The Unattainable

Waking Up or Falling Into the Black?

"Stephanie, wake up!"

I could hear Nick's voice and I slowly began to come to, and I groaned, touching my head again, seeing more blood on my hand than before. I could barely move in the tight space. What the..hell? I looked behind me slowly and noticed that my truck's seat had come down on me. I felt pan in my left leg, while my right was sorely numb. I could hear something calling, or someone.

"Stephanie!"

Again..?

I tried to push myself onto my hands and knees, but my left leg experienced a shock of extreme pain as I did so.

"Don't move, Stephanie." That's..Grissom. The voices were coming from behind me..somewhere.

"Don't worry; we're going to get you out, alright? Just stay where you are and don't move."

That was Catherine.

"I can't move." I called back, coughing. I could tell this was bad. I couldn't move and I was trapped underneath a crushed car and seat. I cried out softly as I continued to feel the seatbelt dig into my ribcage. I reached down with my blood-covered hands and unhooked it, feeling relief run through me as I felt the seatbelt release the bones of my ribcage. I was rather skinny, and the seatbelt had gotten stuck underneath my ribcage.

"Stephanie, you alright?"

"Yeah." I coughed again, which resulted in a series.

"Stephanie, can you move towards the other window so we can break this one?" Catherine asked.

"I-I think so."

I placed my elbows on the grass and pulled myself forward, and then rolled on my side, pulling my knees up as well. I barely even heard it as they shattered the window.

"Alright, Stephanie, just a little longer!"

I heard the seatbelt move and I felt familiar arms wrap around me and pull me out. I was set down on the grass, my worried co-workers and the paramedics surrounding me. I felt a mask slip over my mouth, my hands against Nick's wrists.

"Nicky, are you...are you..alright?"

I don't even know if there was an answer; my hearing was blown. I found myself going in and out of consciousness, waking with Nick and Catherine in the ambulance with me, and then as I was rushed into the emergency room.

"Are you Stephanie Moore?"

"Yeah, that's me."

…

"Hi, I'm Nick Stokes."

"Stephanie Moore."

...

"We were, uh," He glanced over at Warrick, "Going to the diner for dinner. Wanna come?"

"Okay, okay."

...

"I was five and he was six, we rode on horses made of sticks, he wore black and I wore white, he'd always win the fight. Bang, bang, he shot me down, bang, bang, I hit the ground, bang, bang that awful sound, bang, bang my baby shot me down.."

...

"You sound like you speak from experience."

"I do." I breathed.

…

"Let's just say that some wounds remain open, even after years of nursing them."

…

"Nicky, pass the rolls."

"Hey Steph, give me some too!"

…

"I worked too hard; my mother had problems with back pain and that when I was growing up and so I did a lot of the housework."

…

""I got to get home before I get too intoxicated."

"If you're leaving, I'll drive you home."

…

"Stephanie, you alright?!"

…

"NICK!"

The next time I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed, a breathing tube taped on my face. I breathed deeply, slowly opening my eyes, and closing them once again because of the bright lights of the hospital. I heard quick movement and when I opened my eyes fully, Catherine and Sara were on either side of my bed, warm smiles on their faces.

"Glad you're awake." Catherine breathed, brushing a dark brown hair from my face.

"The doctors were worried it would be a while before you woke up." Sara added.

"Where..?" I breathed deeply again, "Where's Nick?"

I looked around for him, though I didn't see him.

"I finally got him to go get some coffee; He wouldn't leave your side. He was really worried."

I nodded slowly.

"Did we hit anyone?"

"No." Catherine reassured me. I nodded my head as she motherly continued to delicately brush my forehead.

"Can," My speaking was slow, "Can you..go..." Another breath, "...get him?"

I could barely keep my eyes open, but I wanted to see Nick. I wanted to see he was alright..

"Yeah." Catherine kissed my forehead and her and Sara left the room. I looked to my left, noticing my phone. I reached over, slowly grabbing it. Catherine had probably told them to leave my phone close. I looked through the missed calls, seeing Mom, Daniel, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Horatio, Calleigh, Eric, Calleigh, Calleigh. I rolled my eyes slightly, and closed the phone, looking up to the door opening, seeing Nick enter. He gave a smile and grabbed a chair, sitting at my side.

"You got any coffee?"

"Yeah."

He held out a cup and I smiled, grabbing it. My movements were slow, as my body ached. I slowly took a sip, and smiled peacefully.

"Sugar and creamer?" I asked, raising my eyes to Nick's sweet brown ones.

"Of course." He smiled..Oh god..his smile..

"You know me too well, Nicky."

"How so?"

"You know how I like my coffee, you know I can identify any gun, and you know that those guys are just the beginning."

He sighed, sitting back in the chair, "Yeah, I do."

He continued, "I know that when you are targeted, it means there's a whole line of shit about to happen."

"Yeah..are you sure you're ready for it?"

He leaned forward, "I don't care who they are. They're not going to hurt you."