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They say a single moment can change your entire life.
Sometimes it's a single moment, sometimes it's less than 24 hours. Nick Stokes had been buried less than twenty-four hours. And those twenty-four hours had indeed changed Gil Grissom's life.
Nick Stokes was Gil's Achille's heel. The only point in which he was vulnerable. The fact that it had been so easy for Walter Gordon to snatch Nick away practically under the nose of a PO disturbed Gil deeply.
The search had been frantic. And Gil had been the one who had to be strong, the one to keep the team together. There hadn't been the time for him to show any kind of weakness. To give in to his grief. And he had been able to push his personal feelings aside for as long as it lasted. Afterwards, when Nick was in hospital together with Catherine and Warrick, when all the reports were written, when all the i's were dotted and all the t's crossed, he had walked home. Walked, though his townhous was almost two miles away. But he had to clear his head.
'I want my guys back.'
His words to Ecklie. Ecklie, who finally had managed to act like a human being. Who had tried to get the ransom. He had failed but he had tried. Something Gil would not forget so fast.
But it wasn't only about his team, not only about the old dynamic he had felt again during those twenty-four hours...he wanted Nicky back on his team, back under his supervision. Back to where he could watch over him. Could take care of him.
Slowly and completely lost in his thoughts he wandered down the strip, his hands in his pockets. A single moment...indeed. He knew it would take more than a single moment for the team to get over this shock. To heal.
But a single moment had also shown him how short life could be. Something that wasn't uncommon in his line of work. But this time...this time it had hit someone close to him.
"Good evening, Dr. Grissom."
He looked up at the young police officer who had greeted him. And was astound to see that he was standing in front of Nick's hospital room. Unconsciously, he had taken the way to the hospital. He nodded slightly in return, and reached out to open the door. Suddenly he hesitated.
"You can go in. Mr. Stokes is asleep. His parents left an hour ago and they told the doctors that it's okay for you to go in and look after Mr. Stokes. After everything you've done..."
The Police Officer's friendly voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Thank you, Officer..." Gil cast a quick glance at the young man's uniform. "...Anderson."
Officer Anderson smiled and nodded, then he opened the door carefully. Slowly, afraid to make any kind of noise, Gil entered the room and the closing of the door left him in darkness. The only light came from the dim illumination next to the door.
He stared at Nick.
He was lying there, sleeping. Various tubes and infusions were attached to his body, the monoton beep~beep~beep of the heart - monitor the only noise. Beside the bed stood a chair and Gil walked over to it and sat down.
For the first time he felt every single one of his almost fifty years. He sighed deeply. They had come so close to losing Nick. The air in the box might have lasted only a few minutes more, with a little luck an hour. And then...? He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't dare to think about the 'and then'.
"How...how long was I in there?"
Nick's voice was hoarse and scratchy. Gil opened his eyes and in the dim light he found himself under the intense focus of those dark eyes. He had to clear his throat before he was able to say something. Tears were lingering under the surface and threatened to break free.
"Almost...almost twenty-four hours."
"No one wanted to tell me. Didn't want to shock me, I guess." Nick tried to laugh, but groaned in pain when he felt his cracked ribs protest.
"Ssh, Nicky. It's okay. You should try to sleep. Get some rest." Gil got up and stood now next to the bed. He switched on the little reading light over Nick's bed to banish the darkness. Nick blinked a few times, then his eyes adjusted.
"Twenty-four, huh?"
Gil nodded.
"Seemed longer to me."
Gil didn't know what to say so he remained silent, waiting. Carefully he reached out and smoothed back a strand of hair that had fallen into Nick's face. His hair was longer again, thank god. Nick moved slightly, tried to get in contact with Gil's hand, and after a second of hesitation, the older man touched his cheek. With a deep sigh, Nick snuggled his face into the palm of Gil's hand and closed his eyes again. For a few moments the remained like that, then Nick spoke again.
"I'm afraid to sleep. Afraid to wake up in that box again. Afraid to find that I dreamed all of...all of this." He didn't open his eyes when he spoke but nestled even closer to Gil.
Involuntarily, Gil put his other hand up and took Nick's in his. Warm and strong, careful not to grab to hard. He could feel the swollen ant bites under his fingers, and a lump formed in his throat.
Twenty-four hours. The longest day in his life. Unnoticed by him, one lonely tear ran down his face and fell on their joined hands. Nick's eyes snapped open, and with an unreadable expression on his face he gazed at Gil.
"You're crying?"
Gil nodded, and another tear joined the first.
"Because of me?"
Another nod, another tear.
"I could have lost you so easily," the older man whispered. More tears were running down his face now. He wasn't able to hide them any longer. Ashamed of his tears, he turned his head away.
He didn't see that Nick was slowly raising his hand, and when he suddenly felt it touch his face he startled slightly.
"I'm here, Gil. Because of you, I'm here. And alive. No need for tears. You found me. You saved me. I knew you would."
A picture shot through Gil's mind. Nick, lying in the box, the little recorder in his hands, speaking his last words. 'Grissom. I never meant to dissapoint you.' And suddenly the tears were freely streaming down his face now but still there were no sobs. And somehow this silent crying was much more worse for Nick than a loud wailing.
"Gris...hey Gris. Please, don't do that. You don't have to cry, man. I'm okay. See? A little bruised, a little shaken, but okay."
It took Nick all his strength, but he managed to put himself in a sitting position. With shaking hands he reached out for Gil, grabbed the older man's shoulders, turned him around and hugged him. With a sound close to a sob, Gil threw his arms around the younger man and reciprocated the hug. Nick gritted his teeth so as not to groan in pain. Slowly Gil sat down on the bed next to Nick, never losening his grip around the slender form of the younger man. They remained like that for a long time, taking comfort and strength from the fact that the other man was there. And alive. And breathing, the strong heart beating.
Nick fell asleep, his head resting on Gil's shoulder. Gil closed his eyes and ignored the ache in his back that came from the cramped position he was sitting in.
A single moment can change your entire life.
Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. He didn't know yet the outcome from these changes, but then he felt the soft breath of the sleeping man on his neck.
And suddenly he smiled.
No matter what the outcome might be...twenty-four hours had irrevocably changed his and Nick's life. But now that he had Nick back in his arms, safe, he didn't care too much about tomorrow.
Right now he was content where he was. And with a little sigh he closed his eyes and rested his head against Nick's dark hair.
Within a few seconds he was asleep, too.
The end.