Warrick and Catherine stood outside their friend's hospital room. They were listening intently to his doctor, before being allowed to enter.

Dr. Price eyed the criminalists' kits with suspicion. "I am an advocate for my patient, Mr. Brown and Ms. Willows. As much as I like for you to find out who committed such a violent act on him, there are guidelines you have to follow"

Both criminalists nodded and allowed the physician to carry on. After all, she was effectively blocking their entrance into the CSI's room.

"Mr. Stokes needs to remain as still as possible. You already took photos of his head, but I'm afraid he can't be on his feet for a while"

Warrick sighed. "We need to document this case, we..."

Dr. Price cut him off. "No, you don't understand. His head trauma cannot be aggravated by movement. Also, please be careful with his mood. Any rapid fluctuations in blood pressure are not good for him at all"

"We'll keep our questions to a minimum, " Catherine tried to reassure the physician. She glanced at Warrick, making sure he got the message as well.

The doctor nodded. "Good. He's going to be limited in how much he can talk. His throat more than likely feels like pounded raw hamburger right now. It'll be sore from sucking in all that caustic water and he was intubated for a small amount of time"

"Are you giving him anything for that?" Warrick asked testily.

"Yes, Mr. Brown. It's being managed with medication along with ice chips and seltzer water."

"Thank you, Doctor Price." Catherine shook the other woman's hand, trying to smooth things over from her partner's less than charming behavior.

Warrick scowled at the female CSI and both went into the room, hoping to find more answers to this crime.


Nick lay in his hospital bed, staring upwards. He never imagined that there could be so many dots contained in such a small ceiling. His arm itched from the IV site and he absently scratched at it. He tried not to fiddle with the oxygen tubes in his nose. He was told several times to keep them there, even though he hadn't any trouble breathing since his arrival... or that he could remember. There was a clip on one of his fingers to measure something, but he'd already forgotten what for.

His chest ached, no that wasn't the word he was searching for. It felt tight. His doctor told him that he'd feel uncomfortable for a while from all the inflammation from his lungs caused from the spa water. It didn't help he almost puked his guts out as well, but that memory was very fuzzy as well. He kept wanting to itch his chest. It felt prickly from within.

He was on some heavy pain medication, his cracked rib didn't hurt, but he knew that wouldn't last long once his meds wore off. Nick's right arm was in a sling, and he didn't have a comfortable place to lay it, since it seemed every part of him ached. His shoulder wasn't so bad, but then again, he hadn't moved it any. God he was tired, exhausted down to the bone. Despite this, his mind was too wired from what had happened. He chastised himself for being so stupid and ill prepared.

Every time he closed his eyes he felt a pervasive feeling of panic. He recalled blackness, and spotlights like those that blinded you from flashbulbs. There was a sense of helplessness that seemed to stick with him. He was doped up on all sorts of medications, and he felt so loopy. Things seemed very displaced. He kept drifting off, staring at the wall, or back at that stupid ceiling. His head pounded with the sound of the heart monitor and he groaned loudly as he rubbed his free hand across his eyes.

"You all right, man"

Nick wanted to laugh, but he knew how that would appear. Instead he settled for a small, sad smile. "I'm doing pretty good, bro."

Nick heard the quiet disagreement with this assessment, but he didn't add any additional comments. He saw Catherine standing on his left side, with Warrick next to her. Catherine pulled out a chair and lowered herself heavily in it. She had a tape recorder in her hand that she fiddled with nervously.

Nick played with the bed sheets, he knew this drill. "What do you want to know?"

"Can you start right before the attack?" The senior CSI said softly, before pushing the little red button.

Nick took as deep of a breath as his sore body allowed. He wracked his brain. "I was going through the lockers." Nick closed his eyes trying to search his mind.

"Did you find anything?" Catherine asked, hoping to jog his memory.

Nick felt frustrated. His thoughts seemed scrambled. He was starting to get annoyed with himself. "I dunno."

Catherine didn't want to prod him too much about it, but she had a nagging feeling. "You were inside the last locker. You must have been digging inside... maybe you saw something that caught your eye?" she suggested.

Nick went to rub his face, but stopped short. He didn't want to irritate the skin around his stitches. He had several deep cuts on his head... when did that happen? He let his fingers drift down towards his eyes and rubbed them vigorously. He had searched each locker, but the last one... it was messy.

