Ok I'm double posting so I don't know if anyone's reviewed yet! Although I
hope so! Anyway, I was on a role last night when I wrote the last chapter
so I thought I might continue today. Anyway I hope it lives up to your
expectations. Chapter 9.
Breathing his last he grasped hold of his mother's outstretched hand and fell into the endless expanse of white light before him.
"Greg no!" Catherine wailed shortly before collapsing onto his lifeless form. Warrick reached out for one of Greg's hands and stroked it hoping that this simple gesture of friendship alone would be strong enough to bring him back to life. Grissom kept his hand over Greg's wound and in his free hand felt his pulse. It was gone. Grissom felt dizzy and sick and knew he was going into shock. The only one who wasn't crying or silent with grief was Ecklie who was thunderously booming orders into his cell phone.
"You don't want your friend to die do you?" He barked at Grissom.
"N. n. no." Grissom shook out.
"Well help me then."
"He's gone."
"Brass, help me." Brass nodded and pushed Catherine out of the way slightly. He watched as Ecklie started to breath for Greg. 5 short breaths and then Brass knew it was his turn. He started the compressions lightly, not wanting to hurt Greg, and then realised how stupid this was. Pushing harder on the lab tech's chest they began to work together, working in complete silence trying to get Greg back. Brass was beginning to give up hope, but Ecklie wouldn't. He positioned himself over he young man beneath him and gave him air again and again praying all the time for Greg to rejoin the land of the living.
Between each set he checked Greg's pulse and to his dismay still found it to be absent. Ferociously getting back to work he knew that soon it would be beyond hope and that he only had a minute or so to revive him. His lungs burning for air themselves, he took one huge breath and then gave it selflessly to Greg. Letting his fingers trace down to Greg's neck he closed his eyes and concentrated. Please let him live, he heard himself say aloud.
Finally believing that the battle was over he looked over at Brass. Catching his gaze Catherine, covered in blood, retreated into Warrick's opened opens and sobbed uncontrollably whilst Grissom removed himself from the floor and turned around to face the door.
He couldn't watch. He should have told Greg how much he meant to him, how much he meant to them all and now Greg was gone. There was too much to say and time had run out before any of them could express how they felt. Grissom began to mumble, "How are we going to tell Nick and Sara?"
"Shut up!" Ecklie hissed. Grissom was astounded at first but then he noticed how close Ecklie was to Greg's face.
He thought he was imagining it at first, but Ecklie knew a pulse when he felt one even if it was the weakest one he'd ever felt.
"He's alive!" He shouted. "He's alive."
Just as he said this, the paramedics burst into the room and looked in horror at the scene before them. Shaking their heads they got down to business and placed an oxygen mask over Greg's mouth. Whisking him onto a stretcher they took him immediately down the stairs and out of the building with the team in hot pursuit. They'd already placed Nick in an ambulance and Greg was next. There wasn't room for any of the 5 remaining friends in the ambulance trucks so they watched as their friends were taken away until only the faint sound of a siren proved this whole nightmare had happened at all.
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Grissom slowly coming out of shock, turned to face Ecklie. "You saved him." He stated.
"No we saved him." Ecklie pronounced nodding his head in the direction of Brass.
"Fine you both saved him, well for now anyway. We need to get to the hospital and see if the doctors can repeat the miracle."
No one spoke for the entire journey and whilst Grissom and Ecklie shared the two front seats of Ecklie's SUV Brass, Catherine and Warrick squashed into the back. Catherine hadn't stopped crying and Warrick hadn't talked since the incident either. He couldn't physically make his mouth open and form the words he so desperately needed to say. The only thing that he could do was replay memories from over the years and smile at how Greg had kept them smiling with his insane antics. And for some bizarre reason unknown to Warrick, he had the lyrics to a song that he didn't quite recognise running through his head.
Why did the bad things always happen to the good guys? He wasn't able to answer his own question as a huge lump formed in his throat and he turned his attentions to outside the window, sheltering his emotions from his friends.
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"Greg it's not your time to come with us yet." He was holding his mothers hand looking over a pale listless man lying in a bright white room.
