Chapter Eight: Swept Up

Warrick climbed out of his truck looking at the crushed mail box of the Tanner family laying in pieces on the lawn with a tire track mark through it. Grissom waved at him from the front door, signalling for him to come over to join him in the house.

Warrick lifted his kit into his hands, walking up the garden path towards the front door where the entrance way was splattered in blood. He looked down at the woman's body in the hall seeing an obvious bullet wound to her head. "Hi Griss."

"Warrick." Grissom acknowledged, half smiling at him in return. "Family of four. The father used to be a cop. They were all shot and killed just over an hour ago." Grissom reported, checking his watch. "Witnesses say they saw a blonde female enter the house . . . she shot them all then left in a blacked out van parked on the corner. No one saw a driver."

"Sounds like a professional hit." Warrick noted, looking at the gunshot wounds in the kids heads.

"Yeah, I've got to go and help Nick and Sara with their crime scene. Call me if you need any help though." Warrick nodded, watching Grissom heading out the front door.

Warrick stepped over one of the child's dead bodies, looking down into their open eyes. The child's expression was obvious that they looked into the eyes of their killer as the trigger was pulled. He stepped over the second one doing the same, making his way off towards the dining room where all the food was set out on the table ready to eat.

Warrick took a moment to think. This was the family's last meal together . . . and they never got to eat it. The meal was completely untouched.

Warrick set down his kit getting into CSI mode. He took several pictures of each victim from every angle before he moved onto the next victim. He then started marking out the blood splatters from each victim so he could determine who was shot first. From his observation the mother went to answer the front door; receiving a gunshot wound to the head. The rest of the family rushed in to see what happened, getting knocked down like domino's as they rushed into the room. The youngest child was obviously first as she was underneath her father and brother.

Warrick just couldn't determine if the son or the father were shot next as their blood spray was all over the furniture and they each had a limb over the top of the little girl as they fell to the ground on top of her.

"Hi Warrick." David startled him. "Sorry."

"No, I'm fine." Warrick half smiled at him. "Can you start on the mother?" Warrick pointed out to her in the hall. "I think she was the first shot."

"Sure." David set down his kit beside her, starting to check her over. "Bullet was a through and through." He reported. Warrick looked at the blood splatter on the wall, uncovering the bullet in the middle of it all. He pulled his tweezers out of his vest, digging the bullet out of the wall to take a closer look.

"Looks like a 357 Magnum." Warrick stuffed it into an evidence bag, looking at the surprised look on the mothers face. David started talking to him about the body's condition, but his words were muffled as Warrick stared into her eyes in deep thought.

Nick walked round the back of the Wight house, sighing heavily as he hadn't found anything yet. He wanted to wrap up this case today, but the way things were going they'd be working it for another shift and miss another chance to go out on a date with Greg.

Not that he was thinking about that. He tried to repeatedly assure himself.

Nick pulled out his flash light, lifting the lids of the bins around the side of the house to look inside them. He found the usual food cartons, product containers and food waste in them; nothing out of the ordinary at all, making him even more frustrated. He walked round the side of the garage towards a large skip, carefully lifting the lid to see some clear plastic sheets with blood stains on them.

How'd I miss that? He questioned himself.

"So was I right or was I right?" Sara asked with a smug grin on her face as she suddenly appeared behind him.

"You were right." Nick mumbled, pulling the plastic covers from the skip. "But you were wrong that they were killed in the house. There's not a spot of blood in there . . . just like I told you."

"Did you find where they were killed then?" Sara asked, inspecting the blood on the plastic sheets Nick just collected.

"No, but I have a theory." Nick pulled out an evidence bag to stuff the sheets into, handing it over to Sara.

"Thanks very much." She remarked sarcastically, following him out the garden towards the pool. "What's your theory then Nicky?"

"The girls were wearing bikinis under their clothes." Nick told her as he looked around the edge of the pool with an ultraviolet light to look for blood.

"Bikinis?" Sara queried watching him inspecting the tiles around the pool. "What does that prove?"

"That someone redressed them Sara." Grissom filled her in, appearing behind her. "Did you find something Nicky?"

"Got blood." He noted as he found a sample between the tiles. He pulled a swab out of his vest to take a sample. "One thing that still gets me though is why was Chelsea killed first then Kelsey shot later at the dump site?"

"You said she was shot twice right?" Grissom asked. Nick nodded taking another swab sample from another set of tiles. "Maybe the killer realised she wasn't dead when he dumped the bodies." Grissom suggested.

