1Chapter 2: Consequences

The next day at work Catherine called Nick and Warrick into her office to talk to them.

"Hey Cath, what's up?" Nick asked as he walked through the door.

"Yeah it's just the start of the shift, what did we do?" asked Warrick

"It's not about work, per say" answered Catherine, "you know that guy from last night

"Yeah" the answered in unison

"You don't think he followed us or knew who we were, do you?" she asked them cautiously

"I didn't recognize him" replied Nick

"Yeah and I don't remember anyone following us" added Warrick

"Why are you asking?" questioned Nick

"Did you see him again Cath, because if you did I will find him and kick his ass for harassing you" Warrick told her

Catherine just smiled and said, "No not exactly, but thanks anyways Warrick"

"Are you sure Cath, cause I'll help Warrick track him down" said Nick

"No boys don't worry about it I'll be fine, now you guys run along before Ecklie thinks we are partying instead of working"

"Okay but if you need anything just call" Warrick told her

"Yeah that goes for me too Cath, anytime" Nick added

"Okay boys, now get back to work" she winked at them

As she watched them go she wondered if maybe she should have told them that she had gotten prank calls all night. But she just figured it was probably teenagers goofing off and that if it happened again then she would definitely tell the guys, or at least mention it to Brass.

Later that day Warrick was sent back to the office after hitting a police officer at a crime scene. He walked into Catherine's office to find out what his punishment was, only to find she didn't know what to do.

"Warrick you can't keep pulling stunts like this. I can't ignore it when it happens , you know that"

"I know, I'm sorry Cath, I just lost it. That cop was a total ass"

"Warrick I know that cop probably deserved what he got, but you can't keep doing this or you are going to get fired"

"So, what, are you saying you are going to fire me?"

"No, but Ecklie might make me. You know it's against the rules Warrick, and you know how much he dislikes you"

"Yeah and you should be on my side"

"I am Warrick. That's why I am ordering you to take a paid vacation for two weeks, instead of forcing you on a leave of absence"

"Two weeks Cath, where am I going to go, and what am I going to do?"

"I don't know Warrick, but I have to make it that long so that it doesn't look like I am helping you out. It will look as if you had planned the vacation"

"Yeah alright"

"So I will see you in two weeks"

"Yeah and Cath... Thanks"

"Sure, don't mention it...ever"

Warrick just nodded as he walked out of her office. 'Well so much for telling Warrick what's going on' Catherine thought to herself. She thought about telling Nick, but she didn't want to bother him with what was going on, because it would probably turn out to be nothing anyway.

Later that day she was going to lunch when somebody in a black excursion tried to run her off the road. When the guy was beside her she looked over at him ready to cuss him out and she recognized him. It was one of the guys that were at the café the other day. When he was passing her he winked at her and puckered his lips, then sped off. Catherine decided when she got back to the lab she was going to find Nick and tell him there was something strange going on. The problem was that when she got back to the lab Nick was at a crime scene reevaluating some evidence and she waited fro him to come back but by 4 pm he still wasn't back and she had to pick up Lindsey from dance class. So she went ahead and left to get Lindsey, but instead of taking her home she took Lindsey to her sisters to stay the night until she got a chance to talk to someone about what was going on. She didn't want to put Lindsey in any danger but Catherine wasn't one to hide from anything or anyone, so she went back to her house to stay the night.

Around 10 pm Catherine had just finished watching a movie on TV and decided to go ahead and go to bed. As she was walking through her house turning off the lights she heard a noise at the back door. She stopped and held her breath to listen to the noise. That's when she saw a shadow run in front of her kitchen window. Catherine took off in a dead sprint to her bedroom, shut the door, and locked it. She then grabbed the phone in her bedroom to call 911 only to find the phone line was dead, and of course she had left her cell on the coffee table. 'Damn it' she thought to herself, 'How could you be so stupid.' She knew she had to get to her phone so she put her ear against the door and listened. Nothing. She opened her door and looked down the hallway. Nothing. She then, very slowly and quietly, made her way to the living room. She peeked around the corner into the living room and looked out the sliding glass doors to her backyard. She then went and grabbed her phone off of the coffee table, and that's when she heard it. Breaking glass, and it was coming from the hallway where Lindsey's room and the guest room were. 'Thank God I left Lindsey with my sister' Catherine thought. She then dialed 911 and ran back to her bedroom, locking the door behind her.

"Hello 911 is this an emergency?"

"Yeah someone just broke into my house"

"What's your address ma'am?"

"4310 Rosewood"

"Someone's on their way"

Catherine then hung up and did the only thing she could think of, she dialed Warrick's number, and then remembered he was gone. 'Damn it.' Then she went to her next resort and dialed Nick's number. While it was ringing she heard something outside her bedroom, then she saw the doorhandle jiggle. As that happened Nick answered the phone,

"Hello, Anybody there? Catherine?"

"Nick" she whispered as softly as she could, but still so that he could hear.

"Damn it Bitch I know you are in there. Open the damn door or I will bust it down" a man yelled from the hallway

"Cath?"

"Nicky their here, the guys from the other night, they broke in" Catherine said

"I'll be right there. Stay on the phone with me"

Just as he said that, Catherine's bedroom door was busted open and the two guys started coming towards her. Then the sirens cam, getting closer and closer.

"Bitch. We will be back for you"

"You can bet on it" added the other one, who then walked up to her and grabbed her by the hair causing her to drop the phone.

"Catherine" Nick yelled into the phone

The guy then kissed her hard and slapped her across the face busting her lip.

