Conclusion written by : Kristen and Shacky
Warrick knew he had the height over the other man, and charged down the court towards the basket, with the intent of throwing the ball over Nick's head. Just as Warrick sprinted ahead, Nick jumped, and knocked the ball out of the other man's hand with his finger tips. Then he lightly jabbed his shoulder against Warrick's chest. Knocking him out of the way.
Seconds later, Nick did a 180 degree turn, and tossed the ball into the basket, and rushed to catch the bouncing item.
Warrick caught up to the other man in two quick strides and slammed his hands down on the ball, knocking it out of Nick's hands, and scooping it up. He then dunked it in, and caught it again.
Nick came bounding over and the two traded quick foot work as Warrick dribbled the ball around, changing which hands held onto it. Nick kept his eye on the object. He stepped in and out of the other man's personal space, and kept the other CSI from taking another shot.
The two men danced around the court, Warrick twirling around, as Nick came up to rush him. The Texan was rewarded with a few shoves from the taller criminalist. A shoulder blade connected with his side a few times.
Still both CSIs eyed each other like two rams ready to lock horns.
"You worked...everything...out?'" Warrick rasped in between heavy breaths.
Nick snapped up the ball as it descended down to the ground. He went towards the goal. Warrick raced after him. He knocked the ball out of the criminalist's grip and his elbow glanced the side of Nick's head.
Warrick made a second quick dunk, but Nick was on top of him, his hands pushing his partner aside. Then as the other CSI jumped, his forearm caught Warrick right on his chin.
"Yeah." Nick said breathing hard. "I'm going to let...go..of my anger." Now he dribbled, moving backwards. "If you ...stop ...doggin' me."
Warrick guarded his partner, not letting him advance up the court. "Did you develop...the ability ..to predict..when bad things are...gonna happen?"
Nick switched hands, the noise of the ball echoing on the ground. "Nope."
Then the shorter man, swerved to his left, brushing past the larger guy. Warrick lunged forward nearly knocking Nick over from behind.
Nick lost control of the ball, which Warrick quickly grabbed, making another shot. He snagged the ball one handed, then swirled around, and went down the court again.
"I'm not...going to stop..watching your back." Warrick slapped the object around on the surface, slowing down the pace.
Nick stayed low, waiting for the other man to make his pass. He remained nimble, his hands outward, waiting to tackle the ball.
Then he made his move, and Warrick made a beeline for the net, not waiting for his partner to get out of the way.
Nick stood his ground, acting like a defensive end in football. He tackled the approaching man. Warrick tried to barrel past him, and tripped on his way down to the ground.
Nick felt the weight slam into him, and he fell on top of the other man. Then he quickly rolled over and laid flat on his back.
Both men didn't move, each sprawled out on the court. Ragged in take of breaths, thunderous and rough in the air.
"I'll...stop..crowding...you." Warrick said, couching slightly.
Nick sucked in the clean, crisp air. "Our work...is sometimes, dangerous...man." Nick sat up, and planted one hand to the ground. He looked over at his partner. "Its part of the job."
Warrick pulled himself into a sitting position. "I know." The larger man wiped away some of the sweat trickling down his face. His T-shirt clung to him. "When you can push away all the images from inside that box. Then I'll be able to forget about that what I saw from the live feed."
Nick understood all the meaning behind that statement. He nodded. "The locker room---"
Warrick grunted. "Two hot heads, pushing each other's buttons." He looked up at him. "I'm sorry for some of the things I said, man." Warrick shook his head. "I didn't mean them."
Nick sighed. "Did you think...I mean, some of those ideas were in your head. Must have been thinking about them for a while."
The other ciminalist looked up to the sky and back to his parnter. "When you're tight with people, you say things that will get a reaction. Stuff that hurts." Warrick fixed Nick was a sincere look. "Kind of like how familes say the harshest shit to each other. Heat of the moment. I trust you, man. You're one of the best CSIs out there. I just ...we're brothers and its hard to let go what happened to my boy."
