Chapter 8
Grace woke up in a hospital bed. She looked around and saw Catherine sitting in the chair next to the bed reading. Catherine looked up as she pushed herself up in the bed.
"Hey." Catherine said. She stood up and went over to the bed.
"Hey Catherine. What am I.." Grace remembered what happened and looked away. "Never mind."
"I'll get the doctor." Catherine said.
"Catherine."
"Yes."
Grace looked back over at her, "Where is he?" she asked.
Catherine walked back over to the bed and sat down. "He's being taken care of. Nick is with him."
Grace felt her eyes fill with tears and just shook her head. "I want to take him back. How do I .."
"Don't worry about it honey, we'll help you." Catherine hesitated, "What about Andrew?"
Grace felt her insides go completely cold, "I don't care what happens to him."
"OK. I'm going to get the doctor so we can get you out of here." She stood up and went out the door.
Grace got up off the bed and walked over to the window. It was a perfect view of the city. The sun was just getting ready to set and the horizon was beautiful. She covered her face and started to cry. She cried for the loss of her best friend. He had sacrificed his life for hers, and hadn't even hesitated.
Catherine came back in with the doctor and saw her by the window. "Grace."
Grace took a deep breath and turned back around and went and sat down on the bed. "I'm fine."
The doctor came over and started to examine her, "I'll be the judge of that." He took her vitals and looked her over; "You're fine." He smiled.
"Thank you, can I go now?"
The doctor finished writing on her chart, "Of course, I'll have the nurse bring in your papers."
Catherine handed her a bag when the doctor left. "I had someone bring you some of your clothes."
She took the bag, "Thank you Catherine."
"I'll give you a few minutes." She walked out and gently closed the door.
Grace got dressed and sat on the bed. The nurse knocked and came in with her papers and she went out in search of Catherine. She found her waiting by the desk. "Catherine."
Catherine turned to her, "Yes."
"I want to see him, can I see him?"
Catherine took her arm, "Of course, let's go." She led her down to the morgue. When they walked in she saw David taking care of getting John ready for transport and Nick was standing by the door.
Nick straightened when he saw them walk in and he went over to them. Grace saw him and went into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and he held her tight. He saw Catherine walk over to David and then they both went out. Nick waited until they went out and then he led Grace over. He looked at her face and then pulled the sheet back from John.
Grace stepped away from Nick and looked down at John. He looked like he was sleeping. She reached out and touched his cheek; she jerked a little when she felt how cold he was. She took a deep breath; she bent down and kissed his cheek, "Thank you John. I'll promise I'll make you proud." She pulled the sheet back up over him and turned to Nick. "Will you take me home?" she whispered.
Nick could barely hear her speak. He knew what she was asking, "Of course. As soon as everything is ready, I'll take you home." He took her arm and led her out of the room.
Nick and Catherine helped Grace make the arrangements and Nick flew back to New York with her. He helped her through John's funeral and stood by her side the entire time. The funeral itself had been a big one, a lot of people knew John and Grace and wanted to pay their respects. Grace had stood straight and spoke to everyone who stopped.
The interment was a smaller affair though. It was just Nick, Grace and the preacher. Grace was having him buried next to her parents and she didn't want anyone else there. When they had got back to New York she had went through her parents things. She found out Andrew was the one who was adopted not her. She had broken down and made the arrangements for him also but he was being buried in Las Vegas.
Nick thanked the preacher when he was done. He looked at Grace but she didn't look like she was ready so he walked away and gave her some time.
Grace knelt down and put flowers on all three graves. She talked to her parents and then to John, promising them both she would always remember them. When she stood up she saw Nick waiting for her by the car. Slowly she walked over to him. He didn't say anything just opened the door and helped her in the back. He told the driver to take them to her house. She held his hand and watched the scenery go by. By the time they go home she felt totally numb.
Nick helped Grace out of the car and up to the house. He pulled out her keys and let them in. He watched her walk over to the large piano in the next room. She sat down and started playing. Nick walked in and sat in the chair next to the door and listened.
Grace played every one of John's favorite songs. She played until her fingers cramped. She was just getting ready to yell for John to bring her some water for her hands and stopped herself. Then she burst out in tears.
