Ok, folks. Here's the seventh and final chapter of Cliff Hanger. Oh, and in response to SA-Kate973 and anyone else it might have bothered, it might be Panic at the disco that sings I write sins not tragedies.
Nick flew through the doors of the crime lab and ran towards Grissom's office. As he turned a corner, he crashed into Ecklie, littering the floor with the files he war carrying.
"Nick, what in the hell? Look what you made me do."
"Sorry, Conrad. Is Grissom still here?"
"You just missed him. He clocked out about twenty minutes ago."
"Shit!" Nick cursed and kicked the wall.
"Hay, what is your problem?"
"My problem is that my past is coming back to haunt me like a poltergeist conjured by the devil himself! The woman I love could be dead or dying as we speak at the hands of Melissa Woods because she wants to make me pay for something I didn't even do! I have no idea where they are or what to do. That's my fucking problem!"
Ecklie looked at Nick in alarm. "Nick, what is going on?"
Melissa Woods is Tanner's mother. She called my house and told me that she was about to kill Catherine to make me suffer the way she suffered or some shit like that. The minute we hung up I called Catherine to tell he to get off the main rode, and the last thing I heard was her screaming."
"Holly hell."
"My reaction, too. They were driving down the highway somewhere. I couldn't think of anything else to do, so I came here."
"Make a mess, why don't we?" Sara stopped in the middle of the hallway, surveying the scattered papers.
Ecklie coked his head and glared at Sara. "What are you doing here? I thought you already left."
"I did, but I was a moron and left my police scanner in ballistics. I think Bobby's been messing with it." She held it up and fiddled with the tuning. Over the static, they heard someone whose voice they recognized as Sergeant Orion from traffic. They couldn't make out the location.
Nick's mind went back to his conversation with Melissa. She has no idea that the grill of her fancy SUV is about to kiss a big ol' Mac truck. Nick stood juggling scenarios in his head while Ecklie bent down to gather to strewn papers.
"Nick, what's wrong?" Sara asked, concerned. "You look pale." Nick did not answer. "Nick?"
"I know where Catherine and Melissa are." Nick abruptly turned and went in the direction he had come.
Ecklie called after him. "Nick, you need to make a formal report!"
Nick stopped. How could he be so heartless? It's like he doesn't even care what happens to Catherine. He turned around and slowly walked back towards Ecklie. "Formal went over a cliff with my best friend. Formal was demolished by the crash I heard over the phone. You can shove formal up your ass, Conrad! I'm going to go find Catherine."
"Nick," Ecklie protested, but it was to late. He was on his way out.
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Nick was lucky he did not get pulled over for speeding. His personal vehicle did not have lights and sirens, or else they would have been blaring at this point. He was flying down the highway at eighty miles an hour, weaving in an out of traffic, and it was a miracle he did not have his own crash. He had called Sergeant Orion not long after he left the lab. He told the officer that he had reason to believe the crash involved a CSI, so he told him where the crash sight was. Traffic was backed up almost a mile. As Nick waited in the jam, he ran through his head every possible way this could turn out. Finally, he could not take the suspense any longer. He put his car in park hopped out and ran as fast as he could. This was a risky move, but he did not care.
When he reached the crash sight, he was exhausted and out of breath. He surveyed the scene of the worst looking accident he had ever seen. The SUV in front practically had no back now. Sandwiched between the barely damaged semi and the crushed Denali was an unrecognizable hunk of debris that must have in some lifetime been a car. Several yards in front of the wreckage were multiple lines of skid marks. Nick wondered what had happened here. His horrified trance was broken when he heard someone call his name.
"Stokes!"
"Hu? Oh, Hey, Orion. What happened here?" The traffic Sergeant lead the CSI away from the crowd of people who were gathering to watch the show. He pointed to the wreck in front of them.
"The driver of the semi was uninjured, and he says that these two SUVs were going in reverse and crashed into him. The driver of the middle vehicle had ID on her. The name's Melissa Woods. As you can see, the paramedics are already here. Mrs. Woods has been pronounced dead. The driver of the Denali in front was your co-worker, Catherine Willows. She's been stabilized and it looks like she's going to be okay."
Nick almost collapsed with relief. As much as he wanted to be by Catherine's side, he decide the investigation could use an explanation. He repeated what he had told Ecklie, only with less cussing, and what had happened with the investigation into Tanner's death.
"My word you've had an eventful past couple of days, haven't you?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Sarg." Nick jogged over to the other side of the crushed Denali. His heart cried out at the sight of Catherine lying on the ground unconscious and bleeding from an open gash on her forehead.
"She probably has a concussion." He sort of heard a paramedic say. "She has some crushed ribs and it's putting pressure on her lungs."
