Chapter 30- Boxed In

Alyssa had walked into the morgue after yet, another pit stop to the bathroom. She looked around at the cold surrounding and for the first time she was thankful for it. The cold against her now heated skin comforted her and the quiet surroundings didn't cause her headache to pound.

She heard a shuffle from the door across from where she was standing and watched as the doctor entered the main room of the morgue.

"Ahh, Ms. Crane what can I help you with." He asked as he made his way to her.

Attempting a smile she spoke but was cut off by the wave of the Doctor's hands.

"You're really pale, are you feeling alright?" He asked concerned.

Alyssa shook her head, "That's sort of why I came to you, and I can't keep anything down. I have a headache but I think it's only because I've thrown up so much, but no fever." She sighed.

He shook a finger and walked over to his drawer, and pulled out a thermometer, "Here stick this in your mouth."

"Uh, that's a body thermometer Doc, and considering where we are, I'm not sure I really want to put that anywhere hear my mouth." She gave a nervous laugh, backing away slowly. "No offense."

He looked at the object in his hand then back at Alyssa, "Oh, no this is a new one, and this isn't for the bodies, this is just in case." He said nudging it forward.

Alyssa cringed but stuck the object in her mouth anyways, and waited.

After a few minutes, the doctor pulled the thermometer from her mouth and read it. "Well it's not food-poisoning, or the flu because you have no temperature. " He said looking at her.

Alyssa nodded, she figured as much. "Alright, thanks, I'm sure whatever it is, will pass." She said turning to leave.

"Or not," He called after her, causing her to stop in her tracks, and cringe as he continued. "You know, contraceptives, only do half the work." He said reaching into the drawer behind him and pulling out a box.

Alyssa turned slowly and looked at the box partially horrified and scared. There's no way… she whined to herself.

The doctor nudged it forward, "Can't hurt, to take it."

Alyssa reached forward, "No... No it can't." She took the box between her fingers and turned to leave. "Thank you, Doc." She whispered and left the morgue.

Alyssa walked silently from the morgue, towards Grissom's office but stopped short at the doorway of the ladies washroom. She looked from the box in her hands to the door then back to the box.

Nick was leaning on Grissom's doorway waiting for Alyssa to come back, when he saw her stop. Slowly he walked forward and stopped by her side. "You are going to be sick again?" He said softly. He watched as Alyssa jumped and tucked her hands behind her back.

"No-ha-ha, no I'm fine." She said in a shaky voice. "I uhm, think I'm going to go home, shifts over." She nodded slowly.

"Do you have your car here?" He asked and watched as she thought about it then shook her head.

"No, Catherine brought me here, but Sara offered a ride home." She sighed, squeezing the box behind her back.

"Why don't you let me take you home, I have a feeling Sara will want to go home with Grissom." He offered.

Alyssa was way too tired to fight and gave in, "Alright," She sighed, "Just let me grab my stuff from the locker room," she turning to leave.

"I gotta grab my stuff too… Hey what's this?" He said pulling the box from behind Alyssa's back.

She went to reach for it.

He was taller.

"What is…?"

She watched as the playful smirk from his face disappeared and was replaced with blank stare as he sucked a breathe in. "You… think...maybe…"

"Nick I don't know what I think right now, I just…I just," She sighed. "I just want to rule things out, you know get to the bottom of things." She said pulling the box from his hands and walking into the locker room.

"What did Doc say?" He said catching up with her.

She turned to face him, catching his worried eyes with her own. "He said it's not a flu or food poisoning," She whispered. "But it could be anything, it could be nothing, there's no reason to get all bent out of shape over this." The young CSI shook her head as she turned and open her locker.

Nick ran his hand through his hair and watched her as she pulled various articles from her locker. "We'll get through this." He whispered as he opened his own locker a feet doors down.

Alyssa stopped and faced him, "I'll get through this."

"Why won't you accept help? What's the matter with me wanting to help you, wanting to be with you?" He spoke loudly, his eyes pleading with hers.

