I do not own CSI

Rated T

This chapter sucks. I know it. But here it is anyway.

Jules, Nick, and Warrick Chapter.

It involves their flashbacks and their conversations.

Any chance for a review?

The entire time she folded the laundry she had thought about that fight, what caused it, and how they made up. She was so glad it was over. So, finally, after two laundry baskets filled with folded clothes sat beside her, she shook her head and decided it wasn't even worth thinking about anymore. Any of it. All of it. It happened weeks ago and it was over and not to be brought up again. Instead of dwelling on any of it, she decided that maybe a nice BBQ with friends would be a good way to just be happy and carefree. She wanted him to relax on his well earned day off; she wanted it to be nothing like the last time.

But before she left the thoughts of that day behind her she realized that she and Nick never did talk about why Trista and Warrick left so abruptly that night or what it was that he wanted to tell her about it. He had also fallen asleep by the time she came out of the bathroom so he never did tell her what he seemed excited to share. The two of them had forgotten to talk about it by the time morning rolled around and then with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, she had forgotten about it completely; it was just dawning on her now.

Jules figured it couldn't have been anything that exciting though or else Nick would have been all over that. He would have been smirking with excitement like a little boy with a secret. He was like that with her. He could be this serious, in control CSI, but when it came to things he wanted to share with her, he usually spilled his guts.

Jules bit the side of her lip, frowned in deep thought and wondered what it could be. She almost couldn't wait for him to tell her. She had no idea what it could possibly be…not even a clue. She decided to put the dreaded laundry away and then she would be sure to call him.

Nick drank the last of his coffee and leaned back in his chair stretching his arms over his head. He contemplated getting a third cup of coffee before heading back to work on his case. Another cup wasn't a bad idea after the crazy cases they worked on the past two shifts. He rubbed his hands up and down his face but looked up when he heard Warrick call to him from the doorway.

"You going back to the lab?" he asked hanging in with his arm wrapped on the other side of the wall.

"Yeah, why?" he asked.

"Cus I will right back; hang out for a few with me," he asked.

"Yeah," Nick nodded letting him know he'll hang longer.

As Warrick left, Nick poured himself his third cup of coffee and poured in his sugar, stirring it around and letting his thoughts roll back once again.

He remembered the call he got from Warrick the night that he was so angry with Jules.

When his cell phone rang at 3:00 in the morning he didn't know whether to be worried or pissed. If they were calling him in on his night off after pulling a double he would be really, really, mad. Before it could wake Jules, Nick reached over to the end table, saw the time on the clock, and grabbed the phone quickly before looking to see who it was.

"Stokes" he said groggily.

"Nick, it's me," he heard Warrick say.

Nick, got out of bed and tripped in the dark on his way into the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, he turned on the light and whispered.

"Everything all right, man? It's 3:00 in the morning!"

"Yeah, everything's all right. I gotta talk to you, man," Warrick slurred.

Nick could tell he was obviously drunk.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm home, throwing a few back," he answered. "I saw Trista tonight... when I was out at Murphy's. She saw me leaving with Jenna, that Honey from the Tangier, remember?" he said.

"No, but go on," he answered rubbing his eyes.

"Well, I was trying to get my mind off of Trist and she fucking saw me!" he groaned.

"Are you telling me you got it this bad for TRISTA?" he almost yelled, "So bad you are calling me on my night off? This fucking night off SUCKS…between you and your sister!" he said annoyed.

"I'm sorry, man, the reason I am calling is to ask you…no, to beg you to please not tell Baby Girl what you heard tonight. Promise me, Nick…OH GOD, YOU DIDN'T ALREADY TELL HER DID YOU?" he yelled frantically.

"No, I fell asleep before I could," he laughed.

"Nick, please…I got it bad for this broad. She has a spell on me, Nick, I'm telling you!" he complained.

"She does not have a spell on you, Rick, knock it off," he said not entirely sure what was going on with his best friend.

"You don't know…you don't know, Nick….the sex was mind blowing. It was like…I can't even describe it…it was just like two people that should have been together a long time ago…it was like two people that were a perfectly explosive match…" he mumbled on drunkenly.

"Dude, get some sleep…you're losing your mind," Nick rubbed his face.

"Nick, promise me…on our years of friendship…you don't tell my sister until I get this all settled…until I get my head on right…I'm begging you…" he pleaded drunkenly.

"Yeah, Boss, I won't say anything, okay? Can I go back to sleep now?" he said shaking his head.

Warrick strolled back into the break room just as Nick was wishing he could tell Jules about the secret fling Warrick had with Trista.

Nick nodded upward at him.

"What's up, man," Nick said grabbing an apple from the counter and sitting back down."

"Hey, nothing, I need to get a cup of coffee, man, my eyes are fallin'" he said as he poured himself a cup and grabbed a packaged coffee cake from his stash.

"Yeah, it's been a long one. This is my third cup. I can't wait to go home and veg out…" he said taking a bite out of the green apple. " I was just sittin' here thinking about how the last day I had off I spent being mad at your sister…I want nothing but peace and happiness with my kid and my wife this time," he said nodding.

"Can't blame ya…she really lit the fuse last time," he shook his head disgustedly.

