C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 14 - When the smoke clears

Lauren's POV
SNAP!! I sit up in bed, panting as my heart races. That was trippy... "Hay, what are you doing up? It's 3 am." Nick yawns, stretching his arms towards me to pull me back down. "Just a bad dream." I mutter as I lay back down. "Wanna talk about it?" He asks. And so I do. About the multiple fire case, about Mike, about Jason Duclair, about Nick's kidnapping, about the bomb going off, about it all. "That is trippy." He sniggers. "It's not funny Nicky..." I sniffle. "Hay, look at me...it was just a dream and nothing more. I'm still here, so are everyone else; Kai's still here, the team's still here, our families are still here." He assures me softly. "It just...it scared me...it seemed so real..." I choke. "Well its not." He soothes as he hugs me. "Gosh that scared me..." I think to myself as I lie there. "Now go back to sleep, I have a feeling we're getting called in pretty early and I'm pretty sure my hangover is going to be of epically bad proportions if I don't sleep and I'm sure yours is too." He whispers. "Okay." I agree. "I love you." I kiss my husband goodnight, or rather good early morning. "I love you too gorgeous." He smiles. His arms wrap around me, encasing me in a safe heaven, my heard buried in his chest as his nuzzles against my neck. "Nicky?" I nudge him. "Yeah?" He opens one eye. "In my nightmare, you made a promise with Steve." I remember. "What?" He inquires. "You said that Steve was to keep me out of harm's way, even if you were." I explain. "Hay, I do that on a daily basis." He jokes. "I'm serious." I frown. "Never, make that promise, never." I demand. "I can't, that's like saying I won't promise to keep you safe." He disagrees. "Nicky, our vows, remember?" I remind him. "Till death do us part." I repeat. "Till death do us part." He smiles at me. "But I'm not going to promise I won't try and stop it." He yawns. "I can't promise I'll stay put if you're in danger..." I mutter sleepily. Before we know it, we've both drifted back to sleep.

Later in the morning...

I feel the sun against my eyelids and open my eyes to be greeted with the day ahead. Nick's still soundly asleep, his hand holding mine and his head lulled against my head as always. I shift closer, our noses touching and breaths mingled. Gently brushing my fingers through his hair, I watch a sleepy smile appear on his face. "Good morning sexy mama..." He mutters with a cheeky grin as he slids closer. "Good morning to you too." I giggle as he plants soft kisses down my neck and collarbone. "Kai, didn't wake up all night." I suddenly remember. We frantically jump out of bed to realise her breathing's slowed. "Nicky, where's her inhaler?" I demand. "Here." He hands it to me. I attach it to her before pumping three times and making sure her heart rate is back to normal. "It got pretty cold last night." I comment. "Yeah, that must've lowered her heart rate." He nods. I gently pick her up before sitting back on the bed. She worried me there, I really thought something had happened to her. Nick sits next to us, his arms wrapped around me and his head resting against my shoulder as he plays with Kai who's awake. I stand her up on my legs, watching as she gives us a toothless smile. "Alright, I'm going to take a shower, then we need to start getting ready. Ma said their plane lands around 12:00 and it's already 9:00." Nick declares. "Wait, will you take Kai? I want to take a shower as well but I don't know if the water will be warm enough by that point." I ask. "Sure." He nods before taking Kai. "We're gonna take your first bath together sweet girl." Nick talks to her as he slips off her onesie. "Alright, come on boo." He picks her up after he's slipped off his pants and shirt. "Don't you two look cute." I giggle. "You think so?" He sniggers as he holds her up in her nappies. "Alright you two, go before you get a cold." I snigger. I go about starting the food, cleaning up our bedroom and the guest bedrooms before using the spare bathroom to make myself look half decent for this time of day. "Steven!!" I call out as I descend the stairs. I find a little post-it note on the coffee table. *Hay cuz. Thanks for the party last night and the food and letting me crash at your place. Didn't want to wake you or Nick so I just called a cab home. Thanks for the hospitality, love; Steve* read the note. "Lauren!!" Nick calls. "Yeah??" I reply. "Come get Kai." He asks. I jump the stairs two by two. I take Kai from Nick's arms before he ducks back in. She's all frilled up because of the hot water and ready to play. I browse through her draws to find something for her to wear once I've got her nappy on. "What should we wear today boo?" I ask her. I want her to look pretty since we're going to have guests. "What are you two up to?" Nicky chuckles as he walks out with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Tryna find something nice to wear." I state. "How about this?" He suggests, holding up a onesie, his favorite might I add with it's accessories. "Really?" I giggle. Ever since Kono got this as a joke, it's been Nick's favorite thing in the world, beside Kai herself. It's a cute onesie which may seem plain but on the front of it proudly squiggles "Boots and bling, it's a country girl thing".