Nick walked in to find Grissom in the break room. He was getting ready to hand out assignments.

Grissom called out, "Nick, you have a DB at the Mirage. A jumper from the roof. It just came in."

Nick yawned, "OK, can I take Greg with me?"

"Sorry, you have to work this one alone. We're short staffed with Sara gone. Grave is tapped out."

Nick sighed, "Well, I'll do my best."

Grissom turned to the rest of the team, "Greg, you have a burglary at the Diamond Mart. They got away with about 2,000,000 in diamonds."

Warrick asked, "What do you have for me?"

"I have a suspicious sercs at the Four Aces Motel. Not sure what it is all about."

"I'll check it out and give you a call."

Grissom explained, "OK, I have a DB on Jefferson. It appears to be a drive-by."

Greg turned to leave, "OK. I'm outta here. I'll see you later."

Nick said, "Me, too. I have to be off on time. Shelly comes home tomorrow. I have to go pick her up."

Grissom smiled at him, "That's why I gave you the easy one."

Nick rolled his eyes, "Oh, don't say that, you just cursed me."

"If you get stuck, call and I'll come help."

Warrick teased, "Oh, sure give him special treatment."

Nick smiled at his best friend, "He just likes me better, that's all."

Warrick smiled back, "Oh, go to work."

They all left for their scenes.

Warrick arrived at the Four Aces. Brass was there.

"Hey, Warrick. We're up there. The DB is a hooker. She frequents this place. Her name is Rita Ruiz."

Warrick exhaled, "We've been pulling a body a month out of here."

"It's going from bad to worse here."

"What is going on down were?"

"I don't know. There seems to be a territory war between two gangs and this area is caught in the middle. We're thinking she was here 'working'. The intended victim was her John. She was collateral damage."

"Did anybody see anything?"

"Nothing they are willing to tell us."

Warrick sighed, "Of course."

"We did a canvas of the area and came up with nothing. We are checking the surveillance tapes now, but we don't expect to find much."

Just at that moment a barrage of bullets ripped through the night.

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Grissom had just returned with the evidence from his crime scene when his cell phone rang. He was afraid to answer it. He was tired and wanted to go home. He looked at the caller identification. It was Ecklie. Wearily he answered.

"Grissom."

"Gil, its Conrad. There's been a shooting."

Grissom snapped to attention.

"Who?"

"Warrick Brown."

Grissom leaned against the wall to keep from falling over, "What happened?"

"He responded to the Four Aces Motel with Brass and someone open fire. Warrick was hit and has been taken the Hospital."

Grissom could hardly breathe, "OK, thanks for calling. I'm headed there now. I'll call the rest of the team."

Ecklie:"OK."

"Sara, Warrick was shot tonight."

He said it fast to get it out. His voice cracked.

Sara snapped awake, "What??!!"

"He was on a call…….shots at the scene…..I don't know any more than that."

"Oh my God, Gil. Are you OK? I'll be right there."

"No, you stay with the kids."

"Gil…"

Grissom silenced her protests, "I'm on my way to the hospital now. I'll call you when I know more."

She knew he was right. She needed to say with the kids.

"OK. Gil, I love you.

Grissom's voice cracked again, "Love you, too."

Grissom called Catherine next. And then Nick and Greg. They all met at the Hospital.

Grissom found Brass. He had been standing a few feet from Warrick when he was shot.

"Jim, how are you?"

"Fine...we don't know about Warrick yet. He was hit in the chest. He's in surgery now."

"What did they say?"

"Nothing yet. We just have to wait."

Grissom began a familiar process of waiting. He had been here too many times in the past. He hated hospitals. The rest of the team arrived and began the waiting process too. About four hours later he Doctor came out to talk to them.

Grissom stood and asked, "Doctor, how is he?"

"He made it through the surgery, but is in grave condition. We just don't know if he'll make it. It's a waiting game now."

"OK, Thanks."

Doctor:"We'll keep you posted."

Grissom just nodded his head and turned to call Sara.

Sara answered it on the first ring, "Hi, what did you find out?"

"He made it through the surgery, but he's in grave condition. We just have to wait."

"OK. Thanks. Let me know what you find out. How are you?"

He lied, "I'm OK."

He didn't want to worry Sara. This was hard. Warrick was like a son to him. He didn't want Sara to feel like she needed to come do the hospital. He promised to call her with even the slightest bit of news and be promised to eat and try to get some rest. He didn't know how he was going to do that and stay here, but he had to stay.

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It has been hours since Warrick had come out of surgery. Grissom and Brass were in the waiting room for news. They have kept a constant vigil since he was shot. Warrick was in the intensive care unit. He was hooked up to life support. There was no prognosis about when or if he will wake up. It was just a wait and see game now. They had no choice but to wait.

Grissom turned to Brass, "Jim, you need to get some rest. Go home and I'll call you if something changes."

"No, I'll wait here."

Grissom realized that Brass felt guilty for what had happened to Warrick.

"This was not your fault. You need to take care of yourself. Now go home and get some rest, take a shower, and eat. I'll call you the minute there's a change either way. I promise."

Brass sighed, "I guess you're right. I could use a shower and some rest."

Grissom was relieved, "Go. I'll call I promise."