Nick jumped up and went over to her. He helped her up and when she stumbled he picked her up and took her to the living room. He sat down on the couch with her and let her cry. By the time she was done Nick's shirt was soaking wet and she was asleep. Nick gently laid her on the couch and covered her up with a blanket.
Grace woke slowly. She looked at her watch and realized she had slept for over three hours. She looked around for Nick but didn't see him but she smelled coffee so she went in search of both of them. She found Nick sitting at the table looking out the window. He had taken such good care of her and helped her through everything. She knew he had to go back soon and it was going to break her heart.
Nick heard a sound and looked over. Grace was standing in the doorway looking at him. He watched her go to the coffeepot and pour herself a large cup. He had talked to Grissom and he had told Nick to take all the time he needed. Nick had a flight home in two days and he intended not to be alone on that flight. He just hoped he could convince her to come with him. "Hey"
Grace went back to the table and sat next to him, "Hey. You should have woke me earlier."
Nick smiled, "You looked so cute sleeping I didn't want to wake you."
Grace smiled back at him remembering when she told him the same thing. "Cute huh." She said.
"Catherine called to check on you." Nick said. "She said to tell you she wished she could have been here."
"I know its hard for her with Lindsey, I hope she knows I understand."
"She does," Nick replied.
"So when do you go back?" She asked quickly afraid of the answer.
He had hoped to wait to talk to her about this but now was as good of a time as any. "My flight is day after tomorrow."
Grace felt her chest tighten but she didn't show it. "Good."
They both sat for a while and then spoke at the same time, "Grace I.." "Nick would.."
She laughed, "You first."
"Ok." Nick took her hand and pulled her up to him. He brushed her hair back form her face and looked into her eyes. "Grace, I want you to come home with me." She started to sway and Nick grabbed her arms to steady her. "Hey are you ok?"
Grace felt his hands keeping her close and took a few deep breaths. She smiled up at him. "Don't you want to know what I was going to ask you?"
Nick was a little confused at her question but answered her thinking it must have been something very important, "Of course."
She put her hands on his face and asked, "Nick, would you mind if I came home with you?"
They both laughed and Nick pulled her to him and kissed her. They both got their answer at the same time.
Grace woke up in a hospital bed. She looked around and saw Catherine sitting in the chair next to the bed reading. Catherine looked up as she pushed herself up in the bed.
"Hey." Catherine said. She stood up and went over to the bed.
"Hey Catherine. What am I.." Grace remembered what happened and looked away. "Never mind."
"I'll get the doctor." Catherine said.
"Catherine."
"Yes."
Grace looked back over at her, "Where is he?" she asked.
Catherine walked back over to the bed and sat down. "He's being taken care of. Nick is with him."
Grace felt her eyes fill with tears and just shook her head. "I want to take him back. How do I .."
"Don't worry about it honey, we'll help you." Catherine hesitated, "What about Andrew?"
Grace felt her insides go completely cold, "I don't care what happens to him."
"OK. I'm going to get the doctor so we can get you out of here." She stood up and went out the door.
Grace got up off the bed and walked over to the window. It was a perfect view of the city. The sun was just getting ready to set and the horizon was beautiful. She covered her face and started to cry. She cried for the loss of her best friend. He had sacrificed his life for hers, and hadn't even hesitated.
Catherine came back in with the doctor and saw her by the window. "Grace."
Grace took a deep breath and turned back around and went and sat down on the bed. "I'm fine."
The doctor came over and started to examine her, "I'll be the judge of that." He took her vitals and looked her over; "You're fine." He smiled.
"Thank you, can I go now?"
The doctor finished writing on her chart, "Of course, I'll have the nurse bring in your papers."
Catherine handed her a bag when the doctor left. "I had someone bring you some of your clothes."
She took the bag, "Thank you Catherine."
"I'll give you a few minutes." She walked out and gently closed the door.
Grace got dressed and sat on the bed. The nurse knocked and came in with her papers and she went out in search of Catherine. She found her waiting by the desk. "Catherine."
Catherine turned to her, "Yes."
"I want to see him, can I see him?"
Catherine took her arm, "Of course, let's go." She led her down to the morgue. When they walked in she saw David taking care of getting John ready for transport and Nick was standing by the door.
