Author: Nicksfriend
Rating:k
Spoilers: Grave Danger
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...that is for sure.
Author's note:This is my first CSI fic. Please be gentle.
Nicole had been off for only one night when she was called in to work ICU. It was nice to pick up extra time in the ICU unit and the money always came in handy for great trips. She loved to travel especially in the fall of the year. Entering the ICU area she quickly clocked in with her badge and picked up her assignment.
Placing her purse and bag into the locker she sat down and started reading over the report , she suddenly stopped as she read the name, Nicholas Stokes. Recognition was instantaneous and she stood and walked into the ICU cubicle where he was lying propped on his side. His eyelids dark and swollen, he sported a serious collection of reddened areas with white pustules and he was still intubated.
Unable to just walk away back to report she walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him comfort in his restless sleep."Mr Stokes, it is Nicole, you probably don't remember me but I took care of you when you were in the emergency room." She smiled and shook her head, taking in his appearance, " I'm going to be your nurse tonight." How could anybody hurt someone like this and be human, she thought to herself?
She checked the monitor settings and felt they were all within normal ranges and walked back to get report.
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The halls of the crime lab were somewhat somber except for the sound of soft music coming from Hodges work area. Even the resident egghead was being respectful of the mood of the crew.
Sara and Catherine were waiting in the lounge for Grissom to arrive. Greg was sitting in the video room with Archie watching some ATM footage from a recent unsolved case.
Grissom walked in with assignments to be given out, the absence of Nick and Warrick tonight would be greatly missed, it was going to be a long night and he could see a double in the making given his lack of staff.
"Sara you are solo tonight, DB at the Shop and Save market at 4900 Dean Martin Drive." He looked at her the grin he had just placed on her face was priceless. She stood and moved towards the door. She hesitated and turned, "How's Nick?."
Grissom had just called Warrick, he was still having a difficult time but he just smiled and stated," He's hanging in there right now."
She nodded, a sad expression covered her face, she turned and left for her assignment without saying another word.
Grissom knew that everybody was hurting right now but knew that they had to keep their minds and hands busy. He would keep tabs on Nick's progress with Warrick. He knew he would not leave his friend's side.
He picked up were he left off handing out the night's assignments, it had to be done.
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Nicole gowned, gloved and picked up the pink stethoscope that was for isolation patients only. As she approached her patient's bed she noted his eyes fluttering, Grace had told her that he was a fighter.
"Mr Stokes, my name is Nicole, but my friends call me Nikki. I am your nurse tonight as I told you earlier. I need to make a few assessments okay?" Not really expecting as answer.
She placed her stethoscope on his chest checking breath sounds in each lobe noting that he was diminished slightly at his left base, she already knew that from the chest xray that had been obtained earlier when he started running fever.
Lying in a grave for twenty-four hours unable to move but only inches could have been one of the causes of the new pneumonia but it was being treated with heavy duty antibiotics and fever reducers, she was certain that he would overcome this one set back.
Placing her stethoscope over his abdomen she listened to each quadrant and the hypoactive bowel sounds in each, her concern that he may also develop an ileus, due to his bed ridden state. She would ask if Dr Allen, who was now covering the ICU would like to start him on some nutrition, possibly glucerna select.
She took out her pin light and checked each pupil and noted they were reactive to light, the EEG attached to his head showed that he had not suffered any brain damage from the lack of oxygen in the coffin. After checking his central line and securing his lines with new tape she noted theses things in Nicks' nursing notes. Marking the amounts of urine output and the amount of fluid intake for the hour she sat down and charted his present vitals, the numbers were good and within normal limits. The continuous EKG was now showing sinus rhythm, the rapid heartrate had improved from the night before.
She glanced up and saw Dr Allen and called out, " Dr Allen do you want to start him on parenteral nutrition, maybe a dobhoff?"
He glanced up and reached for Nick's chart. "That is actually a good idea given his pneumonia and the burn on his back, just make sure he keeps that head up at least ninety degrees, we don't need any more complications such as aspiration. Also watch him for fluid overload."
Nicole nodded and took out a tubing pack from the cabinet and some ky jelly and placed the lubricant on the end of the long yellow tube.
She placed him in an almost sitting position and started to slide the tube into the right nostril hoping that it would not curl around the intubation tube as it slid down his throat into his esophagus, she was successful and continued to push the tube down until a short about of tubing was left remaining sticking out, leaving the guide wire inside the tube, she turned and asked the unit clerk to order a KUB, the abdominal xray would check for placement then she would tape it into place.
Nick had not moved during the insertion but then his body suddenly reacted to the intrusion of the tube with a coughing spell which Nicole knew would pass but it kept sending the machine's beepers and buzzers off with an almost constant alarm.
