Say Hello to the Past (CSI fanfiction)

Moving Back

(AN: takes place in the middle to late August before season 6 starts.)

"Aunt Emma, where does this box go?" Ten-year-old Matthew was holding a box with the top opened. Emma Grace glanced at the contents and told Matthew to take the box to the kitchen.

"What about this one, Aunt Emma?" Matthew's twin brother Michael asked while bringing a box for Emma to look at.

"Put that one in Maggie's room please." Emma smiled as she watched two of her younger nephews walk off in different directions with the boxes.

"EMMA!" There were two voices that shouted her name. Emma Grace turned around to see six-year-old Kaitlin and seven-year-old Marie rush away from Nick's side toward her.

Emma Grace dropped to her knees and took on the girls' hugs with full force. She was so happy to see her girls again.

"Are you staying for good?"

"You won't leave anytime soon, right?"

"Where's Maggie?"

"Can we stay the night with you?"

The questions were coming so fast that Emma Grace didn't know which girl was asking what question. "Okay, hold on girls. Yes, I'm staying. No, I won't be leaving anytime soon. Maggie is with Sandra and Ashley. And, no, you can't stay the night with me."

Marie and Kaitlin's face fell when Emma Grace told them they couldn't stay the night and they looked like they were about to cry. But, Emma Grace had a huge smile on her face.

"Marie, Kaitlin, you can't stay the night with me tonight because, if the two of you want to, you can spend every night with me. I've been approved to be your foster mom!" Emma Grace watched as both girls realized what Emma Grace was saying sunk in and huge smiles lit up their faces.

"REALLY!? PROMISE?" Both girls asked simultaneously.

"Yes. If the two of you want me." Emma Grace couldn't help the happy tears that slipped out of her eyes.

"YES! YES! WE WANT YOU!" Both girls threw themselves into Emma Grace's arms as all three of them cried happy tears. They were going to be a family.

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When most of the heavy unpacking was done, and the family had eaten dinner, Emma Grace brought out the birthday cake she had made for Nick. The family sang "Happy Birthday" to Nick while his nieces and nephews gave him the small gifts they had made or bought. While the family was eating cake, Nick asked Emma Grace for a favor. Emma Grace reluctantly agreed to the favor Nick asked.

Emma Grace and Nick informed the family that there was something Nick had to take care of. The couple left after that. They made small talk about what it was going to be like for Emma Grace to have Marie and Katlin live with her at all times. They also discussed the fact that Emma Grace wanted to adopt the girls, but she couldn't until their aunt decided if she wanted the girls or not. They also talked about how excited Nick was to be going back to work soon. What Emma Grace and Nick did not talk about was about the thing Nick had to do.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Emma Grace held Nick's hand as she nervously played with the Stokes family ring he wore.

"No. Gracie, this is something I have to do alone." Nick smiled and gave Emma's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Okay. I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere," Emma Grace promised.

Nick smiled. "I know." He kissed Emma Grace's hand and exited the car, making his way to the prison entrance.

Nick was seated in front of the two way glass that all visitors of inmates were seated at. He watched with his hands resting at his sides as a woman with a low ponytail of dark blonde hair was escorted by a guard to the other side of the glass.

The woman crossed her arms and gave Nick an indifferent look. Nick made the first move by trying to give the woman a smile, it came out looking more like a grimace, and waving a hand in greeting at her. The woman returned the grimace, suppose to be a smile. But, her face showed that she was a little more curious about what he was doing there.

Nick could feel the tears starting up in his eyes, but he pushed the feeling of crying away as h pointed to his phone and picked it up, placing it to his ear. The woman waited a few seconds then picked up her phone.

"You're the one?" The woman, Kelly Gordon, spoke first. Her voice held no sympathy, just curiosity.

Nick gave a slight nod of his head as a sad smile formed on his face. He managed to whisper one word in response: "yeah." He cleared his throat and in a stronger voice said, "Yeah. Back at ya."

Kelly Gordon just stared at him as she talked. "What do you want me to say? I'm sorry?"

"Nah, you didn't do anything to me." Nick paused for a moment. "And what your dad did, I guess it's cause he loved you so much." Nick gave a small shrug, and Kelly started to hang up the phone.

"Hey, Kelly. Kelly!" Nick raised his voice a little as the tears tried to come back with more force. He pointed to the phone that Kelly had hung up. "Pick it up," he ordered her, even though his voice broke from the unshed tears.

Kelly Gordon looked at him with a tiny sliver of sympathy on her face and picked up the phone.

Nick let out a few heavy breaths to get control of the unshed tears and leaned closer to the glass and Kelly Gordon. "In a few years, when you get out of here, don't take it with ya," Nick whispered the last part.

There was a moment of tense silence before Kelly, in a small, almost defeated voice, said: "that's it?" She slowly removed the phone from her ear as Nick said, "Yeah. That's it."

Kelly told the guard they were done and left. Nick let out a humorless laugh as he whispered, "that's it," and hung up his phone. He let out a couple more deep breaths to keep the tears at bay as he stood up. When he knew he wasn't going to break down crying, he left and was escorted out of the prison.

Emma Grace didn't ask how the meeting went; she knew that it wouldn't have been good. She reached over and took Nick's hand when he got back into the car. Emma held Nick's hand the whole drive home as silent tears fell from his cheeks.

Emma Grace pulled into Nick's driveway. The family was still over at Emma's place unpacking the smaller boxes and watching Maggie Hope. Most of the Stokes family would be staying the night at her house as well. Emma Grace knew that right now Nick did not need a house full of people to deal with, even if the people were family.

Emma Grace and Nick entered his house and made their way to the couch. Emma Grace held Nick while he cried. She didn't tell him it was all going to be okay. She just reassured him that she was there and rubbed soothing circles on his back.

After some time Nick pulled away from Emma Grace and made eye contact with her. "Gracie, I need you." The words were whispered from Nick's mouth. Emma could see the pleading look in Nick's eyes along with the want. She knew that Nick was asking her permission and not trying to push her or guilt her into anything. This was completely her choice.

Emma Grace didn't have to think about what choice she wanted to make. She leaned over and passionately kissed Nick. Nick stood up and picked Emma Grace up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. The couple never broke the kiss on their way to the bedroom, even when Nick placed both of them on his bed.