Chapter 3

Marie stood in the lobby of the palms hotel, pasting back and forth looking to her phone. She knew she not gotten any new messages, but the phone was clean and she was a short fuse ready to blow. Looking to the time Marie noticed that she had been waiting for an hour and a half, she sat down on a sofa her head now resting in her hands. He wasn't going to show because he was never this late, Marie only thought of Greg. She'd never normally kiss a guy like that, but she felt like she could trust him and right now, she didn't want to talk to anyone.

Dialling on the phone listen to it ringing before an answer, "Hello Las Vegas Crime lab, how can I direct your call?" the voice was cheerful, Marie taking a deep breath.

"Hi I'm Marie Grissom, can I ask if Gil still there?" Marie held her breathe before hearing the woman put her hand on the receiver. Marie heard muffled talking but she already knew what would be said.

"I'm sorry his out on the field, can I leave him a message?" the voice was still cheerful, but Marie could feel her throat tighten up.

She tightens her fist at her side trying to hold back her emotions, "just tell him, thanks for nothing." Marie hung up the phone; she turned on her heels looking around the lobby. People where walking to the casino, they all seemed excited, even happy, but Marie sat back down. Glancing to her phone again she decided to head to the bar, where she would have her birthday alone.

Grissom felt a buzz the case had been solved the little clues but they found the killer of the family, was the husband. With Sara and Nick the case would never been solved this quick, but something kept nagging him in the back of his mind.

"Grissom you had a call!" the lab's secretary called seeing him walking past her desk. Grissom walked to her, "and who was it?" he glanced over the counter watching the woman take a post it note off her monitor.

"Marie she said, 'thanks for nothing' she sounded really upset," she passed the note to Grissom as he stared at the name, the message feeling guilt.

Sara standing beside him, "Gris didn't you call her and tell her?" Sara nosing over the note, she didn't know that Grissom didn't call, if she'd known, would she have reminded him?

Grissom shock his head, "I better call her now," he picking up his phone dialling her number, but the phone rang and rang.

Grissom was about to hang up when he heard it answer, "Hello, how can I help you?" He know it was Marie, but her voice was relaxed her laughter was high pitched and he knew that she was drunk.

"Marie where are you?" he asked trying to keep his voice on a calm, but knowing his niece was drinking made him nervous.

"I'm at some club, Erm, up the strip, I can't remember, some guy brought me some drinks…" she giggled again from her end of the line again, Grissom could hear a male's voice in the background.

He felt his throat tighten more, "Marie, you went to a club, with a complete stranger?" his voice tense, but then Marie's voice turned bitter at a switch.

"Yup, so what, you don't care!" the phone went dead her last words were cold and harsh.

"Ok guys you going to help me!" Grissom started glancing at Nick. "Right Nick, Sara we split up and take on the club." his voice sounding commanding, but you could tell he was worried. "When you find her, bring her back here!"

Nick and Sara nodded looking to each other before taking off in there separate cars.

Marie felt the music flowing through her and she didn't even know who she was dancing with. Maybe it was just that in that moment she knew that her uncle was worried about her. That he wasn't going to find her in this crowd of dancers. She's brought some new clothes on the strip a white halter top and a pink micro mini with a pair of purple high heels. Marie had never dreamed of wearing some thing so revealing, or the other fact her make up was done by another girl so her blue eyes and red hair popped in the right way. She was having fun with the guys pouring drink into her mouth as she danced more.

Nick was happy he had his badge, he got into the club easy but the music was so loud her could hardly think. He knew who he was looking for, how could he forget her face, she had the eyes that made you think of innocence's, but still a hint of rebellion. Right now the club was a mass of bodies moving closer to each other, Nick couldn't tell one girl from another, shouting her name would have no effect, because no one could hear a thing.

Sara walking into the club she felt weird being the only female covered up, the place was loud and only two seconds and she could feel a headache coming on. She wasn't a part of this scene anymore, she was used to turning up to a clubs when the place was cleared to solve a crime, but right now she couldn't make out anything. The club's smoke machine was blowing everywhere and Sara was getting lost in it.

Grissom didn't like the club he chose first, it was a foam party club and at the moment he could only see masses of people dancing or having sex. He could tell, standing on the outside he couldn't make anything out, every one in the pit looked the same under the strobe lights. He never could imagine Marie ever wanting to go to a place like this at all! But then she was upset and angry, why couldn't he just made that five second call.

Marie was in a zone and she could feel the guy pressing against her close the music loud and the room was spinning out of control. She could feel everything and he was feeling her too, she laughed louder, felt his hand running up her arms pulling her body like she was a rag doll. Marie could hear the voice, it was calling her name and she turn to face him and knew who it was right away.

"Marie, can we talk?" Nick's voice was strong and determined lightly holding her arm.

"Erm no, let me go!" Marie shouted at him taking her arm back, she glared to Nick before looking him up and down.

"Dude I saw her first!" the guy said taking Marie's arm spinning her to face him, Nick taking her arm pulling her to face him again.

"Marie, come on, now…" he wanted to not make a scene, but the way Marie was looking it didn't seem to be the way.

Marie pushed Nick lightly, "fuck off!" she shouted feeling the guy pulling her back to face him.

Marie felt like a rag doll being pulled back by Nick, "look you have to come with me, now Marie." He could feel how weak the alcohol or what ever else she had was making her.