"The blood off the plastic and here should tell us that." Sara noted. "I miss the easy cases." She mumbled to herself, pouting her lip at Grissom.

Grissom smiled rolling his eyes at her. "So Nicky, how come you didn't check the trash the first time you came here?" Grissom asked curiously. "You should know by now that killers usually like to hide things in the trash."

Nick looked up at him, trying to think up an excuse.

"I told him not to." Sara immediately covered for him. "I wanted him to help me process the car back at the lab. Luckily he did too coz I missed a huge clue of blood in the trunk. If it wasn't for Nick I woulda never found it."

Grissom nodded looking between the two of them curiously. "Well let me know what you find out." He turned to walk out through the house just as Nick mouthed 'thank you' to Sara.

Sara nodded giving him a slight smile before they got back to work.

"Brass." Catherine smiled to him, ducking under the police tape towards their scene. "This is Greg Sanders our new recruit." She indicated to the young man behind her.

"Oh." Brass studied the young CSI carefully, giving him a wide smug smile as he glanced at his crazy hair. "I didn't know hippies could become CSI's." Greg glared at him sarcastically.

"Don't mind him Greggy; he's just a mean old man." Catherine frowned at him, leading Greg off towards the motel room for their crime scene. "Okay Greg, show me whatcha made of." She smiled, setting down her kit on the floor.

Greg looked around at the scene, looking at the placement of the victim's body on the bed. He pulled his flashlight from his vest to get a better look then turned round to look at Catherine. "I'd say he was suffocated and all the money in his wallet was stolen."

"Really . . . where's your evidence?" Greg picked up a trash bag left on the floor beside the bed then walked over to the man's empty wallet sat on the counter. "Okay . . . how do you know he was suffocated with that bag though?"

"It's stretched and his face and lips are all blue, meaning he was oxygen deprived. I'm sure when we fume this bag we'll see a perfect imprint of his face along with the attackers hands on either side of it." He indicated to the stretched sides.

"Nice theory." She nodded slightly, trying to hold back a wide smile. "So who's our attacker? Is it a thief . . . girlfriend?" She asked watching Greg's eyes going over the room again.

"Wife." Greg simply replied so sure of himself.

"And how can you tell that?" Catherine asked curiously. Greg pointed to the wall ahead of him. Catherine stepped round the corner seeing a hate message written on the wall in red lipstick reading: 'I never should have married you, you pig!'

"Most people I wrote 'I love you' in lipstick on the mirror." Greg smirked.

"Huh, nice guess." Catherine smirked back at Greg. "But you still need more evidence than that. Start collecting your evidence Greggy." Greg set down his kit, starting to dust for prints, collect DNA samples from the bed along with photographing and labelling everything like a professional CSI.

Catherine was actually starting to like him too. She was actually looking forward to working a case with him and she knew the rest of the team would get along with him well too.

Sandra stopped in the hallway outside the bathroom watching her father washing blood from his hands. She ran her eyes across his facial expression, involuntary trembling with fear as she looked into her father's dark evil eyes. He was no longer the man that she once knew and loved, let alone trusted. He was someone else entirely and she really didn't like who he was turning into.

Sandra silently crept down the hall to her room, peering through the gap in her father's bedroom door to see the young man in there was still sleeping. She feared most of all what her father was going to do to him once he got better.

Was he going to end up as one of her father's obedient little robots? Doing whatever he was told. The biggest question on her mind was what kind of field test did her father do with that young girl Ellie?

"Nick." Warrick simply nodded, washing his hands in the sinks of the men's room. Nick just gave him a half smile, washing his hands right beside him. "Look Nick . . . I'm sorry 'bout what I said. I know you wouldn't have shot yourself if..."

"I would have." Nick interrupted him. "I was gonna shoot myself Warrick." Nick turned to face him, looking at the shock in his best friends eyes. "You're right, if it wasn't for you bein' there, I woulda killed myself and I'm sorry. I know you're just tryin' to look out for me. But I can take care of myself."

"I know Nick. I was just trying to help." Warrick dried his hands then turned back to Nick. "If you need time though . . . I understand. I'm not gonna force you to suddenly be okay. I'm just trying to look out for you man . . . you're like a brother to me." Warrick smiled slightly. "I'll see yah later man." Nick nodded as he grabbed a paper towel to dry his hands, watching Warrick heading back out into the lab.

Nick turned back to the mirrors to look himself in the eyes. The truth is he wasn't okay and he did need someone's help. He was starting to get sloppy at work, missing vital clues and pieces of evidence that could save some innocent persons life.

