Morning After

Disclaimer: Don't own them

Ch23: Threats

Nick felt himself having a panic attack. His mind racing with all sorts of ideas. Everything was so surreal around. One moment he's making love with his fiancée the next his bedroom is turned into a crime scene and his own truck is on his back.

As the driver fled from the scene Nick was able to see his face and it was all too familiar face, one he prayed he would never see again. Nigel Crane. He thought Nigel was away. He thought he was safe. He thought wrong. He remembers Nigel.

"You gotta watch who you let in here… guy was snooping around all over the place… Smart move spare gun, you keep it right by the phone right? Right next to your address book and take out menus…" Nigel says locking Nick's door.

"The cops are on the way," Nicks says fighting his fears as he watches Nigel shut the blinds on the door.

"Yea I heard that,"

"You wearing my clothes?" Nick asks confused. He had been missing clothes for a week or so.

"Oh yea, umm… You know I… I... pick these up at the dry cleaners. I hope you don't mind… it's just that get a little confused on what's yours and what's mine?" Nigel chuckles.

"You know what I'm a little confused here myself. Why don't you refresh my memory when did we meet?"

"Sports package," Nigel says flabbergasted and offended. "150 channels. I even through in a few movie channels free… We talked for like ever it was like I knew you my entire life…"

"Cath!" Nick yelped as paramedics loaded him on a stretcher. "He's back! I… I…" Nick stutters as the paramedics put an oxygen mask on him. His breathing becomes crazy as he has a panic attack.

"Nicky, you gotta relax." Catherine says as Nick tries to sit. Catherine tries to calm him but has no luck Nick has a white knuckle grip on the edges of the gurney as he fights to sit up.

"Where's my daughter? Where is Wendy? Wendy! Julia!" Nick yells. Nick looked around every face turning into Nigel's.

"I'm right here Nicky, I'm going to be right behind you with Brass." Wendy says kissing his forehead. Catherine watches as Wendy runs into Brass' car and sees Grissom also get in the car. Catherine jumps in the ambulance with Nick. Nick was having a meltdown the fear and paranoia he had was at a new and terrifying level.

"Nicky, you have to relax." Catherine said holding his hand as he tried to regain his composure.

"He's back! What if it's been him this whole time?" Nick says panting from the pain. "How'd he get out?"

"I don't know Nick, please relax." Catherine practically holding him down.

"No! I gotta go see Wendy make sure she's alright…" Nick says trying to sit up. The paramedics inject a sedative into Nick's IV.

"Mr. Stokes count backwards from 10 -1," the paramedic says seeing Nick's face already getting droopy.

"I… I gotta... I… I gotta find…" Nick stutters before closing his eyes.

A few hours later they all waited inside in the waiting room. It was really quiet, Wendy was unaware of the fact that Nick was stalked before. He never talked about it and it was a long time ago before Wendy started working at the lab. Wendy was in disbelief her heart was broken listening to Nick cry out for her and their daughter Julia. Nick was currently in emergency surgery to fix his broken ankle.

"Mama…" Julia says showing her the pictures. "Look it's a doggy." She giggles pointing at a picture of a cartoon dog eating cake.

"Is that a silly dog?"

"Yeah…" she giggles and then walks over to Grissom and stares at him. She squinted at him and put her hands at her hips and puckered her lips.

Julia was very charismatic like Nick. She had wavy brown hair that was in a pony tail she had powerful brown eyes like Nick. Julia didn't look like one parent of another she had bits and pieces of them both. Nick's eyes, Wendy's nose and chin, but Nick's lips but one thing is for certain she had Nick's personality and his perfect smile.

"Can I help you young lady?" Grissom says interlocking his fingers resting them on his leg so that he is at eye level with the little girl.

"yea." She says holding his hand with her little ones. "My mommy is sad,"

"I know,"

"Candy? Do you have candy?"

"Umm... no why?"

"Mommy likes the red fishy candies. They make her smile."

"Julia, come here." Wendy says Julia runs to her and pulls herself onto her lap and hugs Wendy.

"Mommy, where is daddy?" Julia asks.

"He's with the doctors,"

"You said the doctors are good so don't be sad mommy," Julia said smiling and wiping a tear from Wendy's cheek. Julia then turned her attention to Catherine and smiled at her.

"Hello Julia,"

"hi." She says jumping onto the floor. She walked back over to Grissom and started playing patty cake with him.

"Why wouldn't Nick tell me about Nigel?"

"I don't know, Wendy. When Nigel first stalked Nick after all the drama was done Nick kept about like nothing happened. I went to talk about it with Nick when Sqweegel stalked that woman he brushed it off. Wendy, Nick has been my friend for years and I can only assume he didn't tell you because he either thought it didn't matter or he didn't want you to worry."

"why does he do that?"

"I'm not sure he's been doing it ever since I first met him. That is just how he's wired he doesn't do it to upset us he just does it… well 'cause he's Nick,"

"so who was Nigel Crane?"

"you installed my cable," Nick says kicking himself for not realizing sooner.

