Love is Your Color
Chapter 4: Her Rock
Roxie was all smiles as she walked onto the Cancer Ward of Dessert Palm hospital. She couldn't wait to tell her mom about her date. Even though part of the day didn't go as planned with a random shooting the rest of the night had been perfect. They made-out on the couch for a while and then Nick just held her until the two of them fell asleep. In the morning Roxie couldn't believe that she was waking up in his arms. He'd been the perfect date and they had planned they would go out again and hope someone doesn't decide to throw some bullets into their goodtime.
Roxie made it down to her mom's room where her mom was lying in bed like always. The TV was on. It was one of those terrible judge shows that came on in the middle of the afternoon. Sophia turned to see her daughter entering the room. She gave her a weak smile.
"Roxie-Girl." Sophia said weakly.
"Hey mom." Roxie said as she sat down a plant she bought on the windowsill.
"Someone looks happy." Sophia commented noting Roxie's smile.
"Well mom I went on a date with that guy I told you about. It was pretty perfect except for when we finally kissed gunfire came out of nowhere. Our date turned into a crime scene. I guess it is good we are both CSIs." Roxie explained as she took a seat in the chair next to her mom's bed.
"Sounds delightful." Her mom said with a weak laugh before going into a coughing fit. Roxie quickly grabbed the cup of water on the table next to her mom's bed and handed it to her. Sophia sipped the water and then looked at her daughter. "I have some news."
"What is it?" Roxie asked eagerly.
"I talked with my doctor this morning. We aren't going to do anymore chemo. She said at this point there is nothing she can do." Sophia said to Roxie who looked dumbfounded. Tears quickly began to pour from Roxie's eyes. She always knew this was a possibility she always knew that the cancer could take her mom, but in this moment it became real. "Don't cry Rox. It is what's best. I don't have anymore fight in me."
"But you….you…you have to fight." Roxie cried out as she took her mom's hand. Suddenly all of the happiness she had before was leaving her body. She rapidly felt helpless.
"No more fighting Roxie." Sophia said as she looked at her beautiful daughter.
"I don't know what to do without you." Roxie said through her tears.
"You will survive. You have this guy. He seems nice. He seems like he can be a rock for you. You light up when you talk about him. I feel that something will come from this. He is your destiny." Sophia said. Roxie didn't know what to say in that moment. She placed her head on her mom's bed and just tried. Sophia rubbed her daughter's head.
Nick was excited to see Roxie. He'd left her place this morning after their eventful night. He knew she would have a tough day spending the afternoon with her mom while she had chemo. He sat at his desk checking his email awaiting Roxie's arrival. He couldn't believe how that single date changed everything. She went from the cute, quirky girl whom he worked with to his girlfriend who he couldn't get enough of. She was far different than anyone would think she was. He didn't expect her apartment to be so tame nor did he expect her entire CD rack to be filled with classical music. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover. He caught himself smiling as he thought about her.
"So the word is out." Greg said as he entered the office and sat at his own desk.
"Word…what word?" Nick asked looking up from his computer at Greg.
"About you and Rainbow Brite. Everyone knows that you two are seeing each other." Greg said.
"And?" Nick questioned playing it very cool.
"Just nobody expected that…she is so…. different." Greg commented.
"And what's wrong with different?" Nick asked starring straight at Greg who was starting to feel uncomfortable and shifting in his seat.
"Nothing…nothing is wrong with different. Just nobody expected someone like her to be your type." Greg said.
"She isn't normally, but unlike everyone else I got to know her. She is actually pretty awesome." Nick said. He then looked to see Roxie walking down the hall. He grinned seeing his beautiful girlfriend as she made her way to his office.
"Hey guys." Roxie said as she entered the office. She wasn't feeling so enthusiastic about work tonight. The news with her mom had hit her hard. She just wanted to not think about it. She wanted to escape.
"Hey." Greg said.
"Hey Rainbow." Nick said looking at her. He could tell instantly that something was wrong. She didn't light up like she normally did. She was very somber. Even the way she was dressed gave her away. She looked practically normal tonight in plain black pants and a dark purple top. Her brown and ombre red hair was pulled back into a bun.
"Hey Country Boy." She said with a weak smile as she reached into the box next to Nick's desk and pulled out a new case.
