Say Hello to the Past (CSI fanfiction)

Why was a gun pointed at you?!

November 2000 (after season 1; episode 6 "Who Are You?")
"What's wrong Pops?" Emma Grace had come in from feeding the horses to find Bill Stokes sitting in the overstuffed chair staring absentmindedly at a TV that wasn't on.

"I got a call from Nicky," Bill didn't take his eyes off the TV as he shared this news with Emma Grace.

Emma Grace's stomach clenched, she felt like she was going to throw up as she grabbed the arm of the chair closest to her and lowered herself into a sitting position.

"Lisa and Robert are going to take Michael and Matthew to Las Vegas to see Cisco for the weekend." Bill had a dull tone to his voice, almost like he was in shock.

"Is-is Nicky okay?" Emma Grace was struggling to find her voice as her head spun with everything that could have happened to Nick.

Bill tore his gaze away from the TV and gave Emma Grace a reassuring smile. "He's shaken up, but he's okay Gracie. He didn't get a scratch. All of this is just a shock. A parent always worries about their child, even when they're okay." Bill gave Emma Grace's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Emma Grace felt like a lump was in her throat. She squeezed Bill's hand and nodded. She rose from the chair and went looking for Jillian to check on her. Emma Grace found the older woman in the small sunroom off of the laundry room in the house.

When Jillian looked up at the sound of Emma Grace's footsteps, she had a look of peace on her face and gave Emma Grace a brilliant smile. At that moment Emma Grace knew that Nick was okay; she couldn't stop the tears of relief that flooded down her face.

"Come here, Sweetheart," Jillian said as she laid her knitting down and opened her arms to Emma Grace.

Emma went willingly to Jillian's arms as she tried to stifle a sob. Jillian stroked the younger woman's hair as she cried, promising her that everything was going to be okay. "We're not losing him, Sweetheart," Jillian promised with confidence.

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Emma Grace was standing at the stove in her kitchen, waiting for the water to boil in the kettle, when she decided she was going to call Nick. It had been about four years since the two of them had talked. Emma Grace had thought that she wasn't ready to talk to Nick, but the fact that he could have died today changed everything for her.

The kettle announced that the water was ready. Emma Grace poured the water into a mug that held Camille tea; Emma had a feeling she would need this calming drink while having a conversation with Nicholas Stokes. Emma Grace added two packets of sugar and a generous amount of honey to her tea.

Emma Grace went to her bedroom and changed into a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. She grabbed Nick's old college hoodie that Emma Grace had never given back to him. After slipping the hoodie on, she walked outside and settled in a chair on the porch. Gladiator went out in the yeard to play with some of his toys while Emma Grace found Nick's phone number in her address book.

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Nick heard his phone ringing and rushed out of the bathroom to answer it. He had just finished taking a shower and dressing in comfortable clothes. Nick thought the person on the phone would be Lisa, his sister who had informed him she, her husband, and two sons were coming to stay the weekend with him.

"Hello?"

"Why was a gun pointed at you?!" Emma Grace had planned on calmly talking to Nick, but when he answered the phone, all of that went out the window.