said expect a HUGE surprise in up coming chapters (or maybe it's this chapter!)! I'll keep you posted!
Thanks again!
-CSIFanatic08
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"It was pure luck. That is the only reason why you guys won," Nick said as he rummaged through Warrick's pantry.
"Oh please. It's called skill," Warrick said with a smile. "Good job Sara," Warrick said as he gave her a one handed hug.
"Yeah, we're not too bad of a team now are we?" Sara asked with a smile.
"Oh shut up," Catherine said as she helped Grissom collect the cards that we're now scattered on the table and on the surrounding floor.
"Hey we got 2nd. That's not bad at all," Grissom said as he passed his cards to Catherine who held the card box in her hand.
"What are you looking for Nicky?" Catherine asked as she closed the box and threw them on the table.
"Popcorn," Nick said as he moved everything on the bottom shelf.
"Why? Isn't there ice cream in the freezer?" Warrick asked as he headed over to the appliance.
"Nope. No ice cream," Nick said as he closed the pantry.
"Well, I was going to go pick up Lindsay, you want me to get some on my way back?" Catherine asked as she slipped her shoes on.
"Yeah could you?" Warrick asked as he closed the freezer door.
"Why are you getting Lindsay?" Sara asked as she plopped down on Warrick's couch.
"Because she wants to see Nick. It's been a full 36 hours," Catherine said as she threw her coat on. "Sara, want to come with?"
"Sure why not," Sara said as she pushed herself off of the couch and put her flip flops on.
"Where are you going?" Greg asked as he walked out of the bathroom.
"We're going to go pick up Lindsay and get some ice cream on the way back. Wanna come?" Sara asked as she flew her coat over her right forearm.
"Yeah," Greg said as he walked towards the door. He already had his shoes and coat on so he took the keys from Catherine and ran towards the car.
"Can you get popcorn and chocolate syrup too?" Nick asked like a child
"Anything for my little Nicky," Catherine said in her baby voice. Nick rolled his eyes at the tone of her voice.
"I call shotgun!" Sara yelled as she chased after him.
"It's whoever gets there first you know that Sidle," Greg said from out side.
"It's gonna be a long ride," Catherine said as she rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her.
"Have fun," Grissom said as he sat in his chair.
"So what do you guys want to do?" Nick asked as he put the left over pizza into freezer bags.
"How about we go rent a movie?" Warrick suggested as he opened the fridge for Nick to place the remaining pizza in.
"Yeah that sounds good," Nick said as he shook his head and walked past the family room and into Warrick's guest room.
Nick walked into the room and closed and locked the door. Warrick and Grissom sat at Warrick's dining table and had a little talk.
"So what do you think?" Grissom asked as he leaned forward on the table.
"About what?" Warrick asked as he also leaned forward.
"About Nick. Do you really think that he is better or do you think it's an act?" Grissom stated as he slouched in his seat.
"I don't know anymore Grissom. I used to be able to read Nick like a book. Now, I have no idea what's going through his head," Warrick said with a disgusted tone. 'Do you think there is anything we can do?"
Grissom thought about it for a minute. "Was there anything they could do? Should they just give him his space?"
"I don't know. I want to help as much as you do, but I think the best thing we could do for him is tell him the truth and to give him his space," Grissom said as he walked to the front door. "I just…I just want this to end. I want it to be over with. I want everything to go back to the way it was before," Grissom said as he slipped his shoes on and walked outside.
"Where are you going?" Warrick asked as he ran outside after him.
"I'm going for a ride," Grissom said as he unlocked his car and jumped in. He started the ignition and sped off, leaving Warrick in his pajamas on the front lawn.
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Catherine and Sara sat in the front of the car, staring at the endless freeway in front of them. The radio was off and neither Catherine, nor Sara, nor Greg had spoken. It was as if the same dark cloud lingered above all of their heads. Catherine drove off onto her exit. She looked in the rearview mirror to see Greg staring at her.
