Chapter 2: Recovery

"Nick, I want you to start working with these blood samples that we found at the crime scene. We started doing it and I want you to finish finding the data and then tell me what you found." Grissom ordered. He handed Nick the swabs of blood and left.

"Welcome back to work Nick." Sara laughed

Nick went to the DNA lab and got to work. First he slowly took a swap and cut the top of the cotton off of it. He then placed the cotton tip into a little test tube filled with water. After that, he put it in the DNA machine and waited for the results to come back. 'wow this is hard with only one hand. I have to be really careful not to mess up. I have to do this really slowly. This is going to be a long day.' Nick thought while waiting for the results. He started on the next one, repeating the process until all thirty blood swabs were finished. In the end he had 10 samples of his blood, 5 samples of Frank Dawson's ex-girlfriend blood, 5 samples of Frank Dawson's blood, and 10 samples of an unknown source's blood. Puzzled about getting unknown results, he quickly wrote everything down and went to Grissom with the information.

"Hey Grissom, I need to talk to you. This is urgent." Nick stated.

"Sure thing Nick what is it." Grissom answered. 'It's only his first day back and he already has new news for me. I forgot how effient he is. Even with that bad shoulder of his.'

"I finished the DNA on the blood swabs you gave me. 10 samples were my blood, 5 samples were Dawson's ex-girlfriend blood, 5 samples were Dawson's blood, and 10 samples were unknown. Is it possible that there was another victim or shooter at the scene?" Nick informed.

"I was sure that there was only you, Dawson, and Dawson's girlfriend but I guess I was wrong. You said that there were 10 unknown samples." Grissom waited for Nick to nod before continuing. "I will get Brass to check the local hospitals to see if they had anyone come in the last 2 weeks from a gunshot wound, or heavy trauma. The other person might not have been shot, just injured somehow by either the other victim or by Dawson. I want you to put the DNA into the databases of other areas and see if you get a hit. Come back when you are done. And Nick, take it easy, if it gets to be too much, go to the break room and take a break." Grissom replied. Nick nodded knowing that it wasn't a suggestion; it was an order from his boss. "Nick I am not saying that as your boss, I'm saying that as a friend. It's your first day back and I want you to get better, so please as a friend, do what I say."

"Ok Grissom, I understand. So what databases to you want me to start with?" Nick asked.

"Start with the local areas then move out farther until you have searched it completely." Grissom suggested.

Nick went back to the DNA lab and put the Unknown DNA samples into the computer to start the search. He started the search in the local Nevada area to see if it got any hits. While the computer was searching, he looked at his shoulder. He realized that his bandage was getting bloodstained again and was going to have to be changed. He sighed, not knowing what to do, since Sara still had his bandages, and he didn't want to seem like he depended on her, especially at work. 'Well at least it doesn't hurt, much. I hope no one can notice when I do get the sharp searing pains shooting in my shoulder. Everyone is probably worried about me.' He glanced back at the screen, still no hits. His shoulder was starting to be really painful and he wished that he had his medicine with him. 'Why did I listen to her and let her carry my medicine.'

Nick left the DNA lab and went to the break room to see if Sara was there. Once he got to the break room the pain in his shoulder was almost unbearable. He quickly sat on a chair and grasped his shoulder trying to squash out the pain. He felt tears form in his eyes and tightly closed them, even though they were closed, a few tears leaked out. He winced in pain and wished he looked around before to see if anyone was in here. He listened but didn't hear anyone so he prayed that he was alone. He tried to ignore the pain but it was proving to be difficult.

Warrick and Greg were in the break room when Nick walked in. They saw him sit in the chair and grasp his shoulder. They were worried for their friend. So much as happened to Nick in his life time, starting when he was nine years old to the last few weeks. They looked at each other, both thinking the same thing, 'what do we do'. They hoped that Nick would be alright, but knew it would take a long time before he was.

Grissom was walking to the break room because he realized that Nick left the DNA lab. He was worried about Nick, even if he wouldn't tell anyone. He saw Nick close his eyes in pain and grimaced when he winced. He noticed that Nick wasn't taking any medicine for the pain and wondered why, maybe Sara knew since she took care of him for the last week. Turning way from the window he went to the fingerprint lab where Sara was.

"Sara, can I see you for a second?"

"Yea sure, what's up?" Sara replied.

"It's Nick, he is in the break room and looks to be in pain, but isn't taking any medicine for it. Do you know why?" Grissom asked.

"Yea, how can I be so dumb? I have his bandages and medicine in my bag because I changed his bandages and gave him his medicine before we left tonight, but I forgot to give his pills back. Where is he?" Sara informed worriedly. She couldn't believe that she forgot to give him his pills back. She knew that he would need them at work and knowing him, he wouldn't want to be dependent on her at work. She reached into her bag and gave Grissom the paper bags. One filled with fresh bandages and rubbing alcohol, the other filled with medicine bottles. "Give these to him. He'll know what to do. I'll be there right after I am finished scanning these fingerprints into AFIS."

