A/N: Alright, I've gotten LOTS of reviews, and SPECIAL NOTE TO OTHER AUTHORS READING THIS…if you want people to review…threaten them with no more sex scenes unless you get reviews…I promise you it works…I got seven reviews in two hours (pathetically, that's a big deal for me). Keep the reviews comin!
Okay, I just realized that I haven't been counting the time difference from New York to Vegas…which is a big one. Oops. I've gone too far to throw ya'll off and start accounting for it, so I'm just gonna keep going with it. (Sorry to all the fan fiction nitpickers out there!)
Double oops, I just realized I wasn't putting the days of the weeks at the headings of the new scenes…so I'm gonna start doing that because I'm a nitpicker at fan fictions (especially my own)
Rating: I'm sorry to inform you horndogs that there isn't a sex scene in this chapter but there is still language so I'm keeping it at R.
Chapter 5: Old Habits Die Hard
Friday December 8, 2004
Nick's House
12:03 p.m.
Anna and Nick arrived at his house and they began unloading the puppy's stuff. D.D. sat on the couch and watched them walk in and out. She occasionally hopped off the couch, but was scared by the vacuum, so she hopped back up on the couch and continued watching them. Nick and Anna walked in the house for the last time and began to take off their coats and scarves. "Okay," Kris said. "Um…I'll come by every other day to see her. I'll buy the food, the toys, and the bathroom pads. The good thing is that she's potty trained."
"At one month?"
"She was born at the Puppy Boarding School and I adopted her from there."
"How'd that work?"
"Her mother was my best friend, Hannah's, dog and she was here while Hannah was on vacation, and she had her puppies here, they sold most of them but since D.D. was so small no one wanted her. I fell in love with her instantly." She explain and Nick smiled. "Figures I'd be the one to fall for the misfit. But it worked out, they trained her and I came to visit her and eventually moved out here."
Nick smiled and nodded his head, "So what's with the potty training thing?"
"Oh, it's easy. You just lay down a couple pads around the house and she knows that the pad is the spot she's supposed to do her business. You just throw it out whenever it needs to be and lay another one down. But uh, try to stick with the same spots so she doesn't get confused and end up peeing on the floor."
Nick nodded. "Sounds easy enough."
"I'll bathe her and stuff, basically all you have to do is make sure she has food and that she's got a clean pad. She sleeps in her little bed. You can lay it wherever. Um…if you leave your door open, she'll come in in the mornings and uh…" She chuckled. "The minute she senses you're awake, I do not know how she does it she just knows that you're awake, she'll uh…she'll jump up on your chest and start lickin the hell outta ya." Kris explained and Nick laughed. "She's everywhere at once. It's crazy. When she does that just pick her up off ya and set her down. She'll stop after you tell her stop."
Nick smiled and shook his head. "I think you just shared more with me now than you have since I met you." Kris chuckled.
"Well…don't get used to it." She said and turned to her puppy. "Okay baby, mommy has to go. I'll see you after work." She wrapped the little puppy in her arms and kissed her head. Nick looked at the two before him and sighed, barely audibly.
"You can uh…you can stay and hang out with her if you want." Nick offered and Kris looked at him, then to the puppy, and bit her lower lip in deep contemplation.
"Um…I don't wanna impose on any plans you might've had." Kris said and Nick shook his head and pursed his lips.
"No…its fine." Nick said and Kris sighed and kissed D.D.'s head.
"Um…only for a while, I gotta get goin soon."
Nick nodded. "Do you want some coffee?" He offered and she nodded.
"Yeah, thanks." The awkwardness from the first day they'd met till now had once again enveloped them. "I'm gonna start puttin down her pee pee pads." Kris said and took D.D. with her as she opened the bag from Petsmart and pulled out the bag of pads. She opened it and extracted four pads. Nick turned around and watched her as she placed one in the corner of the living room and made sure it was accessible for the puppy but out of the way for everyone else. She disappeared down the hall. "Anywhere you don't want me to put one of these?" She called and Nick thought for a moment.
