Lover's Eyes
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI.
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Ch7: Cheapshot

Mandy was confused. One moment she was laughing the next thing she knew she was pinned between the ground, the log, and Nick. At first she thought she was hurt but she felt no pain and then she thought that Nick was hurt so she began to touch him, he sat up in a hurry and Mandy saw that he wasn't hurt but angry. He had a look in his eyes that she'd never seen as he turned and looked at his brother. Nick clinched his jaw shut as Matt was beside himself with laughter.

"Nick?" Mandy asked grabbing his hand as he moved off of her. Nick pulled his hand away for great force startling her.

"You think you're funny? What the hell are you doing?!" Nick yelled walking towards his brother. Matt stopped laughing as his younger brother walked towards him with great hostility.

"Nick, what's the problem? It was just some fireworks…" Matt said as he showed Nick the remaining ones but Nick slapped them out of his hand.

"Oh no… Luann, you better go get, mama." Laurel said as she stood up. Mandy slowly made her way to her feet knowing that she had to intervene before the situation escalated, because she knew it was destined too.

"What the hell is a matter for you?" Matt asked pushing Nick back. Nick's nostrils were flared and his hands were fists. Mandy immediately went in between the men, as she read Nick's signs. She searched his eyes as they were fixed on his brother and Nick was lost she couldn't find him.

"Why would you do that?" Nick asked over and over trying to pull away from Mandy as she tried everything to deescalate the situation.

"What are you doing? You better go sit down." Matt said as he too was getting angry with his brother. Nick pulled away from Mandy as she tried to grab his arms but Nick slammed his brother with a powerful pushed. The next thing Mandy knew she felt a pair of strong arms around her as Tucker pulled her away.

"Dango… Mandy… man fight, gotta let them fight… man fight…" Tucker said excited. Mandy looked at him, upset that Tucker had pulled her away. Mandy looked back at Nick and Matt as Matt sucker punched Nick.

Nick wavered but didn't fall as Matt tried to tackle him. The men wrestled on the ground, Matt was able to get on top and tried to punch Nick but Nick moved his head and Matt's fist slammed into the hard ground. Nick moved to get on top and landed a hard punch.

"Hey… hey… knock it off!" Mama Stokes yelled as she ran out in her night gown. Her boys didn't hear her as they still tried to hammer away at each other. Mama let out a disappointed sigh, as she motioned for Tucker to break it up. "Luann, turn the hose on and bring it here." Mama said with a sense of urgency in her voice. Tucker tried to separate the men but Nick pushed him away. Mandy called out to him but Nick was lost in his anger, and it scared her. Mandy felt Melanie put her arms around her.

"Don't worry, Tucker, will get them. He's a SWAT officer…" Melanie said nervous. Tucker went in again but again he was shoved away but this time he stumbled back and fell backward. Matt shoved Nick away and Nick stood up looking for a spot to hit his brother as his Matt was still lying on his back.

"Stop it!" Mama Stokes yelled as she sprayed them with the cold water from the hose.

Once the cool water hit Nick, Nick sucked in a breathe as if he was startled. Nick's face hurt and his hands felt like chopped meat as he stopped his assault on his brother confused why he started in the first place. Nick stood up confused. Mandy exhaled a sigh of relief seeing Nick climb back into his own skin even though she was still confused on what just happened. Mama Stokes stopped spraying the water seeing that the fight was over.

Matt wiped his eyes and once his vision was cleared he kicked Nick as hard as he could in his ribs. Nick fell feeling all the air being sucked out of his lungs. Matt tried to capitalize on his cheap shot but Tucker tackled and restrained him.

"Ayo, no way… that's a cheapshot… cheapshot…" Tucker mumbled. Mandy broke free and ran to Nick's side trying to help him up as Nick still tried to get control of his breathing. Nick pulled away and got to his feet as he walked away towards the barn.

"Nick?" Mandy said trying to stop Nick but he just walked right past her. Nick ran his fingers through his hand as he took his wet shirt off. He felt as if he had to make sure he wasn't bleeding, he touched his scar over and over. "Nick? Are you alright?"

"What?!" Nick shouted back. Nick's face was slightly starting to bruise, his cheekbone was red and his eyebrow bled.