"What?" Catherine asked as she continued to drive.
"Nothing. I was just thinking of Nick, you know? What if he isn't as fine as we all think? What if he's falling apart and we're all too dumb to see it?" Greg asked as he looked at his window at all of the suburban homes lined up one by one.
"Oh, I see it. I see it just fine. Nick is transparent," Catherine said as she pulled into her driveway. She swung the door open and climbed out. She slammed the door as she headed to the house, keys in hand.
"What does she mean Nick's transparent? I don't think Nick's transparent," Greg said as he looked as Sara.
"I think that Catherine wants Nick to be transparent so that all of us now what he's going through. But the truth of the matter is that none of us have any idea what he is feeling. We all assume that we know. But until you're put into his shoes…" Sara trailed off as Catherine walked outside with Lindsay. Catherine opened the door opposite Greg. Lindsay climbed in and gave Greg a hug. Catherine climbed in and slammed the door as hard as she did the first time.
"Do I get to see Uncle Nick?" Lindsay asked as she went through her backpack.
"Yes you do, but Lindsay you need to remember, Uncle Nick is still resting and he needs it to be a little quite. OK?" Catherine said.
"OK. But, where are we going? Uncle Warrick's house is the other way," Lindsay said as she stared out the back window.
"We're getting ice cream first and only Shop N' Go has the kind I like," Catherine said as they approached a red light. Just as they stopped a black SUV ran the red and sped into the Shop N' Go parking lot.
"What an idiot," Greg said as he stared at the car turning into the parking lot.
"People have no…" Sara said as she realized the make and model of the car.
"Was that one of ours?" Catherine asked as the light turned green.
"I think so," Greg stated as he relaxed in his seat.
"Well, let's see," Catherine said as she merged into the right lane. She turned into the parking lot and who she saw exit the vehicle made everyone stare with mouths wide open.
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Nick finally finished getting dressed. He walked outside wearing a red sweatshirt and blue jeans, both fit him rather largely. He wore his athletic shoes and socks and finished it off with a black ball cap. He walked outside to see no Grissom in the family room.
Warrick slipped on his long sleeve shirt and baggy Basketball shorts. Just as he finished slipping on his basketball shorts, a knock was heard on his bedroom door.
"Yeah?" Warrick asked as he snapped his watch on.
"Where's Grissom?" Nick asked through the door.
"He went for a drive. He's not feeling so hot," Warrick winced as the lie escaped his teeth.
"Oh, OK, well hurry up already. By the time we leave, Catherine, Sara, Greg, and Lindsay are going to be back," Nick said as he walked away from the door.
"Alright," Warrick said barely being audible. He slipped his feet into his basketball shoes and turned off all of his lights.
Warrick walked out into the family room to see Nick sitting on the couch, chin in hands.
"Ready to go?" Warrick asked as he pulled up his sleeves.
"Yeah let's go," Nick said as he pushed himself off of the couch and walked to the door. He opened the door and walked to Warrick's car. Warrick followed Nick to the door than locked it. He flipped the keys between his hands. He finally unlocked the door and Warrick and Nick climbed in. The backed up and had a nice, quiet drive to the local video store.
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"This is some kind of joke," Greg said as he looked at the window.
"It must be," Catherine said as she also stared at the occupant of the car.
"What's wrong with him?" Sara asked as she opened the door.
"Greg stay in the car with Lindsay while I get the ice cream and ask him what the hell he was thinking of running that red light," Catherine said with a harsh tone.
"OK," Greg said as Catherine and Sara slammed their doors.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Catherine said as she briskly walked to the front of the store.
"Miss, what do you…?" Grissom started before he figured out who it was. "Oh, it's you," Grissom stated before he walked into the store.
"Grissom, what were you doing running that light?" Catherine asked as Sara peeked inside of Grissom's car. She could see an open bottle of Moonshine in the passenger seat. By further examination, she saw that only a drop was left.
"You we're drinking weren't you?" Sara asked as she stared at Grissom with cold eyes.
