Warrick stood at the back of the small room and watched as the line of people slowly walked past the coffin in the front of the room. It seemed like it was an endless cycle of people filing into the room, paying their respects, and taking a seat. He watched as Nick's mom gripped the edge of the coffin and sobbed uncontrolably as Judge Stokes tried to soothe her. It was strangely silent for a room filled with so many people. He turned to the door when he sensed someone looking at him, and he saw that the rest of the team had arrived. Grissom was first, followed by Sara, then Brass, Doc Robbins, Greg, and finally Catherine. He somehow made it all the way across the room to where the team was slowly making their way towards Nick. No one else came in after Warrick fell in line behind Catherine. His heart started beating faster as he got closer to the coffin. It was getting harder to breathe and his hands were shaking. Tears started falling from his eyes as he watched Grissom take Sara's hand and lead her away. Brass , Robbins and Greg followed after they said their goodbyes. Catherine broke down as soon as she looked down at Nick and Greg came back over and putting his arm around her took her to sit down. Warrick was rooted to the spot. He couldn't see inside, but he didn't want to. He was still trying to convince himself Nick was gonna walk up behind him, and they would be at someone's else's wake. He took a deep breath and walked to the side of the coffin. His vision blurred from the tears as he stared down at his best friend's lifeless face. The mortuary had done a good job of covering the ant bites on his face and neck. Warrick's legs started to give out as the image of Nick with the gun to his head flooded his head. He tightly closed his eyes. He didn't give up. He trusted you to save him, but you were too late. This is your fault. Warrick opened his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Nick opened his eyes and sat up. His heartbeat slowed slightly when he realized he was in his bedroom. It was completely dark and silent, but he could have sworn he'd heard something before that made him wake up. He strained to hear something, anything, but heard nothing. He crawled out of bed and made his way towards where he thought his doorway was. After a couple steps, he walked into the side of the doorframe. His left shoulder stung from the collision and he swore under his breath. He groped the hallway wall for the lightswitch. Finally finding it, he flicked the light on. The door to the guest room across the hall from his room was slight ajar. Someone was asleep in the bed. Nick let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding when he remembered it was Warrick. You're way to paranoid. He sighed and turned to go into the kitchen when he heard what had woken him up.

"I'm sorry." It was barely above a whisper, but Nick was positive that's what he heard. It was coming from Warrick's assumed bedroom. Nick quietly walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed next to Warrick, who was apparently sleeping peacefully. I'm slowly loosing my mind. He was about to leave when Warrick suddenly sat upright. Nick fell off the bed in surprise and landed painfully on the floor.

"Owe...damn it." Nick groaned as he slowly pulled himself back onto the bed. Relief washed over Warrick when he saw Nick.

"Oh man..." Warrick rubbed his forehead, trying to get rid of the nightmare still haunting him. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.

"You okay?" Nick asked, his voice undoubtedly filled with worry.

"Yeah...yeah, just another bad dream." Warrick opened his eyes and looked at Nick, who was obviously in pain. "What the hell happened to you?"

"I walked into my door then just fell off the bed cuz you scared the shit out of me."

Warrick laughed. "Sorry man. Didn't even know you where there."

Nick shook his head and smiled. "No problem." He looked nervously at the floor, then back up at Warrick, his smile fading into a frown. "What did you have a nightmare about?"

Warrick sighed. "Your...your w-wake." Nick silently nodded and looked away, guilt written all over his face. Warrick shifted so he was sitting next to Nick on the edge of the bed. "I'm pretty sure I'd rather stay up for the rest of my life than have another dream like that." Nick took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"I know. Dreams suck."

Warrick let out a short laugh. "Nicely put. Are yours getting any better?"

Nick opened his eyes, but looked at the floor. "No." He said, shaking his head. "But I'm less freaked out when I wake up. I realize where I am easier...most of the time." He looked up at Warrick and he saw Nick was clearly trying not to let the images of his nightmares control his mind. "Why do they seem so real?"

Warrick wanted nothing more than to be able to answer that question, but all he could do was stare into Nick's deep brown eyes and shake his head. "I don't know buddy. I wish I did..."

Nick fell back onto the bed with a sigh. He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "I hate being so scared of something I have no control over."

"Do you remember what you told me...that day at the casino after that case with the heroin singer chick?" Warrick said, laying down next to Nick.

Nick frowned as he tried to remember. "That I was playing cards with my friend?" He asked, uncertain of what that had to do with anything.

"Yeah...but after that."

Nick shook his head. "No, I don't know what you're talking about."

"You told me quitting gambling was easier than I thought, and I said I didn't have control over it anymore. You told me that it can only control me if I let it."

Nick turned his head so he could look at Warrick. "But I don't have control over what I dream about."

"True..."

"Do you like to confuse the hell out of me?"

"Would you let me finish?" Warrick said, rolling his eyes jokingly. "You can't control your dreams, but you can control your dreams controling you." When the confusion on Nick's face increased, Warrick couldn't help but laugh. "Don't let your dreams control you. I know they scare the hell out of you, but gambling scared the hell out of me cuz I thought I couldn't control it. You may not be able to stop your nightmares, but you can stop them from controling you."

Nick smiled. "That sounds like a Grissom quote."

Warrick laughed and lightly punched Nick in the side. "I can be as insightful as Grissom. Besides, he get's all his stuff from Shakespear and Caesar."

Nick's smile grew. "Thanks bro."

Warrick sat up, followed by Nick. They shuffled into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. After a brief fight over the clicker, which Warrick won, they watched the images on the screen flash as Warrick flipped through the channels, looking for anything remotely interesting. When he couldn't find anything, Warrick dropped the clicker on the floor with a sigh. They sat in silence for a while, before the question that had been burning in Warrick's mind for over three weeks finally broke through his lips without him even realizing it.

"What was it like?"

Nick's eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. "What?"

Warrick's heart skipped a couple beats when he realized what he'd said. "Sorry, I didn't even realize...I was just uh..."

"It's okay man."

Warrick took a deep breath and laughed nervously. "Just watching you on that screen and seeing how scared you were...there was nothing I could do...and all I kept thinking was it should have been me and that was the last time I was ever gonna see you..."

Nick cut him off. "But it wasn't, because you saved me."

Warrick looked at Nick and was thankful he could easily read Nick's eyes because he knew it was okay to ask again. "What...was it like?"

Nick was surprised at how steady his voice was. "It was one of the worst feelings I've ever had. I was so confused at first...then when I realized what was going on I freaked. I hated not being able to sit up or move my arms and legs...then that stupid message didn't help. It wouldn't have been as bad if I hadn't panicked...slowly suffocating is not the best way to die. It was all just one horrible feeling...not being able to breathe, move..."

"I'm so sorry...you have no idea Nick. I wish it could have been..."

Nick cut him off once again. "No, don't say that...don't even think that. I wouldn't change a thing. I would do it all again if it meant you didn't have to ever feel like that."

Warrick fought back the tears that were threatening to rush from his eyes. "I'm almost pretty sure nothing could ever feel worse than watching your best friend suffer right in front of you."

Nick smiled. "Leave it in a tie?" He said, holding up his fist.

Warrick mirrored Nick's grin. "As always." He said, hitting his fist against Nick's before pulling him into another brotherly hug.

Sorry this took so long to update, but the first week of school is always very hectic. I'm hoping to finish this story up soon with a couple more chapters.