Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!
When they rescued Nick from his coffin under the ground, they had expected him to break down, to fall to the ground and let go. They expected to find him weak and trembling. What they actually found was a movie scene, it was so unexpected, and yet it was perfect.
Catherine was in the vehicle that Greg drove as they rushed towards the spot that they now knew Nick was buried. At the time she paid no attention to the fact that he was driving like a bat out of hell. They all were; they all wanted Nick back. Later she would stop and think back to realize that he had been hyperventilating the whole way and swearing because he couldn't pass the cops driving in front of him. When she would ask him later, he would admit to giving serious thought to switching in to off road and shooting ahead of the pack.
When they arrived her and Greg were the first two to leap from their seats and fan out in search of some clue to where in the tree nursery had a box buried beneath the ground, filled with precious contents. They were five rows apart when she called to say that she had found the transmitter, yet he was the first one by her side, illuminating a wider patch of ground for her with his flashlight. Later he told her he had no recollection of how he came to be there. He remembered only her calling out the message and the first flying step in that direction, then arriving at her side and feeling a wild hope take a hold of him.
Then they had found the exact spot, and Greg was the first with a shovel, followed closely by Warrick, and they both dug with such drive that the other two men in the hole with them looked like they were moving in slow motion. A police officer later made a report that he could see Greg hyperventilating again, and had pulled the shovel from his hands, taking his spot digging. Catherine could see him out of the corner of her eye, though she paid little attention, and she could see him standing so still. He had never been so still in his life, but it wasn't until after that she took note of these facts.
Warrick was the one to wipe the dirt away from the coffin, and just as Greg made to jump in with him someone called for a fire extinguisher. He took off like a shot, barreling across to the trucks they had come in and tearing the needed tool from its spot without care. He flew back across to the box and immediately began shooting short bursts in with Nick, killing off the ants crawling across the buried man. A different police officer came forward with his story a few days later, saying he had been drawn to Greg's face right then. His attention was caught because Greg was crying, huge tears falling down his cheeks and his chest heaving, but he continued his designated job because he wanted Nick to come out alive.
When the lid had been lifted, Greg had to be physically restrained from jumping in. Catherine had noticed this time and finally thought something was off. But the events going on around them left her no time to consider why her young blonde coworker was thrashing madly in the arms of Sara, a surprisingly strong woman. He made lunging movements towards the hole, a desperate look on his face. Sara wasn't even paying attention to him, just holding him off so Grissom could attach the rope to Nick's belt buckle without triggering the explosives underneath the box.
Catherine took her place in line along the rope and she could see Greg being pulled away by an officer, convulsing wildly and trying to escape the tight hold. Then her attention was on the rope as Grissom called the timing. A large backhoe dropped a load of dirt on top of Nick, and she pulled simultaneously on the rope, same as everybody else. He shot in to the air, propelled by the blast behind him, and was sent flying so many feet away.
They had all expected him to fall down. To collapse with relief and weakness. What they didn't expect, but what actually happened, was for Nick to hit the ground running. His feet touched first and immediately he skidded in a giant u-turn, bolting back towards the people that had saved him at an odd angle. Warrick was the first to jump in his path and throw his arms wide, but to everyone's absolute shock he was pushed aside and Nick kept running. At that exact moment Greg broke free from the cop holding him back.
Catherine turned with the rest to watch Nick run straight in to the waiting arms of Greg Sanders, and they fell together to their knees, holding each other so tight they might never let go. Nick joined him in tears and buried his face in Greg's chest. Greg held his head there, throwing his own back as a look of relief crossed his face so huge it verged on ecstasy. He was still hyperventilating. He suddenly tore Nick's head up, holding it between his hands. He looked at the older man, material in his nostrils, plastic in his ears, covered in sweat and dirt, and his face and arms riddled with gigantic angry red welts. Then he opened his mouth, and the words falling from his lips declared Nick to be the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.
And they kissed. No one could move. Nick was whimpering and scrabbling to pull Greg closer for a deeper kiss, tearing the material from his nose so he wouldn't have to pull away to breathe. After long minutes they slowly drew apart and Greg gently pulled the gloves and bubble gum from Nick's ears as well, running a hand down his face again. They were both still crying hard, and now they both trembled, arms wound together tightly with no intention of ever separating.
"I thought I'd lost you," Greg murmured. His eyes never left the ravaged face of the one he would later admit to already being married to. Love shone clear in his face as he choked on the words and almost broke apart because of them. His hands moved to Nick's face again, almost as if reassuring himself that he was really here, and that this wasn't all just another dream. Nick made a small noise.
"I didn't think I'd get to say goodbye," he admitted. "God I love you." And with that they were kissing again, and Catherine could feel her own eyes tearing. She had expected Nick to be carried away silently in an ambulance, probably with her and Warrick in the back holding his hands. Never could she have even dreamt up this situation. It was so shocking, and yet the beauty of it didn't escape her. She could hear Greg whispering 'I love you' over and over, holding Nick's head to his chest again, gently rocking them back and forth.
Catherine looked around and saw tears gathering in the eyes of all her other coworkers, all her other friends. They slowly began walking forward, step by step, closer to the pair that were still on their knees surrendering themselves to the world just to hold each other. Their small steps created a loose circle enclosing the display of affection and blocking it from public view. The two men had their eyes closed, listening to each other's heartbeats and reveling in the love they thought that they had lost. Nick spoke without opening his eyes.
"I recorded my last words for you guys…I told them all about us…I told you I loved you…" Catherine looked down at the bulge in his pocket and knew it was the tape he had recorded. It was then that Grissom cleared his throat and let the medics through to claim Nick in to an ambulance. Greg followed and held his hand for the whole ride, dead to the rest of the world until he knew his Nick would be ok. When Catherine listened to the tape later, her heart almost broke.
My name is Nick Stokes. If anyone finds this, they should turn it in to the Las Vegas PD. There should be a reward.
Mom, Cisco, I know this is a lousy way to say goodbye but it's all I got. I love you. You raised me right. And I'm going to miss you.
As for the rest of you guys, I know you did your best to find me. I don't hold this against you. Grissom, I'm sorry if I ever disappointed you.
But I got something to say, something that needs to be said, and it's my only regret in life that I never got to tell anyone. It's…oh my god…it's about Greg. Our Greg. Greg Sanders.
We're in love. God, we've been married for a year and a half now. Started dating right after the lab explosion, and he…Christ he makes me happy. I'm sorry that I'm not going to get to see your smiling face again darlin'. You mean the world to me, and I hope you never forget how much I love you. God I love you. More than…more than air. Which I'm quickly running out of in here, but I know you're safe, and that…that makes it easier.
It's my fault no one knew about us. I was too scared, and he's been real patient with me. You guys just don't know how amazing he is. He's…so fucking beautiful it hurts. I'm sorry that I'm leaving without you baby. I'll wait for you on the other side. I love you, and don't forget about me.
I guess that's really all I needed to say. Tell my parents I love them. Tell Greg that I hid his birthday present under the floorboard. The wedding rings we never bought. And…and please…if you find this…I want be cremated. It's…my last wish on earth…and I want my tombstone…to read Sanders-Stokes.