Then he saw the dope in his mind. "I found a gallon sized ziplock full of pills...I...I... was going to radio you guys, when I felt someone grab my shoulder."

Warrick and Catherine exchanged surprised looks. They had not expected this tidbit of information.

Nick blinked several times, recalling the pressure on his shoulder. Then the feeling was gone. He felt the panic start to well up in his chest which only caused him to cough. Now he was hacking and his poor lungs were protesting the increased irritation.

Warrick searched for a glass of water. He found it by the bed on a little portable stand. "Take it easy man," he said worriedly. He handed the glass to Nick, who took it and sipped on it for a few seconds. He then gave him back the glass and wrapped his left arm around himself to try to fend off the new pain.

"We didn't see any baggies on the scene, man," Warrick explained regrettably.

"The perp must have taken them," Catherine reasoned. Both CSI's knew it was probably the reason Nick was assaulted.

A nurse entered the room for a moment interrupting the CSIs. "Everything all right in here? Mr. Stokes' monitor went off from a spike in his BP."

Nick waved her away. Warrick turned to her, "Things are fine. He had a little bit of a coughing fit."

The nurse fiddled with her chart, "Let me know if you need anything," she said leaving.

"Did you see who attacked you, Nick?" Catherine asked hopefully.

"No. I mean... I don't think so." Nick looked back up at the ceiling, feeling somewhat inadequate.

Catherine took Nick's free hand in hers and gave it a slight squeeze, encouraging him.
Nick tried to give Catherine one of his dazzling smiles, but failed miserably. It came across as more of a grimace. She bit back the tears that threatened to escape. "Just try, Nicky."

Nick looked down at his sling, studying the blue color. He knew that the dull hue was supposed to be soothing, but it didn't really have the desired effect. Not when it reminded him of water. He licked his lips. "I don't know. I was tired, couldn't seem to fight back very well."

"You had a hard time defending yourself. Do you recall how big the guy was, maybe?" Warrick tried to encourage.

Nick felt like someone was drilling a hole inside his skull. It hurt to think. "I can't remember anything about him." Nick swallowed again, his voice was getting hoarser. "I remember feeling like my shoulder was getting ripped off...pain in my back."

Catherine rubbed her thumb over his hand, carefully avoiding the pulse clip on his pointer finger.

"I keep seeing water. I tried to move, but I couldn't." Nick felt lost in thought, but then his eyes brightened. "I scratched him"

Warrick leaned onto the railing. "You scratched him? Might explain what I found under your nails. No matches in CODIS though."

Nick nodded, the movement making him feel dizzy. "I don't remember very much after that." He didn't mention the sensations that were still fresh in his mind.

Warrick tried to hide his disappointment. He had hoped his partner had seen the guy's face. All his money was on Sikes, but without a positive ID their case was too flimsy.

Catherine swallowed. "That was good, Nicky. I know it was difficult. I have to go back to the lab. Warrick's going to stay behind for a few more minutes."

Nick stared past her. "Doc says I'll be out of here in the next day or so, or something. I can help."

Catherine fixed him with a glare. "Nick, the only thing you're going to help with is giving yourself a break. You're going to get a lot of sleep and nothing more. Your doctor wants you flat on your back the first few days when you get home."

Nick opened his mouth to protest, but the senior CSI would have none of it. "You can't be on this case, Nick. You are on medical leave for at least a week or more and there is no arguing about it."

Nick kept his mouth shut, knowing that this wasn't the time to debate the issue. He saw Warrick shoot him a warning look. He'd play nice for now and lie there quietly. Catherine bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back. I know Sara is stopping by later to check up on you. Feel better."

"All right," he answered quietly.

The lead CSI left the room, leaving the two men alone. Warrick shook his head, knowing what was going through his partner's mind. Warrick didn't say anything however, as he still had things to accomplish before heading out himself. He reached down to retrieve his camera. "I know you would rather show off your manly physique to Catherine, but you're stuck with me for that."

Nick snorted at his partner's attempt at being funny. "What'cha need?"

"Let me get a few shots of your abdomen," Warrick said while thinking the best way to do it, without hurting his friend.

Nick looked dumbly at his stomach. He tried to sit up so he could shove his blanket down one-handed past his hips. He was wearing hospital issued pajama type bottoms and a 'fashionable' gown. His vision grayed out from the simple motion of moving.

