Summary

Nick isn't the type of person to burden his children with his depression after the death of his second wife. His twenty year old daughter Charlotte moves back in with him and his five year old son a few months after her death sensing her father isn't dealing with the loss as well as he is letting on.

Don't own CSI (obviously). The only thing I own are my characters.

Charlotte Stokes was always light on her feet so getting into her fathers house, up the stairs and to his bedroom door undetected was not a difficult task. She cleared her throat. Nick finished pulling his shirt over his head and turned around to see his daughter standing in the doorway. "What are you doing here?"

"It's so good to see you too father." She blinked. She never managed to startle him no matter how she tried.

"What I mean is; I thought I was supposed to be picking you up from the airport." Nick asked his daughter looking thoroughly confused.

"And you're just getting ready to leave now?" She asked crossing her arms. "You would have been so late. Am I right in the assumption that you were planning on picking up Carson first."

"Yes Charlotte, as a matter of fact that was the plan."

Charlotte walked over to him and poked him in the chest. "Had my flight not been early I would have been waiting forever."

Nick caught the finger she had poked him with and put it back at her. "How exactly did you get here?"

"I took a cab." Charlotte said in a 'how else would I have gotten here' kind of way.

"Is the cab driver sitting outside waiting to be paid?"

"I'm insulted." She said pushing her father playfully.

"Well you are my daughter."

"And with a role model like you, it's a wonder I turned out right."

"Cute." He ruffled her hair a little which he knew she hated. "Can we go get your brother now?"

"Yes ma'am" Nick answered trying to hug his daughter who he hadn't seen in four months.

She stopped him from hugging her. "Can I have my money back?"

"Excuse me?" Nick asked confused.

"The cab money."

"Excuse me?" Nick repeated.

"No hugs till I get my cab money back," Charlotte looked at him seriously. "I don't have a job father. I'm on a fixed income here, and by fixed income I mean no income other than what you, grandpa and grandma send me."

"Your extorting money from me for hugs?" It was like he couldn't believe his ears.

"Damn right, now gimme."

"Unbelievable," Nick sighed reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. He put $40.00 into her waiting palm and wrapped her in a big hug.

"Pleasure doing business with you sir."

"Your unbelievable."

"I love you too"

By the time they pulled into the elementary school it was time for the kindergarten class to be let out. Nick decided to wait in the car and sent Charlotte in to get her brother. Walking into the classroom she found a few parents scattered around getting their children ready to leave. Most importantly she found her brother sitting at a table drawing a picture. He was concentrating so hard that he didn't even notice Charlotte behind him.

"I really hope that's for me," she said breaking his concentration.

Carson whipped around so fast Charlotte swore they needed to go get him checked for whiplash.

"Charlie!" The smile on his face could have lit up the world and his big blue eyes shone at her.

"Hey dude." She smiled at her little brother. "Well is that for me?" Carson Nodded and gave his sister the construction paper card. It had a sun on the front and what she could only assume was a drawing of the two of them on the inside. Give him a break, he's five.

"Can you go get your stuff? Dad's waiting for us." He nodded at her and ran off to his cubby.

"Can I help you?" The brunette woman wearing glasses and her hair in a messy bun that had been watching her since she entered the room asked approaching Charlotte.

"No, I'm fine thank you." Charlotte replied not taking her eyes off of her brother who was stuffing his things in his backpack.

"Miss I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The woman said placing her hands on her hips.

"I'm leaving now anyway," Charlotte had to admit she was confused by the woman's hostility but noticed Carson walking over to her so she decided to let it go seeing as how she would be walking out the door in a second anyway. "Ready?" She asked when he returned with his backpack. He nodded a yes and they both began to leave.

"Carson go sit in your seat." The lady told him. "Did you think I was just going to let you walk out of here with someone else's child?"

Here we go again.Charlotte thought to herself. She had always had a problem with authority figures. They always thought she was up to no good. Of course the half sleeve to tattoos on her left arm and the lip stud didn't help her cause much. "I'm assuming you're his teacher." The woman nodded. "I'm Charlotte Stokes. His sister. Our dad is out in the car waiting for us."

"I'm sorry but I can't just go by your word."

"Then go ask my dad."Stupid woman. Why do you think I said he's in the car?

Meanwhile Nick was sitting in his car waiting for his children. They should not be taking this long. He looked down to change the radio station and when he popped his head back up he saw his two kids being escorted by his son's teacher. His daughter had a look on her face that told him something had gone wrong.

"Great"

Charlotte didn't say anything. She just walked to the passenger side, lifted her brother into the car and strapped him into his booster seat. Once he was securely in his seat she climbed into the front passenger seat and put her seatbelt on.

