Nick was born in 1966 in Chicago, Illinois. He was adopted by a blue collar family; his father was a shop steward in a factory and his mother a teacher. He had an older brother and younger sister. As a teenager, Nick was an excellent student, excelling in athletics, and his studies. He earned an athletic scholarship to Stanford University, but he lost it due to a knee injury. After that, Nick dropped out of collage, and traveled to Marseilles where he became a professional boxer for a period before returning to the US. In his 20s, he joined the police force, and married defense attorney, Lauren Donovan. The marriage eventually fell apart, and they divorced, though they remained friends.

In June 1998, things changed for Nick as he experienced a world beyond what he knew. Nick and his partner, Claudia Hoffman, were investigating a jewel thief suspect known as Amanda Montrose, whom they had been chasing for quite some time. Circumstances led to the death of Hoffman, and their suspect, and as Nick held his dead partner, he watched in amazement as Amanda revived and ran away alive and well.