I Do's and Don'ts
Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

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Homecoming

Nick dreaded going to this party the whole day. It was all he could think about at work. He immediately regretted his decision but he couldn't go back as his word, this meant too much to Mandy. He was trying to convince himself that he was over thinking it.

He starts to feel this aggression deep within himself towards Liam, which he can't explain. Mandy was right Nick had a father. A great one. Nick never realized how much he missed his father until now. He remembers times when he needed his father, like when the kids were born or when Little Beau was sick. Nick needed his father; he needed the judge's guidance. Even though, his father wasn't around Nick could feel his presence.

"Daddy!" Lily squealed in excitement as she raced her brothers to the door to greet Nick.

"Hey guys." Nick said kneeling down to get the little hugs.

"Lily, get your lunch outta the fridge." Mandy said coming out. She came out in a gorgeous strapless blue dress with a white cardigan thing. Nick wasn't sure what it was, and didn't care she looked gorgeous.

"Wow…" Nick said as he picked up Mason. Mason quickly claimed Nick's hat as his own. Nick quickly gave Mandy a kiss.

"Close your mouth, Stokes." Mandy teased while smiling as she kissed him again.

"You're beautiful, babe. Is that new?"" Nick said in his sweet southern accent.

"Yes," she said giving him a twirl. "Why don't you jump in the shower? I got you an outfit too. My mom is taking the kids to a museum." Mandy said smiling at him.

Nick had always been a thinker. He was not one to talk about his feelings but rather think about why he felt that why or what he could do to change it. However all his thoughts just brought him to one place. And the longer and harder he thought he realized that it was this time about five or six years ago that he lost his father. Nick studied his own face as he began to shave. He cleared the fog from the glass.

Call me when you get a chance – Laurel… that was the text that started it all. When Nick finally did check his phone he had three missed calls and that lonely text message. Nick had been busy in court all day and he wasn't the most technically savvy person so he usually just turned off his phone. However it did raise a red flag in his head that his sister would call him out of the blue.

"Hello?" Laurel said after what felt like a gazillion rings. Nick could immediately tell there was something wrong in his sister's voice and stopped in the middle of the courthouse steps.

"What's wrong, Laurel?" Nick asked worried.

"You need to come home, Nicky." Laurel said upset.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked again scared of what answer he could get.

"Its Cisco, he ain't doing so well. The doctors think he may have had a heart attack." Laurel said trying desperately to keep her composure for her younger brother's sake.

"Alright, let me just call my boss. I'll be on the next flight out. How's ma?" Nick asked rubbing his face trying to keep his emotions under control but he felt a pain in his heart and pit in his stomach.

"She's… just hurry and get here, please, Nicky." Laurel said.

"I will, call me if anything changes. I'll meet you at the hospital." Nick said his voice slightly buckling.

Nick back inside the courthouse in search of DB, while he ordered a plane ticket on his phone. His mind was racing, he had so many question all of which he was too scared to ask or really even think about. His mind was so clouded he forgot what he was doing as DB flagged him down.

"Nick, I thought you already testified." DB asked.

"Yeah, I gotta talk to you." Nick said touching his own face.

"Nick, what's wrong?" DB said touching Nick's shoulder guiding him to sit on a nearby bench. DB could tell something was really bothering him Nick looked distraught.

"It's my dad," Nick said upset. "He's not doing so well. I need to get home."

"Go." DB said and Nick smiled a little, relieved. "Take as much time as you need. I hope everything will be alright." DB said, Nick nodded as he left. Nick stopped at home and packed some clothes and went to the airport.

The whole flight, Nick was a nervous wreck. He didn't know what to expect when he got off the flight. He loosened his tie and scratched his head. This was the last thing he thought would happen today. The flight felt like it took forever but before he knew it he was back home. As he exited the terminal he saw his sister, Laurel, waiting for him and his stomach dropped.

"Nicky…" she said grabbing her brother. Nick looked at her in shock he knew why his sister was waiting for him.

"Laurel… is he…" Nick said trying to keep his composure but he could see the mascara streaks on her face from her tears.

"He passed about a half hour ago… I'm so sorry, Nicky…" Laurel said hugging him.

"Nick…" Mandy said touching his shoulder slightly startling him.

"Huh… what?" Nick said confused realizing that Mandy was standing next to him.