Nick backed up to give the men more room to work as they lifted his love onto the stretcher and wheeled her to the ambulance.
Nick looked towards the other vehicle (what was left of it anyway) and saw the white, bloodstained sheet that covered the other body. Melissa. How could this be the same woman that took our team out for pizza after soccer practice? A cruel reality settled over him then. This was not the same woman. This was a woman consumed with rage, grief, and vengeance. For years the woman had no one to blame, and sometimes that's all a person needs. Tanner's last journal gave Melissa what she needed, but she took it to far. In the end, her quest for vengeance and justice consumed and destroyed her. She just wanted justice for her son. But there was no such thing as justice for what happened to Tanner, no closure for the way he died. There never was, and there never would be.
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Nick sat by Catherine's hospital bed holding her hand. "Wake up, baby. Please?" Catherine must have heard him. Her eyes fluttered open and she squinted against the light.
"Nicky?"
"I'm here, love." He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back.
"Who was that bitch who tried to kill me?"
"Tanner's mother, Melissa Woods. She went after you to make we suffer the way she suffered. She obviously thought I killed Tanner. She doesn't have to live with grief anymore. She was pronounced dead at the scene." Nick slipped out of his chair and knelt down beside her. "I'm so sorry Catherine. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you."
"It isn't your fault."
"I should have…"
"Nicky,' she interrupted, "There's nothing you could have said or done to stop Melissa."
"I should have done something twenty years ago."
Catherine was confused. "What's that?"
Nick sighed with regret. "I should have told the truth."
Catherine was shocked. Nicky lied! To that point Catherine had been the only one in the lab who never once doubted any part of Nick's story. Ironic. She was the only one who believed his lie, and he was telling her the truth. "Nicky, it's not the way Melissa thought. Is it?" Nick did not answer. "Oh, god, Nick. Did you…you didn't…"
"He jumped."
"What did you say?"
"Tanner's death was not murder. It was no accident. It was suicide."
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Nick turned around and all at once, a chill ran up his spine, he felt as though he would puke, and tears filled his eyes. Tanner was gone.
Nick stood still, frozen it a moment that should never have happened. He ran to the edge of the cliff, barely stopping before falling off. He fell to his knees, and the scraping of the skin, the pain, let him know that this was not some horrible nightmare, but harsh reality.
"Tanner!" His scream echoed on and on. "Tanner!" He screamed again, as if repeating the name would bring his friend back. For what seamed like and eternity, Nick knelt on the edge of the cliff. "What am I going to do?" He wondered. He knew no one would believe the truth. Tanner, to common knowledge, had not been suicidal. The might think he pushed him. And what if they asked why he jumped? Suddenly, Nick felt a dark presence, an icy cold deep inside him. He felt there was an evil spirit in the place that wanted to hurl him off the side of the side of this once peaceful spot to join his friend at the rock bottom. He was genuinely afraid.
He sprang up from the ground and rushed over to his horse. He untied him, leapt on his back and dug his heals into the animal's side. Bolt protested loudly and took off down the well-worn trail. Nick was on his way home as fast as Bolt could carry him. He rode like the wind until he reached the stables. As he dismounted, his foot caught in the syrups and he fell to the ground, flat on his face. He clumsily pulled himself up und ran, tripping as he went, to he house.
He burst through the back door and dashed through the kitchen into the living room, and smacking into his father. Nick stared up at him and felt small and trapped. He was unable to repress the tears that were streaming down his dirt-covered face.
"What happened?" The towering man inquired in a voice that, under the circumstances, could have been a bit kinder.
"Th…there's been an accident."
"Nick," the judge's eyes widened, "Where's Tanner?"
"It was an accident!" Swore the frightened teen. "Jeda got spooked and reared up and threw Tanner over Buckman's Cliff!"
And so began the lies. He would lie to their families, the police, kids at school, everyone. No one would ever know the truth about what happened to Tanner Woods.
No one until now.
"You and I are the only living people on the planet who know the truth. I couldn't put his mother through that. Besides, no one would have believed it, not about Tanner. And if they did believe he jumped, they would have wanted to know why he jumped."
"Do you know why?"
"Yeah, I know why."
"Then why?"
Nick looked Catherine in the eyes for the first time this conversation. "Cath. I love you. I've confided in you a lot. You know things that no one else does. But some things just need to be left unsaid."
They said nothing more of it. Nick sat with Catherine until she fell into a deep sleep. He stood up, planted a soft kiss on her cheek, and quietly slipped out of the room. He wandered down the hall and came upon an empty, closed off waiting room, and went inside and sat down. He buried his face in his hands and wept freely, as memories flowed with the tears.
