Disclaimer: Of course I don't own any of the characters. If I did Warrick would still be alive.
Sam heard a knock at her door. Grabbing her glass, she heads toward the door and looks through the peep hole. With a smile, she opens the door.
Sam: "Hello Nicky."
Nick: "Sam, can we talk?"
Sam: "Of course we can Nick. Let me grab you a glass and we can play catch up"
Nick follows Sam into the room. As Sam went to the sink to grab another glass, Nick noticed the bottle of Smirnoff about ¾ full.
Sam: "Can I pour you some?" As she's asking she put's ice in the glass and head toward the table. After she pours a little of the clear liquid into the glass she asks, "Or are you here on official business?"
Nick: "I'm here as a friend."
Sam: "So drink or no drink?"
Nick: "No drink, and I'm thinking that you should be taking it easy as well." Nick tried to grab the glass from Sam, but she swigged it down before he had the chance. She set the glass she emptied and the one she had for herself on the table.
Sam: "Oh come on Nicky. I'm fine. "
Nick: "Talk to me."
Sam: *laughing* "Sure, let's talk about old times." A little more serious. "I had such a crush on you in school. You were first boy I ever kissed. You were so nice to me."
Nick: "Well you were my prom date. I figured I should at least give you a kiss. Even if it was just a peck."
Sam: "Lord the grief you got at school. Taking a 13 year old to your prom."
Nick: "Kyle definitely wasn't happy. He definitely wanted to make sure that you were safe."
Sam: "The protective big-brother. I think he was scared you would put me in a situation I wasn't ready for. You know like 95% of 17-18 year old boys. But you were a perfect gentlemen and gave me my one and only prom." Sam reached out to touch Nick's face and let her thumb rub his cheek for a few seconds, feeling a spark she hadn't felt for a really long time. "Ok, I think I need to lay off the vodka." she said trying to compose herself the best she could, "What brings you here Nick?"
Nick: "Your mom and dad. Were they happy?" Feeling disappointed for the touch to end.
Sam: "Huh? Why would you be asking me about……You ran our DNA. You found our deep dark skeleton."
Nick: "So you knew."
Sam: "About my dad in the biological sense not being my dad. Yes Nick I knew. Once we realized mom was sick, I had to be 9 almost 10 she told Kyle and I."
Nick: "What about your dad?"
Sam: "He knew. Apparently it was hard for them to conceive Kyle, dad had a low sperm count. My dad started deploying a lot for the military so in-vitro became harder to do. She told me she felt a connection to one of her teaching assistants and eventually they slept together and wa-la here I am. She told dad everything right away and he was fine. He raised me and has loved me as if I was his own. Now with Kyle gone, I'll be moving here to help him out. I just gave the FBI my resignation, are you guys hiring?" She asked matter of factly.
Nick: "You're moving here?"
Sam: "My dad is sick. The chemo is kicking his butt. Kyle was going to take over the business and had been helping out when dad felt run down. Dad knows I have no desire to deal with all the technical aspect of casino security, but he does need my help to take care of him and to help find his replacement. I don't know if you ever noticed but family is the most important thing to my dad. He always said the family ties are the ties that bind. We may not be blood but he is my dad in every other aspect."
Nick wanted to reach out to hug this woman, a woman who he admired a great deal, but reality had something else in mind. Ring ring ring.
Nick: "Stokes….. On my way." Looking at Sam, "I've got to go."
Sam: "Is this about Kyle? Wait I'm coming with you." Sam got up and stumbled a bit as she tried to get to her shoes.
Nick: "I think the best place for you to be is here. You need to sober up a bit."
Sam: "You're right, I do need to sober up a bit, that's why we're going to hit a coffee shop on the way there so I can get a nice, strong cup of coffee." As she said this, she turned on the cheesiest smile she could muster.
Nick: "All right but you better behave yourself, especially if you're serious about working at the lab." He really did hope that she was.
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The lab.
Nick and Sam arrived at the lab. Hodges already had Reese and Greg in there ready to go. Ecklie and Catherine was in there also due to the vic being the son of one of the best security specialists in the nation who just happens to know the security layout of over half the casinos in Vegas.
Catherine: " You shouldn't be here." Looking directly at Sam.
Sam: "I'm a CSI 3 and unless I'm a suspect I want to help, I NEED to help."
Sam was staring near Ecklie as she was speaking.
Ecklie: "Does helping out mean getting yourself smashed?"
Sam: "For starters I'm not smashed because if I was, I'd be passed out in the car by now. Now excuse me for the fact that my brother died, I'm not able to investigate, and I figured taking a few shots of vodka was better than say punching somebody in the face" She looked right at Ecklie as she said this.
Catherine, Reese and Greg let out a little laugh but were shocked that she said that.
Nick: "Sam!!!"
Sam: "Sorry, that was uncalled for." Looking at Ecklie. "I really am sorry, I hate the fact that my hands are tied."
Ecklie: "I'll let that pass considering the circumstances, and you can stay since it's not like you're processing anyting."
Sam: "Deal."
Hodges getting a little impatient, "All right can I tell you what I found in the vic's blood."
"Please" said everyone in the room.
Hodges: " Ok well I found Oleandrin and neriine in the blood. This large amount would cause great gastrointestinal pain and cardiac problems."
Reese: "Well official cause of death was cardiac arrest. Not only that…" opening the file, "it said that his bowels were inflamed and not a lot of stuff left in his stomach so it would fit."
Catherine: "How would somebody get their hands on those two compounds?"
Hodges: "Well pretty simple, they are most commonly found in….."
Sam: "White Oleander plant"
Hodges: "Why yes. This stuff is considered highly toxic. Somebody poisoned him."
Reese: "No signs of cups or glasses."
Greg: "They cleaned up."
Ecklie: "Who would have access to a poisonous plant like that? Where's Sam?"
Everyone looked around with no sight of Sam. Nick ran out of the room heading toward the exit of the building.
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Author's note: I got the information for white oleander from Wikipedia. If I made a mistake anywhere else it is mine and mine alone and I apologize. Thank you all for reading.