"Nope." He continued making the coffee and walked into the living room as it started to brew. He saw her come from out of the hallway. She looked at him.
"Okay, I put one in the bathroom, one in your office, and one in the corner of your room in case she comes into your room in the morning. If you don't want her in there-" Nick waved his hand dismissing the rest of her comment. She nodded and looked around. D.D. had poked through the bag and pulled out one of her chew toys. Kris looked over and smiled at her puppy. "Hey um…" She began and looked at Nick. He turned to look at her. "I just um, thank you for doing this…I really appreciate it." She said sincerely and Nick gave a crooked smile.
"That must've been really hard for you." He joked and remembered using that same line on Sara a few months ago.
Kris rolled her eyes. "Shut up." She said and Nick chuckled. "I was trying to be nice and thank you and you just…" She let her thought trail off and she growled in frustration. D.D. looked up excitedly at Kris from hearing the growl.
"God you're easy to mess with." Nick drawled and Kris scoffed. He intended to say 'You're welcome', but then remembered who he was talking to.
It was becoming a habit of being mean to each other, but Kris figured she should try to be nice since he was housing her puppy.
"You're one to talk." Kris rolled her eyes and went to cuddle with D.D. She set the stuff by the pee pee pad and laid down on the couch and let the tiny puppy crawl around on her stomach. Kris leaned up and cuddled her face into the puppy's. D.D. licked Kris' nose and she laid her head back down.
Nick walked back into the kitchen and poured the coffee into two cups. He put the creamer into his own cup and brought it out with him into the living room. "Anderson, the coffee is done." He looked up to see Kris had quickly fallen asleep on the couch with D.D. sitting on her stomach, looking at her. The puppy looked over at Nick and cocked her head. "Guess we're too late." He remarked her and set Kris' mug down on the coffee table and picked D.D. up of Kris and put his hand under her and slid her between his side and his arm, underneath his arm pit. He looked at Kris and raised his brow.
She looked angelic and…sort of attractive when she slept…absolutely nothing like when she was awake. "Maybe it's cause her mouth's movin when she's awake." Nick drawled in remark to his own comment. He chuckled set D.D. on the ground. Nick reached over the back of the couch and pulled the blanket over Kris to cover her and he stood back. Nick grabbed his mug of coffee and walked back to his office to see if he could finish his paperwork for his case from a few days ago.
Catherine's House
2:26 p.m.
"I wonder if they've finished the paperwork yet." Catherine pondered as she pawed at Warrick's chest hairs. Warrick stroked her hair and sighed.
"Cath…don't worry about work. I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to immerse yourself in work because this thing with Linds is killing you…but that's one of the reasons we're in a big a rut as we're in…you can't neglect her anymore and she can't neglect you. So don't give her an excuse to." Warrick said. He felt a teardrop hit his chest and he kissed her forehead. "I love you baby."
These words released the tears she'd been holding back for years…he loved her…he admitted it. He wasn't going anywhere…he wasn't going to turn the other cheek when she tried to ignore her problems…he wasn't going to let her fall. He was going to help her. He was going to help Lindsey. He was going to be the love and support she needed. He was going to be the one she turned to when she needed someone.
Where as she would normally go looking for random men and casual sex in this situation, she was now looking for one man and the joy of making love to ease her pain…because he knew her. And with the touch of his velvet hands or silk words he could relieve pain. She had made her life that way. Words had become over rated. Emotions and displaying them had reigned supreme. Warrick knew that. He understood it. And he excepted it. He could speak words of comfort and words of discipline when she needed and wanted them. But he knew when to say it…and when to show it.
That's what had gotten her into so much trouble with men. They either always wanted to show it, or always wanted to say it. They'd force her to be more open, or shut up. With each new man she doubted and confused herself more. But Warrick somehow knew what to do or say and when to do or say it. He knew it for some strange reason. He knew her.
Perhaps it came from watching and waiting for so long. He knew why her relationships always busted or broke before they even started. He knew he could be the one she needed…he just wanted to wait till it was his time. He didn't want to rush her because he knew she wouldn't want to be rushed.
