To say that Johnny and Bobby were two of Nick's least favorite people in the world would be an understatement. He damn near loathed those two, and for good reason. They were the guys just under him and Mike in the Sparazza power chain. They did all the dirty work; anything that involved killing, intimidating or collecting money. James was now virtually hands off of every operation. Nick set everything up and told Mike what to do. Mike relayed the information to the necessary people, and usually went with Bobby and Johnny to wherever they neded to go to make sure the job got done. They hated Nick and Nick hated them, but what needed to get done always did despite the fact that they wouldn't mind not seeing each other ever again if it was possible. Mike didn't care for them either, but he made it less obvious than Nick did.

They came running down the stairs, definitely over excited and eager to do whatever it is they had been sent to do.

"Nick, you have to go home," Bobby said, sounding like a soccer mom telling her kid's friend their parents were there to pick them up.

"Excuse me?" Mike said. "Since when do you give him orders?"

"Since Jimmy said so for us to say so," Johnny said.

"That's great grammar right there," Nick said sarcastically.

"Sorry we don't have fancy degrees like you do," Bobby retorted. "But Jimmy says you gotta go home and get some rest. We got everything covered here, we don't need you till later."

"What's later?" Nick asked.

"You'll find out later," Bobby said. "We gotta take Mike with us. You'll know when we need you, we'll come get you. But for now, you gotta get outta here, okay?"

Nick stood with a sigh. "Fine, I'll leave right now. Go back upstairs and tell Jimmy I need to speak with him before I leave."

Bobby and Johnny reluctantly went back upstairs to report back to Jimmy and wait for Nick and Mike to follow them so they could do whatever they had to do. Nick sat back down as soon as the door at the top of the stairs closed. Mike was looking down at the table and had been silent since he had first spoken to Bobby. He looked a little pale and nervous, and Nick didn't know why the sudden change had come over his brother.

"Hey," he said, making Mike look up at him. "What's wrong?"

Mike shook his head. "Nothing, I'm just tired. You look it to. You should really go home and get some rest kid."

Nick nodded slightly. "Yeah, I will. Are you sure you're okay?"

Mike smiled slightly. "I'm a lot better than I've been in a while. You're gonna make everything okay, you're the only one with enough balls to do it."

"What's wrong?" Nick asked again, not believing that everything was okay. "If something's gonna happen, tell me Mike."

Mike just kept smiling. "Everything's gonna be fine."

"I'm not gonna rat you out to the cops or anything," Nick said. "You're my brother, I would never do that to you."

Mike stood, and so did Nick. Mike sighed contently before he spoke. "I know. Stop worrying about me. Just do me a favor, would ya Nicky?"

Nick nodded. "Sure, anything."

"Do as I say, and not as I do. When you get everything you need, use it for all that it's worth. Don't be scared of anything, because everything still turns to gold. And if you listen very hard, the tune will come to you at last. When all are one and one is all, to be a rock and not to roll."

Nick frowned slightly. "What, is that another one of Jack's sayings he told you to tell me?"

Mike nodded. "Kinda, yeah it is. Just remember that for me kid."

Nick walked with Mike upstairs, where they parted ways. Mike said something about seeing Nick later, but he had just nodded weakly in response. He was thinking about what Mike had said about getting everything he needed. It was almost as if he knew that Nick had all the files and information that could incriminate everyone that had ever worked with or for the family. But he hadn't cared. He told Nick to use it, then said something that didn't make any sense, but that Nick wouldn't forget.

After speaking briefly with James about what he was supposed to do, which was just go home and sleep, Nick left the Sparazza house, for what he hoped would be the last time, and went home.

Nick didn't think that it was fair that when he actually wanted to sleep, he couldn't. He was exhausted and wanted to stop thinking about everything. He had figured out what was going on, but didn't want to think about it. He couldn't do anything about it, not yet anyway. He needed Mike's help so that Mike wouldn't be pulled down with everyone else. Nick wanted to tell Brass and Grissom, but couldn't. Not yet, not until he could prove it.

Nick knew that the day he gave the zip disk to Brass, James would know and would come after him. He hadn't hesitated in killing Jack, and Nick knew he wouldn't hesitate in killing him as well. It was only a matter of time before he found out that Nick had it, and Nick was running out of that time.

Nick was sitting on his couch, the TV off in front of him. He was trying to put together what to do, but he couldn't. So instead, he decided to lay out everything he knew and go from there.

The computer chips were a set-up, as were the last however many months Nick had been working for the Sparazza's. It was all a set-up for James to pass the whole deal off onto Nick. If James made it look like Nick was in charge now, he could trade Nick and everyone else for his own freedom. He was setting up the computer chip deal for every one of his clients to get caught, and since Nick had done the deals and finalized, he'd be the one going down for it.