Nick pulled the bottle of Valium from his pocket, downing two pills with a mouthful of water before he head back out to get on with his case, pretending everything was okay, putting a happy smile on for the people around him so they'd stop asking questions.

"Nick! Nick!" Sara shouted, running to meet Nick in the hall. "I just solved our case." She smiled widely. "Well not so much solved, just found another clue."

"What?"

"Warrick is working a quadruple murder case and guess who his victims are?" Nick shook his head not in the mood to guess. "Former SWAT team leader Julian Tanner along with his wife and two kids. You were right. Someone is killing all these people that were involved in this 1995 Red Rock bank robbery."

"Okay . . . but we still don't have a suspect?"

"Not exactly. Witnesses from the Tanner crime scene said the killer was a blonde haired woman." But it still fits pattern. The bullets Warrick got from the crime scene were 357 magnum bullets too. Bobby confirmed they're from the same gun and all the family members were killed with a single gunshot wound to the head. Maybe this green eyed man and the blonde girl are working together?" Sara suggested.

"So we still have nothin' new just four new dead victims and you're actin' like that's somethin' good?" Nick snapped at her.

"No . . . Nick I just meant it fits pattern. Of course I don't think it's a good thing. You know maybe you should take a break. You've been working on this eighteen hours straight Nicky."

"No, I'm fine. We need to go through that list from the bank robbery. If this is the pattern then everyone on there is a potential victim, we need to get them and their families protection before someone else is killed." Sara nodded as she watched Nick walking off down the hall.

He was wound so tight, she feared he was going to break at a moment's notice.

"Sandra, what's wrong?" The green eyed man in her father's bed asked concerned as he saw her crying.

"I can't tell you . . . just know that I'm going to help you, okay?"

"Help me?" He asked confused.

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry . . . but I am going to help you get out of here." She assured him then climbed to her feet, heading off out the room again.

"Hi Nick." Greg smiled from the open layout room doorway.

"Hi." Seeing Greg in the doorway immediately put a smile on his face. "You got your first proficiency test today?"

"Yeah, Grissom put me with Catherine Willows."

"Oh, she's not so bad." Nick smiled up at him. Greg nodded in agreement, looking around at the table of evidence in front of Nick.

"So Nicky," Greg leant on the other side of the table, looking up into Nick's chocolate brown eyes that he really missed after staring into them yesterday. "When do you get off shift?" He asked curiously.

Nick looked up watching Greg softly biting his lower lip. "Um..." Nick looked round at the clock. "Two or three hours. Why?"

"You wonna grab some coffee? Or dinner?" Greg suggested.

Before Nick could answer Catherine came bounding into the room. "Greg, there you are. C'mon, we got work to do."

Nick watched Greg reluctantly walking heading for the door after Catherine, knowing he should say something in case he didn't get the chance to later. "Greg." He shouted finding his voice just before he left. Greg whirled around to look at him. "Yeah . . . okay." Nick nodded watching the adorable smile increase on Greg's face.

"See yah later then." Greg waved, heading off down the hall after Catherine.

"You've been here five minutes and your already hitting on the labs sexy Texan." Catherine smirked. Greg gave her a wide smile following her through to the morgue to find out how their victim died.

"Hey, I got that list of all the hostages." Sara announced as she head into the layout room with Nick.

He took the list from her hands, counting the number of hostages. "Thirteen."

"I know. Unlucky right? There was fourteen, but that hostage was killed. A Cassandra Nelson or something. Oh and this is just the customers."

"Where's the bank tellers?" Nick asked looking down the list of names.

"Brass is getting that list for us. Oh and the robbers. There was seven of them. Three were killed during the raid and the others were mysteriously killed in prison a month ago within a day of each other. I've got their files too." Sara sat down beside Nick, watching the glazed expression on his face. "What's up?"

"Nothin' . . . so we got fourteen hostages, minus one because she was killed by SWAT team leader Julian Tanner. As of last night he's dead along with all of his family. Security guard James Wight and his wife and two daughters are dead. All of our bank robbers are dead along with one of their cousins, a... John Walder and Detective Tony Burrow, the husband of one of the bank robbers . . . so." Nick bit his lip looking at the evidence in front of him.

After a long moments silence Nick sighed heavily, looking up at Sara. "You think one of the hostages or bank tellers are our suspect?"

"Either them or Brass." Sara joked getting an evil scowl from Nick. "What? I was kidding. Hopefully. He doesn't have green eyes anyway."

"No... but he does have a blonde daughter, whose missin' too." Nick enlightened her. Sara looked at Nick wide eyed as if she just figured something out. "What?"

