Nick was left alone, at last, with Greg in the ICU's room.
He stood there for a long moment before he finally pulled the chair up to Greg's right side. Nick settled down and put his hand in Greg's before he slowly started to rub that promise ring as he wished he could see Greg's face.
There were tubes and wires and white gauze everywhere.
The only way you could tell it was Greg was by the ID band on his right wrist.
Nick could tell by the bones in Greg's hands. The way they curved and moved and where the joints were. He had been here before. At Greg's bedside when he'd been nearly beaten senseless. It was then that Nick had memorized Greg's hands in his sleep. Nick had felt the way they'd moved and had felt the way his muscles flexed around his wrist and the tension of his forearm muscles.
Now, it was the only way Nick knew that Greg had suffered more than he should have.
The machines pumped oxygen into his lungs and he had a tube up his nose and another in his throat. There was an IV and a blood transfusion going through a machine that pumped some medication through him. He looked like he might be brain dead, but his monitors were saying he had brain activity.
Nick was hopeful that Greg could hear him. "I'm sorry. God almighty, I'd die if I could give you a chance." He leaned forward and his head rested on the palm of Greg's hand. Nick began to trace the lines up Greg's arm to the crook of his elbow before he traced it to the outside and back down. "Greg, I'm not sure if you can hear me, but I'm sorry, 'kay? I want to be able to be here if you wake up. I'm not sure if you can hear me. But I'm right here."
He closed his eyes and a tear fell to the skin just below him. Nick had to move back and wipe away that tear before he saw Greg's skin absorb the tear into the center of his palm. Nick sat back and tried to think of something else.
-Sara-
"How long will he last?"
"Only a few more months. He has something you guys should see."
The doctor pulled up the bag of Greg's belongings.
"You see, Mr. Sanders actually recorded the crash by mistake." He put on a latex glove and handed it over. "I know how you guys feel about fingerprints. It's a bit smashed, but the phone was displaying the recording device when he arrived."
Sara nodded. "Um, do you think that he's not going to survive because of prior injuries?"
"Yes." The doctor looked at Nick, sitting beside Greg's bed. "His spine was severely jolted from his last good beating prior to the one you were investigating. That last one did major damage to his neck and shoulders. The crash took him pretty far from recovery." The doctor suddenly turned to them. "I'm sorry, allow me to step away."
Langston shook his head. "We handle it together. We can take it."
The doctor paused and then looked at Nick. "Shouldn't you summon him?"
Catherine shook her head. "No, he's already known about all the injuries prior."
The doctor sighed and turned to the counter. "Will you excuse us?"
The nurse was about to say something when a monitor went off. "Well, I suppose I will." She smiled and walked down the hall.
He turned back to the CSIs. "Greg took a nasty blow to his chest. It concaved his entire left side. All his ribs are either broken or shattered. His neck was sprained and his back was broken from just below the ribs. It's almost as if he was trying to protect someone. Which would make sense why the driver is just being patched up in the ER." He held up Greg's belongings again. "When he arrived, he was saturating the gurney due to a piece of glass protruding from his right upper arm. He's beyond the point of hopeful. If he survives, it'll be by the good graces of God."
Sara had to look away and at Nick. "How long before you know?"
"Two weeks, max." The doctor slowly lowered the bag. "I know you guys are going through a change in faculty. Perhaps the new guy should see the state of Mr. Sanders and determine if he's worth saving. Mr. Sanders has an out-dated DNR, so, one of you will have to decide that for him."
Catherine nodded and thanked him. They were grouping around the door when they noticed Nick standing beside the open door. His shoulders were touching the wall and his hands hung limp at his sides. "It seems bleak, but maybe Russel will be able to help us, Nikki."
He shook his head. "It doesn't matter to me. I'm still going to visit him."
"I know, but Russel can decide if Greg's worth our resources. For now, we've got a lead on what might have happened."
Nick nodded. "Can I stay?"
"No, you sit and then stay," came an unfamiliar voice to them.
Nick peeked around the door. "Who-?"
"Russel, you got here fast."
He shrugged. "Came to see why everyone was on pins and needles back home. Let me see him."