Say Hello to the Past (CSI fanfiction)

It's just another day in Paradise

(AN: a cute little chapter about Nick and Emma Grace's life with Emma living in Vegas now. Takes place after season 5; episode 19 "4X4".)

"Tough night, huh?" Emma Grace rubbed her hand over Nick's shoulder while placing some food in front of him at the table.

"This little boy and his friend wanted to know what a high school party was like." Nick sighed and raked his hands over his face before he continued. "The older sister caught the boys, who were drunk, and kicked them out of the party. The kids went to an arcade to play games. At some point in the night, they ended up at a laundry mat. The boy got in the dryer because he wanted to know what it was like. The friend turned it on, and the boy died." Nick let tears fall from his face.

"Nicky." Emma Grace sighed the words and wrapped her arms around Nick letting him rest and find comfort in her arms after the tough case he wrapped up.

"Do you still enjoy this job? I don't want you to get burned out, Nicky." Emma brushed her hand across Nick's head in a comforting gesture.

"I do. I'm still getting to help people. I think I'd only want to give it up if I couldn't help people anymore. As I told Grissom while I was leaving, it's just another day in paradise." Nick held on to Emma Grace a little tighter for comfort.

"Do you think you'd be up for talking to the teenagers at the center about the dangers of alcohol tomorrow?" Emma Grace had planned this little "class" for the teenagers at the children's home for awhile, but now she thought it might help Nick cope if he could talk to the children too. After all, he would still be helping people and doing the part of the job that he loved.

"Yeah, I want to help those kids as much as I can." Emma Grace and Nick sat down at the dining room table to enjoy a meal together. Megan was at a friend's house for a single mom's support group, so the couple had the house to themselves.

After dinner, the couple watched a movie. The movie turned into a make-out session as if Nick and Emma Grace were high schoolers back in Texas. Both of them had the willpower and the knowledge when to call it quits for the night. They had known each other for twenty-six years and had been dating for almost four months. However, they were both still hesitant and wanted to take the slow route as a way of not messing up what they had. So, needless to say, neither one had dared to use the L-word yet.

Megan showed up at the house soon after the first movie Nick and Emma Grace had used for their makeout session. Megan took one look at Emma Grace, who was sitting beside Nick on the couch and laughed. "Y'all are nasty. Look, I'm almost eight months pregnant, and I would appreciate if my daughter wasn't exposed to how the two of you act too soon."

Nick and Emma laughed at what Megan had to say, and Megan joined in on the laughter.

"How are you feeling, Megs?" Nick always asked Megan that question. They had restored their friendship when they went digging around in the old case of the murder of Emma Grace's family. Their friendship grew as Megan helped Emma move to Las Vegas and while Megan navigated getting ready to be a mom. Both of them were glad to be back in each others' lives. Plus, Nick had been thinking of a way to set Megan up with Warrick. He could see the two making it as a couple.

"I'm good, Nicky. Just tired a lot. So, I'm going to call it a night, and I'll see the two of you in the morning." Megan hugged Nick and Emma goodnight and went to bed. Nick and Emma called it a night soon after that and went to bed.

The next day found Nick and Emma Grace at the children's home helping the kids with whatever they needed, and Nick talking to the older kids about the importance of not drinking. 

Nick and Emma Grace went out to dinner with Warrick and Megan that night. The four of them ended the night by watching a movie back at Emma and Megan's house. Warrick went home when the movie was over. Nick stayed one more night at Emma's, but he left the next day because Emma Grace was letting Ashley have a sleepover with some college friends at the house that night.

"Are you still feeling okay?" Emma Grace asked the question as she kissed Nick on the lips in the driveway.

"I do. I think that telling those kids a little about that case, some of them will choose not to drink." Nick smiled as he kept his arms around Emma.

"Still happy with the job since you're still helping people?" Emma Grace had a proud smile on her face as she peered up at her boyfriend.

"Yeah, it's just another day in paradise." Nick smiled and kissed Ema's lips one more time before he headed for his car to go home. 

To Megan and all the neighbors watching the couple they saw nothing but love radiating from the couple, and they all hoped the young couple would make it to the end this time.