CSI: A New Beginning

Chapter 9: Struggles

Elizabeth looked almost dead lying so still and pale on the hospital bed. When the doctor said she was in a coma, my heart sank in my chest. All I could think was that it was my fault. At least that's what it felt like. I immediately called for backup when I found her, but it was inevitably going to be too late.


I stayed by her bedside most of the first night, just watching her. I waited for a sign, for anything, that would tell me she would be alive again. I tried talking to her, I held her hand, I stroked her face; but nothing seemed to wake her from her sleep. I wondered if she could hear me, feel my touch or even notice my presence, but she was as still as a corpse.


Grissom and Sara were the first ones to the hospital other than me. Catherine and Greg were not too far behind them. I sat in the chair while they were in the room, not chancing even touching Elizabeth. More people came and went, but only I stayed. I told everyone my excuse for staying was because I felt so guilty leaving her, and I swore to make it up to her if she ever woke up. I fell asleep in a reclining chair beside her, holding her hand, and woke up to find that I was not the only one in the room anymore. Grissom and Sara had come back and were sitting in chairs on the end of the bed, seemingly in deep conversation, when my chair screeched as I sat up. I quickly pulled my hand away from Elizabeth's and stretched out.


"Well, good morning, Nick," Grissom said sternly, yet a smile played at his lips. "We didn't get much of a chance to talk last night. How was your evening?"


I sighed, rubbing my eyes, "Terrible. It might go down as one of the worst nights of my life," I muttered, leaning forward on my knees with my head in my hands.


"So, what exactly happened?" Sara chimed in, looking as worried as Grissom.


I cleared my throat, "Well, Elizabeth and I were sent out to... to see to a dead body in an alleyway, and when the coroner left with the body we were, uh, collecting evidence and we found a note. It was written in blood and it was a clue to what we thought was going to be another murder..." I paused, looking to Elizabeth lying peacefully asleep. I continued, "We went to the cemetery and we split up, following the walls around the perimeter. I didn't want to do it, but Elizabeth insisted it would be the only way we could find the victim quicker. Or the killer..." Grissom and Sara eyed each other while listening intently to my explanation. "I can't remember exactly what made me turn around and go after her, but sure enough, the Riddler had gotten to her before I could find her, and she was gone..." I felt a tear trickle down my face and I quickly wiped it away. I sat back in the chair and closed my eyes. "It's all my fault..."


"Nick, it's not your fau-" Grissom started.


"What do you mean it's not my fault?! If I had kept her safe and went with her, none of this would have ever happened," I retorted, my voice rising a bit. "If we'd just waited for backup..."


"Nick," Sara began. "She's alive. If you were there with her, you both may be in a coma now."


"I'm glad you found her when you did. I don't think I could live with myself if I lost my daughter before I even knew her. Thank you," Grissom said, smiling.


I couldn't help it, I had to smile back at him. He had such an odd sense of humor. He and Elizabeth were so much alike. I felt like she was still awake with him around. We stayed in her room for a while, just talking or sitting silently as doctors and nurses flitted in and out. At one point we were playing Scrabble, which I found odd thinking back on it. Grissom spoke up after I placed an 18 point word.


"By the way, Nick, I give you my blessing," he said, his glasses at the end of his nose as he peered over them to see the board.


I was baffled because I knew exactly what he was talking about yet I had no idea how he knew.


"You what?" I exclaimed.


"You heard me. I know about you two. And I give you my blessing," he repeated, laying a really long word down on the board which won him the game.


I was ecstatic and yet slightly unnerved. He approved of me as I secretly had an affair with his daughter, while said daughter was in a coma.


"Um, thank you," I smiled genuinely, but the smile faded into a frown. "But you talk as if she were still awake, and she's not. I don't think she'll never be again."


"Comas don't have to be fatal. As soon as they find out what happened to her, they'll bring her back. I believe in them," he replied. "And I would have never pegged you as a pessimist, Nick. What happened?"


"I don't know. It just... It seems like nothing is going right," I sighed. Then I returned to his opinion. "Them, as in doctors? Or them, as in otherworldly beings?" I wondered, slightly joking. I never really knew what Grissom was talking about. I also knew he wasn't a big believer in religion.


"Could be either. I don't care, just whatever brings her back," he sighed, looking sincerely worried about Elizabeth.


I looked at Elizabeth again, wondering if she were dreaming, and if she were dreaming of me. I knew I would be dreaming of her, if I were stuck in everlasting sleep. Another fit of grief came over me and I leaned back, putting my hands over my eyes. If only I had been there... I should have been there. And the doctors had no idea what was wrong with her.


