C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 26 - Firsts

Lauren's POV
"So what's so private even Nick can't know and I can?" Brass immediately asks. "Look, I know we haven't exactly seen eye to since we met but I was wandering if I could ask you for a favour." I request. "What kind?" He asks. "To protect someone." I reveal the favour. "Who?" He prompts. "My daughter." I reveal. "Daughter???" Brass mutters, baffled by the revelation. "5 years ago, I met someone named Jack Willman. He and I...She was the result. Her name is Stacey. I thought Jack was the one, but by this point I had realised I was wrong. So to protect her from him and most importantly from me, I gave her up. The only reason that Jack did this to me, is to find her. And I promise you, he doesn't have anything good planned for when he does. I need you to get Stacey to safety and make sure she stays safe. Can I ask you to look out for her Jim? Can I trust you with this?" I explain. "Wow..." He whistles. "It's a helluva lot to take in." He mutters. "I thought out of all the people here, out of everyone, you would understand. I know about Ellie so I thought, I thought you would understand why I did what I did and why all of this is happening and why I'm asking this of you." I state. "You can trust me. I'll keep Stacey safe." He agrees. "Thank you." I smile. "And one more thing. Please don't tell anyone. No one can know." I ask. "Your secret's safe with me." He nods. "And for the record? You were right, I do understand. I would do the same thing if I was in your position." He states with a friendly tap before leaving. "What was that all about?" Nick asks when he comes back in. "Nothing, just...making a friend I guess." I bluff. "How, are you feeling?" He asks as he sits beside me. "I'm fine Nick." I assure him. For a moment it's quiet, our hands rest on each other and we subconsciously lean in. The kiss is tender, delicate. Unlike Jack's which were always so hungry and almost obsessive. "I didn't want to regret anything." Nick whispers in between kisses. "Neither do I." I pant, breathless from each kiss he steals. "Ehhhmmm..." We hear a cough from the door which separates us immediately. "Warrick." I chuckle nervously. "Hay Lauren. Just wanted to check in on you. How are you doing?" He asks, barley able to hide the smirk. "I'm uh...I'm doing okay. Doc says I'm on the mend." I nod. "I'll leave you two to it then." He winks before leaving. "Your place is not safe anymore, at least not until we catch whoever did this." Nick states. "I'll be fine. Plus it's not like he'll come after me a second time." I mutter the last part. "PD set you up with a protective detail at a hotel. No one knows where but Brass and your security detail, vetted by Brass." He explains. "I don't need all of that!" I exasperate. "Yes Lauren! Yes you do! You almost died! I watched you die, multiple times!" Nick argues. "Your heart stopped...when I found you...you were barely alive. I felt your heart stop...and then at the hospital? You barely made it out of surgery. Even after that, we lost you for a minute. That...that was THE longest minute of my life. I watched, AGAIN as your heart stopped. Please..." He trials off. "Okay...I'll stay at the hotel." I agree. The doctors decide to keep me in over night just to make sure I don't have any internal bleeding or anything. A debate ensues between grave shift about who will stay with me the 24 hours, or until I get dismissed to my hotel room. Not surprisingly, Nick comes out on top. "Do you need anything?" Nick ducks in to ask. "I'm good Nick, don't worry about me." I assure him. "You know you didn't have to stay, right? Go home." I huff. "Actually I did. None of us were about to leave you alone at a hospital while a psycho out there tries to kill you." He states. "Well I'm glad it's you." I blush. "I wouldn't be anywhere else." He drops a kiss on my head. For the next 24 hours Nick and I spend together, we grew a lot closer than I anticipated. "I'm gonna get some coffee. I'll be back in a minute." He lets me know before disappearing. I'm currently taking care of some paperwork that Warrick brought from the lab to keep me busy when I hear a thud from outside my room. "Nicky?" I call out. "Not quite." Jack walks in with a smug smirk. "Jack..." I quiver. "Leave, now!" I warn him. "We didn't finish our chat." He growls as he grabs me by the neck. "Jack..." I choke, struggling to breathe. "I will...never tell you where she is..." I whimper with my fading breathe. "Hands. Off. Her." Nick suddenly appears, pointing his gun at Jack. "Nicky!!" I claw desperately at Jack to let me go. Nick fires a few warning shots and sends Jack running. "Hay, you Alright? You okay?" He runs to my side. "I'm okay..." I pant, taking gulps of air. "That was stupid! Stupid of me to leave for coffee. Damn it!" Nick frowns. "Nicky, that wasn't your fault." I assure him. "You know what? I'll get a doctor in here to check you over, make sure you're alright." He decides. He ducks outside and calls for a doctors which arrives within minutes. Nick explains what happened and I wait impatiently as the doctor checks me over. "Everything looks fine. Get some rest and we'll check back in on you in the morning." He instructs before leaving. "You doing alright?" Nick asks as he sits beside me. "To be honest...I'm terrified." I quiver. "It's okay. I'm right here." He assures me. "Get some sleep okay?" He tells me gently. I let myself relax only to realise how tired I truly was. Sleep overcame me in no time.