Here's the next chapter. I know the last chapter was more Catherine centered, but I'm bringing the attention back to Nick. Sorry it took so long for the update, I didn't get any reviews so, I really didn't have any motivation. And I've been spending a lot of time on my new story. If you're not into this story anymore, let me know, and I will try to end it soon.
Nick was released from the hospital a few days later. Catherine's arm was healing great, and Nick still didn't have much of an appetite. Sara, Greg, and Catherine took Nick back to his house. They were not going to let him be alone until, both trials were completely over with. Nick hated that, but he understood, he would react the same way if it was any of them who had tried to kill themselves.
In those few days in the hospital, he was forced to have counselling, and as much as Nick denied it, it had help tremendously. He had learned to accept help, and understand how others were only trying to help him, and weren't judging him. He had cared so much before about what others thought of him, and was so concerned about always being seen as tough and unbreakable, but now he knows that it's impossible to be unbreakable. Everyone has a breaking point, and he now has learned his team understands this, and realized they had all broke in front of him before. Sara, after being kidnapped by Natalie Davis took forever to fully recover; physically, and emotionally. Catherine, when her daughter was kidnapped in the same week her father was shot and killed. And Greg, when he was pulled out of his car, and beaten nearly to death. Nick had been there to help them all through it, and had not thought anything different of them. He finally realized this was no different. He was still the same Nick they had always known, and that would never change.
They all saw the changes in his attitude, and it relieved most of their worries, but they still weren't willing to take any chances. The trial was coming up quick, and they were all worried for him.
They arrived at Nick's house after Sara and Greg had cleaned it up. They had just walked in the door and, as if they were being watched, the phone rang. Greg was the first one in the door, and answered the phone. "Hello. Stokes residence, this is Sanders... uh, hold on." Greg lowered the phone. "Nick, it's the DA's office, they want to schedule an appointment to prep you for trial."
"Tell them, as soon as they're ready. I can be there."
"Are you sure, Nicky?" Catherine asked.
"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm fine."
Greg told the DA, and they scheduled him for later that day. Nick sat on the couch, and he thought about everything. The trial, the failed suicide attempts, the drinking, the night Laura babysat him, the night Ben shot him. Everything that lead him to where he was now.
The day seemed to go by too fast, he didn't want to talk to the DA. When the time came, he insisted on going in alone, everyone had offered to go with, but he wouldn't hear of it. He walked into the DA's office, alone and waited for his appointment time.
A man greeted him, and showed him to his office where he would prep him. Nick sat down, and they began immediately. "So, the DA who was given this case in Texas has asked me to go over a couple questions with you. Since she can't really speak with you before the trial, I'm the one that gets to do it. I am also the prosecuting attorney in the case against Ben Thomas."
"Okay. What do you need to ask?" Nick didn't want to waste any time.
"Mr. Stokes, you've been on the stand before, you know mostly what to expect. I only have a few questions, but please answer them honestly... How did you come to know Laura Alden?"
"She was a last minute babysitter, when I was nine."
"Was she like every other babysitter you had when you were little?"
"No."
"How was she different?"
Nick felt humiliated. He didn't want to tell the man about the abuse. He was supposed to be tough, and this man didn't know him, he didn't know him enough to judge him. Nick could tell the man was judging him, and he would see Nick as a weak, helpless victim.
"Mr. Stokes?"
"I'm sorry, I can't do this."
"You don't have a choice. Just answer the question."
"I can't."
"Why not? Did you lie about something?"
"No, that's the problem."
"If you have been telling the truth, then I don't see the problem. I've read the file, you're not telling me anything I don't already know."
"Then what do you need me here for!?"
"To prepare you for the questions you are going to be asked."
"Okay. Yes, she molested me! I was nine, and I didn't fight her off because I didn't know what was happenin! I never told my parents because, I was scared! I was nine years old and I was scared!" Nick yelled with tears forming in his eyes.
"I need you to stick to answering the question. How was Laura Alden different from the other babysitters?"
He took a deep breath, "When my parents left our house, she molested me."
It was the day before Nick and Catherine were supposed to fly to Texas. He was extremely nervous, and Catherine sat next to him on the couch. "Nicky. Nicky, you gotta pull it together."
"I don't wanna do this."
"I know, but you gotta. You have to stand up for that little nine-year-old boy who couldn't. You couldn't back then, but now is your chance, your chance to make it right... or as right as it ever can be."
"I know, thanks Cath. I just feel like if I would have told my parents... it wouldn't've got this bad, you know. Not that I would ever tell them..."
"We're going to be in Texas a day before the trial starts, and we're gonna have some extra time, so do you know what I think? I think you need to tell your parents... everything."
"No." Tears were threatening to spill over.
"Nicky, don't you think they deserve to know?"
"I know they do, but I can't disappoint them."
"You will not disappoint them, it wasn't your fault."
"You can't be there."
"I won't be."
Nick nodded and looked down, what he had just agreed to had not sunk in yet. Catherine was glad he agreed to talk to his parents, she thought this would take a lot of stress off.
Catherine and Nick flew to Texas the next day, and as soon as they arrived they were met by two Dallas officers. One being a Special Victims Detective. She was about fifty with brown hair and eyes, about the same height as Nick, and thin. The other was a street cop. He was well built, around thirty with short dirty blonde hair, and hazel eyes. The woman spoke first. "Hello, I'm Sergeant Frazier, Dallas PD Special Victims. I'm the lead detective here in the case against Laura Alden. This is Officer Holt, one of our best." Sergeant Frazier and Officer Holt ushered Catherine and Nick to the patrol car that was waiting to take them to their hotel room.
Once they were in the room, they were left alone, and Catherine spoke first. "Nicky, let's go to your parents' house."
"Okay." He agreed, and Catherine was shocked. She had expected him to put up more of a fight.
They arrived at Nick's parents' house about a half hour later. Nick stood on the doorstep with Catherine, she had agreed to wait down the street, once his parents opened the door. His parents didn't even know he was in town, and he hesitated before knocking at their door. There was no going back now.
Please review! I really want to have motivation to write more, and reviews help a lot with update speed so, if you want the next chapter soon, please review! And please check out my new story, Behind the Mask!