Grissom went back to the break room and slowly approached Nick. He noticed that Nick's hand was still clutching his shoulder and he was biting his lip to keep from screaming. Grissom knelt in front of Nick and opened the medicine bag. He looked for the pain killers and opened the bottle taking out 2. He gently shook Nick's good shoulder and waited until his eyes opened. Once Nick opened his eyes, Grissom gave him the pain killers. Nick took them gratefully and looked around. He realized that he wasn't alone and turned red with embarrassment. 'Great, now they will think that I am weak.' Warrick and Greg were still in the break room sitting on chairs, watching TV. Nick watched Warrick get up and go over to the sink filling a glass with water. Warrick brought the glass back to Nick. Nick gratefully took it, putting the pills in his mouth and gulping the water to help swallow them. Once he knew that the pain would go away, he relaxed and sighed. He turned away from the others hoping that they didn't think that he was weak. Greg got up and joined Warrick and Grissom at Nick's side. The three of them sadly looked at Nick and realized that he was embarrassed at showing pain at work. They knew that he needed to know that he is not weak so they started to quietly reassure him, with out being too obvious that they could tell what he was thinking.

"Nick, just relax, you're recovering from a gunshot and surgery. It is your first day back and just take it slow. Taking it slow does NOT imply that you are in any way weak; it implies that you are trying to back to normal that you are strong, not wanting to give up." Grissom stated trying to reassure Nick.

"Yea, Nick, we just want you to get better. We do not think that you are weak. If you were weak, you would not have survived the shooting. Just promise me as a friend, as a brother, that you will not hide anything from us anymore." Warrick stated. He hoped that Nick believed what he said was true, because he meant every word of it.

"Nick if any one of us thought that you were weak, we would be lying to ourselves. You are one of the strongest people I know. You faced so many terrible things in the past few years as a CSI but you never once stopped, you always bounced back, even if it took a while. I just hope you believe that because I know everyone here does, even if they don't show or mention it." Greg stated honestly. "Nick, if I were in you shoes and went through everything you did, I would have stopped being a CSI and go home, never leaving the house again."

Nick looked at Grissom, Warrick, and Greg and realized that they were honest, that they meant every single word they said. He was touched that they felt so strongly about him and wanted to prove to them that he was as strong as they said he was. He nodded, hoping they realize that he agrees to what they say. He looks at their faces again and realizes that they look really relieved. His shoulder was starting to feel much better, but he still needed to change his bandage. He noticed that Grissom had the bandage bag with him and took it from him. Setting the bag on his lap, he started to slowly take his arm out of the sling. He winced at the pain that small movement caused, but continued doing it. Then he started un-wrapping his old bandage until the last piece of cloth was removed from his wound. He heard the others gasp when they saw the wound, but ignored them. He took the Rubbing alcohol out of the bag and tried to put it on his wound, but his hand was shaking too much, so he spilt a tiny bit on his lap. Once he was able to get some on his wound, biting his lip against the pain, he took the fresh bandages out of the bag and started to wrap them around his shoulder. Only being able to use his left hand, Nick couldn't wrap the bandage as tightly as it needed to be so he sighed and closed his eyes again. He heard the door open and close, and quick foot steps coming his way. He recognized them as Sara's.

Sara walked into the break room and looked at Nick. She realized that he tried to change his bandages by himself, but gave up and waited until she came. She quickly walked up to him and gently touched is arm. He opened his eyes and looked at her. She helped him up and he let her guide him to the sink. She watched his wound and felt bad when she saw his wince. After the wound was clean, she took the bandages from him and slowly, but as tightly as she could, re wrapped his shoulder. Finally, she guided his arm through the sling as carefully as possible. She glanced over at the other three grateful that they gave them some space. She patted Nick on the back and told him that it was over; he never kept his eyes open while she changed his bandages.

Nick opened his eyes and was grateful that no one said anything about him letting Sara change his bandage. He walked back over to the chair and sat down, sighing.

"Thanks you guys, just give me a sec and I'll be fine." Nick stated, thankful for their support. "Or as fine as I can be with a gunshot wound" Nick quickly added after hearing the others trying to contradict him.

Grissom, Warrick, and Greg quietly left the room and went back to work. Sara left after glancing at Nick to make sure he wasn't in pain. After a few minutes, Nick got up and went back to work.

When he got back to the DNA lab, he looked at the screen. No matches. So he started another search in the neighboring states. After that was started, he sat in the chair and waited. About an hour later, he got a hit on the database. He looked at the name, Nigel Crane, and gasped in shock. The stalker was back again and after him. He printed out the hit and checked it against the rest of the unknown DNA samples; they all came back to Nigel Crane. He got up and went to Grissom's office.

