Nick watched as Greg poured the last of his thermos into Sara's cup. They'd been waiting for ages and were all restless. Brass had saved them the nine hour drive by securing them seats in a military transport plane. From the airport, they'd ridden in helicopters. The helicopters were sitting in an open field about a mile away, waiting to transport their fugitives to safety as soon as they arrived.
Nick paced, he glared at the empty road. He hated all this waiting. He wanted to see his friend, make sure he was safe. He wanted to be doing…..something.
Catherine hurried over to where the group huddled next to the squad car. "I just talked to Hodges. He's been in contact with Gemma. They're on their way. They've gotten a ride in a yellow van."
"Do we really need to know the color?" Greg questioned with a smirk. "Like we couldn't figure out which van it is?" He motioned to the empty road. In the hours they'd been here, they'd seen one farmer driving a tractor, a raccoon and a wandering goat.
"What else did Hodges say?" Gil questioned, staring at Catherine with his patented Grissom stare. Everyone's attention went to Catherine's pale face. "Catherine?"
"Warrick has been hurt. He's been shot." The redhead told them reluctantly. "David didn't know how bad it is. He says Gemma was pretty hysterical."
"Damn-it!" Nick hissed, he turned on one heel and stalked away.
"Nick!" Sara called after him.
"I'll talk to him." Greg offered, following the Texan along the road. Nick crested the hill and stopped. Greg stopped beside him, not saying a word. Together, they silently stared down at the road that led them to Warrick.
"I hate this man! Standing her, doing nothing. Warrick's been shot, and yet, we're useless." Nick confessed. Greg remained silent, waiting for another outburst. He smiled, realizing how alike Nick and Warrick were. "What is so funny Greggo?"
"It's just weird, how you and Warrick act like one another at times." Greg explained. "It wasn't long ago, it was Warrick flipping out about being so useless while you were endanger."
"Is this how you guys felt?" Nick wondered. "This gnawing feeling in your gut. This complete feeling of uselessness."
"Pretty much." Greg shrugged. "But you came out okay. So will Warrick. And you'll spend the next few months, watching after him, driving him nuts, just like he did to you."
"I hope you're right." Nick heaved a sigh, "I just don't like to think he's out there, hurting while I'm doing nothing. He could be dying right now, and all I'm doing is waiting."
"We all feel like that." Greg brought his hand up to rest on the older man's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "There will be plenty to do when they get here."
"Yeah." Nick patted the hand on his shoulder and turned to head back to the rest of the team.
"Hey, what's that?" Greg asked, staring down into the darkness below. Nick turned and scanned the darkness, suddenly seeing a flash of light between the darkened shapes of trees.
"Headlights. It's headlights Greggo!" Turning, he gave a whistle, motioning the others over. The team jogged up to stand with them. "There's a car coming. Greggo spotted headlights."
"Looks about three miles out." Grissom nodded, he spoke tersely into his walkie-talkie. "We've got movement down below. Have everyone stand ready. Three minutes out."
Suddenly it was a mad house as everyone got into position. Lt. Brooks pulled his patrol car up, sufficiently blocking the road. He got out and stood beside the car, holding nothing but a flashlight. The CSI team backed away, this wasn't there place. "It's a van." Greg whispered loudly. "I think it's yellow."
Sure enough the old Chevy van was yellow, Nick noted as it pulled to a stop beside Lt. Brooks. Brooks stepped forward as the man rolled his window down. Nick peered across the darkened way, seeing a heavy set man. "Sir? Can I see some identification.?" Brooks questioned. He peered into the van, seeing the man's white tee shirt was smeared with blood.
"You the welcoming committee for my passengers?" The man handed over his wallet. With a jerk of his thumb, he motioned towards the back of the van. "I hope you brought some doctors, the guy is in a bad way."
Hearing this, Nick surged forward, to hell with protocol. He ignored Grissom as he called him back. Nick charged to the back of the van. "Warrick!" By the time he was flinging open the back doors to the van, the rest of the team was there behind him, guns and flashlights ready.