"Because if I hurt you… If I cause you any pain, Nick. I won't be able to live with my self. You're not happy with me, you won't be. Look at us, we're tearing each other apart and it hasn't been that long, a few weeks tops. I'm not cut out for relationships. I have never been in one long enough to see where it'll go, because I always end up fucking things up. " She watched as Nick approached her shaking his head. "Don't you get it? You're going to get hurt Nick, and I can't have that." She stood, God as her witness, pleading for the man she loved to stay away, as he watched her mouth agape.

He shook his head, "You're wrong."

"Don't tell me what I am Nick," She threw her jacket in her locker. "It's not in your place."

"Yes it is." He stood his ground as he pushed the locker door backwards, causing her to jump in freight. "And do you want to know why?" He drawled as he stepped forward towards the brunette shaking her head.

"Don't say it Nick, you'll regret it," She backed away slowly as he approached her.

"Because… I love you." He had backed her into lockers, "And do you want to know why? Stop shaking your head, because I'm going to tell you anyways. Because you're strong, you stand up for what you believe in, regardless of your past, and you deal with it. You're beautiful and full of passion, even if you don't see, by God I do. And the number one reason… the number one reason why I love you, is because you love me too." He ran a hand up and down her arm, his other hand wiping a tear that escaped from her brown eyes, off her cheek.

"Let. Me. Help. You." His voice, full of emotion. "You won't hurt me. I won't let it happen. I will do my hardest to keep you away from harm. I need you to be with me. My house was empty when you were gone and I couldn't handle it and for the short time you were there, it felt like you've always been there and you belonged with me." He looked into her glistening eyes. "Please,"

She looked at his face, studied for any indication of uncertainty.

When she didn't fine any, she nodded.

He smiled and pulled her into a hug placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Good," he whispered, "Are you tired?"

Alyssa nodded into his chest, "very," she mumbled.

"Want me to take you home?"

"Yea," She said backing away and closing her locker, purse containing a now hidden box, in hand.

"C'mon," he whispered holding her close. "Are you going to take that when you get home?"

She shrugged, "Maybe."

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

She shrugged again, "Eventually… I think so."

Nick shook his head, smiling as the two walked out of the locker room. She pulled away a little and looked around, trying to keep what they had a secret.

As the two entered the break room they found everyone sitting around the table. "We're going to do a quick brief before the end of shift, and Miss. Crane, you're going home, and if you don't feel well enough, take the shift off. We don't need everyone here getting sick." Grissom instructed as he slipped on his glasses.

Alyssa nodded and took a seat beside Warrick and Nick, the one on the other side of her.

"Alright what do we have? Crane you start." Everyone had their eyes on her.

"Alright, two victims, nothing really in common but age, we now have an ID on both victims. Jason Brad, 41, and Mike Zarneth, 43. Nothing in common except both ages range on the low 40's. Mr. Brad is a pilot for Vegas Air and Mike is a garbage man. From what I have read about the two, income is completely different, Families are different… Jason is single, lives in a loft by the strip and Mike has a wife and 3 children and lives in Henderson. Both deaths happened approximately 12 hours from each other, give or take an hr or so."

"Why do we think these cases are related?" Warrick leaned forward.

"Are we all on this case?"

Grissom nodded.

"COD is the same and there was semen left on both victims, both samples are from the same donor." She explained facing Warrick.

"What was the COD?" Catherine asked looking at the sheet of paper Alyssa was handing out.

"Thought you'd never ask," she mumbled looking up from the photos before passing them to Warrick. "Strangulation, ultimately, but they both, were violated, stabbed multiple times and then strangled, for a finale."

"Possible fetish?" Warrick asked.

"I'd say so but, we'll have to wait on that one," She smirked and looked over at Grissom.

"Alright, I'll see everyone later on. There isn't anything to as of now except wait for further evidence to come in… and if this guy is a serial…" He trailed off as everyone nodded knowing the implication. "Most serials…tend to strike again." Alyssa whispered and looked over at Nick. Who, in turn, was standing up to leave.

"You ready?"

"Yep," she smiled as Nick took her side and walked out next to her.

TBC...

I was actually inclined to end it about here... but then I realized I have an ENTIRE relationship to still establish.

SO I'm working on what to do with Lys. Ideas? Anyone? What would you like to see?