In a World They Forgot

I Can't Come Home Right Now

My pager went off, tickling my hip and I jumped, breaking the kiss suddenly and causing Greg to laugh quietly to himself as I fumbled with the darn thing.

"Meanie." I commented quietly before flicking my eyes down and noticing Nick's name flashing across the top.

"Nick needs you?" Greg asked, running his hand through his messy hair.

"Yeah, probably got a break in the case. So, erm...I'll talk to you later?" I pulled out of his hold and stepped back, making my way towards the closed door.

"Yeah, sure thing Miks." Greg said.

I got the sudden feeling of being a teenager again. The dark romance and the hidden danger that every girl longed for when they were sixteen. The bad boys were only ever appealing then, especially if you were the good girl and borderline teacher’s pet. Greg was far from bad though, but he still gave me that adrenaline rush that made my bite my lip to hide the smile and peek around most corners before merrily bounding around them like the whole world was perfect.

"Come on, Nickers! If we’re honest now, how many people do we know who'd confess to murder as soon as we brought them through the door?" I asked Nick as we took a break from interrogating the next suspect we'd brought in.

"Nickers?"

"Yeah, your new nickname from me and Greg after that case we had when you had to bring in all those panties to try and match fibres from. Remember, the English business man had a thing for escorts?" I explained as I popped a sherbet lemon into my mouth and sucked on it.

"What on earth happened when you left the interrogation? Since you came back you've been all hyper and back to your old self." Nick asked suspiciously as we got some coffee from the cheap vending machine.

"You mean I wasn't my old self before I left the interrogation?" I asked, feeling confused and trying not to look guilty.

"Well, not really. You were kind of closed off from people. Like you were still suffering from the...shooting."

Why did everyone say that word as if they were afraid I'd break if they dared speak it out loud?

"If I'm all good again then why worry about me?" I asked, raising my eyebrow and leaning against the counter top.

"Good point kiddo. Just remember that we're here for you if you ever need us." Nick ruffled my hair and smiled warmly.

"Get off me!" He laughed and I watched the cars pass by the window, sipping my dark, steaming mocha. Nick's cell went off and as he spoke into it, his face turned pale and stony.

"What is it?" I asked when he hung up.

"Our main suspect is in a coma."

"What?! How?" The pair of us made our way to the van without another second wasted.

"That's what Brass wants to know. Seems the guy tried to OD himself before we brought him in."

"And it only just set in?"

"Depends on how long the pills took to get into his system." Nick said, pulling into the busy streets and stopping behind a large lorry that was one of many in a long line of traffic.

"Wake me up when we get there." I joked as angry shouts were sent down the line of immobile vehicles.

"Do you reckon something is up down there?" Nick asked me as he tried to look out of his window for the cause of the hold up.

"Why would there be?"

"Miki, it's almost 10pm and this is Vegas. Need I say more?" He did another good impression of a Grissom eyebrow raise.