"What did you just say?"

"The fact he has a blonde daughter?"

"Yeah." Sara nodded, retrieving a file from under the clutter on the table. "Witnesses said they saw a blonde haired woman killing the Tanner family."

"You think whoever this killer is sent Brass a ransom note for his daughter when really his daughter is the one doin' the killin' with him?" Nick frowned at her. "But Ellie's not the type to kill people, I'm not sure she even knows how to use a gun."

"Anyone's capable of murder Nicky. Who knows? We should get a photo of Ellie and ask the witnesses from Warrick's crime scene." Sara jumped up from her chair, heading towards the door. "Hey Nick, you should head home and get some sleep. I'll work with Warrick for a while..."

"Sara I don't need to..."

"Yes you do!" She interrupted. "Go home Nick." She insisted, heading off down the lab hall. Nick packed up his evidence into a box, filing it away to start going through for yet another shift.

Nick walked through the lab spotting Greg sat in the breakroom with Grissom. As soon as Greg saw Nick he broke into his adorable wide smile. Nick didn't know what it was about Greg, but whenever he saw that delightful smile plastered across his lips, he always felt so much better inside.

Greg met him downstairs in the parking lot, wearing his sweet smile. "So how'd you do?" Nick asked him.

"I found my suspect, she's behind bars now. She found out her husband was cheating on her so she decided to kill him and steal all his money as she thought he owed her."

"Nice job." Nick smiled proudly at him.

"So where yah wonna go?" Greg asked, flashing him an a thousand watt smile.

"Up to you."

"You ever seen the Bellagio Fountains?"

Nick shook his head, feeling butterflies in his stomach. "Can't say I have."

"Meet me there in..." Greg looked at his watch. "One hour." Nick watched Greg walking off towards his car, wondering what Greg was planning. He quickly rushed off towards his truck to get back home and change in time to meet him.

Nick parked his truck looking out at the Bellagio Fountains. He had been in Vegas a long time now, but he had never once stopped by to see it. Nick didn't have to look too far to see Greg. He was wearing a bright t-shirt with the words 'Here I Am!' written on the back. Nick chuckled to himself then climbed out the truck to join him.

Greg whirled around as Nick slowly approached him wearing his adorable smile. "Hey." Nick's face immediately lit up hearing Greg's sweet voice.

"Hi . . . nice t-shirt." He smirked, taking the coffee offered to him.

"Didn't know if you'd be able to see me." He sweetly chuckled. "So Nick . . . I've been meaning to ask you." Greg curled his fingers around the straw in his coffee. "Are we . . . you know are we dating?"

Nick watched as Greg took slow slips from his coffee, looking up at him through his gorgeously thick long eyelashes. "I-I..." Nick licked his upper lip, taking a deep breath. "I guess we are . . . I mean if you want to be?"

"Definitely." Greg nodded, turning to watch the fountain.

Nick's lips spread into a wide excitable grin. He had never had a boyfriend before, but it was the greatest feeling in the world. Nick leant against the railing beside Greg, watching the beautiful show of water before him along with the beautiful sight of Greg stood right beside him, their shoulders just touching.

As the water soared up to massive heights under the midnight sky, Greg turned to face Nick; his eyes dark and lustful. "So..." Greg started; staring so intently into Nick's melted chocolate eyes. "Does this mean you're my boyfriend, Nick Stokes?" Nick felt warm heat surging through his body beginning to flush his cheeks bright red.

He could only nod as he was so nervous.

Greg slowly moved closer towards him, lips delicately brushing against Nick's. With warm baited breath he could feel the older man's hunger for him.

Greg captured Nick's lower lip between his, softly sucking on it. He watched Nick's eyelids flutter shut as he slowly crept one hand to the side of Nick's face to cup his flushed cheek.

Nick's hands came to Greg's waist, returning the sweet slow kiss. For something he was taught to be so sinful and wrong; it felt incredibly heavenly and right.

Greg's tongue slowly slipped into Nick's mouth, making the heat of Nick's body reach new heights. He wondered if Greg had planned this whole date, from the romantic setting to the blissful kiss.

Swept up in the infatuation of Greg's heavenly kiss, time seemed to stand still.

Nick had never felt this good.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I was trying to get enough of the case down before I even got started with the romanace part, but I hope you're enjoying it. I've never been to Vegas, the bellagio fountains piece is all from videos and photos I've seen of it, so I hope it was real enough for you :D

First Uploaded May 9th = Re-edited 6th September 2010

New chapters should be posted shortly, I'm sorry I left you hanging on this story for so long.