"On one other condition."

"What's that?"

"You have to go home and get some rest too. You look like shit."

Grissom chuckled.

"I bet I do. I'll go home when Catherine or Nick gets back. They went home for a few hours too."

"Call me if there is any news."

"I promise."

Brass reluctantly left and went home. He did not realize how tired he was until he laid down in bed. Sleep came quickly, but did not last long. First were the nightmares about when he had been shot. Even all these years later he still dreamed about that day. Warrick had been there when he was shot. Maybe that made it even more real. Whatever the reason, he kept reliving it in his sleep. He woke in a sweat and sat up. He looked at the clock. He had slept for about four hours. He tried to go back to sleep but to no avail. He finally gave up and took a shower. The hot water felt good and it helped wake him. He put on clean clothes and got something to eat. The food gave him energy to head back to the hospital. He had work, but that would have to wait until he went to the hospital and checked on Warrick.

When he got there Grissom was still waiting. Nick had joined him.

Nick looked up, "Hey"

"Any change?"

"No."

Grissom said, "I told you I would call if there were any change."

"You also told me you would go home when Nick got here. I gotta go to work. I just wanted to see if there was any change. Do we have any leads on who might have done this?"

"No, they're processing the scene now. There's not much to go on. I'll let you know what they find. The case had been passed off to days."

Just then Catherine walked in. She's carrying coffee for the guys.

"Hi, thought you could use this."

She handed them the cups and kept one for herself.

Nick yawned, "Thanks, between the baby and now this I'm running on no sleep."

Catherine asked, "Any news?"

Grissom answered, "No. I'm going to go home and sleep for a bit. Call me if there is any change. I'll be back before work. I'm on shift tonight. I'll check on the status of the case then. Sara said to call her if you need anything."

"OK, thanks. We'll see you later. I'm on tonight too."

Catherine added, "I'm off so I'll take the next shift here."

Nick said, "I'll stick around for a while."

"Thanks."

Grissom headed home to Sara.

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Grissom was exhausted. Seeing his wife was just what he needed.

"Hi." Was all he could manage.

He wrapped his arms around her and just took her in. He loved the smell of her hair. She had become his rock. He was grateful that she was his. He remembered all too well that he almost lost her. He couldn't let go of her.

Sara sensed something was not right with him. Sara knew how much Warrick meant to Grissom. He had always had a soft spot for him.

e

"Hi, what's wrong?"

"I'm just glad you're mine and that you're OK."

"I am yours and I am OK."

"Where are the kids?"

"Lily came and took them for a while so I could go to the hospital."

Grissom suddenly was not so tired, "You mean we are alone in the house."

Sara got the gist of his suggestion, "What do you have in mind?"

Grissom took her hand and lead her down the hall.

"Come with me and I'll show you."

He needed to feel alive and making love to his wife was what he wanted more than anything right now, even more than sleep.

Sara felt his need to connect with her. When they were done he pulled her close and let sleep overtake him. She listened as he breathing changed to the slow even breaths of deep sleep. She watched him sleep for a long while before she too fell asleep.

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Catherine and Nick were waiting when the doctor came out to give them some news.

"Are you here for Warrick Brown?"

Nick and Catherine stood up.

Nick answered, "Yes, is there news?"

Doctor tried to be gentle, "Yes, and it's not good."

Catherine grabbed Nick's arm as the Doctor told them what has happened.

"He has lapsed into a deep coma. Now this is the body's way of healing. He has a lot of healing to do. It's not uncommon for this kind of thing to happen."

Catherine chocked out, "Will......will he be OK?"

Doctor:"I just can't tell you at this point. We'll have to wait and see."

Nick thanked the doctor, "Thanks for the update. I'll let the others know."

Catherine also thanked him, "Thanks."

Nick called Brass and gave him the updated news. He also tried Grissom but got no answer. Good thought Nick. He needed to sleep.

"Grissom must be asleep. I didn't get an answer. I left him a message."

Catherine agreed, "Yeah, he was tired."

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Grissom did not hear his phone ring. He as exhausted. Sara managed to sleep for an hour before she woke up. She slipped out of bed without waking Grissom. She saw the message on Grissom's cell phone. It was Nick's number. She called him back.

Nick answered, "Stokes,"

"Hi Nick, its Sara. Is there any news?

"Yeah, but it's not good."

Sara sat down, "What happened?"

"Warrick's in a coma."

"Oh, God."

"The doctor said it's his body's way of healing. We won't know anything for a while. Is Grissom there?"

"Yeah, he's sleeping. I'll tell him."

"We'll be down there in a while."

"OK"

"Nick, do you need anything?"

"No, I'm heading home soon. Catherine's here. I have to work tonight and I need to get some sleep."

"I'll see you later then. Tell Catherine to call me if she needs anything."

"I will."

Sara hung up the phone and headed in to wake Grissom to tell him the news. It would be easier coming from her.

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A/N:

Well, I don't quite know what I am going to do with Warrick now. I haven't decided if he will make it or not. It's Fan Fiction we can do whatever we want to. That's what makes it fun. I may not get any more posted until next week because I have finals due this weekend. Let me know what you would like to see happen to Warrick. Thanks for reading.