Nick felt relief. He didn't want to drag all of that out again. "I'm." Nick shook his head. "I've been messed up." He shrugged at Warrick's expression. "I know you know that. I...I've worked out most of it. But, I didn't exactly tell my shrink everything that's been in my head lately."
Warrick looked down at the ground. "I've haven't been exactly candid with mine."
Nick gave him another confused expression.
His partner just chuckled. "It was mandatory, man. However, I really didn't stick around for all the appointments he wanted me to go for. Only did the required three."
"Oh." Nick said simply.
Warrick peered down at the ground. "I keep having these...these dreams." He sighed. "Sometimes you shot yourself right when I open the lid...sometimes, we're just too late."
Nick swallowed hard, listening to his partner, at his difficulty to keep his voice even. Nick stared at the same vacant spot on the asphalt.
Warrick shook his head. "I've woken up screaming when I thought I was inside that thing." Warrick looked up. "I've had a hard time dealing with this shit, man. I'm...I'll be all right though. I'm going to go back to the doctor. I'm gonna try being honest with him."
Nick nodded quietly.
Warrick let out a small laugh. "How about we just stick to talking to each other, when shit comes up. And then take it from there."
Nick was nodding a bit more animatedly. "Yeah, that's cool."
That earned a smile from his partner. "Cool. I wouldn't want to continue to kick your ass in B-Ball just to have us talk about this stuff."
Nick laughed. "You're lucky I bruised up my hand."
"Yeah, right. Excuses." Warrick shook his head. "I'm surprised you could play at all, after trying to destroy my locker."
Nick looked chagrined. "Yeah, well, I almost kept myself out of the field again. But after some ice, its fine."
"You sure?" Warrick asked, about to inspect the hand that had some nice swelling around it.
Nick was about to stop his parnter from inspecting it, when he saw the glint in the other man's eye.
The Texan burst out laughing. "I almost fell for that."
Warrick grinned. "Yeah, you did."
Both criminalists sat there, enjoying the night breeze.
Warrick knew it was time to get going. "I'll see you at start of shift tomorrow?"
"Yeah." Nick answered. The Texan held his hand out in a fist. Both men gave each other their patented ghetto low five.
Nick helped his partner up, and each headed towards their respected cars. Before Nick got in his, he turned to his partner. "Next time, its baseball dude, so I can give you a proper ass whopping."
Warrick just snorted and rolled his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that man. I'll wipe the field with you in that as well."
It has been three days since Warrick and Nick had their 'talk' as they liked to call it, but it seemed to have helped. They both had come to several realizations since that day. Maybe that both of them hadn't been as honest and as they should have been to each other, and maybe to themselves.
Especially Nick. He had a lot of work to do, but he had to be honest to himself and his team before he could begin that. But he wanted it back: his work, his respect, his control, and his life. He felt like he lost it all that night, and he never felt like he regained it. Maybe now he could really go on.
It was the first celebration since they had all returned to night shift. This time it was for Grissom's birthday, so they all gathered a little before shift to have their party, whether Gil Grissom had wanted them to or not. And now was as good as time as any Nick figured to himself.
Nick stood there with everyone else, including Jim Brass, and had something to say. He figured now was as good as time as any. He cleared his throat and moved to the middle of the room.
Everyone stopped what they were doing to look up at Nick, curious as to what the man would say after getting everyone's attention.
"Hey guys, I uh, I just wanted to first of all say thanks to you for putting up with me since I got back. I know I haven't been the easiest person to get along with, but I hope to change that. "
Catherine spoke up first. "Nicky, you're family, we aren't putting up with you. You've had a rough few months, we understand that. We didn't expect for you to be come through all of that unscathed."
Everyone was now gathering a little closer to Nick, when he spoke up again. "Yeah, but I did. And maybe I wasn't as okay, as I was saying I was. I never realized I don't think, what you guys must have gone through, to find me. I never let myself, because then I would have had to... uh... maybe think about it."
Nick looked down at the floor and back up to the group. You didn't. "Maybe if I was honest about this a couple months ago, I could have saved us all some grief. But I needed to try it my way." Nick shrugged. "I had to realize for myself it wasn't working. But I want it to work better now, and thatmeans being more honest with you guys, and my therapist, and myself especially."
