I Do Not Own CSI

"Come on, dance with me, woman," Nick said, holding out his hand. The two were dining in a little restaurant that had a small dance floor and an even smaller band playing soft tunes in the background.

"Woman? Some gentleman you are," Maddie teased. She took his hand as he led her out to the dance floor.

"Hey, who has opened every door, pulled out every chair…," Nick said as Maddie laughed.

"Funny, Stokes, very funny," Maddie said as the tension between the two built back up and they were gazing into one another's eyes again, leaning into one another.

"Maddie," Nick whispered, willing to pull back.

"Don't, don't pull away."

"You sure," Nick asked. Maddie's simple nod gave Nick the all clear for him to lean in and brush his lips against hers.

"Sir, can I help you," the maître d' asked to Jacob, who was standing at the front door watching the couple on the dance floor.

"Sir?"

"What," Jacob snapped.

"I'm sorry, sir. Do you want a table?"

"No."

"Then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"I just need to talk to someone first," Jacob said as he went to the dance floor.

"Ah hem, can I cut in," Jacob said, tapping Nick on the opposite shoulder from where Maddie's head was resting.

"Jacob? What are you doing here?"

"This is Jacob, this is the man that hit you," Nick asked.

"I should be asking what you're doing here, Maddie," Jacob said before Maddie could answer Nick.

"I left. I thought you would have gathered that by my clothes being gone."

"Why, Maddie? We were happy living together, what changed?"

"You beat her face until she was purple and blue," Nick cut in.

"So, I gave her a smack, nothing new."

"Nick, please get me out of here," Maddie whispered as she clung a little tighter to him.

"And when I came home and found you gone it didn't take me long to figure out where you went," Jacob said, grabbing her arm.

"Time to come home, Maddie."

"In case you haven't realized, she is terrified of you and doesn't want to go anywhere with you. We were just going anyway," Nick said as he tried to steer them around Jacob.

"Move, Jacob."

"Not until you come home, Maddie."

"My home is here now, not with you. Go home and don't ever come near me again," Maddie said sternly.

"Now, let her go," Nick said to Jacob who still had her arm in his grip.

"Or what?"

"You don't want to find out."

"Oohh, I'm really scared. Come on, Maddie, let's go," he said, pulling on her arm.

"No! Let me go! You're hurting me," Maddie pleaded.

"Maddie, you're coming home," Jacob said, not seeing the swing and fist as Nick's hand came into contact with his nose.

"You son of a bitch," Jacob said, taking a swing and missing Nick.

"See what it feels like to be hit! Not a nice feeling, is it," Nick spoke harshly, as Maddie still clung to his arm.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you all to leave before I call the police," said the maitre d'.

"We were just going."

"We're not finished, Maddie," Jacob warned as Nick quickly ushered Maddie back to their table and grabbed their things.

"Want to file that restraining order now," Nick asked as they walked outside to his truck.

"I mean it, Maddie, you're coming home, where you belong," Jacob yelled, coming closer to her closed door.

"Go, Nick, just get me out of here," Maddie pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"We're going to the station now. Brass should be there," Nick replied as the tires squealed out of the parking lot.

"Jim, you got a few minutes," Nick asked, tapping on the door, Maddie at his side, still clinging to his arm.

"Yeah, come on in. What's up?"

"I want to file a restraining order," Maddie said, her dried tear streaks visible on her face.

"On your ex?"

"Yeah"

"I'm glad you finally decided to file one, he's a dangerous man."

"Jim, he came to the restaurant where we were eating and threatened Maddie. I think he's been following her," Nick explained.

"Is there anyone who can verify that," Jim asked.

"The waiters and waitresses in the restaurant, plus they all saw him swing at me and miss."

"And you, what did you hit, because I know you didn't get purple knuckles from dancing."

"No, that would be from the swing I landed on him," Nick said, wincing as he touched his knuckles.

"Felt good didn't it?"

"Best feeling in the world,"

"Ok, fill out these forms. I'll do the grunt work and go the restaurant and then see the judge."

"Which judge," Nick asked.

"Harris, she's a hardass when it comes to men hitting women and won't shy away from approving the order."

"Maddie, did Sara or Gil take any pictures of you when he beat you," Jim asked softly.

"Yeah, Sara said that I had to have a little bit of evidence just in case something ever happened. I guess it did."

"We'll get this out, make him stay away, hopefully he'll get the hint," Jim said.

"Hopefully," Maddie said worriedly.

"Here," Maddy said as she placed the ice pack on Nick's knuckles as the two sat in the break room five minutes before shift started.

"Now what did you go and do, Nick," Warrick asked, coming into the room, Catherine on his tail.

"My guess is defending someone's honour," Catherine added.

"That's exactly what he did," Maddie said softly.

"What happened, man?"

"Jacob"

"Your ex," Cath asked.

"Yeah"

"Well, then he deserved it," Grissom said from the doorway, coming in and taking a look at Nick's knuckles.

"Brass called and filled me in," he explained.

"I'm glad you finally filed a restraining order, Maddie." Gil took a look at Nick's hand.

"Feel better now that you've hit him?"

"Immensely!"

TBC

See at least Jacob got a little of what he deserved, although the man should be rotting in a jail cell trying not to drop the soap!

Thanks for all those reveiws!

Katie