Pain and New Hope

Pairing: It's mostly about Nick, but it will be a Snickers story at the end.

Spoiler: Stalker

Sara takes Nick to his doctor's appointment for a follow up exam.

A/N: I am not sure how long someone who's had stitches on his or her forehead is supposed to have them. When I was 2 or 3 years old, I fell down the stairs in my house and got a small gash on my forehead. I got stitches, but I don't recall how many and how long I had to have them on, it was a long time ago. Please bear with me.

A/N2: I don't own 'Only the Young', Journey owns it.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the CSI characters or extras

The Visit to the Doctor's

One week later

"Only the young can say," Sara and I were singing to her Journey CD. "They're free to fly away. Sharing the same desires, burning like wildfire."

When that song ended, Sara paused the CD player in her Tahoe. She took a quick glimpse at me for some reason.

"Nick, what time is your appointment with Dr. Anderson?" she asked.

"It's at 1:15," I replied. "I don't know if she'll examine me, but I do know that I am having the stitches removed."

"Will she give you clearance to return to work?" she asked.

"I am sure she will," I said softly. "However, I think Grissom will have me doing desk and lab duty for a while. I hate dealing with paperwork."

"Paperwork sucks," Sara chuckled. "Unfortunately, it has to be done. It's a real bummer!"

"I'd rather be out in the field again," I whined. "You know collecting evidence and talking to the witnesses and possible suspects."

"Grissom will also make you pass a few exams and force you to talk to a counselor," Sara deeply sighed.

"I don't mind the exams," I told her. "It's the damn counselor that bugs me. I don't really want to talk about the hell that Nigel put me through."

"Nick, I know it's going to be tough," Sara said. "But we are all going to help you get through this."

"I know," I replied weakly with a small smile.

A few moments later, we arrived the hospital to see the ER doctor that took care of me after Nigel tossed me out of that second story window. Sara got out first and went around to help me out. I was feeling a little better, but the ribs were still sore. We walked towards a building of the hospital campus that was for non-emergency care. I went to the reception area with Sara behind me.

"Can I help you, sir?" the receptionist asked.

"Yes, I have a 1:15 appointment with Dr. Anderson," I said. "My name is Nick Stokes."

"If you could have a seat, Mr. Stokes," the receptionist said. "She will see you shortly. Can I help you, ma'am?"

"She's with me," I smiled.

We took our seats in the waiting room. Sara gave me a few magazines to read. She sat next to me and gingerly put her arm around me.

"I am sure you are doing better now," Sara said.

"Well, I am feeling a little better," I smiled.

"Nick Stokes," a woman called.

I slowly got up and walked towards her with Sara closely behind me.

"Is it okay that my friend comes with me?" I asked pointing to Sara.

"Sure, she can," the woman said. "Oh, I am Melina, Dr. Anderson's nurse. I am taking you to an examining room and give you something to change into."

We arrived at the room and I was given an examining gown. Sara left the room briefly to give me some privacy so I could change into it. I opened the door and told her she could come back inside. I sat at the examining table while she sat at the chair. Dr. Anderson entered the room.

"Mr. Stokes, how are you feeling?" Dr. Anderson asked.

"Physically, I am feeling a little better," I told her. "The ribs are still sore, my wrist doesn't hurt much and my head isn't throbbing a lot. Mentally and emotionally is another story altogether. What are you going to do first?"

"I going to remove the stitches from your forehead," she said calmly. "You will have to have an x-ray for your ribs and wrist and a CT scan of your head. Are you in any way claustrophobic?"

"I don't think so," I said. "Why do you ask? Do you want to give me a sedative before I get the CAT scan?"

"I have to give you one as a precaution," Dr. Anderson said. "It will be a mild one that would be enough to calm you down, but not knock you out completely. Now, I want to lay down on the table and I will remove the stitches. You'll feel a few pulling sensations and hear some snipping sounds. I promise I won't cut to close to the skin, I am always careful."

"Don't worry about that," I smiled. "I trust you are only going to cut the sutures."

"Hush and let me work on you," she said.

I lay still on the table as the doctor removed the stitches from my forehead. She was very gentle and I didn't feel much of the pulling. She wiped the healing gash with an antiseptic solution. She gently helped me sit up, took out a penlight and shined on my pupils. It was blinding, but she needed to see if they were still dilated. I still had to have to CAT scan to have a look at my brain.

"Okay, Mr. Stokes, we are going to take you to X-Ray to have a look at your cracked ribs," she said. "Then, we'll go to CT to look at that brain of yours."

I followed her to the Radiology room where my chest and wrist were X-Rayed. Afterwards, I was taken to the CAT Scan room and I was being prepped for the scan. I was injected with a mild sedative to keep me calm although I didn't need it and some sort of solution to help the technician see my brain. I was lying still while the machine did its job. When it was over, I was helped back to the examining room and told to lay down on the examining table while Dr. Anderson waited for the results of the X-Rays and the CAT Scan. I wanted to talk to Sara while we were waiting, but I was relaxing on the table. Sometime later, Dr. Anderson returned with the results.

"Mr. Stokes, it looks like you've fully recovered from the concussion," she said. "The ribs are healing beautifully as well as your wrist."

"Can I take off the wrist brace?" I asked.

"I think you should keep it on for another week as a precaution," she said. "It's almost healed up, but I don't want you to aggravate the injury."

"When can he return to work?" Sara asked.

"I would wait about three or four more days," she replied. "If you have a form giving him medical clearance that I can fill out and sign in advance, I'll do that. However, he can't return to work until then. When he does return, he can't do fieldwork. He will be stuck doing lab and desk duty until I say he's medically cleared."

"Do I need to have a refill of the prescription pain pills?" I asked.

"No, you can take Tylenol or Advil if you have pain," she said. "I want to see you in two weeks to have a look at the ribs and see if I can grant you medical clearance to return to the field. Is that fair enough?"

"Sure," I said.

"You can stop by reception and make your appointment," she said.

Dr. Anderson and Sara helped me get up from the examining table. I shook the doctor's hand with my good hand. I changed back to my street clothes. I held Sara's hand as we went to the reception area where I made an appointment to see Dr. Anderson in two weeks. Sara and I went to her Tahoe and drove back to her place.

An hour later, I was lying in bed recovering from the mild sedative. I could take a nap for all I care knowing that I would be back at work. I know I will be working in the lab full time for a while, but it's still work nevertheless.

TBC