"Trust me Nick, it wouldn't have team without you. We got it all back now." Grissom said.
"Thanks Gris, and no one is happier to be back, no offense Cath, but I've missed all of you guys, and nights are so much more interesting, and crazy. And I still have Warrick with me. What else could a guy want?" He said with a grin and a laugh and everyone joined in for once, maybe since that horrible night last May. But he would try harder now to put that behind him, and so would they. Because the family he found here was back together again, where they all belonged.
"Admit it Stokes, you just missed me, and of course who wouldn't. I mean I am the life of the shift, plus you needed someone to kick your ass at PS2 again." Greg of course chimed in with a smirk and went and stood by his best friend again. Nick didn't know what he would have done without Greg sometimes, he did try to understand, but he was still the same old Lab Rat that was good for a laugh when he let himself be.
"Excuse me rookie. Who got who's ass kicked at Madden 2005? Yeah, that's what I thought thank you very much, Spike." Nick ran his hair once again through Greg's shorter spikes that were back.
"Hey, don't mess with the hair man, I just got in fixed."
Nick liked to think he had a little part of Greg going back to the shorter look, but he knew the CSI would never admit it, so he left it alone.
"Okay people, more punch and a toast." Sara poured everyone's cup full.
"To Grissom. Happy Birthday to the best Supervisor any CSI could hope for, and for us all being back together again. " Sara smiled her brilliant grin that she saved for special occasions.
"And to Nick, for having you back where you belong, for having you here, and for all of us being back on one team. To the Team!"
Everyone raised their glasses in cheers "To the team!", they shouted back in response. Then they all talked between themselves for a little while before assignments.
Gris and Catherine stood back in the corner, watching their four CSI's talk and laugh, just like they used to.
"It is good being back together again I must admit." Catherine spoke to Gil in hushed tones. "Even if I have to share the supervisor's spot with you."
"Hey, more people to share the paperwork with. I see it as a great advantage. I'm just glad to have everyone here, it wouldn't be complete without, Nick." He spoke as serious as he could, because he knew they would never have been the same again, none of them.
"No, it wouldn't, and now maybe we can all start to work past our problems with Nick, and that means you too, Gil." Catherine knew Grissom still had problems letting his charge do his job the way he needed to. Catherine couldn't say she didn't understand, cause she felt overprotective of Nicky, too. But like Nick said, they all needed to be honest and move on.
"Yeah, I just can't imagine what would have..."
"Then don't Gil, cause we didn't. We have the best damn CSI's any supervisor could ask for. Happy Birthday Gil." And Catherine leaned over to give Grissom a small kiss on the cheek, and he actually smiled for the first time in a while. Besides he hated birthdays.
"I hate to interrupt your moment here you two," Brass walked up to them and got an eyebrow raise from both of them, "but we have jobs for the night it looks like." Brass went about telling Catherine and Grissom about the calls they received for the team.
Greg and Sara were eating their cake while watching Nick and Warrick talk it up in the corner. The two partners were talking about sports they assumed because they were very animated with their hands and laughing.
" I guess it didn't come to blows," Sara whispered. "I don't see any black eyes or swollen jaw bones. I just hope they worked it out."
"I think they have, in their guy way." Greg grinned as he said it, he knew how Sara hated that. "Some things women just don't understand, guys don't 'talk', they work it out however they need too. I think Nick and Warrick had just the talk they needed to."
Greg looked genuinely happy as he watched his friends again. Yeah, he thought, things were going to be just fine. Now that Nick had admitted his difficulties out loud. Maybe the Texan never did let himself think about what the team went through. Maybe what the younger CSI said the other day in Nick's house had gotten through.
"Guys, party's over, we still have work to do." Grissom bellowed over the top of everyone talking. "Sara and Cath, you two have a DB over at the Bellagio. Looks like you guys may be there awhile from the sounds of things. Here you go." Gris handed over the assignment to Cath and the two women started discussing the particulars together.
