TITLE: Like a Bullet through the Brain
AUTHOR: VicXntric
SPOILERS: Totally for Grave Danger.
NOTES: Written in fifteen minutes on fingers shaking too badly to type. Unbetad.

Oh.

Now he gets it.

Forget the girl who didn't like dating a cop. Forget that he thought not carrying his weapon when on a date with her made it the Real Thing.

Because now he gets it.

Forget that in that split-second he thought his buddy had blown his brain out he was ready to do the same.

Forget the rage, the despair, the death he felt when that screen went black. Forget the hysterical laughter that bubbled through him when the ghastly green light lit the coffin again.

Because how could he not get it?

Forget the awe he felt to discover his buddy was still managing to hold together, when he didn't think he could to the same.

Because now he gets it.

Forget the way his heart stopped with he saw that gun through the plexiglass. Forget the killing rage that thrummed through him when it was suggested he leave. Forget the way his heart broke at that horrible, horrible sound his buddy made when he walked away. Forget the eternal gratitude to Gil Grissom for pulling him together.

Now he gets it.

Now he can concentrate on being with his buddy in the ambulance. Now he can touch and soothe and murmur reassurances to his buddy. Now he can set his mind to mending his buddy.

Because like the bullet his buddy almost used, he realizes that all everything he'll ever want to remember in his life is before him on a stretcher. Trembling and sobbing and broken, but so so real.

Oh.

How long has he been in love with Nick Stokes, anyway?