This Vegas Sky Is Tainted

Nick’s POV

As i made my way up to the labs balancing several evidence bags in my arms i spotted several of my time wondering around the corridors. The scene we had returned from was pretty bad, 6 family member’s killed in their own home. The smell of blood had been overpowering as we had stepped into the house and a couple of officer’s had to run out and spill their guts on the street outside.

I had been asked to collect all evidence from the large kitchen. In there were there bodies of the mother and a 6 year old girl, one of her daughters. As i worked around the bodies collecting whatever i could i was joined by super Dave. Once he had determined time of death etc he removed the bodies form the scene. As i continued processing the kitchen i gained plenty of swabs and fingerprints and photographs as well as various pieces of trace evidence.

Now that i was back in the labs i delivered various pieces of evidence to each of the labs. Once it had all been dropped off i had caught up with Greg and Warrick and as we laughed down the corridor i heard my girlfriends stern words as we passed the DNA lab. I stopped informing the guys i would meet up later as i turned into the lab. I took a seat beside steph and informed her i would help her process just happy to be spending some time with her.

As we sat there i placed my hand on her thigh our bodies already close due to the space behind the table she was working on.

“I’m sure the other guys wouldn’t appreciate that.”

I couldn’t help but smile as i glanced to the side to see a slight smile on Steph’s face even though she was fighting it. I couldn’t wait to be home already and for us just to cuddle in bed instead of the limit we had when we were in work. After Lottie had spoke with steph and she had gained some results she disappeared informing me she was going to find Catherine. I nodded still sat there processing some of the swabs in a hope we weren’t going to have to work overtime tonight.

After a while more results had been gained and i left the lab heading for Grissom’s office. As i stepped into the corridor i saw his heading in the opposite direction and so jogged to catch up with him. I walked alongside him informing him of what results had been returned as he nodded. Out of nowhere he stopped still in the corridor the look of thought written over his face like it always was. As we stood there though i could make out muffled voices further around the corridor and wondered if Grissom had heard these before me.

As i watched Grissom he turned facing me and nodding not saying a word but i knew it meant let’s head this way. I walked beside him steadily as we the voices slowly got a little louder as we neared the source. As we got closer still however the voices reduced in volume to a harsh whisper and the two of us quietly peered around the corner.

As we looked around i felt a lump form in my throat and my stomach lurched. There in-front of us in plain sight to anyone Ecklie had steph pushed against the wall. Neither of them had noticed we were stood there and could see what was going on at the moment however. Grissom quietly started to walk forward and i kept inline with him as we neared the two. Ecklie didn’t turn around however until we were pretty much behind him. I watched as he released steph and jumped back surprised eh had been caught in the act.

I felt anger burn through me as i pulled him back away from my girlfriend. I watched steph slowly sink to the floor pulling tissue from her pocket before blood started to run from her mouth. What had he done to her to cause that amount of blood to gather in her mouth. As i held onto Ecklie’s arm i felt the urge to break it just to cause him some pain in return for what he had clearly put steph through but i knew it wouldn’t help the situation. Instead i let go of him Grissom stood watching him as i instead focused my attention on my girlfriend.

I knelt down in-front her as i took in the look of fear that was still evident as he eyes flicked between me and Ecklie. I took hold of the tissue she was holding taking note that her body was shaking and gently held it in place. Her face had gone a little pale but i had a feeling that was just fear from the situation.

As i knelt there just watching steph and dabbing the blood from her mouth i heard Grissom speak up questioning Ecklie on what he was doing. I heard him as he tried to defend himself that he had to defend himself from steph and mention of a bloody lip. I looked into Steph’s eyes and knew that she wouldn’t start a fight with Ecklie. As i sat there Steph spoke up.

“That’s lies. I hit you in defence as you started coming towards me. I feared for what you were going to. Seems i had a right mind to.”

As i turned around this time i watch Ecklie grit his teeth just as Warrick appeared in the corridor. Out of nowhere Ecklie went to dive towards steph yelling. I was quick to react pulling Steph into my chest protecting her. The next time i turned around Warrick had Ecklie pinned to the corridor floor thankfully. I pressed my lips gently into Steph’s hair almost trying to reassure her that i would look after her. As i did this out the corner of my eye i noticed the bruises starting to appear on her wrists. I gently took Steph’s forearm into my hand avoiding where Ecklie’s hands had left the bruises just taking in how forceful he had been.

I looked up into Steph’s face again resting her hand against her leg again. I tucked her hair gently behind her ear and lifted her face so she was looking into my eyes fully now.

“What did he do to you? What exactly happened?”

I listened carefully as steph told me exactly what had happened. As i took in each word i felt the lump in my throat grow more. I couldn’t believe Ecklie had done this to her. As she finished i felt the urge to comfort her more and placed my hand against the back of her head. As i did Steph winced making me jump as i removed my hand quickly. As she told me what it was her head that had connected with the wall i gently kissed her forehead as Grissom looked at the injuries on her wrists.

Brass and the rest of the team were soon stood in the corridor to. Once Ecklie had been arrested and removed form the corridor Steph started to get up off the corridor. I was quickly on my feet my arm around her waist as i pulled her closely into my side using my arm to protect her. She definitely deserved to just relax once this shift was over and i decided then and there i would make sure she was well a truly relaxed at home.

As we walked down the corridor Steph informed me she was heading to the bathroom. I wanted to protect her more now though and so decided i would just have to head into the ladies toilets with her. As we stepped in i was glad to see it was empty as i walked with steph over to the sink’s. She stood there running her wrists under cold water to help the bruising process along a little more and i continued to stand there my arm placed gently around her waist.

