Author's Note: I apologize in advance for this last chapter. I had a different ending planned for this fic. However due to everything that's been going on since I started writing this fic, I need a happy ending, well, at least a happier ending. How about you? So, here's my happy(er) ending.

Chapter 9

He could hear muffled voices and see the bright light through his eyelids. Slowly, he became aware of the dull ache that filled his whole body. Somewhere in the distance a steady beeping registered. He realized it must be a heart monitor. He was in the hospital—and alive.

He carefully opened his eyes, blinking to adjust to the light. He wondered how long he had been out. When he could finally focus, he scanned the room, but what he saw only made him shut his eyes and turn his head. She was there, but she was hugging him. He would rather be dead.

Alex broke from her embrace of Greg and turned back to look at Nick. Her jaw dropped. His head was turned to the side. It was his first movement in a couple days. The doctors hadn't been sure if he would be all right.

"Nick," she called gently as she walked towards the bed.

He didn't move, but she could see the tears trailing down his cheeks. When she got to the bed, she grasped his hand. At that, his eyes flew open.

A smile of relief crossed her lips and she started to cry her own tears. "You're awake," she stated, not being able to keep the emotion out of her voice.

Nick was overcome. He didn't think Alex would be happy to see him, especially after all that had happened. But the look in her eyes, the touch of her hand, it told him more than any words could. He tried to say something, anything, but he just couldn't find the words to say.

She bent over and threw her arms around him, putting her head to his chest, making sure to be careful of the bandage there.

"Alex," he said her name like a man dying of thirst asks for water. His arms snapped around her like a steel trap. And his tears flowed freely.

Alex pulled away so she could look at him. "Nicky, Nicky, Nicky. What's wrong?" She ran a hand lightly through his hair. All their arguments fading away, knowing that he was awake.

He couldn't stop his tears as he tried to answer. "Nothing….wrong. Glad you are here."

She gave him a small smile. "Where else would I be?"

"Greg," was all he could get out.

"Greg's fine. He just got grazed," Alex told him.

"Grazed?" Nick didn't understand. He was the one who had been shot, not Greg. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Alex looked concerned.

Nick remembered something, but from Alex's reaction to him, he wasn't sure it was the right something. He shook his head, "No."

"The doctor said you might have some amnesia. You took a pretty bad blow to the head, aside from being shot," she told him.

"How?" Nick asked, looking for anything to jog his memory.

"You and Greg were at the jail, processing a cell where an inmate died." She paused looking for some recognition in his face, but didn't see any. "According to Greg, you had just found a small swatch of cloth when one of the guards watching you guys became enraged because, as it turns out, he killed the prisoner. A fight ensued and you were shot."

Nick concentrated on her words, trying his hardest to remember. But, all he could see was the fight between him and Greg. Alex shooting him. He tried to clear his head. That wasn't the truth, yet it felt so real.

Alex saw the thought-filled expression on Nick's face and was worried. "Let me get the doctor," she said, then leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.

When her lips made contact with his skin, his memory came flooding back. "Wait," he grabbed her hand as she tried to leave.

By the time she turned back to face him, the expression on his face had turned to one of concern. It was a look she knew well, and realized he had started to remember. And what he remembered was their last fight.

Nick couldn't remember who started the fight, but he did remember that they were fighting about work again. Things at the lab, where he was now grave shift supervisor, were hectic because they were short handed—again. Alex was complaining about how little time Nick actually spent at home.

Nick, for his part, was angry too. She didn't really have any room to talk about not being home. She was only supposed to be working part-time as an accountant, but she was putting in more and more hours. Nick accused her of not wanting to be at home and, although he didn't say it in so many words, thought she was cheating. As it turns out, her strange behavior was for quite the opposite reason—she was pregnant. And right as she told him, he got the call regarding the murder at the jail. She was not happy when he left.

"Pregnant," was the only word Nick got out.

Alex nodded slowly, the tears freshly falling from her eyes.

Nick smiled, a wide, proud smile. After catching a glimpse of what a life without Alex would be like, he wasn't going to waste this chance. He pulled lightly on her arm, so that she was once again in his.

"I love you so much," he whispered in to her ear. "Both of you," he added, putting one hand on her stomach.

"Really?" she asked, just needing some reassurance.

"Really," Nick told her, giving her a tight squeeze.

She stayed in his arms for a few more moments, then stood. "I really should get the doctor. He'll want to check you over."

"Ollie and Jill?" Nick wanted to see the twins. He needed to put his arms around Jill to chase away the lingering hole in his heart.

She smiled. "They're here. I'll get them after the doctor," she replied, then went to find the doctor.

Nick could feel a small giggle of relief struggling to break free. Alex was still his wife. Jill, who had been abducted as a toddler, but was found quickly, was still alive and thriving. Oliver was going through some growing pains, but was a good kid. His family was intact and soon to expand. Nothing in the world could be better.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was glad to wake up from that nightmare. He went over it, to remember what was grounded in truth. Alex was pregnant with his child, not Greg's. Greg was, in fact, married to Samantha. Nick had been the best man at their wedding. Ollie and Jill were happy and healthy. Grissom had suffered a heart attack, but he was still alive. He and Sara were somewhere hot and sticky with their son, Isaac. The truth was far from the hell he had imagined.

A squeal broke in to his thoughts and he opened his eyes. A tight smile brushed his lips and a tear escaped from his eye. His daughter stood in the doorway, more beautiful than he remembered. She, like her brother, had dark brown hair. Her eyes were the color of her mother's and her smile was a unique mix of both her parents. He could tell that she would only get more beautiful as she grew.

Jill ran to her father's bed and threw her arms around him. "Daddy, you're awake!"

"Honey," he said squeezing her tight. "I'm so happy to see you." He kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was so scared that you might not," she quickly told him. "Mom said you'd be alright and she was right."

"Lucky guess," Oliver said with a smile, appearing at his dad's side. "But I'm glad she was right."

"Me, too," Nick agreed with his son. "How about a hug for your old man?"

Oliver looked around to make sure that no one was looking, then gladly hugged his dad. He was relieved that his dad had woken up. He wasn't ready to be the man of the house yet, especially because he couldn't even drive yet.

Alex came back in to the room. She smiled wide at the sight of her husband with their children. She could barely remember the last time all four of them were in the same room at the same time. They were all so busy.

Nick looked up and saw Alex. He motioned for her to come over with a slight head movement. She quickly obeyed, not wanting to be away from her family for a second longer.

"I'm making you all a promise," Nick started as Alex approached. "I'm going to be around a lot more. Be a better dad, a better husband. But I need your help."

"I'll keep you in line," Oliver responded.

"We all will," Alex told him.

Nick smiled again. The scenes from his mind's eye fading in the light of reality. He had been given a second chance, again. And he wasn't going to waste it. His family had waited for him long enough. Now he was going to live and grow old surrounded by the people he loved the most. The future was there and he was going to seize it.