Nick gave him a look back as if to say he would have liked to choke his wife for that.

Warrick put his coffee cake down before taking a bite and looked over at Nick.

"Listen, Nick…" he started to say before Nick cut him off.

"Oh Christ, do I have to hear about your hang up with Trista again? This is crazy, Rick!" he complained. "And I swear to God I haven't told Jules, which, by the way, is killing me!"

"I know… I know you never said anything to Baby Girl…I know you didn't or else she would be all up in my grill by now," he said adamantly.

"Hey, hey, I told you I wouldn't, Warrick, I keep my word, man," Nick squinted his eyes, "but I gotta tell ya…I cannot wait to tell her so you better get this shit together and let me unleash this crazy ass story to her!" he laughed loudly.

"It's not…it's…God, Nick…I don't even know what to say…what to do…," he shook his head, "I cannot believe this is happening to me. I cannot believe who is making me feel this way…" he sighed.

"Alright, enough! If you are gonna keep talkin' about it then you gotta at least tell me what went on with you two! I mean how the hell did this happen? You gotta tell me this story, man…" he leaned forward on his forearms eager to know.

"All right man, here it is," he said almost relieved to finally give it up and share his story with his best friend.

"She and I left the Bellagio furious at you and Jules for lying to us," he explained.

Nick nodded remembering the night.

"So, we go back to my place for whatever reason and we were in my kitchen just talking. And we started argue, shocker, I know, but we were arguing and she got so mad at me she threw her drink in my face."

Nick started to laugh softly not surprised by Trista's temper.

"I wound up taking off my shirt, she tried to walk by me, next thing I know we are standing inches apart, and I don't know what happened, man…I kissed her. And talk about a fuse being lit... Whooooosh!" Warrick revealed.

"And?" Nick pried.

"And we fucked like wild animals…"

Nick jerked his head back slightly, raised his eyebrows and let his mouth fall open to show his shock.

"…and ya wanna know the craziest part?" Warrick shook his head, "She was by far, thee best sex I have ever had and you know me…I have had more than a few Honeys, Nick"

Nick started to laugh again and nodded. "Okay, so you two had sex and then what?" he asked.

"Actually, we didn't stop having sex… for at least a couple hours, bro," he smirked.

"Sweet," Nick nodded slowly and smiled.

"Oh, you ain't kidding, whoooosh," he made the swishing sound again to emphasize his good time, "But, Nick, she blew me off. She wasn't a typical clinger…she bolted. She said…"

"Yeah, I heard what she said…what was it she called you? Holmes?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, well then you know what she said," he remembered Nick had come down the stairs just as Trista told him to get over it.

"So, she still isn't receptive?" Nick winced.

"Nah, she has blocked me cold, boss. She has shut me down like I am the antichrist," he rubbed his hands over his face. "And the worst part, man? The worst part is I can't get her out of my head. I can't walk away and it is killing me. Why can't I walk away from this? THIS is NOT like ME!" he nearly yelled in frustration. "YOU know me…this is crazy!"

'Rick, you gotta walk away, man, she is telling you it's not gonna happen!" Nick tried to help.

Warrick could hear Nick's words of wisdom but they just bounced off of him. He wished it could be so easy.

"I know that, Nick, of course I know it, but…" he sighed.

"Listen to me, Warrick, okay?" Nick said getting up and tossing his apple in the trash. As he rinsed his mug out in the sink he tried to talk to his buddy rationally. "I love Trista, I do…she is an amazing friend and a great girl BUT…" he turned back to Warrick while putting his mug into the cabinet, "but she is not girlfriend material. You know this! She's told us how she catches the guy and then leaves the poor guy in the dust. She treats them like they're a game," Nick said trying to be helpful.

"Yeah, but, that all goes back to her own issues, man. She isn't cold hearted. She just doesn't want to get hurt again," Warrick looks at Nick who is standing at the door ready to leave, "Her father was a rolling stone, man,…as soon as something caught his eye he would drop them all and be out the door," he told Nick what Nick already knew, "She is repeating it just so it won't happen to her again, ya know? I mean, she started doing this even more after Dan Sutton broke her heart," he explained.

"I know she isn't cold…and I know why she does it,.. But so what, Rick? Who cares why she is doing it? Do you really want to take your chances of her getting involved with you only for her to bail out and run away?" he asked sincerely, "Why would you want to risk everything for that?"

"Because I can beat the odds…I know I can. It's different with her, I am telling' ya," he said not completely sure he was right.

"Well, alright then, go after her and good luck to ya," he shrugged, "I hope your gamble ain't a disaster because Jules loves you both deeply," he shook his head worriedly, "You and Trista are a lot alike…you might have met your match, Bro,…I don't think I like this," he said about to leave but he turned back to say one last thing… "Look, if she breaks you…don't let it affect your relationship as friends…because then you're putting me and Jules in a bad place…if you can do that then by all means, man, go for it.

Warrick sighed loudly, "I know, I won't fuck anything up…I plan on going for it…I just don't know if she will go for me."

"Hah, never thought I would hear Warrick Brown say THAT," he yelled from down the hall.

"Me either, man, me fuckin' either," Warrick whispered quietly to himself feeling completely disgusted by his behavior.