Warrick saw his friend's face pale slightly. Alarmed, he grabbed Nick's hand, holding it still. "Hold on, bro. I'll do everything, you just lay back."

Nick didn't answer, as his sense of vertigo eased up just a bit.

Warrick placed his camera at the foot of the bed. "I'll help you with the sling." The CSI knew better than to ask if he wanted any assistance. It just mattered that he was there to help if needed.

Warrick slipped off the sling, and the movement caused Nick to grit his teeth as he gently moved his arm to his side. The Texan's face reddened only slightly as his partner untied his gown and pushed it up so it didn't slide back down. Warrick snapped a few pictures of Nick's abdomen, documenting the band of bruising around his diaphragm that the edge of the whirlpool had made.

Now Warrick needed to photograph any bruising on his back. There was no way Nick could stand up, so he'd have to improvise. "I'll be right back."

Nick looked at him confused, but Warrick shot him a look that said "trust me." Nick tried not to laugh out loud. After a few long minutes his partner returned with a nurse. Nick didn't know if he was very happy about that.

Warrick addressed his friend's perplexed expression. "I asked Nurse Peters, very nicely, if she could help me roll you onto your good side."

The nurse looked at Warrick and back to her patient. "We're going to do this quickly. Let me know right away if you can't handle this, Mr. Stokes."

Warrick walked around the side of the bed. The nurse followed suit to make sure Nick didn't pull too hard on any of his lines since all the IV sites were in his left crook of his arm, since his right one had been obstructed by his sling.

Nick held his right arm close to his body so as not to jostle his injured shoulder. He slowly rolled to his right side, he felt the nurse support his back. His gown was rolled up from behind. Nick grunted softly as a shooting pain went up his side and into his chest. His head pounded and he pressed his left fingers into his eyes, trying to rub at the bone above his eyebrow. He massaged that area as the camera flash bounced off the walls in front of him.

Warrick took a few more pictures of the bruise on Nick's right side. Someone had dug their knee in hard to leave that kind of mark.

"That's enough," the nurse ordered.

Warrick was done anyway and Nick gingerly lay back on his back. The nurse studied the BP readouts and turned to Warrick. "Please hurry this up."

Then she left. Warrick smoothed out Nick's hospital gown and tied the strings together, giving the man his dignity back.

Nick gave him a scowl. "I'm not helpless, man."

"Didn't say you were." Warrick held out the shoulder sling and made sure his friend slid his arm back in gently.

"You'd make a great nurse." Nick commented with a hint of his old humor.

"Don't get used to it," Warrick grunted.

Nick took a deep breath, trying to relax a little in the bed."I'll be outta here in a little while. Don't know why they're keeping me so long," he grumbled.

Warrick wasn't going to mention how lucky his partner was in a position to complain so much. He could have easily been in a dark cold room laying on a slab. "I'll be back later to check up on ya. I'll even be so kind as to pick your ass up when you get sprung."

"Bring me some clothes if you can," Nick asked. "Since what I was wearing's evidence now."

"Sure thing, partner." Warrick neglected to inform his friend that he had no intentions of bringing anything resembling work threads.

Warrick headed for his car. It was time to bust this case wide open. Their suspect took a big chance last night. Nick was onto something, and he would find out what it was and nail the bastard with it.


Author's notes:
Good thing the website is back up. Then it took me forever to re-format things, seems like ff now only likes plain text documents and when it was uploaded, took away all my punction! EEk!

I sound like a broken record, but thanks for the contiuned support.

rozzy9-
Thanks for all of your comments. Yes, its a very dangerous time for everyone and still have a bad guy to track down. Don't you thin Nick won't be a handful for a while. Lots of things going on. Hoped you liked this newest addtion.

PLWynter-
Greg and Warrick deal with thier emotions in thier own way and both don't do it very well. Nick's awake now, now the poor dear has a lot to think about it.

mudhousejunkie-
I've been sick and I'm still trying to keep to the 2-3 day thing. The website thing wasn't my fault :-)

A.Remains-
I'm glad you are enjoiing this, it was a fun story to write. You rock as usual!

Starcastesp-
Yep, all things are not looking goo right now. Lots of things on the horizen. Thanks again!

Groban-
Kristen withdrawl! Now that realy cracks me up! No computer? That sucks, but I guess that means you get to read several chapters in a row. I hope this was fast enough, happened to be updating right now!

Shacky-
You know you rock girl. Glad to be e-mail pals now!