"But mom you came to get me. Why can't I come? I miss you mom."
"You'll find out when you get back."
"Back to what?"
"To life."
"But mom I don't want to go, I want to be with you and dad and Granny and Aunt Mary."
"I know you do son. We all love you very much and we miss you too but its not your time to come with us yet. When it is I promise that we'll all still be here." She bent down and kissed his forehead lightly and as he closed his eyes to relish one of the things he'd missed the most, he felt like he was falling and slowly he fell back into the darkness.
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Normally in these situations it would be Greg who would keep them all stable, he was the one who could make light of anything. However, he wasn't here and the team dearly missed his influence. They sat apart from each other, shock and worry distancing their friendships and although there were words that needed to be said, no one had the courage to voice them.
Half an hour later, Nick walked unsteadily into the waiting room to a chorus of 'How are you?' and worried hugs. Truth was they'd told him he needed to stay in overnight for surveillance but he told them where to shove it. Right now Nick needed to help his friends get through this even if his head felt like a ten tonne truck had just run over it. He settled them all down, firstly getting them all a strong coffee, then he moved onto consoling Catherine and then after finding out the whole story he congratulated and thanked Ecklie and Brass.
Greg was his best friend and now he was in danger of not coming out of this alive. After paying a quick visit to the hospital chapel he made his way to Sara's room, who knew nothing about tonight's escapades.
After a brief explanation, Nick had to console the other female of the team and suddenly he felt the urge to cry along with her. But his tears could be reserved for later, right now he knew he had to be strong. No tears could escape. He stayed with her for a while and then he went to tackle Grissom.
He'd stayed silent throughout the whole waiting room experience and Nick had to try and get through to him. Walking back into the waiting room he found the plastic seat where Grissom had been to be empty. Where was he?
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Grissom didn't really go to bookstores often, he just ordered books off the Internet but today he knew exactly what he had to get Greg. If he. he stopped that train of thought and started again. When Greg got out of his unconscious state, Grissom wanted to give him a present he'd love. And he knew exactly what to get him.
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"Mr. Ecklie?" the junior nurse nervously coughed out. "Mr. Ecklie?" she repeated.
He turned quickly to face her and she smiled gently at him. "The doctor would like to talk to you alone."
"About Greg yes?"
"About Mr. Sanders."
"Yeah. Well I'm sorry but no. We're a team, we all care about Greg and we all need to know how he is. So whatever the doctor is going to say he can say it in front of all of us."
Ecklie had lowered his voice throughout his speech. He didn't want the team to hear his emotions coming out. He was known as the tough guy a reputation that even in the circumstances he was determined to retain.
"Mr. Ecklie I presume." The doctor stated politely. He was a middle-aged man, with greying hair around the temples, probably from all the stress he had in his job. He was of stocky build and a few inches taller than Conrad.
"Yes." Ecklie managed to rasp out.
"I'm afraid that I have both good and bad news. The bad news is that your friend is going to be in the ICU for a number of days, maybe even weeks. He was severely injured in the incident, and although the surgery was a success we have no idea as to whether Greg's body can fight it. At the moment we've got him connected to a drip to keep him hydrated and we've taken precautionary measures to try to ensure that he stays with us throughout today and tonight." The doctor paused momentarily to let Ecklie and the other 4 friends who had congregated time to digest the information. "The good news is that he's stable for the moment and he was conscious. We gave him a sedative and some painkillers so that he could get some rest. You'll probably be able to see him this evening, If," the doctor emphasised the word, "If, he's up to it. I suggest you all go home, get a few hours sleep, a wash and some food and come back later tonight. I'll try everything in my power to let you see him this evening but right now he needs rest. And by the looks of it, you could do with it as well." The doctor stopped once more and stared one by one at the team. He could see them trying to think of excuses not to go but then the light fell once more from their eyes and they reluctantly gave in.