He knew these things about her…and that's why she could cry in front of him…she could be herself. She didn't have to be ashamed to ask for help or admit she was wrong. She still would though. It would tale time to relieve herself of that habit. But she knew Warrick would wait. He'd help her. Because he said he would. And for the first time ever…she truly believed a man about what he promised her.
Quality Inn Massena
Dining Hall
3:44 p.m.
"I promise Sara." Grissom said and patted the impatient woman's arm.
She sighed. "Alright, but if I end up having bugs crawl all over me as a demonstration as a corpse your dead."
"Technically you'd be dead." Grissom said not looking up from his menu but he knew she was glaring at him. He gave a crooked smile and shifted his eyes up to her. She narrowed her eyes but smiled despite herself. "I promise…no bugs on you."
"Or around me."
"Okay. I promise no bugs on or around you." He smirked as an idea popped in his head.
Sara looked at him and saw the 'idea smirk' he was wearing. "And not in me!" She ordered and he chuckled. She knew him all too well. "I mean it Grissom."
At the use of his last name he looked up at her worriedly. She winced and gave a sorry smile. "Old habit…sorry."
Grissom nodded and looked back down at the menu. "Do you know what you want?"
"Um…Yes." Sara answered and he motioned for the waiter.
"Good Afternoon and thank you for choosing the Quality Inn Massena. What can I get for you two today?" The handsome waiter replied. He looked at Sara and smiled. His bright white teeth shown and his green eyes sparkled. Sara didn't notice and read off her order.
"Veggie Tofu Platter with a side of Caesar Salad and green tea." Sara replied and handed him her menu.
"A plate of Calamari with a cup of coffee." Grissom said and handed the waiter the menus.
"I'll be back with your orders shortly." He said and smiled at Sara before leaving. Sara gave a forced smile normally reserved for Ecklie or FBIs. Grissom caught the smile and suppressed a chuckle. The waiter was clueless as to her wishing of the absence of his presence.
She shook her head as he walked away and gave Grissom a real smile. Something reserved for him. He returned it and she blushed. Grissom reached out a little bit for her hand, still uncomfortable with PDA and Sara knew that was an old habit for him, and respected that. She chuckled and gave a lazy smile.
Nick's House
6:23 p.m.
Kris gave a lazy smile and stretched as she woke up. She waited for D.D. to jump on her and lick her face, when she didn't Kris opened one eye and looked around. When she didn't notice her surroundings she bolted upright. She looked at the blanket covering her and she kicked it off. She stood up and looked around at her surroundings. When she saw the puppy supplies and it dawned on her. She was at Nick's house…but why was she asleep on his couch?
Kris shook her head and began to walk through the living room and into the hallway. She tiptoed down the hallway and heard a small whirring sound coming from Nick's office. She went to the door and saw that it was open, she knocked despite the fact the door was opened. D.D. came racing to her feet and she picked up the puppy and looked to see that Nick had fallen asleep in his chair, bent over his desk.
She chuckled and walked up to him and brushed his bangs from his forehead to see a small red dot, an imprint from his ring. She looked at him and raised her eye brow. He looked peaceful and mildly attractive…totally opposite when he was awake. "Maybe its cause he's excessively annoying when he's awake." Kris joked and caught a glimpse of the clock. She sighed and gently nudged his side. He didn't stir. She poked him and his body moved stiffly. "God…I hope he's not dead." She remarked and poked him again. She sighed. "Stokes, wake up."
Finally getting an idea she held D.D. next to his face. She started licking him like crazy and Nick frowned and wiped his face. Kris chuckled and kissed D.D.'s forehead. Nick opened his eyes and saw Kris and D.D. smirking over him. He shook his head and tried to clear his vision. "Hey Sleeping Beauty." He said sarcastically and smiled mock-sweetly at him. "Its 6:30. I fell asleep on the couch and uh…I figured you'd probably need to get up so…"
Nick nodded and rubbed a tired hand over his face. "Yeah…uh yeah thanks." He shook his head and stood up. She walked out of the office and he watched her go. He sighed. "I'll uh…I'll see you later at work."