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The two boys arrived on horseback at their destination: Buckman's Cliff, where Nick's father's land ended, where one could see the Dallas sky line perfectly, and where two best friends, fourteen year old Nick Stokes and fifteen year old Tanner Woods, came at least twice a week, either by themselves or with a group. But a group of teen boys made to much noise. Nick and Tanner liked the quiet of the place. You couldn't hear a sound unless you made it yourself.
The boys tied their horses to a tree and walked over and sat down on the edge of the cliff, their feet dangling over the side. They had been here countless times before; they knew what they were doing.
For a while they did not speak. They just sat and enjoyed the view, the peace and quiet, and each other's company. After a few minutes, Nick spoke up. "So I saw you talking to Robby today."
"Robby?"
"Yeah, Robby Younger, the gay kid. What's up, is he harassing you again?"
"No, we were just…"
"Just what? 'Cause I'll kick his ass if I need to."
"NO!" Tanner shouted. Nick stared at Tanner in disbelief. "Nick we need to talk."
"Okay, I'm listening."
"I've never really had a father figure, you know? I mean, your dad's the closest thing I have, but he's almost a politician and I don't like those very much. No offence."
"None taken."
"Anyway, since my dad died when I was little, I never, I don't know, had a man to back me up, I guess. My mom raised me, and she never exposed me to the tough guy scene. I guess that's what caused it."
"Are you trying to tell me what I think you're trying to tell me?"
"Yeah, Nick. I'm gay."
"Oh."
Neither boy said anything for quite some time before Tanner continued. "I kept it quiet for a long time, but I couldn't take it anymore. So last week when my uncle Jerry came to visit, I came out to him. I trusted him and I thought he would understand since he's gay, too. But it was a huge mistake. He told me…"
Nick put his hand on Tanners shoulder to comfort him. "It's okay. What did he tell you?"
Bitter tears escaped Tanner's emerald eyes. "He said 'If you want to be gay, I'll show you gay.'"
"Oh my god, he didn't!"
"Yes he did. I was afraid to tell anyone."
"Because you thought no one would believe you?"
"Exactly."
"Yeah. I know how you feel on that note." Nick hadn't meant to say that, and it obviously pissed Tanner off.
Tanner stood up, grabbed Nick by the collar of his shirt, and pulled him to his feet. Had Tanner let go, Nick would have lost balance and fallen to his death. "Don't you dare say that! No one knows how I feel! NO ONE!"
Nick wanted to beg Tanner to pull him away from the side, but he knew it wouldn't help him. He knew that if this boy wanted to do something, he was going to do it. That's just who Tanner was.
Tanner could see the fear in Nick's eyes. He yanked forward, sending Nick stumbling away from the edge. "I'm sorry, Nick. I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay. You're right. I'm sorry."
Another awkward silence came between the two boys.
"I'm with Robby." Tanner said.
"Yeah, sort of figured."
"You hate Robby."
"I don't' hate Robby. I just don't like him because he harassed me last year."
"This will ruin our friendship. I can't live without that, Nick."
"Did you expect us to be the same? Things will be different between us, but not the way you think. Tanner, I…" For some reason, Nick stopped himself.
"You what?"
"Nothing. I think we should go back." Nick turned his back to his friend and approached the horses. He could not here Tanner follow. Nick turned around and all at once, a chill ran up his spine, he felt as though he would puke, and tears filled his eyes. Tanner was gone.
"Nick. Nick?"
Nick's reverie was interrupted by Warrick shaking his shoulder and saying his name.
"Nicky, man, are you okay?"
Nick whipped the tears from his face and stood from his chair. "Yeah, I'll be fine."
"I heard about what happened to Cat. Is she okay?"
"Yeah, she woke up earlier, but she went back to sleep. Doctors say she'll make a full recovery."
"That's a relief. So are you sure you'll be fine?"
"Yes, Warrick I'm good, I just need to be alone."
"Okay, well I'll leave you alone then."
"No, it's okay. I think I'll go take a drive."
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It was dark out. No one knew Nick came to this place. It was dark, warm, and quiet on this abandoned boat doc on Lake Mead. He lay on the rough wood and gazed up at the stars. He remembered Tanner used to say that stars were windows in heaven where guardian angels watched over all the people at night. Nick wondered if Tanner could see him now. He did not say what he wanted to say to his friend. Part of him wished he would have, but part of him was glad he had not.
"Things would have been different." He said out loud. Nick often spoke his thoughts here. He knew no one could hear him, except maybe the angels looking down on the city through those little twinkling lights.
The words unspoken played in Nick's mind like a scratched CD. He knew Tanner could see him. He could feel it. He realized that if ever he anted to be at peace with that day on Buckman's Cliff, he had to tell Tanner what he had meant to tell him all those years ago.
"Tanner I…
The End. Hay, the title says it all. What did Nick want to say to Tanner? That is open to any and all interpretation.