10 minutes later they had all vacated the waiting room and the doctor got back to his duties. Or at least he would have done if it had not been for a man who asked as to the progress and whereabouts of a Mr. Greg Sanders. He later introduced himself as Gil Grissom. The man carrying a suspicious looking book under his left arm looked upset and dishevelled and taking pity on him, the doctor showed him to Greg's isolated room, and Grissom couldn't believe the irony of it all. Greg was in the room Sara had been in.
Placing a chair next to the bed, the doctor motioned for Grissom to sit down and then left the man to his own devices.
"Hey Greg, I don't know if you can hear me but." he paused whilst he tried to swallow, the huge lump in his throat preventing him from doing so. "But I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I'm sorry for always coming down hard on you and not appreciating the fact that you bust your ass to keep me happy and all I do is throw it back in your face. I also want to say I'm sorry for giving up on you back at the scene. If Brass and Ecklie hadn't kept on going then we would have lost you and I never would have forgiven myself. I think you've probably guessed I don't apologise very often but I know that I need to. I've got a present for you but I'll wait until you wake up before I tell you what it is. Lets just say I think you're going to like it. You're also probably wondering what I'm still doing here. Well I didn't want you to wake up in a strange place all alone. So I'm here for you Greg. Take your time; I'll be here for you." Placing a friendly hand over the impossibly white hand of the younger man, Grissom lowered his head onto the bed next to Greg's hand. Finally he drifted off to sleep.
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8 hours later and the team had all slept briefly, washed, eaten and returned to the hospital, intent on making the doctor deliver his promise. And the doctor in turn delivered. The sedative should be wearing off anytime now and Greg should wake up. However, everything was conditional at present because everything was up in the air. The doctor went to check on Greg and noticed that the man was still there, resting his head on Greg's bed, presumably sleeping. He hated to have to do it but he had to wake him up. Shaking him slightly, Gil jumped. Getting up out of the chair and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the heels of his hands, he watched as the doctor went about his work checking on Greg.
Turning away from the bed, Grissom failed to possess the courage to keep looking at the younger man. He was so impossibly white; he just hoped that he woke up soon.
"Hello, there Mr Sanders. I'm Doctor Selmes. How are you feeling?"
Grissom spun on his heels hoping that this meant what he thought it meant.
"Rough." Came the reply.
Smiling at this, Grissom moved back to his position in the chair next to his bed.
"You've got 5 minutes before I let the rest of your friends in."
Grissom acknowledged the generosity of the man with a brief nod and a smile and then turned his attentions back once more to Greg.
"Hey."
"Hi Grissom. You come here often?"
Smiling at the joke of the now conscious lab tech he replied. "Well I hope not. Well at least not anymore. You scared us today Greg."
"I scared myself."
"Umm, I've only got a couple of minutes before the rest of the team come in and I really need to give you this on your own." Brandishing a black leather covered book he held it out to Greg. Placing it just in front of himself, Greg traced with disbelief the gold gilt letters on the front cover.
"How to be a CSI. Volume I."
"But."
"But nothing. You showed today that you've got what it takes Greg. I would love to have your courage on my team."
"I don't know what to say."
"Don't worry about it. Look here comes everyone else. There's a message on the inside cover for you but don't read it until I've gone."
Greg nodded gingerly and pondered momentarily over the message just as the team burst into the room armed with flowers, teddies and fruit.
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The team had just left as Doctor Selmes, armed with 3 nurses had shuffled them out. Greg returned his attentions again to the book on the bedside table next to him. Picking it up he traced the letters one more. He thought he'd never hear Grissom say the words that he had earlier. Turning the cover over gently he read Grissom's scrawl.
"Dear Greg,
I bet this is a shock to you! However, you deserve to follow your dreams. And don't deny it because Sara told me what they were. You've got what it takes Greg.
Grissom. X
P.S. 'For all those times you stood by me, For all the truth that you made me see, For all the joy you brought to my life, For all the wrongs that you made right.'
See you in work soon Greg."
Greg smiled at the fond message and couldn't believe how soppy Grissom had been. He must have really been scared. Finally contented, Greg let his head lower once more onto the pillow and drifted off in to a deep sleep.
