Gill pulled his SUV into the curb and he and Catherine hopped out. As
there was only a few people standing outside it didn't take long to find
Nick's parents. Catherine took in the three people in front of her.
Nick's mother and father were older than she was expecting but then she
realised he was the youngest of seven so they would have to be close to
their seventies if not older. His mother was short, about 2 inches shorter
than herself with salt and pepper hair. She had a slender frame and even
though there were creases on her forehead, she greeted Catherine and Gil
with a smile, not unlike her sons.
Nick's father stood up as they approached and his hair was steel grey, taller than Nick by an inch or two, but his face..... this was Nick, through and through. Nick was going to be a handsome man the rest of his life if his father was any indication.
Lastly was a younger woman, about Nick's age with long wavy dark brown hair. She must be one of Nick's sisters. Catherine guessed it was Kelly, who was only one year older than him and very close from the stories Nick had told her.
"Mr and Mrs Stokes?" Gil asked when they drew closer.
"Yes, I'm James and this is Sandra, and this is our daughter Kelly," James introduced his family. "I'm sorry that I forgot to mention that Kelly was here as well, I hope there is enough room in your car."
"That is not a problem, there is room enough for us all. I'm Gil Grissom, by the way, and this is Catherine Willows. We both work with Nick."
"Oh yes, we know that," Kelly said. "Nick has been talking about you folk for years now. I'm glad I finally get to meet you all." Kelly smiled but there was sadness behind it.
Catherine instantly liked her, she was very much like Nick. Polite to a fault, not matter how hurt you are inside. "I'm sorry it couldn't be under better circumstances. But let's get you all in the car and we will take you straight to the hospital."
Catherine noticed Sandra Stokes hadn't said anything and was no doubt trying to keep it together. After all, her baby boy was lying in hospital fighting for his life. It doesn't matter how old they get, they are ALWAYS your baby. Catherine came and put her arm around Sandra and gave her shoulders a squeeze. She whispered in her ear, "He's holding in there and he is a strong man."
Sandra looked into Catherine's eyes the tears so close to the surface her eyes were shining. She nodded, "Thank you," she whispered.
They piled into the car, James and Gil sat in the front, and Kelly, Sandra and Catherine in the back. Kelly held tight to her mother's hand on the trip back to the hospital as Gil and Catherine both filled them in on his condition.
After that conversation there really wasn't much else to say so they all lapsed into silence until they pulled into the hospital car park.
As no one had been up to ICU yet, they had to find out how to get there and which ward Nick was in, from the front desk.
Sara and Greg were also there waiting, Warrick having fallen asleep again. After another quick round of introductions, they all went up to ICU. The CSIs, realising they would not be allowed into his room, still went up as a means of support for his family.
Walking down the hall of his ward was...eerie. Were it not for the sound of respirators, or heart monitors, the hall would have been deathly quiet. No conversations in this ward, no laughter or cheers. At the nurse's desk, James asked for his son's room. They were guided further into the ward and came to a stop.
"I'm afraid only family are allowed in at this stage, and we are going to have to ask that after your initial visit that you restrict it to two people only. Unfortunately, we not only need him to rest, but we cannot risk infection of his shunt. If you could hop into these gowns before you go in and don't touch him around the face. Also his left arm is splinted lightly but don't touch that as the compound fracture has not been attended to yet." She handed his mother, father and sister, disposable blue hospital gowns and showed them into the room.
It wasn't until Nick's family went in the door that they realised that they had been led directly outside his room, and there was a window looking in. They may not be able to go in but everyone could see Nick lying in bed.
The sight of him shocked everyone. His head was completely bandaged with only his face showing. A tube was running from behind his head to a bag hanging off the side of the bed. This was the drainage of his shunt. His eyes and bridge of his nose were almost black from bruising, the air bag obviously not inflated long enough as the car rolled. A tube was coming out of his mouth and it lead to a respirator. The bellows lifting up and down with each forced breath. His neck was supported in a neck brace, designed to keep his head and neck completely immobile in the event he work up. Blankets were pulled up to his chest, just under his arms and his right arm was lying on top of the sheets. His left arm, also on top of the sheets, was wrapped in bandages and held in a temporary splint. Bandages poked out from under the sheets and up over his shoulder, strapping his ribs and collar bone. Heart rate monitors were taped to his hairless chest. From the look of the sheets, his left leg was also in a cast. Monitors of every kind surrounded the head of his bed.
Nothing could have prepared the group for this. They faced the bloodiest, most horrible crime scenes every day of their lives, yet this scene left everyone breathless. Their workmate, no, their friend, their brother if you will, was laying there, completely helpless. As were they.
Sara turned away once she realised what she was looking at, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to spill over, afraid she would be unable to stop them if she let that floodgate open.
