Title: In Shock
Author: Nicksfriend
Rating:k+
Spoilers: For Gedda
Disclaimer: Bottom line...they belong to CBS and to those who make millions
Author's note:This is my fifth CSI fic. I actually jumped when the undersheriff shot Warrick; I did not expect it...but I could see that it could have been survivable.
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The Undersheriff reached his car in the garage, unable to reach the one person who could fix it all, what the hell was he going to do,Warrick could identify him,he would be arrested.
Knowing what happened to police officers in prison he shuttered, he would have to find a way to resolve this without bringing attention to himself.
He started the engine,angry at the turn of events,wondering to himself how he could fix this,how could he make it right? He started to pull out of the garage when he spotted Grissom helping Nick out of his SUV. Grissom had his hands full right now,he wouldn't be able to interfere.
He realized the best plan for now would be to put himself in charge of the investigation. He could make arrangements that only he would know what the evidence was, and Ecklie of course,who could forget the resident goof up. Stokes almost lost his job once due to Ecklie's foul up and Warrick almost got charged with murder due to his inability to piece the evidence together.
Ecklie would be his new perfect pawn. Of course now he would have to flush out Pritchard, kill him and make himself look like a hero. If Warrick still had brain function after all that he had been through then he would deal with his rouge co.
He pulled out and drove towards the crime lab, he had work to do and a officer to kill. He pulled out his phone to call Pritchard,he would meet him at at a prearranged place but he just wouldn't know that there would be a swat team there to meet him, he would lead the way.
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Nick was taken back into the emergency room right away, given his medical condition. Fluids were started and he was given an intravenous dose of Ativan to help him rest,his diagnosis, as suspected was shock.
He looked down at his watch, Grissom knew that he needed to call Gregg but he wanted to wait until after his meetings, he should be done by now, it was afternoon and he need to talk to Catherine regarding Warrick too.
The lack of sleep was wearing on him and now that Nick was getting some sleep,even if was drug induced, he felt better.
He checked on Nick once more before leaving him alone to join Catherine. He was sleeping soundly so he slipped out of the room,hoping that he would sleep for a while.
As he pushed the button to the elevator he ran the crime scene over in his head, passenger window down, gun left behind, two shots, one to the neck and one to the chest. Something was missing, Warrick would have never opened the window for Pritchard, but it had to be someone he knew,someone he trusted to allow him to let down his guard in a dark alleyway.
The elevator opened, Grissom's was still trying to put together the puzzle pieces. A voice calling him to come back to reality.
"Gil,you okay?" Catherine's voice was attempting to get his attention.
"Yeah, sorry. Guess I was thinking." He moved out of the elevator and walked over to the waiting area.
"The doctor just came out, we can see Warrick in a few minutes." She was exhausted,the past few days wearing her down mentally and physically.
Grissom nodded and took a chair next to Catherine."Nick's in the emergency room, the doctor said he suffering from shock but he thinks he will be fine,he is exhausted. He gave him something to sleep."
Catherine rubbed at her tired face and pulled back her hair with both hands then let it go,"We all were so happy just hours ago. What happened Gil?"
"Someone decided to play God and attempt to take Warrick's life."
"According to the doctor they might have succeeded. The doctor does not give Warrick much of a chance. Possible brain and heart damage." Barely getting out he words, her voice choking with tears, the thought of Warrick dying overwhelming.
"Warrick's tough,if it is possible he will pull through. " Grissom reached over and took her hand and gave it a small squeeze,"He's Warrick."
She nodded as Grissom reached over and wiped her tears away,both staying quiet,both knowing that whatever happened it would effect the team forever.
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The nurse looked down at her new patient, he was tall and quiet handsome regardless of all the bandages that covered his neck and chest. He had multiple wires and tubes from every direction.
He had just arrived from surgery and the doctor had just informed her that she was taking care of Dr Tina Carson's ex-husband. He had just arrived from surgery and she knew she needed to do a quick assessment head to toe,the team of surgeons still in the ICU area writing notes.
The trach now attached to a machine which assisted in his breathing, the neck wound, which had caused severe swelling, bandages on each side of his neck,a tube out of the right side of his chest drained red drainage, the bandage on his chest still oozed blood, two drains lay to the side both with copious amounts of pink tinged fluid. A bandage wrapped around his whole upper torso. The arterial line secured to his left wrist and his central line in his chest bandaged with multiple fluids infusing through the pumps stacked one upon another.
The blood pressure machine showing his vitals were within normal limits, his kidney function being monitored with the catheter that snaked underneath his blankets. The orders were pages long and he had coded twice in the emergency room and once in the surgical area near the end of his surgery, his body had suffered tremendous stress and his brain function was now being monitor with the EEG leads attached to his head.
It was almost visiting time for family she would have to hurry and get her work done. She busied herself hanging blood and more fluids,her patient was very ill,he would need a lot of one on one care.
