Title: A Tribute to Missy
Author: SongStar
Pairing: Nick/Warrick
Rating: R
Series/Sequel: No
Warnings: none
Author's Note: In the book, 'CSI: Cold Burn', Mr. Collins says that Warrick is getting more into his music and his official CBS bio says that he writes music, so I ran with the idea. While this is not my first fanfic, this is my first CSI fic and my first slash piece.
Summary: Post fic for CSI pro novel, CSI: Cold Burn. Warrick works on something to remember Missy Sherman by.
Spoilers: Minor ones for Stalker and minor ones for the book CSI: Cold Burn.

***

After we get back to headquarters, I leave Nick and Catherine and head to the lab. I'm trying to find further evidence to link Regan with the murder of Missy Sherman and that other woman. I don't want her to get of on some technicality that no one saw coming. It wouldn't be fair to either victim or those they left behind.

It doesn't take very long that I find what I'm looking for. Now, all that is left is the trial and Regan will be put behind bars for the rest of her life. I hope this will bring some comfort to a grieving husband.

I am tired, but I make myself work on the report. At least, until Nick comes in looking for me. He casually asks if I want to go have breakfast with him, and I tell him yes, but to give me a couple of minutes. He nods his head and finds another chair to sit on while he waits.

I turn back, feeling more awake than I was and finish the report. As I close the folder, Nick tells me he's going to do his later and I just have to tease him for being a slacker. He just grins and asks if I'm ready.

We walk out of the lab and to Grissom's office to give him the report. He's currently trying to fend off Catherine, who seems to be pestering him about something. I look to Nick, who's grinning again and make a mental note to ask him about it later. Catherine takes the report from me and tells us both that she'll see us tonight.

Nick and I tell her goodnight, or day, and leave the building. Its still pretty cold outside and Nick decides to complain about it, which doesn't help much. We get in our respective SUV's and head out of there. But, we don't go out to breakfast. Instead, we go to my place. On the way home, I begin to pay attention to a tune that is trying to work itself out in my head and while also thinking about the man driving behind me.

What no one knows is that Nick and I are lovers and have been for almost a year now. We have managed to keep a low profile about it to keep from attracting any attention. Like when Nick threw in that ‘what's she look like’ when he found me in the locker room the other day daydreaming about that guitar. It was to throw anyone off who happened to possibly be in there at the time. We will tell someone at some point, but not now.

*
After we made love, Nick asked about the guitar, as we lay curled in bed together. I tell him about it and how much it is. He gets thoughtful for a moment and then tells me that he'll buy it for me. I tell him no, he doesn't have the money.

He just shakes his head and tells me he wants to do this since it will be our first Christmas together and he has been trying to figure something special to buy me. I try protesting, but he tells me firmly that he wants to do this. I quietly tell him that he's just too good to me. He grins and teases me about how I'll start paying more attention to the guitar than I will to him.

He knows me to well because it does occasionally happen. I'll get heavily involved trying to write down a song that I have in my head and I won't pay much attention to anything else, including the need for food or sleep. However, it usually only happens on those nights when the gambling fever is too high and I have to do something to keep me from going to a casino. Sometimes, I can't work on a song and then he'll just hold my hand while I attempt to work through it.

We lay there for a while longer, me singing ever so softly. Eventually, sleep comes to us both.

*

I wake a few hours later, because the tune that had started in my head earlier, is now invading my dreams. I lay there a moment, trying to see if it won't leave me alone, but it won't.

I turn to watch Nick sleep for a moment. I don't really want to leave his side, but I'm going to have to in order to get this idea out of my head. Some of my past lovers have left me because they just didn't understand my love of music. Nick, though, has told me that its one of the things he loves most about me. Even if it does annoy him at times.

I only play or sing for him, though. I'm just to protective of it to allow anyone else to know what I do. Lily knew, but that is someplace I'd rather not go now.

