Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or associated characters. If I did...well...let's Nick and Sara would be getting a lot more screen time together.
Author's Note: WOW. I'm appalled at my lateness, I'm soooooooo sorry everyone! To anyone who is still interested in this story and hasn't given up on it... Here's chapter 3...enjoy?
Grissom looked grim. "We should go get some shovels, all this...is going to have to go back to the lab." The team sighed a great sigh. Sara and Nick stomped down the stairs and retrieved a pair of shovels from the car. Sara could feel the blisters forming already. Nick contemplated the handle of his shovel while a certain velvet box was burning a hole in his pocket. Suddenly, Sara's head whipped around as she heard her name called. "SAAAAAARAAAAA! She scanned the crowd of people in front of her. That's when she saw the blond head, the cocky smile, the bright green eyes. ANDY! She screeched, and launched herself into his arms. Andy caught her mid-leap and held her off the ground, twirling her around. Sara laughed and buried her face in her shoulder, hugging him tight.
Sara was shocked to find a ghost from her past, at one of her crime scenes no less! She hugged him tightly and could feel tears of happiness prickling against her eyelids. "I thought I'd never see you again Andy!" She whispered. Andy hugged her back just as hard, reveling in her appearance - she hadn't changed much in twelve years. She still had the slender frame, lanky limbs. Her soft hair was pulled up and her eyes shone with joy. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and hugged her again.
"I missed you Sara." was all he could say.
Nick was rooted to the spot, still holding the shovel, looking like an absolute idiot. His fists had clenched involuntarily when he saw the blond man seemingly appear out of nowhere. A hiss of discontent escaped his lips when he saw Sara in his arms. Nick's eyes were narrowed in hate of this remarkably good looking man who had his girlfriend wrapped around him. He watched the blond man tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Irrational, half formed thoughts swarmed around his brain. If I killed him now, it would save me the trouble of having to plan it all out later...Besides, I know how to hide the evidence. Nick's hands flexed around the handle of the shovel. Just one good whack should do it. He thought to himself. Now, should I go for the head, or the torso... Nick was still fuming when Sara bounced back to him, grabbing his hand. "Nick, are you Ok?" She asked breathlessly, interrupting his murderous thoughts. "I want you to meet someone!" She pulled him toward Andy and made the introductions.
"Nick, this is Andy Hamwrick. We grew up together! He..."
"Nice to meet you." Nick interjected. Andy sensed the hostility, but didn't back down. Sara continued blithely.
"Andy, this is my partner Nick Stokes, from the crime lab." The two men eyed each other with dislike, and shook hands warily. Their hands met in the middle, and lingered there, trying to determine who had the strongest grip. Sara cheerfully patted Nick on the shoulder and gave Andy a peck on the cheek, squeezing his arm affectionately.
"We'll talk later ok? I've got a case and it's probably going to take a while..." Sara trailed off, and looked wistful. Andy grinned and pulled something from his jacket. A badge.
"It's Detective Hamwrick now, if you don't mind Ma'am." He smirked. Sara was surprised and pleased.
"Well! I'll see you around, call me later?"
"Definitely." Sara reclaimed her shovel from the ground and motioned to Nick. He followed her morosely, his face reddish with suppressed emotion. Sara still hadn't noticed and looked as if she were on cloud nine. They reached the room where Greg and Warrick were hard at work scooping away the sand. Dave was bent over the corpse, just finishing with a liver temp. "Looks like they've been dead for about four days." Dave remarked.
"Sure smells like it." Greg wrinkled his nose in distaste. Brass chuckled and held up a piece of paper.
"I got an ID from the neighbors, a Janine Loeb, lives in this apartment. The body seems to fit the description they gave. She's supposed to be on a vacation, looks like that never happened." The team continued on in silence, the feeling of foreboding hung heavily in the air. Janine was only twenty one. Another young life cut horribly short. The sounds of scraping shovels and crinkling evidence bags permeated the room. Nick worked stoically, still wondering about the mysterious Andy.
Grissom stood off to the side and scrutinized the room. He didn't speak for a while, but suddenly pointed to something on the floor.
"Look at that corner Nick, what do you see?" Nick put his shovel down, flexing his already sore fingers, and walked carefully over to the corner of the room, stepping over Janine's outstretched hand.
"There's a void. Looks like some kind of cabinet, a bureau maybe." Grissom nodded.
"Could be whatever was sitting there was what the killer was after." Grissom looked closely at the rectangular impression left on the carpet and gestured to the ground next to it.
"There's some kind of substance there, could be what was on our killer's shoes. Take a swatch back to the lab Nick." Nick was already crouching over the black, tar-like goo encrusted on the carpeting. He cut out a square of it and secured it in a bag. As he zipped the bag up, he glanced over his shoulder at Sara, who was working furiously.
She had shoveled sand faster than anyone else and collected the evidence in a similar fashion. Nick knew what was going on - Sara wanted to finish so she could talk to Andy. The name left an unpleasant taste on his tongue. Who was this man to Sara? He was supposed to propose... Nick packed up his kit slowly and deliberately. His back ached, and his hands felt raw. He felt a headache coming on and pressed his fingers against his eyes. He thought of Sara...with Andy. Why does life suck so much? He asked himself. Sara packed up her kit and evidence, and lugged all of it down the stairs along with one of the many bags of sand.
He could hear her puffing down the stairs, uttering a muffled curse when she missed a step. Despite himself, Nick smiled. He loved her strength. Nick followed her lead, grabbing a bag of sand and trudging down the stairs to his car. Sara was getting into Grissom's car, volunteering to organize all the bags of sand back at the lab. Nick trotted over to the car and threw his bag into the trunk.
"Last one." He announced. He walked around the car and headed back to the apartment. Sara leaned out the passenger side window.
"Nick...we'll meet you back at the lab, ok? And, I'm sorry about the restaurant, I feel so bad. I love you!" She blew a kiss at him as the car pulled away. Nick felt the love glowing in his heart again, and he sauntered back to the entrance of the apartment where he left his kit. Nick stood in the doorway for a minute and surveyed the skies. It was dark and ominous. He could feel the moisture in the air. When he finally looked down, the first thing he saw was Andy, finishing an interview. Their eyes met, and Nick's fists clenched again.
Thunder rumbled from above. The sky opened up and let out the flood.
It poured.
TBC...
EEK...! Who the hell is Andy! Where in the world did he come from? Is Nick being irrational, or is Andy really after his girl? Drop me a review and tell me your opinion, possible plot ideas are welcome. FEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEEE – with reviews!