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Catherine and Grissom entered the ICU area, the usual sounds of monitors and people were silenced in Catherine's mind by the appearance of her friend,his handsome appearance marred by the multiple tubes and wires that were attached. As she approached his still body she reached over and picked up his limp hand,wanting to tell him how much he meant to her but was always afraid to say the words aloud. He had said them by placing his trust in her,by making her the one who would make the ultimate decision in his life, wait for signs of life or keep his suffering at bay.
Tears that she had promised herself that would not be shed in his presence,rolled down her cheek, fell and landed on his hand,she could not help but to feel tremendous guilt and remorse. Why had they not walked him to his car,knowing that the dirty cop was still out there and if he wanted to frame Warrick then why wouldn't he want to kill him also?
She had to be strong for now, he was counting on her to be strong,she could grieve later,she knew that she had to protect him. The killer was still out there and he wouldn't be happy knowing that Warrick had survived,she needed to talk to Brass,she needed help in protecting Warrick.
As she turned around and looked into the eyes of the man who's pain was visible, his mask of professionalism slipping as he looked upon his fallen agent, she knew they shared a similar pain .
Grissom stood quietly as he looked at his Rock, that is how he referred to the man in the bed. The name had fit, he had always been there for them all. Now his Rock was shattered and he didn't have a solution,no quick fix,he would have to wait to see if Warrick could hold on. If he would be able to come back to them.
Unable to deal with the emotions that were being elicited by the the broken image of his friend Grissom turned and left; allowing Catherine time with her friend. He had always been aware of their close friendship and knew she needed time alone with him.
Catherine lingered behind,wanting a few more minutes with the man whom she had always had a close connection with,leaning forward she gently placed a small kiss on his lips, the hissing sound of the ventilator attacked her hearing as she pulled away,knowing that it could be the last moments she would spend with him.
"Why couldn't we just be honest with each other Warrick? Why couldn't we ever say how we really felt?" She whispered into his ear, feeling the bandage on his neck rub against her cheek, the reality of the situation suddenly hitting her hard, she had a job to do,she needed to call Brass.
As she walked out to the ICU,she knew what had to be done. Warrick had trusted her to do what was right,even if it meant hurting those she cared about.
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Nick awakened from his drugged sleep, he sat up and noticed that he had an IV,which he quickly removed. He stood to find his legs were a little shaky but he quickly recovered. He started out of the door when he was quickly stopped by a nurse who seemed to have a lot of attitude,"Where are you going?" she asked with hands on hips.
"Listen, my friend was shot. I need to find him." Nick remembered finding his friend in the car,remembered trying to stop his bleeding and he remembered that he had to find the man who had shot him.
"You were in shock when your friend brought you in this morning, you've been asleep for about six hours. I need you to lie back down." her no nonsense tone was not lost on Nick.
"I'll sign out AMA. I need to leave now." His energy level back up to par now, he needed to find Pritchard,he needed to find the man who shot Warrick.
"You have that right sir, I'll get the papers after I talk to your doctor." she exited the room before he could say another word.
Nick found his clothes and quickly dressed, knowing that Grissom might be around to try to stop him. He needed to get to the lab and look at the evidence.
The doctor brought in the papers and explained all the risks of leaving but Nick quickly signed,needing to get to the lab. He grabbed his jacket and left. He reached for his cellphone but it was missing,it was probably in Grissom's car he thought to himself.
He walked out to the parking area and spotted his SUV, Brass must've brought it to the hospital. He located the extra key underneath the running board and quickly got inside. He pulled out of the garage and left for the lab.
He had a job to do for his friend.
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Ecklie met Mckeen at the door of the lab, "The gun belonged to Officer Pritchard, it was wiped clean of any prints but the serial number came back to his name. Nick also found a fiber on the passenger glass window,it could be most anything. We also got prints but they were mostly randoms."
"Good job, keep up the good work." McKeen was short with his director,he needed to get his plan in action."I don't know if Brass informed you but I am in charge of the investigation, all evidence must go by me."
"No problem. Guess I need to go back to work." Ecklie knew the importance of the case but found it odd that Mckeen was taking such an interest in the case,especially since he had been hell bent on charging Warrick for Gedda's murder just hours before.
The Undersheriff went to his office, closing his door tightly. He opened the top drawer of his desk and picked up the untraceable, disposable cellphone and placed the call to Officer Pritchard.
"Yeah." he answered," I did what you wanted, but I did not kill the CSI." Pritchard was nervous, they knew his name and what he had done to Gedda and how he had tried to frame Warrick Brown.
"Listen, I need you to go to the bus station, I'll draw attention away from there, you will have a ticket waiting for you at the ticket counter;I will also have a package there for you to pick up, it will have money and a passport, get the hell out of here and stay low for a while, I'll contact you."
"Where am I going?" he knew that he would be on the FBI's most wanted list.
"You'll know when you get there,pack light." He hung up the phone without allowing any more questions,it was time to get rid of the his pawn.
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As Pritchard hung up he realized that he didn't even know the name of the person he was talking to, never had known. Could he trust him? He could not help but to get a bad feeling, he would have to be careful.
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Let me know if you are liking it so far...I am not as predictable as I seem.