Kris looked back and nodded. "Be sure to feed D.D. before you leave for work, okay?" Kris called over her shoulder and Nick nodded, and then remembered she couldn't see him. She turned back around and looked at him. "Nick?"
"Uh huh, yeah…okay." Nick drawled and she cocked her head, D.D. mocking her movements.
"Are you okay?" She asked half curios half annoyed…he had that affect on her.
"Yeah. I'm just tired." He replied and pinched the bridge of his nose. She raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly while walking out of the room.
"Okay…thank you." She called and Nick nodded.
"You're welcome." Nick said and she turned around shocked. "You uh…you tried to thank me before and I was rude so…you're welcome."
Kris raised her eyebrow and gave a confused smile despite herself. "Okay." She shook her head while chuckling and walked from the room. Nick watched her leave, and a few seconds later he heard the front door open and close. He walked into his living room and saw D.D. sitting at the front door patiently waiting for Kris to return.
Nick shook his head and picked up the vacuum. D.D. yelped and ran and Nick looked at her confused. He chased after the puppy and found her curled up on his office chair burying her little head in his cotton pull over. he chuckled and went to pick up the puppy. "Okay, mental note, no vacuuming around the puppy." He said out loud and picked D.D. up from his chair.
"How is it possible that you are so cute?" Nick asked as if he was talking to a baby and D.D. cocked her head and licked his nose. He smiled. "I could get used to you." He put the puppy under his arm and quickly put away the vacuum so as not to scare her. He went back towards his office until he heard a knock at the door. He turned around and walked back to his front door to open it. He saw Kris standing there, hurried and freezing.
"Hey, did I leave my key card here?" She asked and smoke from the cold air clew from her mouth as she talked.
"I didn't see it…you can come in and look if you want." He moved aside and she rushed in. D.D. stretched as far as Nick's grasp would let her so she could be closer to Kris. Kris reached out for the puppy and D.D. licked her cold face.
"Damn its cold out there." She remarked and Nick looked at the thermometer outside his door.
"It's dropped ten degrees in six hours." Nick informed her and she shivered. She set the puppy on her feet and bent over to look around the couch; Nick blushed and looked away. Even if she did annoy the Hell out of him…he had to admit she was hot. And Jennifer Lopez had nothing on her. He shook his head of that thought and looked around the coffee table. She sighed and stood up straight. "Is it in your car?"
She shook her head. "I called Greg and asked if he would look at his place. I got to the hotel and realized I didn't have my card."
"Did you ask if the hotel would give you a new one?"
"Not yet…that was my next stop…I just wanted to see if I could find it first." She sighed and gave the couch one last glance. "Alright…sorry." She said and Nick watched as she left hastily. D.D. sat by the door and looked from it, to Nick, back to the door. She whimpered when she realized Kris wasn't coming back anytime soon. She trotted over to Nick and stood on her hind legs. He picked her up and cuddled her as he walked over to his office to see if he could get anymore work done before work.
Catherine's House
7:09 p.m.
"I don't think I'm comin into work tonight." Warrick said to the voice on the phone. Catherine watched as she laid in bed and patiently waited till she could go and visit Lindsey. "Yeah…tell them that. I don't want to have to answer a lot of questions about this…yes. Thanks Kris." Warrick hung up and looked over at Catherine. "It's all set. We can go spend the rest of the day with Linds."
Warrick crawled into bed next to her and she cuddled up to him. "We have to think of another pass time because if we go for a fourth round I think I might dislocate my hips." Catherine joked and Warrick chuckled.
"What time are we scheduled to see her?"
"Well, because we work on the nightshift…and they think we're still working…we can go see her in two hours. But we actually have to investigate this further…I was serious. I wanna find who did this and make them pay." Catherine answered and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Warrick smiled as he watched her naked body saunter to her closet and pull out her robe. She slid it over her bare shoulders and tied it, and turned to face him, a small smile playing on her lips.