Nick straightened when he saw them walk in and he went over to them. Grace saw him and went into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and he held her tight. He saw Catherine walk over to David and then they both went out. Nick waited until they went out and then he led Grace over. He looked at her face and then pulled the sheet back from John.
Grace stepped away from Nick and looked down at John. He looked like he was sleeping. She reached out and touched his cheek; she jerked a little when she felt how cold he was. She took a deep breath; she bent down and kissed his cheek, "Thank you John. I'll promise I'll make you proud." She pulled the sheet back up over him and turned to Nick. "Will you take me home?" she whispered.
Nick could barely hear her speak. He knew what she was asking, "Of course. As soon as everything is ready, I'll take you home." He took her arm and led her out of the room.
Nick and Catherine helped Grace make the arrangements and Nick flew back to New York with her. He helped her through John's funeral and stood by her side the entire time. The funeral itself had been a big one, a lot of people knew John and Grace and wanted to pay their respects. Grace had stood straight and spoke to everyone who stopped.
The interment was a smaller affair though. It was just Nick, Grace and the preacher. Grace was having him buried next to her parents and she didn't want anyone else there. When they had got back to New York she had went through her parents things. She found out Andrew was the one who was adopted not her. She had broken down and made the arrangements for him also but he was being buried in Las Vegas.
Nick thanked the preacher when he was done. He looked at Grace but she didn't look like she was ready so he walked away and gave her some time.
Grace knelt down and put flowers on all three graves. She talked to her parents and then to John, promising them both she would always remember them. When she stood up she saw Nick waiting for her by the car. Slowly she walked over to him. He didn't say anything just opened the door and helped her in the back. He told the driver to take them to her house. She held his hand and watched the scenery go by. By the time they go home she felt totally numb.
Nick helped Grace out of the car and up to the house. He pulled out her keys and let them in. He watched her walk over to the large piano in the next room. She sat down and started playing. Nick walked in and sat in the chair next to the door and listened.
Grace played every one of John's favorite songs. She played until her fingers cramped. She was just getting ready to yell for John to bring her some water for her hands and stopped herself. Then she burst out in tears.
Nick jumped up and went over to her. He helped her up and when she stumbled he picked her up and took her to the living room. He sat down on the couch with her and let her cry. By the time she was done Nick's shirt was soaking wet and she was asleep. Nick gently laid her on the couch and covered her up with a blanket.
Grace woke slowly. She looked at her watch and realized she had slept for over three hours. She looked around for Nick but didn't see him but she smelled coffee so she went in search of both of them. She found Nick sitting at the table looking out the window. He had taken such good care of her and helped her through everything. She knew he had to go back soon and it was going to break her heart.
Nick heard a sound and looked over. Grace was standing in the doorway looking at him. He watched her go to the coffeepot and pour herself a large cup. He had talked to Grissom and he had told Nick to take all the time he needed. Nick had a flight home in two days and he intended not to be alone on that flight. He just hoped he could convince her to come with him. "Hey"
Grace went back to the table and sat next to him, "Hey. You should have woke me earlier."
Nick smiled, "You looked so cute sleeping I didn't want to wake you."
Grace smiled back at him remembering when she told him the same thing. "Cute huh." She said.
"Catherine called to check on you." Nick said. "She said to tell you she wished she could have been here."
"I know its hard for her with Lindsey, I hope she knows I understand."
"She does," Nick replied.
"So when do you go back?" She asked quickly afraid of the answer.
He had hoped to wait to talk to her about this but now was as good of a time as any. "My flight is day after tomorrow."
Grace felt her chest tighten but she didn't show it. "Good."
They both sat for a while and then spoke at the same time, "Grace I.." "Nick would.."
She laughed, "You first."
"Ok." Nick took her hand and pulled her up to him. He brushed her hair back form her face and looked into her eyes. "Grace, I want you to come home with me." She started to sway and Nick grabbed her arms to steady her. "Hey are you ok?"
Grace felt his hands keeping her close and took a few deep breaths. She smiled up at him. "Don't you want to know what I was going to ask you?"
Nick was a little confused at her question but answered her thinking it must have been something very important, "Of course."
She put her hands on his face and asked, "Nick, would you mind if I came home with you?"
They both laughed and Nick pulled her to him and kissed her. They both got their answer at the same time.