Title: Never an Ending
By: duffshel
Pairing: Nick/Warrick
Rated: PG
Timeline: Timeline: Set after shift from "Daddy's Little Girl"
Spoilers: General to the episode, past events.
Disclaimer: This is all written in fun and trial for something new. Everything CSI is not mine and never will be. It belongs to the creative talent of the actors, the writers, the directors, and producers. I am not making any money off of this. Only meant to offer something new on something already so great. No reason to sue. Don't own anything with the song either. All rights belong to Garth Brooks and Pat Alger. Just using it for some inspiration and chapter titles.
Summary: It was supposed to be over, but Warrick sees first hand how Nick tries to deal with everything right after that last interesting shift.

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"Nick! Nick, open the damn door!"

The morning sun beat down on the shoulders of Warrick Brown as he pounded on the wooden barrier between him and his best friend. Graveyard shift had been over for almost two hours now, but Warrick just was able to get out of work twenty minutes ago. If he knew what had happened earlier, there would have been no way in hell Nick would have left the lab alone. Or been alone for this long for that matter.

"God damn Nicky! Just let me in!"

There were no sounds that he could hear from inside. And there was no way that the Texan would have gone straight to bed after this mess.

"I swear man! I'm gonna knock this thing off it's…"

His tirade was brought to a halt with the soft clicking sound of the deadbolt being released. The door knob turned slowly. Warrick frowned to himself when he noticed the door only opened a tiny crack. There was no more movement with the door. He reached out his right hand and lightly pressed against the door. Nothing. It didn't move.

"Nick?" Warrick asked in a much quieter voice. Worry practically poured from his mouth with the simple name. He couldn't get the door open. It was open, but it was clear at that moment he wasn't allowed to enter just yet.

Suddenly, it was wrenched open and Warrick was greeting with the sight of his partner. But from the look, and the smell, this was not a Nick that wanted to see him.

"'Rick, how's it goin' man?"

It was completely slurred and Warrick was hard pressed to make much of it out. The smell of booze was strong from the other man's breath. Brown eyes were squinted shut against the harsh morning rays that worked there way in. Nick must have gone home and had a marathon binge. Not that he could really blame the guy.

He also noticed that Nick hadn't taken any time to change out of his clothes. They were completely wrinkled and there was an odd stain on the left pant leg. Warrick also took note of the small red smear on Nick's hand.

"Can I come in?"

Nick stepped back at the question and threw his brown door back hard enough that it tattooed the wall behind it. It slammed into the drunken man on its return route, but Nick didn't pay it any mind. He seemed to be putting most of his attention in his legs so they would keep him upright.

"Sure thing buddy. Come on down! Have a drink with me, eh?"

The shorter man stumbled away from Warrick, back into the darker parts of the house. Where the new day's light wouldn't be able to reach him.

Warrick looked around him and his eyes were drawn immediately to the kitchen counter. There were several beer bottles in all sort of disarray along with two darker, larger bottles he didn't recognize. But from the look of it, Nick had drunk more than should be allowed.

"Take a beer. Washes it all away," Nick waved his hand to his singsong. His attention was too wrapped up in the slow movement his hand was making that he didn't seem aware that his feet where still moving underneath him. Nick could have sworn if he moved it fast enough, it looked like a bird readying itself for flight.

He wasn't prepared for the couch to come up and bite him in the ass. Nick pin wheeled his arms wildly in an attempt to stay up, but he lost the battle to gravity's pull. His body hit the cushioned furniture so heavy it rocked it back once.

Warrick shook his head and began to clean up some of the mess, "Shit Nick. You're gonna regret this fully later. What'd ya think you were doing?"

One of the beer bottles as lying on its side. The brown liquid had created a puddle that was working its way slowly to the edges of the counter top. Warrick picked up one of the larger bottles and looked at the label. It was written all in Spanish. He couldn't make a word out. But from the whiff he got, it was strong stuff. Same with the other mystery bottle.

"I was…enjoying a leisurely drink at home…wash it all away," his hand was still dancing around in the air, words heavy.

"When'd you get home?" Warrick shook his hand to try to get the liquid off from another beer bottle.

"Oh, I'd say, maybe, two hours ago…" Nick trailed off, his face scrunched up in confusion as he tried to figure out his timeline, "But it wasn't that long ago."

"So you inhaled this liquor basically then. Man, what were you thinking!"

Nick snorted to himself and allowed his body to lounge completely back against the couch. It was warm in his townhouse, but it helped. Not as much as the booze, but it was something. He just needed something more. There were still too many coherent thoughts. Still too much sense in his head.

"Why don't ya bring me 'nother beer man."

"No, you're cut off," Warrick threw the last bottle into the garbage can. Total of five beer bottles and whatever that poison in dark glass was.

