Aftermath
This is my first attempt at a CSI fanfic, would appreciate comments and criticism!
Nick Stokes is transported to Desert Springs Hospital after his horrific ordeal courtesy of the deceased Walter Gordon. Warrick and Catherine are with him in the ambulance, while Grissom, Sarah, Greg, Brass, and Eckley are also on their way to the hospital.
Although Nick suffered few physical injuries in those past few hours, the sheer emotional strain imposed upon him rendered him incapable of all but lying on the bed, grasping Catherine's hand tightly as if any second another tribulation would tear it away from him. No words were spoken by Warrick or Catherine, both simply overcome with relief, and in Warrick's case, guilt. Despite the respect and affection he felt for his friend and colleague, he couldn't mask the relief that it wasn't him in that coffin- he knew that but for the flip of a coin it would've been. He doubted that his resilience and determination matched Nick's. He doubted he could have resisted the temptation of an easy escape so cruelly supplied by Walter Gordon. In either case he was distracted by what felt like Nick's first words for a long time,
"Hey, where am I?"
Grateful for the opportunity to speak, Warrick replied "you're on your way to the hospital buddy, you're gonna be ok."
"How are you feeling, Nikki?" asked Catherine, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Um, kind of itchy, actually. I never want to see another ant again" muttered Nick with a weak smile.
"Hey, don't knock the ants, they helped us find you. I imagine Gil's back there, thanking them" quipped Warrick. It wasn't funny, but at this moment they would laugh at anything. The lightened atmosphere continued for the rest of the journey although for Catherine, the destination couldn't arrive soon enough. Her relationship with the two attractive subordinates had always been complex- the obvious physical attractions her constantly at odds with two of love's most common clichés, the inadvisability of an office romance and the equally risky venture of dating current friends. She had nearly let her guard down with Warrick despite the inappropriate time- a D.B case- and location- outside a sewer. Yet looking down at Nick, it was unavoidable not to think of what would happen had he not survived and not to consider the depth of the loss she would feel. She contented herself for now with silence and a watery smile, enjoying the welcome tranquillity.
Sadly this relaxed state of affairs could not be found at the hospital, when after driving their Grissom and Ecklie were engaged in a hushed yet heated exchange.
"I'm sorry, but things are working well with everyone working in their current shift patterns, I see no reason to agree to your request."
"It wasn't a request."
"You're under a lot of stress at the moment, I'll let that go Grissom but let me remind you that I am the lab supervisor and that no-one is indispensable."
What remained of Grissom's forced calm evaporated then. Taking a step closer so he was now nose-to-nose with his superior, he replied "I may be replaceable, but if I leave, half the lab will follow. I could take Nick, Warrick, Catherine, Sara and Greg to the F.B.I next week, we've had offers. And that would just be the start. What would the sheriff think of that? My guys are coming back on the grave shift, Catherine can stay on swing in her supervisory capacity if she wants. Make it happen."
Leaving Ecklie dumbstruck, Grissom turned and walked away, immediately into the path of someone he was much more glad to see.
"Hey, how you holding up?"
"Much better than you it seems, what was all that about?"
"After all this, Conrad is still trying to preserve his precious red tape. A lab is more than a building with people in it, Catherine once told me that a family is built around me, I finally understand what she meant, and what's really important."
Emboldened by his tone, Sara reached out and took her boss' hand.
"And what is important?"
Grissom did not pull away. "I've known every member of my team for at least 4 years. I've known Nick ever since he started here as a nervous CSI level one who constantly got lost on the way to crime scenes" he muttered with a slight smile, "and the only time I've regretted being to afraid to get to know him better at the risk of compromising my integrity as his boss was when he had a gun to his head." His voice grew stronger now, with a hint of anger that Sara was about to object to but he continued "and the same thing happened again tonight. I don't have much of a family, or even much of a social life- you guys are pretty much it- but I've never said that. There could never be another chance to tell people how much you care about them."
Sara looked up at him with tears in her eyes, and was shocked to see the same in the eyes of the man she had always had deep affection for.
"Then tell them Gil. And as I've said before, you'll always be more than a boss to me"
She then let go of his hand, kissed him tenderly on the cheek, turned away and walked towards the ward where Nick was recuperating.