He's Gone

Author: csibugman

Category: Character Death

Rating: PG

Summary: ???????

Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: I do not under any circumstances own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Notes: Thanks moggie you're the best!

Everyone was gathered in the break room waiting for assignments.

Warrick and Nick were talking about sports.

Catherine and Sara were talking about their last case.

Greg came in to make his special coffee for the gang.

Brass walked into the room with the look of pure panic on his face.

Catherine notices this. "What's wrong Jim?"

He cleared his throat and asked for everyone's attrition.

Everyone sat a little straighter and more alert.

Brass looked at each person before his gaze fell on Sara, not sure how to tell them, her. Willing his voice to work, he spoke up.

Everyone looked at each other, not sure what was going on.

"Grissom has been in an accident."

All of them stood up hastily, firing questions at the tired and equally shock detective.

"This is all I know," He breathed out, getting them to be quiet. "He was on his way to work when he was t boned. He's at Desert Palm in the ICU. They don't think he will make through the night."

Catherine stood there, tears running down her cheeks.

Warrick put his arms around her and started to cry himself.

Nick looked at Sara who was standing there, no tears, no emotion what so every showing.

"Sara?" Nick looked at her, tears in his eyes when he saw she was trying to be strong and not lose it in front of everyone. Nick looked at Brass asking the question before anyone else could. "Can we go see him?"

Brass shook his head yes and told them that day shift is coming in to handle tonight and swing was covering the rest of the week in case.

Walking out of the break room, Brass was stopped by Greg.

"Brass, I just heard that Grissom was in a wreak. They don't think he will make it."

Brass, trying his best not to break down, nodded. "Yes Greg, Grissom is in ICU at Desert Palm. Everyone is on the way there. Doctor's say they don't think he will make it through the night."

Greg looked at Brass, tears forming in his eyes. "Can I come too? I know I am not really close, but Grissom is my friend."

Brass smiled at the lab tech. "Yes Greg, I think you should be there."

Greg tossed his lab coat in the locker room on his way out.

Everyone piled into the Tahoe and headed for the hospital.

The ride was very quiet. No one was sure what to say.

Warrick kept one arm around Catherine, trying to comfort her as best he could.

Brass was driving with Greg in the passenger seat.

Nick and Sara took the back.

Sara sat there looking out the back windows watching the cars pass.

Nick had his knees drawn up and his head resting on them.

When they arrived at the hospital Greg said he would park and come find them.

Entering ICU's waiting area Brass found a nurse and told her the situation.

The nurse said she understood and since it was late she would allow them to see him.

Brass walked over to the gang. "Ok, we can see him, but we have to be quiet."

Walking in the room all of them froze at the site before them.

Brass closed his eyes briefly, hoping that Grissom would wake up and would do something. He didn't want to see it end this way.

Everyone was standing around the bed but Sara, she was standing at the foot with her back to the wall.

A doctor walked in the room and asked. "Are you family?"

Choking back tears as she spoke, Catherine shook her head. "No, his mother is in California and he has no other relatives. We are the closest family he has."

The doctor asked if there was a way to reach the mother.

Brass told him that the mother was deaf and he would have to get in touch with the department in order to have someone call her.

The doctor told him he needed to do so ASAP.

Brass stepped out of the room and made the call.

Nick cleared his throat, trying to keep it together. "Doctor, how bad is it? I mean, is everything being done-"

The doctor asked them to step outside and he would talk to them. Given the situation, he felt they needed to know everything. Sitting down in the waiting room, he explained. "As you know, Mr. Grissom has suffered several injuries. He has three broken ribs, a punctured lung and his spinal cord was damaged and he has internal injuries also. There is brain damage, which we are still getting all the information gathered on that at the moment.

Warrick removed his arm from Catherine and walked over to the window. "Is there a chance he will pull through this, if so, will he be ok?"

The doctor looked at everyone, knowing, wishing he could tell them it would be alright, but he knew it wouldn't be. "If Mr. Grissom pulled through this, he would never be able to function on the same level as other people. He would need twenty-four hour care. The injuries he has for a man his age... he will never make a full recovery."

At this point no one held back the tears that were flowing freely.

Sara stood up this time. the tears were running down her cheeks. "May we spend some time with him?"

All of them stood at the door waiting for them to move all the machines out of the room.

Greg tapped Brass on the arm. "Why are they taking everything out?"

"Grissom has a living will. If something happened, he was not to be on the machines."

When everyone was done, the gang went inside and closed the door.

Catherine walked over to Grissom and took his hand. In between the crying and hiccups she was able to say her good-byes. "Gil, I know you can hear me. I know I never said it enough, but thank you for everything you've ever done for me. I am going to miss you." Placing a kiss on his forehead, she moved to Warrick and buried her head in his chest .

Brass was next. He placed his hand on his friends hand. "I'm gonna miss you buddy." He wiped the tears away and stepped back.

Nick and Greg walked over, both of them trying to support the other. Greg looked and Nick and nodded for him to go first. "Griss, thank you for teaching me. I hope one day I am half the CSI you are."

Greg wiped his eyes. "Grissom, the lab is never going to be the same. I will take your spider home. He'll be well taken care of, I promise. I will remember everything you have taught me about being a CSI."

Warrick moved Catherine from his chest and held her hand while he talked. "Griss, you saved my butt more than once, you never gave up on me. Thank you."

Everyone turned to Sara, knowing that this goodbye would be the hardest of all.

Sara placed her hand on his, closing her eyes, letting her mind think back to when they first met. The way he would smile at her, his little winks here and there. And now he was lying there unable to see or feel the love in that room for him.

"Grissom-" She choked out. "This is harder than I thought it would be."

Nick walked over and put his hand on her shoulder for support. "You can do this Sara."

She nodded. "Griss, there are no words to tell you how I feel. I will miss you more than you will ever know. I don't regret anything you have given more to me than I can thank you for." She leaned over and kissed him on the lips, knowing she'd never get to do it again. She bent further to reach his ear and said the words she had always wanted to say to him. "I Love You." Staying where she was, Sara felt fingers tighten around hers.

The heart monitor made a noise.

Everyone looked at it as the line went flat.

The staff rushed in.

Sara stood there still holding his hand.

Brass and Nick moved beside Sara to help get her to the hall.

Everyone was holding onto one another, crying.

THE END

moggie note: I don't know about you, but when I first read this, I was bawling my eyes out and beating csibugman over the head with my keyboard. She Made Grissom Die!!!