"Who the hell are you? Leave me alone!" Marie now point in Nick's face her eyes not looking so innocent anymore more mean as she spun away from him.

"Yeah dude, you want her so much wait your turn." Marie stared to the guy.

"Wait your turn; I'm not having sex with you!" Marie's expression changed, her eyebrows pulled together, the guy giving her a dirty look.

"You bitch," he went to hit her but Nick catching the guy's fist, throwing it back into his face.

"I wouldn't do that," the guy backed off, "Marie, come on."

Marie could still feel the room spinning but it wasn't a good feeling, "take me out of here, I need to breathe!" Marie was now holding her chest, she could feel her heart beating faster. The fun of the night was fading fast, she didn't like this. The lights making her feel dizzier, her stomach churning. Nick now picked her up carrying her through the crowd, taking her into the night air putting her down.

Marie pushed herself away from him; she rushed over to a wall throwing her head over the side feeling her content of her stomach exit her as she vomited. The ground was moving closing her eyes trying to not feel sick, but her body felt hot, her skin alive, she just needed to feel something, anything in that moment.

Nick now picked up his phone sending text messages to both Sara and Grissom, so they knew that he found her. Marie lifting her head, "I think I puked," she was standing beside him, she never really took much times to pay attention to her rescuer, but he was extremely good looking. Marie ran her fingers up his arm holding herself steady against him. Nick let out a small chuckle "do you normally drink?" Marie shook her head lightly.

"I was at the bar, at the hotel, I was alone, and that guy was nice, I see now why…" She let him go stepping carefully back, "Gosh you think people grow up, I hate feeling like a baby in a grown up pla…"Marie trip Nick quick to catch her. He glanced at what she was wearing and that she was revealing a lot.

"Would you like my coat?" Nick said taking it off wrapping it around her lightly, he now felt better about taking her away from this place.

Marie smelt the jacket; she could feel Nick's arms around her, relaxing more.

"I don't wear this normally, I just wanted to fit in, the club," Nick helping her into the car.

"I believe you," he whispered brushing some stray hair out her face, reaching into his jeans pocket. "Want some gum?" he offered her while helping her with the seat belt. Marie nodded, "Thank you." she took the stick of gum putting in her mouth chewing. Nick took this time to get into the driver's seat. "Let me know if you're going to be sick again?" Marie nodded placing her head into her knees, Nick sitting her up straight.

"My uncle is going to kill me!" Marie murmured as Nick carefully drove to the lab, she kicked the heels off, they were killing her feet.

"His not going to kill you," Nick replied taking quick glances at Marie, she was squirming in seat, her hands rubbing up and down her thighs making Nick nervous. Marie looking to Nick, she admired his strong jaw and lightly touched his arm, Nick kept his focus on the road, but couldn't help but feel her hands lightly running up his arms making him feel uncomfortable.

"How about you, tell me how its like working for my uncle is?" She asked slowly, she had undone her seat belt leaning over the gear stick her fingertips gentle over his skin. Nick swallowing a lump in his throat, "it's good, he is very nice to work with…" he drove more carefully keeping his glances at her brief.

Marie now was leaning closer to him, and he could feel her breathe on his neck, "I am really glad you found me, I mean, that guy, he was just…" her voice soft, her hand moved from his arms to his thigh, Nick quickly moving his arm to sit Marie back down.

"It's ok I just think, you need to sleep it off…" Nick spoke breathless, he stopped at a red light looking over to Marie was now nodding.

"You work with Greg, his nice…" Her voice didn't seem to be bothered by his pushing her away as her hands still kept moving around.

"Yes his a great guy, he told us you went on a lunch date." Nick was happy for the change of subject as the light flashed green making him drive a little more egger to get to the lab.

Marie nodded, "yup we did, and, and I kissed him," Nick keeping his eyes on the road, they were nearly there.

"Oh, so, here were we are!" Nick stopped the car as he parked in his normal space. Marie stared into the car park; Grissom was standing out side waiting for her. She felt her heart pounding and Nick was getting out the car. Marie sat there not moving.

Grissom walked to the passenger side of the car, he opened the door and Marie was still staring forward.

"Are you going to get out?" Grissom asked watching her she shook her head crossing her arms, "Marie get out this car right now?" Grissom said his voice holding back anger.

"No, I'm going to stay right here, thank you…" Marie now stared away from Grissom.

Jim walked out into the car park, seeing Grissom leaning into Nick's car and Jim felt like he was having an outer body experience. Seeing Grissom trying to talk Marie out of the car was like seeing himself with his daughter.

He walked over to them taking Grissom's shoulder, "can I been any help?"

Grissom now stepped back, "I can't talk to her!" he waved his hand in surrender; he didn't know how to talk to his niece anymore.

Marie picked up the heels sighing, "Fine I'll get out!" Marie stepped out the car tripping falling to the ground, "I think you all need to stop moving?" she held a hand in the air grabbing around at nothing before grabbing Jim's knee. He glanced from Marie to Grissom, "you need a hand?" Grissom was now picking her off the ground.

"Can that Nick carry me, his strong…" Marie's voice was dream like slur as Grissom and Jim picked her off the ground. Sara arriving on the scene held her hand over her mouth, she watched as Nick lifted Marie up, they all walked into the building together, Grissom glancing behind at Sara watching Nick carry Marie to his office.