Nick's eyes were watering with the coughing fits and she grabbed a handful of tissue and started wiping his face gently avoiding scratching the multiple stings on his face, his hands still had not attempted to remove the tubing but she was afraid she would have to apply restraints if he started to try to pull it out of his nose. Remembering Dr Fuller's words about no restraints due to his extensive abuse with his abduction she decided to make sure he could not reach the tube. She would bring her chair closer and hold his hands if necessary.
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Warrick sat exhausted in the ICU waiting area, the last visit with Nick had been extremely emotional for him, seeing his friend wrapped in new bandages. The television was playing softly, the name Nicholas Stokes quickly becoming an everyday name for all the world, CNN,FOX and MSNBC were carrying the story as if Nick was some movie star. The one thing he new about Nick is that he was a private man and hated people prying into his private life. Judge Stokes had earlier berated the intrusion into his son's life knowing that Nick had moved to Vegas to avoid this very scenario.
The family was coping at different levels and he could not help to see another side of Nick's family, they loved him with all their hearts but he did notice that he was still treated like the baby of the family.
Warrick stood and stretched out hand when he saw a familiar face enter the ICU lounge, he walked over to greet Brass who seemed more tired that he felt.
"Hey, how is Nicky?" he asked quietly as he motioned for Warrick to follow him out of the quiet room.
Warrick nodded and followed answering,"He's hanging in there right now."
The new presence of security guards in the hallway and at the ICU doors were new and the look on Brass's face was not lost on Warrick, he had seen this face before.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Brass took a deep breath and spoke,"This place has turned into a zoo." He motioned Warrick to follow him to his office and when they arrived they entered and locked the door.
"Is Nick going to be safe here?" he asked concerned about the intrusion of press and the public, all trying to get a glimpse of the man who had been buried alive and who had survived with all the gory details.
They both took a seat and Brass reached into his desk and pulled out the evening edition of the times and it had Nick's picture plastered on the front page along with still aerial shots of his grave. The headline was ' Crime Scene Investigator Nick Stokes Captured, Buried and Tortured'.
Nicky is not going to like this he thought to himself. He watched as Brass pulled out several papers all with different headlines, 'Buried Alive" the most common headline and "He Survived' being the other.
"I have increased security but I have a feeling Nick is in for a rough ride. This kind of intrusion will only get worse over the next few weeks,people live for something good and will not want to let go of it until they get their fill regardless of the intrusion on his personal life." Brass grumbled as he placed the papers off his desk.
"I guess that never occurred to me that this would get that much publicity." Warrick paused as he remembered the the Crimestoppers article and how Nick hated the unwanted attention it brought him, the embarrassment that people could see into his life. "We'll have to be more vigilant and if possible more protective of Nick's privacy."
Brass nodded, "I've increased security at every entrance and in ICU I've placed guards and provided extra protection to the family with undercover policemen. But even I know that a place like Desert Palms can not be secured one hundred percent." he paused and stood, needing to go and check on some other things.
"Hopefully we'll get Nick well and out of here in a few days." his voice sounding unsure of his own words.
"Hopefully man." He stood to go back to the ICU but turned to look at Brass one last time, "We have to protect him, we both know what he endured in that box, it will be a long time before he is the same man."
The sad look on Warrick's face was not lost on Brass who new the friendship between these two men was solid, a thought of how they always had been competitive but protective of each other.
"That's what pisses me off the most." They both left the office to go to their perspective places, both with one thing in common, protect Nick.
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Nicole had her charting on Nick's bedside table with the laptop open to his history. This was not the first time this man had suffered a blow on his profession. According to his history he had been thrown from a window once before and suffered several injuries, though none were life threatening it must have had an effect on him.
She looked over at the new feeding pump that was now infusing his tube feeding and noted the rate, she was increasing it in small increments so as not to shock his gut.
The respiratory therapist had started to wean Nick off the ventilator, Nick had started to fight the machine with coughing spells and trying to take his own breaths. This was actually a good sign, as the order to also decrease his sedative had been given so that he could come up out of his dsedated state and be more alert.
Suddenly she was looking into his deep brown eyes and he desperately was trying to move his hands towards the tubes inflicting the pain on his raw throat, at least this is what she thought. She grabbed both hands into her own and tried to comfort him with words. Telling him if was going to be fine but she suddenly noticed his eyes were unfocused and he was fighting more than the tubes, he was trying to push her off and fear was in his eyes. Her history of taking care of trauma patients she had seen many full blown panic attack before and this was definitely one for the books. "I need help please." Her voice loud but in control.
