OK - finally another chapter is up! Sorry about taking so long to get it posted.

CHAPTER 15

Nick wiped a hand across his face as he headed back out to the registration desk after leaving Kelly. It was over. It was finished. Done.

He was exhausted. The brief meeting had wiped him out mentally and physically.

He signed out at the desk and headed for the exit.

He felt the sun on his face as soon as he set foot outside - it was a beautiful early June day. Warm, but not hot yet. He stood still for a moment and closed his eyes, savouring the feeling. He would never take the feeling of warm sun and fresh air for granted again. He brought both hands up behind his head and lifted his face to the sky. He was free.

"Are you OK?"

The voice startled him and his eyes sprang open, his arms dropping back down to his sides.

He turned around and saw his boss standing with his back to the wall next to the entry doors. He had found he suddenly had no patience to just sit and wait in the car. He had fought the urge to go into the jail and to make sure everything was alright with Nick. Instead he had settled for waiting as close to the doors as possible without going in.

Nick smiled and Grissom noticed a lot of the tension had left his face.

"Yeah, I'm good." he replied.

Grissom barely nodded. He was watching Nick's reactions closely. Making sure his friend was really OK.

"How did it go?" he asked quietly. "Did you get to say what you needed to say?"

Nick shrugged and raised his eyebrows in question.

"Yeah, I told her. I don't know if she was listening. But I told her."

"And do you feel better for coming to see her?" Grissom asked carefully.

Nick smiled again and ducked his head a little before raising it and looking at Grissom - meeting his gaze.

"Yeah." he said, "Yeah, I do. Feels like a weight's gone, ya know. Kinda like I can move forward now."

Grissom nodded, impressed at the younger mans maturity.

"Good." he stated simply.

Nick nodded.

"Good." he replied.

Grissom pushed himself away from the wall and moved to Nick's side, bringing a protective hand to the back of Nick's neck.

"Let's go get some lunch. Are you hungry?" Grissom asked as he guided his charge back to the car.

"Yeah," replied Nick. "I'm starving." And for the first time in weeks, he genuinely meant it.

The drive back to Vegas seemed to take half the time for Grissom - the intense worry that had plagued him during the drive out had eased. It was replaced with the confidence that his young colleague would be alright - that he would recover. He glanced over at him. Nick had rested his head against the cool glass of the passenger side window and was looking at the desert scenery. It reminded him of some parts of Texas - familiar and comforting. He was exhausted - he had hardly slept the previous night - he had been too consumed with how he was going to get through the visit. He closed his eyes, soothed by the weight that had been lifted off his shoulders and the movement of the vehicle. He was asleep barely ten minutes into the journey.

Instead of going out for lunch, Grissom opted instead for a drive-thru burger and fries. Not very nutritious, he thought to himself, and certainly not his usual diet, but he guessed Nick would benefit more from sleep than food.

He pulled into Nick's driveway and waited for him to wake completely. He watched him as he scrubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned. Sensing the eye contact, Nick cast an embarressed glance in his bosses direction and smiled.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Tired."

Grissom looked at him a moment more.

"I'm sure you are." he replied. "Come on. Have some lunch, then get some sleep. You've done well, Nick...I'm proud of you."

Nick ducked his head, flustered at his boss' compliment.

Grissom ducked his head as well. He was feeling just as uncomfortable as Nick - but it needed to be said.

"I've always been proud of you, Nick."

Nick shot his mentor a sideways glance.

"Thanks, Griss."

Both men sat in silence a moment longer.

Finally Grissom spoke.

"Come on. The burgers are getting cold."

As I said - a bit of a quick chapter and quite a bit of fluff but I haven't had much time of late. Please review.