"I don't have to answer to you," Grissom stated as he walked further into the store.
"No. You don't have to answer to me. But what about Lindsay who is sitting in the back seat?" Catherine asked as she pointed to her car over her shoulder.
"Or Greg who looks up to you and strives everyday to be like you? Or Nick who's recovering from one of the most traumatic moments of his life? Does any of that matter to you?" Sara asked with a very pissed off look on her face.
"And what if a cop stopped you? What would you have done than?" Catherine asked as she walked in front of Gil, preventing him from entering the store.
"Now is not the time to be selfish, Gil," Sara said as she grabbed the car keys out of his hand.
"Sara, give them back," Grissom stated as he walked towards her.
"Gil, just let Sara drive you back to Warrick's. You're in no shape of driving yourself," Catherine said as she hopped back into her car, and backed up enough for Sara to exit the parking lot. Catherine rolled down her window and said, "You go first. I'll follow you back,"
"OK," Sara said as she stood next to the driver's door. She looked at Grissom who was blankly staring at her. The alcohol finally began to make Grissom tipsy. He knew that this was his only transportation to Warrick's so he agreed to let Sara drive him home. Sara opened the door from the inside and threw the empty bottle into the backseat.
"No one else knows about this," Grissom said as he placed his index fingers to his temples.
"Fine by me," Sara said as she backed up the car, and pulled into the open lane. Catherine followed close behind.
"What were you thinking, Gil?" Catherine asked on the way back.
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"What about this one?" Nick asked as he held up The Punisher.
"Lindsay's coming remember?" Warrick stated as he went through the family section.
"Oh yeah. So that leaves us with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and that Hilary girl," Nick stated as he joined Warrick in the family section.
"Pretty much," Warrick said as he looked at the summaries for the move Miracle.
"Hey that's a good one. Let's watch it," Nick said as he stuck his hands in his pockets. The sound of whispering caught his attention as 2 women walked by him in the aisle.
"Yeah, but I've seen it twenty times," Warrick said as he put it back on the rack and looked at Finding Nemo.
"Fine. Get something else," Nick said as he took his attention off of the women and back at the task at hand.
"What about this? Grissom and Lindsay would get into this," Warrick said with a chuckle. But before he could finish his statement the sound of whispering became ore and more pronounced. Warrick looked up from the back of the case and at the people surrounding Nick and himself.
A woman stepped forward with a piece of paper and pen. She was barely able to get the words out before she jumped on Nick.
"Wow, wow, wow," Nick said with a surprised look on his face. "Do I know you," Nick asked as he tried to push the woman off of him.
"No but I know you," She said as she placed the death grip around Nick's neck. "Oh my God, I feel like such an idiot," the woman said as she released Nick. "I'm just going to come out and say it, will you marry me," The woman asked as she got on 1 knee.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know you," Nick said as he looked at all the other woman.
"You're the guy from the news. The guy that was buried alive right?" A woman asked from the back of the crowd.
Before Nick had time to answer, the crowd of woman became violent. His sweatshirt was being tugged and his pants being ripped.
"Hey, Hey Hey!" Warrick yelled as he attempted to pull Nick out of the store. They got to the car and were barely able to open the door. Warrick slammed and locked the doors. He backed out of the parking lot, careful not to back over some of the girls that were flocking around the vehicle. They got out of the parking lot and onto the main road. Warrick was in such a hurry to get out of the parking lot that he didn't check to see if it was clear. He swerved right in front of an identical black SUV. The car turned into the other lane. Just as the driver of the second SUV switched lanes, Warrick slammed on his brakes as a red light approached. The third SUV plowed right into the back.
The sound of twisting metal and tires screeching filled the downtown Las Vegas streets.
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Dun Dun Dun! Surprise, surprise! What do you guys think? Was the car accident clear? If it wasn't, than send tell me and I'll clarify in the next chapter! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!
Review if you can!
-CSIFanatic08