"Miss Stewart is everything alright?" Nick asked the woman as she stopped at the driver side window.

"No Mr. Stokes I was just confirming this young lady's story that she is your daughter." She explained giving Charlotte a somewhat dirty look.

"Oh, well she is."

"In that case I'll see you tomorrow Carson, Mr. Stokes." Carson waved as she turned and walked away.

"What the hell?" Charlotte started when she was out of earshot. "What did she think that I was going to kidnap him or something?"

"You have to understand, it's her job to protect those children and she doesn't know you so she had to confirm." Nick tried to explain to her.

"Oh whatever. If I was dressed like one of those Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson wannabes; Ok maybe not Britney, but you know what I mean. She wouldn't have said a word."

"That's probably true but you do look like a delinquent. If you just-"

"Don't even start that with me again." Charlotte cut him off.

"I'm just saying your such a pretty girl. If you just dressed a little nicer you wouldn't get into trouble like this all the time."

"What wrong with what I'm wearing?" Charlotte looked down at her outfit. She was wearing a dark pair of jeans that were torn at the knees, a hed (PE) band T-shirt that she had cut the sleeves off of and she had a hoody with a skull bedazzled on the breast. It was gaudy but she still loved it. Most Importantly, of course she had the pre-requisite pair of black Converse All-Stars on. She had obviously since removed the hoody because it was Nevada and it was hot as hell. "I think I look cute."

"You look like you're up to no good."

"Whatever."

At that moment the conversation was over because they pulled into the driveway and Charlotte hopped out of the car.

"You, homework." Nick ordered his son after the little boy had settled in a little and watched some television

"Homework?" Charlotte questioned. "Do five year olds get homework?"

"Yes they do," Nick answered her. "Go." He told Carson again since he hadn't moved.

Carson got up and went into the kitchen and to the table to start his homework. Nick turned to T.V. off but stayed on the couch with his daughter.

"By the way, can you get a ride to work?" Charlotte asked her father. "I wanna go see my friends."

"What about your brother." Nick asked her.

"What if I get someone to watch him? I mean the kid had friends right?"

"Alright if you get me a ride and find somewhere for your brother to stay, you can take my car."

"Sounds like a deal." Charlotte said getting up off the couch and heading towards the phone on the end table. She picked up the family address book with all the names, phone numbers and addresses of all the people they know. She found the number to Carson's best friend Jeremy's home and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" The woman on the other end of the phone answered.

"Hi, is this Jeremy's mother?" Charlotte asked her.

"Yes it is."

"I'm Charlotte, Carson's sister."

"Ah the infamous Charlie. He talks about you all the time." The woman told her.

"He does, does he?"

"Oh yes. It's always Charles said this or Charlie did that." The lady laughed. "Anyway, what can I do for you dear?"

"Well I just got back into town and I really want to go surprise my friends because they don't know I'm here but my dad has to work-" Charlotte started to explain.

"Say no more." Charlotte was cut off "Carson is always welcome here. He and Jeremy can have a sleepover."

"Awesome, so I'll just drop him off when I head out if that's alright."

"That sounds fine dear."

"Thank you so much Mrs. Allen, bye"

"Not a problem at all dear." She told Charlotte "and call me Stacey, bye"

Alright one down.She dialed the next number. This one she didn't need to look up. She'd dialed it many times before.

"Yeah, Nick." The voice on the other line answered.

"Uncle Warrick?" Charlotte said in her sweetest voice.

"Oh boy this is trouble."

"Why whatever do you mean?" She asked innocently knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"You haven't called me Uncle Warrick since you were eight, which leads me too believe you want something." Warrick told her. "Am I right?"

Charlotte sighed. "Alright no BS can you pick up my dad for work?" She asked him bluntly.

"Why? What's wrong with his car?"

"Nothing, I wanna take it."

Warrick sighed this time. "Fine."

"Sweet!" Charlotte exclaimed "Thank you."

"Your welcome. Goodbye Charles."

"Peace out homie." Charlotte hung up the phone and went to find her father. "Alright here's how this is going to work." She told her father when she found him in the kitchen helping her brother with his homework. He looked up at her.

"I'm going to take him over to Jeremy's for sleepover and Warrick is picking you up for work.

"Alright, fine jus remember to come get me when my shift is over."

"Yes sir." Charlotte Saluted Nick army style and walked away to raid the fridge.

Next chapter: Charlotte visits her crew, reunites with all the CSI's and I start to explain the circumstances behind Charlotte moving back home.

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