"I have a hit and run over in the South side of town, jogger took on a car and lost. So, I'll be heading over there."
And for your three, I have something extra special. Las Vegas Airport, someone tried to hide a body by shoving it into a suitcase. It's been several places by now. Luggage handlers started to smell the suitcase needless to say knew it wasn't lost luggage. The stench made several workers sick, so they haven't touched it yet, but needless to say, it's dripping." Grissom said like it was nothing unusual.
"Oh no, I'm not going there again." Nick remembered back to his last bad decomp. He stunk for days.
"A suitcase, cool. I mean. I haven't seen anything like that before. I haven't done a real decomp, yet." Greg seemed almost excited about the assignment.
"Good, because you are going to do this one, Greg. Everyone needs to learn sometime. Nick and Warrick are going to supervise you on this one, while you, uh, learn the ropes of a decomp." Gil explained a tiny glint in his eye.
Nick and Warrick started chuckling because the young CSI had to idea what he was in store for.
"Really, I get to work with the guys tonight, this will be so cool." Nick was correct, Greg was bouncing with excitement, poor guy didn't have a clue Nick amused to himself.
"Yep G, looks like you're coming with us tonight" Nick said with a laugh.
"Oh Yeah, and it's all yours, Nick and I just get you supervise, you're very first decomp, Greg." Warrick grinned, and somewhere in the background, they though they heard Sara actually giggling.
Nick and Warrick gave each other a knowing smile, each man could barely keep themselves from bursting out into laughter.
"What? I've done something kind of like that, right? No problem, let's go guys" Greg grabbed his kit with the energy and excitement of his first case, like he always did.
Nick and Warrick elbowed each other good naturally.
"What? Am I not getting something here, it's just a decomp, right?" Greg questioned.
"Come on Greggo, you'll learn something new tonight bud." Nick turned him by the shoulders and lead him out the door. They looked behind to see, Grissom, Catherine, and Sara laughing.
"Lemons Greg, lemons!" Sara shouted at the retreating men.
"Uh Nick, why is Sara laughing at me and shouting lemons?" Now he was looking slightly nervous.
"Just consider it a learning experience G, come one." Nick grabbed his kit and followed the duo into the parking lot.
"Here bro, this time you drive." Warrick offered up the keys to the SUV.
Nick looked up at Warrick, knowing what the real message was there. He could see it behind his friend's eyes.
"Thanks, man. Question is what are we gonna do with, G on the way home?" And they laughed again.
"Wait, what do you mean, come on guys, this isn't funny anymore. What do you mean what are you gonna do with me? Hey wait up!" Greg walked a little faster to catch up with his new coworkers, wondering just what they had in store for him tonight.
He knew it would probably include him smelling bad, and lemons after it was done. But if it meant he could see his friends this happy and relaxed again, he'd do it. It almost felt like an initiation somehow to the youngest CSI. Yeah, the team was finally together again.
"You coming, G?" Nick shouted from behind the wheel.
"On my way guys, and I'm assuming I'm sitting in the back" He really didn't have to ask.
Nick and Warrick gave each other a knowing look, "Oh Hell yes!" They both shouted.
Greg climbed in the three drove off on their first ever assignment together.
The End
Notes: Shacky and I want to thank everyone for reading and supporting this story. I had never written anything with another author before, and it was a rewarding experience. Shacky and I worked a long time this and we learned a lot. The response to this story was very overwhelming, all the old and some new faces who came along to enjoy the ride. We wrote the conclusion together as a fitting ending to our co-written efforts.
There are tons of "Grave Danger" fics out there, each one taking on new angles, other possibilities, and exploring many avenues. I'm glad people enjoyed our take on a Nick in denial, but working his way though things with the help of his friends. We really wanted to focus on Greg and Warrick, their totally different reactions to the trauma, and therefore; their different approaches to dealing and healing.
Thank you very much from both of us. It was a pleasure to see this now complete. I know Shacky will continue with her Live Journal entries and some adventures on this site. I'm working on a new, lengthy, angsty casefile, that will see the light of day I hope sometime soon.
Take care-
Kristen and Shacky