I fell asleep again not long after Sara and Grissom left. My mind was still filled with worry and sadness, but it managed to subside long enough to let my brain recharge. I was dreaming of Elizabeth, thinking about our first date, the Coldplay concert, and how things would have gone had we not been sent to that alleyway. We might still be able to go, if she could only wake up.






Elizabeth


I felt a pulling sensation on my left hand and I once again tried to open my eyes. When would I be strong enough? I willed my feeble mind to use the muscles in my face, my eyelids, to let me see. As I was concentrating, I realized I was making my eyes squint, and I nearly laughed out loud at my ridiculousness, if I could have. I blinked, then opened my eyes wide to the stark white ceiling of the hospital room. The next step would be to turn my head so I could see what was tugging at my hand. I tried at first to just think about doing it, then making an effort. After that didn't work, I concentrated a little bit harder. My index finger twitched. If my face could make any movement at all I would have been smiling.


After my finger twitched, I was nearly yanked to the left and I heard the chair beside the bed creak. I heard whispers, familiar whispers of a voice that seemed so far away.


"Elizabeth! Can you hear me? Move one of your fingers if you can hear me!" I knew that voice. I heard it when I was cold, when I couldn't move. Nick; it was Nick giving me butterflies still, even in the state I was in.


I used everything I had left, all my energy, just to show him that I knew he was there. I squeezed his hand, and I looked to the left. I couldn't move my head but in the corner of my eye, I saw him smiling, with a tear rolling down his cheek. I wanted to move my head more, but I didn't have to. Nick sat on the edge of my bed so that I could see him more clearly. He was wearing a black hoodie and his hair was messed up a bit. His eyes were bloodshot and a little watery, but he was still smiling.


"Hey..." he sighed, looking so relieved. I wanted to smile back at him so badly. I closed my eyes again and concentrated. I had no idea how I was doing it, but the harder I concentrated on moving a part of my body, I seemed to be able to move it. I felt the corners of my mouth begin to move up and I opened my eyes.


Nick's smile grew wider as my smile reached my cheeks and spread to my eyes. He looked ridiculously happy to see me; his face expressed what I felt. A small tear fell down my cheek and my smile faltered. I still couldn't move most of my body. Nick wiped the tear away with his thumb and then rested his hand on my cheek. I forced my head to move towards his warm hand; the comfort I felt being there was so wonderful after the night I'd been through. I squeezed his hand again, then I felt everything fall into place. I moved my arms completely, then stretched out my legs. I gasped and beamed at Nick, whose face was filled with shock and wonder.


"I... I can move..." I whispered, my voice very raspy.


Nick chuckled, "Of course you can. You're awake!" I saw a tear fall down his cheek as he pulled me in for a massive bear hug. I didn't want to let him go, but the doctor walked into the room then.


"Ah, Miss Mitchel, you're awake. I'm glad to see you've pulled through," a man I figured to be the doctor said, with a slight accent I might add, as he walked through the door. He looked quite young to be a doctor, though he had on the right attire. Although, under his white coat, he wore a bow tie and suspenders. I assumed immediately that he must also work in the children's ward, because I'd never seen anyone as young as he wear such old style clothing.


Nick sighed. "Yeah. I was terrified that you'd never wake up."


I was confused. "Wait, how long have I been out?"


Nick frowned, a look of worry crossing  his face. He looked to the doctor, who nodded, then back at me, putting a hand on my arm. "Elizabeth, it's been two weeks."


I looked to the doctor, who nodded again, and then I began to cry openly after that confirmation. I was feeling a mixture of shock, anger, disbelief, and most of all, sadness. Nick pulled me into his arms again as I sobbed. How could two weeks feel like one night? I'd lost two weeks of my life because of this Riddler.


The doctor continued talking. "We've found what caused you to be in a comatose state. As it turns out, the problem was chloroform. Whoever it was that did this, used it to poison you to a near death state. Thankfully, your Nick came just in time to call for an ambulance. Otherwise, you may not be sitting here alive right now. You'll have him to thank."


I looked up at Nick from where I burrowed into his shirt, a smile at my lips despite my tears. I then turned to the doctor. "Thank you too, for whatever you did to bring me back," I told him.


He grinned and rocked back on his heels. "That's my job,"  he mutered, then swiveled around towards the door when I added, "Oh, by the way." He paused and turned back slightly, "Nice bow tie," I commented. With a mischievous grin, he turned his head back to me. "I know," was all he said as he walked out of the room. What an odd man, I thought.