Suddenly the doctor and several other nurses appeared and a pair of restraints were pulled out of a box by another nurse to tie his hands down but the physician stopped that process. "He is to have not restraints even if we have to sit and hold his hands the rest of the shift."
The staff complied and Nick's sedative was increased again but not to the same level of sedation he had before and their patient started to relax,the doctor spoke." Mr Stokes we are trying to remove that tube out of your throat, do you understand ?"
Nick nodded, and allowed the removal of the tape and when the tube slid from his throat he coughed for several seconds, exhausted from the previous events he closed his eyes and slept, a nasal cannuli was placed around his face to replace the oxygen that he had been getting from the ventilator and adjusted the liters to keep his sat levels above ninety five percent.
"Let's see how he does with this but you can place a mask if his sats fall below ninety-five percent. Also, the burn to his lower back was debrided last night, I want to take a look at it while we have him out." Dr Allen rolled him over and removed the fresh bandage that Nicole had placed earlier and noted that it looked better, it was still draining but the silvadine cream was doing the trick. He left Nicole to rebandage the wound and she placed him to his other side with his head elevated.
Visitors would be coming in soon so she quickly cleaned up the mess that had been created during the removal of the tube and the ventilator was pushed to the side. She took the tube of cream for his bites and lathered it on his face, allowing it to soak in before his visitors were to see him. If he awakened she did not want him to be in any pain so she hit his PCA button on his medication machine and gave him an extra dose of his pain med.
The monitors told her that his breathing was effective and his sats were within normal range. She took the restraints that had been pulled from the box and placed them in a drawer, she would not need them on her shift, the tubes would be kept in place the old fashion way, soft talking and holding his hands if necessary.
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Elizabeth and John entered the ICU cubicle to see that their brother was definitely improving, the intubation tube had been removed and Nick was breathing on his own now. They could not help but to smile at their little brother's ability to surprise them. The judge and his wife were next in line and tears filled their eyes as they noticed his improvement and Warrick just smiled,'Way to go Nicky." he thought to himself.
As if Nick to read his friends's thoughts he opened his eyes and stared at the crowd before him, he reached out for his mother's hands after a few seconds of trying to adjust his eyes to the light. "Hey." his sore, gravely voice which was not barely above a whisper greeted the crowd in the room.
"Hey your self Pancho. How are you feeling son?" The father was emotional, so happy to see that his son was a survivor, it was what he expected of his younger son. He expected him to put up a fight, it is what the Stokes family name was all about, overcoming adversity.
Nick's expression changed at the mention of the nickname as if it were bringing back a bad memory .This was not lost on Warrick who was standing in the background taking in the family moment. Just as quick Nick was back to talking, rather listening to his family talk. His throat too raw and sore to talk but he gave them a flash of a smile that seemed to satisfy them all.
One by one they left, each giving him a kiss and a hug avoiding his multiple tubes and wires.
Warrick was the last one at the bedside, words were difficult but he knew Nick would want him to be himself. "Man you had me worried."
Nick rolled his eyes and shrugged, pointing at the glass of water on his table and Warrick glanced at his nurse who nodded that he could have a drink.
Nicole walked over and picked up the glass and placed a straw inside and poured some cool water, "Just take a sip, I don't want you choke."
Nick nodded and took a small sip, the tube in the back of his throat was making his throat sore and difficult to swallow. He waved the glass away.
Nick looked at Warrick who seemed so tired. His weak hand raised and pointed at his friend,"You're tired, go home."barely getting out the words and grimacing in the process.
Warrick was moved that even though he was the sick one he was thinking more about him, "I'm not leaving you man. I won't leave you"
Nick raised his hand, Nicole now watching him closely, her fear that he might try to remove the tube.
Warrick knew immediately that Nick was playing their game, rock, paper, scissors and if he won he could stay and if he lost then Nick would expect him to go home and rest.
They held up their fists and Warrick and Nick did their fists together, Nick was rock and Warrick drew scissors.
"Okay man, I will go home but I'll be back after I sleep and take a bath." Warrick conceded to losing to Nick.
"Good." Nick gave him a small wave and closed his eyes knowing that the one rule of the game was that they had to abide by the results. He knew that Warrick would go home and sleep so therefore he would not have to worry about his friend.
When Warrick left Nicole took her seat next to her patient again and held his left hand in hers and charted with her right. She felt more protective now than she had earlier, she saw a glimpse of the man who Nick Stokes was and she loved what she saw.
Rarely was she ever affected by a patient but this man was definitely having an affect on her and it was a nice feeling.
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Okay people do I write more or end it now? Let me know!