Nick had never expected this to come out of everything. He had never thought that his father was going to try and pin a lifetime of crime onto his shoulders after only a few months. Nick knew it was coming, he just had to prove it before it happened.

The Texan was brought out of his thoughts by the shrill sound of the ringing of his cell phone. He jumped slightly, then sighed as he reached over and picked up his cell from the end table to his right. He looked at the display, not in the least bit surprised at who it was.

"Hello?" He answered like he would any other call.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Brass," Nick answered. "He hasn't tried to hurt me yet."

Brass paused before saying, "You think he's going to?"

Nick sighed again. "I'm not sure. I think so."

"Okay, don't tell me anything then. Don't say anything until you're sure. I'm not even supposed to be talking to you right now. I just wanted to make sure you were still alive."

Nick smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"Everyone's freaking out," Brass said. "They all think that something huge is about to go down because you're involved with the Sparazza's now."

"This whole thing has been building since I have been breathing," Nick said. "It's just starting to become obvious is all." They were quiet for a minute before Nick said, "You know I'm not one of them anymore, right?"

Brass didn't pause. "I know that, Grissom knows that, and your team knows that. But no one else does. It just doesn't look good, ya know?"

Nick nodded even though Brass couldn't see him. "Yeah, I know. I fucked up, and now look where it got me. Jack's dead, and I have to prove something that hasn't even happened yet."

"Well, if anyone can do it, you can," Brass said confidently. "But I have to be honest with you. If I have to arrest you again, I'm going to. I have to do my job Nick, no matter what."

"I know," Nick said. "I understand that. Just know that whatever I do, I had to, okay?"

"I understand," Brass said, echoing Nick's words. "I just needed you to know that I'm not after you, my badge is."

"As long as you know that I'm not doing it, my mind is, we'll be all set," Nick said.

Brass laughed lightly. "I think we have a deal there kiddo."

Nick smiled. "I believe we do."

"Alright," Brass said after a brief pause. "I gotta go before someone finds out I'm talking to you. We'd both be screwed."

"Yeah, I'd be dead before I even got to try anything," Nick replied.

"Don't do anything stupid unless you have to," Brass said. "I'll see ya later."

"I'll see ya when I see ya," Nick said as he hung up the phone, tossing it onto the couch beside him.

Nick turned his attention back to the TV set that wasn't on. He ran his hand through his hair several times, and in doing so thought of someone he should have been thinking of a lot lately, but he had had a lot on his mind and hadn't gotten around to tying up those loose ends that were flailing in his mind, even though he ignored them.

Nick picked up his phone and dialed the second number on speed dial, waiting patiently as the phone rang.

"Hello?"

The familiar Texan drawl mixed with the sound of sleep met Nick's ear on the other line. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost midnight in Vegas, which meant it was nearing one in the morning in Texas. Nick pushed that thought to the back of his mind and focused on the task at hand.

"Hi Jason," he said softly.

"Nicky?" The other voice, now wide awake, asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Nick replied simply.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine," Nick answered. "I just...I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For what happened before," Nick said. "I had no idea they were gonna do that, I swear. I wouldn't have let you stay at my house for so long if I had known they had wanted me to hurt you."

"I know," Jason said. "It's okay."

"No it's not," Nick said, shaking his head. "I just let you leave without saying anything to you, and haven't talked to you since. I was just scared out of mind and had a lot going on."

"Like getting arrested?" Jason asked coldly.

Nick swore under his breath. "How'd you know?"

"Warrick called me," Jason said. Nick was about to curse his friend when he added, "he was worried about you, and thought I should know. I didn't know what to do though. Don't worry, I didn't tell anyone else. I was leaving that up to you."

"I've got a lot up to me," Nick said. "I didn't kill him Jason."

"I know," the other said honestly. "So prove it."

Nick smiled slightly. "I'm working on it."

"Good," Jason said. "While you're doing that, stay outta trouble, would ya?"

"I can't promise that."

"Promise me that you'll still be around in a few days. Promise me that I won't get a call from Warrick or someone else telling me that I have to go to Vegas for your funeral," Jason said.

"I can't promise that," Nick said sadly.

"Well I'm not hanging up until you do," Jason stated plainly. "You're capable of doing whatever it is you gotta do without getting yourself killed in the process."

Nick sighed heavily. "Okay, I promise."

"Promise?"

"I said I promise."

"Do you promise Nicky?"

Nick sighed again. "Yes, I said I promise."

"Now that's three times that you promised," Jason said. "You can't do something you promised three times you wouldn't, especially if it means breaking it to your big brother."

Nick smiled slightly. "I won't let you down."

Jason smiled as well, even though neither man knew the other was smiling. "You never have Nicky."