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CHAPTER 22

Grissom climbed into the back of the ambulance and tried to keep out of the way of the paramedic who was working over Nick, hooking him up to a 12 lead cardiac monitor and an automatic blood pressure cuff. He took a baseline blood pressure reading then printed out the EKG readings on graph paper to include in his file. Once the EKG was printed, the paramedic called out to his partner and the ambulance pulled away.

Nick had an iv canula in the back of one hand and Grissom figured they must have already given him a sedative of some sort as he appeared barely awake.

The paramedic turned to Grissom as he started filling out the retrieval forms documenting the nature of the emergency and relevent information. He provided as much medical history information about Nick as he could as well as details from the last few hours. He found that the ride to the hospital was over relatively quickly.

Nick was wheeled into the emergency room and Grissom was content to leave him in the capable hands of the medical staff. He was escorted into the emergency room waiting area and sat in silence, watching patients and family members come and go. How different, he thought, to all those months ago when he and the rest of the team had waited for news of Nick. The waiting area then had been packed with CSI colleagues, police and two anxiety riddled parents.

This time, however, it was just Grissom.

At least for a start.

Catherine arrived only 15 minutes after Grissom.

She walked into the emergency room all business. A confident stride a legacy of years working crime scenes. Worry etched on her face the legacy of both being a mother and a concerned friend.

Her eyes scanned the room as soon as she arrived and focused on Grissom immediately.

"No news yet." he said, anticipating her unsaid question. "But he had calmed down by the time we arrived."

Catherine took the seat next to him and they chatted quietly while they waited.

After what seemed like an eternity, a tall female doctor in a pristine white coat and stethoscope hanging around her neck arrived and called for Nick's next of kin.

Grissom and Catherine followed her into a small room and listened as the doctor filled them in on Nick's condition.

"Mr Grissom, Ms Willows, I've examined Mr Stokes and read his past medical history." she started, "His inital cardiac enzymes have come back clear and his EKG is normal, so we've ruled out an MI. He had intravenous lorazepam enroute which settled him nicely and I'll send him home on oral paroxetine. His psychologist will have to review his medications as he progresses. He's asleep at the moment but I'm happy for him to be released when he wakes. Has he got someone at home to look after him tonight?"

Catherine started shaking her head, hopeful that they would admit him overnight if they thought he had to go home to an empty house but, before she could voice her concerns, she heard Grissom's voice.

"I'll stay with him."

Catherine flicked Grissom a surprised glance but he didn't respond.

The doctor nodded and continued.

"He'll need support over the next few days. No work for at least a week - preferably more - and I read he was due to start intensive counselling after his last discharge from Desert Palms. I strongly advise he recommences therapy to manage his ongoing anxiety." she said.

Grissom was nodding, obviously taking mental notes for his next few days as carer.

"If you have any further concerns about Mr Stokes' health over the next few days, bring him back into emergency and we can admit him for assessment, but I'm confident that with a combination of the counselling and lorazepam he'll be fine. Have you got any questions for me?"

"No doctor." said Grissom "Thankyou."

The doctor nodded at him.

"He should be awake soon and I'm sure he'll be more than ready to go home."

Grissom and Catherine both thanked her again and took a seat in the smaller waiting room.

"Will you be OK with him?" Catherine asked.

Grissom nodded and gave a small grin.

"We'll be fine." He was surprised at how confident he felt. He would be alright. Nick would be alright. They'd be fine.

It was almost an hour until the door to the waiting room opened and the doctor reappeared.

Catherine had called home to make arrangements for her Mom to pick Lindsay up from a study group.

Grissom had needed to make arrangements too. He flicked open his cell and pressed speed dial.

"This is Sara Sidle," said the voicemail message, "I'm not able to take your call at the moment. If you leave your name and number, I'll return your call as soon as possible. BEEEEEP"

Grissom smiled. He could listen to her voice forever. As horrific as the night had been when Nick had vanished, one good thing had come from it. He had finally realised his true love for Sara and they had been together ever since.

"Hey, it's me. There's been a change of plan. I'm at the hospital with Nick. He's OK, but I'll be staying with him tonight. I'll try and call you later." he ended the call and sat back in the chair next to Catherine. She gave him a sideways glance but the doctor's reappearance silenced any questions she had.

"Mr Stokes is awake and ready to be discharged. If you'd like to come through, I'll take you to his cubicle and you can take him home." the doctor said.

"Thankyou." said Grissom and he followed both the doctor and Catherine through the busy emergency department to a large room with numerous cubicles curtained off from each other. They were directed to the furtherest curtain and, on entering, found Nick sitting in a chair pulling on his boots and fumbling with the laces. He had clearly just woken from a deep sleep - his hair was ruffled and tiredness was clearly evident on his face and in his eyes.

Catherine went immediately to him and knealt down to help him with his laces. Nick mumbled a protest but Catherine shushed him and continued regardless. He looked as if he could barely keep his head up. Catherine finished his laces and stood as Nick scrubbed his hands over his face in a failed attempt to clear his fuzzy head.
With a deep sigh he dropped his hands to the edges of the seat and pushed himself unsteadily up. He swayed briefly and accepted a steadying arm from Catherine. For a moment he thought he might pass out and jammed his eyes closed to stop the world moving.

"Do you need to sit down again?" asked Catherine concerned.

He shook his head stubbornly and slowly opened his eyes a crack.

He took a couple of steadying breaths and tried a few steps. He clung onto Catherine's hand when she slid it into his and shuffled to the exit. Grissom smiled at his tenaciousness and followed. The going was slow but they finally made it out to the carpark and they bundled Nick into the back seat of Catherine's SUV hopeful that he would drift back off to sleep.

Catherine drove back to the lab so that Grissom could pick up his own SUV before they drove in convoy back to Nick's house.

As they had hoped, Nick dozed on and off all the way.

They got Nick inside his house and he shuffled off to bed almost immediately.

Catherine and Grissom made themselves a coffee and planned the next day. Catherine would come back in the morning and relieve Grissom, who would head into work and organise the shift and speak with Ecklie. Catherine would take Nick to the psychologists appointment.

They agreed not to tell anyone else at the lab about Nick, other than Warrick.

With their plan sorted and their coffee finished, Catherine helped Grissom find spare blankets and a pillow and left him to set up the sofa as a bed for the night while she headed home.

Grissom checked on Nick, who was sleeping soundly - mainly medicinally induced he suspected, and settled in for some much needed sleep himself.

It had been one hell of a day.

Thanks for reading. Any comments will be gratefully received : ) Do I sound like a broken record?