He raised his eyebrow and she read his mind and shook her head chuckling. "Hey sexy." he said joking as he walked up to her. She chuckled and he kissed her nose. "How about I make you dinner?"
Catherine chuckled. "I got lucky, I got a domesticated one."
"Not to mention drop dead sexy." He called over his shoulder as he walked from her room, towards the kitchen. He pulled the draw string on the sweat pants tighter and took out the things necessary to make dinner. She sat on the stool by the island in her kitchen and watched him.
He worked through the kitchen like an expert and Catherine chuckled, "I could get used to this."
CSI Crime Lab
Break Room
10:24 p.m.
"I hope this never happens again." Greg sighed and slid down into the sofa further. He sighed louder and threw his head back. "This bites."
Kris chuckled. "Call Grissom again, see how he's doin."
She looked up to see Greg make a face at her and then play it off with a small smile. She grinned and winked at him as she continued her crossword puzzle. "You like crossword puzzles too? So does Griss. He's kind of protective about them. He yelled at Rick and me because we were working on it one morning…it was kind of frightening." Greg joked and Kris chuckled.
Nick walked into the break room and shook off his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. He grabbed a mug and began to pour the warm coffee into it. Kris glanced over her shoulder at Nick. "Did you feed the puppy?"
Nick rolled his eyes. "Nope. I totally forgot to feed her and I stuck her outside in the freezing weather." Nick commented and she looked back at him shooting a death glare.
"You better be joking."
Nick looked at her and shot her a look. She turned back around and continued her crossword. "But uh, the puppy boarding place called my house."
Kris turned to face him and gave him a confused look. "What?"
"They wanted to make sure you found her somewhere to stay." Nick explained.
"How did they get your number?" Kris questioned stunned.
Nick smirked. "You know I was wonderin the same thing, but I checked D.D.'s collar,"
Kris slapped herself on the forehead. "Oh yeah. I forgot about the collar they gave her. It's so when they let the dogs out they don't get lost and if they do, they can find them." Kris explained and Nick nodded.
"I know that now."
Kris turned back around and smiled as she filled in the last word of her crossword. "Done."
Greg looked at her shocked. "Wow, that fast? You and Griss should have like, a tournament or something." Greg replied and Kris chuckled. "By the way Nick, we finally got a hold of Griss."
"Finally! Why didn't he answer the first two thousand times?"
"His phone died and they had a blackout so he couldn't recharge it." Greg explained. "I told him what we had so far and he said that we couldn't do anymore with it until he got back." Greg informed him.
"And there are no new cases?"
"Nope…but I have a feeling something will come in." Greg replied and winked at Kris. She chuckled and shook her head.
"Greg, I was joking." She replied.
"What?" Nick asked confused and not knowing the inside joke.
"Kris's foot aches."
"So…"
"So, when her foot aches, its good luck for her."
"Greg, I was joking when I said that." Kris replied exasperated.
"Yeah, just because her foot hurts doesn't-"
"No, her foot aches, when her foot hurts it will snow." Greg replied cutting Nick off.
"Ya know, all this talk about my feet is making one hurt, and one ache." Kris replied sarcastically and Greg chuckled.
"Greg, the cases in this town don't depend on the status of Anderson's feet." Nick pointed out. "They depend on how many creeps and assholes wanna come out and play."
Kris smirked and winked at Greg while grabbing yesterday's newspaper to do the crossword. Just then Judy walked into the room. "Hey guys, just got a case in. 419 in Summerland. You'll want to wear hats and gloves, it just started snowing." And with that Judy left the room.
They all looked out the window, and sure enough, snowflakes were beginning to fall. They all looked out the window stunned that it was snowing in the dessert, and amazed that Kris' asinine forecasts were accurate. The two men turned to look at Kris who shrugged innocently. "How the Hell did you do that?" Nick asked startled.
She chuckled nervously. "It's an old foot habit. Whenever my left foot aches it means that it's getting colder and more likely to rain. Since it really hurts I guessed a combination of the both. And the 419 was just a guess."