"Grissom, I got a hit." Nick stated.

"Who is it?" Grissom questioned.

"It's…um…Nigel Crane." Nick stated, his voice shaking.

Grissom gasped and turned around to face Nick. He took the paper from Nick and glanced at it. Yep it was the same Nigel Crane, the Stalker, the one after Nick. He glanced back at Nick and got more worried about him.

"Nick, I want you off of this case, I'll have Brass try and locate Nigel. I want you to stay as far away from this case as possible so you are going to be working on the other case with Warrick. The victims name was Max Everest." Grissom ordered.

Nick left Grissom's office and went around the lab to find Warrick. He was in the ballistics lab. Warrick looked up and was surprised when Nick walked in.

"Hey Warrick, Grissom moved me to your case." Nick informed.

"Ok Nick, so the Max Everest was shot three times once in the chest, once in the back of the head, and once in the thigh. The one in the head was not a through and through, suggesting that the bullet was a 22 caliber. The other two shots were through and through. The bullets were recovered at the scene and morgue. I am comparing the bullet striations to the guns in his gun safe. So far no matches, so you can do a search for registered 22 caliber guns and see if you get a match. I'll continue test firing the rest of the guns in his safe. Tell me if you get any thing." Warrick informed.

Nick started his search and waited. 'This is going to be a boring next few weeks if all they let me do is search on the computer.' When he heard Warrick pull the trigger of one of the guns he flinched remembering the last time he heard gun fire. He looked back at the screen trying to ignore the sound of gunshots coming from where Warrick was testing the guns. Finally the search stopped and he got a match. The gun was registered to Frank Darwin. The two cases have the same suspect. He gasped and called for Warrick.

"Warrick, you should see this"

"What Nick?"

"I got a match for the gun. It is registered to Frank Darwin. What I don't get though is, wasn't Darwin in custody when Max Everest was killed?" Nick informed.

"Nick, I don't get it. Isn't Frank Darwin the guy that shot you?"

"Yea"

"Let's go get Grissom and tell him that the cases might be linked." Warrick stated.

They headed towards Grissom's office and told him what they found out. They then went to the break room for a rest. Nick went over to the chair he was in before and noticed that the brown bags were still there. He placed them on the table next to him and sat on the chair.

An hour later, Nick and Sara headed back to Nick's house. Nick's shoulder was getting painful again and he started to wince. Once they got back to Nick's home, Sara changed his bandages and he took his medicine.

The next few weeks went by in a similar manner. Until it was finally the day where Nick had his appointment with Dr. Carson to see how his shoulder was healing. It was still rather painful at times but Nick hoped he could take off the bandage. It stung every time he had to change it and he could live with out the extra pain. When he arrived at the hospital, he waited until Dr. Carson was ready to see him.

"Nick Stokes, Dr. Carson is ready for you." A nurse called out.

Nick got up and walked to Dr. Carson's office. He sat down and waited to see what the doctor would say.

"Good morning Nick, I hope you are feeling better. Well let's see what your shoulder looks like. I'm going to un-wrap your shoulder and take it out of the sling. Then I want to see if you can move it with out too much pain. When you move it, stop if you start to feel sharp pains ok." Dr. Carson informed Nick.

Dr. Carson took off Nick's bandage and took Nick's sling off. He put the bandage in the garbage and the sling on his desk. Then he told Nick to start SLOWLY moving his arm around. He watched as Nick slowly raised his arm about half way up before wincing in pain. He told Nick to stop. After a little rest he told Nick to move his arm to the side. He watched has Nick slowly moved his arm to the side with out wincing, but when he tried to move it back and forth, he winced. Once Nick slowly brought his arm back to his chest, Dr. Carson told him how his shoulder was.

"Well Nick your shoulder is healing nicely so I don't think you need the bandage anymore, but since it hurt to move it, I still want you to use your sling. I think that you are ready for crime scenes as long as you are not alone at any time and you are careful. I would like to check your progress in two weeks. So when you have time keep practicing the movements I showed you earlier, moving your arm until you feel pain, not any farther ok. If you do it twice a day, everyday, until I see you again, you should be off the sling in two weeks. See you then Nick." Dr. Carson ordered.

Nick walked back to the waiting room and noticed that Sara was there. He told her the news and they headed to work. Since he moved his shoulder for the first time since it was injured, he was in terrible pain. He dug into his pocket and took out his pain killers. Popping two in his mouth he closed his eyes and relaxed.

When they arrived at the lab, Nick told Grissom what Dr. Carson said.

"That's really good news Nick. Let's see, um, you can go to the new crime scene with Warrick and Greg." Grissom stated.