The flashlight illuminated the group huddled together in the back of the van. Gemma squinted up at the lights shining in her face. Jessica let out a whimper and buried her face into Gemma's side. Warrick didn't move. He lay deathly still, half in Gemma's lap.
"Medic!" Nick screamed. "I need a Medic!"
"Gemma!" Gil called, as the medical team surged forward. Nick reached out and touched Warrick as they pulled him out onto a stretcher. His arm was cool to the touch.
"Warrick." Gemma whimpered, crawling out behind him. Catherine, ever the mother, scooped up the frightened child and cuddled her, moving her away from the hustle and bustle.
Gil gave Gemma a quick hug, to assure himself that she was okay before taking charge, shouting out orders. Nick followed along the stretcher as they took Warrick to the awaiting ambulance which would take him to the helicopter, the paramedics already working on the patient. Nick heard the vital signs they were calling out. It didn't sound good. Greg climbed into the ambulance with Warrick, Nick was just about to do the same with Sara called his name.
Turning, he saw her struggling with Gemma, as the other paramedics tried to check her over. Looking from Warrick to Gemma, Nick was torn. He wanted to be with his buddy, needed to be with him. "Come on if you're coming. If not, get out of the way." the medic told him. Nick backed away from the bus, letting the doors shut without him. He owed it to Warrick to make sure his woman was safe. Jogging over to where Sara was still holding the hysterical woman from charging after the now leaving ambulance, he took Gemma by the shoulders.
"Hey now, hey now. Gemma, calm down." He told her, softly.
Gemma froze, her eyes narrowing as she looked up at him. "Nick?"
"Yeah, I'm Nick. Nice to finally see you face to face." He gave her his biggest smile, guiding her over to the ambulance and seating her on the edge.
"I need to go with Warrick." Gemma started to rise, but Nick put a firm hand on her shoulder, holding her in place.
"So do I, but first things, first." Nick cajoled her into sitting still. "You've got a lot of blood on you. They need to check your injuries."
"It's Warrick's blood." Gemma argued. "I'm not hurt at all."
"That's good, but let them check you over anyway." Nick nodded. Gemma looked at him with warmth and trust.
Jim came over and Nick introduced him to Gemma. He studied her with an odd look on his face, made some small talk before wandering away.
Sara somehow managed to procure Gemma a clean shirt, for which she was allowed to go into the ambulance to change. When she had changed, she joined Nick and Catherine, who still had Jessica in the helicopter. They were all going to the hospital to see Warrick. Greg had kept them updated, but he didn't know much, since Warrick was still in surgery.
The team gathered in the waiting room, all eager to hear something about Warrick. They were all praying that the news would be good.
Gil tried to convince her to go get some sleep, but she refused. She vowed that she wouldn't leave Warrick. Nick went out for some coffee, handing Gemma a fresh cup when he returned, and sat beside her.
"Nick, is he going to die?" She whispered, as if saying it out loud would make it true.
"Naw…. Warrick's too stubborn." Nick shook his head. "He'll be fine. He's too hard headed." He tried to sound positive, but only sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "I'm going to rustle us up a doctor to tell us how he is."
"I think you and Jessica need to go back to Las Vegas. Brass has some people there, who can protect you." Gil informed Gemma after Nick walked away.
"No! I'm not leaving Warrick." Gemma disagreed. "I'm staying here with Warrick. I won't go back to Vegas until he does."
"What about Jessica? She isn't safe here."
"We're sitting in a room full of people with guns. Where could she be safer?" Gemma questioned.
"We won't be able to stay here all the time." Gil sighed. "As soon as he's out of danger, we have to go back to work."
"Can he be moved to a hospital closer to Las Vegas?" Gemma questioned.
"When he's on the road to recovery." Gil replied.
"If he even makes it." Sara added angrily. She jumped up to pace the room. "What is taking so damn long?"
Greg reached out, stopping her manic pacing. "Sara, stop. We're all feeling this. We just have to hope and pray."