"And next time the cops won't be able to help you"

With that they were gone, just as the cops drove up. While the cops were surveying the scene and asking her questions Nick pulled up and jumped out of his car running up to Catherine.

"Catherine are you okay? You never picked the phone back up when you dropped it" he said as he hugged her. But she was in a trance and didn't hug him back. That's when he looked at her and saw how white she was.

"Hey guys are ya'll almost finished cause I think she needs some rest"

"We need to question her"

"Can we do it in the morning?" he asked them

"No Nick, I'm fine. I'll answer the questions now. You should go home, I'll be fine" Catherine told him as she came out of her trance.

'There was Catherine trying to be strong and take on the world again by herself' Nick thought to himself.

"No way Cath, not until I get to finish talking to you"

"Suit yourself"

Nick stayed with Catherine as she answered all of the officers questions and they both gave descriptions of the two men and told the officer if that wasn't enough they would go to the station tomorrow and look for his photograph in the criminal book.

"You should probably stay in a hotel tonight" an officer told her

"No I'll be fine" she answered

"Don't worry officer I'll make sure she stays somewhere safe" replied Nick

"Nick really, I'll be fine" argued Catherine

"Cath we'll talk about it in a minute. Thanks officer, call us if there are any breaks"

"Sure thing, you two be careful"

When the police had all left Catherine proceeded to walk back into her house. Nick grabbed her by the wrist and asked, "Where do you think you are going?"

"Inside"

"Catherine you are not staying here tonight"

"Nick let go of me. I want to go see how bad it is"

"Fine let's go" Nick gave in. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop her.

They went inside and Catherine headed to the left hallway where Lindsey's room was. She opened her door and there was glass everywhere. This was the room they broke into.

"Oh my God. If Lindsey would have been here"

"But she wasn't" Nick said reassuringly

Catherine turned and walked out of Lindsey's room so Nick couldn't see the tears in her eyes. She then headed towards her own bedroom. When she got to the doorway she froze for a second and then took a deep breath and walked in. When Nick saw the busted door his heart sank. He remembered when she dropped the phone and what the men had said to her and he knew on of them had kissed her, he could tell. Everything about it scared him. If the cops had been a few seconds later-He knew that Warrick wasn't here to protect her, so he swore to himself that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He would be her protector, at least until Warrick returned. He saw Catherine bend down to pick up her cell phone.

"Right where I dropped it"

"Cath, please...come stay at my place tonight"

"Nick I'm fine"

"Catherine you can't stay here, I won't let you" Nick said sternly

"Nicky"

"Catherine"

"Fine, but just for tonight. I don't want Lindsey or anyone to know about this, okay, not until it's absolutely necessary. So if I stay at your place you have to promise to keep your mouth shut"

"I promise" he told her

They got to Nick's place around 1 am and Nick could tell Catherine was exhausted, even though she was trying to hide it. Usually she was really good at hiding things, especially her feelings, but this time Nick could tell Catherine was emotionally drained and this whole episode was getting to her. Catherine went straight to the sofa and sat down. Nick followed and sat down beside her. They were silent for a few minutes until Nick broke the silence.

"Cath are you sure you're okay?" he asked sympathetically, hoping for her to open up to him.

"I'm fine Nicky" she answered without looking at him

"Catherine, I don't think you're fine. I saw your face when I got there, you were white as a sheet. And your voice on the phone, Cath I could tell you were scared. Will you please just let me in" Nick begged

"Seriously I'm okay"

"Please Cath, you're not in this alone. I just want to help you"

"I just never thought something like this would happen to me, now. I mean go figure, I was a stripper and I married Eddie, and after all of that I seriously don't think I was ever as scared as I was tonight. But what scared me the most was thinking, what if Lindsey had been there. I think that's what scared me the most" Catherine answered once again without looking at Nick

Nick moved his hand to Catherine's chin to make her look at him and that's when he really noticed her lip. He brushed his thumb by it and she flinched.

"Sorry" he replied, "I didn't realize it was that bad"

"It's not, really" she answered

"I'll get you some ice"

"I'm fine Nicky"

"Just sit there"

Nick got up and walked to the refrigerator to get some ice which he wrapped in a kitchen cloth. He went back over to the couch and sat down on the coffee table right in front of Catherine, and held the ice pack up to her lip.

"Just hold that there for awhile" he told her

"Thanks" she nodded

"Just don't forget that I'm here for you Cath"

She nodded again.

"Hey, you take my bed and I will sleep on the couch"

"Nick I don't-"

"Catherine you are sleeping in my bed and that's that"

Catherine just smiled and Nick realized it was the first time that night that she had smiled, then he realized why.

"Is that an invitation Nicky" Catherine asked in a sexy voice, but jokingly

"Sorry that came out wrong" Nick smiled, "But seriously you sleep in there because I'm sleeping on the couch"

Catherine just smiled and headed towards the bedroom, but turned around and asked,

"Please tell me your sheets are clean, if you know what I mean"

"You lucked out" he smiled, "I just washed them today" he winked at her

Catherine just rolled her eyes and walked into the bedroom.

"Umm Nicky" Catherine called

"Yeah"

"Do you have anything I could wear to bed? I guess I kind of forgot to bring something"

"Right. Yeah" he answered walking into the bedroom. He opened one of his drawers and got out a pair of sweat pants and a LVPD t-shirt.

"Here you go. The pants will probably be too big, so you will need to tie them" he told her as he continued to stand there looking at her.

"Thanks Nick. I think I can handle it from here"

"Right"

"Night Nicky"

"Night Cath"