C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 27 - "Love" realised

Lauren's POV
Months go by. It's early morning, about 7:40 AM if you wanna be specific. The lab, including myself are gathered in the dinner for an early breakfast. Or a late dinner, depending on your perspective. Warrick and Greg and currently locked in a battle to see who'll ask the waitress out first. Grissom's busy with his word puzzle and Nick sips his coffee, silently observing the rest of us while Sara, Catherine and I make small talk. "So how did the doctor thing go yesterday?" Sara asks. "Alright. The doc said my injuries are healing and I should be back to full health soon." I shrug. "I gotta say Lauren, it's been months. He hasn't shown up. I gotta think he's either planning something pretty bad orrrr he's gone." Catherine states. "And I really would rather the second option." She continues. "I dunno..." I mutter. "Jack's a pretty persistent guy and not one you should piss off and I did." I worry. "Brass's got patrol checking on you regularly, you have us not to mention basically the entire LVPD on speed dial. I don't think even Jack's that persistent." Sara places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Believe me, he's pretty persistent. I mean, if he could track me all the way from Vegas, to Hawaii, to London and back to Vegas, it just has me worried that I'm basically a sitting duck and he hasn't made a go at me. What if he's planning something worst then just getting at me? What if he's trying to get at me through my friends? My colleagues?" I worry. "Look, at the end of the day, you can't let him run your life. I mean he isn't even here and he's dominating your every thought." Catherine advises. "Thanks Cath." I chuckle. "I dare him to make a move at you or anyone you know. He'll have every cop in Nevada coming at him. I'd like to see him try." Sara states. "I guess you're right." I snigger. After a lengthy breakfast, we all head home for some rest before the next shift. "Hay." Nick stops me as I'm about to head out. "Hay." I can't help but smile. "Why do you say, to spending the day at my place?" He offers, drawing me closer. "I like the sound of it." I blush. "Then it's settled." We kiss. For a split second, we melt into each other, the world around us just disappearing. "We should go." I giggle, pulling away. Nick drives while I nap in the passenger sit. We soon pull up to his place. Leaving our kits in the truck we drudge up the stairs. "I am exhausted." I huff. Heading straight for the couch. "Totally wiped." Nick chuckles as he plonks down beside me. "How did your case go?" I ask. "Eh, as expected. Developer killed the guy for shoddy work. His project got shut down and he lost a lot of money so he just lost it when the victim asked for more and the developer just went berserk." He recounts. "What about you?" He asks. "High school kid killed his teacher's husband. She was sleeping with him and he fell in love with her so he thought killing the teacher's husband would "make her his". Teacher got 5 years for soliciting a minor." I sigh. "I'm telling you, some of these cases, just..." I mutter. "Well...the day it doesn't effect us, is the day we should worry." He comforts. "Thanks Mr. Brightside." I snigger. I doze off on the couch with the tv while Nick goes off to the gym and shower.

Nick's POV
Pow! Pow! I feel my entire body move and vibrate with every motion, a cathartic and calming sense. I stop the swinging punching bag, taking a few deep breathes to lower my heart rate. Wiping the sweat off my brow, I head to the showers. After the workout and shower, I head home. "Hay, I'm home. I was thinking we can order in. What do you want?" I call out as I walk in. "Lauren? What do you..." I stop when I see her curled up on the couch and fast asleep with the tv droning in the background. I turn the tv off and gently drape a blanket over her before heading to bed myself.

Lauren's POV
I wake up with a crick in my neck. As usual, sleep was a rarity I treasured. I checked the time to see I'd slept for 4 hours. "A personal best..." I think sarcastically. I readjusted, trying to find a comfortable spot but the couch just wasn't feeling too welcoming this sunny afternoon. I snatched up my bag, my phone and keys before scribbling a note for Nick and leaving it on his counter before heading home.

I park in my usual spot back at my complex and hop the steps 2 by 2. Leaving my keys and phone on the counter and my bag by the dead-bolted door, I make a bee line for my shower. I let the hot water run down my body. The relatively fresh cuts on my wrists begin to sting under the hot water. I pull them away suddenly, wincing at the pain. "Ouch..." I quickly clean myself off before wrapping in my towel and heading back to my bedroom. I ended up falling back into an uneasy sleep in an old hoodie and sweat pants.