I then looked back at Nick and smiled ridiculously, "So, should we call my dad and Sara? They should know I'm awake, right?"


Nick nodded his head in agreement, his mouth thin and his words terse, "Sure. I'll go do that now," I raised an eyebrow at him in response but didn't comment on his actions. What had gotten into him all of a sudden? He got cold on me, rigid. I went over the last few minutes in my mind, realizing what I'd done. I nearly laughed out loud.


"Nick?" I called to him, but he shushed me and pointed to the phone. I crossed my arms and waited. What a great way to be treated right after waking up from a two week nap. When he was finished talking, he sat on the edge of my bed.


"Grissom and Sara are on their way. They should be here any minute," he told me, his eyes on his hands rather than on me.


"Nick?" I asked again. He looked up at me this time. "Were you jealous of me talking to the doctor like I did?"


He looked appalled. "No. Why would you think that?"


I sighed. "I don't know. It's just that after I complimented his style you totally went rigid on me," I explained to him, trying to keep my voice as level as possible.


He sighed in response and reached for my hand, leaning forward slightly. "It came across like you were flirting with him, and I suppose my initial reaction was to be jealous of him. I regretted it as soon as it happened, after I realized how dumb I was being," he laughed, though halfheartedly.


I leaned towards him. "How do you think I feel when I hear about all the beautiful nurses you've dated, and at the very least flirted with," I countered.


I had him at that one, and he smiled at me. "Alright, fine. We're even then."


"Even? Oh, no. I think I need to flirt with him a few more times to catch up to you," I joked, absentmindedly leaning forward.


He chuckled, his eyes on my lips. "Hey now. You don't need to get me all worked up."


I gave a breathy laugh as Nick closed the distance between us, pressing his lips against mine. He grabbed my waist as I pushed my hands through his hair. My breath got hot as our passions ignited, only to be extinguished by someone clearing their throat. I looked over to see that strange doctor again, along with Gil and Sara. I felt blood rush to my cheeks as Nick swiftly moved away from me to sit on the chair beside my bed. I laughed, a little shakily, not only because I was nervous, but because of the kiss Nick and I had just shared.


"Um, hi," I managed to choke out. My dad had the strangest look on his faced as he walked in, along with Sara who just seemed to stare in shock at Nick.


"I assume you're feeling much better now?" Gil said, disbelief and relief coloring his tone. He sat on the end on my bed, turning his body to face me.


I gave a nervous laugh again. "Uh, yep. Much better," I replied, smiling at Nick. He just grinned and shook his head. I raised an eyebrow. "What?"


Nick looked up and eyed Gil, who I saw also had a smile on his face. "Grissom knows," Nick stated, then stood up to come and sit beside me on the bed again. He took my hand, "He and Sara both know about us."


I looked over to my dad. "And... you don't mind?"


Gil chuckled. "Elizabeth," he tentatively took my other hand. "I've known Nick longer than I've known you. If I trust anyone with my daughter, I'm glad I can trust him."


I smiled, then looked to Sara. She spoke up.


"Yeah, I'm sorry for the whole, weird stare thing earlier. It's just I'm not used to you looking SO in love with someone," she chimed in, motioning to Nick. "You were always the ladies man. So it was just... Weird." she said, gesturing to our obvious hand holding.


Nick looked to me as he chuckled. "I don't blame you. It's a weird feeling. But a good feeling."


The doctor, who'd been standing quietly at the edge of the room, spoke up then, "Excuse me for a minute, if you don't mind, but I would like to discuss our findings with you Dr. Grissom." My dad looked to the doctor and nodded, getting up from his position at my bed. As the two talked quietly at the door, Sara, Nick and I started up a conversation. Just as my dad turned away from the doctor to come back in the room, I spotted Catherine and, none other than Conrad Ecklie rushing to the hospital room. Nick swiftly moved his hand from mine and stood up.


"Oh, everyone's here, good," Catherine began, fishing through her pockets. She pulled out of her rather large coat pocket a piece of paper, which was inside an evidence package. She still had latex gloves on as she pulled it out for us to see. "This was sent directly to the lab." As she opened it, I noticed little question marks, getting bigger and bigger as she unfolded it. "Another riddle. And I think it's about Elizabeth," Catherine stated, looking directly at me. She moved towards the side of the bed so I could read it.


I read it aloud. "The girl was a warning, for what is to come. You cannot stop, what will be done."


I looked around at my colleagues, who all stood with different looks of horror plastered on their faces. What did the Riddler have in store for me next?