"Umm Greg can we have the room?" Nick asked. Greg simply nodded and left the office closing the door behind him. Nick walked around the desk to her. She lifted her chin up with his finger. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Roxie said dismissing his question. She wasn't quite ready to say it out loud. She wasn't ready to admit to herself that in a matter of months her mom was going to die. She was going to lose her best friend.
"Is it your mom?" Nick then asked. She simply nodded as tears started to pour from her eyes. He pulled her in tight just holding her, letting her cry.
Roxie just stood there and let him hold her. Her heart had been broken at her mom's news. Her life would forever change the day her mom was gone. The only family she had left would be gone. She wasn't sure how she was going to face that, but then she thought about what her mom had said about Nick and how it was destiny that she had him now. Could that be really true? She then moved away from Nick and wiped her eyes.
"Will you be ok?" he asked.
"Yeah…yeah… I'll be fine." Roxie said with a weak smile. She then quickly placed her lips on his. It felt good to kiss him in that moment, to feel that single connection between them. Roxie then broke the kiss and looked at him. "I'm not ready to talk about it just yet."
"It's fine." Nick said as he placed his hands on her waist. "I'm here when you are ready."
"Thanks." Roxie said with a smile. She then grabbed the folder that she and picked out of the box. "I'm ready for some work."
"Well let's work." Nick said.
Nick was actually available to work with Roxie most of the night on the case until right after sunrise when he was called out. Roxie yawned as she at alone at his desk reading over the case notes. She looked at the clock. She was hoping she would see more of him, but it was time for her to head out. As she walked out she took a look at the TV that was on in the break room. A couple had been killed in their home along with their dog and the daughter missing. She figured that is where Nick had gone. She shook her head at the story, but she knew that was the reality they lived in. She went out to her car and drove home. Her apartment was silent until she turned on the TV. She likes the background noise of the TV on all the time no matter what she was doing. It made her feel less alone. She went in her room and changed into some pajama pants and a tank top.
Waking up in the late afternoon she pulled herself from bed and walked into the living room where the TV was still on. She sat down and watched the news that was on. She was happy to learn that they had found the daughter of the couple, but it turns out it was their neighbor who killed them and the police were looking for him. She went to the fridge and grabbed a box of take-out. She opened it and smelled it. It seemed to smell decent still. She popped it in the microwave and waited for it to finish eating. While she waited she walked back into the living room. There was then a knock at her door. She walked to the door and opened it to see Nick. She smiled at him.
Nick walked into Roxie's apartment. He was exhausted. He has been working a case all day long and just needed a minute. He figured if he were going to stop anywhere it would be to see his beautiful girlfriend. He instantly pulled her to him and kissed her.
"Hey you." Roxie whispered against his lips. She closed the door behind him as he made his way more into her apartment. She then heard the sound of the microwave.
"How's your day being going?" Nick asked as Roxie walked towards the kitchen. Roxie pulled her lunch from the microwave and walked out with two forks. Nick sat on the couch and Roxie sat next to him. Nick looked at the news.
"Ok. I pretty much slept." Roxie said as she handed Nick a fork. "It's Mandarin Chicken."
"Lucky you." He said as he stuck a fork into her take-out container and pulled out a piece of chicken.
Roxie then put her fork in and got a piece of chicken. She put it in her mouth and chewed it. "Were you working that case?" she said motioning to the TV.
"Yeah." Nick answered taking more chicken.
"Turns out it was Dr. Jekyll. He somehow inserted some radioactive materials into the neighbor's brain. He was going crazy and killed the family. They are tracking him down now." Nick explained as he ate more of her chicken.
"Seriously dude you are going to eat all my lunch." Roxie said as she looked and saw nearly half the chicken was already gone.
"My bad." Nick said giving her a smile. She couldn't help, but melt with his smile.
"So I saw the daughter was found." Roxie said.
"Yeah Ray and I found her. She was hiding in her bedroom. Poor thing was so afraid." Nick said thinking back to the little girl that morning as she held onto him and cried knowing that her parents were dead.
"I'm glad she's safe." Roxie said as she leaned her head on Nick's shoulder. He put his arm around her and ran his fingers through her wavy hair.
"By the way I love the red in your hair." Nick mentioned.
