AN: Wow! This story went soooooo far off the track I had set for it. I did not excpect it to end up here. Oh yeah, this is the second to last cahpter. I'm going to write one more, very very very short chapter from Nick's POV. A lot shorter then my other chapter. Oh well. Alright this chapter is dedicated to NeverMindDream and ForensicsFreak1988 just because. But they're great writers too. :)
On the 10th day after the accident, Catherine decided to go back to the hospital after shift. She took Lindsey along because the young girl so clearly wanted too. And she was in better condition having slept for a while and eaten a good dinner. They walked by the nurse, who was quite used to the two of them by now. Warrick looked the same as ever. Catherine's heart and spirits crashed again. She knew this would happen, the sudden quick depression. It had happened everyday for the past 10 days when she came. She hated seeing Warrick so battered and helpless.
She and Lindsey both sat down next to Warrick's bed. Catherine held Warrick's hand and stroked the back of it with her thumb.
"You have any idea how worried you are making us all," Catherine said to the unconscious figure on the bed. She had a small smile on her face and tears in her eyes. Lindsey managed the same expression.
"Yeah Warrick. Very inconsiderate of you," Lindsey put in. Though it was a joke, something to make both of them feel better, it didn't work very well. They fell silent after that, and Lindsey leaned against her mother.
Then Catherine felt Warrick squeeze her hand.
"Warrick," she said, standing up and causing Lindsey to topple out of her seat. If she wasn't so excited and shocked, Lindsey would've groaned and scolded her mother. But she stood up as well and leaned over the bed, looking intently at Warrick.
Warrick's eyes cracked open and Catherine let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Lindsey grinned and let out a soft, low cheer.
"Hi Warrick," Lindsey said, leaning over the bed and kissing Warrick on his cheek. Very happy now, the young girl sat back in her seat smiling.
"Oh, God Warrick," Catherine breathed.
"Cath," Warrick croaked. His voice was scratchy from disuse and the fact he could use a drink of water. "Good to see you to."
Catherine smiled, she couldn't help herself. Lindsey stood up and went to the other side of the room, coming back with a glass of water.
"Can you hold the glass, or you need help," Lindsey asked Warrick. She was obviously happy, and showed this by turning back to her old self.
"I can probably hold it if your mother gives me my hand back," Warrick said. With a small laugh, Catherine let go of Warrick's hand. After he drank the glass of water, Lindsey took it. She put it on the end table.
"I'm going to go tell the doctors you're awake, okay," Lindsey said. She gave her mother a quick half glare before leaving and Catherine knew what she was getting at. Well, she did promise herself.
"I was so scared," Catherine said softly. She sat back down and held Warrick's hand again. Warrick turned his head slightly. He looked so much better and Catherine was so unbelievably grateful he was okay.
"How long have I been out," Warrick asked. His voice still wasn't quite the same, and he spoke a little slower then normal.
"Ten days," Catherine said. If he could've, Warrick would've whistled, but he couldn't.
"Yep. They...,"Catherine gulped. "They didn't think you'd make it." The tears in her eyes started to fall. She couldn't help it. She couldn't shake off how close she came to losing Warrick. To never being able to see him again. And it did remind her of sitting in the hospital after the incident with Nicky. When she finally saw him wake up. But the tension this time had been so thick, so unbearable. She had been so much more frightened this time.
Catherine rest her head on Warrick's chest, and he gave no indication of pain, which cheered Catherine up greatly, though she didn't stop crying.
"Hey," Warrick said, immediately trying to comfort her. He stroked her hair but otherwise let her cry. "Shh, shh." He murmured.
"Hey, Cath...It's okay," he said trying hard to convince her of this. He smiled as though to prove this to her, but it was forced and he dropped it quickly.
"I'm here, I'm alright."
Catherine straightened up and looked at him. She had stopped crying and wiped the remaining tears out of her eyes. She gazed sadly at Warrick.
"I almost lost you Warrick." There was a deep sadness in her voice.
"But you didn't," Warrick pointed out. Catherine cupped Warrick's cheek in her hand. She rubbed her thumb against his cheek. Warrick hoped she wouldn't take her hand away.
"I love you Warrick," Catherine told him. Her voice was almost a whisper. She was putting it out in the open, admitting it to herself as much as to him. Warrick stared at Catherine, holding her gaze. Then he nodded slowly, and Catherine didn't take her hand away.
"I love you too Cath." His voice was a whisper as well. Now Catherine leaned over and kissed Warrick. His lips were cracked and bruised, another casualty of the crash. But Catherine enjoyed kissing him all the same.
"You got everything all sorted out?" It was Lindsey. She had walked back into the room. She had a huge grin on his face. Catherine sat back down, a faint tinge of pink on her cheeks. She was holding Warrick's hand again.
"Yep," Lindsey said answering her own question.
"Took you long enough," Lindsey muttered under her breath as she walked to sit down again. "Getting hit by a car is certainly a big enough nudge."