"Don't yell at me! One minute I'm having a good time the next thing I know you're tackling me down and then you're beating the crap out of your brother. What is going on with you?" Mandy argued back.

"Nothing!" Nick said blowing her off.

"Nothing?! Really, Nick? What do I have to do for you to trust me?! We have been together for four LONG years; we have a child together… Where do I stand? You don't talk me about anything! You won't marry me! Where do I stand with you?!"

"Where do you stand?!" Nick replied back with sarcasm and confusion. "I did ask you, you said no! I love you more than anything… but you look at me like I am a monster or that I burden you! Am I just your baby daddy that you feel stuck with?! Where do I stand?" Nick said back, as he clinched his jaw shut.

"That doesn't count!" Mandy said pushing him back.

"What?" Nick asked genuinely confused.

"I… I thought… Nick, I thought you were just saying that. You were so doped up on pain meds… that had been such a stressful week, I thought I was going lose you and then you are telling me that we should sneak away to get marry, that the hospital wouldn't miss you…" Mandy said and Nick made a face slightly smirking as he looked down. Mandy slowly walked towards him grabbing a hold of his hand. "I don't think, you are a monster. I just want you to talk to me… why can't you talk to me?"

"I… I don't know… I just… I can't talk about my feelings."

"But Nick, look at the alternative you just beat up your brother?" Mandy said and again Nick looked away as her gaze proved to be too harsh. "You have PTSD, Nick."

"I know…"

"If you won't talk to me, let me bring you to a shrink or something…" Mandy said but Nick immediately shook his head no.

"when I… when I heard the firecracker, I don't know what happened but it felt like I was sucked back into the bank and that I had been shot… then I saw it was him, and I've never felt that angry it was like something had taken a hold of me." Nick said as they moved to sit on the nearby bench inside the barn. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay, but next time, please talk to me. You are not a burden."

"But that look?"

"You get that look because I know there's something wrong with you but you want to insist you are fine when I know you are not. I can read you like a book." Mandy said embracing his arm like she did before.

"Okay…" Nick said, he released a sigh and buried his face in his hands and then turned to look at her.

"Listen, I'm not expecting anything over night. I want to help you get better." Mandy said gently rubbing his back. Nick smiled at her and kissed her.

"How'd I get so lucky?" Nick said smiling. Mandy smiled, and took a napkin and began to wipe the still damp blood on his face. Nick put his hand on top of Mandy's smaller one and kissed. Nick kissed Mandy with a sense of urgency that had certainly been lacking as of late.

The next thing they knew they were snatching at each other's clothes, like new lovers. They made their way into a nearby empty stall. Nick stumbled backwards landing on a pile of hay. They start laughing as Mandy tried to show her concern to make sure she did hurt Nick because she landed on top of him but he didn't seem to mind. She put her on his side and felt his scar and looked down to see a bruise forming around the quarter size scar.

"He got a cheap shot in." Nick said looking down at his scar too. Nick tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before kissing her again.

The urgency or spark that was back. Who knew that having sex in his parents' barn would bring it back, but Mandy wasn't mad. Even if his whole family had walked in, she wouldn't care… if anything it made it more exciting. They needed this alone time. The man she loved was back, even though he hadn't really gone anywhere however that day at the bank a part of him did go into hiding and tonight it was brought back. While Mandy still wanted to be Nick's wife but she was happy and hoped she had dropped enough hints that maybe now he'd ask again soon.

Afterwards they both fell asleep as Mandy let her happy mood carry into her dreams. She dreamt of their future child, maybe a boy to drive Lily insane with his gross boy stuff , or maybe a girl so Nick would drown in a sea of estrogen. Then she dreamed of their perfect wedding… but her dreams came to a rude awakening when she felt Nick shaking her awake.

"Nick…" Mandy said rolling away from him not wanting to wake up.

"Babe… I can't… breath…" he panted as he shook her again. Mandy's eyes shot open as she heard him fight for each breathe. Nick was sitting up and hunched forward huffing and puffing like an old man.

What do you think? Nick and Mandy rekindle there love but now could they be in trouble again? Please Review!