Say Hello to the Past (CSI fanfiction)

Truce?

AN: Takes place during season 5; episodes 2 ("Down the Drain) and 3 ("Harvest") as an attempt to explain Nick's little involvement in some of the episodes.

"They're reopening the case." Emma Grace had shown up on Nick's doorstep with tears spilling from her eyes and Megan carrying their suitcases.

Nick didn't ask any questions as he gathered Emma Grace in his arms and let Megan into the house while Emma Grace cried into his chest.

Megan and Nick got Emma Grace settled on the couch. Nick sat beside her with his arms around her while Megan sat in the chair close to the couple.

Nick looked at Megan with a questioning look on his face. "Gracie got a call yesterday. Apparently, the police here in Vegas found something from her wreck here that connects to the wreck in Texas."

Nick didn't need to ask Megan which wreck she was talking about. He knew it was the wreck that had killed Emma's mom, dad, and sister when he was on the police force in Texas. He instinctively tightened his arms around Emma Grace.

It took about an hour, but Nick got Emma Grace calmed down. He called his buddy at the Texas police station and got all of the information that he could about the new lead in Emma Grace's case. He also called the Texas crime investigators and got the information they had.

Emma Grace was asleep on the couch. Megan had informed Nick that Emma Grace hadn't slept for two days. Nick's third call was to Grissom to explain the situation to him and see if there was a way Nick could take some hours off of work.

"Is your boss okay with all of this?" Megan asked the question when Nick walked into the kitchen after getting off the phone with Grissom and checking on Emma Grace.

"He's going to work with me the best he can. I have to go in for a few hours here in a little while."

"Thanks for letting me stay here Nick."

"Megan, you're Emma's best friend, and even though we haven't been the best of friends for a number of years now, I still consider you a friend."

Megan didn't say anything for a few minutes as she went back to stirring the spaghetti she was fixing for dinner in Nick's kitchen. Nick stood there patiently; he knew Megan had something she wanted to say.

Finally, Megan made eye contact with Nick. "I'm sorry for everything I said to you the day you broke Emma's heart and everything I said the years that followed. I know you love her."

Nick blushed as he looked down at his feet processing Megan's words. He looked at Megan with a smile on his face. "Thanks, Megan. That means a lot to me."

Megan smiled back at Nick. She went back to stirring the spaghetti when Nick spoke again. "So, where does all of this leave us?"

Megan turned around, so she was fully facing Nick. She held out her hand to him for a handshake. "Truce?"

Nick smiled and shook Megan's hand. "Truce."

Megan went back to preparing the spaghetti while Nick put the garlic bread in the oven. The silence was interrupted by Emma Grace crying out in panic from a nightmare. Nick rushed to her side and comforted her.

Emma Grace decided to get up instead of getting some more sleep. She prepared a salad while Nick explained to her that he had to go back to work for a little while. The three sat down to eat, and Nick told Emma Grace all the information he had managed to receive from the Texas police station and crime lab.

When Nick left to go to work, Emma Grace was asleep on the pullout couch, and Megan was getting ready to go to sleep. The two planned on staying in Vegas for three days. Megan and Nick knew that Emma Grace needed to be around Nick for comfort after everything that happened.

Unfourtnely, during those three days Nick forgot to take his firearms proficiency test. He rescheduled a time to take it, but technically failing the test the first time put him on desk work during the case of the little girl that had been kidnapped.

Nick managed to take his test and pass. He helped the team wrap up the case of the kidnapped girl and called Emma Grace when he got home that night.

"Hey, how did the case go?"

"We found the guy that killed the girl."

"That's good."

"Gracie, how are you doing?"

"I'm eating and getting sleep. I'm trying to concentrate on work, but help the police as much as I can. Oh, there's a list of suspects now."

"Who all do they suspect?"

The next hour found Nick and Emma Grace talking about every person on the polices' suspect list. Emma cried, but she was composed and doing better by the end of their conversation.

"I miss you, Gracie."

"I miss you too, Nicky."

"You need to get some sleep, so I'm going to get off the phone. But, if you need me, please call me." Nick didn't want to end his conversation with Emma, but he knew she had to be tired.

"Okay. Thank you, Nicky."

"Goodnight Gracie."

"Night Nicky."

With that, Emma Grace and Nick's conversation ended. However, Nick called Megan to make sure Emma was doing okay before he went back to work.