Here's chapter seven! Just a reminder, the characters are not mine. I own nothing.


Three hours twenty-seven minutes. They had sat waiting until a nurse came out to finally talk to them. She explained to them the extent of his injury, and told them he would most likely be okay. They were so relieved at this news, and asked when they could see him.

The nurse told them Nick wasn't awake yet, and they could visit him as soon as they got him all set up in the recovery room. But, only two people were allowed back at a time. Sara and Greg agreed that Catherine should go in first by herself while they waited in the waiting room.

In the time they spent waiting, Catherine gathered herself for just enough time to call Brass. "Hey, it's Catherine. I need you to pick up Ben Thomas for me."

"On what charge?"

"Attempted murder, and assault of a police officer. Thanks, bye." She hung up quickly, not wanting to explain.

It was fifteen minutes later when the nurse returned to take Catherine back to see Nick. When she got back to his room she saw Nick still sleeping. He looked awful, and Catherine took his hand, and held it until, her phone went off. It was Brass, and she picked it up. "What do you want?"

"The question is what do you want? I have Ben Thomas, but you haven't specifically given me any information on what he's done."

"I really can't talk right now. I'll call you back. Just don't let him out of your sight!" Catherine said as she hung up the phone, and was able to resume back to Nick.

He started to open his eyes, and Catherine just waited. She didn't want him to wake up before he was ready to.

There were many nurses in the room, but none seemed to notice he had opened his eyes. He shut them before they noticed. The nurses were all talking, and he could hear them, but was too tired to do anything so, he went back to sleep. He woke up to the nurses asking him questions. He could hear them saying, "Are you in any pain?" Nick was too tired to answer so, he just shook his head, the numbing hadn't worn off yet so he wasn't in pain. He drifted off again not being able to stay awake. The next time, he woke up to nurses talking to him again. "Would you like a glass of water?" Nick shook his head, he wasn't at all thirsty. This time he forced himself to stay awake, and finally noticed Catherine sitting beside him.

"Hey Nicky."

"Hey." Nick said. His eyelids were very heavy, and he was having a hard time keeping them open.

"You can go back to sleep if you want. Don't let me keep you up."

"When can I go home?"

"Not for a couple of days. Do you remember what happen? You were shot. Your house is a crime scene."

"I know. I just want to go home."

"I'm sorry. Can you tell me what happen at your house?"

"Ben, the guy we were lookin at for the murders, he came over. He broke in. I heard him, and I went to see what was going on. I didn't have time to react, he shot me. Then he said..." Nicks eyes swelled up with tears as he repeated the words. "'Remember this is our little secret, and nobody else needs to know.' Those are the words Laura said repeatedly the entire time she "babysat" me."

Catherine swallowed hard, then said, "They are not getting away with this, not again."

Nick squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head. The pain he was in was suddenly unbearable. The numbness hadn't completely worn off, but the pain was beyond that. He tried holding his breath hoping the stillness of his stomach would help ease the pain, and he let out a big breath, then gasped for more air.

"Nicky, what's going on? Nurse, I think something's wrong."

"Sir, can you tell me what's going on? Are you in pain?"

Nick nodded in too much pain to speak.

The nurse took his arm, and gave him a shot. Nick was soon relieved of most of the pain, and shortly after, he fell asleep.

Catherine finally called Brass back while Nick was asleep, and she told him everything that was going on. Dayshift was given the case no matter how much Catherine objected. They compromised by letting Brass still work the case.

So far, they hadn't found any evidence implicating Ben Thomas. But more importantly, they hadn't found anything connecting Ben to Laura, or Laura to any of the crime scenes. They knew Laura was behind all of this, but they had no way to prove it.


Back at the hospital, Nick woke up again to the nurse asking him, "Feeling better?"

Nick nodded.

"I know right now really isn't the best time, but I have to ask... are you ready to press charges on Laura?"

Nick squeezed his eyes shut. He knew the answer Catherine wanted to hear, and he knew the one he had to give her. He couldn't say it, he didn't want to disappoint her again. He finally brought himself to shake his head. Catherine shook her head as well, "Okay, but you may not have a choice this time. But don't worry about any of this now, just get better."

"How can you even say that? Of course I'm going to worry about it!"

Catherine stood up from the chair, "Nick, I'll talk to you later. Sara and Greg are outside waiting."

"Can you just give me fifteen minutes before they come back?"

"Of course." She says as she leaves the room.

He was now all alone, the nurses had all cleared out. It was relaxing to him, besides the pain coming from his stomach. It never fully went away even with all the medication. He started thinking about his conversation with Catherine. He had a painful flashback.

He was nine. Sitting in his room when Laura came over. He was a shy boy, and his parents had already left. Laura got closer, and Nick backed up, not trusting the stranger yet. She got closer and closer until he couldn't back up anymore. "Remember, this is our little secret, and nobody else needs to know."

He came out of the flashback sweaty, shaking, and tears streaming down his face. It had caused his heart rate to escalate, and a few nurses came rushing in to check on him. Nick was still catching his breath when the nurse asked him, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Really, don't worry."

"You're not fine, you have shortness of breath, sweating, and a rapid heart rate."

"Levels are returning to normal." Another nurse said.

"Have you ever seen a psychiatrist? You're showing some signs of PTSD."

"No, I have no reason to, everything's good."

"Are you sure? I know what PTSD looks like, my brother had it."

"I don't have PTSD. Are you done?" Nick asked. The nurse walked out without saying a word. He never saw her again, for the remainder of the time he spent at the hospital.

A few minutes later Sara and Greg entered his room. "Hey, you feeling alright?" Sara asked before sitting down in the chair by his bed.

"I'm fine." Nick lied. He couldn't say anything more, he knew, and he couldn't stand this. He asked Sara, "Does Greg know too?"

"What?" Sara was confused, she thought she had covered it up well.

"Do I know what?" Greg asked honestly confused.

"Sara, I'd really appreciate me if you'd stop lyin to me about it. I know you know. Please just be honest with me."

"Catherine told us after you freaked out when Laura touched you. Nick..."

"Stop. I'm so sick and tired of Catherine treating me like I'm a victim. I didn't want y'all to know, because I don't want you guys to as well. I'm not weak."

"We know that. Remember when, well I was told it was you, found me in the desert? I couldn't even stand, I was passed out. I was helpless. You were the one who saved me. Not Grissom, not Catherine, not Warrick, it was you. You will never be seen as weak to me."

"Thanks Sara."


Brass was working the case back at the station. He was talking to Ben Thomas, but he knew there was no way he was getting a confession from him. Ben was aware of the evidence he had left behind. None.


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