Chapter 9 – the end

"We found him!"

Nick ran over to Catherine. He grabbed a shovel on the way and began to dig, he turned and saw Warrick digging as well. They were so close when Warrick and his watches went off. Nick tensed and began to dig faster and faster.

Nick's shovel hit something, he stopped knelt down and began to dig with his hands. "I hear something! … GREG! … GREG! I coming, hold on." Nick came to steamed plastic, he moved the remaining soil from the plastic.

Greg's face showed slightly through the wall separating him from Nick. Nick's eyes became to fill with tears as he noticed that Greg was holding the gun to his chin. His eyes were half closed and ants were crawling all over his skin. Nick started to claw at the door, Warrick did the same behind.

Nick stopped when he saw Greg shaking with fear and relief. "I'm here Greg, I'm here," Nick whispered to Greg, stroking his hand on the plastic. "We're going to get you out of there Greggy." He looked at the gun still under Greg's chin. "Put it down Greg, you don't need that anymore." Greg lowered and dropped the gun on the plastic floor.

"Someone get the fire extinguisher!" Grissom yelled to the people back him. Sara ran to the car and pulled out the fire extinguisher and ran back to the hole, Warrick and Nick lifted the corner closest to Greg's head. "Short bursts, we don't want to suffocate him." Sara followed his orders and the ants slowly died away.

Grissom gave a small smile and told Sara to stop. Grissom turned and made his way to Catherine, who was calling him over. They whispered to each other for a minute.

"We have a problem!" Nick turned in alarm to see Grissom making his way over to the hole. "Get out of the hole now!" Everyone else did but not Nick, who was looking at Grissom as if he had five heads rather than one.

"No," Nick shouted turning back to Greg. "Not without Greg." He put both his hands to the glass and quickly started whispering to Greg. It was roughly along the lines of 'sorry', 'won't leave you' and 'love you'.

"Nick, it could explode at anytime!" Catherine yelled coming closer to the hole. "We'll get him out!"

"I've got an idea." Grissom said, looking at the crane. "Get the keys to that crane and bring it closer to the hole." Grissom knelt next to the hole and gently pulled at Nick's sleeve.

Greg began to panic as Nick stood and moved away without getting him out. His eyes began to jerk at all directions, his body began to shake. He felt tears fall and could hear his dimmed screams.

Grissom came into his vision, he was saying something but it was hard to hear with all his screaming. He caught a few words; 'Calm down', 'shh' and 'it'll all be over soon'. One word he heard very well, which shut him up completely was 'Wacko'. He turned his head to Gil, watched and lessoned to what he had to say.

"We're going to get you out but you have to stay calm. Now, in a minute we are to open the box you can't move, or you will blow us all up. Wacko, when I count to two, this crane is going to pour all of its soil on you. On three the team are going to pull you out, okay, Wacko?" Greg nodded his head. "You have to promise that you are not going to move, okay Wacko? Put your hand where my hand is and promise me," Grissom said putting his hand on the plastic. "Promise me, Wacko," Greg nodded and pieced his hand under Grissom's and mouthed 'I promise'. Grissom smiled and stood up.

"Open it!" Nick yelled, as he, Warrick, Grissom and a few others pulled at the door. Once it was open, Nick grabbed Greg's hand, lowered his head and kissed it. Then let it go, stood and let everyone else make their way to a pretty good distance. The only people left was Nick and Grissom, Gil handed Nick the end of the rope and told him to tie it round Greg's belt. Once this was done, Nick and Grissom made their way to the others, but not without Nick leaning down and pecking Greg on the lips.

"On the count of two let the crane cover Greg, on the count of three pull," Grissom shouted as everyone pick up the rope. "One! Two!" The soil fell on to the grave. "Three!" Everyone pulled and Greg came flying through a cloud full of dirt and landed smack on the floor.

Nick dropped the rope, ran to Greg's side and rounded him over so that he was laying on his back. Nick smiled, through his tears, when Greg opened his eyes and smiled back. Greg pulled Nick into a hug as Nick started to say over and over that he was so sorry and will never make the same mistake again.

"I'm sorry, I realized that you are the only one I want," Nick whispered, rubbing his cheek into Greg's hair. "I love you."

"I love you too," Greg whispered back, smiling.

Nick swallowed and pulled away from Greg, he looked into Greg's eyes. "I was hoping that, once you forgive me for being an arse, that… will you marry me?"

Greg pulled back more and looked Nick in the eye, he heard a noise and turned to see the medics rushing his way. He turned back to Nick and grinned, "yes, I'll marry you." Nick beamed and pulled Greg into a deep kiss.

The End