Title: So Shines a Good Deed
By: nicky69
Pairing: Nick, Gil friendship
Rating: G
Spoilers: Very mild for Season Five Finale Grave Danger
Summary: An act of kindness and compassion touches the heart of one of our CSI's.
Author's notes: This is one of a number of fics inspired by Kristen999 and everybetty (Beth)'s use of one of my favorite lines ever in their wonderful story "The Minstrel Boy".
Betaed by those lovely ladies, elmyraemilie and ilovemycsi. Any mistakes you find are my own.Print versionIt's been a hell of a week for the CSI's on the graveyard shift.

Las Vegas has been in the grip of a heat wave, temperatures hitting triple digits before noon and barely dropping as night claims the city. The air is filled with a restless, fevered sense of anticipation and the unrelenting assault of the heat frays already fragile nerves and sends temperatures and the crime rate soaring. They've never been so busy or so beat.

********************************

Nick Stokes is in the middle of his third double shift in five days. The inexorable heat combined with human nature at its worst seems to be fuelling a crime wave of almost epic proportions. It seems as though the heat has burned away all tolerance and consideration and the most basic elements of human nature have been given free rein. From the most trivial offences to the weightiest, the entire spectrum of human wickedness and depravity has been released. It rampages through the city and its outlaying suburbs, an invisible wave that smothers and corrupts.

This is Nick's third call out on shift tonight and the reason why he is working another double. On the lawn of this average two bedroom tract home a man lies dead. Going on witness statements, the perp's own confession and their preliminary finding it looks like an open and shut case. Home owner number one, a man by the unfortunate name of Mr. Dick, complains to his neighbour about his dog's incessant barking. Home owner number two, a Mr. Barr, basically tells him to, quote, fuck off, unquote, and the rest progressed from there. In the end Mr. Dick pulled a gun and shot Mr. Barr point blank in the chest in front of numerous witnesses. Case closed.

Outside Grissom is processing the scene on the lawn while Nick processes the interior of Mr Dick's home, covering all of their bases. He's looking for anything which could explain why a normally law abiding citizen would resort to extreme violence to end a minor dispute. So far he's found nothing out of the ordinary and in truth he doesn't expect to. It looks like the heat has claimed two more victims tonight.

Even with the air conditioning turned on, the inside of Dick's home is uncomfortably warm and Nick can't wait to get back to the air conditioned haven that is the lab. He's hot, he's tired, he's weary to the bone and he just wants to go home and stand under a cool shower until the water runs out. He's just about done in the bathroom when something in the bathtub catches his eye. Moving closer Nick sees that a spider has become trapped in the bottom of the tub. It's not quite tarantula size but still it's pretty big and his first instinct is to run the hot water until it vanishes down the drain. Either that or walk away and leave it to Fate's tender mercies. In fact that is what he does, but before he even makes it to the doorway his conscience is calling him back.

"There but for the grace of God go I."

The thought startles him and he realizes that he too was once trapped like that unfortunate arachnid. Scared and alone he had prayed for rescue or at the very least release. Unable to free himself, others had reached out a helping hand and freed him from his prison. How could he do any less? Squatting down beside the tub, he reached out slowly to the skittish creature. Patiently he waited until it climbed onto his fingers and then he rose in one fluid movement, turning to the open window beside him. Placing his hand on the windowsill he gently wiggled his fingers encouraging the spider to vacate the premises.

"There you go little guy. Just you be a little more careful in future, OK. Cause Nick ain't always going to be around to cover your ass. Get on now. Shoo!" He chuckles while he says these words, his chest tightening a little with repressed emotion, but mostly he just feels good. He saved a life tonight and no matter what, that is a good thing. Still he's not going to mention it to any of the others; he knows they'd rib him about it unmercifully. Turning from the rapidly retreating form on the windowsill, he grabs his gear and heads out find Grissom.

*****************************

Gil Grissom is not a happy bunny. Like the rest of his team he is well into overtime on his third double of the week and the heat is making him cranky. Normally a man who loves his job and seems to live for overtime, even he is feeling the strain as Las Vegas seems to be trying to tear itself apart. By day the city bakes in the pitiless heat and by night the frustration its citizens feel boils over into unremitting acts of violence and abuse. Sometimes he truly despairs for the human race.

The case that he and Nick are now investigating is a case in point. One man lies dead, another's life is in ruins. Why? Because a dog wouldn't stop barking and its owner was a jerk. Still, being a jerk was not an acceptable reason for killing someone and blaming the heat is not an acceptable defence.

Gil works as quickly as he can to finish processing the scene on the lawn while Nick processes the inside of the shooter's home. Even as early in the morning as it is the heat is obsessive and Gil wants to be done before the sun rises. It doesn't take him long to finish up and he makes his way inside to find Nick. The temperature in the home is only a little cooler than the outside, but he welcomes even that small respite. Exploring the premises he quickly discerns that Nick is not on the ground floor and quietly makes his way upstairs.

Once on the landing he makes his way to a partially open doorway and is just about to enter when he hears Nick retreat further into the room. Feeling strangely perverse he peers in the gap of the open door and watches as Nick squats down beside the bathtub. Deciding then that perhaps Nick has found some evidence he prepares to enter but stops when he see's what Nick has on his hand when he stands. A spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum, if he's not mistaken. What Nick says next breaks his heart a little. It's not the words themselves, but more the emotion and the compassion behind them. He retreats from the doorway, unwilling to be caught spying, trying to save them both the embarrassment of being caught in such an unguarded moment. He knows Nick doesn't like anyone to see this side of his nature. He knows that in some ways others see it as a weakness, but Gil has come to see it as Nick's greatest strength. It is the compass by which Nick lives his life and Gil respects and loves him for it.

Withdrawing once more to the top of the stairs Gil tries to look unperturbed when Nick emerges from the bathroom and tells him that he's done. There is no evidence of anything criminal in this house, not counting the hideous flock wallpaper that looks like it belongs in an Austin Powers movie. There is nothing that points to extenuating circumstance or evidence of unusual activity. The case is what it is, a man pushed too far and pushing back. Regrettable, but true.

The drive back to the lab is conducted in companionable silence, each of them preoccupied with his own thoughts. Once there they drop off their scant evidence and decide to finally call it a day. Nick heads out almost immediately, promising Gil a rain check on their proposed breakfast. He's simply too tired and according to him, too smelly to be good company. Thus Gil finds himself alone in his office staring into blank space. His mind is focused on the recent past and in his inward eye he sees again the gentle smile and genuine good will that shone in Nick's face, as unknown to him, his impromptu rescue was witnessed.

Mustering the strength to heave his own tired body from his too comfortable chair, Gil shakes himself awake and reaches to turn off his desk lamp. His office is now only illuminated by the soft light that spills from his various terrariums and he allows his fingers to trail briefly across the cool glass. Then, smiling slightly to himself, he crosses to the doorway and before he locks it whispers into the darkness.

"So shines a good deed in a wicked world."