Say Hello to the Past (CSI fanfiction)

I made it, but some didn't make it

(AN: Set about two days after Season 1; Episodes 1 & 2; "Pilot" and "Cool Change.")

Emma Grace was playing dollhouse with Emily, Jessica, and Jenifer when Bill Stokes walked into the living room from the kitchen.

"Grandpa, why are you so happy?" Five-year-old Jenifer asked as she walked over to Bill, wanting to be picked up.

Bill picked up his granddaughter and answered her question, "Because I got a call from Uncle Nick, and he said he was going to call us after dinner because he had some exciting news to tell us."

Emma Grace looked at Bill Stokes before she could say anything they heard Jillian Stokes call from the kitchen, "it's time to eat everyone!"

The family made its way into the dining room and enjoyed the meal. There was talk about Nick's upcoming phone call, but Emma Grace never commented and forced smiles when needed. Emma Grace honestly didn't know how she felt about hearing from Nick after four years of not talking.

After dinner, the family settled in the living room. Gina, the fourth oldest of the Stokes siblings, sat with her husband Allen on the sofa, their five young children were in different play-pins in the living room. Donna, the second oldest Stokes child, also sat on the couch with her husband, James. Their eleven-year-old twins Emily and Joshua sat with their backs to the sofa.

Lisa, the third oldest Stokes child, sat beside her husband Robert on the floor. Sandra, the oldest Stokes child, sat on one of the love seats with her husband, Kevin. Nick's older brother, and the sixth Stokes child, Chris was sitting in the overstuffed chair. Bill and Jillian Stokes sat on the love seat closest to the phone. Right as Emma Grace sat with her back against the edge of the love seat the phone rang. Bill answered it on the first ring. He talked to the person on the other line for a few moments; then he handed the phone to his wife. She spoke on the phone, and when she gave it back to her husband, she had happy tears in her eyes. Bill put the home phone on speaker.

"Hey, guys. I miss all of you!" As Nick's voice filled the house, Emma Gace's breath caught in her throat and her body tensed. Nick talked to his siblings for a few minutes; then he spoke to his nieces and nephews. Emma Grace could have let him know she was there, but she couldn't make her brain or mouth form words; thankfully, none of the others told him she was there.

"Well, the first thing I want all of you to know is that I've officially made it to a CSI Level 3!" There was excitement in his voice. After all the congratulations were said, Nick was asked how he became a CSI Level 3. Nick warned that the story might not be for young ears, and with a little persuasion from Nick, Andrew, Anthony, Emily, and Joshua took Jessica, Jennifer, Michael, Matthew, Molly, and Brittany upstairs to play. Tyler, Lauren, and William were young enough to stay in their play-pins because they wouldn't remember this phone call. Ashley was fifteen and loved forensic science, so Sandra and Kevin let her stay and hear what Nick had to say.

"I was assigned a case of a man who had been drugged and robbed. When I went to the hotel where the man was, he told me that his wallet, ID, and wedding ring were stolen. The guy had cheated on his wife with a call girl, and it was obvious this call girl had performed what we call a trick roll on the guy. The woman who performed the trick roll had a wreck when she passed out behind the wheel. Turned out her and some of her friends were using a motion sickness medician to make the men pass out as they robbed them.

"Grissom, Warrick, Cathrine, and I were celebrating the fact that I had become a CSI Level 3 when the supervisor of the Grave Shift, Jim Brass, came in. He informed all of us that the new girl Holly Gribbs, who had started working with us that night, had been shot at a crime scene. She was in surgery, but the doctors didn't expect her to make it. All hell broke loose after that." Nick's voice was choked.