"Why does your foot hurt when it gets colder?" Greg asked concerned.
"I broke it when I was younger and its still sensitive to colder climates…that's why I moved to the dessert."
"Less chance of a foot pain." Greg added and Kris nodded.
"Well, sorry Greggo but a dead man's waitin for me."
"Yeah, cause that's the only kind willing to wait for you." Nick remarked and Greg tried his hardest to suppress his laughter. Kris turned around and shot Nick a death glare as they walked out of the room.
"Burn." Greg declared laughing. But the laughter stopped when a pissed off woman's voice from down the hall shouted,
"I heard that!"
Saturday December 9, 2004
Quality Inn Massena
Hiking Trail
2:16 a.m.
"I can't hear you Sara. You have to speak up." Grissom ordered.
She sighed as the winds picked up and Grissom reached back for her hand so she wouldn't get lost. She moaned and grabbed his hand, tired of lagging behind and just wanting to feel his touch. "I said are you sure this is safe? Walking through a dark trail, in the middle of the night, in New York?"
Grissom chuckled. "Let go of your CSI inhibitions. Just relax."
Sara stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him in sheer disbelief. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with Grissom?" He chuckled and she shook her head and chuckled with him. "Seriously, you're so relaxed."
Grissom chuckled. "I guess you just bring it out in me."
Sara shook her head. "You bring out the concern in me. Seriously, you're freaking me out."
Grissom turned to face her. "Okay, I promise we can go back in a minute…I just want you to see this."
Sara sighed and nodded as a sly smile spread across Grissom's bearded face. He kissed her hand and turned to continue walking. She tried to focus on his happiness and block out the fact that it was freezing and she was having difficulty feeling her toes. They walked along and were beginning to clear the trees when Sara saw a faint light.
Suddenly the forestry stopped and they were standing in a huge circular clearing with frosted trees and small lampposts every few yards in front of the trees. Small lanterns hung from the curved hooks of the black metal poles. Sara looked in the middle of the clearing and saw a black statue of a man and a woman standing by an early version of the American flag. He was down on one knee with what appeared to be an engagement ring extended towards her and she was smiling down at him and covering her mouth in surprise. Judging by their attire they appeared to be from the 1700s when New York was first founded.
The formation of rocks in the background looked like they were placed together to be two hearts leaning on each other, each holding the other up and keeping it standing strong.
The lanterns cast a romantic glow around them and the snow capped trees and bushes made it look magical. The area around the statue had poinsettias around it along with mistletoe and more poinsettias on the small slab of stone with the explanation of the landmark engraved into it. It was a truly moving and beautiful sight.
"Wow." was all Sara could manage. Grissom smirked and led her to the small slab and began to read.
"The legend of Proposal Peak, this magical rock has the capability to make any two people fall madly in love. It is said that when a man and a woman enter the presence of the rock formation, its supernatural supremacies encircle them and they become smitten. At some point in their life they propose an engagement of marriage under the mystical powers of the rock and live happily ever after. However, in early December in the year of 1805 a group of Canadians came through the passage to the trail of Proposal Peak and destroyed the rock formation that was located in this very spot. But the residents of Brushton noticed that the rock's mystical powers still remained. Suspecting that the true influence lay within the presence of the area and not the formation itself, they built homage to it. Now, every year, one selected couple receives the honors of an engagement of marriage underneath the tribute, and the couples live long and happy lives." Gil finished and stepped back awaiting Sara's, no doubt, critical response.
"No way can that be true."
Grissom smiled. "I know, I just thought it'd be a nice spin on a bad situation. I knew that gaining back the use of your analytical eye and the chance to doubt the chance of true love would put you back in high spirits." Grissom replied and Sara dropped her jaw. Grissom gave a crooked smile and started walking. She kept her mouth open to show her surprise but smiled despite herself.
"Since when are you so outspoken?"
Grissom glanced over his shoulder and gave another crooked smile. "Since I met you."
Unknown Location
Nick's Tahoe
5:03 a.m.
