Another chap. Can't talk long. Gotta disappear. Just quickly posting. Please review!!
Greg caught Alex's eyes across the hall and she came running to the room where everyone was gathered. Sara tapped her finger on the map.
"He's there," she announced.
"You've found him?" Alex wasn't asking. She knew that only Greg could hear her, but had to ask. The sharp jerk of his head told her that she was right. She scanned the map to fix the location in her mind, glanced at Greg, mouthed 'good bye', closed her eyes and willed herself to Nick's location.
She found herself in the middle of a nursery with no idea where she needed to be within it. She looked around, casting around silently for Nick. He'd stopped calling her name some time ago so she didn't even have that to follow anymore. She couldn't find anything, even a general sense of where he was, wasn't apparent. Alex couldn't feel him. She had to find him. He couldn't die on her. Not yet. Certainly not now.
"NICK!!" she screamed in the vague hope that he'd hear her. Struggling to contain her panic she looked around. 'Come on Alex,' she thought to herself. 'Think about this logically. Fresh turned earth, an air-supply. Look around… Bugger, nursery, lots of fresh turned earth. Come on, logical thinking, stay calm. The others will be here soon. They'll get Nick out.'
When they finally arrived, Alex was on the verge of a mental breakdown, panicking, unable to locate Nick and terrified that she was about to lose him. Greg did his best to reassure her with his eyes, but it wasn't really working. She looked like she'd burst at any second. Tears were streaming down her face, eyes red and puffy, hair a complete and utter mess from the many times that she'd run her fingers through it, clothes dishevelled.
"We've almost got him Alex," Greg whispered to her.
"What if we're too late?" Alex sobbed. "What if we didn't make it in time?"
"We will have. You gotta believe that!"
Suddenly they were interrupted by Catherine exclaiming that she'd found him. They raced over and Alex could feel her heart trying to hammer its way out of her chest. She reached one of the pipes sticking up from the ground.
"Nicky," she almost whispered into it. "Stay strong. I'm right here. I'm waiting for you to come back to me."
The boys dug in with shovels and Alex stood on the edge waiting for them to be finished. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't stop them, not knowing that she could have stopped this from happening. Her hands covered her mouth and Greg could see her distress plainly painted on her face, along with guilt. Then Warrick uncovered the Perspex coffin to see Nick putting the gun under his chin. Alex almost fell forward, staring Nick in the eye mumbling.
"Listen to him," she whispered. "Listen. He's trying to help. Don't you dare kill yourself. Not after everything these guys have done to get you out of there."
Nick listened, although whether to Alex or Warrick was left to Greg's guess. As they struggled to kill the ants crawling over Nick, Alex stayed right where she was, keeping up a soothing litany of words. She was almost trying to sink through the Perspex lid but couldn't. Just before Warrick could pull Nick out, everything stopped and went into panic mode again as it was explained that the bottom of the box was rigged with pressure sensitive explosives.
Greg saw Alex's eyes slide closed and knew she'd completely lost hope. But she didn't know Gil Grissom. As ever his boss figured something out. Alex was crouched at the edge, willing Nick to listen to Grissom with her eyes and soft spoken voice.
Eventually they had Nick out. It was clear that all Alex wanted to do was go and hug Nick, but she couldn't, because in his semi-delirious state, he'd probably try to hug her back. So she settled for clinging to Greg and crying into his shoulder. Greg had to force himself not to cradle the distraught woman. He'd been wrong. He could admit that now. There was no way that an evil spirit could be this good an actor, put themselves through this much without truly meaning what they said and felt.
"Greg, head to the hospital," Grissom ordered. "There's nothing you can do here. The day shift will process it."
"Thanks Gris," Greg nodded, was that really his voice? It sounded hoarse, as though he'd been crying as well. He headed for his Denali, a morose Alex trailing him. She climbed into the passenger seat as Greg started the engine.
"I'm sorry," he told her gently. "I misjudged who you were. I truly am sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to change what's done," Alex mumbled. "You just did what you thought was right to protect you friend. In your place, I'd have done the same."
"I'm a scientist. I'm supposed to look at all the facts before I make snap judgements. I didn't do that. I made an assumption. A bad one."
"Everyone makes snap judgements. It's being human. Don't worry about it."
"But I do. You're trying to help Nick and I was too dumb to see it."
"Hearsay's a powerful tool. One I've used and had used against me. You weren't too dumb, you were acting on what you know."
Greg could hear her choking up again and let the subject drop as they reached the hospital. Racing inside they saw Warrick leant against a wall.
"How is he?" both demanded in the same instant.
"He'll live Greggo," Warrick replied wearily. "They're keeping him in overnight to rehydrate him, but he's fine. Comparatively."
"Can we see him?" Alex wanted to know and Greg echoed her question to Warrick who nodded.
"Go see him Greg."
Greg stopped himself from asking if Warrick had been to see Nick yet, he knew the answer was no. So instead, he followed Alex down the corridor and to Nick's room. There was a nurse in, checking over the IV line. She turned to them and smiled.
"He's a little drowsy," she told Greg as Alex went straight over to Nick's side completely ignored. "But he's conscious. I'll leave you in peace."
"Thank you," Greg nodded as the nurse left.
"Oh Nicky," Alex murmured. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Alex?" Nick croaked.
"Right here."
"You came back?"
"Course I did. Couldn't leave you on your own could I?"
"Glad. Didn't want you to go."
"I didn't want to either."
Greg couldn't help but feel even guiltier about tearing those two apart. He could see clearly now how in love they were. The way Alex was gently caressing Nick's face and how their hands lay, fingers entwined on the crisp white hospital issue sheets.
He watched her caressing her charge's face and smirked. She was going soft. The old Alex would never have fallen for anyone. She was compassionate, but not one to get emotionally attached. Alex was going to fail. He wanted her to know what it felt like to be completely and utterly helpless about her fate.
A sound that was almost a cackle escaped his lips. He saw Alex sit up and look around. The smirk on his lips grew and his eyes glittered with sinister pleasure. This new Alex was jumpier than the old model as well. Never mind, that just made thins more fun.
Nick felt Alex move and watched her look around nervously. He squeezed her hand. "What wrong Al?" he rasped.
Alex looked down at him, her eyes slightly spooked. "It's nothing…" she stated hesitantly, voice not sounding too sure. "Just a feeling."
WTH was with that ending? I do not know where that came from! Honest! Please review!