"I've been calling you, are you alright?" Mandy asked.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just a little tired what's up?" Nick said trying to be nonchalant.

"Why don't you get dress, so we can get going?" Mandy said giving him a worried smile. Nick only nodded. The outfit she had picked up for him was a little out of there price range but Nick choose to bite his tongue.

Mandy drove because she knew where they were going. Nick was taken aback by the size of the home. It was a big beautiful house even though Nick knew he would never admit it. Mandy took Nick's hand still studying his face.

"Mandy!" Liam yelled excited as they entered his huge backyard. Nick looked around and thought to himself that if they had a yard this size that it'd have to be for the kids. They'd put in a swing set or jungle gym.

"Hi Liam." She said hugging him. "You remember my fiancé, Nick?"

"Yes, hello Nick." Liam said putting his hand out to shake. Nick didn't respond until a subtle elbow from Mandy.

"Hello." Nick mumbled.

"Your sisters are here to. Girls, come here." Liam called and two women approached. They had a look on their face of disapproval or disappointed.

"Kate, Elizabeth, this is your sister Mandy and her fiancé Nick." Liam pointed as he introduce. It was incredibly awkward, especially because Nick was certain that Kate was checking him out.

Mandy frolics about eager to learn more about her sisters and nieces even if they were reluctant to talk. Nick left to go get himself a beer and a glass of wine for Mandy. Nick takes this time to observe the people around him. Everyone was so prim and proper yet condescending and fake all in the same breath. Nick could feel the stares of everyone disapproving of them being there.

"Just give me whatever is on draft, and a glass of red wine." Nick told the in house bartender. The man poured him a glass of wine.

"Sir, there is no beer on draft." The bartender said confused to why Nick would ask.

"Do you have any beer?" Nick asked disappointed. The man handed Nick a beer he didn't recognize but Nick shrugged his shoulders and left in search of Mandy.

"Hey, thanks." Mandy said smiling taking a glass of wine from him.

"What do you do for a living, Nick?" Kate asked.

"I'm a crime scene investigator for LVPD." Nick said as he took a sip of the beer and had to fight every muscle in his body not to spit it back out. It was the nastiest thing he had ever drunk. Mandy saw this and immediately tried to continue the conversation.

"That's actually where we met. I am a fingerprint analysis tech." Mandy said and was met by apprehensive looks. Mandy saw this and was confused, and she took a quick look around and finally saw what Nick had been seeing. Mandy heard Nick growl as he stormed off. "Excuse us."

"Nick, what's wrong?" Mandy said chasing after him making him face her.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Nick said upset. He tried to turn away but Mandy held his arms.

"No, you're not. Tell me, what's wrong?" Mandy asked studied his face.

"The beer is terrible. My pants are too tight. And everyone is laughing at us. Mandy, this isn't us." Nick said as he threw the crappy beer, still a little angry and upset.

"Nick…"

"We should be planning our wedding… not kissing some pompous ass." Nick said still upset, but Mandy believed that something else had uprooted this emotional response from Nick.

"What's wrong?" Mandy asks, having her only concern being Nick's mental state.

"He's a liar. He wasn't there to help us, when I was shot but your mom and stepfather were and Liam could've been. While Liam sat in his stupid mansion and watched it on TV… or when we thought we were going to lose Beau. He can't just walk into our child's life and decide to play grandpa, when my dad never had the opportunity. I'm trying to be supportive but it's really hard because he should be doing all he can to apologize and be a part of your and ours life not the other way around…" Nick said as Liam came in between them, trying to separate them, pushing Mandy aside.

"Liar?" Mandy said quietly to herself.

"Don't touch me." Nick said pushing Liam back hard.

"I haven't lied!" Liam said nonchalantly but it just enraged Nick.

"You have! And I know you have!" Nick yelled pointed at him, and Liam knew that Nick was right. Liam tried to grab Nick and Nick punched him in his face.

Mandy's mind was racing as the events unfolded in front of her. Nick looked up at her with apologetic eyes before stepping over Liam walking away as he ran his hands through his hair.

"We are going to leave now." Mandy said almost speechless.

"Wait, Mandy, am I going to see you again?" Liam asked a she struggled to get to his feet.

"Not if I find out you've been lying." Mandy said strongly as she chased after Nick.

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