C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 2 - To death and beyond...and a new case

Nick's POV
Once I called Catherine to give the news she told me to wait and be on guard. She's sending us backup. I quickly got off the couch and went to find my gun. I found it at the bottom of my suitcase, exactly where I left it. I stuffed in my holster and went back and sat down with Lauren. "Hay. It's okay. Catherine sent us backup. We're going to be fine and we'll make it back safely and he'll be behind bars." I say as I stroked her face. "You always did know how to make me feel better Nicky." She replies. "I just don't want you to get hurt Nicky. He had already hurt me. Now he's after you. Please don't do anything reckless, okay?" She holds my hands as she says this. "As long as you're safe..I just want this guy to pay for what he did. He took something away from you, and not just anything..Something you should have given to someone you love on your own merits. Not forced to and definitely not stolen from you.." I hold her close. "Nicky. It's okay. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't..it wasn't anyone's, and trust me, you couldn't have done anything to stop it. No one could have predicted that. Please don't feel responsible for this." She kisses me. I just kiss her back.

Time skip//

I get a call half an hour later saying the backup is outside. "Lauren? Come on babe. They're here. We have to go." I wake her up as she had fallen asleep. "Hmmmmm...Let's go." She gets off the couch and I hold her hand and we slip outside. The backup takes us straight to the crime lab. Once we arrive Greg runs up to us. "Nick is it okay if I steal Lauren for a second?" "Sure."

Greg's POV
I NEED to tell her..."Lauren? I know this is the worst time to ask such a question but I need to ask you this. What do you remember from your childhood? Like when you were little?" I ask, anxious for the answer. "I only have memory from when I started school but before that..I don't know..It's all kind of foggy." My heart stops. That's when we lost Grace.."Lauren..I don't know how to tell you this but.." Instead I just show her a picture of Grace. I couldn't bear to put it away..It meant too much and I still had hope..."whose that Greg?..is that..Am I?.." "Yeah..."

Lauren's POV
I can't believe it!!!! For years I thought I had no family..No one who loved me...and now suddenly I have a guy who will give his life for me and a family who never stopped looking for me. I throw my arms around Greg for a hug as I bury my head in his chest. "We missed you so much Gracie..." I hear Greg stifle a sob. "I thought I didn't have anyone..I thought I was alone..." I suddenly just break down, sobbing and Greg holds me..Like the big brother he is and lets me cry into his chest. "Hay...it"s alright..It's okay. I'm right here..." He hugs me and whispers comforting words to me. "Thanks big brother.." I hug him. "Greg. I don't mean to ruin this family reunion but when are we going to tell Nick?" "When you're ready. We can tell him when you're ready." He replies softly. "I want to tell him now..He deserves to know..." "Okay.." He hugs me again. We walk out of his office and go in search of Nick. Finally we found him with Archie going over a surveillance video from a place of interest. My heart is beating out of my chest and my palms are sweating. I look down and see Greg's hands intertwined with mine. I look up and he gives me his quirky smile. "Nicky? We need to talk to you. It's important. Please?" "Sure. Keep going Archie." He walks to us. He looks to our hands and I know what he's thinking but he looks up and smiles. "Let's go to my office." He gestures. Once we're in his office we take a seat and I start to explain. "Nicky? You remember when I told you about my childhood. How I said I don't remember much?...well.." I hesitate. "It's okay I'll tell him." Greg whispers. He shows Nick a picture of Grace..me when I was younger. "Is that Lauren?!" He asks with surprise. "Yeah.." I reply. "I just found out. Greg's my brother Nicky. I have a family now." I search his face for a response.

Nick's POV
I can't believe it. I'm in love with my best friend's sister. It doesn't change how I feel about Lauren but it does change how I treat her AND Greg. I want them to get to know each other. I want her to find peace, knowing she has a family. "Lauren, Greg. I'm very happy for you both. I want you two to get to know each other better. I want both of you to stay here. We will catch the guy. If he knows me and Lauren them there's a chance he knows you and your family too..." I drift off. We need to get their family to safety. Now. I ring Brass, catching him up on the situation. "Jim, we have to get Greg's parents in protective custody. ASAP." Once I finish explaining. Meanwhile I have Greg and Lauren stay at the crime lab but I assign them body guards even though they insist they can take care of themselves. "On it. We're on our way." Brass replies while the guards take Greg and Lauren to the DNA lab with Catherine and Wendy to keep them safe. Lauren's word break the silence. "Nicky? I want to...I want to see my parents. Please? I want to see them.." She says pleadingly. "It's too dangerous Lauren..we can't. I won't risk your lives. Once this is over, we'll take the body guards and a backup car as well will tail us until the police station to go see your parents just in case." I reply. "No!!! Nicky, please!!! They're my parents and I want to see them!!!! I want to see if their safe!!!" she yells. "We can't Lauren!!!! We can't!!!! I nearly lost you, okay?! I nearly lost you..." I yell back. "Nicky, I PROMISE. On my LIFE I promise, we'll be fine. Please let me see them?" she asks, pleadingly. I finally give in, but on one condition we have backup, tailing cops and body guards ALL the way. I can't lose her again...