"yea," Nigel nodded "the minute I met you I knew we connected because you told me what you did and I knew exactly what you are talking about because that's what I do. I do it too. I observe people. I… I notice everything about them. I watch them all the time."

"Like you watched Jane Galloway?"

"Jane was cool, but it never would have worked out between us. Never. I mean she had a boyfriend. She was kinda stuck up and you know what she would have totally, totally gotten between us. So, you know consider that a gift,"

"a gift?" Nick said getting frustrated.

"yea, prom night? Your date? Melissa? Bent over the toilet puking her guts out. Is that ringing any bells, huh?" Nigel says smiling.

"yea," Nick whispers.

"you know but Jane's hair was the wrong color but you know obviously I fixed that because I know how much you love red heads. You know, you mentioned her name in your sleep?"

"you watched me sleep?" Nick said with disgust.

"you, ummm… you want to open him up?" Nigel asks kneeling next to the body in the middle of Nick's living room.

"no. no, it's not my job. You should know that, it's a coroner's gig," Nick says also kneeling.

"are you humoring me, Nick?" Nigel asks gripping the weapon getting frustrated.

"no,"

"you know… we made friends that day, and every time since you just blew me off. Did you know that? You just completely blanked me. You are so self absorbed. I was right in front of your face. Manners, Nick! Manners!"

"aye now, Nigel. We got a DB here, you gonna help me with the crime scene right?"

"no. I'm going to give you a brand new one. I'm going to do better than that. I'm going to give you the best you ever had. Stand up Nick. Stand up. Nick, you know what a nine millimeter slug does to a slug at close range? You know?"

"yea…"

"blow it right apart, right? Brains like strawberry swirl whip cream everywhere and you would have to scoop that stuff up right?" Nigel says aiming the gun at Nick. "you got little pieces of skull and bone and brains! All in individual baggies with the victims name on the label."

"I don't want to disappoint you, Nigel but this isn't the first time I have had a gun pointed in my face." Nick steps closer to Nigel. "How do you want this to end Nigel?"

"how do I want this to end? I want you to be able to remember my name,"

Nick slowly opens his eyes and sees he's in the hospital. Wendy is at his side holding his hand she smiles as she sees him waking up. He's happy he's awake he couldn't help but be stuck having nightmares about Nigel in his sleep.

"hey Nicky," she says kissing his forehead. He smiles lazily he feels the pain medicine pumping through his veins. He can barely keep his eyes open.

"hey… where's Julia?"

"in the cafeteria with Catherine." Wendy says caressing his face.

"I'm sorry. If Nigel is the one that has been causing all this trouble… I did not know he was out. I didn't mean to be so…" Nick slurs closing his eyes. "I don't mean to be so crazy about you and Hodges. I'm just jealous of the relationship you have with him. But, I do love you." He says lazily kissing her hand and falling asleep.

"I love you too," Wendy says watching as Nick opened his eyes he was fighting sleep with every ounce of strength he had. "go to sleep, Nicky."

"no… I'm going have nightmares and I'd rather stay awake… with you," Nick says holding her hand tight he tried to sit up but his back was tight and achy. "I want to see my daughter, please." Wendy smiles at him and leaves. Catherine walks in and puts up her hands in surrender.

"Grissom has her," she says "there still in the cafeteria. Go I'll stay with him," Wendy smiles and leaves. Catherine looks at Nick.

"hey Cath," he says groggy.

"six pins later. Nick you are the only one I know who can get hit by a car and survive. How do you feel?" Catherine chuckles and then smiles at him. Nick chuckles but then looks serious. His blinks are slower and he is losing his battle with the sandman. He can't even muster up the strength to sit up or hold his head up.

"like a total idiot," Catherine gets a puzzle look on her face when Nick says it.

"why?"

"because I don't know if Hodges has been bothering me or if it has been Nigel. When was Nigel released?"

"he wasn't…"

"Cath I saw him!" Nick yells angry.

"he escaped last year,"

"why wasn't I notified?"

"because Crane was transferred to an out of state of facility. They didn't tell anyone except there higher ups,"

"that a bunch of BS! So what they skate free and I'm in a hospital bed! What if he comes after us again, I have a little girl… what if he hurts my family, Catherine? I can't do this… so I have to protect my family from two psychos. This is too much."

"Nicky there is an officer at your door and ill stay with Wendy and Julia. I talked to your doctor you should be released tomorrow. So we will take it day by day and play it by ear,"

"then what?"

"you and Wendy and Julia of course are going to stay in the rampart until your house gets fixed. There isn't too much damage, fortunately. The car went through your window mainly,"

"fortunately, I feel like I'm losing my mind because I know what I saw but I can't help but feel Hodges is involved,"

"Nicky that's probably the medicine,"

"yea I hope. But if he is involved I can't tell you what I will do" Nick says resting against the pillow as Grissom comes in with Julia. "there's my girl!" Nick says exciting as Julia comes onto the bed with Nick.

"Hey daddy the doctors fixed you?"

"Yes they did and best believe I aint going anywhere soon," Nick says poking Julia in the belly she squeals in laughter.

Sorry for the wait. I hope you liked it I plan on updating soon I pinky promise!