Wow. Double posting. That's got to be a new one for me hasn't it?! Anyway I'd be really happy if you reviewed. If you have any ideas about whether I should leave the story there or whatever I'd love to hear them. Until next time loads of love Tinx .=) XX
Breathing his last he grasped hold of his mother's outstretched hand and fell into the endless expanse of white light before him.
"Greg no!" Catherine wailed shortly before collapsing onto his lifeless form. Warrick reached out for one of Greg's hands and stroked it hoping that this simple gesture of friendship alone would be strong enough to bring him back to life. Grissom kept his hand over Greg's wound and in his free hand felt his pulse. It was gone. Grissom felt dizzy and sick and knew he was going into shock. The only one who wasn't crying or silent with grief was Ecklie who was thunderously booming orders into his cell phone.
"You don't want your friend to die do you?" He barked at Grissom.
"N. n. no." Grissom shook out.
"Well help me then."
"He's gone."
"Brass, help me." Brass nodded and pushed Catherine out of the way slightly. He watched as Ecklie started to breath for Greg. 5 short breaths and then Brass knew it was his turn. He started the compressions lightly, not wanting to hurt Greg, and then realised how stupid this was. Pushing harder on the lab tech's chest they began to work together, working in complete silence trying to get Greg back. Brass was beginning to give up hope, but Ecklie wouldn't. He positioned himself over he young man beneath him and gave him air again and again praying all the time for Greg to rejoin the land of the living.
Between each set he checked Greg's pulse and to his dismay still found it to be absent. Ferociously getting back to work he knew that soon it would be beyond hope and that he only had a minute or so to revive him. His lungs burning for air themselves, he took one huge breath and then gave it selflessly to Greg. Letting his fingers trace down to Greg's neck he closed his eyes and concentrated. Please let him live, he heard himself say aloud.
Finally believing that the battle was over he looked over at Brass. Catching his gaze Catherine, covered in blood, retreated into Warrick's opened opens and sobbed uncontrollably whilst Grissom removed himself from the floor and turned around to face the door.
He couldn't watch. He should have told Greg how much he meant to him, how much he meant to them all and now Greg was gone. There was too much to say and time had run out before any of them could express how they felt. Grissom began to mumble, "How are we going to tell Nick and Sara?"
"Shut up!" Ecklie hissed. Grissom was astounded at first but then he noticed how close Ecklie was to Greg's face.
He thought he was imagining it at first, but Ecklie knew a pulse when he felt one even if it was the weakest one he'd ever felt.
"He's alive!" He shouted. "He's alive."
Just as he said this, the paramedics burst into the room and looked in horror at the scene before them. Shaking their heads they got down to business and placed an oxygen mask over Greg's mouth. Whisking him onto a stretcher they took him immediately down the stairs and out of the building with the team in hot pursuit. They'd already placed Nick in an ambulance and Greg was next. There wasn't room for any of the 5 remaining friends in the ambulance trucks so they watched as their friends were taken away until only the faint sound of a siren proved this whole nightmare had happened at all.
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Grissom slowly coming out of shock, turned to face Ecklie. "You saved him." He stated.
"No we saved him." Ecklie pronounced nodding his head in the direction of Brass.
"Fine you both saved him, well for now anyway. We need to get to the hospital and see if the doctors can repeat the miracle."
No one spoke for the entire journey and whilst Grissom and Ecklie shared the two front seats of Ecklie's SUV Brass, Catherine and Warrick squashed into the back. Catherine hadn't stopped crying and Warrick hadn't talked since the incident either. He couldn't physically make his mouth open and form the words he so desperately needed to say. The only thing that he could do was replay memories from over the years and smile at how Greg had kept them smiling with his insane antics. And for some bizarre reason unknown to Warrick, he had the lyrics to a song that he didn't quite recognise running through his head.
Why did the bad things always happen to the good guys? He wasn't able to answer his own question as a huge lump formed in his throat and he turned his attentions to outside the window, sheltering his emotions from his friends.
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"Greg it's not your time to come with us yet." He was holding his mothers hand looking over a pale listless man lying in a bright white room.
"But mom you came to get me. Why can't I come? I miss you mom."
"You'll find out when you get back."