"Thanks. It was a nice change." Roxie said.
"You know I have a thing for redheads. Yours isn't quite redhead red, but I like the color." He said. Roxie looked up at him and smiled. She loved how open he was. He made her feel comfortable. He bent his head down and kissed her quickly. "I've got to get back to work. Heading over to the hospital to meet Ray and Brass."
"I figured." Roxie said with a sigh. She loved having him there with her in that single moment, but she knew he had work to do.
"I'll see you later?" Nick asked.
"For sure." Roxie said. Nick stood and looked down at Roxie as she at there in her pajamas. She was beautiful no matter what. The beauty in her soul seemed to radiate from her. He loved that about her. She was herself no matter what and everything about her was beautiful even down to her soul.
Roxie made her way to the morgue. She had opened a new case and learned that the body was still there unclaimed. She figured she could get her own chance to check it out. She walked into the morgue to find Doc Robbins and Greg standing over a body on the table. They both looked at Roxie as she grabbed a coat and put it on.
"Hey I'm looking for a body." Roxie said.
"I'll be with you in just a moment." Doc Robbins said.
"Is this the guy who had the radioactive stuff in his brain?" Roxie asked instantly intrigued.
"Yep it is." Greg answered.
"Fucking awesome!" Roxie said as she approached the table.
"I don't think I've ever had anyone refer to a body in my morgue as fucking awesome." Doc Robbins said with a laugh.
"Doc meet Roxie Jones. She is from Days, but helping out closing a few night-shift cases." Greg said.
"Nice to meet you Roxie." Doc Robbins said.
"Nice to meet you too." Roxie said happily.
"I don't know if the gossip has spread down here yet, but Roxie here and Nick are an item." Greg announced.
"Well well then… young lady. Treat our Mr. Stokes right." Doc Robbins said to her.
"I promise. I will." Roxie said with a sweet smile.
Nick was finishing up in his office and ready to head home. He looked up and out of the office to see Roxie making it towards his office. She was just who he wanted to see. As she approached the office she had a smile on her face. He knew she was very happy about something. She walked in the office and sat down on this empty chair in front of his desk.
"Someone is happy." He mentioned.
"A bit." She said happily. "I think I just broke the case. Turns out the fingerprints on the DB were never run. Well I ran them and I got a hit. Her name is Claire Thomas from Henderson. Brass is going to notify her family that her body had been found. Hoping to get more answers later today."
"Good job Rainbow." Nick said as he turned off his computer screen and stood up from his chair. He walked around the desk towards Roxie.
"Thanks Country Boy." She said. "Where are you headed?"
"I'm headed home. I am exhausted." He said with a yawn.
"Yeah I should head out too." She looked at him. "Hey I heard about Ray. Will he be ok?"
"Yeah the doctor said he has a concussion. He will be out for a little bit, but he should be fine." Nick said. They were then silent for a moment.
She stood from her chair and was now face to face with him. He quickly pulled her in by the waist and placed a kiss on her lips. Roxie heightened the kiss. Suddenly there was the sound of a clearing throat. Both of them turned to see Greg standing in the doorway.
"Ok we are going to have some office sharing rules. No making out in the office please." Greg said looking at the embraced couple.
"Sorry." Roxie said.
"We'll try." Nick then said before letting go of Roxie. He took her by the hand. "Later man."
"Later." Greg said as the two of them left the office hand in hand. They headed to the locker room.
Roxie went in her locker to grab her purse. She looked at the photo of she and her mom that hung in there. Suddenly sadness fell over her body. She simply sat down on the bench. It had hit her harder than it ever hit her. She was really going to lose her mom. Nick looked at her. He was instantly concerned seeing the way she just sat there. He sat down next to her and took her hand into his.
"Rox…what's wrong?" he asked.
"It really hit me." Roxie said as she looked at him. "My mom… the chemo isn't working… and uhhh… she is just waiting to die at this point." Roxie then burst into tears. She had been keeping it to herself since her mom told her. Her heart hurt just to talk about it. Nick wrapped his arms around her. He knew that she had gone through all of this virtually alone and now she was at the end, her breaking point. He knew that she really just needed someone to talk to and someone to be by her side. He knew that he wanted to be by her side. He was going to be her rock for as long as she needed him to be.