Say Hello to the Past (CSI fanfiction)

Visiting Las Vegas - part 2

The two enjoyed a day out on the town and went to meet Warrick and Greg at a bar.

"Hey Emma, it's nice to see you again." Greg greeted when Emma Grace and Nick walked over to the table that Nick's friends were sitting at.

"It's good to see you too Greg. I hear you're studying to become a CSI Level 1. How's it going?" Emma Grace asked giving the younger man's arm an affectionate squeeze.

"Good, hopefully, I'll be a CSI Level 1 soon," Greg said smiling.

"Greggo will be out in the field soon. You must be Emma Grace; I'm Warrick." Warrick Brown said as he walked over with Nick to the table.

"Nice to meet you, Warrick, I've heard a lot about you," Emma Grace said smiling and shaking Warrick's hand.

"Don't know if that's a good or bad thing. This is my girlfriend Tina," Warrick said smiling as he wrapped an arm around the woman beside him.

"Nice to meet you, Tina. I'm Emma Grace." Emma said shaking the other woman's hand.

The five friends spent the night laughing, dancing, and talking. At one point, Nick, Greg, and Warrick went to the bar to get refills on the drinks. "I like her man, why haven't you introduced her sooner?" Warrick asked Nick giving Emma Grace his stamp of approval.

"Because we hadn't talked for five years, and we only started talking again when everyone thought I killed Kristy Hobbs," Nick said matter of factly, but very pleased that Warrick approved of Emma Grace.

"So, are you going to let her get away again?" Gref asked.

"Greg, what makes you think I let her get away in the first place?" Nick asked giving Greg a look of disbelief.

"Because if you hadn't screwed things up somehow when I came to the crime lab, I would have met you and then you would have introduced me to your wife, Emma Grace. So, don't screw it up this time," Greg said. Then he picked up his drink and headed back to the table where the women were sitting.

"Never thought I'd say this man, but I agree with Greggo. Don't screw it up this time Nicky," Warrick said as he grabbed his and Tina's drinks and made his way back to the table. Nick stood there in shock. Then he grabbed his and Emma Grace's drinks and went back to the table.

When the night out ended, Nick was walking beside Emma Grace when she stopped and took his hand. "Let's go for a walk before we go home Nicky," Emma Grace said looking up into his eyes and smiling.

"Okay," Nick said, he knew that he could never deny her anything.

"What were you, Greg, and Warrick talking about?" Emma Grace asked as she laid her head on Nick's shoulder while the two of them walked hand in hand down the street.

"They were telling me how great you are, of course, I told them I already knew what an amazing woman you are," Nick said grinning at Emma Grace and hoping that Warrick or Greg didn't say anything to her about their conversation at the bar.

"Of course you did," Emma Grace giggled and then sighed.

"What's up Gracie?" Nick asked knowing that there was something on Emma Grace's mind.

"I don't like it when we have to say goodbye," Emma Grace said sitting down on a bench.

Nick sighed and sat down beside Emma Grace, "I know, I don't like it either."

"I know this is random, but Nick, I'm sorry I ran off the day of your party. I should've stayed and talked to you about why you wanted to leave Texas." Emma Grace had tears in her eyes when she looked at Nick.

"Gracie, you don't have to be sorry. I didn't handle the situation well at all. I wanted to talk to you about the fact that I wanted to leave, but I was scared to." Nick brushed one lone tear from Emma Grace's cheek.

"Why? We use to talk about everything."

"I was afraid I'd hurt you. And I was afraid that if you asked me, I wouldn't leave. I would have stayed in Texas for you." Nick finally admitted to the woman he was almost certain he loved.

Emma Grace turned, so she was facing Nick. Then she took Nick's face in both her hands. "Nicholas Stokes, let me make one thing clear to you. I would never ask you to give up on a dream just to make me happy. I am your biggest supporter, and I would have encouraged you to leave Texas to come here to Vegas so you could grow in your career. You are my best friend and the five years we didn't talk was pure torture for me! I missed you every day. So, Nicholas, don't you ever walk away from me or be afraid to tell me anything."

With that Emma Grace removed one of her hands from Nick's face and held her pinky finger up to Nick. Nick sniffed and let out a soft chuckle. Nick lifted his hand and linked his pinky finger with Emma Grace's pinky finger. "Promise," Nick whispered.

Nick and Emma Grace walked around for a few more minutes. Then they got a cab and went back to Nick's house. Nick fixed a pot of coffee while Emma Grace went into the bathroom and got ready for bed.

When Emma Grace came back to the kitchen, she wrapped her arms around Nick's waist from behind and rested her head on his back. "Thank you for never leaving me, and for forgiving me when I walked away, Nicky." Emma Grace gave Nick a gentle squeeze and moved to pour herself a cup of coffee.

Nick smiled, and when Emma Grace got comfortable on the couch and turned the TV on, Nick went to take a shower. A cold shower, that woman's going to kill me. Nick thought as he stepped into the shower.

Nick joined Emma Grace on the couch after his shower, and the two of them watched a few movies together.

Nick looked over at Emma Grace when the last movie ended and saw that she was asleep. He chuckled as he turned the TV off. He walked over to where Emma Grace was and uncovered her. He got ready to pick her up when she woke up.

"Why'd you uncover me?" Emma Grace gave Nick a grumpy face.

"Because it's time to go to bed." All Nick could do was smile.

"Okay. Nicky, will you carry me?" Emma Grace closed her eyes and asked in a tired voice.

"Always Sweetheart," Nick said as he scooped Emma Grace up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. The two slept cuddled up to each other through the night.

"You think you'll get to come back out here soon?" Nick asked Emma Grace the next morning as they walked through the airport.

"Hopefully soon. Of course, it may be summer before I see you again. Nicky, promise me you'll be careful," Emma Grace requested as she hugged Nick goodbye.

"Gracie, is this how you feel each time you say goodbye to me?" Nick asked as he got a little choked up.

"Yes. But, it'll be okay," Emma Grace said as she pulled away and smiled.

They heard Emma's flight number be called, but Nick didn't let go of Emma's waist. He was having an argument with himself about if he was brave enough to do the one thing he had been wanting to do for a long time.

"Nick, I have to go," Emma Grace whispered looking up at Nick with a slightly confused look on her face. Nick didn't say anything. Instead, he leaned towards Emma Grace and connected their lips. The kiss started slow and gentle, but soon Emma Grace had her arms wrapped around Nick's neck and deepened the kiss. The two only stopped kissing when they both needed to breathe again.

"Wow," was all Emma Grace could whisper.

"Be safe, Gracie. I'm going to miss you," Nick said and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Miss you too," Emma whispered back. Then she slowly let go of Nick's hand and walked away to board her plane back to Texas, leaving the man she was almost certain she was still in love with behind.