Greg let out a sob before turning and walking away. It was too much for him just now.
Gil let a tear fall down his cheek. This small tear spoke volumes of the pain he was feeling.
Catherine sobbed, the tears streaming down her face. She leaned into Gil who held her for as long as she needed.
Nick's father stood up as they approached and his hair was steel grey, taller than Nick by an inch or two, but his face..... this was Nick, through and through. Nick was going to be a handsome man the rest of his life if his father was any indication.
Lastly was a younger woman, about Nick's age with long wavy dark brown hair. She must be one of Nick's sisters. Catherine guessed it was Kelly, who was only one year older than him and very close from the stories Nick had told her.
"Mr and Mrs Stokes?" Gil asked when they drew closer.
"Yes, I'm James and this is Sandra, and this is our daughter Kelly," James introduced his family. "I'm sorry that I forgot to mention that Kelly was here as well, I hope there is enough room in your car."
"That is not a problem, there is room enough for us all. I'm Gil Grissom, by the way, and this is Catherine Willows. We both work with Nick."
"Oh yes, we know that," Kelly said. "Nick has been talking about you folk for years now. I'm glad I finally get to meet you all." Kelly smiled but there was sadness behind it.
Catherine instantly liked her, she was very much like Nick. Polite to a fault, not matter how hurt you are inside. "I'm sorry it couldn't be under better circumstances. But let's get you all in the car and we will take you straight to the hospital."
Catherine noticed Sandra Stokes hadn't said anything and was no doubt trying to keep it together. After all, her baby boy was lying in hospital fighting for his life. It doesn't matter how old they get, they are ALWAYS your baby. Catherine came and put her arm around Sandra and gave her shoulders a squeeze. She whispered in her ear, "He's holding in there and he is a strong man."
Sandra looked into Catherine's eyes the tears so close to the surface her eyes were shining. She nodded, "Thank you," she whispered.
They piled into the car, James and Gil sat in the front, and Kelly, Sandra and Catherine in the back. Kelly held tight to her mother's hand on the trip back to the hospital as Gil and Catherine both filled them in on his condition.
After that conversation there really wasn't much else to say so they all lapsed into silence until they pulled into the hospital car park.
As no one had been up to ICU yet, they had to find out how to get there and which ward Nick was in, from the front desk.
Sara and Greg were also there waiting, Warrick having fallen asleep again. After another quick round of introductions, they all went up to ICU. The CSIs, realising they would not be allowed into his room, still went up as a means of support for his family.
Walking down the hall of his ward was...eerie. Were it not for the sound of respirators, or heart monitors, the hall would have been deathly quiet. No conversations in this ward, no laughter or cheers. At the nurse's desk, James asked for his son's room. They were guided further into the ward and came to a stop.
"I'm afraid only family are allowed in at this stage, and we are going to have to ask that after your initial visit that you restrict it to two people only. Unfortunately, we not only need him to rest, but we cannot risk infection of his shunt. If you could hop into these gowns before you go in and don't touch him around the face. Also his left arm is splinted lightly but don't touch that as the compound fracture has not been attended to yet." She handed his mother, father and sister, disposable blue hospital gowns and showed them into the room.
It wasn't until Nick's family went in the door that they realised that they had been led directly outside his room, and there was a window looking in. They may not be able to go in but everyone could see Nick lying in bed.
The sight of him shocked everyone. His head was completely bandaged with only his face showing. A tube was running from behind his head to a bag hanging off the side of the bed. This was the drainage of his shunt. His eyes and bridge of his nose were almost black from bruising, the air bag obviously not inflated long enough as the car rolled. A tube was coming out of his mouth and it lead to a respirator. The bellows lifting up and down with each forced breath. His neck was supported in a neck brace, designed to keep his head and neck completely immobile in the event he work up. Blankets were pulled up to his chest, just under his arms and his right arm was lying on top of the sheets. His left arm, also on top of the sheets, was wrapped in bandages and held in a temporary splint. Bandages poked out from under the sheets and up over his shoulder, strapping his ribs and collar bone. Heart rate monitors were taped to his hairless chest. From the look of the sheets, his left leg was also in a cast. Monitors of every kind surrounded the head of his bed.
Nothing could have prepared the group for this. They faced the bloodiest, most horrible crime scenes every day of their lives, yet this scene left everyone breathless. Their workmate, no, their friend, their brother if you will, was laying there, completely helpless. As were they.
Sara turned away once she realised what she was looking at, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to spill over, afraid she would be unable to stop them if she let that floodgate open.
Greg let out a sob before turning and walking away. It was too much for him just now.
Gil let a tear fall down his cheek. This small tear spoke volumes of the pain he was feeling.
Catherine sobbed, the tears streaming down her face. She leaned into Gil who held her for as long as she needed.