"Since I met you my life has been Hell." Kris blurted angrily. Nick shook his head, becoming less fazed by her outbursts of disgust when she was around him, and continued sitting quietly in his seat.
"Well my life ain't exactly been peachy keen either Sweetheart." He replied sarcastically.
She huffed and folded her arms across her chest, trying to keep herself warm. "How likely is it that the tire would blow and the engine would quit working at the same time? What are the odds? I mean seriously, you're like a bad luck charm."
"Hey, that was my nickname in high school." Nick joked absently and she looked over at him and shot a death glare. He chuckled and shook his head.
"How can you be so cool about this?" She asked half aggravated half amazed. Nick shrugged.
"I tend to see the brighter side in the situations. I know that someone's on their way to help us, we'll eventually get there, and for the mean time I can get some sleep or enjoy the scenery." Nick drawled and looked over to gauge her reaction. She scrunched her nose and shook her head. Nick chuckled. "You just don't have the ability to see the light in things because you're a pessimist."
She gawked at him. "Am not!"
"You are too." Nick said laughing. "I'll prove it," He turned slightly and unbuckled his seat belt so he could look at her. She rolled her eyes and made no move to face him.
"No, I'm too cold."
"Pessimist."
"Fine!" She said exasperated and turned to face him, mocking his position. She looked at him completely bored out of her mind and not too eager to be evaluated by a co-worker she couldn't stand.
"Alright, I'm gonna say a word and you say the first word or phrase that comes to your mind. Okay?"
She sighed. "Shoot."
"Party."
She scrunched her nose. "Socialize."
"Cheesecake."
"Calories."
"Promotion."
"More responsibility." She replied automatically.
"Love."
"Heart break."
"Marriage."
"Fighting."
"Sex."
"Kids."
"See! You're such a pessimist even sex is bad in your eyes!"
"No, I didn't say sex was bad. I just happened to name a horrible side effect. It's like taking Tylenol for a headache and ending up with a stomach ulcer."
Nick scoffed and shook his head. "You're so pessimistic."
She rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrow and looked at him skeptically. "So, being a pessimist is no worse than being an optimist."
"How do you figure?" Nick asked doubtfully.
"Well, no one likes a 'Mr. Rogers-everything-is-fine-and-dandy-life-rocks' kinda freak."
"But no one likes a kill joy."
"Exactly, people like well balanced emotions. People who know when to be happy but know when to see the 'dark side' and be realistic."
"You can be realistic without being 'dark'." Nick pointed out.
"Yeah, but the truth is nine times out of ten reality is depressing, aka 'dark', and you can't see the light in it. But I do know how to laugh."
"Hardly."
Kris narrowed her gaze and glared. "I laugh plenty, just not around you because you make having fun difficult."
"Says you."
"You know, I can be a pleasant person okay. I can actually be quite nice, just not around you because you piss me off. You wanna know what your problem is? You try to be everybody's best friend. You try too hard and get so annoyed when someone doesn't like you so you push. You push and try to make them like you, but you push so hard you push them right over the edge and they can't stand you. But truthfully, I don't think you're as happy as you let it on. I think a lot of things really bother you; you're just too concerned about everyone else that you don't take time to just stop, shut up, and let it show."
Nick stared at her astounded, but then his face quickly turned sour. "Okay, maybe I can try too hard sometimes, but at least I try. You're so God damn stubborn and set in your ways that you won't let a single person through. I've only known you a few days, but I can already tell you constantly lie through your teeth about how happy you really are. You don't have the ability to be truly happy, because that would mean having to deal with whatever the Hell is bothering you." He saw that he had hit a nerve, but he kept going, so angry and frustrated with her he wasn't really thinking. "And what you said about me may have some truth in it, but I doubt there's much because all it is are the paroxysms of a caustic and cynical woman who is too afraid to show her true self to people and get close to them so she pushes them away. And you push them so far away that you push em over the edge and they just get fed up with you and give up."