I get up and put on my robe. Beneath my robe, I find two old teddy bears of mine, from my childhood that I kept for whatever reason. One is the ewok Wicket, who's complete name is Wicket W. Warrick. I was born before Star Wars came out, so I'm defiantly not named after this guy. However, it has provided a source of amusement for Nick whose favorite Star Wars movie happens to be The Return of the Jedi. He'll call me `his cuddly ewok’ and I'll tell him to shut up.

The other stuffed animal is my old bear, Simon, which my mother gave me as a baby. I guess I kept this one to remind me of her. Nick likes to sleep with this one when I'm not here. I have questioned him about that. All he'll say is that it smells like me, whatever that means.

The tune decides to break into my thoughts again, and I move over to the bed and place both animals next to Nick, so they can watch him for me. I kiss Nick gently on the forehead and leave the room.

*

Moving out into the living room, I fix something to eat, before moving to my music equipment. Soon a new guitar will be added to that collection. And I start feeling like a kid who can't wait for Christmas morning.

I try to quell the excitement I feel, as I sit down at the table and pick up a music sheet. I know the tune is tribute song for Missy, but it's not the only one I have done for a victim. Sitting there, I attempt to put my thoughts down on the paper.

*

Two hours later, it is going pretty well. I look up to see Nick walking into the room. He probably woke up and decided I needed checkin’ on. I watch him walk over to the couch with a slight smile on my face, which turns to a concerned look, because he looks a touched frazzled.

I ask him if he is okay and he shrugs. Somewhat off handily, he tells me that he had a nightmare. That he thought this case kind of brought up the Crane thing again, because of the way Regan was. He tries smiling and says he'll be okay.

I didn't really believe him. I had been afraid something like this would happen, ever since we had heard Regan talking about why she had done what she did. We had even listened to what she had to say, even after we had both gone outside with her husband. I had been afraid that it would dreg up old wounds from that case. Truthfully we both still bore scars from it; ones that had never completely healed and probably won't.

I didn't want to say anything earlier, instead decided to wait until he brought it up. I had hoped since he didn't mention it, that he would okay, but it had invaded his dreams.

I open my mouth to say something, but he beat me to it, asking if I was getting anywhere with the song. I look at him for a long moment, making another mental note to talk to him about it later. Instead, I tell him that yes, it is going ok. That Missy will have her own song soon. He tells me to play a little bit of it and I do.

*


After Missy's husband claims the body, he let us know that we can come to the funeral if we would like. So on the day that it is to take place, me, Nick and Catherine all go. Sometimes we do go to funerals particularly if it had been a hard case, but only after we are invited.

It's such a beautiful day and we sit there and listen to everything that is said about her. My song for her is not yet complete and some of what said helps me with it. Afterwards, some of her family comes up to us, to thank us for helping to solve this case and talk to us for a little while about Missy.

When it is all over, we drop Catherine at her place and then head home. I tell Nick that I'm going to finish the song, and he heads into the kitchen to make us sandwiches.

I change clothes, and sit down with my stuff, and begin again. Nick puts a sandwich next to me. Then, goes over to the sofa and sits down. He eats while watching me, not saying a word.

An hour later, I am finished. I take a few moments to look at it, thinking back through it in my head. Finally, I look up to see that Nick is playing a game boy and tell him I'm through. He puts the game boy down and sits up. He tells me that he'd like to hear it.

So after a moment’s hesitation, I begin to play the notes and sing along. Its pretty much like all my other tribute songs, but different. They all have their own unique individual marks on them.

This one is about how someone else decided she didn't have the right to live because she wasn't good enough for her husband. Regan's obsession had cost Missy her life as well as someone else's. It was somewhat dark, but bright in places from ideas giving by the family who knew her well. About how she loved life and her husband and wanted to have a family at sometime. Now all gone.

I end it and look up at Nick. He takes a moment and then tells me that it is good, that I did right by her. I look at him to see if he means it and he does. I smile because I worry sometimes that my work won't be good. In response, he holds out a hand. I put my guitar down, get up and move over to the sofa, feeling like I can finally let this case go. It's a good feeling. Maybe later, I'll make a copy and leave it anonymously at her grave.

Missy, wherever you are, I hope you rest in peace.


End

***