C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 31 - Roundabout (2)

Lauren's POV
The next morning proceeds as usual. I wake Kai up and get her ready for daycare while Nick gets breakfast ready. Once Kai's all ready, we head down to have breakfast to find a note from Nick. "Steve called. Said something had come up and he needed us at HQ. I told him I'd meet him there. Meet us at the palace. Love you to the furthest corners of the universe and back my loves. Kisses, Nick" read the note. "Mamma what does it say?" Kai asks curiously. "It's from daddy baby. He says he loves us so much." I smile as I hug her tight. Once Kai and I had our breakfast, I drop her off that daycare before heading off to work. "Hay cuz." I greet Steve in his office. "Hay." He smiles. "Nick here yet?" I ask. "Nope, just you, me and Danny for now." He replies. "Any new developments?" I inquire. "Some. Let's wait for everyone to come before we discuss them." He states. "Kay, I'll be in my office." I tell him before heading into my shared office with Nick. It looks just as we left it yesterday. A picture of our wedding rests on my table, the same burgundy feathery blanket I had left on the couch. A neat pile of papers are stacked on my table. A phone identical to mine and another stacked pile of papers rest on Nick's table. Several photos, most identical to mine, are lined on Nick's table. One of our wedding, with my gown flowing behind me, our eyes closed as we lean our heads against each other, soft smiles on our faces, Nick's hands cupping my face and mine wrapped around his. Another of us walking down the isle as a newly wed couple, his hand in mine and wide smiles of laughter on our faces. My pregnant belly is visible under the ruffles of my dress. Another of all our kid's been born in order. One of us at the lab before we left and one of Five-0 at our housewarming party. "Hmm..." I let a content smile escape my lips. An hour or so passes and everyone begins to show up. "Pick up pick up!" I mutter as I pace my office with my phone in my hand. "You've reached Nick Stokes, I can't come to the phone right now but leave a message and I'll try and get to you as soon as I can." The voicemail rings out. "Cuz, I can't get a hold of Nick." I state worriedly as I burst into his office. "Are you sure? Have you tried him again?" He suggests. "I called him 4 times, keeps going to voicemail. This isn't like him Steven. He always picks up. Especially if it's one of us. He's never not answered my calls." I fret. "Okay, let's not worry." He tries to calm me down. "We'll track his phone." He suggests. He taps the number into the tracking program, waiting a few seconds for it to respond. "By the looks of this, he's stationary near the I-10." He reads of the trace. So Steve and I speed through traffic to find him. We arrive at the spot to find his car empty and abandoned. The driver side door is open and blood can be clearly made out near the boot. "Nicky!!" I scream, spinning around frantically. Nick's phone sits in between the driver and passenger seat along with his badge, the same place he always keeps it when he drives. His wedding ring twinkles in the midday sun on the driver seat and his gun is found kicked under the car. "Oh my god...oh god no..." I pant, panic rising. "Oh god no...no..." I fall to the floor a teary, terrified mess. "Hay, we'll find him cuz. I promise." Steve tries to assure me. "My husband...oh god..." Was all I could get out ahead of my sobs.

Nick's POV
Once I receive Steve's call, I leave a note for Lauren and Kai before heading to the palace. I'm driving along the I-10, barely any traffic when a hissing sound followed by a thud thud thud, can be heard from the back of the car. I pull over, going to inspect it. I lean down to find the back tire flat. "Damn." I groan. Before I can get to my phone to call AAA, something heavy collides with my head and all is black.

Danny's POV
"Hay, why the 911?" I ask Steve as I pull up to the squad cars and Lauren's car blocking off the I-10. "It's Nick. He's gone missing." Steve explains briefly as we walk to the crime scene tape. He lifts it as we duck under to be greeted with Lou and Kono talking to Duke, with Lauren in her car, her head in hands defeatedly. "What do you mean taken?" I gasp. "Taken. He's gone missing. He was supposed to meet us at the palace. He didn't show up and his phone kept going to voicemail. So Lauren and I tracked it to find this." He recounts. "How's Lauren holding up?" I ask. "I wish I could say well. But she's falling apart man. I'm worried for her." He sighs. "Found anything?" I question. "So far just some blood near the boot, his wedding ring and phone as well as his badge were in the car and his gun was kicked under the car. The blood's been rushed to the lab to be tested. If it's Nick's he's probably pretty badly injured. Nothing else so far." He relays. "Hay." I greet Lauren with a remorseful smile. "He...this wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to be...I can't go through it again." A fresh wave of sobs shakes her body. "What do I tell our kids? What do I tell Kai?" She cries. "Hay, don't think like that. We'll find him." I try to comfort her.