"Back to what?"
"To life."
"But mom I don't want to go, I want to be with you and dad and Granny and Aunt Mary."
"I know you do son. We all love you very much and we miss you too but its not your time to come with us yet. When it is I promise that we'll all still be here." She bent down and kissed his forehead lightly and as he closed his eyes to relish one of the things he'd missed the most, he felt like he was falling and slowly he fell back into the darkness.
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Normally in these situations it would be Greg who would keep them all stable, he was the one who could make light of anything. However, he wasn't here and the team dearly missed his influence. They sat apart from each other, shock and worry distancing their friendships and although there were words that needed to be said, no one had the courage to voice them.
Half an hour later, Nick walked unsteadily into the waiting room to a chorus of 'How are you?' and worried hugs. Truth was they'd told him he needed to stay in overnight for surveillance but he told them where to shove it. Right now Nick needed to help his friends get through this even if his head felt like a ten tonne truck had just run over it. He settled them all down, firstly getting them all a strong coffee, then he moved onto consoling Catherine and then after finding out the whole story he congratulated and thanked Ecklie and Brass.
Greg was his best friend and now he was in danger of not coming out of this alive. After paying a quick visit to the hospital chapel he made his way to Sara's room, who knew nothing about tonight's escapades.
After a brief explanation, Nick had to console the other female of the team and suddenly he felt the urge to cry along with her. But his tears could be reserved for later, right now he knew he had to be strong. No tears could escape. He stayed with her for a while and then he went to tackle Grissom.
He'd stayed silent throughout the whole waiting room experience and Nick had to try and get through to him. Walking back into the waiting room he found the plastic seat where Grissom had been to be empty. Where was he?
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Grissom didn't really go to bookstores often, he just ordered books off the Internet but today he knew exactly what he had to get Greg. If he. he stopped that train of thought and started again. When Greg got out of his unconscious state, Grissom wanted to give him a present he'd love. And he knew exactly what to get him.
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"Mr. Ecklie?" the junior nurse nervously coughed out. "Mr. Ecklie?" she repeated.
He turned quickly to face her and she smiled gently at him. "The doctor would like to talk to you alone."
"About Greg yes?"
"About Mr. Sanders."
"Yeah. Well I'm sorry but no. We're a team, we all care about Greg and we all need to know how he is. So whatever the doctor is going to say he can say it in front of all of us."
Ecklie had lowered his voice throughout his speech. He didn't want the team to hear his emotions coming out. He was known as the tough guy a reputation that even in the circumstances he was determined to retain.
"Mr. Ecklie I presume." The doctor stated politely. He was a middle-aged man, with greying hair around the temples, probably from all the stress he had in his job. He was of stocky build and a few inches taller than Conrad.
"Yes." Ecklie managed to rasp out.
"I'm afraid that I have both good and bad news. The bad news is that your friend is going to be in the ICU for a number of days, maybe even weeks. He was severely injured in the incident, and although the surgery was a success we have no idea as to whether Greg's body can fight it. At the moment we've got him connected to a drip to keep him hydrated and we've taken precautionary measures to try to ensure that he stays with us throughout today and tonight." The doctor paused momentarily to let Ecklie and the other 4 friends who had congregated time to digest the information. "The good news is that he's stable for the moment and he was conscious. We gave him a sedative and some painkillers so that he could get some rest. You'll probably be able to see him this evening, If," the doctor emphasised the word, "If, he's up to it. I suggest you all go home, get a few hours sleep, a wash and some food and come back later tonight. I'll try everything in my power to let you see him this evening but right now he needs rest. And by the looks of it, you could do with it as well." The doctor stopped once more and stared one by one at the team. He could see them trying to think of excuses not to go but then the light fell once more from their eyes and they reluctantly gave in.
10 minutes later they had all vacated the waiting room and the doctor got back to his duties. Or at least he would have done if it had not been for a man who asked as to the progress and whereabouts of a Mr. Greg Sanders. He later introduced himself as Gil Grissom. The man carrying a suspicious looking book under his left arm looked upset and dishevelled and taking pity on him, the doctor showed him to Greg's isolated room, and Grissom couldn't believe the irony of it all. Greg was in the room Sara had been in.