Taking a deep breath, he focused on his friend again. Nick was pale, sweat was building up on his face. His lips were moving, but not making any sound. Both hands would occasionally twitch or jerk. Warrick had only seen his friend like this a handful of times. Never made it easier.

The Texan didn't even react to his movements as he walked into the living room. Normally the room was in perfect order, but now Warrick could see the books thrown across the floor. A few magazines were resting against the far wall. The coffee table was at an odd angle and pushed away from the couch. Precious bird DVD's were scattered around every surface.

"You need to talk about this."

"Whatever. Nothing to talk 'bout."

Warrick sat on the remaining section of the couch and leaned back. His case had been hard and confusing with the whole family involvement. He had heard that mothers and daughters having special bonds, but this one had taken the cake. It all made his head pound and his body begging for mercy. All he wanted to do was go home and have Tina rub it all away. But he couldn't leave Nick like this. Never like this.

"Before I left, I ran into Catherine. She told me all about it. Can't leave this alone."

It didn't seem to be the right thing to say.

"Oh fuck you man!" Nick roared as he pushed himself to his feet. Nick's upper body seemed to outweigh everything and he lurched forward. Warrick was sure he was going to end up crashing into the table. But, at the last moment, Nick threw his body into the opposite direction.

The false equilibrium forced Nick to have to move his feet. He did an odd dance step around the table obstacle and moved into the more open part of his living room. A book did catch on his foot, but he kicked it away.

"You don't get this. You don't know!"

Warrick shook his head at the mumbled yell he received from the other CSI. Nick's words were slurred as it was, but the increase the other man wanted to add was making them hard to understand. But, he didn't want to appear as a threat so Warrick remained seated on the couch.

"It'll help more than those bottles will."

"Oh yeah, like ya never went out and drank your problems away."

"Never like this," Warrick said softly.

Not that is appeared that Nick heard him anyways. The wall was now blocking Nick's path and the man splayed his hands out against the cool plaster. His breathing was beginning to pick up. Along with memories that he didn't want to see anymore.

Nick cried out softly, "No!"

It took only a second longer for Warrick to jump to his feet. He could see the tremors that wracked the other man. The sobs soon reached his hearing. There was no time to worry about spooking the other man now.

"Shit Nick. Get back over here and sit your ass down."

Warrick grabbed both shoulders and used them as levers to maneuver the man back to the couch. Only once did Nick stumble enough to threaten to crash them both down. But Warrick used his size and his sobriety to keep them on their feet. He was never so glad to see a couch though.

"It's okay man. Take it slow. Just breathe," Warrick reassured as he pressed Nick down. He fought down any recollections that might have been brought forth with those words.

"Why me?" Nick sobbed out. His hands reached up and slapped at the tears that were streaming down his face. Once again he was crying in front of a coworker. He was really messed up.

The taller CSI sat down right next to the quivering body and wrapped a strong arm around Nick's shoulders. This forced Nick to lean his weight into the larger body. The warmth was too much and Nick tried to break free in vain.

"No Nick. Just breathe. Don't fight me."

It didn't take much more to break through any defenses. Nick turned his head away from Warrick, but didn't try to stop the tears from coming. The sobs ripped at his throat and he felt like he was choking himself. His stomach was churning unpleasantly with all the acid and alcohol.

Warrick simply kept his arm around Nick and whispered reassuring words into the air. He had helped Nick through worst times after the Plexiglas hell. A drunk Nick he had seen before, but never a sad, drunk Nick. But Warrick would see it through. To the end.

After less than five minutes, Nick's breath only hitched occasionally and the tears were beginning to dry up. He still rubbed at the tracks, but his hands were getting heavier. The world around him was beginning to fade in and out. Sounds became a soft buzzing.

"Warrick?"

"Yeah, man?"

Nick tried to sit up straighter, but couldn't fight against anything anymore, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Warrick's forehead crinkled at the words. That was not something he had been expecting.

"For everything. For being me."

"What! Nick, there's nothing wrong with you man," He sat straighter and pulled Nick to him tighter, "You did nothing wrong."

"I killed her."

It was whispered, but to Warrick, it sounded like a scream. He didn't know what to think to that. Catherine had told him what had happened. Kelly Gordon overdosed right in front of him. Sophia had tried to resituate, but to no luck. She was a suspect and they had the proof. She killed herself. She had looked right at Nick while it started. His friend held the empty pill bottle in his own hands.

"You didn't do anything to her! Nick, you didn't give her those pills."

"But it's my fault. I…her father killed himself because of me. She killed this woman because of me," Nick felt the tears build again, but his head seemed perfectly clear. Everything was sharp and he could feel everything again.

"I was the ransom."