Whilst she was concentrating on her wrists i gently ran my finger’s over her back in a hope it would ease the pain from hitting the wall. I watched her smile slightly as she looked up to me.

“That’s making it feel better already.”

I smiled gently sharing a kiss with her before she turned off the taps dabbing her wrists dry before we left the bathroom and headed back to the break room. As we stepped in i grabbed a chair for steph and she sat down as i stood beside her. As i watched Catherine headed for steph brandishing an ice pack. I smiled remembering back to when me and Greg had collided once in the corridor resulting in blood spill and a swollen eye for Greg. Catherine had instinctively gone into mum mode and spent the whole shift brandishing various ice packs at us to ensure the swelling didn’t increase. It appeared she had gone into the same mode now to as she placed the ice bag onto the back of Steph’s head.

I held it in place for Steph smiling as she shivered slightly at the coldness. I had by now taken a seat beside and steph rested against my shoulder making it easier for me to hold the ice pack in place to. As she sat there another ice pack was quickly placed across the bottom of her back. I couldn’t help but let out what became a very strange laugh as she jumped, informing us that it was cold.

As i looked up i watched most of the team smiling at the comment to which Lottie had kindly responded to as Brandon giggled at her to. Her laugh was infectious and soon everyone’s smiles including Steph’s had grown as i hugged her to my chest.

After an hour everyone else had already returned to working as i sat with steph letting her rest a little more. She had decided she wanted to head back to getting her work done now however and i knew not to stop her. I kept myself busy this time helping Wendy as i watched Brandon sit beside his sister copying what she was doing a smile consistently worn on my face.

After a while however Grissom had emerged calling me from the lab. As we started to walk down the corridor and out of ear shot of steph he spoke.

“I want you to head with Warrick down to interrogation. I want to know what Ecklie’s story is going to be although it’s Steph’s account everyone is going to believe. I’m going to go get Archie to pull our CCTV loop see if we got anything from that.”

I nodded and headed off down to interrogation where Warrick was already stood outside the break room.

“How’s steph now?”

“Fine she has Brandon in DNA with her since she’s decided she was fine to carry on working. Her aches are probably numb from the ice at the moment.”

Before long brass had appeared and the three of us stepped into the room. Ecklie was sat there trying to avoid our attention as Warrick sat at the table. I stood to the side watching Ecklie as i lent against the wall. Brass was stood beside Warrick resting his weight on the back of Warrick’s chair. Warrick was the first to start firing question’s at Ecklie as Grissom had already filled him in on everything as well as him hearing what steph had said.

“Why did you push Steph against the wall like you did.”

“I………. she argued with me.”

“Is that the only excuse you have?”

“She came at me threatening me, I retaliated which I know is wrong but I couldn’t help it. She started to attack me and I was defending myself when Nick and Grissom appeared, clearly seeing the wrong end of the argument.”

I watched his eyes stare down at the table not at his face. I knew he was lying, for a start steph wasn’t the one to start fight’s. The way she was after the incident proved to me she was innocent plus the fact she was my girlfriend and i knew exactly how she was. As i felt anger build i decided to give him a piece of my own mind.

“Your lying Ecklie. You can’t even look us in the face because you know that we know the truth. Steph’s my girlfriend i have been with her long enough to know that she’s one of the most caring people on the team. She hit you in defence and you know it. She doesn’t lash out at people for no reason.”

As i stepped forward leaning down against the table Ecklie picked his head up an evil glint present in his eyes.

“Maybe your beloved girlfriend isn’t as innocent as you think. You thought about that Nick. She had enough force in her punch to cut my lip, what does that say?”

I said nothing just letting a low growling noise come from me as i smashed my fist against the top of the table. I watched a smirk appear on Ecklie’s lips as i turned stepping out the room. I knew i had to control my anger else this situation would only get worse for steph. As i stood at the one way glass i watched brass start on Ecklie pounding him with questions.

After a little while i headed back upstairs. I passed Greg in the corridor who informed me he would go down to Warrick and brass as i headed off to find Grissom. He was stood in his office just looking at the photo’s of Steph’s wrists.

“he’s trying to say steph provoked him and that it was also defence. Brass is still laying into him though.”

I watched as Grissom nodded placing the images on his desk for now. He disappeared out the office but within five minutes had returned carrying a sheet of paper before picking up the images. He was quick to inform me he was heading down to interrogation and i nodded leaving his office and instead heading to help steph out again.

As the end of shift dawned Grissom finally appeared in the DNA lab a slight smile on his face.

“Ecklie is on a restraint from all of grave shift. I am the only boss you guys answer to at all now. If we have to work overtime his supervisor has to take over the cases until we have cleared the building again.”

I hugged steph gently as she too wore a smile. I thanked Grissom as i led steph and Brandon from the lab. In the corridor Greg informed us they would take Brandon tonight if he wanted to. I smiled as Brandon nodded asking Greg to pick him up. As the five of us made our way down to our vehicles i informed Greg and Lottie of the outcome. It was then we separated. I decided on the way home i would get me and steph some take out.

Once we got back to the flat and had eaten i grabbed a duvet for me and steph to sit under as she found some TV to watch. As she lay resting her head into my lap i gently soothed her aching back. After a few hours we were heading to bed as i pulled her into my arms gently. My hand was gently resting against the bottom of her back as she had commented that the heat from me was soothing it better than a heat pad was.

In a week or so the bruises would have healed and this whole incident could be put to the back of our minds. Until then Steph was been looked after by me and there was no way she was arguing against it.