Placing a chair next to the bed, the doctor motioned for Grissom to sit down and then left the man to his own devices.
"Hey Greg, I don't know if you can hear me but." he paused whilst he tried to swallow, the huge lump in his throat preventing him from doing so. "But I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I'm sorry for always coming down hard on you and not appreciating the fact that you bust your ass to keep me happy and all I do is throw it back in your face. I also want to say I'm sorry for giving up on you back at the scene. If Brass and Ecklie hadn't kept on going then we would have lost you and I never would have forgiven myself. I think you've probably guessed I don't apologise very often but I know that I need to. I've got a present for you but I'll wait until you wake up before I tell you what it is. Lets just say I think you're going to like it. You're also probably wondering what I'm still doing here. Well I didn't want you to wake up in a strange place all alone. So I'm here for you Greg. Take your time; I'll be here for you." Placing a friendly hand over the impossibly white hand of the younger man, Grissom lowered his head onto the bed next to Greg's hand. Finally he drifted off to sleep.
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8 hours later and the team had all slept briefly, washed, eaten and returned to the hospital, intent on making the doctor deliver his promise. And the doctor in turn delivered. The sedative should be wearing off anytime now and Greg should wake up. However, everything was conditional at present because everything was up in the air. The doctor went to check on Greg and noticed that the man was still there, resting his head on Greg's bed, presumably sleeping. He hated to have to do it but he had to wake him up. Shaking him slightly, Gil jumped. Getting up out of the chair and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the heels of his hands, he watched as the doctor went about his work checking on Greg.
Turning away from the bed, Grissom failed to possess the courage to keep looking at the younger man. He was so impossibly white; he just hoped that he woke up soon.
"Hello, there Mr Sanders. I'm Doctor Selmes. How are you feeling?"
Grissom spun on his heels hoping that this meant what he thought it meant.
"Rough." Came the reply.
Smiling at this, Grissom moved back to his position in the chair next to his bed.
"You've got 5 minutes before I let the rest of your friends in."
Grissom acknowledged the generosity of the man with a brief nod and a smile and then turned his attentions back once more to Greg.
"Hey."
"Hi Grissom. You come here often?"
Smiling at the joke of the now conscious lab tech he replied. "Well I hope not. Well at least not anymore. You scared us today Greg."
"I scared myself."
"Umm, I've only got a couple of minutes before the rest of the team come in and I really need to give you this on your own." Brandishing a black leather covered book he held it out to Greg. Placing it just in front of himself, Greg traced with disbelief the gold gilt letters on the front cover.
"How to be a CSI. Volume I."
"But."
"But nothing. You showed today that you've got what it takes Greg. I would love to have your courage on my team."
"I don't know what to say."
"Don't worry about it. Look here comes everyone else. There's a message on the inside cover for you but don't read it until I've gone."
Greg nodded gingerly and pondered momentarily over the message just as the team burst into the room armed with flowers, teddies and fruit.
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The team had just left as Doctor Selmes, armed with 3 nurses had shuffled them out. Greg returned his attentions again to the book on the bedside table next to him. Picking it up he traced the letters one more. He thought he'd never hear Grissom say the words that he had earlier. Turning the cover over gently he read Grissom's scrawl.
"Dear Greg,
I bet this is a shock to you! However, you deserve to follow your dreams. And don't deny it because Sara told me what they were. You've got what it takes Greg.
Grissom. X
P.S. 'For all those times you stood by me, For all the truth that you made me see, For all the joy you brought to my life, For all the wrongs that you made right.'
See you in work soon Greg."
Greg smiled at the fond message and couldn't believe how soppy Grissom had been. He must have really been scared. Finally contented, Greg let his head lower once more onto the pillow and drifted off in to a deep sleep.
Wow. Double posting. That's got to be a new one for me hasn't it?! Anyway I'd be really happy if you reviewed. If you have any ideas about whether I should leave the story there or whatever I'd love to hear them. Until next time loads of love Tinx .=) XX