Chapter eighteen! So, I think this will be the last chapter, I know it's kind of short, but there's not too much more to do with this story so, I hope you enjoy it.


Nick and Catherine arrived back in Vegas, and they were met with the rest of the team, they all greeted them with hugs, and congratulated him on the guilty verdict. They drove Nick back to his house, and they all sat around and talked at his house. They all talked for a while, but they didn't bring up the trial, or anything of that subject. They wanted him to feel comfortable, and avoided certain topics. The support Nick felt from his team was incredible. His parents, his team, everyone had been a million times more supportive than he had ever expected. They were always there if he needed them.

Ben Thomas' trial came and went, and Nick testified once again, resulting in another guilty verdict. He took the following week off work, he objected several times, but Catherine insisted he needed some time. Nick saw a therapist one time, at Catherine's request, but he didn't feel the need to talk to him, and never returned.

Catherine was his therapist. He trusted her, and would often call her if he needed to talk, and she was always glad to help in any way she could. After talking the week off, he felt normal again. He finally felt like himself. After all these years, he was able to breathe knowing, Laura was finally where she belonged.

It was now a week later, and he was glad to finally get back to work.


Nick walked into the lab for the first time in a long time, and caught stares from all directions. Nick kept his eyes forward, and mind trained on what he needed to do. He was there to work, to help the victims, not talk about himself, or ask for their pity.

Catherine, Sara, and Greg knew he wouldn't want to talk about it, and never brought it up. They just sat back and wondered if he was okay or not. They wondered if he had ever really fully recovered, if he had thought about killing himself recently, if he had thought about the trial. Catherine felt more at peace after all the time she had spent talking to Nick. She knew where his head was at, and he was a lot better now. Catherine had filled them all in about what happened at the trial, or at least what she knew of. Catherine wasn't in the courtroom when Nick testified so, she never knew what happen in there. That was something Nick and his parents never spoke about to anyone.

Nick walked into the trace lab to pick up the results from the evidence he found at a crime scene.

"Hey... Nick, um. Hey." Hodges said. It was the first time Nick had been in Hodges' lab since Greg had sent him to get results, and Nick had become irritated, and he hadn't returned since.

"Just say it Hodges." Nick could read Hodges' thoughts, and him not saying anything, and acting extremely awkward around him was killing Nick.

"Nothing. Oh, you mean the results, yes, um I have the results. The um, here, here's the results." Hodges said, and quickly handed the paper over to Nick.

"What, no guessing game?" Nick asked with a smile. "You're making my job too easy."

"Oh, uh sorry. I forgot, I mean, I just didn't know, I didn't want..."

"Hodges. I'm kidding. Take it easy. Don't worry about me. I'm fine." Nick said, and left Hodges' lab. Hodges let out a breath he had been holding as soon as Nick left.

Nick started thinking of Hodges, and how he was wondering if he was okay. He realized the rest of his team was probably thinking the same, but they were able to hide it better. Hodges could never hide anything. Nick decided he would call a team meeting.

They all met in Catherine's office as Nick talked to Catherine, Sara, Greg, Brass, Hodges, Henry, Mandy, Archie, and Bobby. He thought they all needed to hear this.

"Thank y'all for comin. I just, I been thinkin I need to come clean with y'all. So, um, y'all know the trial took a lot out of me. And seein Laura again sent me to a really dark place. I tried to kill myself. I know it's not any big secret anymore, but I needed to say it. I couldn't see anythin. I couldn't see y'all trying to help me. I'm sorry if any of you felt offended, but thank you for not turnin away. Thanks to y'all, I am no longer in a dark place. You've helped me accept what has happen, and move on. Please don't worry about me anymore. I just wanted to say thank you for the continued support, it has really helped me get through all of this. I never could've done it without y'all. Thank you."

He went around the room, hugging all of them. Half of them were in tears, grateful, and relieved at what they were hearing. They were all glad it was finally over for good.


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