He finished and studied her face, finally snapping back to reality. He opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't form any words. He wanted to weigh her facial response first. Her face was blank. Her eyes were dark. Her face was flushed and her lips were drawn in a straight line. "Congratulations Stokes you finally grew some balls." Her response and motions were completely void of any sentiment as she turned back forward and watched the road.
Nick looked at her in sheer incredulity. He has just said some awful things to her that was enough to make anyone break down crying…well except for Grissom because he showed no emotion and Ecklie because he had no heart, but Kris had just sat there, took it, made a snappy comment, and blew it off. Nick furred his brows and turned back forward. He sighed as he looked forward and studied the scenery. He heard the lock click and he looked over to see Kris climb out of the car and walk over to stand in the middle of the road and the freezing weather.
His eyes widened and he jumped out of the car and ran to the side of the road. "Anderson! I'm sorry! That was horrible what I said! I shouldn't have been so harsh! But please don't kill yourself! It's not worth it!" He exclaimed and she turned and looked at the ground as she walked back to the car and leaned against it. A second later Brass' car pulled over to the side of the road and parked next to them. Nick blushed and looked down and Kris looked over at him with a smug smirk and arched manicured eyebrow.
"You wanna take any of what you just confessed back?" She asked haughtily trying not to smile at his obvious embarrassment.
"No." He replied and she scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Wimp." She pushed herself off the car and walked over to Brass' window. She knocked on it and rocked on her heels as if it would keep her warm. Nick stared at her from behind and watched with interest as she and Brass chuckled and Brass stepped out of the car. He chuckled and walked up to Nick, who pulled his hat down further over his ears and wrapped his scarf tighter.
"Nicky…you blew the tire and the engine." Brass shook his head mock-disapprovingly and Kris chuckled at his ribbings.
Nick moaned. "Don't tell me you like her too."
"From what I hear you're the only one who doesn't." Brass replied knowing the problems the two had from what Warrick and Greg had filled him in on.
He looked over at Kris and she shrugged innocently. "I can't help it. But to be fair, I don't like him either." Kris pointed out and Brass chuckled.
"That has to be killing him." Brass remarked and Kris laughed at the scowl on Nick's face.
"Hell yeah." Kris answered. Brass sighed and nodded.
"Alright, I'll give the two of you a ride up to the scene and we'll send someone out here to fix the car and drive it out to the scene." Brass motioned for them to follow him and they grabbed their kits from the car and went with Brass. Once they were all in the car and beginning to feel warm Brass smiled. "So someone fill me in on why Nick had his foot in his mouth when I came here?"
Both parties were quiet and he looked over at Kris and at Nick through his rearview mirror. Nick sighed after a few minutes. "No reason." He lied.
"Yeah, Stokes is just so used to sticking his foot in his mouth it's kinda stuck there. I guess some old habits are hard to break." She mumbled and Nick scowled at the back of her seat and slid down further and stared out the window.
Desert Palms
Recovery Ward
Room 317
6:12 a.m.
Catherine and Warrick walked out of the hospital in a rut. Lindsey hadn't said hardly anything. No doubt she was protecting whoever did this to her. Catherine sighed as she crossed the parking lot and Warrick pulled her closer to him to keep her smaller body warm and kissed the top of her head. "I'll drop you off at home so you can take a nice warm bubble bath, light some candles, get the aromatherapy thing goin, and I'll run this to the lab and see if we can get some answers." Warrick ordered as he opened the door for her. Normally she would have complained that she didn't want to be babied and treated like a fragile little princes…but she was too concerned about her baby to care.
She nodded and buckled her seatbelt as Warrick jogged over to the driver's side and climbed in himself.
"Warrick…" She began quietly and he looked at her. "…I love you."
A/N: AHHHHHHHH! CLIFFHANGER!
How will Warrick react to Catherine's confession?
What will turn up in Greg's lab for a rude surprise?
How will Nick and Kris work through the mess they've stuck themselves in?
What adventures will Grissom and Sara encounter next?
What is Brass going to put on his sandwich!...oh wait…never mind…
But I'm serious about all the other stuff…so stay tuned to BREAKING LOOSE! Were breaking loose the twists and drama filled events!