Warrick leaned his head back and closed his eyes briefly, "But you didn't kill her. You were nothing more than a victim pulled into that mess. You didn't ask for this."

"But if he would've taken the money, then Kelly would've gotten her share. The woman wouldn't have had to die. Kelly wouldn't have had to do this."

"This was all about money?" Warrick couldn't stop the question from forming.

Nick rubbed tiredly at his eyes and nodded his head, "Yeah. Kelly found out she wasn't getting anything from her father. So, the ex-partner and him came up with this plan for a ransom and a kidnapping. They made my tape together. Perfect…"

"This was all about money," Warrick still couldn't believe it. He still bore down the quilt of the coin toss, but this was something he would have never equated into the problem.

Nick had been buried in a glass box all for the ransom.

"Kelly went after her. I wonder if she knew about the tape…" Nick shuddered as he recalled those haunting words again. He still heard them many times in his night terrors. They were never going to go away.

Nick's head shot up suddenly, causing the room to spin again, "She might have done this for me! Another woman is dead because of me…oh god…"

Warrick felt his friend start to shake again slightly and shifted them both a little more. The Texan was still drunk, his words slightly off, but Warrick knew he would want more. More was always needed in these situations.

"Come on man. Let's get you to bed."

It took a little work, but Warrick had them both on their feet. Nick tried to shuffle along towards the bedroom, but it was mostly Warrick that did most of the work. The bed looked cozy and Warrick deposited his charge on the sturdy mattress.

Nick still had his shoes on. He tried to protest when Warrick bent down and began to tackle the laces. There was no need to worry about something like that. No need to baby him anymore than before. So he killed another woman. He didn't deserve anything.

"It's never going to go away now."

His hands stopped their movement at the new comment. Warrick raised his green eyes to look up at the blank face starring straight at him. Worry built up even more and he was worried that the top of his head was going to explode in order to reduce the new pressure from it all.

"It's going to be okay Nick. This'll all work out."

"No. It should be over. It was supposed to be over."

"Just give it some more time," Warrick said as he pushed Nick's leg up onto the bed and under the covers.

"I told him it was over. He agreed. There was no argument."

Nick didn't try to fight anymore. His body felt like it was full of lead and he couldn't get anything to move at his command. Warrick was gentle and would never hurt him. His best friend would never hurt him. No, just leave him behind though. Nick shook his head at that thought. He wasn't going to go back that far again.

"Who, Nick?"

A large yawn split his lips for a moment, "Grissom. He didn't say anything else. Just that's over . No emotion. Just like always with me. No emotion at all."

Warrick could tell this confused the other man. He really wished he had learned about all of this sooner. Than he might have been able to help more than he was. Deep down, he knew this took them back a few steps that Nick had already scaled. It was going to cause some more hurt and confusion. And he was going to have to talk with Grissom about all of this.

"It's going to be okay, buddy. Nothing's gonna happen. This part's over."

Sleep tugged at every cell in his body. But Nick didn't want to let it win. Under his laden thoughts, he knew what was waiting for him. Everything was going to come back. And now he had a new image to add to the mess. Kelly's convulsing body would look just great next to the fire ant collection.

"It'll never be over. Not for me."

Warrick watched as his partner lost his battle and fell into a troubled sleep. But those last words uttered were going to trouble him as well. He had heard them once before, in a different room, with different glass.

Nick had been strong enough to believe it then. Of course, everything was different now. As odd as it seems to think about, it was easier to move past then. So a guy was living in your attic and watching you live, eat, and sleep. Clean it up and lock the attic door. Never allow a stranger in the house.

But this, this was something totally new. Kidnapped, buried alive, rescued from under two hundred pounds of dirt. But that was only the beginning. Now, to learn about things other people knew and did. To learn that he had been taken so they would get paid. To watch that girl die right in front of him.

Warrick did find it unsettling that Gordon didn't even seem to want the money. Grissom had said he blew himself up almost right away. So, somehow, Gordon didn't want the money. He didn't care. But why make that tape with your ex-partner? Why worry so much about money anyways?

A small whimper and gasp drew his attention from his thoughts. Warrick looked down at Nick and rested his hand on the other man's upper arm. It seemed to work a little. Nick shifted onto his side and released a deep breath into the pillow case.

Warrick rubbed at the back of his neck and got to his feet. He resigned himself to the couch for the night. A call would have to be made to Tina, but she would understand. And maybe, by the afternoon, he would have something more positive to share with Nick. At least, he could hope to.

This had to be over sometime. The sooner, the better.

The End

Author's Note: Well, I enjoyed the episode, but was disappointed with the shortness of it all. Would have thought they would deal more with Kelly and Nick. Seems they are avoiding all of this during this season.

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